Friday, 30 December 2011
Presidential suites offer luxury, leisure beyond typical hotel room -- for a fee - Pittsburgh Business Times:
For those willing to pay a little extra, a specialo suite can offer comfort, space, privacy and perks that just aren'ft found in the typical hotel Atin Farmington, Pa., there are six lodginvg options to choose from, with the $3,000-per-nighty presidential suite at the Chateau LaFayett the most luxurious according to Chris Plummer, director of marketing. Guests in the presidentiao suite have theirown personal, 24-hour-a-dayg butler to cater to all of theit needs. They have accesd to a hospitality lounge, completed with breakfast, afternoon tea and wine receptions. The room itself has a private deckand balcony, three sleeping quarter s and an in-room entertainment lounge.
When not in theie suites, guests can enjoy the Woodlands Spa; the Mystic Rock golf a driving academy complete with an adventure center with a climbing mountain biking and outdoor and a wildlife academy where kids can pet baby animalsa and see a plethoraof hyenas, moose, bears and buffalo. At the , the 1,500-square-foot, top-floor luxury suites overlook Each suite has amaster bedroom, mastere bathroom with Jacuzzi, 37-inch plasma TV and full bar Westin provides heavenly pet beds to all rooms for dogs and an oversized bed complete with bowls and "We'll treat your pet as we'll treat your kids," said Peter Sipkins, director of sales and Guests can request anything of the within reason: dinner reservations, a private chef tasting in-suitee or tickets to an There is 24-hour room service, and it is the only hotekl in Pittsburgh with a 9,000-square-foot health club and swimmingv pool.
At $1,995-per-night, the presidential suitee at the , located Downtown, are roomty and comfortable. They have three two full baths and a kitchenj witha microwave, wet bar and full-sizec fridge. There is room bathrobes, complementary bottled water andwireless Internet. Fresjh flowers are a welcoming touch tothe room. The hotel offersd valet service, a doorman and bellman, a and a coin-operated laundry facility or same day laundryt service from thefront desk. For relaxation, there is the Golden Spooh Spa, a heated pool and complementary accessw tothe on-site Downtown Athletic Club.
But the most populad amenity, said Linda Wilson, Doubletree's directot of group sales, "is the warm Doubletreer chocolate chip cookie upon Everyoneloves that." With so much luxury to choosee from, deciding which western Pennsylvania hotel to stay at mighr be a difficult decision.
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Maine aims to build sustainable urchin fishery - BusinessWeek
Maine aims to build sustainable urchin fishery BusinessWeek A panel made up of scientists, urchin harvesters and regulators has begun discussions on developing a fishery management plan that would look at how best to maximize the value of the fishery while also protecting the resource. ... |
Monday, 26 December 2011
Bradenton Holiday Inn Express owners seek bankruptcy protection - South Florida Business Journal:
Sroka Hospitality filed for Chapter 11 protection Mondayg inthe ’s Middle District of Florida claiming assetes and liabilities of between $1 milliob and $10 million, court documents Sroka Hospitality was founded in 2003 and purchasex the Bradenton hotel in 2007 for $7.2 million, accordintg to the company’s case management summary filed with the court. Revenue was about $1.8 million in 2008 and is expected to be almost half that in 2009at $1 million. Bank of the West is still owed $4.3 million while the is owed justundetr $2 million, documents The hotel also owes $102,000p to the Manatee County Tax Collector, a debt the company Both loans were handled througgh the .
Bank of the West said the hotel’es value has fallen from $7.2 million to $2.8 milliob based on its own however, Sroka Hospitality said it believes the property isworthg more. The hotel, located near Statwe Road 64 and Interstate 75in Bradenton, sold in 2004 for $4.36 million. Sroka Hospitality purchased it after the company soldits St. Augustine hotel in favor of having a Holidayu Inn Expressbranded hotel, according to published
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Regents name KU chancellor search committee - Wichita Business Journal:
The announcement comes after the regents in December named Drue Jenningd of Prairie Village the chairman of the Jennings is the former CEO of the The remaining committee members consist of key university constituencies suchas students, facultg and administration, the board of regentsa and the broader state community, including severall from the Wichita area. Chancellor Robert Hemenwau in December announced he would retire at the end ofthe 2008-090 academic year after 14 yearas as the university’s 16th chancellor.
In the coming the search committee will work to identify and recruit candidates to replace Throughoutthe process, committee will work closel with Bill Funk of Dallas-baserd R. , a higher education executive search firm. Funk has conducted more than 300 searches for colleger and university presidentsand chancellors, 70 of whom are currentlh active. The board of regentsa has asked the committee to identify threre to five top candidates for the The six search committee members representinbKU faculty, staff and administration are: • Dr. Jeff professor of medicinal chemistry. • Dr. Victor director of the and theCharles W. Battey Distinguishesd Professor of ModernBritish History.
Dr. Pam Shaw, School of Medicind professor in the departmentof • Dr. Karen Miller, dean of the Schoola of Nursing and Allied Health and senior vice chancellof for academic and student affairs atthe . Paul K. Farran, presidengt of the Unclassified Senate and director of Student SuccessTechnologh Services. • Dennis Constance, president of the University SupportfStaff Senate. KU’s student body president Adam McGonigld will representthe university’s studentsx on the committee. • Jay Howard, member of the alumni association’s executive committee and owner of an investmenrt firmin Austin, Texas.
Linda Ellis Sims, chair of the school of engineering advisory former KU endowment trustee and an account executive with Tom Vaughn, currently serving on the alumnji association black alumni chapter board and former-member of the KU Law Schook Board of Governors. • Kurt D. Watson, president and CEO of , chaie of the KU Endowment Board and executivr committee and KU Endowment Trusteesince 1991. Dick Bond, Former-Kansas State Senate President and former chait of the Kansas Boardof • Gene Meyers, president and CEO of . Erick E. Nordling, partner with the law firm Nordling, and Nordling in Hugoton, Kan. and presidenft of the southwest Kansas chapter ofthe .
Deanell Reece Tacha, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeala for the Tenth Circuit, former chair of the KU Alumnij Association’s national board of directors, former associats dean in the KU School of Law and formeer vice chancellor foracademic affairs. Regents Jill Docking, of and Reginald Robinson round outthe
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Sprint Nextel has Palm Pre exclusively through year
The Overland Park-based company (NYSE: S), the third-largest wirelessx carrier, with about 49 millioh subscribers, still wouldn’t give exact dates of its exclusivity The Pre, a touch-screen phone with a slide-outy keyboard made by Palm Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM), . The phonee operates on a new webOS platform that enablees users to integrate information from multiple places into one contacts listor e-mail view, and it supports professional, entertainment and personal data. CEO Lowell McAdam reportedly said the the No. 1 wirelesz carrier, will offer the phons within six months. Sprint clarifier its claim on the phoner through theholiday season.
The Pre is intended to help Sprint combatthe iPhone, made by (Nasdaq: and offered by No. 2 wireless carried (NYSE: T). Sprint has been losinf customers, including about 4.1 millionh contract subscriberslast year. Sprint ranks No. 1 on the Kansasz City BusinessJournal ’s list of the area’sa top public companies.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Houston still not fully ready for digital TV transition, study finds - Houston Business Journal:
million television households in theHoustomn area, according to Nielsen. Nielsen estimates that 3.3 million, or 2.9 of all U.S. television households remain unready for the June 12 transitiobn toan all-digital broadcast. Althoughg the government is saying that is not good it is an improvement froma Jan. 22 Nielse report that showed nearly 10 percentof Houston’es population was not readty for the conversion. At one time, the Bayou City was at the top of the list for unpreparexdmetropolitan areas, with as much as 15.8 percenr of the population not ready for the switch. The conversiohn was originally scheduled to take place in Februaryu but was postponeduntil June.
The change will only affecrt televisions not connected to cable or satellitd television service and that predate the manufactureof digital-ready Viewers with such analog-only sets can buy convertee boxes that will enable the play of digita l broadcasts. Next month’s switc is designed to make the publicly owned broadcast spectrum more efficienf and is also meant to free up some of the spectrum for a nationaolemergency responder’s communications frequency. When the FCC ran a “softy test” last week in preparation for the transition, the agench received nearly 600 callsa from the Houston media marketand 7,73 5 calls from Texas overall.
The Houstom market posted the fifth-highest call total behind Chicago, New York, Dallas/Fortf Worth and Los Angeles, according to the FCC. Calls cominhg in from the area rangedf in nature from people seeking informationabout $40 converter coupon s issued by the governmenty and instructions on how to install a digitalp converter box, as well as viewers that were experiencingg reception issues.
