Briefs

Parking for Five Points

The city's two new surface parking lots at 2126 and 2132 Devine Street, up the hill from Five Points, are being set aside for employees so customers can have the spaces closer to the shops and restaurants. The property includes two houses, one of which will be the police substation, but the other is not slated for demolition. The lots are expected to provide 160 parking spaces. The grading and paving costs are yet to be fully disclosed, but the purchase price for both lots together is about $2 million, or $12,500 per space, plus the city gets the two houses.

BMW down temporarily

German automaker BMW (with a huge plant in Greer, S.C.) recently reported its second- quarter profits, $174 million, down 76 percent from $729 million for the same quarter last year. All told, BMW revenues fell 11 percent in the quarter to $18.56 billion.

Golden age in Athens, Ga.

The University of Georgia in Athens received more than 17,900 applications for the fall 2009 freshman class, and UGA enrolled 6,300, about 75 more than last year. Since 2003, applications have increased by more than 50 percent. The SAT combined score average for Critical Reading and Math is 1263. Georgia is 31 percent African- American, and UGA's freshman class is 7.6 percent. As freshman class statistics come in from other local and regional schools, Briefs will try to report them.

A good idea for SCE&G (SCANA)

Atlanta- based electric utility Southern Co. has applied to the U.S. Department of Energy for $302 million in federal stimulus funding for its Smart Grid initiative. Southern needs $197 million for its advanced metering. Another $165 million is targeted for automation of the transmission of electric power. Southern has already installed more than 1 million smart meters, which cut operating costs, particularly meter reading. Southern says the stimulus spending will reduce its vehicle fleet for meter reading by more than 500, shaving 12.5 million miles of driving each year. For the next three years, assuming Southern collects on its stimulus application, the company will install at least 4,000 meters per day, totaling more than four million in place by 2012.

And another good electric power idea

By 2012, each of North Carolina's electric utilities will have to produce 3 percent of their power generation from renewable sources. The deadline is part of state- mandated renewable energy targets. Raleigh- based Progress Energy is building a 2.3 megawatt solar panels array in Laurinburg, having just scored the financing with San Francisco- based MP2 Capital.

Bull Street

In the first week of August, the City of Columbia Planning Commission voted to designate sections of the former mental health property on Bull Street as an architectural conservation district. The designation calls for further public hearings if demolition is threatened.

Once a farmers' market, now a research park

The S.C. Research Authority is taking over the 196- acres Shop Road site that was targeted for a farmers' market. The market is under construction in Lexington County, near Dixiana. The SCRA plans to market the Shop Road property to both knowledge- based businesses and manufacturers.

Movements on Main Street

The unofficial word from Main Street merchants and other reliable sources allows for the arrival of Mast General Store to take occupancy in the former Lourie's building at the northwest corner of Taylor Street and Main Street. There are already nine regional Mast locations, including the original store in Valle Crucis, N.C., which goes back to 1883. The store closed in 1977 and reopened under new ownership in 1980. There are seven stores total in N.C. And there's one on Main Street in Greenville, S.C., and another in Knoxville, Tenn. In 1996, Mast became an employee- owned company, something like Publix Grocery. Mast advertises its "Made in America" bias in stocking its stores. With all the goods expected in a traditional general store, Mast also sells 500 varieties of old- fashioned candy.

Michelin adopts eight S.C. schools

Greer- based Michelin North America will soon start tutoring and mentoring at eight S.C. public schools: Fords Pond Elementary in Pelion, East North Street Academy in Greenville, Ellen Woodside Elementary in Pelzer, Grove Elementary in Piedmont, Townville Elementary in Townville, Fair Forest Elementary in Spartanburg, E.B. Morse Elementary in Laurens, and Sue Cleveland Elementary in Piedmont.