TheState.com: Business

Airlines boost peak-day surcharges for spring and summer

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:38 EST

Call them surcharges or call them fare increases, but either way it looks like you'll pay more to travel next spring or summer.

US Airways said last week it will add a 5 percent surcharge to all U.S. flights on or after May 8. Spokeswoman Valerie Wunder says the surcharge will protect the airline in case fuel prices or other costs increase.

Separately, Delta, Northwest and United confirmed that they bumped the surcharge on some busy days next March and April to $30 each way from $20 - and to $50 on the day after the Super Bowl.

All four airlines are major carriers at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Most major U.S. airlines have been losing money this year, and they're scrambling to add revenue with bag-handling fees and surcharges on heavy travel days. Airlines have also been cutting unprofitable flights, which saves money and reduces the supply of seats on America's jetliners.

Black Friday doorbuster sales: Retailers hope to bring order before chaos

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:38 EST

Days before the busiest and most heavily promoted shopping day of the year, the retail industry is going out of its way to make sure this year's holiday shopping season doesn't spin out of control.

Financial pressures are compelling retailers to get more aggressive with promotions - and shoppers are getting more aggressive about finding deals.

Despite retailers' attempts to get consumers to start their holiday shopping early, 16 percent of consumers expect to begin on Black Friday, up from 10 percent in 2008, according to an International Council of Shopping Centers survey.

After a Walmart store worker in New York was trampled to death in a day-after-Thanksgiving doorbuster stampede last year, the National Retail Federation, the retail industry trade group, issued for the first time crowd control guidelines. The recommendations include placing barriers to manage traffic, announcing the availability and locations of products over the intercom and spreading sale items throughout the store.

In another first, Walmart will keep almost all of its stores open on Thanksgiving and through the night into Friday. The doorbuster deals will still begin at 5 a.m., but the measure will allow the discount chain to avoid long lines of shoppers waiting outside.

Boeing plant could boost state's defense industry

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:28 EST

Boeing's decision to build an assembly plant in South Carolina for its new 787 Dreamliner could spark development of the state's defense industry.

While the Dreamliner is a commercial aircraft, state business and political leaders note Boeing also has a long history of building planes for the military.

"This could be a breakthrough on the defense side," said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "It's not a big leap to think people on the defense side of aviation, and just contracting in general, will look at South Carolina differently now."

Boeing said last month it would build a second assembly line for the Dreamliner in North Charleston. The decision came after the state Legislature moved to offer Boeing an estimated $450 million tax incentive package to lure the Chicago-based manufacturer. The company broke ground on the site on Friday.

Graham, familiar with the aircraft maker as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, helped bring Boeing and state leaders together to hammer out the Boeing deal, expected to create 3,800 new jobs.

Watch out, Cyber Monday shoppers, for scam offers

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:38 EST

With Cyber Monday, the unofficial start of the Internet holiday shopping season nearing, a Senate committee last week condemned three online companies, saying they are tricking consumers into signing up for subscription services they don't want.

Internet companies Affinion, Vertrue and Webloyalty are using aggressive sales tactics to scam millions of customers, the Senate Commerce Committee said.

According to a committee report, the three companies enter into agreements with other, more familiar Internet shopping sites that sell movie tickets, flowers and other items.

Just before a customer completes the sales confirmation process the customer gets an offer that often promises $10 cash back or other rewards, and appears to be connected to the shopper's original transaction.

But when the shopper clicks "continue," or "yes," the shopper - often without knowing - enters into a new financial contract with a membership club operated by Affinion, Vertrue or Webloyalty.

Duke customers get say on rate hike today

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:28 EST

Company has slashed its original request

South Carolina customers of Duke Energy Corp. may wind up with a much smaller rate increase than what the power company originally sought from state regulators.

Duke in July proposed hiking rates enough to collect $103 million more a year from its 500,000 customers in the Upstate.

Now, however, the Charlotte-based utility has agreed in principle to collect just $24 million more, a decrease of more than 75 percent from its original request, said Dukes Scott, executive director of the Office of Regulatory Staff, the state agency responsible for protecting the public interest in utility matters.

What hasn't been decided, Scott said, is how the smaller rate hike will be spread among residential, commercial and industrial customers. Also, the Public Service Commission must sign off on the proposed settlement.

Cautious holiday optimism

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00 EST

Area malls foresee a little more cheer this season

Elaine Finney of Blythewood had a message for her 13-year-old and 7-year-old twins when she asked them to prioritize what they put on their Christmas wish lists.

"We've explained to the children that Santa Claus is on a budget this year," Finney said while shopping at the Village at Sandhill last week.

Columbia-area malls hope Ho-Ho isn't too frugal this season.

But they have seen their share of changes in their line-ups as shoppers stream through their doors beginning this week.