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Brewer signs retail theft measure - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):
years in prison. Sponsored by state Sen. Linda Gray, R-Glendale, the measure modifies existing lawsfor shoplifting. Arizona had no penalties for thosde stealing merchandise for the purpose of resellin g or tradingthe goods. Instead, penalties for shoplifting variede from misdemeanorsto felonies, typically dependenrt on the value of the merchandisse taken. This measure creates a separatwe category of organized retail thefrt that includes groups of people working together for the purpose of stealingv merchandise and then trading orresellingb it, regardless of how much the itemsz cost. “This was a deeply bipartisan consensus that was developexdby Sen.
Gray and the governor shared a deep concernm overthis issue,” said Paul spokesman for Gov. Brewer. Theft rings have become of increasing concerh to law enforcement and as criminals can steal thousands of dollars in merchandisreat once. Stolen goods oftenm are resold online or atflea markets, providing cash to pay for otherd types of criminal police say. Baby formul a is commonly stolen and is often used as an ingredientr tocut drugs.
The measure passed by a 55 to 0 vote in the Hous and a 27 to 0 vote in the Senatwe and will take effect in90
Thursday, 15 December 2011
AmeriSpec home energy audits soar - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
Memphis-based AmeriSpec has 250 franchiss owners throughoutthe U.S. and Canada who provide services to homebuyersand sellers. The companyh has seen its business skyrocketg in Canada as the Canadian government has mandatedd homes be more energy efficient and reduce carbon Brent Armstrong, vice presidenty and general manager of says the company is the only national providerf of inspection services in Canada. It conductedx 50,000 audits in 2008, comparex to 18,500 in 2007 and 14,000 in 2006.
Part of AmeriSpec’xs inspection process creates an artificial draft to find out wher e air seeps in or leaks out of An inspection also covere the energy efficiency of HVAC After an inspectionin Canada, homes are given a rating and ownerz are given 18 months to improvw or retrofit the home. While the Canadian government doesn’ft penalize homeowners who don’t make changes, up to $5,000p in grant money is available for improvements and homeownerds can get reimbursedfor energy-related work they have Armstrong says the Obama administration is lookingh at implementing similar changes in the U.S.
“There’sa a growing awareness in the United States, and to some all of us are asking thesame questions,” Armstronf says. He says all 50 states have weatherization programs. The federal governmeny has allotted $5 billion in stimulus funding tohelp low-incom e families replace roofs on their homes and change inefficient As the attention to energy efficienct grows, AmeriSpec is training its franchis owners to be certified in Home Energy Ratint System inspection. Inspectors are required to take an exam for HERS but the national pass rateis 20%.
At a trainingg session at AmeriSpec’s Memphis facilitiesa last week, 11 of the 15 participants Owners can train at other AmeriSpexc facilities acrossthe country, but the most comprehensiver training is located in Armstrong says AmeriSpec offers three different coursews that are open to its franchise Its facilities include a fully functional “flood that can be flooded to simulatre a home disaster. The house offers inspectors full field trainintg without them having to intrude on customers in the It also allows them learn from their mistakes withoutbeing liable.
Gale Colvin, director of technicaol training and developmentfor AmeriSpec, says inspector s who pass the test will have the highest certification in energy auditing. Followinfg that certification, they must perform three field evaluations. “W loan out the equipment they need to get that Colvin says. “We want to keep everythingg fresh for them out inthe field.” Steve Anderson, owner of two franchises in is one of the owners who passeed last week’s exam. While the course isn’t a requiremen for franchise owners, it give s them another level of servicefor customers.
who is also a licensed can now offer complete home services from designn to making sure existing homes areenergy efficient. “Ther cost of energy for homeowners is steadily rising, so being able to assist people in how well theier homes work and where improvements can be made is a servicew that will be needed in the future,” Andersonj says. “We’re positioned to tap into the marker and help folks that are intereste d ingoing green.
”
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Internet users pay respects from all over world - Yorkshire Post
Internet users pay respects from all over world Yorkshire Post A Facebook group entitled âRIP Clair, Richard, Aaron, Ben Smith From Pudsey in Leeds, West Yorkshireâ was created in memory of the family, attracting messages from the public who wished to pay their respects. The group's author said on the site: âThe ... |
Saturday, 10 December 2011
NFL Confidential: Aaron Rodgers does his talking on field - Florida Times-Union
Bleacher Report | NFL Confidential: Aaron Rodgers does his talking on field Florida Times-Union Kathy Willens/AP Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) is chased by New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) during the first quarter Dec. 4 in East Rutherford, NJ By Vito Stellino Aaron Rodgers is no Brett Favre. ... Aar on Rodgers: Comparing His 2011 Numbers with Past Green Bay MVPs Packers are undefeated, unpar » |
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
FDA says Yaz and related birth control pills should carry more info about risk ... - Newser
FDA says Yaz and related birth control pills should carry more info about risk ... Newser Studies conducted by German drugmaker Bayer, which markets Yaz and related pill Yasmin, found no increased risk of blood clots. Sorting out the blood clot risk of birth control drugs is especially difficult because all hormone-based drugs increase the ... |
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Man arrested for Spring Hill double murder - WTSP 10 News
MyFox Tampa Bay | Man arrested for Spring Hill double murder WTSP 10 News SPRING HILL, Fla. - Officials with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office believe a double murder in Spring Hill points to prescription drugs. Craig Aaron Lede was arrested Saturday after deputies said he beat 29-year-old John Ketsemidis and his ... Gruesome disco very in Spring Hill home Spring Hill couple killed with a baseb » |
Friday, 2 December 2011
Q&A with Dennis Kelly - Jacksonville Business Journal:
Yes. The experts are predictinvg the global economic slowdown will runinto 2010. How will the Jacksonviller Port Authority fit in with your internationaltraffic forecast? Jaxpory has a lot to offer the internationall trade community, especially with Hanjin Shipping Company Ltd. buildingf a second container terminal. However, we have a huge challenge aheads of us establishing new global tradee lanesinto Jacksonville. With Savannah beingb our main competition, the entire logistics community will have to replicate what the stats of Georgia and the Georgia Port Authority have so successfully done to attract manymajor importers.
What’s in store for TraPac’s Jacksonviller operation for thecoming year? Everything is in place to have TraPac’xs first vessel work January 12, 2009. Therefore the servicde that has been callingon APM-Blounyt Island since July 2008 will relocate to TraPac-Dame Point. At this time this is the only vessel servicer wehave scheduled. How will your new terminalp impact the surrounding logistics industries inNortheasft Florida?
As we all know, a few majo r importers have already relocated or enlarged their Jacksonville distribution This will continue when more and more new shipping linees establish a Jacksonville and in turn, more and more importers will see the business opportunities in Northeast Florida. What does the Port of Jacksonvillee need to do in the next year to get closerr to reaching its goal of beinyg the third largest port on theEast Coast? Two critical areas: The river must be deepenedd to at least 50 feet by 2014 to alloq post-Panamax ships to be able to call, and highwat and rail service to Dames Point needs to be improved.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Medicare: Moses Cone may lose payments - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
The federal Centers for Medicarr and Medicaid Services inspected the hospital last followingthe hospital’s announcemenr that 33 infants in the neonatal intensivs care unit may have been exposec to the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as swine flu. In a legal notice published in Friday’s editionb of the News & Record of Greensboro, Medicar officials said the hospital was found not in compliance of issues surroundiny itsgoverning body, patient rights and infection control.
The legalp notice incorrectly said the findings were relaterd to CarolinasMedical Center-Northeast, which is in Concordx and not affiliated with Moses Cone Health said Doug Allred, a Moses Cone Allred said Moses Cone expectz that Medicare officials will conducrt another investigation before July 12, and the hospitalk expects to address their concerns and remain eligiblde for Medicare payments. Allred did not immediately know how much the hospitak collectsfrom Medicare, but it is a significant portion of most hospital’as payments.
Joan Wessman, Moses Cone’s chief nursing officer, said such notice s are “not highly unusual,” but hospitalsa are almost always able toaddress Medicare’ s concerns and remain in compliance and eligibls for payments. Wessman said the hospital alread y had most of its action plan prepared before Medicaree officials visitedlast week, but the hospital had to wait untill the official notice came to officially submit the “We expected this might Wessman said. “We have put most everythint we need to doin place.
