Belly’s Southern Pride BBQ, Blue Marlin, Columbo’s Italian Eatery & Prime Steaks, Dam Bar & Grill, Dupre-Dukes Catering, The Great American Grill, Juniper, Liberty Tap Room, Rusty Anchor, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Spinner’s Resort & Marina, Three Bean Net Café, Travinia’s – Italian Kitchen
The historic town of Lexington, South Carolina is a direct descendent of the old Royal township of Saxe Gotha. This township was one of eleven established in 1735 by the Colonial government of King George II to encourage settlement of backcountry South Carolina and serve as a protective buffer between powerful Indian tribes to the west and the older settled plantations of the low country. The name Saxe Gotha was in honor of the marriage of the British Prince of Wales to Princess Augusta of the German State of Saxe Gotha.
Most of the early settlers came from various cantons, principalities and city-states of Germany and Switzerland. Others came down from Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Despite the disruptive Cherokee Indian War of 1760 and the "Regulator" unrest that followed, the township flourished as a largely self-sufficient area of small scale farming operations. Major crops in the 18 th Century included corn, wheat, tobacco, hemp, flax, beeswax and livestock.
During the American Revolution several skirmishes occurred in the area. The Battle of Tarrar Springs was fought just one mile east of Lexington on November 16, 1781.
In 1785 Lexington County was established, changing the name from Saxe Gotha to Lexington in honor of the Massachusetts Revolutionary War battle. The county's first courthouse was built at Granby, located just south of present day Cayce.
With the clearing of upriver lands for the spreading cotton culture, Granby became plagued with floods. The county seat was moved in 1820 when the present town of Lexington was laid out on a high, healthy sand ridge near Twelve Mile Creek. The town was known as Lexington Courthouse throughout the 19 th Century since in the first few years of its existence there was only the courthouse with few residences.
By 1861, when it was incorporated as a town, Lexington boasted a diverse population of lawyers, physicians, tradespeople, artisans and farmers. There were then 2 churches, several schools, a carriage factory, a saw and gristmill, a tannery, livestock yard, tin and blacksmiths, and a weekly newspaper. The major crops of the surrounding countryside were mainly cotton, corn sweet potatoes and lumber. Lexington was not a marketing center for these staples, but did serve as a retail market for manufactured goods purchased wholesale by merchants in nearby Columbia.
In 1865 the town was virtually destroyed by occupying Union Army forces guarding General Sherman's western flank. The courthouse, county jail and St. Stephen's Lutheran Church were put to the torch as were most businesses and homes. The devastation and political turmoil of the period were weathered, however, by a frugal people willing to rebuild for a future without abandoning the ideals of their heritage.
The small farms with their varied crops and the lumber industry stabilized somewhat the economy of the area after Reconstruction years. The completion of the Columbia to Augusta Railroad just after the Civil War and the construction of the Lexington Textile Mill in 1890 contributed greatly to the growth of the town itself. Disastrous fires in 1894 and 1916 on Main Street resulted in the construction of brick buildings, many of which are standing today.
The Town of Lexington has continued to be the political center of Lexington County, one of the fastest growing areas of the nation. With new major highways passing nearby, the town continues to experience phenomenal growth. The people of Lexington are proud of their past and look forward to a promising future.
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Welcome AboardThe Spirit of Lake MurrayLake Murray's Newest & Largest Charter Passenger Yacht!
BREAKING NEWS: The Spirit of Lake Murray arrived at the Lake Murray Marina on Sunday, March 1st. After an extensive upgrade and refit, she should be ready to sail in April. Watch this space for further updates. Or call Lake Murray Cruises LLC at 803 - 730 3044 for information. Film at eleven!
Come Celebrate Our Maiden Voyage!
The Spirit of Lake Murray is undergoing a major interior upgrade which will appeal to passengers who prefer a distinctive charter yacht sailing experience. As soon as our upgrade is completed, we will be introducing The Spirit of Lake Murray to area residents, with special 2-hour "Maiden Voyage" Sunday Lunch Cruises on Lake Murray. Each Sunday's Lunch Menu will be different, and will be served buffet style, and includes drink and dessert.
