Fox out

More than 16,000 South Carolinians were recently notified their Medicare pharmaceutical benefits were transferred to another insurance program after their choice of coverage, Fox Insurance Company of New York, was terminated from the national Medicare Part D prescription drug program. According to Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, South Carolina has a total of 660,000 elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries.

Deadliest

As part of a Reader’s Digest study of the best, worst and deadliest roads in the U.S., South Carolina is ranked No. 3 in the nation for deadliest roads. The deadliest roads were calculated with a ranking of fatalities per 100 million miles driven.

Latest episode in Carolina First continuing saga

Last week The Columbia Star reported on the departure of The South Financial Group board members Donald T. Heroman and William P. Bryant. Both resigned in February. Greenville–based South Financial is the parent company of Carolina First Bank. On Thursday, March 11, South Financial announced directors Challis Lowe and J. W. Davis would not seek re–election. The fifth director to resign, Darla Moore, left the board last December. Besides losing five board members, South Financial also lost its executive vice president of investor relations, Mary Gentry, who resigned earlier in the month.

Best and second best golf courses

Harbor Town Golf Links, host of the PGA Tour’s Verizon Heritage, was selected as the top golf course in South Carolina by the S.C. Golf Course Ratings Panel. No. 2 is the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, which will host the 2012 PGA Championship.

District 2 resident sues the city

Paul Denman and his lawyer Jay Bender sued the City of Columbia to stop the April 6 District 2 election to replace former council member E. W. Cromartie II. Denman claimed “irreparable injury as either a candidate or a voter.” Denman and his wife Jean are residents in the 1500 block of Main Street, facing the Columbia Museum of Art.

SCE&G

Public hearings by the Public Service Commission will be held to allow SCE&G customers to comment on the utility’s proposed rate increase. The hearings will be in Summerville, North Charleston, and Columbia. In Columbia, the hearings are scheduled for 10:30 am, May 24–27, but the time is subject to change, and the location is not determined. Upon final determination of time and location, the information will be posted on the Commission’s Website (http://www.psc.sc.gov/).

Housing markets on the mend

Builder, a national trade magazine for homebuilders, has identified the 20 healthiest housing markets for 2010. At the top is Austin–Round Rock, Texas. No. 3 is Charlotte–Gastonia–Concord, N.C. No. 5 is Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville, S.C., the highest–ranked market in the state. Myrtle Beach is No. 15, and Greenville is No. 19.

Ducks in a row

The Lexington Ducks Unlimited made the President’s Top 100 list as one of the organization’s highest fundraising chapters. Established in 1937, DU has 3,500 chapters across the country.

Republic National

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) will expand its operations with a new facility in the Lexington County Industrial Park, off U.S. 321. The company expects to invest more than $11.8 million in its new 200,000 sq. ft. facility over the next five years. RNDC is the second largest distributor of premium wine and spirits in the country, employing more than 6,000 people nationwide.

No offshore drilling while Obama occupies White House

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced earlier in the month there would be a three–year ban on offshore drilling, which means no new oil and gas leases will be approved during the current presidential term.

Soil Not Oil

Scientist, environmental activist, and writer Dr. Vandana Shiva will give a public lecture based on her book, Soil Not Oil, Friday, April 2 at 3:30 pm in the Belk Auditorium, Darla Moore School of Business.

Coble to speak

The Greater Columbia Community Relations Council will hold its 46th annual luncheon on Thursday, March 25 from 12:30 pm until 2 pm in the convention center on Lincoln Street. Mayor Bob Coble is the keynote speaker. For tickets and more information, contact the CRC office at 733.1130.