The short work week has flown by and Friday is already here. Even with an extra day off, we still have tons to talk about here at TVG:

1. Hopefully everyone had a safe, successful Fourth of July weekend! TVG client Waste Management of St. Louis reminds us this week to properly retire our used American flags. Check out their story on Fox 2 Now for more information.
2. A recent study shows that Twitter search volume is up 33 percent since April of this year. This is mostly due to Twitter’s unparalleled ability to capture what’s happening this very second. The increase in search volume makes it even more important to get people talking (or tweeting) about your brand.
3. This Sunday is the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals, pitting Spain versus the Netherlands. As the tournament wraps up, what kind of lasting impact do you think the World Cup and all its publicity will have on South Africa?
4. St. Louis based non-profit organization Gateway Greening was one of four finalists for the What Do You Care About TODAY contest on the TODAY show. They won $50,000 for placing in the top four. Congratulations!
5. LeBron James chose to play for the Miami Heat next season in a much anticipated announcement last night and Miami companies are already revving up to accommodate the expected rise in tourism James will bring to the area. What do you think of the way James’ announcement was handled from a communications standpoint?