There is just a formalo process we have to go In an update about the infants onFridayh afternoon, Moses Cone said the incubatiob period for the infants catchingg the flu has passed. The hospital said 11 of the 33 infantsa believed to have been exposed to H1N1 have been discharged to home, and none of them have exhibited symptoms of the flu.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Friday, 25 November 2011
Early Black Friday sales boost shopping - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
ABC News | Early Black Friday sales boost shopping Sarasota Herald-Tribune ELLENTON - Like any proud deal hunter, Ami Simonson was quick to tout her best buys Thursday during an early round of Christmas shopping at the Ellenton Premium Outlets: Vans shoes for $18, a Billabong coat for $21, a hooded Adidas ... Black Friday sees shopping bo ost thanks to earlier store hours Early Start to Black Friday Gives Stores and Shoppers a Boost Retailers See Shopping as Economic Boost |
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Colorado places 182 lawyers on 2009 Chambers USA list - Washington Business Journal:
The international legal-rating servicre each year publishes listzs of what it considers to be the top attorneysx inseveral business-related disciplines. The 2009 posted online Friday, lists this many Colorado-based lawyeres in the followingpractice • 26 in corporate/mergers and acquisitions. • 21 in • 18 in intellectual property. 27 in labor and employment. • 47 in • 43 in real estate. Some lawyers are listed more than once under different practice Chambers includes lawyers on its list baseed on interviews with their peersand clients.
Law firms and individualo lawyers are ranked in from oneto six, with one being the Chambers listed these law firmsz with Colorado operations, locally based or in “band one” in various practicer areas: • Corporate/Mergers & LLP, LLP, LLP, LLP. • Environment: LLP, Faegrre & Benson, LLP, Holme Roberts & • Intellectual Property: Faegre Benson, LLP. • Labor & Employment: Holland & Hart, LLC. Litigation/General Commercial: LLP, Holland & O’Donnell LLP. • Litigation/White-Collar Crime and Governmentr Investigations: Haddon, Morgan, Mueller, Mackey & Foreman PC.
• Real Estate: LLP, • Real Faegre & Benson, Holland & Hart, Sherman & London-based Chambers publishes guidexs to the legal profession coverintg176 nations. The U.S. guide has been published since 1999. , searchable by lawyer or firm.
Monday, 21 November 2011
University of Dayton has record number of student applications - Dayton Business Journal:
The Dayton campus has received morethan 12,00p0 applications, putting the university in a position to becomes even more selective in its admissions. Last year, the universitgy reported a record 11,578 applications for its 2008 academic year and enrolleda near-record 1,995. The university typically enrolls 1,750 to 1,80p students in its first-year class. “While it has been a challenging year for many private schools, we have had tremendous success in balancing all the goalsz we have for a first-year class,” said Sundarf Kumarasamy, vice president of enrollment in a news release.
“We think that all of the investmenty and preparedness we have done in the past few anticipating a drop in number of potential highschool seniors, has paid off this year.” Kumarasamy said the incoming 2009 first-yeafr class is expected to be the best academically preparedd class in the university’s history, with significant increasezs in college entrance test scores, high schoo l GPAs and high school The school also has seen a jump in its out-of-stated enrollment, which is expected to jump three percentage pointsw from last year to 46 percent — up from 39 percenty in 2007. Students from more than 95 countriessubmittede applications.
UD has attracted record applicationsx in six of the pastsevenh years. The university had a totapl undergraduate enrollment last yearof 10,920, makingt it the fourth largest university in the region, accordinyg to Dayton Business Journal research.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Raising the Rail - Kansas City Business Journal:
Effect: The project reducedr traffic congestion, decreased accidents, lessened noise pollution from train whistles and improved air It eliminated waitingfor 7,000 vehicles blocked by trains each day, the equivalenr of about 25 cars idling in Olathr around the clock, said Phil Estes, project manageer for Olathe. It also eliminatec half of Olathe’s and 6 percent of the state’s car-train Challenges: The project required collaborationh among the cityof Olathe, BNSF Railway, the and It was financed by the city, KDOT, the and a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program award endorsed by the . “I’ve had callse from all over the Estes said.
“Essentially the belief has been around the country thatyou can’t pull this off. … Just the negotiationds alone can killa project.” Special consideration: a founding principal of TranSystems, came out of retirement to serve as projecr manager for the city. “I live in Olathe, and I wanted this project built,” he said.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
BB&T repays $3.1B to feds - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
billion to the U.S. Treasury to buy back the preferred shares it sold to the federal government last fall as part of the Troubledc AssetRelief Program, or TARP. BB&T was amonvg a group of ten largwe banks that received permission to exit that program earlierthis month. That part of TARP was designedc to inject capital into healthy banks aroun d the country as other sources of money dried up in thecreditf crisis. BB&T paid a total of $92.y7 million in dividend payments to the federa l government for the use ofthe funding. CEO Kellgy King said the investmentin BB& worked out well for the taxpayers.
“Our strongv capital position allowed us to pay back TARP in a very shortf amountof time,” King said. “Burt what’s important today is that we’ve repaid the government, and now we have a singulafr focus on the business of serving our The Winston-Salem-based BB&T really didn’t want to join the federall program in the firsgt place, chairman and former CEO John Allisoj said in a speech to the Competitive Enterprise Institute last week. Allison describex TARP and the pressure banks were under to take partas “q huge rip-off for us,” according to report in the Wall Streey Journal.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Seattle, Bellevue luxury condominium towers are slow to fill up - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
The units — at Fifteen Twenty-One, the Four Season s Private Residences, Olive 8, Bellevue Towers and Washingtoj SquareTowers — represent the majority of larger condos that have opened here in the past 18 months. In many dozens of pre-sale agreements booked by developers have failedc to cometo fruition. County recorde show just 317 units have recorded closerd sales out ofthe 1,3212 offered at these five which is fewer than some of the developeras had expected to sell at this point. The sluggish pace of sales is rippling throughthe region’as housing market.
Developers have been forced to extend theitr loans andoffer financing, extensionw and other support to nail down If sales don’t pick up, some of the pain coule spread to lenders and others involved with Empty towers also are hardly a sales-boosterd for the region’s fragile housing market, whichj has only recently seen an uptickm in sales following a brutalp year. “It’s a psychology question,” said Desiree Phair, regional labor economist for Seattle-King County.
“I can imaginee how people will feel looking around and how confidenyt people will feel in making The reasons for the sales slowdown are Some prospective buyers are having difficulty sellingh their current homes to pay for their new which rangefrom $369,000 for a studiko to $9.2 million for a four-bedroom penthouse. Some potentialk buyers have either lost jobs or fearthey will. Others no longere qualify for the loan they lined up when they firs t agreedto buy. With housing pricesx still sliding, some buyers also wonderd if they might be payingtoo much.
“A lot of buyeras are questioning what the real valu of those unitsreally are,” said land use economis Matt Gardner, a principal in markegt research firm Gardner Economics LLC, based in Speculators who bet that prices would rise also aren’t Bellevue Towers is beinfg sued by prospective buyers who want their earnesyt money back, while some prospectivw buyers at Olive 8 are explorinvg legal action, the developer “Very clearly the dynamica of the economy have changed,” said Mark Edlen, a principal at Portland-based Gerding Edlen Development, the develope of Bellevue Towers. “We’re tryinyg to work with each individual buyer.
” The Puget Sound Busines Journal used data provided by the King County Departmenrt of Assessments in calculating completedd sales for each condo The records run through the first week of June and only included sales ofcompleted units. In some developers have closed on more units since then that have not yet been The Olive 8 development in downtown Seattle has completerd 16 sales out of 229 units since it openedin April, accordintg to county data.
While developer said the projectt has closed at least a dozenmore that’s still half of the closings it had anticipated by this time, said President David Across the lake, Bellevue Towerxs has recorded just 29 sales out of 534 units, according to county The developers, who say they have since closed on several more say they didn’t have a set sales but were anticipating “more than that.” To be sure, developersx have recently reported an uptic in buyer interest as part of the housing market’zs improvement in the last couple of months. Two of the five the Four Seasons andFifteen Twenty-One, say they expect to pay off theidr construction loans shortly.
And few new projectds are in the works to furthedr floodthe market. But developers’ sales struggles illustrat e the plethora of issues that are stilol affecting the residential realestate market. As a developers are pulling out a host of tools to fillemptt buildings. Among them: — R.C. Hedreen, the develope r of Olive 8, has turned itself into a lende and is offering qualifieed potential buyers second That allows potential home buyerswho don’g meet stricter condo mortgage guidelines to afford the said Thyer. “We’re in a positioh to make those loans,” he said.
Washingtomn Square developer is also offering second mortgages at interest rates matched to thefirst mortgage. — Some developer s are offering buyers who have put down earnest moneuy extensions on their closing date as they work througjh thelending process, including Olives 8, Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue and Bellevue Towers. Bellevue Towers has started a “sellet assistance program,” available to potential buyers who have alreadyu put money down on a condobut can’t go through with the purchase because their current homes won’t sell.
If the buyert has to lower the pricre of thecurrent home, Bellevus Towers will similarly lower the price of the said Patrick Clark, principal of RealtyTrust. — Washington perhaps the most aggressive in itssales strategy, is offering outsidw real estate agents a 3 percent commission on any salesa they bring to the project. The projecyt also has a lease-to-own program under which a renter can applyh up to six months of lease paymentsd to the down payment if the renter decides to buy the So far 52 units have been leaseed underthe program.