Check back here to see when our Sunday Maiden Cruise schedule begins! Reservations Required
Reservations are required to be guaranteed a seat. Tickets for the "Maiden Voyage" Sunday Lunch Cruise are $34 per person. This includes the cruise, lunch and tax. Gratuity will be at the customer's discretion. Passengers need to be at the Lake Murray Marina & Yacht Club, ready to board at 12:45 PM for a 1:00 PM departure. The cruise is scheduled to return to the marina at 3:00 PM. High heel shoes are not recommended for safety purposes. Free parking is available at the marina.
To Reserve Your Seat On One of Our "Maiden Voyage" Sunday Lunch Cruises, call: 803 730-3044
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A Beautiful Boat for a beautiful lake! The Spirit of Lake Murray is an 80-foot, steel hulled yacht offering an exquisite way to cruise the waters of Lake Murray in comfort. Located at the Lake Murray Marina & Yacht Club in Ballentine (Irmo), South Carolina, there's plenty of convenient, free parking. Licensed by the United States Coast Guard to carry 149 passengers, this vessel provides year-round cruising comfort regardless of the temperature or weather. On-board Amenities Include:
A Beautiful Boat for a beautiful lake!
The Spirit of Lake Murray is an 80-foot, steel hulled yacht offering an exquisite way to cruise the waters of Lake Murray in comfort. Located at the Lake Murray Marina & Yacht Club in Ballentine (Irmo), South Carolina, there's plenty of convenient, free parking.
Licensed by the United States Coast Guard to carry 149 passengers, this vessel provides year-round cruising comfort regardless of the temperature or weather.
On-board Amenities Include:
The Spirit of Lake Murray provides the ultimate experience for and intimate private cruise, family outing, class reunion, party, wedding, or business meeting! This vessel can accommodate as few as two people for a romantic moonlight cruise, or over 100 persons for a distinctive customer appreciation cocktail cruise. For sailing information, tickets, or to book your cruise, call Lake Murray Cruises, LLC.Tel: 803 730-3044.
The Spirit of Lake Murray provides the ultimate experience for and intimate private cruise, family outing, class reunion, party, wedding, or business meeting!
For sailing information, tickets, or to book your cruise, call Lake Murray Cruises, LLC.Tel: 803 730-3044.
Economic Data : Lexington County
Per Capita Personal IncomeIn 2002 Lexington had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $28,981. This PCPI ranked 4th in the state and was 114 percent of the state average, $25,502, and 94 percent of the national average, $30,906. The 2002 PCPI reflected an increase of 1.7 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 state change was 1.7 percent and the national change was 1.2 percent. In 1992 the PCPI of Lexington was $19,435 and ranked 3rd in the state. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of PCPI was 4.1 percent. The average annual growth rate for the state was 4.2 percent and for the nation was 4.0 percent.
Total Personal Income In 2002 Lexington had a total personal income (TPI) of $6,452,072. This TPI ranked 5th in the state and accounted for 6.2 percent of the state total. In 1992 the TPI of Lexington was $3,460,061 and ranked 5th in the state. The 2002 TPI reflected an increase of 2.9 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 state change was 2.8 percent and the national change was 2.3 percent. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of TPI was 6.4 percent. The average annual growth rate for the state was 5.5 percent and for the nation was 5.2 percent.
Components of Total Personal Income Total personal income includes net earnings by place of residence; dividends, interest, and rent; and personal current transfer receipts received by the residents of Lexington. In 2002 net earnings accounted for 72.8 percent of TPI (compared with 76.0 in 1992); dividends, interest, and rent were 14.7 percent (compared with 14.0 in 1992); and personal current transfer receipts were 12.5 percent (compared with 10.0 in 1992). From 2001 to 2002 net earnings increased 2.3 percent; dividends, interest, and rent increased 1.0 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased 9.3 percent. From 1992 to 2002 net earnings increased on average 6.0 percent each year; dividends, interest, and rent increased on average 6.9 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased on average 8.9 percent.
