Business Notebook

The brown shrimp season has started in South Carolina waters.

The season kicked off Wednesday and is expected to run into August. The season affects the first three miles off the coast. Shrimpers have been catching shrimp farther at sea already, The (Charleston) Post and Courier reports.

About 400 boats are licensed in South Carolina. That’s only about 25 percent of the number of licensed boats during the 1980s.

DHEC clears way to home construction

State regulators have approved a permit allowing construction of a half-mile long, in-ground wall on Kiawah Island that would open the way for a 50-home development.

The permit was approved by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control staff earlier this month, according to news accounts. The location is in an area known as Captain Sam’s Spit.

Exxon Mobil shareholders overwhelmingly rejected several environmental resolutions including proposals to put a climate change expert on the board and set goals for greenhouse-gas emissions.

At the oil giant’s annual meeting Wednesday in Dallas, CEO Rex Tillerson gave a stay-the-course outlook for the company, which has seen profits decline recently with lower prices for crude oil.

Ford recalls 423,000 cars

Ford has two new recalls involving 423,000 vehicles in North America with potential steering problems and 19,500 Mustangs with fuel tank issues.

The first recall covers some 2011-2013 models of the Ford Taurus and Flex vehicles, Lincoln MKS and MKT as well as 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans and the 2011 Mercury Milan, the automaker said.

The second recall is for the 2015 Ford Mustang with a 2.3-liter engine. If the underbody is too hot for too long, the fuel tank and vapor lines can degrade, which could result in a fuel leak and cause a fire. Parking brake cable seals could also be damaged.

IN BRIEF

▪  Hotels ranging from major chains to small outposts are capitalizing on the wave of travelers who bring along their dogs, some by charging for perks that pamper pets and others by expanding fees.

▪  A Florida entrepreneur who tried twice before to buy the Georgetown steel mill says he’s again interested in acquiring the mill and keeping it running.

From Wire Reports.