TODAY'S HEADLINES / MAY 13, 2011

Point of sale bill passes House, again

The S.C. House of Representatives again passed a point-of-sale bill (H.3713) on Thursday, which aims to mollify the real estate sales industry over rules that reset the taxable value of property when it is sold. A similar bill (S.647) was reported out of the Senate Finance Committee at the end of March, but remains on the Senate calendar.

Gaston woman sentenced in bank embezzlement

Teresa Johnson, 44, of Gaston, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Columbia for bank embezzlement. Johnson’s sentence comes as a result of a guilty plea in which she admitted that between December 2006 and September 2009, she embezzled money from the SAFE Federal Credit Union where she was a teller.

Charleston port key to boosting soybean exports

A deeper channel at the port of Charleston could be a boon for S.C. soybean farmers trying to sell their crop to overseas markets. Demand for soybeans is growing especially in Asian and Middle East markets, which can be served through the Port of Charleston.

Foreclosure numbers up about 7% in April

Year-to-year foreclosure numbers in South Carolina appear to be taking a slight dip. RealtyTrac reported a nearly 1% decrease in filings from April 2010 to April 2011.

First Citizens introduces mortgage product

First Citizens recently introduced a new mortgage product, called Primary Residence, that gives potential home buyers the ability to place as little as 3%down on the purchase price of a new home.

Columbia’s Cementos Argos buys Harleyville plant

Lafarge SA of France announced Thursday it is selling its cement and concrete assets in the Southeast United States to the Colombia-based conglomerate Cementos Argos for $760 million. The sale includes the cement plant in Harleyville, which has capacity of 1.1 million metric tons of cement per year.

List of the Week

Get information about the top businesses in the region through the Business Report's online lists. Sample our Caterers list or browse the main research page. Each week, the Daily Report offers a new featured list for readers.

Job of the Week

Sawgrass Technologies Inc. is looking to hire a sales center agent to join its sales team. The position requires computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook; experience in the use of contact management and order processing software; and strong telephone voice and verbal communication skills. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. A college degree and some sales experience are preferred. Learn more or apply here.

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