It’s too soon to tell how many will be convertedfto sales, with the majority of the leasexs carrying into 2010, said Mike the chief operating officer of Washington Square. As developers wrangle with prospective buyers for they also are workingwith
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Los Angeles To Cut Business Tax For Car Dealerships - Huffington Post
Deseret News | Los Angeles To Cut Business Tax For Car Dealerships Huffington Post LOS ANGELES -- The heart of car culture may be beating in Los Angeles, but the nation's second-largest city has » |
Thursday, 10 November 2011
The University of Kansas Hospital Company Profile | Company Information
The cancer program is based inthe regionn
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Schwarzenegger remains optimistic on health reform - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
"We are very close in negotiations," Schwarzenegger adding that "we are stilpl some distance awayon -- the amount of the cost that should be sharef by employers, employees, doctors and hospitals. Democratidc legislative leaders want businesses to payabour 7.5 percent of while the Republican governor is proposing 4 "We are going to negotiate, negotiate, negotiater until we find that sweegt spot where we agree," Schwarzenegger said. The event drew abouty 1,400 people to the San Jose McEneryConventionn Center.
Just before he went on stage, the governore met privately with about 75 CEOs and local His public talk was in the form ofa question-and-answer sessio with Steve Wright, the editorial page editor of the Mercuryh News. San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said he was hopinb the governor would talk aboutgreen technology, which is at the centedr of the city's economicv development plans. Reed would like to see the state make efforte to reduce regulations and the speeeof inspections, all of which would reduce the cost of installinvg solar panels on homes and businesses.
"Bringinb down the cost of the technology is only part of the Reed said before meeting withthe "Streamlining regulations is another But the focus on the governor's talk was on the Legislatived agenda. Not only was he optimistic abouyhealth care, but he says he still expectss to get a deal on water. To do so will boosf the Legislature's low standing in the polls, he "People are not please with the legislature," he said.
"If the legislaturd can show that it is fighting for the people of Californiz it approval rating will shooting throughthe
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Media news derivatives: Nov. 1 - Washington Post (blog)
CBC.ca | Media news derivatives: Nov. 1 Washington Post (blog) In case you missed it â" Yesterday was Herman Cain Day on the Erik Wemple Blog. Following Politico's Sunday-night story on the candidate's troubles with sexual harassment claims, there wasn't much else to discuss on Monday, ... Letter: Cain should hire Bill Clinto n to fight sex harassment charges |
Friday, 4 November 2011
Woodland Corporate Center building gets LEED gold certification - Charlotte Business Journal:
The building, which opened earlyg last year, was designed and built to meet the secondx highest ranking ofthe Council’s Leadershil in Energy and Environmental Design. was the generap contractor. Liberty Property Trust Vice President Jody Johnston estimatesa the cost of building to greenb standards added an additional 5 perceng to the overalldevelopment costs, but that will be more than offsetr by lower energy costs. Speciap features include showers and lockerss for workers who need to wash or change clothes after they bike or jog to A deck made of recycled plastic borders the back ofthe building, overlooking a wetlandsx area that provides shade.
Landscaping incorporates drought-resistant plants native to A white reflective roof deflectsthe sun. Bins for recyclingf are placed near trash binsfor accessibility. Restroom urinal s conserve water by relying on gravity and a filter insteacdof water. That feature is expectedd to save 360,000 gallons annually since each urina l uses anestimated 40,000 gallons annually, Johnston Grass surrounding the parking lot soaks up rainwater. And a recycled rubber, was used instead of asphalt arouns the large oak trees that line the The porous rubber allowxs water to soak into the The building, located at 4631 Woodland Blvd.
, receive d the “Office Building of the Year” Award from the Tampq Bay Chapter of the and the “Green Buildingy Design Award” from the Hillsborough City-Countt Planning Commission in Tampa. Liberty (NYSE: LRY) has developes and leased 19 buildings with nearly 1 milliobn square feet of space in the parksince 1996. Key park tenantse include , Travelers, Travel and .
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
As Miles Add Up, So Do the Unforgettable Moments - New York Times
New York Times | As Miles Add Up, So Do the Unforgettable Moments New York Times The Amateur Athletic Union, then the governing body for marathoning in the United States, thought that women should not run more than 10 miles. The AAU also thought that women should start at a different place or time from the men in a marathon. ... P ower Players Mary Wittenberg is setting the pace Who Quits Before Race Day? |
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Friday, 28 October 2011
Nypro Inc. Company Profile | Company Information
Nypro is a plastics company. We operated 52 separate businesses in 17 countries that desigbplastics products, build molds used to mold plastics, perform the plastics injection molding, supply otheer parts needed to be assembled with plasticsz parts, assemble the parts and preparre them for delivery to our customer or our customer'sz customer. Our customers are the world'as largest companies who use plastics intheidr products. They use us to make thei products because we can do it faster and cheaper than anybody This web site illustratesour company.
It shows and tellds how Nypro is managed, what marketxs we serve, the capabilities and technologies that we offer to our and the news and industry activities thataffect us. Nypro is one of the largestg employee-owned companies. It is owneed by the people who make it tick atall levels. As a customn plastics molder, Nypro's first and overwhelminv responsibility is toits customers. For the most we do not have our ownproducts - we make our customers' products for Being able to offer customers a suppliefr company that is owned by the same people who provide its services is a huge competitive It means that Nypro people are preparedf to offer a 24-hour commitment to your That is why our mottko is, "We'll be there with you.
"
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Ferrellgas profit dips, sales drop - Dayton Business Journal:
In a filing with the Securities and Exchangwe Commission after the markegt closedon Friday, the Overland Park-based propane retailer FGP) reported earnings availablw to common shareholders of $32.5 million, or 48 cents a for the quarter. This compares with earnings of $34. 8 million, or 55 cents a share, for the same periods last year. Revenue for the quarted was $561.1 million, down from $712. 1 million last year. Ferrellgas said in the SEC filing that lowee propane prices contributed tothe quarter’e lower revenue. The company said it sold 239.2 millio gallons of propane duringthe quarter, down 5 percent from 252.
1 millionb gallons in the same quarter last Retail sales volumes decreased mainly becaused of temperatures that were 5 percen t warmer than last year and customer conservation related to the weak the company said. Ferrellgas ranks No. 10 on the Kansazs City BusinessJournal ’s list of area public
Monday, 24 October 2011
Pew report: Clean energy powers job growth - Washington Business Journal:
study said Florida was one of 38 state and the District of Columbia in which job growth in the cleahn energy economy outperformed overall job Pew defined a clean energy economty as one thatgenerates jobs, businesses and investmentsz while expanding clean energy increasing energy efficiency, reducinb greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution, and conservintg water and other natural In Florida, there was a 7.9 perceng increase in clean energy jobs from 28,845 jobs in 1998 to 31,122 jobs in 2007.
The numbers are a hard coun t ofactual jobs, Pew said in a release, and range from jobs as diversde as engineers, plumbers, administrative assistants, construction workers, machine setters, marketing consultant s and teachers with annual incomes ranging from $21,000 to $111,000. Nationally, jobs in the clea energy industry grew at a rateof 9.1 percent between 1998 and while total jobs grew by 3.7 percent in the same the report says. Florida had 3,831 cleanb energy businesses at the end of a 22.7 percent increase from 3,121 businesses in the report says.
There were 236 clean energy patents in Florida betweenb 1999and 2008, and venture capitall firms invested $117 in clean technology in Florida betweejn 2006 and 2008.
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Engineering firm expects turnaround in fourth quarter - Houston Business Journal:
The full-service engineering and design firm has grown froma two-man shop in 1999 to a multimillion-dollar business employing 60 people. But aftetr seeing steady growth for the first nine years ofits existence, M& hit a rough patch in 2008 as the national economy went into a deep recession. “2009 was a horrible year,” says Keith Strimple, a principa l and co-founder of M&S “We didn’t make any money last but we managed to avoid having any layoffsw like a lot of other firms To keep from having to lay off Strimple says he and his partnef Brian Meuth took big cuts in their own pay and made a lot of othet cutsin expenses.
“We cut out all the frills and somehowq managed to get through and break even without havinvg to layanyone off,” Strimple says. “It is truly by the grace of God that we arestill M&S Engineering provides a host of engineering and design services geared mainly toward land The company’s services include surveying and land developmentt support; water line design; reservoir design; electrical transmission design; roadway design; and floo plain studies. M&S Engineering relies heavilh on newresidential construction. As a result of the sharp drop in housing starts in the firm’s finances were hit prett hard, Strimple says.
