Tigers are rapidly disappearing in nature because of poaching and habitat destruction, according to Dr. Brett Wright, dean of Clemson University’s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. In 2010 there were an estimated 3200 tigers still roaming India and other Asian countries. This alarming figure caused Clemson to contact the other major "tiger mascot" universities – Auburn, LSU and Missouri – and form the U.S. Tiger University Consortium to help increase the number of tigers in the

USC Retail Department Chair Mark Rosenbaum is excited by this year’s holiday shopping season. A decade after the great recession that started in 2008, he said retail sales in the state and nation are back to 2007 levels. The stock market’s record highs are just in time for retail and for consumer confidence, he said. Rosenbaum's optimism is shared by Andy Peach, manager of Columbia’s Columbiana Center Mall. His stores had a great Black Friday, with some sales up double digits from last year.

Bratton Riley has a true appreciation of city workers, whether they're picking up our trash or keeping us safe. The 44 year-old has had a bird's eye view as the son of former Charleston City Mayor Joe Riley. But he knows not everyone shares that appreciation. Dealing with government can be difficult. So he's created a chatbot called Citibot in hopes of making it more accessible. "A chatbot is a glorified term form something like Siri or Elexa where you have a human technology conversation taking

Nationally-known auctioneer Chris Pracht of Anderson has run auctions in more than 30 states and three countries over his four-decade career. His reputation among his peers is such that he was elected to the National Auctioneer’s Association Hall of Fame, one of only four South Carolinians to achieve the honor in the Association’s long history. Selling estate items as well as land, Pracht feels that he’s helping people move on with their lives to start a new chapter after loved ones pass on or

Mike McCartha and Bryan Price are tow two men who essentially make their entire year's livings in one month. They're Christmas tree farmers. It takes year-round to grow Christmas trees and successfully market them. Growers like McCartha and Price say they like seeing smiling faces returning year after year. McCartha says he enjoys being outdoors in nature all year, but adds that he loves his job because "it's one of the few businesses where all your customers are in a good mood." Growing

Before a service member transitions out of the military, the Department of Defense requires they complete a pre-separation counseling session. Fort Jackson's Solider For Life Transition Assistance program manager says its the beginning of 12-month period that prepares service members and their family for life outside the military. "This is a collaborative effort for hiring our heroes," Andrews said. The employment workshop was led by several workforce professionals and covered a variety of

The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane season comes to a close this week, officially ending November 30. It was one of the most active and costliest to hit the United States, with 17 named storms and 10 hurricanes, six of which were major with winds of 110 milers per hour or more. With such monster storms as Harvey, Irma and Maria, many are still struggling physically and mentally in the aftermath. The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is now researching the impact of those hurricanes on

The five major interstate highways that crisscross South Carolina are part of its social and economic lifeblood. Since 1982, when Ronald Reagan was President, there have been plans for a sixth interstate, I-73 which would run from the North Carolina-South Carolina state line near Bennettsville through the Pee Dee to the tourist Mecca of Myrtle Beach. Over the years there have been a number of proposed routes for the new federal highway, questions about how best to pay for it, and concerns raised

Cries of “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah” or “Happy New Year” can ring hollow for those afflicted with the phenomenon known as holiday depression. Psychologist Fred Medway says holidays are so charged with memories that if one experiences, for example, a loss or other unhappy event during the holiday season, it can trigger sad memories in future seasons. According to University of South Carolina nursing professor Sue Heiney, symptoms of holiday depression can include sleeplessness, change in

Since tattoo parlors became legal in South Carolina in 2006, they have ridden a growing wave of popularity. No longer the province of sailors or convicts, tattoos are being worn by doctors, ministers, even grandmothers. Tattoo artist Scot “Spyder” Kudo says the range of tattoo designs is as endless as the imaginations of his clients. Jail keys, the “Christmas Story” leg lamp and a magnifying glass with disappearing fingerprint are some of the more unusual patterns he’s done. Fellow artist Bryan