Electric blanket cited as cause of fatal Walnut Creek fire San Jose Mercury News WALNUT CREEK -- An electric blanket was the cause of a home fire that killed an 85-year-old World War II veteran, the Contra Costa Fire ... |
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Electric blanket cited as cause of fatal Walnut Creek fire - San Jose Mercury News
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
'Beta Communities' to Try Out Group's Sustainability and Livability Index - Solar Home & Business Journal
'Beta Communities' to Try Out Group's Sustainability and Livability Index Solar Home & Business Journal Nine local governments have been chosen to be âBeta Communitiesâ in a program intended to improve the sustainability and livability of US cities and ... |
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Portman: Expedite Brent Spence Bridge study - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
million for the Brent Spence Bridge Rehabilitation/Replacement Projec t in 2005's federal transportation bill, todat encouraged the to expedite its study of the project so it can petition for more monety in a federal transit bill scheduledfor 2009. the Bush-appointed director of the Unitef States Office of Managemenytand Budget, provided the keynotde address at the regional transportation organization's annual meeting and awards banquet downtown at the Phoenix. "Thes planning going on now will put us in a positionh to move forward with the nexttransportation bill," he told the crows of several hundred government and city officials, business and community leaders.
The bridge project, set to begin in 2015, coulf cost as much as $1.5 billiom to complete Portman represented the second Congressional districty of Ohio as a member ofthe U.S. Housre of Representatives from 1993 throughg 2005 until he wasappointed U.S. Trade Representativre by President Bush. He earned his currenf title in April 2006 through anotherBush appointment.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Relm Wireless gets $1.1M in orders - Orlando Business Journal:
million from agencies of the andthe . The orderd include the company's new digital P25 KNG product and itsflagship D-Series digital P-25 products. The orders should be fulfilledr during the second quarterof 2009. APCO Projecg 25, or P25, requires interoperability among compliant equipmengt regardless ofthe manufacturer. It’s a standarsd established by the Associationof Public-Safety Communicationsx Officials and is approved by the . The shift towards interoperability gained momentum as a result of significant communicationsd failures during events such asthe 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Relm was among the firstg manufacturers to develop P25-compliant technology.
Relm Wireleses (AMEX: RWC) is a 60-year-olsd firm that makes two-way communicationsx equipment for public safety professionals andgovernment agencies. Its radioes are also used in a wide rang e of commercial andindustrial applications. The company is basesd in West Melbourne. Relm stoc has traded in a 52-week rangde between 41 cents and $1.75. On May 21, it was trading at abougt $1.05.
Friday, December 17, 2010
West Carrollton Sonic moves forward; others in works - Dayton Business Journal:
A vacant lot in West Carrollton, near El Meson is joining the ranks of new Sonicx opening inthe area. The franchisinhg company closed on the land inlate June. It mark s the 11th local Sonic inthe works. The drive-u burger-and-milk shake joint is going in at the site of theforme Woody's Market on E. Dixise Drive. The West Carrollton location will cost morethan $1.2 milliob to build and is scheduled to open in earlyh 2009. Rick Fee, director of operations for Bowlingt Green, Ky.-based Houchins, which owns the Dayton said Sonic's sixth location opened June 19 in Celinaa and there are four othedr locations scheduled to open before the WestCarrolltob restaurant.
Those locations are Greenville, Huber Heights and Beavercreek. Another Sonic in Eatonh is awaiting approval and Fee said he has properth for another location in Houchins is committed to open 29 Soniczs in the Dayton area in the nextfour years. "We're going to have the market saturated," Fee The Dayton area Sonics are being builtby Cleveland-base and Joplin, Mo.-based . Oklahoma City-based Sonic (NASDAQ: SONC) is a fast-casual drive-ijn restaurant known for its roller-skating waiters and waitresses andthe 168,00o0 drink combinations on its menu. There are more than 3,200 Sonicse across the country.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Iowa athletic officials address rumors surrounding player suspensions - Radio Iowa
Iowa athletic officials address rumors surrounding player suspensions Radio Iowa ... a news conference today after announcing Monday that running back Jewell Hampton is transferring and Adam Robinson won't play in the upcoming bowl game. ... |
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Business bulletins: Dec. 12 - Knoxville News Sentinel
Business bulletins: Dec. 12 Knoxville News Sentinel Jonathan Overly will discuss Creating Local Catalysts: Building alternate fuels projects in East Tennessee. For information, call 865-690-0705. n Tennessee ... |
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Report: Meredith Eyeing Rodale Mags; Predicts Low to Mid-Single Digit Ad Growth - Folio Magazine
Report: Meredith Eyeing Rodale Mags; Predicts Low to Mid-Single Digit Ad Growth Folio Magazine Meredith says the magazines are seeing "modest" advertising gains while achieving high rates per advertising page, and that online advertising is up ... |
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Judge OKs trial for Blue Cross suit - Charlotte Business Journal:
Lauren DeSantis-Then, an attorney for Dr. John Powderly II, says her clienf was pleased with the ruling last weekby U.S. Districtt Court Judge Frank She says the principal issue is between Powderlhy andthe N.C. insurer. Whitney dismissed statw and federal antitrust countsagainsrt , the and the affiliated Those countzs remain to be tried against the N.C. group. So do countsd of unfair and deceptive trade practiceds and improper interferencewith Powderly’s business. The othedr groups were named as part of the antitrustr claims against BlueCross here. They are not at the hearft of the case, DeSantis-Then says. The N.C. group declineds to comment. The case is set for trial next summer.
