Just posted to the Greenville County Libraries page is “Social Media, Libraries, and Web 2.0: How American Libraries are Using New Tools for Public Relations and to Attract New Users”, a study from The South Carolina State Library providing data gathered from library staff members across the United States.

The report provides data gathered from library staff members in the U.S. to determine how libraries are employing a variety of Web 2.0 and social networking tools to promote library programs and services, according to SC.gov.

As can be expected, Facebook was far and away the favorite Web2.0 tool of choice for social media participants. Be sure to follow our Facebook page for Greenville County information pertaining to you and your community.

No, this graph is not America’s economic status over the last decade; rather, it is Greenville County’s Per Capita Income since 1986, and unfortunately, it’s right back to where it was 24 years ago!

Indeed, the turn of the century apexed high-times here in Greenville County. For 20 years, Greenville outperformed the U.S. in income growth and the quality of life here steadily rose because of it.

A’las, “what goes up, must come down”, and Greenville County has lost over $1.3 billion in spendable income every year since to prove it.

Timing is on our side now though: Greenville Chamber President and CEO Ben Haskew has a plan to return Greenville County to it’s glory days.

This Thursday, the SBDC is putting on an event, “JumpStart Your Business, Tips for Start-up Success” to help interested individuals explore the basics of what it takes to get into business.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of South Carolina is a consortium of 4 universities which operate a state office and 15 regional / area centers around the state. These centers offer a variety of services and management training courses tailored to meet the needs of SMBs. SBDC consultants at each site provide management and technical assistance to those wishing to start or expand an enterprise.

South Carolina has been awarded $3.5 million by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency to help serve the state’s homeless and hungry.

The funds, awarded through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program, more than double what we received last year, which is needed now more than ever with many students going homeless here amid the recession.

The number of children in SC without a regular home has risen more than 45% since 2007.

FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program Allocation to Greenville County, SC for 2010

For more information on the EFSP grants for 2010, visit the United Way’s EFSB Current Award website.

Sticking to his conservative values of keeping the SC budget down to a bare minimum, Sanford lost the battle over Mother Nature’s power of the wind.

With a G.E. plant here in the Upstate going full-throttle manufacturing wind turbines and now a wind research site at the Clemson Restoration Institute in North Charleston, we may see wind-powered turbines off SC sooner than you think.

Clemson landed a $45 million grant back in November from the DOE to test wind turbines, and this Wednesday’s 4-1 vote from our Budget and Control Board sets the state’s portion of that money into motion.