RiverDogs now playing on your cell phone

There's nothing minor league, technologically speaking, about the latest offering from the Charleston RiverDogs.

Fans can now access information about the team from their Internet-ready phones just about anywhere.

The Goldklang Group, the sports entertainment consulting and management firm that owns the local New York Yankees Class A affiliate, said last week it has picked McLean-Va.-based XCO Springboard to provide services to all of Goldklang's minor league clubs.

Fans, scouts and other interested parties can view custom content, including photographs, videos, commentary and promotions, plus roster updates and real-time statistics.

The 'Be Your Own Fan' marketing initiative includes an iPhone application early in the season, to be followed by apps for BlackBerry devices and other smart phones in the future.

Who's there?

An unidentified company is moving forward with plans to expand in Dorchester County, but economic development officials are proceeding under their normal thick veil of secrecy.

Last week, a committee under the state's Coordinating Council for Economic Development advanced a package of state-level deal-sweeteners for a business that's looking to expand either within or to the county. The request didn't disclose the number of projected jobs.

No one would say whether it's an existing company or a new operation. And Dorchester County economic development director Jon Baggett wouldn't say whether the state's action has anything to do with an economic development announcement scheduled for Tuesday.

Same ship, new name

That Mediterranean cruise ship hit by freak waves last week, killing two passengers, used to make regular calls under a different name in Charleston.

The Louis Majesty, a Louis Cruise Lines ship, previously belonged to Norwegian Cruise Lines and operated as the Norwegian Majesty. Louis bought the boat in 2008 for $162 million.

The only ship under contract with the S.C. State Ports Authority in 2009, Norwegian Majesty called at Charleston's Union Pier 21 times in 2009 before stopping service in May.

Aftermath

The last time Gerald P. Dwyer was in town, he addressed the banking crisis just as it was unfolding and sinking its fangs deep into the global economy. Now this top economic researcher at the

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta will revisit that theme and peer into the future with a talk next week at the College of Charleston's School of Business.

Dwyer, director of the Atlanta bank's Center for Financial Innovation and Stability, is set to speak at 1 p.m. March 17 in the Beatty Center's Wachovia Auditorium, 5 Liberty St. The free event is open to the public.

Spreading his bets

Who knew? Celebrity chef Bobby Flay knew, but the Food Network star was savvy enough not to let on during what became the great mayonnaise debate.

Some background: Flay was in town exactly one year ago yesterday to hold a burger-cooking demo at the BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival (later changed to BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival for legal reasons).

While holding fort under the big tent in Marion Square before a sellout crowd, he went on and on about how much he enjoyed the city and its people.

'Except when it comes to their mayonnaise,' The Post and Courier intoned in a report the next day.

As it turned out, Flay 'had to call a cease-fire in the middle of his burger demonstration, as the crowd quickly took sides when a woman in the audience asked Flay about using mayonnaise. She mentioned Hellmann's.'

That triggered cries of protest from fans of rival condiment Duke's, which is made in Greenville and has a die-hard regional following.

'Hold on,' said a surprised Flay, 'are we going to have a mayonnaise riot?'

Flay wisely chose to keep his preference to himself, thereby averting the proverbial barrage of tomatoes, which was within the realm of possibilities given the venue.

But he had a bias, clearly: He and Hellmann's have a business partnership that goes back to 2008.

Chick chat

In a sure sign of spring, baby chicks are chirping and Legare Farms is taking reservations for its rent-a-chick program, now in its fifth year. Just in time for Easter, chicks can be rented in pairs for two weeks at a cost of $20. They can be picked up March 19-20 and April 2-3. Advance reservations are required with a $10 deposit.

Children and their parents are given care instructions. The Johns Island farm supplies enough food for two weeks, a water device for the chicks and a box for the chicks to live in.