American Le Mans and Clemson’s ICAR

Last month, the president and CEO of American Le Mans Series visited the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center at Clemson’s ICAR near Greenville. ICAR and the racing series are after the same goal, more energy–efficient automobiles, according to the Le Mans CEO, Scott Atherton. Calling the engineering center “world class,” Atherton suggested a partnership between the Le Mans racing series and ICAR. Already both Michelin and BMW, two Upstate firms, test products in the American Le Mans Series.

Best buys

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has named the 100 best values in U.S. public colleges. Top honors, best bang for the buck, go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. No. 2 is the University of Florida, and No. 3 is the University of Virginia. The University of South Carolina is No. 32, immediately ahead of No. 33 Clemson University. Selected from a pool of more than 500 public four–year colleges and universities, the Kiplinger 100 are ranked on academic standards, cost, and financial aid.

Best cities

Columbia is listed as one of the best cities in the country in which to do business, according to the Dow Jones financial markets publisher. Among the 101 largest metropolitan areas, those with more than 500,000 people, Columbia is ranked No. 56. The three best for business are Des Moines, Iowa; Washington, D.C.; and Omaha, Nebraska, No. 47 Charleston is ranked ahead of No. 56 Columbia, and Greenville is a bit behind at No. 67.

Jobs lost

S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom detailed the impact of the loss of 92,700 jobs in 2009 in the state’s annual financial report, that was released last month. In 2008, the state lost 8,300 jobs. The state office last year received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, the highest honor bestowed for governmental accounting and financial reporting. To view S.C.’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, go to www.cg.sc.gov.

Broadband grants

The U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has awarded South Carolina grants to fund broadband mapping and planning activities as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Connected Nation is the state’s designated entity to handle the funds that come to $1.2 million for broadband data collection over a two–year period and $500,000 for broadband planning over a five–year period.

Nuclear energy grants

Professors Doug Woodward and Joseph Von Nessen of USC’s Darla Moore School of Business are the recipients of a $150,000 research award to conduct a national survey of the demand for nuclear scientists and engineers over the next 10 years.

Almost done deal

According to reports in The State newspaper, NAI Avant broker Gene Green expects the sale of the Bull Street State Hospital property, 165 acres, to be all said and done by January 15. The buyer is Greenville–based developer Bob Hughes. The most historic structure on the site, the Mills Building, is not included in the purchase by Hughes.

Horses

A private thoroughbred training facility in Montmorenci is the intent by the ruling sheik of Dubai, who in December closed on the purchase of about 360 acres six miles from the Aiken Training Track. Darley America is the U.S. arm of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s thoroughbred racing operations.

Impressive gains

Ford Motor Company saw its stock price increase 437.43 percent in 2009, the most in the country for a large–capitalization company. Ford has 213,000 employees.

Impressive stability

For 2009 through November, the median price of a home sale in Columbia was $139,000, down about 3 percent from the same time period last year but up 5 percent from 2005’s $132,000.

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner

Within a week after its initial test flight last month, Boeing announced 11 new orders for the 787 jet aircraft, bringing the total net orders (taking into account lost orders) to 768. Boeing is building a second 787 final assembly plant in North Charleston that is expected to come online in mid–2011.