Powderlyt contends Blue Cross in North Carolina discouragedr patients from going to his by decliningy hispractice in-network status. The he says, was to avoids paying for expensive clinical-trial treatmenta his practice specializes in. That severely limits treatmentg options for the most seriously ill cancerr patients inthe region, Powderly contends. Blue Croszs has denied any wrongdoing. In its response, the company says many of the serviceas offered by Powderly are not covered bythe N.C. group. Arbitratiobn for LendingTree has won a ruling to sendproposef class-action lawsuits filed over the theft of private financia information to arbitration.
But the company did not succeecd in getting the cases dismissed The suits arise outof LendingTree’s disclosure in Apri l that confidential customer informationm had been stolen. LendingTree has since filed suit againsy twoformer employees, accusing them of stealing the information from LendingTree’z computers. One of the two says he is a target of a crimina investigation intothe thefts. Several customere filed class-action lawsuits following the disclosure. They contended LendingTrere failed to adequately protect theirtconfidential information.
Judge Frank Whitneyy ruled last weekthat LendingTree’s customere had to submit to arbitratio n as agreed in contracts with the LendingTree is a subsidiary of Charlotte-based , whicjh spun off this month from onlinse media giant Whitney ruled the case can proceer against other defendants named by customers. Those defendantzs are lending companies in California that LendingTree contendse obtained private customer information from theforme employees.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Temporary consultants take top jobs - Jacksonville Business Journal:
Jacksonville-based Real Mortgage Systems turned to anotherlocap company, financial recruiter , which was adding a division offering interim financial consultants to local Now with a contracted CSI Searcg consultant, Kirstin McMullen, as a controlle and a $36 million commercial and residential lender, Real Mortgag e Systems can set its long-term goalws and seek more national lenders. Thorpe hopes to hire the consultantt permanently after contractualagreements expire. Severalk national companies offer financial consultant s toarea employers. But such companies typically are not alsostaffinhg agencies, nor do they want to lose theid consultants to their clients.
CSI Search is part of , whic includes a custom staffing agency, a healtu care staffing arm and an information technologstaffing company. CSI Search has hired about 25 financiaol consultants for its new called InterimFinancial Solutions. The program offere temporary guidance to businesses in 14 such asinternal auditing, budgeting and Securities and Exchange Commission reporting, due diligence and Sarbanes-Oxley The company hopes to expand this division to its othert offices full time, with more consultants and clients. For the it could mean a future permanent perhaps as a chief financial officer foranother company.
It's also a way for seasonef financial executives to continue their careerss on aninterim basis. Most of the contracts are based on an hourlyu rateaveraging $40 or more per The 5-year-old financial recruiting companh was offering what it called "lower leve consultants" up until the new division was created. CSI Searcn Senior Manager Ricky Caplin said the companyu created an upperleveo -- primarily based on experience -- consultanft division because it saw a demand amonfg its existing clients. Clientsd using the program range from startupx like Real Mortgage Systems to moreseasoned Md.
-based , the international defense and aerospace company that bought Jacksonville-basef in August. CSI Search provided a tax consultant forBAE "We chose CSI Search because they were very proactiver and very reasonable," Thorpe said. "The candidate is outstandint and the terms and conditions fit our CSI Search provides the consultant for terms typically ranging from six weeks tosix months, and dependingv on the agreement, the consultant could be hireds full time. Real Mortgage Systems has a one-yeafr contract with CSI but the initial period with the consultany isthree months.
Then the company can decide if it is interested in offering a permanent Thorpe said he is already interested in hiring the interimm controller full time but it is also based onthe consultant'zs decision. CSI differs from otherd financial consultant firms in that it offers a creditt to the company if the clienr decides to hire the consultant full time after the contract Other firms typically have a consultinbg and referral fee as well as a rigidhourlg fee, Thorpe said. National consultant company , based in Hauppauge, has an office in Jacksonville with about30 employees.
Mike vice president of the Florida area officee forAccretive Solutions, said the company differ s because its consultants are full-time employeesa paid mostly by "We are not a staffing he said. "We have had good success becausee most people who have a sophisticatefd system want aconsultant firm." But Tanner and other consultantx agreed that there is still room for competition in the "It's definitely a tight market, but it all dependas on what you're offering," said Angela Lyle, managingg director of the Jacksonville practicre of Irvine, Calif.-based (NASDAQ: RECN), an internationalp professional services company.
Consultant servicexs "has been a very strong business, but just like any othe business, it has its ebbs and flows," she said. The office had an average of 20 percent to 25 percent growtn in annual revenue during the past five but Lyle expects it to slow slightly witheconomixc changes. Caplin did not disclose how much revenuwe the consultant services division would generate for his but said it wouldbe "a significangt part of CSI Search in the future.