Earnings of Place by Work Earnings of persons employed in Lexington increased from $3,412,311 in 2001 to $3,512,180 in 2002, an increase of 2.9 percent. The 2001-2002 state change was 2.1 percent and the national change was 1.5 percent. The average annual growth rate from the 1992 estimate of $1,795,943 to the 2002 estimate was 6.9 percent. The average annual growth rate for the state was 5.0 percent and for the nation was 5.3 percent.
Note: All income estimates with the exception of PCPI are in thousands of dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
Unemployment Rates
Lexington County has the lowest and most stable unemployment rate of any of the four Central Midlands counties. In August 2004, the Lexington County unemployment rate was 3.4%.
Housing will take center stage in an otherwise quiet data week with reports on both existing and new home sales.
The reports will not reflect the impact of the the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision announced on Wednesday to purchase up to $300 billion of Treasury bonds and up to $750 of mortgage-backed securities, both of which had the immediate impact of eddying mortgage interest rates.
The FOMC announcement indeed overwhelmed economic data on inflation at the wholesale and retail levels and a surprise jump in housing starts.
The movement by the FOMC to further expand the money supply through the purchase of Treasurys still avoids the heart of the economy’s problems: frozen credit markets.
The Federal Reserve’s announcement is sure to boost mortgage demand – even before the announcement the Mortgage Bankers Association reported a second consecutive weekly increase in mortgage applications, the first back-to-back increases since December.
The surge in demand for mortgages has been met by a less-than-enthusiastic response from lenders. According to the MBA, the approval rate for all applications has been falling steadily. In the first half of 2008 – before credit markets froze – the approval rate dropped to under 60% after averaging about 68% for the prior eight years. Anecdotal evidence suggests the approval rate in the second half of the year fell faster, even as rates declined. (Indeed the rate decline may have contributed to the lower approval rates by increasing the number of applications – the denominator in the equation.)
The movement of the numbers suggests the recent actions by the FOMC may not automatically improve credit approvals since all it does is increase the supply of money, with no support for lenders. Credit standards remain higher than they had been with no support for lenders who try to expand their markets.
There’s a certain irony in that. Mortgage lending standards are generally set by Fannie Mae (FNM: 0.7089, -0.291, -29.1%) and Freddie Mac (FRE: 0.7498, -0.3002, -28.59%) as they determine which residential mortgages they will purchase. Lenders use those standards so they can offload their loans and use the proceeds to make new loans. With lending standards high, few borrowers qualify but that’s where Fannie and Freddie could step in, by agreeing to guarantee or in some other way protect lenders who make loans to borrowers falling just under the market standards. Such a step would encourage lending either for home purchases or refinances, which both have a positive impact on the economy.
Banks are whipsawed between safety-and-soundness constraints and pressures to lend. Data from the Federal Reserve suggest they haven’t been making loans and instead are hoarding cash as a buffer against future, unspecified losses. In September, before the passage of the TARP, commercial bank assets included about $389 billion in cash; as of mid-March the assets including over $800 billion in cash.
All of that will be backdrop as we look at numbers next week.
The reports on home sales likely will show continued sales declines. New home sales, released Wednesday, will be the timelier of the two home sales reports since it covers transactions for February when consumer confidence decline and the MBA’s purchase application index – measuring demand – dropped from 320.9 to 261.4. The only contributing factor suggesting new home sales might surprise positively was the dip in the rate for a one-year Adjustable Rate Mortgage, typically the loan instrument used by homebuyers. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ monthly survey, buyer traffic and immediate sales prospects increased in February which could also suggest an “upside” surprise though jobs continue to fall imperiling loan approval.
