COLUMBIA -- South Carolina’s jobless rate rose to 5.8 percent in October as about 2,100 more South Carolinians joined the ranks of the unemployed, the S.C. Employment Security Commission reported Tuesday. Despite the worsening unemployment from September’s 5.7 percent rate, the number of jobs in the state continued to rise.

Read more at The (Columbia) State...

BEAUFORT -- For a quasi-state agency with historically tight control of South Carolina's ports, the S.C. State Ports Authority's agreement this month to seek private capital to build the Jasper County port could mark a shift in its role. The days are gone of almost exclusive state-financing for ports like Charleston's, said Gov. Mark Sanford recently.

Read more at The Beaufort Gazette...

MYRTLE BEACH -- Local tourism officials anticipate more winter visitors, or snowbirds flocking to the Grand Strand this year because of the strong value of the Canadian dollar vs. the U.S. dollar. At least one tourism official wonders whether some snowbirds might buy property in the area instead of renting a house or hotel room.

Read more at The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News...

GREENVILLE -- Congressmen, university presidents and directors of national laboratories from South Carolina and Tennessee met in Greenville to talk about collaborating on homeland security and automotive research to develop the South's economy. The all-day series of talks and panel discussions was sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Corridor.

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GREER -- South Carolina's BMW manufacturing operation is going to join the ranks of "Ultimate Factories," as it, two BMW plants in Germany and facilities of the Lear Corp., a major BMW supplier, are featured on the National Geographic Channel's television series. The hour-long TV program is scheduled to run at 9 p.m. on Nov. 29.

Read more at The Greenville News...