Latest news with #Limestone
Time Business News
17-06-2025
- General
- Time Business News
How to Match Your Walling Style with Flooring and Furniture
When it comes to creating a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing space, the connection between your wall, flooring and furniture plays a very important role. These three elements form the foundational layers of your design and when they connect with each other, they bring balance, comfort and beauty. They have the power to turn a mere house into a personalized, welcoming home. Walls commonly capture a person's attention right away. They act as the backdrop for everything else in a room. Believe it or not, your walls subconsciously influence the overall vibe of the room, so think carefully about the aura you want to create. Whites, greys and beiges are some of the super versatile and easy to go options. You can't go wrong with these shades. They are classic and never out of style. They also give you plenty of room to play with different flooring and furniture, since they don't demand attention. On top of that, they make spaces look and feel larger and airier. Beyond just painting, you can explore options like wallpaper with subtle patterns, fabric wall coverings or even exposed brick or wooden panelling. These add character to the walls. However, there is something that looks extremely elegant and can beautifully blend with your flooring and furnishings. We are talking about natural stone. For a really unique feeling, exploring the best Stone Wall Claddings can bring mesmerising texture and warmth to your space. Imagine the subtle veins of Marble or the sophisticated beauty of Limestone catching every eye in your living room. Flooring and walling don't have to look matching, but they should not outshine each other too. Instead of competing, your walls and floors should complement each other. If your walls has lots of texture, keep your floors simpler. Your furniture makes your home's personality shine. So, make sure you establish a perfect balance between your walls and furniture. For example, if you have earthy stone walls, go for warm, shaded furnishings. Bring in rattan, washed wood and soft blue cushions to complement your coastal-themed walls. For modern walling, furniture with neutral shades with a little pop of black or gold looks great. Before you buy anything, define the overall feeling you want to create. Do you want something serene or minimalist? A vibrant, eclectic space? A cosy, traditional room? This vision will guide all your choices, making the process much smoother. Often, one element will be the dominant feature and the others will play supporting roles. Bold Walls If you have gone for a strong walling style, you should opt for more subtle flooring and furniture to avoid overwhelming the space. A light, neutral-shaded floor and furniture in complementary shades would work really well here. Statement Flooring If your floor is a centre of attraction, keep your walls and furniture relatively simple. Eye-Catching Furniture If you have a striking sofa or a unique antique cabinet, choose a more neutral backdrop or feature wall for your walls and floors to allow the furniture to stand out. Light Walls + Light Floor This creates an airy, brighter feeling. This can be dramatic and bold, but you will need to consider it carefully to avoid feeling too heavy. A classic combination that offers good contrast and defines the room. You will find that light floors stand out and dark walls recede, which in turn makes the room feel more spacious. Mix different design elements, but don't rigidly match everything. Instead of perfectly matching textures, aim for a pleasing variety. If you're walling or flooring has a strong pattern, go for solid-coloured furniture or subtle patterns that don't clash. And, if your walls and floors are plain, patterned furniture can add striking beauty. For instance, if you are going for Stacked Stone Walling for Interiors and Exteriors, make sure you create a feature wall only with the stones and keep the rest of the walls simple. Always analyse how rooms flow into each other. While each room can have its own personality, maintaining a cohesive thread creates a sense of unity in your home. When you are thinking about integrating different natural elements, remember that even the best often have subtle variations in colour and texture that can be echoed in your flooring or furniture choices to create a seamless link. By thoughtfully considering your walling style, flooring choices and furniture selection as interconnected parts of a larger design, you can create a home that is not only beautiful but also really reflects your unique taste and provides a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Online students lose thousands of dollars following closure of SC's Limestone University
The Curtis Building pictured Tuesday, June 10,2025, on the Limestone University campus in Gaffney, South Carolina, served as the college's administration building until the school's closure at the end of April 2025. (Photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette) GAFFNEY — Limestone University required students to pre-pay for summer classes. Now that the college has closed for good, some say they're out thousands of dollars. The school's initial announcement that the 179-year-old, private college in South Carolina's Upstate needed to raise $6 million to stay open came as online students faced a deadline. On April 13, school officials told virtual students, including Mike Thielen, to submit their payments for summer classes within five days, according to emails reviewed by the SC Daily Gazette. The April 16 announcement of potential closure said online classes would continue, suggesting online students need not worry. But after two weeks of frantic fundraising fell short, the school's governing board ultimately voted for total closure. Online offerings ended too. 'That blindsided everybody,' Thielen said. It's been six weeks since the board vote. Thielen and half a dozen others say the school has still not refunded their money. Limestone personnel designated as a point of contact after closure have not responded to emails sent by the SC Daily Gazette. SC's Limestone University to close after nearly 2 centuries At first, Thielen received email replies from staff saying they were working on returning the $4,000 he paid for two classes. He followed up several times and received the same response until layoffs became official and people stopped returning messages altogether. 