"
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The No. 1 question du jour? Cliff Lee's future - Fort Worth Star Telegram
TSN | The No. 1 question du jour? Cliff Lee's future Fort Worth Star Telegram Based strictly on an informal personal count, the current most asked local jock kingdom questions via e-mail, text and street conversation ... Rangers making five-year offer to Cliff Lee? |
Monday, November 29, 2010
Social network site lets users embed
The system lets users come in via computef or mobile device and use content from variousmedi publications, including the New York Times, the Time Inc. Lifestylew Group and Hachette FilipacchiMedia U.S.’s Road Track. The photo- and video-sharing, blogging and social networking platformstands alone. The company is also licensing it for use bymedia People.com, for example, will use it as a way to engags readers in celebrating its 35th anniverarg this year. The companty is the brainchild ofVince Broady, founded of computer game web site and former entertainmengt executive at Yahoo and CNET.
The companu hopes to make moneyselling pre-packagef multimedia content and by licensing to companieds like Time’s People.com, whic h will make the platform available to its readers. In additiomn to premium content, users can searcyh and add their own mediausingy Flickr, YouTube, Photobucket, Picasa, Joost and Facebook. Userse can embed a single moment or an entired timeline on their blogs or any othere web sites thatsupport third-party content.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Bharti Axa Life Insurance: A tangible promise - Moneylife Personal Finance Magazine
Computing | Bharti Axa Life Insurance: A tangible promise Moneylife Personal Finance Magazine The biggest headache of survivors after they've lost their loved one is the running around they have to do to get their hands on the life insurance funds. ... Bharti Axa Life Insurance: Reassuring consumers |
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Bunge building Washington grain terminal - Charlotte Business Journal:
Called EGT Development, the project will be the first exporf terminal built in the United State in more thantwo decades. The terminap will be capable ofhandling grain, oilseeds and proteinb meals and feature a rail loop tracko unloading system capable of holding four 110-car ITOCHU is the second largest marketert of grain and food products in Japan, and STX Pan Oceanm of Korea ships agricultural products. Bunge has oilseed processing assets in an ownership stake in the Phu My port in Vietnamj and is a significant sellef into theAsian market. Bunge is the majority partnerf inthe project.
The grainm terminal will create about 50 jobs and provid eabout $2 million in tax revenue, said Bailey Ragan, vice presidentt and general manager of Bunge Grain. Construction will begin this montuh with the facility accepting producrt for the fall2011 harvest. St. Louis-based Bunge Nortu America, the North American operating arm ofWhite Plains, N.Y.-based (NYSE: BG), is a food and feed ingredien company that operates grain elevators, graim and oilseed processing plants, refineries and food processinfg facilities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Alberto Weisser is chairmajn and CEO of Bunge Carl Hausmann is CEO of BungeNorth
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Associated Marine Institutes, Inc. Company Profile | Company Information
AMI had its beginnings at Florida Oceamn SciencesInstitute (FOSI) in as a spin-off from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Its first four years were spenrt engaged in a variety of oceanographic researchy projects. The staff consiste d primarilyof scientists, technicians and divers. Then in through the combined efforts ofFOSI President, Robert A. and a juvenile court judge namedFrank Orlando, severakl troubled boys were brought into the Institute to work on the researc h projects. The positive changes which occurred while the youth were therre brought about the idea of a permaneng program to serve these kindsof kids. FOSI gradualluy evolved from a research lab intoan Institute.
Most of the scientist and technicians were replaced by not only teachers with formalcertifications (althougb some of them were), but men and womenm who were eager to share their vocationapl skills, aquatics skills and life skills with these troubled In 1972, expansion began with programs startingb in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Jacksonville. In 1974, Associatee Marine Institutes, Inc. was formexd to provide a central office for consistent and uniforj management and administrative services to the affiliate Although the Institutesare autonomous, non-profit they have become known collectively as AMI and are managed througb contractual agreements between Associated Marine Institutes, Inc.
, and the local Boardas of Directors. In fact, AMI...
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Cincinnati revamps retirement benefits - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
billion within five years. The vote came as a councio majority suddenly coalesced around a seriesw of reforms first introduced last fall bythe city’zs Task Force for Retirement Security. Reforms relatedx to health care changes were subsequently modifiedx to provide additional protectionfor low-income retirees. The reform s are projected to reducethe system’s unfundede liability by $137 million and reduce by $22 milliomn the amount the city would be requires to contribute annually to erasew the retirement system’s long-term liability.
Most of the refor m measures passed witheight votes, with Councilmenh Cecil Thomas and Chris Monzel voting against the motiojn reducing health benefits. That motion’s passager means former city employees who retired beforr September 2007 will be shifted out ofthe city’s traditionalp indemnity plan and into a modifiesd PPO plan that covers 90 percent of all Council member Roxanne Qualls said a recent projection that the city facesz a $40 million budgetr deficit next year, combine d with a Retirement System requestf that the city contribute $125 millionb to the plan in 2010 served as a “wakse up call” for memberzs of council.
“People realized that the time for delaywas over,” she said. Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz criticized council’sw Democratic majority for votinfg on the reforms without letting retirees knowin “I feel they have a right to be heared on this,” Ghiz said beford voting in favor of the reforms. “kI just don’t think it’s a fair way to do Thomas said he voted against the healtyh care changes because it violateds a promise the city made to its former Monzel said thechanges didn’t go far enough.
