Columbia Star

1963        Celebrating 60 Years      2023

Briefs





Power plant emissions According to the Southern Environmental Law Center, N.C.’s coal- fired power plants produce a disproportionate share of global- warming- causing pollution. SELC says the coal- fired plants are mostly responsible for the state’s 77 million tons of carbon- dioxide emissions annually. California produces two million tons more than North Carolina and 26 more than S.C.’s 53 tons. Considering California’s population of 37,700,000, the state’s power plants put out two tons per resident. N.C. cranks out nine per resident, and S.C., more than 12 tons of carbon- dioxide from its power plants per resident.

Getting started Three entrepreneur information sessions are planned by the USC Small Business Development Center. Each session will cost $30 and focus on how to write a business plan. Other topics include legal structures, licensing, and taxes. The sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, December 12 and January 23. Visit www.uscbiz.net.

Governor stands up for mom- and- pop retailers Gov. Mark Sanford plans to push to repeal tax breaks customized to lure large big- box retailers during the legislative session. Last session lawmakers overrode his veto of such incentives. The incentives give the big- box stores a 50 percent refund on sales taxes for 15 years. To win the tax break, a store must attract at least two million visitors a year and generate a minimum of $2 million in annual sales taxes. Also, the store must have an initial capital investment of at least $25 million, including the building and its land.

Ethanol A pilot plant at the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston will convert switchgrass into biofuel. The plant will use stems, leaves, and wood from plants like switchgrass to make ethanol. The facility is expected to produce 750,000 gallons of biofuel a year by late 2009. Funded by a combination of public money and private investment, the plant’s startup costs are almost $15 million. Working with Clemson on the project are the Savannah River National Laboratory, South Carolina State University, and the South Carolina Biotechnology Incubation Program, all coming together to form the South Carolina Bioenergy Research Collaborative.

Fast growth The accounting firm Elliot Davis that participated at the S.C. Chamber of Commerce’s annual summit at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach announced November 16 Spartanburg- based Tricor Construction was the state’s fastest growing company with revenue growth of almost 400 percent over 2006.

Charleston, Columbia, and Charlotte buses In October, Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority buses recorded 321,010 trips, which annualized comes to a yearly total of almost 4,000,000. In Columbia last year, the CMRTA buses ran more than 3,000,000 trips, according to Richland County Council member Mike Montgomery. Charlotte’s bus system last year recorded 19,100,000 trips. Charlotte’s half- cent sales tax for transit was recently reapproved by voters. The tax contributes $70 million a year to the Charlotte transit system.

Five diamonds The Wentworth Mansion in Charleston received AAA’s Five Diamond award for the fifth consecutive year. For the second year in a row, the Sanctuary on Kiawah Island also received the award. For 2007, 99 of 60,000 AAA- rated hotels in North America and the Caribbean gain the Five Diamond award. A hopeful about to open is Greenville’s Peacock Hotel & Spa, a high- end luxury hotel already aligned with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The Peacock’s marketing plan management includes Michael Dimond, who recently retired from Colorado’s Broadmoor as senior vice president of sales and marketing


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