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MELINDA WALDROP PROFILE

Melinda Waldrop
Editor
Connect with Melinda
- 803-726-7542
- mwaldrop@scbiznews.com
About Melinda
Columbia Regional Business Report editor Melinda Waldrop is a journalism veteran. She has worked for The Associated Press, The Hilton Head Island (S.C.) Packet, The Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun News, The Newport News (Va.) Daily Press and The South Florida Sun Sentinel. She has a B.A. in journalism from the University of South Carolina.
Dec 18, 2020
With hands-on learning becoming a challenge in 2020, ECPI University has developed a proprietary software program that allows students in health care fields to get as close to being in a medical environment as possible during the COV... Read More
Dec 14, 2020
There’s a cardinal in the bush outside my window. Its red feathers present a striking contrast against the still-green leaves, a lush, almost gaudy display, a preview of Christmas lights a few weeks early. I stare at the bird un... Read More
Dec 09, 2020
Kwatika Canty barely had time for a brief chat Wednesday morning. Canty, a barista at the newly opened Oliver Gospel Roastery in downtown Columbia, had her hands full filling coffee cups for customers, including members of the Columbi... Read More
Dec 02, 2020
Nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvest Hope Food Bank is hoping a new partnership with Famously Hot New Year will help the Columbia-headquartered nonprofit meet heavy holiday demand and keep the food pantry stocked into 2021... Read More
Nov 19, 2020
His superstitious nature kept Shaun Piggott from hearing the news when it happened. Piggott, head brewer at Columbia Craft Brewing Co., was on his way to dinner with his girlfriend as the Great American Beer Festival awards were b... Read More
Nov 17, 2020
With promising news about a COVID-19 vaccine making headlines, Lou Kennedy had reason for optimism during Tuesday's beam-raising ceremony marking a milestone for a $215.8 million expansion at Nephron Pharmaceutical Corp.’s Saxe... Read More
Nov 16, 2020
Seven months ago, John Carrington took a deep breath and pushed all his chips to the center of the table. His Columbia company, ZVerse, was at a crossroads. Founded in 2013 as a 3D design and software solutions provider, the Shop ... Read More
Oct 28, 2020
As anniversaries go, Brian and Kelly Glynn may not be having the big bash a 30-year milestone warrants, but like a lot of things in 2020, the husband-and-wife ownership team of the Village Idiot is making the best of it. The vener... Read More
Oct 26, 2020
A new residential development will bring 566 single-family homes to Blythewood. Arabella Spring, with frontage on Heins Road and Langford Road, will feature detached homes on 220 acres, 75 of which will be dedicated to community g... Read More
Oct 14, 2020
Motorists heading down Beltline Boulevard just before it intersects with Two Notch Road may do a double-take if they glance to the side, but not to worry. That really is a garden growing out of the roof of the city of Columbia&rsq... Read More
Oct 13, 2020
If there were ever a time for improved efficiency to help a fast-moving company, it would be now for Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. With the West Columbia-based manufacturer of sterile respiratory medication churning out produ... Read More
Sep 17, 2020
A new program at ECPI University aims to unite two crucial areas: the ever-growing need for more cybersecurity professionals and those whom the pandemic has put out of work or who are just looking for a new challenge. The school&rsquo... Read More
Sep 16, 2020
With most area fall festivals, including the popular Oktoberfest at Incarnation Lutheran Church and Columbia’s annual Greek festival, canceled amid the ongoing pandemic, there is a bit of good news for those itching to enjoy an aut... Read More
Sep 14, 2020
Hughes Development Corp., master developer of the BullStreet District, said “progress will continue” at the 181-acre, mixed-use development after a fire heavily damaged the site’s historic Babcock building on Saturday m... Read More
Sep 03, 2020
Rick Todd waited three years for Thursday’s satisfaction. Todd, president and CEO of the S.C. Trucking Association, was an early champion of the Be Pro Be Proud workforce development program pioneered in Arkansas in 2016, lobbyi... Read More
Aug 26, 2020
While customers may prefer to pay for items in cash, there is no federal requirement that private businesses accept it, according to the Federal Reserve. However, four states have passed legislation requiring states accept cash payment, ... Read More
Aug 26, 2020
Columbia-headquartered Optus Bank is the first beneficiary of PayPal Holdings Inc.’s $530 million commitment to support Black and minority-owned business and communities. Optus received $50 million in deposit funding from th... Read More
Aug 25, 2020
Columbia-based Prudential financial advisor Rosalyn Glenn’s job entails urging folks to pay close attention to their money and resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has proved an effective tool in making sure such advice is taken seriou... Read More
Aug 06, 2020
A planned mixed-used development at the former Veterans Administration building at the corner of Laurel and Assembly streets received unanimous approval for a requested parking variance on Thursday. The city of Columbia Board of Zonin... Read More
Jul 30, 2020
Mysterious packets of unsolicited seeds that began showing up in U.S. mailboxes, including some in South Carolina, late last week have now reached Australia, the European Union, and Canada, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials sa... Read More
Jul 30, 2020
Sam Moses didn’t know exactly what to expect when he stepped into the shed. Moses, a Columbia economic development attorney, had been invited to a friend of a friend’s backyard to discuss a business venture over beers. ... Read More
Jul 27, 2020
A new partnership between Richland Library and Columbia Housing is providing wireless connectivity for Richland County residents without access to online services. The Home-Spot program will circulate 65 Wi-Fi hotspots to 26 resident ... Read More
Jul 24, 2020
Question: How, exactly, do you show a house for sale during a pandemic? Answer: Carefully, but often. The COVID-19 outbreak that has decimated hotel, restaurant and retail businesses has not slowed residential real estate sales, ac... Read More
Jul 21, 2020
With a federal moratorium on evictions expiring this month, tenants grappling with the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may soon face a sizable rent bill. A 120-day moratorium on evictions from federally financed properties ... Read More
Jun 08, 2020
Two Columbia colleges have different timelines for reopening their campuses amid ongoing COVID-19 health concerns, but they share the same goal: getting students back on track toward earning their degrees and beginning their careers as q... Read More
May 31, 2020
Mason Crowson spent Saturday evening passing out water bottles to protesters and police officers alike. Crowson owns The Aristocrat, a cocktail bar and music venue located at 1001 Washington St., close to Columbia Police Department he... Read More
May 29, 2020
Open again after COVID-19 concerns led it to close its doors for a month, Hotel Trundle is sharing its happiness with the community — in the form of toilet paper. The downtown boutique hotel at the corner of Sumter and Taylor st... Read More