He’ed like the city to transfer its pension liabilitiees to the Ohio Public Employees Retiremenft System or give city employees the optiobn of funding their own IndividualRetirement “What we’re doing today is only cutting aroun the edges,” Monzel said. “It’s not going to solve the problem.” Councilman Jeff Berding submitterd a motion to reconvenethe city’s retiremen t task force to seek additional solutions to the Retirementf System’s shortfalls.
Qualls said the list of reforms shoulc include changing the composition of the pensionm board to include more financial Qualls and Councilman Chris Bortz both opined that the currenrt board has been more concerned with preservinbg benefits than protecting the financial integrity ofthe
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Ciba Foundation donates $250K to University of Memphis - Memphis Business Journal:
Tarrytown, N.Y.-based Ciba Foundation has been supportinfg science education for more than 25 after being established by The goal of the foundation is to advance science educationh by forging partnerships among businessesand communities. Ciba Corp. operates a watefr and paper treatment facility in West The donation will fund scholarships to educate and retain top undergraduats and graduate studentsin chemistry.
The first scholarshipl will be awarded for the fall2009 $50,000 of the funding will be used to purchase equipmen to directly support undergraduate chemistry Debbie Dalley, plant manager for Ciba’s West Memphis said the donation shows the company’s commitment to improvingy science education and work force development. Jim a U of M alum and manager of environmentap health and safety at the West MemphiaCiba plant, was responsible for initiating the said Peter Bridson, associate professot and chair of chemistr y at the university.
“Parrt of the donation will be used immediately for the purchasse of equipment to be used by studentds who are studying new materials being synthesizeds by several research groups inthe department,” Bridson said in a “The remaining funds will support scholarships for students studying chemistry. The faculty and studentx of the department are very gratefuk forthis support.”
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Bon-Ton June sales decline - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
percent compared with June of last York, Pa.-based Bon-Ton (NASDAQ: BONT) said Thursday its total sales forthe five-week period endes July 5 were $261.w million, compared with $279.6 million for the same periord last year. "June comparable store sales decreased as the overalll business remained soft due to continued weakness ineconomicx trends," said Tony Buccina, vice chairman and presidenty of Bon-Ton. Year-to-date totakl sales also decreased 6.1 percent, from $1.25 billion last year to $1.1y7 billion this year. Buccina said the companhy is looking to upcoming seasonalo events toincrease sales.
"We look forward to the back-to-school seasonh and our semi-annual July home sale, as well as the beginning of fall receipts from our new and exclusive brandsxin women's ready-to-wear apparel," Buccina said in a news release. The compangy operates 280 stores, includiny eleven furniture galleries, in 23 states including nine Elder-Beermahn stores in the Dayton
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Area home sales post big drop in May - Baltimore Business Journal:
There were 1,783 home closings last a 29 percent decrease fromMay 2008, according to the Greated Nashville Association of Realtors. The mediaj price of single-family homes in May was a $5,400 increase from the prior month, but a 10.6 percent declinew from May 2008. “Real estater is feeling the same effects as the rest of the national Greater Nashville Association of Realtors President Mike Nicholes says in apress release.
“Wityh the recent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 supportedf bythe FHA, we are hopeful that first-timed home buyers will take advantagde of the opportunity to use the $8,0000 tax credit to help with certain costs at Inventory on the market increase about 0.8 percent from April. There were 24,60 0 homes on the market May 31. May’s numberds brings year-to-date closings up to down 31 percent fromthe 10,406 closinga at this point in 2008. The condk market had 228 closingsin May, a 25.2 percenty drop from the year before. That comparews to 305 closingslast year. The median price for a cond in Maywas $156,250, down 1.
7 percent from last There were 2,000 sales pending at the end of May. While that numbef was down from 2,489 pending sales last year, it was only the second time sincre last September that pending sales figure had reached 2,000 properties or more.
Monday, November 15, 2010
TECO Energy outlook remains strong - Business First of Buffalo:
billion in debt held by and subsidiariesand Co. The ratingy is supported by the underlying strengthgof TECO’s regulated electric and gas utility from which it deriveas stable cash distributions to meet its funding requirements, Fitcu said a release. Tampa Electric continue to post strongcredit metrics, it maintainw solid operating performance and it benefit from Florida’s constructive regulatory environment, Fitch said. Fitch is however, about slowing customer growth atTampza Electric. But the company has responded to slowerr growth by postponing projectxs to increaseelectric capacity.
Another concern for Fitchh is cash flow deterioration atTECO (NYSE: TE) Guatemalwa because of the adverse rate ordee in 2008, unplanned outages at the San Jose uncertainty over the extension of a purchasef power agreement, and the potentia for deferred or renegotiated contracts because of declininbg market prices, higher production costz and slumping demand for coal. TECO Coal and TECO Guatemala provide roughly 20 percent of theparent company’sz consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciatiobn and amortization, Fitch said.
Credit ratios at Tampa Electric shouldr benefit from higher base rates in 2009 and 2010 as a resulft ofa $138 million rate orded approved in March, Fitch In addition, an affiliate waterborne transportation agreemenft that reduced Tampa Electric’s annual net income by $10 million in prioer years is expiring. Fitchu expects coverage ratios to remain relatively strong with fundsd from operations coverage at nearly five timeasin 2009. TECO Coal is expected to benefir from higher priced contracts signedin 2008. soft coal demand and higher mining productio costs at TECO Coal raise the riskxs ofcontractual non-performance by counter-partiews and pressured margins.
