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Columbia Metropolitan Airport has made traveling easier for new mothers.

CAE partnered with Riverbanks Zoo & Garden to add a Mamava Pod in the terminal.

The pods are private, secure sites where mothers can breastfeed or pump while traveling.

CAE unveiled the new feature at a press event Aug. 23.

Mothers in South Carolina have the right to breastfeed in any public or private location, as long as they are legally allowed to be there.

Medical center internship

Swansea High School Senior Megan Collins participated in Lexington Medical Center’s highly selective Partner’s Program.

During the intensive 3-week internship, Megan was introduced to the rigors and rewards of the health care industry.

She experienced first-hand operations of the hospital in Outpatient Surgery, 7th-floor Surgical Unit, and Radiology. She participated in interactive workshops, activities, and seminars that included presentations from healthcare professionals.

Megan received a $1,000 scholarship from the program.

After graduation from high school, she plans to pursue a pre-med pathway for her undergraduate degree, then attend medical school to become a trauma surgeon.

Director of the Year

Duane Parrish of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has been named national State Tourism Director of the Year.

Parrish was announced as the honoree before more than 1,000 destination marketing professionals at the US Travel Association’s annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations conference in Austin, TX.

Parish took over as director in 2011.

Weather forecast

The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that Boeing unjustly fired 5 workers in North Charleston for wanting to join the International Association of Machinists.

Boeing said 3 were flight-line workers who were fired for failing to notice a bird-strike on an engine and 2 were fired for violating safety rules.

This year, North Carolina and South Carolina tied for the lowest percentage of workers represented by unions at 2.7% compared to 10.5% nationally.

Gov. Henry McMaster described the union as “about as welcome as a Category 5 hurricane.”

Saluda River Club honored

Saluda River Club has won a Pinnacle Award from the Home Builders Association of South Carolina for “Best New Community/Subdivision.”

The Pinnacle Awards recognize the craftsmanship of the best home builders and re-modelers across South Carolina.

The 235-acre Saluda River Club won in the “Best Subdivision” category.

For more information on Saluda River Club, visit www.saludariverclub.com or call (803) 339-3969. The community is located at 102 Glade Spring Drive, Lexington.

Lexington, Harbison growing

The Lexington submarket has grown to 1.94 million square feet and has only a few remaining retail spaces available.

Part of that includes Lexington Village, a 30,764-square-foot retail center located at 205 Columbia Avenue, which was purchased for $4.9 million by South Coast Commercial, LLC.

The overall vacancy rate within the Lexington submarket rose to 7.29%.

The core shopping center vacancy rate is only 1.58%.

The Harbison & St. Andrews submarket have approximately 3.6 million square feet of retail space, making it the second largest submarket in Columbia.

Submarket vacancy rate plummeted from 14.39% during the first quarter of 2019 down to 10.62% this quarter.

The average weighted rental rates range varied from $7.50 per square foot in non-core Harbison and St. Andrews areas to $22.00 per square foot.

Love to see you smile

South Carolinians have reason to smile.

According to a survey by Big 7 Travel, the friendliest states in the nation are 1 Minnesota, 2 Tennessee, 3 South Carolina, 4 Texas and 5 Wyoming.

The most unfriendly states are 50 New York, 49 Arkansas, 48 Delaware, 47 Massachusetts and 46 New Jersey.

Irmo prayer breakfast

The 14th annual Irmo Community Prayer Breakfast is Thursday, Sept. 26.

Join Representative Chip Huggins, representing Chapin and Irmo, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church from 7:30 - 9 am. The church is located at 6952 St. Andrews Road, Columbia.

Breakfast will be provided by Chick-fil-A of Ballentine owner Steve Arnold.

Keynote speakers are Brittany Maier and Tammy Maier-Scher

RSVP by Sept. 19 to DesireeWatson@me.com or 803-348-5416 .

Artists’ exhibit

A Lexington artist’s work will be high-lightened in a North Charleston art gallery.

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department will exhibit mixed media works by Pascale Bilgis of Lexington, and Vik Hart of Charleston, at the North Charleston City Gallery Sept. 1-30.

The artists will host a free public reception for their concurrent solo exhibitions at the gallery Thursday, Sept. 5, from 5 -7 pm.