Suitable blame for S.C.'s unemployment According to The Associated Press, S.C. can look to four fields of failure to blame for the current business climate: (1) collapse of housing; (2) implosion of the auto industry; (3) meltdown of financial services; (4) exodus of manufacturing. S.C.'s unemployment rate in November was 8.4%, but some expectations for December's unemployment rate include a range of 8.5%- 10%. On the national front, suffering from the same four culprits, unemployment in December 2008 was 7.2%, while in December 2007, it was 4.9%.

Another layer of governmental management January 28, Wednesday, at 9 am is the time for the City of Columbia's public hearing on the proposed Rental Property Business License. The hearing will take place on the third floor of City Hall, corner of Laurel and Main. If passed, this ordinance requires owners of rental property to obtain a business license.

National attention National Wildlife Federation CEO Larry Schweiger will be touring S.C. on January 16- 17 to discuss prospects in 2009 for comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation in the U.S. Congress. Also, Schweiger will address the S.C. Wildlife Federation's 44th Annual Conservation Awards Banquet in Columbia, Saturday, January 17 at 6 pm at the Radisson Hotel on Bush River Road. For more information, call 256.0670.

$$$ for Columbia firm Columbia- based Palmetto GBA has been selected by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to process and pay all fee- for- service Medicare claims and perform related duties of S.C., N.C., Va., and W. Va. After a full and open competitive process, CMS awarded Palmetto GBA a contract with a base period of one year and four one- year options to serve as the Medicare administrative contractor for the four states. The contract has a potential value of $300 million.

Woodward's outlook Dr. Douglas Woodward, director of the Division of Research and professor of economics at USC, will be the featured speaker at the Capital Senior Center, 5:30 pm, Wednesday, January 21. It's the first lecture of the 2009 Wine and Unwind series. For reservations, call 779.1971. Governor's budget S.C. Governor Mark Sanford's budget for fiscal year 2009- 2010 lays out spending of about $5.8 billion, the same as the current state budget. The current budget has been reduced by about $1 billion as the state's economy has fallen deeper into recession.

Charlotte home sales fall According to the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association, the number of houses sold in the Charlotte area in December declined by more than 47 percent. The average price fell by 8.3 percent.

Now the good news: Spoleto Charleston's Spoleto Festival USA saw its early ticket sales, the first five days of opening for sales, rise by 17% more than in the same time frame in 2006, the festival's previous record year for sales.

Lawyers lay off Charlotte- based law firm Parker Poe saw its revenue grow in 2008, but the firm recently laid off 28 employees in anticipation of the coming year's business trends. Parker Poe has six offices in the Carolinas, including Columbia.

Mayoral appeal Mayor Bob Coble of Columbia and Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston were among other members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., Thursday, January 8, for a briefing by president- elect Obama. The mayors presented Obama with an 803- page report, including a preliminary list of urban infrastructure projects.

Charlotte has a good idea for USC and Clemson At UNC Charlotte, the trustees have approved no increase in the annual tuition for full- time undergraduates of $2,516, the same as last year. Overall student fees will increase $143. By next fall, UNC Charlotte expects enrollment to hit 24,000 students. The student enrollment is projected to grow to 35,000 by 2020.

End of an era At the end of WWII, returning GIs created a building boom to go along with the baby boom. Jim Walter Homes began in late 1946 in Tampa. Recently, the firm had five S.C. offices: Goose Creek, Cayce, Columbia, Florence, and one in the Upstate until a year ago. Walter Industries shut down Jim Walter Homes for good, Tuesday, January 6.