Kiswire expanding Newberry tire cord plant, adding 30 jobs

NEWBERRY Kiswire Inc., a maker of steel cord for the tire industry, will expand its manufacturing operations in Newberry County, the S.C. Department of Commerce said Thursday. The first phase will involve a $15 million investment and 30 new jobs. Construction of the new plant on U.S. 76 will begin within the next couple of months and production is expected to start by the end of the year. Hiring will begin in May. Potential employees should contact the SC Works office at 833 Main St. in Newberry.

DHEC lets permit stand for $35 million Charleston cruise terminal

The board of South Carolina's environmental agency has voted to let stand a permit for a planned $35 million cruise terminal in Charleston.The Department of Health and Environmental Control last month issued the permit allowing pilings at the site of the riverfront terminal. Opponents of the city's expanded cruise industry appealed the permit and wanted a further review. But the DHEC board meeting in Columbia on Thursday voted to let the permit stand.

US unemployment ticks up slightly

WASHINGTON Weekly applications for U.S. unemployment benefits ticked up slightly last week, the latest sign of stability in the job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications rose 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 371,000, the most in five weeks. The previous week’s total was revised lower. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased 6,750 to 365,750, after falling to a four-year low the previous week. A department spokesman says all states reported data and none were estimated. In the previous two weeks, the department relied heavily on estimates because many states weren’t able to report data over the holidays.

The Associated Press contributed.