February 10, 2012

You are here: Home / 2010 / February / Archives for 24th

Ports Authority: Port of Georgetown is struggling (Audio)

February 24, 2010 By

Port of Georgetown, photo by South Carolina Ports Authority

South Carolina’s ports make a significant impact on the state and local economy from shipping businesses across the world. However, South Carolina State Ports Authority spokesperson Byron Miller says the Port of Georgetown has seen brighter days.

“The Port of Georgetown is struggling. We’ve lost a significant amount of business over the last couple of years up there as the channel has filtered in. We’ve been working very closely with the Corps (of Engineers) to try and identify funding, but we have to get the business back first,” says Miller.

To do that, Miller says they have been focusing on bringing in new cargo accounts where they can. He says one reason for the cost cuts is the drop in the shallow shipping channel, which serves as a “highway for the vessels.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, News

Two Greenville men face jail time for check-kiting

February 24, 2010 By

Two Greenville men pled guilty in federal court Wednesday of bank fraud by check-kiting. 29-year-old Joey Ray Patterson and 30-year-old Tommy Travis Rice opened three accounts at different upstate banks. They then wrote checks drawn on one account with insufficient funds and deposited them into the other accounts, alternating the checks and deposits among the three banks. They also inserted empty deposit envelopes into ATM machines and keyed-in false amounts for deposit. the pattern of depositing worthless checks and false ATM deposits resulted in falsely inflated account balances at the banks. The men would then withdraw monies from the banks and write checks to purchase items based on the inflated balances. Investigators say the banks lost over $20,000 before the kite was discovered.

Patterson and Rice each  face maximum sentences of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News

USC/SCRA Innovation Center to be catalyst for SC knowledge economy (Audio)

February 24, 2010 By

Rendering of USC/SCRA Innovation Center

In Columbia, business, political and university leaders have broken ground on a center that will nurture high-tech, high-paying companies. The new University of South Carolina, SC Research Authority Innovation Center already has two tenants standing by:  Direct Measurements and Immedion.

Bill Mahoney is CEO of the South Carolina Research Authority. The authority was mandated by the legislature and does not use or seek public funds. “”We take prototypes and discoveries out of labs and off of benches and we get them into production and widespread use.  And typically we have an 18 to 36 month window to find those technologies, select them, perfect them and then get them operational,” says Mahoney.

The USC/SCRA Innovation Center, one of three developing in the state, will house technology and light-manufacturing enterprises. Mahoney says this is a significant step in expanding the state’s knowledge economy.
(Selection of interview with SCRA’s Bill MahoneyMP3 3:25)
Selection of Interview with Bill Mahoney MP3

There is an innovation center in North Charleston, affiliated with MUSC. Clemson University and the SCRA are alos scheduled to begin construction in mid-March on the approximately 43,000 square-foot innovation center complex in Anderson County to support the state’s growing advanced materials industry. Read Clemson news release here

Filed Under: Business, Education, News

SC receives $9.3 million grant for child health care

February 24, 2010 By

Over the next five years, South Carolina will receive about $9.3 million to improve health care quality and delivery systems for children. The grant will go toward children who are enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP. The grant will be disbursed throughout the next five years, with about $2.2 million for the first year.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, that became law last February, is funding the Health and Human Services grant, that will help improve health care delivery through pediatric electronic health records and by evaluating provider performance measures. The new program expansion was paid for with the 62 cent per pack cigarette tax increase.

Not one South Carolina Republican voted in favor of the legislation.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News, Politics & Government

Health care talk heats up as “summit” nears

February 24, 2010 By

President Obama’s Health Care Summit is slated for Thursday. Prior to the the bi-partisan meeting, both Democrats are Republicans on Capitol Hill are engaging in political posturing. A number of Republicans are accusing the President of engaging in “political theater’ in calling for the summit, Democrats and some moderate members of the GOP are hoping that healthy dialogue will bring forth a workable compromise. Appearing on Fox News Tuesday morning House Majority Whip James Clyburn says a number of the President’s critics are falsely accusing the Commander in chief of attempting to ram his proposals “down their throats.”

“Everybody on both sides, Democrats and Republicans, have been calling upon this President for weeks now to put something out there, tell us what it is that you want. Now that he’s telling us what he wants, now we’re saying that he’s trying to ram it down out throats. That is what the meeting Thursday is all about. Take a look at what he is proposing. If you want to modify it, let’s talk about it and let’s modify it. If you want to add to it, then let’s add to it.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized
« Older Posts