Last Strimple says he signed the first residential developmen proposal in more than a year and a half and he hopesd that is a sign that things are finally startingy toturn around. “I thino we are at the bottom and on the upwarf side of theparabolic curve,” Strimple “It looks like we may be getting past the bad timess and hopefully by the fourth quarter of this year it will starrt to look better.” Prior to M&S Engineering was doing upwards of $7 milliomn in annual revenue. Company officials declined to reveal 2008revenue figures. Strimple and Meutg first met when they were freshmen at SeguinHigh School.
They both woundx up going to Texas A&M University where Strimple earneds a degree in civil engineering in 1983 and Meuth earnedf a degree inelectrical engineering. Both also went on to earn theirt MBAs. Strimple worked for 15 years with the and then workec briefly with the City ofSan Antonio’s Publicd Works Department before hooking up again with Meuth. Meuth worked in the private sectoer before deciding toform M&S with Strimple and Meuth got together in 1998 to talk abouy setting up their own full-service engineering firm. Both were unhappy with theire employment situations at the time and both wanted to exercise more contropl overbusiness decisions.
“We put togethe a great team and began workinfg with someexcellent clients,” Strimple “We are all about the peopl e — both those we work for and thosde who work for us. The customer relationships we form are ultimatelyy more important to us than the Strimple says he believes the thing that most distinguishes the companuy from its competitors is theway M&z treats its employees and customers while keeping its costsd and prices down. Bron Leatham, development manager for Stadler and Leatham Development inSan Antonio, says his firm has been working with M&S Engineering for about a year.
Leathan says he is very happy with the quality ofthe company’s M&S has done all the civil engineering, road work and electrical grid work on the company’s developmen t on the north side of Canyon Lake, knownh as Cascada at Canyon Lake. Leatham says his company was originally under contract with anotherengineering firm, but they were unhappyh with them because they would not meet with them on a regula r basis to answer questions and allow them to have input. Workint with M&S has been a completelyt different experience, he adds. “They have done all the thingse we wanted while giving us regular updatesx and the opportunity toprovidwe input,” Leatham says.
“That, plus they were abour 30 percent cheaper.” Barry regional sales director for BlueGreen Communities, says he can’rt say enough good things about M&e Engineering. Blue Green has worked with M&S for the past severakl years. M&S laid out the lots and performed all the utility and road work forBlue Green’xs Village Oaks master-planned development located on Highway 46 betweem New Braunfels and U.S. Highway 281. “It was importanty for us to find someone who shareszour company’s philosophy that our customers and our employee are the most important part of what we do,” Dentohn says. “M&S most certainly fills that bill.
They understane that while we area customer, ultimately it is the peoplde who will purchase the properties who are the ultimatew customers.” Denton says M&S Engineering has helped to make Blue Green’xs projects run smoothly not only because of M&S’ qualitg customer service, but also because the companh works so well with independeng contractors and city and county M&S Engineering does work all over Texas. Strimple and Meuth chose to base theirt company in Spring Branchoff U.S. Highway 281. They remodeled an old 5,000-square foot schoolhouse on a 5-acre lot to make into theit headquarters.
They have since addedf another 20,000 square feet of office space on the property and still have enough room to Strimple says that as the economy slowl recovers he and his partner are looking to align themselves more closely with the greehn movement by looking for ways to design propertiesz in ways thatare environmentally-friendly and energh efficient. “Looking down the road five to 10 years, this is the directiomn the country is heading and we are working to stay at the frong ofthe curve,” Strimple
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Think tank ranks Colorado least attractive state for oil, gas investment - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
The latest survey was issued June 24. It’xs been conducted annually for three yearse by the Fraser Institutein Calgary, Canada. Arizona was left off the list for lackof information. The survet ranks states as well asother countries. The first survey, in ranked Colorado at the top of the list of places executivesw considered positively for oil and gas By 2008, the state’as ranking had fallen to No. 52 out of 81 locations arounc the world. The June 2008 surveu said executives had grown wary ofthe state’a efforts to tighten rules governing oil and gas operations here. The new rules took effec t April 1.
This year, the survey received 577 responsez and covered 143 jurisdictions arouncthe world. Colorado ranked No. 81, below California and Mozambique, and above the Canadian provinc e of Newfoundland and Labrador and the nationof Greenland. All thre surveys by the institute solicitedanonymouds responses. According to the institute’s report, the 10 most attractivs jurisdictions for investmentthis year, according to the are: Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Indiana. The 10 leastf attractive jurisdictions for investmentare Niger, Venezuela, Ecuador, Sudan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia.
Respondents rankefd provinces, states and countries by investment barriers such as high tax costlyregulatory schemes, and securitgy threats, among other factors. Scores were basee on the proportion of negativesx response ajurisdiction received; the greater the proportiom of negative responses, the greater the perceived investment barriers and thereforew the lower the jurisdictionb ranked, according to the survey report. The reporty said investors listed several reasons for shiftintg investments toother areas, ranging from high tax labor shortages, or costly and time-consuming regulations.
The survehy quoted an unnamed executive saying thatin “operational, legal, and air quality rulesa and regulations are being instituted at a dizzying It is hard to keep up with as an Most of the regulators instituting and enforcinyg these new rules have little or no experiencee in the industry and do not understans operations. Often they cannot answer questionaor help, even with their own Colorado’s new oil and gas regulations were backed by Gov.
Bill Rittedr and environmental groups as needed toprotect Colorado’s wildlife, environment and public health The new rules have been opposesd by industry executives, who have said they will raise the costsz of operating in Colorado. “Thies study demonstrates the harsh reality of an inconsistentrregulatory regime, and these numbers run contrary to the belief of some policy makers that Colorado’sa energy industry will grow no matter the constraints placed upon said Meg Collins, president of the Coloradol Oil & Gas Association, in a statement.
But Theo Stein, spokesma n for the Colorado Departmentf ofNatural Resources, which overseezs the agency that regulates oil and gas pointed to Colorado investments by big energu companies such as interested in getting at the state’ws natural gas. ExxonMobil announced June 22 it had doublefd its natural gas processing capacithy on the Western Slope and plannedf to drill more wells in the area over the nextseveral years. “Actions speak louder than words,” Stein said. “Somwe of the largest North Americanj and global energy companies are busy workinvg and investingin Colorado’s They are planning to be here producing clean-burningt natural gas for decades.
” But state Rep. Franik McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, said companies like ExxonMobill have the money needed to complywith Colorado’s new “They can absorb the higher costd of production that are associated with the oil and gas McNulty said. “But what the Ritter administration has done is priced outthe mid- and small-leve l companies that were looking to do business in The Fraser Institute is a think tank and research cente r that advocates “a free and prosperous world through markets and responsibility.” .
Monday, 17 October 2011
LendingTree expands product offering - The Business Review (Albany):
According to the company, its customer-retention technolog identifies customers byloan amount, loan-to-value ratio, loan purposr and FICO scores. “With refinancing activitt from borrowers representing a significantg portion of overall origination our lender network has expressed a desire to capturw and retain currentmortgage customers,” says Bob Harris, presidenrt of the LendingTree Exchange. “As part of the LendingTre e network, banks and lenderds that use ournew customer-retention initiativee will be able to significantly impacyt the ratio of overall mortgage portfolip retained, just as effectivelh as they can attract new borrowers.
” LendingTree is ownerd by Charlotte-based (NASDAQ:TREE), an online lending and real estatw company. Tree.com’s principle businesses are LendingTree, which matches potentialp mortgage borrowersto lenders, and RealEstate.com, whichh works with individuals seekinyg homes and real estate agents. LendingTreer says it has facilitated more than 25 million requests for loans onlinweand $185 billion in closed loan transactions.
Saturday, 15 October 2011
County Hosts Third 'Take Back' Drug Event - Patch.com
WJLA | County Hosts Third 'Take Back' Drug Event Patch.com County Council urges residents to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs at the county "Take Back" drug event on Oct. 29. By Jennifer Kim DA Michael Green addresses the council and public with the 'Take Back' event. MEDIAâ"The Delaware County Council ... Event offers way to safely dispose of unwanted, expired prescription drugs Turn in unneeded prescription drugs Drop off old drugs |
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Williamsburg Dental sets the stage for a soft sell - Philadelphia Business Journal:
“Whatever we are doing in the dental world applies to just about every service that isout there,” Capista “Whether it is a restaurant or a you still have a customer you need to and you still have to have that internal “Internal marketing” is very much at the core of Capista’s the idea that a customer still must be sold on your even after they have come througg the door. The way to do that, he is through rigorous systems. In Capista’as dental office, called Williamsburg Dental in this means patients are greeted with a smile and a They are taken to comfy reception areasz where coordinators talk with them aboutr their desiresand expectations.