Monday’s report on existing home sales is more backward looking. The National Association of Realtors, which publishes the data reports closings, reflecting economic conditions roughly two months earlier, in this case December when home buying plans and purchase mortgage application demand while ARM rates dropped. Consumer confidence though also declined in December as the unemployment rate rose. The increase in foreclosures, which had provided a statistical boost to existing home sales, slowed in December with state moratoria.
Thursday – just in time for the end of the quarter – the Bureau of Economic Analysis will report the “final” data on GDP for the fourth quarter – five days before the first quarter ends. The final report is expected to show the economy slowed in the fourth quarter even more than earlier estimates suggested. A strong hint at first quarter performance will come Friday with BEA’s report on personal income and spending for February. Personal Consumption spending is about 70% of GDP and had increased slightly in January, an increase expected to be wiped out with data Friday, suggesting another struggling quarter.
Mark Lieberman is the senior economist for the Fox Business Network. Prior to joining FOX, he served as first vice president and manager of economic analysis and research at Washington Mutual in New York. Before that, he served as senior vice president at Dime Savings Bank of New York (which was later acquired by Washington Mutual), where he specialized in credit and risk management. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the New York Association for Business Economics. He has a degree in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Fire officials will dig to the base of a collapsed three-story house on Lake Murray today, hoping to find out what started a Saturday fire.
The fire — which destroyed the $2.7 million home on Lake Front Court in Lexington County — began in the garage, Irmo Chief Mike Sonefeld said. No one was injured.
“It’s a complete loss, down to the ground,” he said. “The home was pushing almost 8,000 square feet. It’s a huge, huge home.” It was valued at $1.9 million and the contents at $800,000.
The West Columbia Riverwalk, 4.5 acres of the Three Rivers Greenway, is located between Gervais Street and Knox Abbott Drive running along . Its half-mile path accommodates all levels of physical access including baby carriages and wheelchairs.
The West Columbia Riverwalk groundbreaking took place in February 2002. This was a major step forward in a joint effort by the City of West Columbia and the River Alliance’s plan to protect our regions' rivers and provide recreational benefits to collective communities.
The ceremony marked the beginning of the West Columbia Riverwalk construction. The Riverwalk is a physical connection to the Cayce and Columbia portions of the system, providing a true residential riverfront next to the New Brookland Mill Village and Guignard neighborhoods. The amphitheater is a wonderful gathering place for concerts and events. Paths will open the river for walking, running, bicycling, and gazing at natural beauty. A canoe landing is also available at the New Orleans Restaurant located on Alexander Road in West Columbia.
The bathroom looks like an 1750's River Inn, recalling the ferry crossing on the old colonial road from Camden to Augusta.
If you would like more information on the West Columbia Riverwalk, please contact the River Alliance at (803) 765-2200.
Directions to the West Columbia Riverwalk
Chronology of the Three Rivers Greenway
In November 1996, the Alliance proposed that a 12-mile linear park system be created to link people to their rivers. This was named the “Three Rivers Greenway,” and the $18 million estimated cost was agreed to by member governments with the proviso that the Alliance recommend an acceptable funding strategy. In April 1997, the Alliance recommended and the member governments began to implement a regional strategy based on Tax Increment Financing. Now, the cities of Cayce and West Columbia have enabled tax increment districts. The City of Columbia, Richland County, and Richland School District One have approved the proposal to extend the 1986 “Congaree Vista” Tax Increment District to fund the project. While the process took almost three years, it is an important step in collective regionalism.
The River Alliance also requested available federal alternative transportation (ISTEA and TEA-21) funding, and over $4 million has been allocated. Portions of the Three Rivers Greenway in Cayce and West Columbia will be started with this federal/local match contribution.
While the funding process was underway, an existing City of Columbia site located on the Congaree River offered an opportunity to be a pilot project for the Three Rivers Greenway. The Alliance was asked to design and permit for construction by a general contractor this component. This approximately one-half mile segment of the system was opened in November 1998. It is complete with 8-foot wide concrete pathways, vandal-proof lighting, trash receptacles, water fountains, picnic benches, overlooks, bank fishing access, canoe/kayak access, a public restroom and parking. These set the standards for the common elements in the rest of the system. Public use of the facility, now known as Granby Park, has been steady and reactions very positive. The nearby neighborhoods consider it theirs and want it extended.
