Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
      Dropping revenues Budget gaps are expected to follow the predicted drop- offs in the state's revenues. The state's Budget and Control Board is already asking state agencies to save two percent of their budgets.
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City Subcontracting Outreach Program costs taxpayers millions more
Commentary by John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com
      What has already appeared before Columbia City Council, a million- dollar difference between the lowest bidder and the winning bidder in a city construction project, happened last Wednesday, August 6. Again, the second lowest bidder won the deal due to misdocumentation in what used to be called the city's Minority Subcontracting Outreach Program. With a nod to the U.S.
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John Courson of Keenan & Suggs Insurance
Star Profile
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com
      S. C. State Senator John Courson (R- Richland) is running for re- election this November. He's held the position since 1984. So far, no opposition has surfaced. The deadline for filing to run as a Democrat has passed. Courson was born in Augusta, Ga., where his father was a conductor for the Atlantic Coast Line railroad's passenger service.
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Folks about town
      Jeffrey Roberts, who runs a Kirby Distributorship in West Columbia, has won a trip to Paris from the Kirby Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Joshua Burgess, a doctoral student in history at USC, has been named the first recipient of the John G. Sproat Summer Dissertation Fellowship. This will enable Burgess to travel to Washington, D.C.
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Columbia Sertoma Club raises $110,000
Contributed by the Columbia Sertoma Club
      The Columbia Sertoma Club raised more than $110,000 during its just- completed 2007- 2008 fiscal year. Sertoma used the money raised to assist more than 22 Columbia- based organizations. Chris Burnette, president of Columbia Sertoma, says he is extremely grateful for the support from the community over the last year.
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MACST launches Famously Hot campaign
Contributed by The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism
      The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism (MACST) launched a new marketing campaign August 12 to attract meetings and conventions, sports groups, and leisure visitors to Columbia. The campaign is designed to raise awareness with meeting planners by positioning the city as a vibrant, surprising, and exceptional destination for conventions and meetings.
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