MYRTLE BEACH

Airport expansion not affected by FAA orders

Work will continue on the expansion of Myrtle Beach International Airport despite stop-work orders at other airports across the country caused by Congress' failure to pass legislation to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operating.

The $119 million project to expand the Myrtle Beach airport isn't funded by the FAA, so it isn't affected by the stop-work order, airport spokeswoman Lauren Morris said Monday.

Crews are expanding the airport to 13 gates, with the work expected to be done by early 2013.

Contractors have been told to stop work on airport modernization projects around the country and 4,000 FAA workers were furloughed after Congress failed to pass legislation Friday giving the FAA the authority necessary for work to continue.

Work has stopped at airports in Las Vegas, California, Pennsylvania and others. The FAA said the list of projects with stop-work orders could grow, but Morris said Myrtle Beach's terminal project will never be on the list.

COLUMBIA

Moody's meets financial leaders on credit rating

S.C.'s financial leaders will meet with Moody's Investor Service as the rating agency considers whether the national debt crisis should cause the state to lose its top credit rating.

Gov. Nikki Haley's office said Monday that the state's financial leaders will brief Moody's on the state's finances and economic outlook on Wednesday.

Last week, Moody's warned that if the federal government didn't deal with raising the nation's $14.7 trillion debt limit and defaulted, it would likely lower its AAA ratings for several states, including Maryland, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

KINGSTREE

Exchange, First Citizens banks merge

The Exchange Bank of South Carolina, which had branches in Kingstree, converted to First Citizens Banks during the weekend.

The two banks, both subsidiaries of First Citizens Bancorporation, merged to avoid overlap in the Kingstree area. First Citizens now has three branches in Kingstree, one in Andrews and one in Hemingway.

Crews started changing Exchange Bank signs to First Citizens signs Friday.