In May 1997, the three cities designated the Alliance as Project Manager for the Three Rivers Greenway Design, Engineering and Permitting Phase. Currently, the entire Three Rivers Greenway has been laid out and surveyed, and separated into funded project “packages.” Environmental and archaeological work is completed. Granby Park is open and in use. Biddable construction documents for Cayce Riverwalk, Congaree Riverwalk, EdVenture Connection, and West Columbia Riverwalk are complete. Engineering and design continues on the remainder.
An integral part of the River Alliance strategy was the promotion of the downtown residential infill. The twin goals were increases in population and tax base. In Columbia, key elements were the City’s purchase of a 23-acre prison site now master planned and being marketed as the “Canalside” community. One apartment project, contiguous to Granby Park, the “Rapids” (240 units) is completed and fully occupied. Another is underway. In Cayce, developers have announced “South Hampton” as an exclusive condominium product and are about to announce a student-housing apartment project. All these are on or within two blocks of the Greenway system.
Embedded in the concept of the Three Rivers Greenway is the clustering of tourism activity in the area surrounding the South Carolina State Museum. EdVenture, the children’s museum, is now up and operational
Another goal is increased non-motorized water sport activity with access programmed in along the Greenway. In conjunction with South Carolina Electric & Gas Company, the Alliance conducted a National Park Service Recreational Flow Analysis of the recreation potential available in the whitewater of the lower Saluda and Congaree River. Results of the analysis revealed that expanded paddle sport use was feasible and highly desirable. The Greenway will open up this expanded access.
The Cayce Riverwalk groundbreaking took place in January 2002 and the West Columbia Riverwalk groundbreaking took place in February 2002. The Cayce and West Columbia Riverwalks are now open and operational.
In November 2004 the addition to Riverfront Park, the Canal Embankment was open to the public. In October 2005, the Mill Villages Riverlink component opened. The West Columbia Riverwalk Extension and the Cayce Riverland Park Connection are currently under construction. Once open, both sections will bring the Greenway total to 8 1/2 miles.
The Greenway story will continue…
By: Alison Paoli, PR Coordinator | March 18, 2009
Rates on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace are shooting downward today — 30-year fixed purchase mortgages are at 4.82% as I write – thanks to The Federal Reserve announcing today that they will spend up to $300 billion over the next six months to buy mortgage-backed securities. The goal is to lower rates on mortgage and other consumer debt.
They also announced that they will buy more mortgage-back securities guaranteed by Freddie and Fannie. Not only do some believe that this will keep rates at rock-bottom levels, others predict a rate free fall for the next few days.
The drop in mortgage rates has been dramatic for the past hour. Prior to the announcement, the national rate for purchase mortgages was about 5.32%. As of 3 p.m. Pacific time rates had plunged to 4.82%. Let’s hope this rally continues!
Here’s the chart for the past month — check out current mortgage rates on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace.
The lake is named after William Murray, the engineer who, with his partner T.C. Williams,
conceived and persevered until 'the world's largest earthen dam' at that time was finished.
Their vision of harnessing hydro-olectric power here and at the Santee Cooper project
brought abundant electricity to the middle part of South Carolina. Work on the dam across
the Saluda River was started on September 21, 1927 and was finished on June 30, 1930.
The river begins near the North Carolina border. As it runs to the sea, it fills Greenville
Water Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, and then Lake Murray. Past the dam, the Saluda joins the
Congaree and Wateree rivers to flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The dam itself was built over
200 feet tall. It runs a distance of a mile and a half across. The ground level of the
dam is over a quarter of a mile thick. The lake that it forms is forty one miles long and,
in places, over fourteen miles wide. State Highway 6 runs along the top of the dam, giving
a panoramic view of the water on one side and the layout of the SCE&G Power Plant below.
