Orchard Inn chef and innkeeper Robert B. Thompson Jr. and his wife Charley have launched a new company, CarolinaCrabcakes.com, where patrons and fans can order &dquo;the same delicious crabcakes that you have tasted at The Orchard Inn.&dquo; Orders are shipped overnight to customers.

As a couple committed to environmental stewardship, they announced that they have agreed that a portion of the proceeds from CarolinaCrabcakes will go to land and wildlife preservation. Also out of respect for the rich coastal Carolina culture, they have said they will make every effort to use local resources for their ingredients and supplies. These promises remain important components of the business&squo; mission, Thompson said.

* * *

Sweet Tea Restaurant of Landrum is hosting Miss South Carolina Pageant representatives including Miss America&squo;s Outstanding Teen, Taylor Hanna Fitch, Miss South Carolina, Anna Perry, and Miss South Carolina Teen, Courtney Cissom, tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30. More than 86 Palmetto Princesses and Miss and Teen contestants competing for Miss S.C. and Miss S.C. Teen will accompany her on a tour of the town and its businesses. Expressions Flower Cottage of Landrum will provide centerpieces to decorate Sweet Tea&squo;s in honor of the contestants&squo; visit.&bsp; There will be opportunities for autographs and photographs throughout the visit.

* * *

Toby and Keaton Jones of Toby&squo;s Mattress Superstore were recently invited to Serta&squo;s national headquarters in Chicago where the Serta CEO awarded them exclusive rights to the new Vera Wang Collection and Donald Trump Signature Collection.

&dquo;It was quite an honor as we were the only Mom and Pop retailer invited,&dquo; said Toby Jones.

Toby&squo;s Mattress Superstore is on Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville.

* * *

Kathleen&squo;s Simply Irresistible Gallery has installed a new, energy efficient roofing system. Dennis Nagle, owner of&bsp; Mountain View Sunrooms and Screens, Inc. proposed the panel system to owners Bill Crowell and Kathleen Carson several weeks ago.

The structural panels gave Bill the roof he wanted and Kathleen a bright, shiny new ceiling. Together they will reduce their cooling costs this summer (and heating costs this winter) with the aluminum clad foam panels rated at R-30.

The panels came in within two weeks of placing the order and they only needed to wait for a three-day stretch without rain. Dennis and his crew completely removed the old roof and installed the new one in two days. On day three they completed the guttering and trim and detail work.

Kathleen&squo;s gallery is located at 66 Ola Mae Way, in downtown Tryon, on the hill with Saluda Forge.

* * *

The Carolina Hills at Meadowbrook Golf Club development has announced a pre-construction guarantee program that guarantees the construction of all roads and entrance, water line, cable and electric underground utilities in Phase I once the first nine lots are sold. Buyers of those lots will get discounts, and three free years of golf membership and property owners association dues.

* * *

ACTS Retirement-Life Communities, Inc., parent company of Tryon Estates, has announced that two of the nation&squo;s largest ratings agencies, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor&squo;s (S&P), recently have given a positive assessment of the organization&squo;s financial health, citing its strong operations and financial performance with an expectation of measured growth in the near term.

ACTS is one of the nation&squo;s largest not-for-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) systems, with 19 communities in six states.

Fitch Ratings affirmed ACTS Obligated Group with an &squo;A-&squo; credit rating, and S&P affirmed its previous issued &squo;BBB+&squo; credit rating from December 2008.

&dquo;We are extremely pleased that Fitch and S&P continue to recognize ACTS&squo; overall financial health and express their confidence in the organization, our board of directors and management team,&dquo; said Gerald T. Grant, ACTS Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. &dquo;These strong assessments are important because they provide further confirmation of ACTS&squo; financial stability and our conservative approach to growth.&dquo;

* * *

Reflections Therapeutic Skin Care is now offering &dquo;corrective&dquo; skin care therapies to work in fine lines, wrinkles, acne, uneven skin tone and sun damage.

* * *

Rachel Smith, partner, and Carole Mahaffey Hoskyns, real estate broker and auctioneer, both with Jim Smith and Associates Realtors and the Carolina Auction Team, Inc., each recently completed Course II of the Certified Auctioneers Education Institute Program. Todd Garland, a realtor with Jim Smith and Associates, was recently awarded the Certified Residential Specialist designation by the National Association of Realtors.

* * *

Terry Howe & Associates recently added two full-time employees at their corporate office in Taylors, S.C. Josh Capps enters as closing coordinator, and Paula Powers joins as marketing & public relations coordinator. Terry Howe & Associates specializes in the marketing and sale of real estate by auction.