From S.C. to D.C., stimulus jobs battle rages

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:39 EST

There's no need to go to Washington to hear the increasingly shrill arguments over the number of jobs created by the $787 billion economic-stimulus plan.

That dispute is raging across South Carolina among private-sector recipients of stimulus money and state government officials tracking the money and its impact.

New reports that the state unemployment rate rose to 12.1 percent last month, matching its peak level in June, gave added urgency to the debate.

Richard Jackson said his Columbia-based paving company has received about $22 million from the recovery bill that President Barack Obama signed into law Feb. 17, and is using some of it to resurface roads in 28 counties across the state.

Jackson said his firm has 589 employees. That's up from 529 in February - but still considerably down from its 711-strong work force in April 2008 before the full brunt of the current recession hit.

Turning a holiday job into a permanent position

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10 EST

As companies hire extra workers for the holidays, some of these seasonal employees are already wondering: How do I turn this temporary position into something permanent? And, in this economy, can I?

Personnel consultants and company executives say there are plenty of opportunities for hard-working seasonal employees to stay on even after the new year. Shipping giant UPS, for one, says it could eventually hire thousands of workers who make it through the frenetic holiday season.

The first step in nabbing a job: Make it clear that you're interested in the company, and looking for a permanent role. Most seasonal workers never get a chance at other jobs because they simply never ask, said Jeff Joerres, the CEO of staffing company Manpower.

But be tactful, and don't pester management.

"Make yourself available for additional opportunities," he said. "But don't overextend yourself."

Check out Black Friday deals on social media

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10 EST

You may want to check Facebook and Twitter before heading to the mall on Black Friday.

Hundreds of deals already are being advertised by retailers as diverse as OfficeMax and Old Navy. Office supplies chain Staples Inc. has used social media to advertise price cuts of nearly 50 percent for Friday on certain laptops, GPS devices and computer monitors.

One in five shoppers plan to use the sites in their holiday shopping this season, according to Deloitte Research. Dealnews.com and other Web sites also are offering applications and e-mail and other notification services to help shoppers track deals.

After Black Friday, dealnews.com's application will show sales for the following Monday, now known as Cyber Monday because it's the first weekday after the Thanksgiving weekend and many consumers shop from their desks that day.

- The Associated Press

Associations & Clubs

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:22 EST

Note: Some clubs might limit participation to one person per business category. Call in advance.

BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF COLUMBIA: 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays, Summit Club, 1301 Gervais St.; Summers Duffie, (803) 351-4390

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLUB, GATEWAY DOWNTOWN CHAPTER: 6:45 a.m. Tuesdays, Summit Club, 1301 Gervais St.; scbdc.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLUB, LEXINGTON CHAPTER: 7:15 a.m. Thursdays, IHOP, 5571 Sunset Blvd.; scbdc.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLUB, VISTA DOWNTOWN: 6:45 a.m. Thursdays, Summit Club, 1301 Gervais St.; scbdc.com

People and Achievements

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10 EST

BANKING & FINANCE

Southern First Bank has promoted two employees:

Andrea Fripp to client service specialist at the new Knox Abbott regional headquarters in Cayce. She was a loan administrator.

Kendra Mosteller to client officer at the Knox Abbott location. She was a client service specialist.

HEALTH CARE

Should you debit the halls?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10 EST

For many, part of a frugal holiday-shopping strategy includes a plan to leave the credit cards at home and use a debit card at the checkout.

The cards are attractive since they link directly to bank accounts. Early this year, debit passed credit cards in dollar volume spent. But before using debit cards, make sure you understand the risks to your budget or if they are lost or stolen.

Do debit-cards make it easier to stick to a budget?

Not necessarily. The $35 billion banks collected in overdraft fees last year should serve as a warning that yes, you can overspend with debit purchases. The median overdraft penalty is $35, and while some banks have stopped the practice, many allow multiple overdrafts to pile up.

Several studies have found that carrying cash - especially large bills - helps curtail spending, but there's little evidence that translates to debit.

Boeing breaks ground for S.C. plant

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:07 EST

787 Dreamliner facility expected to open in N. Charleston in 2011 and begin production in 2012

Work on Boeing Co.'s massive 787 Dreamliner plant got under way Friday with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by dozens of elected officials and hundreds of Boeing employees.

Jim Albaugh, Boeing's president of commercial airplanes, praised the local work force and said the aerospace giant's decision to expand in South Carolina "is going to be good for our competitiveness, it's going to be good for our company, it's going to be good for the country, and I think it will create jobs not just here in South Carolina but in Washington state."

The company last month chose North Charleston over Everett, Wash., for a second final assembly site for its 787 Dreamliner after the S.C. Legislature approved a massive tax incentives package.

The plant, expected to employ at least 3,800 workers, is being built near Boeing's existing factory at Charleston International Airport.