Today it is a vast area of water after a new survey covering 78+ square miles, 600+ miles
of shore line and approximately 50,000 acres of land. In 2004, a new project was started
to build a completely new backup dam behind the old one, that could prevent a catastrophe
in case of earth quakes. This new dam was completed in 2005. Work is progress is to make
both dams a roadway for Route 6, with the old dam one way to the south, and the new dam
one way to the north. To make the building of the lake possible more than 1000 tracts of land
were acquired and 5,000 people's homes were relocated. In its conception, it gave jobs
and cheap electricity to the people of the Midlands of South Carolina, and in it's
enduring, gives everyone a lasting beauty and enjoyment which is currently called the
Jewel of South Carolina.
Spring is in the air. It's time to forget about that snow you scraped from the windshield earlier in the week. Let's move forward and think about warmer days, flowers peeking up from the soil and spring-cleaning. Yes, that wonderful rite of passage from the winter blahs to ooh la la. Here are some tips to get your home sparkling for the bright sunshiny days to come.
Doormats. Give them some love in the form of a good sweeping and washing. Just think of how many times you've wiped your feet on them this winter alone.
Windows. Clean them with Windex and old newspaper, or you can try making your own solution of one part white vinegar and one part hot water and putting it in a spray bottle. Choose a time when the sun is not shining directly on windows to avoid streaking.
Dusting. Dust your entire home, including hard-to-reach places like the tops of the refrigerator, ceiling fans and window casings. While you're at it, dust your books and shelves by taking everything off and wiping each book with a soft cloth. Always work from the top of the room down.
Clean carpets and upholstery. This can be as simple as vacuuming the carpet and walking the sofa cushions outside and gently beating them. But if there are stains, you should deep-clean them with a carpet shampooer. Make sure you check the care labels to avoid discoloration.
Give the walls a bath. They may not look dirty, but dust and other grime are probably there and should be wiped away at least once a year. Use a sponge and a simple solution of water and dishwashing detergent to wipe down the wall in sections. Use a sponge mop to reach higher spots.
Homeowners seeking just the right granite for their countertops have something new to ponder, besides which color complements their cabinets. Some are wondering about the radiation and radon gas that might be emanating from those showy slabs.
The topic sent online forums buzzing last summer after a few high-profile media reports, including a New York Times article featuring a doctor who removed her granite after it tested high for radiation, then replaced it with different granite.
Now scientists, including a Minnesota physicist, are testing slabs, producing papers and debating each other's findings. The Marble Institute of America recently announced it will launch a "Home Approved Stone" program to reassure consumers about granite's safety. And radon professionals say some homeowners now want their countertops tested along with the rest of the house.
Most who seek testing receive reassuring news that their countertops are safe. When testing does reveal high radon levels, the gas is usually emanating from the basement, not the kitchen. But while the Marble Institute says its testing has yet to find a problem piece of granite, others insist that hot stones are being sold and installed, their owners unaware that the material packs a radioactive punch.
Is that a problem? It depends whom you ask. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared it had "no reliable data" to conclude that granite was significantly increasing indoor radon levels. Radon coming from the ground is a much bigger concern, particularly in Minnesota, said Dale Dorschner, a supervisor for the state Department of Health.
But others see potential risk. "The vast majority of granites in the vast majority of houses are not going to be a problem," said Daniel Steck, physics professor at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., who heads the Minnesota Radon Project. Steck has tested about 250 granites. Of those, none emitted enough radiation to be a concern, he said. But a small minority, about 5 percent, appeared to contribute enough radon to pose "a mild problem" when used in large quantities or in a small, tightly sealed home.
The current debate is whether those stones pose a risk and in what circumstances, and how to identify them. You can't spot a hot slab by its looks, color or even its name. Granite names are variable, and stones with the same name can have different geological content, Steck said. Right now, "There's no good way to identify that 5 percent."