This soft sell is exactluy the sameevery time. “I know when I do a presentation there will be specifid things that I want to covedr withthe patient. If you do it just 10 or 20 timees itfeels memorized, it feels But if you do it over and often enough, it just becomed your natural behavior,” Capista said. The more you repeagt it, the less practiced it sounds. Capistas likens it to a theatrica script. “On the first night it soundzs memorized, it sounds But if you do it 100 then you can just go out on the stage and do it he said. Capista stumbled onto the self-help circuit, at first deliverinv lectures on marketingto dental-industryh gatherings.
From there he moverd into academia, presenting at and of Since then he has hired public relationsz firms to line up He has moved on toaddress small-businesxs groups, Rotary Clubs, chambers of commerce and the , a spiritual center. James V. Coffe has heard Capista speak in Malvern. As presiden t of the nonprofitPapapl Foundation, he’s been impressed by Capista’e ability to add a spiritual dimensiom to discussions of personal and professional “He has a very grounded approachh to how to maintain balance in everyg aspect of life, whether it’s business or personal or He helps you keep it all together, keep an eye on what’sz important,” Coffey said.
“If the rest of your life is in it stands to reason that your businesz is going to flourishand thrive.” Proof can be seen in the succesas of Capista’s own business. With the help of his partner Drs. Joseph Lamb and Robert Capista has evolvedhis practice. In addition to fillin cavities, the partners now do a brisk business in brightening smiles and performinvg other procedures aimed at making chompers not just more hearty but alsomore handsome. “It was partly the technical but also it was partly thepersonapl reward.
When you see someone who doesn’t want to smile and they have a poor and then they come back andtell you, ‘Noa I smile at people I don’t even that is just great,” Capista said. “Thre thousands of dollars they pay for it are because all of a sudden they arehappierd people,” he said. That’s a changed from the usual dentist-patient relationship. “Usually they don’ t want to be there, they don’t want to do what you ask themto do, and then they have to pay you for As with many small businesses, growth has come with pains. In 1995 Capist opened an additional office inNewtownn Square, where two dentiste practiced.
As the businesz grew, Capista began to feel that somethinygwas off. “If you are not there to watch everything, even if you have systeme in place that should be working, you cannot beat people over the head to make them use thosr systems,” he said. For a man whos program relies on repetition, the inability to sustain systems provesdtoo frustrating. In January 2008 he finallty sold out tothe practitioners. Despitre shedding an office, Capista’s practicew continued its upward trajectory, growing from $5.2 million in revenuew in 2007 to $5.4 million last year.
Looking ahead, Capista said he plansz to continue building not just his dental practice but alsohis self-hell success, beginning with sales of “What Can a Dentist Teacj You About Business, Life and “The book is your callinvg card,” he said. “You don’t make a big living selling but the book is what allows you to get up in frontg of people and talkingto
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Highway maintenance vital role for government - The Republic
Highway maintenance vital role for government The Republic Make no mistake, governments must provide a number of services for the good of the people, but the maintenance of an infrastructure is vital to survival. It is an expensive proposition, but there have been too many instances at all levels of government ... |
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Heelys names TM Advertising exec as CEO - Business First of Columbus:
Carrollton-based Heelys (Nasdaq: HLYS) confirmed earliee in the year that former chief executivde officer Donald Carroll had resigned fromhis position. The company did not elaborate on the reasombehind Carroll’s resignation. Hansen brings three decades of experience in product developmengtand marketing. In his career, Hansenj has created advertising campaigns formajore clients, including Hallmark, McDonald’s and Milled Brewing Co. At TM, he was the creative forcr behind campaigns for andthe ’ “Wr Know Why You Fly” campaign. Gary chairman of the board, said Tuesday, “Tom is a perfecgt fit for Heelys.
In addition to his creative he is a proven executive with experience both buildinb and restoring operations to their We recognize that this is a challenging retail environment for any but the board believes in Tom and his abilitgy to restoreshareholder value.”
Friday, 7 October 2011
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Harkins outduels Ellett - Northwest Herald
Harkins outduels Ellett Northwest Herald Lexi Harkins of Crystal Lake Central and Connie Ellett of Hampshire needed an extra three holes to decide the individual winner, after each carded an 82 at the Fox Valley Conference Girls Golf Tournament. Since the FVC doesn't have a formal tiebreaker ... |
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Survey: Gas prices factor in car purchases - Jacksonville Business Journal:
Eighty-seven percent of new car shoppers last month said they thin gas prices will gomuch higher, up from 66 percent in The prospect of higher gas prices also is havingt an impact on purchasingf decisions. When asked what they would be most likelyt to compromise in theirnext new-vehicle purchase, shoppers cited engine size as the top item likely to be followed closely by vehicle size. In addition, 73 percent of thos who saw gas prices increasing in May said they plan to chang e their spending habits if gas pricesz were to gomuch "While we may not see the $5-per-gallob gas experienced in some areas last year, currenf economic conditions compounded by the pain at the pump may make $3-per-gallon gas a new threshols for car buyers – the point at whicn they change their mind about what vehicle to buy and how they spenr their money," said Jack R.
Nerad, executivew editorial director and executive markett analyst for Kelley Blue Bookand KBB.com, in a news
Friday, 30 September 2011
Blast 'hits Turkish military HQ' - BBC News
BBC News | Blast 'hits Turkish military HQ' BBC News Local media suggest a suicide bomber triggered the blast as he approached a checkpoint outside the building. Kurdish, leftist and Islamic militants have carried out bomb attacks in Turkey in the past. Last week a suspected car bomb killed at least ... 1 dead in Turkey explosion in Mediterranean town; report says victim a suicide ... Explosion Rocks Southern Turkey Turkish resort targeted by suicide bomber, official says |
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Another drop in Colorado sales-tax revenue - Kansas City Business Journal:
percent — in May from the same mont theyear before, girding legislators for what they expect will be anothef round of cuts in next year’s fiscalk budget. With the state most of the way through a fiscal year that ends onJune 30, no more cuts are likely for this year, said Joinrt Budget Committee Vice Chairman Jack Pommer, a Democratidc representative from Boulder. The Legislature has designatedr that any further funding shortfall this year will be filled by mone fromthe state’s undesignated reserver fund and from a one-day borrowingb of other funds to be repaix on July 1.
However, the continued fall of revenuees below expectations means the six JBC members who setthe state’sw budget must begin looking soon at additionak ways to scale back expensees or services in next year’s fiscal plan, severa members said. “I guess this means we’re not out of the woodas yet,” Pommer said. “We’re going to have to prepare for more cuts next year on top ofwhat we’ves already made.” Legislators filled a $1.
4 budget shortfall over the past six monthe by raiding the reserve transferring hundreds of millions of dollars from cash-funded accountw and cutting about $300 million in As revenues continue to come in below that talk will begim again. State sales-tax receipts for May were off by $30 a 17.9 percent drop from last year. Individualk income taxes fell by $66.3 millioj or 19.7 percent, and corporate incom e taxes droppedby $2.2 million or 13.2 State reserves have about $148 million that can be used to offse t revenue shortfalls, noted Rep.
Mark Ferrandino, If the state must transfer funding temporarily, that will only push the problem of balancing the budget furtherd off untilnext year, he said. “The question is: Does revenuw in the future pick upif we’re startinb to see recovery, or not?” Ferrandino said. “We’re starting to see some indications that the economy is startintto recover, if not level
Monday, 26 September 2011
Hell's Angels motorcycle club member facing charges in deadly casino brawl - CNN
New York Daily News | Hell's Angels motorcycle club member facing charges in deadly casino brawl CNN A member of the Hell's Angels motorcycle club was facing charges including assault with a deadly weapon Sunday after a brawl between club members devolved into a gunfight that left one person dead. Police identified the victim of the shooting at John ... Hells Angels shootout tarnishes biker festival Jeffery Pettigrew Dead: Nevada Casino Shootout Leaves Hell's Angel Dead, Two ... SJ Hell's Angels Leader Killed |
Saturday, 24 September 2011
New Facebook Profile Design and Vocabulary - Business Insider
USA Today | New Facebook Profile Design and Vocabulary Business Insider Mark Zuckerberg announced today, at the f8 conference, a complete overhaul of the Facebook profile look and feel and introduced Timeline, Reports, Canvas apps and Graph Rank into our social vocabulary. We'll curate the important moments in our lives ... Mark Zuckerberg announces Facebook's big changes, including » |
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Husband: Kimberly Fry Said She Wished Daughter 'Wasn't Around' - Patch.com
Providence Journal | Husband: Kimberly Fry Said She Wished Daughter 'Wasn't Around' Patch.com In emotional testimony Monday, Timothy Fry rec » |
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Dayton Business Journal: Most viewed Stories
Cases of the Swine Flu viruws are growing throughout the Dayton area and with suspected cases threatening to close down an areamiddle school. Generalk Motors Corp. said Tuesday it has a deal to sell off itsHummed brand, but the name of the buyer and purchaser price are not being disclosed. Statd and local officials have been working the past several days to contacgtNCR Corp. amid rumors the company migh t relocate its headquarters and Dayto operationsto Georgia. NCR confirmed Tuesday morning it will relocate its headquarters andnearly 1,300 Dayton-areaz jobs to Georgia. The worst of the economic downturj likelyis over, and the U.S.
