Urban Land Institute The ULI will hold a conference in the Charlotte Convention Center, April 7- 8, on creating sustainable communities through environmentally conscious development. Jim Rogers, CEO of Charlotte- based Duke Energy, is the keynote speaker. The conference will be chaired by Jonathan Rose, president of Jonathan Rose Companies, a New York- based planning and development firm. For more information, go to www.uli.org and click ULI Calendar: Events.

Parish houses The auction of Al Parish's former home at 224 Rabbit Run Lane in Summerville, a three- story townhouse on Tradd Street (SOB) in Charleston, and two seaside residences on Edisto Beach will take place at Roumillat's Auction Gallery at 2241 Savannah Highway in Charleston at 11 am, February 26. Parish, a former Charleston Southern University economics professor, pleaded guilty to investment fraud charges. The sales will be used to repay a portion of the $90 million in losses suffered by about 600 Parish investors. Parish is awaiting sentencing.

Bank of America joins Dow Jones Industrial Average As of February 19, Charlotte- based Bank of America is one of the 30 stocks in the DJIA, replacing Altria Group, parent company of Philip Morris USA.

Cleaner air, hopefully A federal appeals court struck down a Bush administration policy exempting power plants from certain environmental regulations. The ruling should mean the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control must reconsider Santee Cooper's plans to control mercury at its proposed pulverized coal- burning power plant near Pamlico, S.C. Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that accumulates in fish and poses the greatest risk of nerve and brain damage to pregnant women, women of childbearing age, and young children.

Come what May The Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, a Rosewood Hotel, opens its doors in May 2008. The 127- room ultra- luxury hotel was designed by architect Robert A. M. Stern, dean at Yale and designer of the National Advocacy Center in Columbia. Dallas- based Rosewood Hotels also manages the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and the Carlyle Hotel in New York City, among other high- end properties around the world.

Computer Sciences Corporation expands Blythewood- based CSC will increase the local employee population by 300 during the next 12- 18 months, providing an onshore alternative to offshore information technology outsourcing services.

Courson and Ryberg agree to disagree Sen. Greg Ryberg, R- Aiken, has introduced legislation to prohibit ads from being placed on school buses. Sen. John Courson, R- Columbia, chair of the Senate Education Committee, signed on as a cosponsor.

Competition for Columbia Duke Energy, N.C. State University, and Raleigh- based Progress Energy are teaming up to open the Advanced Transportation Energy Center. Startup costs are $5 million, and another $1 million is needed annually for operations. The center will focus on research to pursue use of plug- in hybrid vehicles.

Street market Starting May 2, 2008, and continuing through June 27, the City Center Partnership's Main Street Marketplace will be open on Boyd Plaza in front of the Columbia Museum of Art every Friday, 10 am until 2 pm.

Richland 1 in search of a new chief Chicago- based BPW & Associates LLC has been identified as the likely contractor to help Richland 1 locate a new superintendent to replace Dr. Allen Coles. Coles was superintendent for three years and steps down this June.

More help for Richland One Columbia Mayor Bob Coble, chair of the bus system's Service and Standards Committee, has offered his qualitycontrol skills to Richland One, as demonstrated by the improvements to the city's bus system since he became mayor in 1990. Coble has called for a comprehensive review of Richland One, comparing similar districts as he builds a data and performance- based plan. Coble initiated a comprehensive review of the bus system with his chosen Yellow Light Committee in 1990.