'I don't know if I'll ever see my money again,' Thielen said. 'Everyone is passing the buck. It's just really shameful.' Thielen enrolled in Limestone's online program while working for a Spartanburg software company, which had a partnership agreement with the school. When he took a new job, he continued studying with Limestone, hoping to become the first person in his family with a master's degree. The online Master of Business Administration student, who lives near Fort Worth, Texas, and works as a healthcare recruiter, was just three classes away from finishing his degree. Now he's left finding a new school — one that may not accept all of his transfer credits. And he'll have to come up with more money to pay for it, on top of what he lost. 'It was just a total failure of leadership,' he said. 'They rushed to shut it down and now they're hiding.' SC governor calls for study to consider consolidating colleges ahead of 'enrollment cliff' The story is similar for South Carolina Army National Guard member Thomas Martin. The master sergeant from Charleston has worked for the Guard full time for two decades and was pursuing a bachelor's degree in business on the side. Martin said Limestone's online program was a popular choice among his fellow guardsmen because they could use federal and state benefits offered to military members to pay for it. When Limestone's final spring semester ended, Martin still had about $1,000 in state aid available, which he had hoped to put toward summer classes or textbook costs. The school, which received students' allotment directly from the state Commission on Higher Education, has yet to credit him for those unused state dollars. 'I had a great experience with Limestone up until this,' he said. 'Now they're not even acknowledging my emails. It's disappointing.' Martin said he was repeatedly referred to South Carolina's higher education agency for help. The commission's staff told him they would research the matter but weren't hopeful that the aid dollars would be returned. Commission spokesman Mark Swart said the agency has not received any official, written complaints against Limestone at this time. He said the agency referred several students to Limestone's former chief of staff, who the school designated as a point of contact. Martin told the Gazette he didn't realize the complaint process existed. When Limestone announced the final decision to close, laying off 478 people employed by the college, leadership cited enrollment declines impacting colleges nationwide and rising costs as the drivers behind the school's financial straits. Limestone's enrollment fell by half over the past decade, from 3,214 students in fall 2014, according to state higher education data, to 1,600 this semester, including both online and in-person students, according to the university's announcement. Auditors reported the school had a $7.6 million operating loss as of June 2024. To make up for losses, the school had borrowed some $22 million from its small endowment, which had a balance of just $9.2 million last June. The school also faced an additional $30 million in debt, largely from a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan, which Limestone took out in 2018 to construct a new library and student center, purchase a residence hall and refinance previous debt. The school offered campus land and buildings as collateral. So far, USDA is not calling in that loan. In a statement, a USDA spokesperson said it 'takes its stewardship of taxpayer funds seriously' and 'continues to actively engage with the university's board and leadership to explore all available options to protect the federal investment and ensure the best possible outcome for the community and taxpayers.' The school also has not filed for federal bankruptcy protections. No liens have been filed against the school in South Carolina district court. Nor are there any small claims filings from students at this time. $500M for colleges, a bigger share for traditional public schools: How SC budget funds education Not only does Limestone's closure impact the college's students, it also affected college employees and 13 K-12 public charter schools that relied on the college's associated charter school management operations: Limestone Charter Association. A former employee has filed suit in federal court alleging the school violated national labor laws when it only gave two weeks' notice to workers. Federal law requires companies with 100 or more employees to give at least 60 days' notice for layoffs, though there are some exceptions. In its notice letter filed with the state employment agency, Limestone claimed the exemption allowed for employers actively seeking funding that an earlier notice could have jeopardized. The school has yet to respond in court filings. Meanwhile, the state Department of Education is allowing the Limestone Charter Association, which operates as a separate nonprofit with its own staff, to continue operations through the coming school year as the charter schools it serves search for a new authorizer. According to staff at the K-12 agency, the charter association will continue to receive state funding and act as an authorizer until July 1, 2026. It cannot accept any new schools starting July 1, 2025, and the state Education Department is recommending charter schools apply to a new authorizer by December. The Limestone Charter Association schools: South Carolina Preparatory Academy, Anderson South Carolina Preparatory Leadership School, Anderso East Link Academy, Greenville Global Academy of South Carolina, Spartanburg Mountain View Preparatory, Spartanburg Goucher Charter Academy, Gaffney Legion Collegiate Academy, Rock Hill Horse Creek Academy, Aiken OCSD High School for Health Professions, Orangeburg Summerville Prep, Summerville Oceanside Collegiate Academy, Mount Pleasant Atlantic Collegiate Academy, Myrtle Beach Coastal High School, Myrtle Beach