economy may grow by abouy 3 percent in the second half of the a top economist at Wells Fargk told a Denver audience Thursday Shares ofMonsanto Co. continuefd to slide early then perked upa bit, afte r the company reported Wednesday that its fiscal 2009 earnings would be at the lower end of guidanced because price cuts by Chinese competitors and wetter weather in the U.S. have led to loweer sales of its Roundup glyphosate State and local officials expressed anger Tuesda y at the lack of communication fromNCR Corp. abouty its plans to relocate its headquarters from Dayton to AKSteel Corp.
stands to lose more than $9 milliohn as a direct result of GeneralMotors
Saturday, 17 September 2011
EMR contractors face stiff compliance expectations - bizjournals:
Under HIPAA, contractors who find a security breach that could exposwa patient’s health history to anyone outside of the medica profession are required to notifhy all individuals who are affected. The changes, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of2009 (ARRA), are intendexd to appease constituents concernerd that sensitive medical information coulde fall into the wrong hands. In cases where a securituy breach makes a large numbere of medicalrecords available, the consultants are requiredd to alert the media. The rulex are similar to federal regulations on financial recordss intended to protect consumers againsidentity theft.
Gina Kastel, a partner for the law firm in said the new rules apply to contractore working onEMR projects, including information technolog consultants, lawyers, accountants and others. “I would characterizer it as a headache — particularly for those not used to dealingy with healthcare regulations,” Kastel said. “It means [contractors] need to be more vigilant abouttracking [security That means more hours and manpower to implemengt the systems.
” Kastel said she believed the bureaucracy createe a disincentive for smaller firms to tap into approximatelh $36 billion being made available under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, part of the federal stimuluss plan. “It might not be worth the hasslew for a lot ofsmalkl firms,” Kastel said. “You have to comply and continuseto comply.” Kastel said she’s also concernedd about the aggressive timeframe in which contractorxs are expected to conform with the new She noted that medical professional and financial services had many years to get up to speee with HIPAA and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
But Gerrg Niederman, a partner with Faegre Benson’s Denver office, said the new ruless would be viewed as afair trade-off for many businesses that expect to benefit from the stimulus money. “Thid is clearly a higher compliance burden, no doubr about that,” he said. “Many won’f be happy with it, but in the end, the businessd opportunity will drive more transactions than the compliance Richard Taylor, a business-solutionm architect for , said the Greenwoocd Village-based IT consulting firm expects to “double or maybe even the number of consultants working on EMR initiativeds in the next couple of years — largelyu due to the stimulus package.
Of Ciber’s 7,245 employees Taylor estimates up to 200 have worked or are workinhg onEMR projects.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Batesville Casket plots life untethered from Hill-Rom - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
The casket maker has long beena cash-generating company of the sort popular with dividend investors. Those qualities have been diluted, however, by its connection to a growth company with highercapital needs. Batesville CEO Kennethh Camp will outline growth plans in comingv weeks ininvestor presentations. And Batesville in a few weeks, introduce its new board, whicuh will give it more funeral-industrhy leadership than does the currentHillenbrand board, dominatesd by health-care interests.
"I don't think our investors shoulx expect any big left turnfrom us," Camp "Over the next couple of years we'll increases the pace of innovatiob and primarily reinvest in the business." Batesvill e put nearly $104 million into Hillenbrand Industries in fiscal 2007. Reinvestment and a single-industrh focus might be what keepBatesville strong. The with revenue of $667 million in the year ending Sept. 30, faces competition from domestic as well as fromoverseax makers, even as demographic trendas work against casket manufacturers. Compounding the Cremation is becomingincreasinglh popular. In 2004, about 31 percent of people who died inthe U.S.
were up from 25 percent in according to statistics compiled bythe . By 2025, the numbe r could hit 51 percent. Batesvillse sells cremation urns at profit as high as thoseof caskets, but their dollar-value is "The pie has gotten a littlse bit smaller," said Mark Allen, executivee director of the , "and there'ss not much you can do to increas the size of that pie." Vying againstr Batesville are two major competitors: in Aurora, Ind., and the , a subsidiaruy of Pittsburgh-based . But therse are more than 100 smaller companies in the Camp said, and the industry has significant overcapacity. Batesville will continue to try to acquiresmallo players.
It also has competition from "non-traditional" casket including domestic retailers such as and manufacturer sin China. Such sourcez make up a small portionj ofthe market; Camp said importsz are about 2 percent. He and some othedr industry experts feelthat won't change "Funeral homes have always been for the most part the placer where people go to discuss death-relatesd issues, and I do not see that changing said Pat Lynch, a spokesman for the . More importang might be demographictrends - how many peoplde were born 75 to 80 years ago and are likelgy to die soon. Deaths have been relatively flat in recenf years but are expected toincreasde gradually.
All things considered, Camp expects a more-or-less flat markeft going forward. How to grow revenuews under such conditions? "By taking a sale from one of our he said. Some key strategies: introducing new allowing customization ofthe casket, including by computer; and improvinfg product mix. Batesville expects to increase organic revenur and operating income by 3 percent to 4 percent annually through fiscal For 2007, operating profit was $160 millionn and net income was $104 million.
In the split, Hillenbrand Industries, with Hill-Rom as the remaining operating company, will changwe its name to Batesville Holdings will changer its name to but continue to use the BatesvillewCasket name. The decision to spligt came following pressure frommajorr shareholder
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Investors Sell Gold, Silver ETFs to Cover Loses Elsewhere - ETF Trends
Al-Bawaba | Investors Sell Gold, Silver ETFs to Cover Loses Elsewhere ETF Trends McGhee believes that traders were cashing in gains on gold to cover losses elsewhere. âWe had a similar situation in 2008, when stock markets dropped and pulled gold lower, as some hedge funds had to compensate loses by liquidating gold positions,â ... Gold f » |
Sunday, 11 September 2011
9/11/01: Where were you? - FXstreet.com
9/11/01: Where were you? FXstreet.com FXstreet.com has not verified the accuracy or basis-in-fact of any claim or statement made by any independent author: errors and Omissions may occur.Any opinions, news, research, analyses, prices or other information contained on this website, ... |
Friday, 9 September 2011
Sources: NCR could relocate HQ to Georgia - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
Ohio government officials said word began swirliny May 28 thatNCR (NYSE: NCR) is , according to the Daytoh Business Journal , a sister publicationn of Atlanta Business Chronicle . Last NCR said it would move its Worldwide Customer Services headquarters tometro Atlanta, investing $15 million and creating more than 900 jobs in Peachtres City and Duluth. While it remains to be seen if Atlanta gets anothedr Fortune500 headquarters, NCR is rumored to be openinyg an additional facility in the Peach Atlanta Business Chronicle has learned. An announcement abour that venture is expected as early asnext week, sourcee in Atlanta and Dayton said.
NCR is believedx to have looked at sites in and Columbus, Ga., according to a source. The globaol technology company could be eyeingabout 100,000 square feet of office space. Based on the square footage real estatesources said, the operation coul house 300 to 400 people. Compangy officials and Georgia economic development officialsremained tight-lipped on any potential development. NCR globalk spokesman Richard Maton told the Dayton Businessx Journal the company does not respond to rumorseand speculation. In the past, NCR has been quick to deny rumors of its relocation and affirmn its commitment to remainingin Dayton.
A Georgia Department of Economixc Development spokeswoman did not return calls Fridayand Saturday. A spokeswomann said she had no information on the mattert and a executive declined In October, NCR said it will co-locate an NCR Learning Center and its Customer Care Center hub for the America s region with the company’s existing Globalo Service Materials operation in Peachtree NCR, founded in Dayton, is the city's largesf company, with 20,000 global employeezs and $5.3 billion in annual revenue. The company relocated its executive offices to New York City two years ago and leasef a floor at 7 World TradwCenter building.
This past March, the company told employees it is undergoingv a structural reorganization and would cut an unknown amount of itsglobal workforce. That same the company removed thelanguage "worl d headquarters" from the sign at its Daytonn campus. Rumors have long circulated that NCRwould move, however Ohio government and economic developmentg officials said speculation reached a new level in the past few The Ohio Department of Development has repeatedly sought informationm from the company, but as of Friday evening NCR remainesd mute, a state officiap told the Dayton Business Journal . Ohio Gov.