As demand for granite has increased, exotic stones are being imported from remote corners of the world and greater scrutiny is needed, said William Llope, a nuclear physicist at Rice University in Houston. Llope started testing granites as "a hobby" after he was asked to test a countertop and was surprised at the level of radiation.
"It's an uncontrolled situation," he said. "The majority of granites are quiet," with radiation levels that are negligible when compared to background radiation. But there are now about 2,000 granites being exported from about 70 countries, he noted, with some quarries within miles of uranium mines. "Some stones from Namibia and Brazil are wicked hot." Still, the health risk is ambiguous and probably long-term. "You're not going to spend six months in your kitchen and die of cancer," Llope said. But extended exposure to the hottest granites he's tested has the potential to increase lifetime cancer risk, especially for young children. "It's a risk people could avoid if they wanted to."
Linda Kincaid, a California industrial hygienist and certified radon tester, said she first thought radiation-emitting granite was "a joke, like next it will be Elvis and the Martians." But after a spate of calls last summer, she took a Geiger counter to a granite yard, where it picked up a very active slab. The owner confronted her and told her that the radiation issue was "propaganda," she recalled. "I said, 'Look at my Geiger counter. This stuff is hot.'"
She has since tested about two dozen homes and found only two with granite that concerned her. In one, the homeowners removed their new Juparana Bordeaux granite and replaced it with a cooler stone after tests revealed hot areas and higher radon levels in the kitchen than elsewhere in the house. The kitchen radon level was just below the 4 picocuries per liter of air, at which the EPA recommends radon mitigation. Its estimated risk is equivalent to smoking a half pack of cigarettes daily. But the owner, Debra Emerson, was still uneasy. "My husband's family is cancer-prone," she said.
Replacing the granite was "a big expense," she said, and she's angry that she and her husband weren't informed that the stone they'd selected so carefully emitted more radiation than others. "I would never choose to put uranium in my kitchen," she said. "It would have been so easy to avoid if we'd had information. People are not being given a choice."
But many in the industry believe that any risk is being wildly overblown by those with commercial motives. "A Geiger counter makes for great television, but it's not accurate science," said Guido Gliori, president of the Marble Institute. "It's more complicated than that. You have to determine emanation and how it's diluted by the exchange of air in your home."
Gliori pointed out that some of the research linking granite and radiation has been funded by manufacturers of competing countertop materials, including Cambria, an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based company that produces quartz countertops. "It's a shame they want to trash the stone industry to support synthetic stone. Granite is safe and beautiful."
Cambria did fund a study, said Peter Martin, the company's director of marketing. But that was in response to calls from concerned consumers and fabricators, he said. Cambria now touts its product as "Radon Free," but he disputed that the controversy has been good for Cambria. "Quite the opposite," he said. "Most consumers don't have all the information. I worry this will drive them away."
The Marble Institute funded an independent study of more than 100 popular granites, including some that have been linked to higher radiation, and found not a single problem slab, Gliori said. Its "Home Approved Stone" logo will soon start appearing on slabs in showrooms to reassure consumers that the granite they're considering has been tested and certified safe for home use.
But some say that the program, while a good start, needs more work. "It's premature," Steck said. "There's not enough detail."
Environmental Health & Engineering, the consulting firm hired by the institute to do testing and to develop protocols, defended its findings, which are based on "solid science and well-validated models," said Jack McCarthy, the firm's president and a certified industrial hygienist. The program is "evolving" in response to feedback from the scientific community, he said. He has yet to see evidence that any granites pose a risk, "but I'm not saying it doesn't exist. Let's see the data. Everyone wants the truth."
In the meantime, homeowners are advised to test their homes for radon, regardless of whether they have granite. Even if your home tests high for radon, the likeliest contributor is your soil not your countertop. But if countertop concerns motivate people to test for radon, "that's a nice side benefit," Llope said.