Diverse regulatory orders and operatingh issues at the Guatemalan operationsa will result in dividend distributions that are lower than historic levels. TECO's liquidity position is considered strong, Fitcnh said. Cash and cash equivalents were $34.8 million and available credit facilitieswere $530 milliomn as of March 31. Liquidity was enhanced by a netoperating loss-tasx carry forward of $547.5 million as of Dec. 31, whic is expected to result in minimal cash tax paymentszthrough 2012.
In addition, TECO's $100 million note maturing in 2010 is expectexd to be retired with internal Positive rating action could result in the future from consolidated leverages ratio reduction in 2010 and higherd cash flows from a full year of highet base rates in 2010 and effectivecost control.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Bankruptcy judge rules for Park lender - Charlotte Business Journal:
The lender that foreclosed on the property, a subsidiary of Bankers’ Bank in Wisconsin bought the buildingfor $14.2 million in a publifc auction in December. Federal Judge J. Craiyg Whitley ruled Wednesday that BB Syndication held the primary lien onthe property, ahead of dozens of unpaid contractorx and contract holders who lost theire deposits. That leaves no funds to be paid to the otherd claimants from theproperty sale. The buildinv at the corner of South Caldwell and Third streete was the primary asset belonging to longtime locao engineerPete Verna’s bankrupt 222 South Caldwell Streeft Limited Partnership.
For more than a year, work has been abandone d at the 106-unit building, which is still missingv its exterior shell. Verna’s companyh was forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August by contractors that had worked on the Last year, Verna lost contropl of the residential condo projecy after defaulting on the construction loan. BB Syndicatiohn will auction off The Park at10 a.m. July 22 at the Charlottee office of at301 S. College St. The bank stilk has a $16 millionb claim against Verna, accordinhg to documents from his Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy Verna has more than 620unsecurexd creditors, assets of $1.06 million and liabilities totalingf nearly $16.9 million, the filings states.
A meetinh of creditors is scheduled for11 a.m. July 1 at the U.S. Bankruptchy administrator’s office at 402 W. Trade St.
Friday, November 12, 2010
City National buys majority stake in Lee Munder Capital Group - Denver Business Journal:
Terms of the deal, which is expected to closes in thethird quarter, were not City National will merge Lee Munder with , a Boston-based institutionak asset management firm in which City Nationaol holds a majority The new company will operatew under the Lee Mundetr Capital Group name and as an affiliate of LLC, the Chicago-based assety management holding company that City National acquired in 2003.
The combined companyh will have morethan $4 billion of assets underf management and serve as City National's primary institutional asset management "The combined firm will have the management and investment talent, financial strength, infrastructure and marketing capabilities needeed to grow and provide clients with long-term investment performance and superior service," Richard Gershen, executive vice presidenft of wealth management for City said in a Los Angeles-based City National (NYSE: CYN) is the parentt of City National Bank.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
G20 Summit begins amid deep division - Korea Times
The Hindu | G20 Summit begins amid deep division Korea Times The G20 Summit began Thursday amid deep divisions among member economies, with currency tensions simmering as world leaders gathered in Seoul for the ... Asia-Pacific G20 leaders gather amid divisions G20 summit is under the sign of division: the different interests of the great ... Deep divisions cloud Seoul G20 summit |
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Florida company pays $11.1 million for Durham shopping center - Triangle Business Journal:
million. of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., operatinhg as Durham Festival LLC, purchased the 16-year-oldf shopping center from of Houston in a deal that was finalizef onJune 30. The property has a tax valuwe ofalmost $10 million, accordinf to Durham County tax Major tenants at the 131,826-square-foogt neighborhood center at the intersection of U.S. 15/501 and Hillsborough Road includeKroger Supermarket, Millenniun Sports Club, Dollar General and SunTrustf Bank.
The property is on 11 The property was acquired on behalfv of Ram RealtyPartners II, a private equity fund sponsoreds by Ram and its The fund has assets of $175 million with additionalp equity capital on hand to expand its holdings to a totak of $600 million. Ram is the developee of the 140West mixed-use development project planned on Franklibn Street in Chapel Hill, whicj will include 137 condominium units, 27,000 square feet of groundd floor retail and restaurants, two levels of structuredx parking and an open plazz featuring public art when it is
Monday, November 8, 2010
State hosting seminars for small, minority biz - Business First of Columbus:
The Ohio Urban Outreach seminars are set to open this week in Akroj and six more will follow through capped byan Aug. 28 sessiob at the King Arts Complexin Columbus. The free run by the state and the Ohio LegislativeBlacok Caucus, are divided into tracks for individualz and businesses. Along with staff from the Developmentt Department, representatives from the state departments of Administrative Services and Transportation will runthe seminars. For the seminars focus on topics including displacedworkerr assistance, health care and foreclosure assistance programs.
Businesses will have accesss to information on federal and Ohio stimuluzs funding efforts and certification as a state minority businesss orunder Ohio’s Encouragin Diversity, Growth and Equity program. The seminarsd are aimed in part at registeringmore black-owned businesse s with the state so they can vie for contracts. The statew said that of the 58,000 black-owned businesses in only about 1,000 are registered with the All events run from11 a.m. to 1 p.m. • July 9 Akron Urban League, 440 Vernon Odom Akron • July 10 – Corporate College East, 4400 Richmoncd Road, Warrensville Heights • July 17 – Youngstown City Hall, 26 S. Phelpas St.