Change approaching takeoff

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:08 EST

Boeing Co.'s transformational influence on the Lowcountry that started with a mound of dirt Friday will have an immeasurable impact on generations to come.

The sheer scope of the aviation giant's future $750 million plant, the largest private investment ever announced in the Charleston area, could change the economic and cultural fabric of the region.

Boeing's plant will stand as the region's largest building, a steel-sided fortress on the Charleston airport's campus. With the footprint of 12 football fields, it will be able to be seen through trees along Interstate 526.

Drivers will be able to peer into the fenced-in facility over neat landscaping and guarded entrances. The entire area around the plant will be redesigned for traffic flow with fresh turn lanes that will guide traffic into a black asphalt sea of parking lots.

Boeing's influence likely will reach beyond the plant itself.

S.C. home sales soar

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:08 EST

Double-digit October increase fueled by first-time buyers seeking to beat tax credit deadline

S.C. home sales spiked 18.1 percent last month as a crush of first-time buyers hurried to make purchases before a federal tax credit was about to expire, real estate officials reported Friday.

And median sale prices posted their first statewide gains of 2009, growing 2.6 percent from a year ago to $152,400, according to data released by the S.C. Realtors trade group.

But experts question whether the sales gain can be sustained without the boost provided by Uncle Sam.

October was the second consecutive month that sales statewide have risen versus a year earlier. September's reported gain of 1.6 percent was the first positive result for home sales in more than three years.

Vehicle fuel efficiency up in 2008 models

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:08 EST

WASHINGTON - The fleet of new cars and trucks sold to U.S. consumers averaged 21 miles per gallon in the 2008 model year, a modest increase over the previous year, the Environmental Protection Agency reported Friday.

New vehicle fuel efficiency improved 2 percent in 2008 from 20.6 mpg for the 2007 model year. The government projected it will improve slightly to 21.1 mpg in the 2009 model year. The EPA figures are based on real-world estimates for city and highway mileage found on window stickers at dealer showrooms instead of mileage values developed through laboratory testing.

- Honda led the industry in 2008 with 23.9 mpg, followed by Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors with 23.7 mpg, and Toyota with 22.8 mpg.

- Volkswagen's fleet averaged 22.3 mpg, followed by Nissan with 21.9 and BMW with 21.2.

- General Motors led U.S. automakers with 19.7 mpg, followed by Ford with 19.4 and Chrysler with 19.3. The EPA projects Ford will increase its fuel efficiency by more than 1 mpg in the 2009 model year and overtake GM.

Shop Around: Downtown workers get more menus on Main

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:29 EST

Several new restaurants have sprung up along Main Street in recent months. A sampling:

- Jim and Alex Hazelton opened Cafe 1201 a couple of months ago on the mezzanine level of the Capitol Center building, 1201 Main St.

The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, serving breakfast and lunch.

The couple, who moved to Columbia from Hilton Head this summer, serve a variety of pastries, bagels, sausage gravy and biscuits and lots of Adluh grits for breakfast.

For lunch, the menu consists of sandwiches, soups and salads with a blue plate special each day. Most lunches cost between $6 and $7.

Hebrew Boys case going to jury

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:19 EST

Are the 3 Hebrew Boys sinners or saints?

That's what attorneys wrapping up the federal $82 million investment fraud trial asked jurors to weigh as they begin deliberations today.

During closing arguments Thursday, defense attorneys said the trio of Midlands men worked hard to relieve debt for the downtrodden, aimed to make more money by starting new businesses and warned depositors of the possibility they could lose their money.

Attorney Michael Duncan said they were following the biblical verse from the Book of Romans that says, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another."

Prosecutors countered that the 3 Hebrew Boys could not generate enough money to keep their promises to pay off mortgages and car and college bills - selling instead "false hopes and false dreams" of a Ponzi scheme

Costs for Jenkinsville project hold steady

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:19 EST

SCE&G says its share is expected to be about $4.5 billion

Costs of adding two reactor units at SCE&G's Jenkinsville nuclear plant appear to be in line with initial projections, according to documents the utility has filed with state regulators.

In a quarterly progress report sent to the state Public Service Commission, the utility said latest financial forecasts show that the company's share of the project cost will be about $4.5 billion.

That's the figure South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. used when it won approval in February from the state panel to build the reactor units.

As part of the agreement, commissioners also ordered SCE&G to submit periodic reports so they could keep tabs on cost.

More S.C. residents behind on mortgages

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:31 EST

3.27 percent of mortgages in foreclosure at end of third quarter

Foreclosures rose slightly in South Carolina in the third quarter, and more people were on track to lose their homes as they fell behind on payments, according to a report released Thursday.

More than 13 percent of mortgage holders in the state were at least 30 days behind on their payments, the report from the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

That's up more than 1 percentage point from the second quarter and nearly 4 percentage points from the same period last year.

The national rate was more than 14 percent.