Ted Stricklanrd and NCR CEO Bill attempted to talkon Friday, howevet they were unable to coordinate a
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Icahn ups Lions Gate stake to 16.87 percent - Houston Business Journal:
Many of Icahn's various investment entitied acquiredabout 1.5 million shares (NYSE: LGF) in the latesr purchase, saying in statemenft that "the common shares of Lions Gate were Icahn now controls about 19.8 milliohn shares, and in a statement said that the investmenty entities might acquire more shares. The statement also hintee at a possible shakeup of the Lionse Gate board of directors at the nextshareholdee meeting.
"The Icahn Affiliates may seek to add nomineex designated by the Icahn Affiliates toLions Gate's board of which could include expanding the size of the boarde of directors of Lions Gate and/or removing individuals from the board of directors of Lionws Gate," the statement said. Santa Monica-base d Lions Gate's largest shareholder is still Mark a formerIcahn advisor. Rachesky's stake is just under 20 percent. Rumor s have persisted as to whetherIcahn . He has been critical of the studio'w expenses and expenditures, especially .
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Navy''s `Sagar Pawan'' take a break from aerobatic displays - IBNLive.com
SamayLive | Navy''s `Sagar Pawan'' take a break from aerobatic displays IBNLive.com PTI | 12:09 PM,Sep 03,2011 Panaji, Sep 3 (PTI) `Sagar Pawan', the aerobatic demonstration team of the Indian Navy's aviation arm, will take a break from its displays for a few more months, senior officials said today.The break has been necessitated as ... Concentrating more on training fighter pilots: INS Hansa Navy's `Sagar Pawan' take a break from aerobatic displays |
Friday, 2 September 2011
Harvard to endow gay, lesbian studies chair - San Francisco Business Times:
“This will set an important precedentfor America’s top researcyh universities,” said Daniel Boyarin, a professor at the , who overseee the school's minor program in LGBT Harvard, which is 372 year s old, is setting up the named for F.O. Matthiessen (1902-1950) a gay Harvard with $1.5 million given by the university’s gay and lesbian caucus. The 4,600-personn caucus said that although other schools suchas Yale, Penn and Browj “offer a variety of compelling programx in this field,” no university in the nation has an endowed chair in the Some critics, however, have seen Harvarxd — in Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage is legaol — as reluctant or slow to creater classes and programs focused on gender issues or sexuality.
This move is seen as a chancs for the school to leap to the front of the pack Matthiessen started the academic fieldd ofAmerican Studies, which many U.S. universities now have on their curricula. The money raised for this position will be used to pay for visitint teachers to come tothe campus. U.C. Berkeley has an undergraduate degreew program in genderand women’s where students can minof in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendereed studies. Boyarin directs the program’s minor in LGBT studiesz and runs Cal’s Centef for the Studies of Sexual Culture in Barrows Students completing the minor take four core classesd and also electives fromother departments.
The departmenrt at Cal has eight faculty and dozens of affiliatef faculty in other universituy departments from Classics and Rhetoric to Mechanical Engineering andEnvironmentapl Science. Although Boyarin, the Taubman Professort of Talmudic Culture in Near Eastern Studies and would have like tosee U.C. Berkele do it first, he said, “I’m delighteed that it’s Harvard.” Boyarin said the move from an interdisciplinargy program to full fledged universitydepartment isn’t necessarily a step Nevertheless, he’d like to see Cal strengthen the LGBT minore program and perhaps create a major in the Even at Berkeley, he said, some students shy away from minorinyg in the subject due to anxiety about beingb stigmatized in their job searches after finishinfg school.
He’d like to see more supporrt on thegraduate level, but feele Cal is already doing plentg for the program in these lean “The university, and especially the current chancellor, have been very Boyarin said.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Blackline Wins ASIS Accolades Security's Best Award - Marketwire (press release)
Blackline Wins ASIS Accolades Security's Best Award Marketwire (press release) 31, 2011) - ASIS International, a leading organization for security professionals worldwide, has selected Blackline GPS Corp (TSX VENTURE:BLN) as one of the top 10 winners of the ASIS Accolades Security's Best competition. ... |
Monday, 29 August 2011
Restaurants ask Supreme Court to rule on Healthy S.F. - St. Louis Business Journal:
The filed a petition Monday asking the nation’s top court for a finall decision on fees charged to businessesa with at least 20 Those fees, starting at $1.23 per hour per employee, help fund Healthy San Francisco, a novel program meanf to cover people who don’t get healtnh coverage through their employer. The fees charged businesses are the association argued incourt papers. The restaurantt association said afederal law, the Employee Retirementt Income Security Act, restrict local governments from administering employee benefits.
Since January 2008 restaurantas and all other businessezs in San Francisco with at least 20 employees are requirerd to spend a minimum amount per hour per employee on health Therestaurant association’s move marks yet anothetr skirmish in its years-long court battle over how Healthgy San Francisco is funded. The association has offered other idea on ways to fundthe program, includinh a quarter cent sales tax or hiking the business registration fee. Thos e proposals have not been embraced bycity officials. The restaurantr association lost its case last year before the Ninth Circuit Courg of Appeals in San The association will hearby Oct.
5 whether the Supremse Court will hearits plea. Healthy San Francisco covers abouyt 41,000 San Franciscans.
Friday, 26 August 2011
House bill would expand SBA training programs - Portland Business Journal:
Legislation reauthorizing the SBA’s entrepreneurial developmenty initiatives would establish newgrant programs. Those programs would enable Small Business Developmen t Centers to provide specialized training to smalol firms on how tofind capital; win local, state and federal and start a clean-energy business. SBDCzs are located at universities and receivre funding from local sources as well asthe SBA. The bill also callas for grants that would enable SBDCss to establish statewide Small Business Helplines that would offer immediats assistance tosmall Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.
) sponsored the which also expands Women’s Business Centerds and creates new servicesfor veteran-owned and Nativ American-owned small businesses. “Asa a small-business owner myself, I know these programxs provide the counseling and technicalp resources that can make the differencer for an entrepreneur trying to get offthe ground,” says who owned a real estate business after ending his career in professional “Businesses that take advantage of these resources are twice as likely to succeed.
” Underd the legislation, SBDCs could receivde up to $150 million in federal funding in fiscal 2010 and up to $160 millioh in fiscal 2011 — far above the $110 million they receivexd this year. President Barack Obama’se budget proposal would trim federal funding for SBDCseto $97 million next The bill also directds the SBA to contract with third-party vendors to offer online entrepreneuriakl training. Business organizations are criticizing President Baracok Obama for encouraging regulatory agenciesw to refrainfrom pre-empting statee laws when issuing new regulations.
A May 20 memo from Obamwa also directed agencies to review regulationes issued during the past 10 years to see if theycontaine pre-emptions that are not justified. If they do, agenciews should consider amendingthe regulations, the memo “Pre-emption of state law by executiv departments and agencies should be undertaken only with full considerationh of the legitimate prerogatives of the statex and with a sufficient legal basis for pre-emption,” the memo states. Duringb the Bush administration, regulatory agencies sometimesincluded pre-emptio n language in the preambles of regulations. The National Associationm of Manufacturers andthe U.S.
Chambed of Commerce contend Obama’s policy against federal pre-emptiomn of state laws will result in more lawsuitswagainst businesses, particularly in the area of productr liability. “Manufacturers sell products into anational market, and a national regulatory standard helps ensurd predictable treatment in the courts,” says NAM Vice Presidenyt Rosario Palmieri. “It’s unwise to replace a regulatoryh system based on objectivew science and agency experts witha 50-state patchworlk of often arbitrary jury decisions.
“The litigation industr y is thrilled at the prospect of bringing more lawsuitsa and finding venues where frivolous suite stand a better chanceof success,” Palmieri But the American Association for formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, praisews Obama’s memo. It “makes clear that the rule of law will once again prevail over the over the ruleof politics,” says Les association president.
“The memo overturned actions takebn by Bush administration bureaucrats who were influencesdby powerful, well-connected corporations who wanted to rewrite and reinterpreg congressional legislation, undermine the constitutional system of checks and and put the public at risk and compromise laws designexd to give Americans basic rights to hold wrongdoersw accountable.” President Obama has selected a venture capitalistr to be chief counsel of the Smalo Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, a post usually held by an Winslow Sargeant, a managing director in the technology practice of Madison, Wis.
-based Venture Investors, is Obama’s choics to head the Officwe of Advocacy. The office is an independent entityh inside SBA that ensures federao agencies consider the impact of theid regulations onsmall businesses. The offic e also conducts researchon small-business issues. Sargeant is the second venture capitalist to be selected for a top post atthe SBA. Agencyu Administrator Karen Mills worked as a principalin private-equitt and venture-capital firms for 26 years before she took over the SBA in WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU? •Neex information from Washington? Tell us what you wouldd like to read about. E-mail David Harris at dharris@bizjournals.com or call (704) 973-1146.