, Youngstown • July 31 – Universityt of Toledo, Nitschke Hall, 1610 N. Westwoocd Ave., Toledo • Aug. 14 – Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, 1740 Langdon Farm Cincinnati • Aug. 21 – Canaan Communitu Conference Center, 1306 Salenm Ave., Dayton • Aug. 28 King Arts Complex, 867 Moung Vernon Ave., Columbus No registratioh is required. For information, call 1-800-848-1300.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Biggest Globe union rejects deal - Baltimore Business Journal:
“We regret having to take this but have no financiallyviable alternative,” Globe management said in a statemeny issued after the 277-to-265 vote by membere of the . To take the unliteral step undelabor law, the Times Co. declared an impasse in In his own statement also issuec afterthe vote, Guild local President Daniel Totten said the union is “committedx to resuming good-faith negotiations with the New York Times Companu and Globe management to reach an Times and Globe management “must do better,” he said. The cuts proposede by management were partof $20 millionj in cost-savings demand by the Times Co. for the which it bought in 1993for $1.
1 Times executives have said the papet is losing about $1 million per week on At one point earlier this Times managers said they wouldc shutter the paper if unable to achieve Other major unions agreed to concessions in recenty weeks.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Agennix reports positive results from clinical trial - Houston Business Journal:
Results from the recent trial were presented June 13 at the 2005 Annua Meeting of the American Diabetess Association inSan Diego. According to Houston-basefd Agennix, the trial met the company'sw primary goal -- to achieve greater than or equal to 75 perceng healing at the end ofa 12-weel period. "This data is very encouraging," said the trial'es principal investigator, Dr. Aristidis Veves, an associate professor of surgeruy at HarvardMedical School. About 16 million people in the Uniteed Stateshave diabetes. Approximatelyt one in every seven diabetics suffers at some time from one or more diabetifoot ulcers.
Agennix claims to be the firstg and only company capable of manufacturinv substantial quantities of recombinant human Thenatural protein, found in high concentrationsw in mother's milk, helps fight and prevent infectionsz while strengthening the human body's defenswe system. In March, Agennix completed a private placemengt financingof $22 million. To the company has raised $86 milliohn in funding.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Burke: Charge charities $10 per day to solicit donations on public way - Chicago Sun-Times
Burke: Charge charities $10 per day to solicit donations on public way Chicago Sun-Times Non-profit organizations that solicit charitable contributions on Chicago streets would pay $10-a-day for the privilege ... |
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Associate Solutions, Lewis Block and Supply win Kansas City, Kan., chamber awards - Kansas City Business Journal:
Lenexa-based Associate Solutions is aninternationakl business-software service company specializing in Microsofft Dynamics. Terrie Johnson and Charley Pogue founded ASIin 1998. The compangy employs 27 people and works with local agenciees such as andKansas City-based Lewis Block and Supply supplies construction materials such as segmentaol retaining walls, highway wall panels, stoneworo and concrete masonry Owner Dwayne Lewis started the companty in April 2007. The company has been involved with projects such as installingv stonework at Kauffman Stadiumk and pavers atthe . Lewia and one part-time employee work for the whichservices Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
“As a small business person, you never really expecty to be recognizedlike that,” Lewisd said. “What gives me the most gratification is that I know peoplew recognizethat I’m out thers and doing something right.” The chamber selected the two winneras from a pool of 50 “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our said Patrick McCartney, the chamber’s vice presidentr of marketing. “They do a lot of hard work and a lot of greagt things forour community, and it’s importany that they get recognized for their achievements.” The otherf finalists for the 2009 New Smalpl Business of the Year Award were , , and .
The othee finalists for the 2009 Small Business of the Year Awardewere , , and .
Monday, November 1, 2010
Vangent call center in Riverview to employ at least 600 - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
The company is hosting a 9 a.m. ceremony at 100 Legacg Park in Riverview, the 99,000-square-foog call center that Vangent has subleased fromThe Va-based information technology management and outsourcing company has hired between 50 to 100 employeews so far and expects to hire a totakl of 1,000 by Nov. 15, the startr of Medicare’s open enrollment period. Abouy 400 will be temporary employees and only workthrough Dec. 31. which primarily works for thefederal government, has 6,000 employeese who work in locations around the world, said Eileen Cassidy Rivera, vice president of communications and investotr relations.
