Bonfire of the vulgarities

  February 1, 2016

By Kathleen Parker   At first it seemed too weirdly awful to be true, but there she was: Sarah Palin standing next to Donald Trump last Tuesday and endorsing him…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Good Credit Can Save You Money!

  January 27, 2016

Surprising Ways to Improve Your Personal and Business Scores By Mike DuBose and Blake DuBose   Many people don’t know that their credit history defines many aspects of their financial…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, headlines

Construction in the Midlands – Build or Bust!

  January 26, 2016

By Eddie Weaver President, Weaver Systems, Inc.   Everyone knows how hard the construction industry was hit by the economic downturn in 2008. Jobs were lost. Companies went bankrupt. Development…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: construction, headlines

Construction in the Midlands – Build or Bust!

  January 26, 2016

By Eddie Weaver President, Weaver Systems, Inc.   Everyone knows how hard the construction industry was hit by the economic downturn in 2008. Jobs were lost. Companies went bankrupt. Development…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: construction, headlines

What is the stock market saying?

  January 25, 2016

By Robert J. Samuelson   Just whether the sharp selloff of stocks signals an economic slowdown or recession is an open question. Most economists seem to think not. Strong job…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Nikki Haley’s righteous gamble

  January 25, 2016

By Kathleen Parker   By broad consensus, the winner of Thursday night’s GOP debate was Donald Trump, followed by Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, with most of the post-game commentary…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

New Hire Scavenger Hunt: A Fun Way to Engage New Hires

  January 24, 2016

By Matt Vaadi   You spend so much time trying to find that right person. You phone screen, you interview, you interview again, you background check, you call the references,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: business-services, employment, headlines, op-ed

National Defense Briefs

  January 22, 2016

By W. Thomas Smith Jr.   NATIONAL DEFENSE BRIEFS is a series produced by National Defense Consultants, LLC, aimed at informing readers with timely military and homeland security news updates,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: headlines, military

Winter Weather Set to Move across Midlands this Weekend

  January 22, 2016

Richland County residents are asked to stay alert of changing weather conditions as winter weather moves across the Midlands this weekend. Richland County is not under a winter weather watch…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: government, headlines, on-the-move

National Defense Briefs

  January 22, 2016

By W. Thomas Smith Jr.   NATIONAL DEFENSE BRIEFS is a series produced by National Defense Consultants, LLC, aimed at informing readers with timely military and homeland security news updates,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: headlines, military

State of the State Address

  January 20, 2016

As Prepared for Delivery by Governor Nikki Haley Wednesday, January 20, 2016 The Statehouse, Columbia   Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the General Assembly, constitutional officers and my…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: government, headlines

City Council Convenes

  January 20, 2016

By Temple Ligon    Columbia City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting last Tuesday night, January 19, following an afternoon work session. One of the big events at the work…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: headlines

South Carolina REALTORS® release December market data

  January 18, 2016

South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR) released its December 2015 real estate market reports. The data reveals that the South Carolina housing market wrapped up the year on a positive note, with increases in both…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc   Category: headlines, residential-real-estate

Not dead yet

  January 14, 2016

By Kathleen Parker   Reports of Jeb Bush’s political death may be greatly exaggerated. Not only is Bush essentially locked in a statistical tie for second place in New Hampshire,…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The next recession?

  January 12, 2016

By Robert J. Samuelson   It’s hard not to wonder: Is the stock market telling us something? True, the market’s record in forecasting recessions is horrendous. Stocks often move according…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The “hollowing” of the middle class?

  January 11, 2016

By Robert J. Samuelson   We’ll be hearing a lot about the middle class in the coming months. That’s one sure bet for 2016, as both parties compete for votes.…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Obsessed with guns

  January 11, 2016

By Kathleen Parker   It is axiomatic that congressional Republicans will oppose anything smacking of “gun control,” which may as well be read as “Your mama.” Thus, it comes as…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The Affordable Care Act brings change for employers in 2016

  January 7, 2016

By Molly A. Thomas, RP®   Becoming familiar with the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act and its rules and regulations will help employers understand how the Affordable Care…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: banking-and-finance, headlines, health-care

Grilled Salmon with Balsamic Glaze

  January 7, 2016

By Kay MacInnis   With the New Year, most of us have a few resolutions that we have set for ourselves. However, more than half of us give up on…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: food, headlines, life

Speech Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. January 5, 2016

  January 6, 2016

Forty years ago the citizens of Charleston gave me the great honor and opportunity to serve them as your Mayor.  Tonight, I wish to thank them and all of you…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc   Category: government, headlines, on-the-move

Construction in the Upstate – The Comeback Kid

  January 5, 2016

By Keith Smith   Everyone knows how hard the construction industry was hit by the economic downturn in 2008. Jobs were lost. Companies went bankrupt. Development stalled. It wasn’t just…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: construction, headlines, on-the-move