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Limestone University named in class action complaint
GAFFNEY, S.C. (WSPA) — A class action complaint has been filed against Limestone University, marking the first step in the legal process toward a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that Limestone laid off more than 400 employees without providing the legally required 60 days' notice. Instead, the former employee who filed the complaint alleges that workers were only given 13 days' notice. Since the layoffs and the university's shutdown, the campus has noticeably changed. A woman who lives just off campus, said she has lived in her home for over 20 years. She described it as strange to see the area so quiet and clearly no longer maintained. Grass is overgrown, weeds are growing through the concrete, and it's evident that the former university has seen better days. All of the university buildings are also marked with yellow 'Posted' signs, warning trespassers not to enter. The complaint filed against Limestone claims the university violated the WARN Act — a U.S. federal law designed to protect workers by requiring most employers to provide advance notice of significant layoffs. According to the complaint, on or around April 17th, more than 400 employees were informed they would be terminated on April 30th. The complaint was filed by former employee Natalie Ruth, who is being represented by the Langley Law Firm based in Spartanburg. 7NEWS reached out to Langley Law Firm, the plaintiff named in the lawsuit and the law firm believed to be representing Limestone University; 7NEWS has not yet received a response from any of the involved parties. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coastal Carolina University offers support to Limestone students after closure
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Coastal Carolina University is offering support to Limestone University students after its closure, CCU said Friday in a news release. Coastal Carolina said it will waive application fees for its online programs for Limestone students. 'We understand this is a difficult time for students who have attended Limestone University, and we are eager to assist them in any way we can,' said J. Lee Brown, the dean of CCU's College of Graduate and Continuing Studies. 'Our online undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available to meet students where they are during this uncertain time, without the pressure and logistics of acclimating to a new campus.' Coker University lends helping hand for Limestone, St. Andrews University students after closings To support Limestone students, Coastal Carolina is offering online undergraduate students: Guaranteed acceptance into online degree programs for undergraduate students in good standing with a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 24 transferrable credits Application fees waived Application deadlines waived Reduced enrollment deposit fee of only $100 applied directly to tuition Credit transfer of up to 90 hours with admission approval Personalized enrollment, advising, and information on financial support Transfer Explorer support to assess Limestone credits toward degree progress Transfer merit awards available for applications received by June 1 Undergraduate online completion degrees qualify for CCU's eRate For online graduate students: Application deadlines extended for several degree programs Application fees waived Personalized enrollment, advising, and information on financial support Evaluation of credits for degree applicability All applicants are required to clear the non-academic admissions review process, CCU said. Limestone students are invited to attend a virtual open house session on May 13 or May 20 to learn more. The undergraduate sessions are at 11 a.m. on May 13 and 1 p.m. on May 20, while the graduate sessions are set for 3 p.m. on May 13 and 5:30 p.m. on May 20. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
180-year-old Christian university in South Carolina to close after $6M fundraiser falls short
A 180-year-old private Christian university in South Carolina is closing at the end of the semester after failing to raise $6 million to sustain its educational operations. Limestone University raised about $2.1 million from nearly 200 donations during a two-week fundraising period, falling short of the funding needed to continue its on-campus and online programs, the university said in a news release Tuesday. "Our Limestone spirit will endure through the lives of our students and alumni who carry it forward into the world," said Randall Richardson, chair of Limestone University's trustees. "Though our doors may close, the impact of Limestone University will live on." Limestone University's online and in-person enrollment dropped from about 3,200 students in 2014 to about 1,600, according to state higher education data. Harvard President Apologizes For Failure To Address Antisemitism, Islamaphobia After New Reports Released Several hundred professors and support staff will lose their jobs as part of the closure. The school said it promised to help students transfer to other schools. Read On The Fox News App Students and faculty have questioned whether the school's financial problems could have been handled sooner. "Why didn't we do anything sooner?" Emma Knapp, a student, told WSPA-TV. "We kept spending money when we shouldn't have been." "The problems didn't happen overnight and they probably could have been addressed sooner," Paul LeFrancois, a professor of economics at Limestone told the station. Teen Rejected By 16 Colleges, Hired By Google, Sues For Racial Discrimination Daniel Deneen Jr., who plays football for Limestone, said he was shocked at the school's dire financial situation and sudden closure. "When we found out the school had $30 million in debt, we all wondered how they were going to get out of it. The last two weeks have been very stressful with finals coming up this week," Deneen told The Post and Courier. Limestone, founded in Gaffney in 1845, will hold its final commencement ceremonies on Saturday. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: 180-year-old Christian university in South Carolina to close after $6M fundraiser falls short