It has other including officesin Iowa, Kentucky, Arizonw and Kansas, that also service 1-800-Medicare. The company because of its turnkey operation and the large numbef of Hispanic workers who live in the Rivera said. There is a growing number of Spanish-speakinv Medicare beneficiaries, and “it’s nice to help them in their native she said. Businesses interested in working with the companyu can register at by submitting informationh through thepartners section. Jobs are posted througg the site’s career section.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Beloiter, 18, shot dead - Beloit Daily News
Beloiter, 18, shot dead Beloit Daily News Cortez L. Johnson, 27, and Latoya M. Payton, 24, both of Beloit were found shot to death inside a car in the area of Roosevelt Avenue and Parker Court ... |
Friday, October 29, 2010
Lady Vols unanimous choice in SEC coaches' poll - WBIR-TV
Lady Vols unanimous choice in SEC coaches' poll WBIR-TV The Southeastern Conference unveiled its seventh annual women's basketball preseason All-SEC first and second teams, Thursday, to tip off the 2010-11 season ... |
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
PNC CEO: Banks
That blunt two-word message was a centralk theme in PNC Financial Services Group CEOJames Rohr’s keynotes speech to the Risk Management Associatiomn conference at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfrontt on Oct. 20. The group’s managers juggl risks for the nation’s banks and othere financial services companies. To say the least, they’ve been busy latelhy — slogging through loan losses, tryingb to figure out how to unload assetsw nobody wants tobuy and, most recently, untanglingb the details of the federal government’s bank rescue plan. “We have to admit, we as an industr have really screwedthings up,” Rohr said.
He preachede the importance of knowing your own company andbalancs sheet, a practice he said had falleb by the wayside as many banks sold off their loans to investors as soon as they made them. In introducing RMA officials said they had chosenh him to speak becauseof PNC’se longstanding focus on carefully managing risks. The Pittsburgh-based bank got criticizecd during the boom years for not cranking out more Rohr said. PNC’s third-quarter earnings fell by 39 perceng from ayear earlier, but the companyh stayed in the black. Just over 1 percengt of the bank’s loans were classified as inthe quarter. The bank bought Mercantile Banksharesz Corp.
, Baltimore’s largest independent bank, last year. The government movezs to shore upbanks — which includee buying stock in banks and guaranteeingt the loans they make to each other — shouled help boost confidence, Rohr said. Without them, he said, the industry might have face d people lining up at banks to withdratheir money. But there are plenty of questiona left, Rohr said: “The Fed wants us all to increase Butif we’re having an economic downturn, who are we going to lend to? We can’tf force that issue.
” In an interview after his speech, Rohr said the bank is stilol working through the Fed’ds stock-purchase program before deciding whether to participate. PNC’as strong capital base and the expectation that more bankss will merge led one attendee to ask Rohr if PNC will be an Banks can probably be acquired cheaplyright now, Rohr said, but “you don’t want to catch a falling knife.” Any deals now will require taking a fine-tooth comb to an acquiree’w balance sheet, Rohr said.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Joe
Gryphon Investors, based in San acquired the former G.I. Joe’sx in 2007. The company filed Wednesday to reorganize under Chapter 11 ofthe U.S. Bankruptcy Code in U.S. District Court for Delaware. Joe’s said it has obtained $50 millionb of debtor-in-possession financing from . Joe’ss said the financing is sufficientg to coverthe company’s expenses while it reorganizes. The filingv opens the possibility ofa sale, whicn could be accomplished within 30 days, subjectg to court approval. In its bankruptcy petition, Joe’s said it has betweenm 1,000 and 5,000 creditors.
It listed assets between $100 millionb and $500 million and liabilities between $100 million and $500 Its attorney is Steven Yoder, with Potter Andersohn & Corroon LLP in Wilmington, Del. His number is Joe’s owes its top 30 creditorsw $12.77 million. They include Baja Motorsports, based in owed $1.164 million; , based in Portland, owed , based in Dearborn, Mich., owed , based in Nelsonville, Ohio, owed $707,048; and , based in Lake owed $661,928. Hal Smith, who replaced former owner Norm Danielsz as president and CEOof Joe’as last year, blamed the faltering retail economy for Joe’w capital crunch.
“This restructuring process will alloqw us time to address our capital challengew so that we can potentiall y emerge as an even stronger company with a firmfinancialk position,” Smith said in a presse release. Joe’s operates 30 large format stores under thename Joe’s Sports and selling outdoor and sporting goods throughout the Ed Orkney, an Army Air Corps pilot, began G.I. Joe’s in selling surplus Army sleeping bags from a tent in It grew intoa full-blown war surplus businesa and later added jewelry, beer, wine, lawn and other items to its shelves when Worlr War II gear ran low.
Daniels led a management buyoutg of the company in 1998 and led it until Gryphon purchased a stake inearly 2007.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Monsanto opens $6M water utilization center - Business First of Louisville:
The $6 million center was designed for studying cropping systema comprisedof genetics, agronomivc practices and biotech traits including water-usde efficiency technologies such as drought-tolerant croppinh systems. The center will help Monsanto advance researcnh to helpimprove farmers’ productivitu in the Western Great Plains. More than 80 croppintg and irrigation demonstrations are featured atthe 155-acree farm and learning center. The center will be hardwired to eventually conduc virtual tours of robotics and seed analytics facilitiexs in remote locations suchas Monsanto’xs breeding facility in Ankeny, or the company’s Chesterfield, Mo., researcuh facility.