Construction in the Upstate – The Comeback Kid

  January 5, 2016

By Keith Smith   Everyone knows how hard the construction industry was hit by the economic downturn in 2008. Jobs were lost. Companies went bankrupt. Development stalled. It wasn’t just…

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Posted in: upstatebizsc   Category: construction, headlines, on-the-move

City Manager’s Spotlight – January 2016

  January 4, 2016

By Teresa Wilson   The City Manager’s Spotlight provides details about what is happening in the City of Columbia in an effort to keep citizens informed about City operations. The…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: government, headlines, on-the-move

Rising Costs and Limited Options for Columbia Office Tenants

  January 4, 2016

Research & Forecast Report Q4 2015 COLUMBIA | OFFICE   Key Takeaways The Columbia, South Carolina office market ended 2015 with positive absorption for the quarter and the year, increased…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: construction, headlines, on-the-move

How Trump does it

  January 4, 2016

By Robert J. Samuelson   Welcome to what I’ve called “the politics of self-esteem.” By this, I mean that increasing numbers of people, on both the right and left and…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Can we talk?

  January 4, 2016

By Kathleen Parker   When President Obama addressed the nation following the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, he reiterated the call to resist animus toward Muslims. This was a familiar…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Top Ten SC Leaders in 2015

  December 29, 2015

By Alan Cooper Publisher, MidlandsBiz   The following is a recap of comments that I made on the South Carolina Business Review with Mike Switzer.   It has been an…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

‘Liftoff’ at the Fed

  December 28, 2015

By Robert J. Samuelson   Barring an unforeseen calamity, the Federal Reserve will raise short-term interest rates this week. Among Fed watchers, this is known as “liftoff.” The analogy is…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Women in combat put men at risk

  December 28, 2015

By Kathleen Parker   Crickets. This was the sound of America reacting to news earlier this month that all military positions, including ground combat, will be opened to women. It…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

9 Tips: Financial safety online

  December 17, 2015

By Stephen J. Scott   We continue to hear about major retailers and governments having large data breaches. Security threats are growing as we continue to spend more of our…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: banking-and-finance, headlines

Holiday Office Etiquette

  December 16, 2015

By Brian Maynor   When it comes to mixing work with food and gifts there are some special rules you need to remember. It’s been long established that sharing a…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, headlines

Tips for buying a car as a Christmas gift

  December 15, 2015

We all have seen the commercials on TV that suggest a car can make an ideal gift this Holiday season. And while a car can make for a terrific gift…

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Posted in: upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The multinational tax muddle

  December 14, 2015

By Robert J. Samuelson   Whoever wins the White House next year will have to deal with an issue of almost-impenetrable complexity and contentiousness: How to tax multinational companies? On…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The few, the foolish

  December 14, 2015

By Kathleen Parker   As the Islamic State amped up attacks around the world, the Pentagon responded by bravely announcing that American women will now be put in direct ground…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

Wordless News

  December 11, 2015

By Maria Fabrizio   The story here: Assisted reproduction for dogs may yield benefits for their species and ours         Wordless News is a project by illustrator + designer Maria…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, life

16 Customers Whose Business You Don’t Want

  December 7, 2015

By Mike DuBose and Blake DuBose   Whether you are part of the retail, wholesale, or service spheres, any business leader, owner, or employee who deals regularly with customers knows…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, headlines

Generational warfare, anyone?

  December 7, 2015

By Robert J. Samuelson   An enduring puzzle of our politics is why there isn’t more generational conflict. By all rights, younger Americans should be resentful. Not only have they…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

The pathology of Trump-itis

  December 7, 2015

By Kathleen Parker   Surely he’s finally gone and done it now. Donald Trump, insulter extraordinaire, was bound to cross a line too far. Two days before Thanksgiving, he made…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, op-ed

GOD AND FAITH

  December 5, 2015

A Review: From Pearl Harbor to Calvary   By W. Thomas Smith Jr.   A few days before the 74th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, I was introduced to…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: headlines, life

Wordless News

  December 5, 2015

By Maria Fabrizio   The story here: The San Bernardino shooting is the second mass shooting today and the 355th this year         Wordless News is a project by…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: headlines, life, wordless-news

SCDOT reviews flood damage & costs with SCDOT Commission

  December 3, 2015

Interim SCDOT Secretary Christy A. Hall reported the damage costs to South Carolina’s Highway System as a result of the 1,000 year flood stands at $137 million. Of that $137…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: government, headlines, on-the-move, transportation

EngenuitySC Midlands Regional Competitiveness Report

  December 3, 2015

At a gathering of EngenuitySC board members and stakeholders on Dec. 3, 2015, founding co-chair Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, S.C. and chair Keith Shah, Assistant VP at BlueCross BlueShield…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: headlines, on-the-move