• Irmo posts spending on Web site
Irmo is the first municipality in South Carolina to put monthly spending updates on the Internet.
The town’s monthly financial report is available at www.cg.sc.gov, the Web site of the state comptroller general’s office. Lexington-Richland 5 is expected to do so in April.
Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show Coming March 13-15
The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC) is preparing for the 43rd Annual Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show at the SC State Fairgrounds Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15 and is sponsored by SCE&G, The State newspaper, and RSVP Columbia. The Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show is the largest home and garden exhibition in the Midlands and will feature displays in all of the buildings at the state fairgrounds. Over 300 construction, home improvement, and outdoor products exhibits fill the Cantey, Ellison, Moore, Ruff and Hampton Buildings, and outdoor areas. This year, the show will feature the Golf Pavilion in the Nutt Arena. With this new feature, attendees will be able to visit exhibitors featuring golf courses and related products and services, and register to win free golf foursomes at 14 different golf courses and other golf prizes every hour of the show. A number of educational seminars are offered daily by exhibitors on a variety of topics like home building, home buying, remodeling, and gardening. The Green Building Council of Greater Columbia will also present seminars on green homebuilding during show. All seminars are free to attend with paid admission to the show. In addition to the many tried-and-true products and services presented at the show each year, many exhibitors will display new items at the show. See what new and exciting products are available in 2009 at the Home & Garden Show. If that’s not enough to get your attention, exhibitors will be giving away over $26,000 in prizes including everything from Lowe’s gift cards to a tankless water heater. You’ve got to come to the show in order to register to win, so don’t miss out! The Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show will be held Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15 at the SC State Fairgrounds. Admission is only $6 per person; Kids 12 and under enter free. For more information on the show including driving directions, hours of the show, the seminar schedule, a look at the new products and prizes at the show, and more, please visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia website at www.columbiabuilders.com, and click on Home Show logo.
Lake Murray:
miles of shoreline, is the largest lake in the Midlands
one of the largest in the state. It is operated by South
Carolina Electric and Gas Company and is known
for striped bass fishing, summer water sports, and wonderful homes.
Public access is available through public parks near
the dam, public boat ramps and marinas, and Dreher
Island State Park. Another great attraction of the
lake is the
Island
designated Purple Martin sanctuary. On summer
evenings, boats gather at dusk to watch the spectacle
of thousands of Purple Martins coming to roost.
Fishing Report (Updated 3.14.2009)
Lake Murray is over 358; main lake temperatures remain cold but surface temperatures in some areas were over 60 degrees before the cold snap.
Bream: Good to very good. Shellcracker fishing remains strong in 2 to 10 feet, particularly up the lake. Use red worms and cut nightcrawlers.
Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that drifting cut bait across flats 5 to 15 deep is putting a mixed bag of blues, channel catfish, and white cats in the boat. Some fish are still deep but many are making their way to shallower water.
Striped Bass: Fair. Fishing on the lower end of the lake is improving, and live bait and bucktails are both working. Lots of 18 to 20 inch fish continue to be caught but getting keepers is difficult. Up the river there is still good schooling activity being reported, and free lining is working from Billy Dreher Island on up. A 17.5 pound fish was weighed in at Dooley’s on Saturday morning which was caught on a free lined herring.
Largemouth Bass: Fair. Largemouth bass fishing has improved as temperatures have risen in the last week, but the bite is still not hot. Fish are starting to move towards the banks, although dropping temperatures may push them back out to deeper areas. For now shallow water fishermen should look for the very warmest areas possible in the backs of coves and cuts; sometimes the biggest fish are the first to move shallow. Texas-rigged worms, Carolina rigged worms, and jigs are popular choices.
Crappie: Fair. Down the lake crappie action is almost non-existent, but up the rivers the bite is off and on. Most anglers are concentrating on the Kempson’s Bridge area in 8 to 20 feet, and purple and yellow jigs are the go-to color. Once temperatures stabilize look for the fishing to improve.
No DHEC fish advisories.
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