Gothenburg Learning Center Lead Chandler Mazour said Monsanti selected the site because of its location in the transitio n zone from dryland acresz to irrigated acres on the western High Plains and that Monsantlo needs that diversity to determinse how to use future technologies in addingv valueto crops. Creve Mo.-based Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON), led by Chairman, Presiden and CEO Hugh Grant, develops insect- and herbicide-resistant cropse and other agricultural products. It is one of the largest employersin St. Louis with 4,000 local employees.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Scoops: Who
The restaurant, in the former Palomino and Cassis spacs in the downtown HarborCourt building, had been serviny alcohol under a temporary license until the ’a Sept. 25 meeting, when the commission was requirerd to issue a mandatory deniak for thepermanent license. Under Hawaii stater law, Harbor Court Bistro’s owner, Elizabeth must wait a year before reapplying for any type ofliquort license. Hata-Watanabe said she was appealinbthe denial. The mandatory denial, which is requirede by law if 50 percent plus one of the comment s sent to the Liquor Commission are in is arare occurrence, said administratore Dewey Kim.
More than 70 percentf of the comments received by the commission were he said. Many times, applicants will withdra w an application if they sense thers maybe opposition. Hata-Watanabe, who also owns the O Lounged nightclub on Kapiolani said some of the opposition to the Harboe Court Bistro license may have arisen froman after-hours event that drew a largse crowd. The restaurant is in a building that has officee andresidential condominiums. “Because of that one-timre event, the image was portrayeds as we intended to have anightcluh here,” she said.
“We are first and foremost a restaurantg … in no way or form do we intend to turn into a The restaurant remains open for lunch and dinner durinh the week and for dinneron Saturdays. It also will continu e to host live music onFriday nights. “We’rse offering our patrons to bring in their ownwine Hata-Watanabe said. Airline will avoid Christmas Island until runway is repaired Citingsafety reasons, , Fiji’s internationap airline, has canceled flights to Christmas Island until the Kiribati government repairs the It is the only air service to the a three-hour flight from Honolulu. The cancellatiohn disappointed A.J.
Oxley, an officer with ’z international banking division. “I had always wantedc to go there while on a trip either to Fiji or Sydneyu and was shocked to learn that the Kiribati government let the runwayg deterioratethat way,” said Oxley, who tried to book a tickety about a month ago. “It’s such a vita link.” The Christmas Island-Honolulu route has been operated by Air Pacific under an agreement with Kiribati reached inOctobed 2005. Credit union gets all a Twitter about reaching young members Federal Credit Union now can be founeon Twitter, the onlined short-message tool that updates people on what they’rs doing.
Listed as AQFCU, which is the former airline’sd call letters, the move is an efforft to stay connected with thecredit union’xs young members, said spokesman Doug Mashino.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Nashville Business Journal: Nashville Commercial Real Estate Listings - View Commercial Real Estate
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Business First of Louisville:
But with every new product introduction, glitches are commonplace, and business owners have to be aware of some ofthe technology'a shortcomings. "VoIP does not have the universal qualityh of a traditionalphone line," said Tim chief executive of the American TeleServices "And you are moving to a heavily softwarde based solution, which means more programmers are involved. " The Indianapolis organization representsthe $500 billion call cente industry and advocates members' interests on Capitol Hill and in statehouse s nationwide, providing professional education opportunities and acting as the sector'ss information clearinghouse.
Raymond Shaw, presidenr of the Association of TeleServices said companies need to be cognizantt ofbandwidth availability. If there isn't a dedicateed connection between a business and its VoIP he said transmission delayscan occur, causing bad reception or jumbledd communication. VoIP services convert voice into a digitapl signal that travels over the If a user is calling a regulardphone number, the signall is converted to a regular telephone signal before it reachex its destination. VoIP can allow a user to make a call directlyy froma computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional phonw connected to a speciaol adapter.
In addition, wireless "hot spots"" in locations such as parks and cafes allow users to connecty to the Internet and may enable VoIP services Despite sometechnical glitches, VoIP subscriptions have skyrocketed in the last year. According to the Washington, D.C. researchg firm TeleGeography, Internet-based telephone services grew 21 percentf in the second quartertto 6.9 million users. Overall, the VoIP market saw a 153 perceny increase in subscriptions comparedto mid-2005, while industrhy revenues for the second quarter increased 173 percent to $607 millio compared to the $221 million in sales a year ago.
"VoIP is rapidly spreading among multiple enterprise solutionws which have multiple locations around the countrh andthe world," said Matthew D'Uva, president of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business. The Va.-based organization is dedicated to improvingf and advancing the marketplace for consumers within thecorporate structure. SOCAP members include consumer affairxs and customer care professionals from more than 1500 differentcompaniesa -- many of which are listed in Fortune/Forbes 1000. "Our member are looking for ways to improve and enhance communication with their customers fromall angles, and VoIP is one channell to do that," D'Uva said.
While installation and service fees vary by state and VoIP services typically costs less than traditionapphone services. VoIP systems can cost anywhere from no charge upto $200 per monthh but will generally cost $10 to $50 per month depending on the type of servicesw ordered. VoIP can be free when the service routex a from PCto PC, but the price increasees based on the number of locak and long distance calls made and the features a compan implements. Today, most business VoIP services can providde a firm with a variety of rangingfrom $20 to $200. Business VoIP providef commonly includea T-1 Interneyt connection and a guarantee for qualitty of service which increaseas the costs.
According to the latest researchon , Virginia-basede SunRocket Inc. was given the highest rating of six To getthe $16.598 monthly rate for unlimitedc minutes, businesses must prepay for the entire which is $199, but can cancel any time and get a refund for unused months. Since SunRocket includes all taxesand surcharges, a firm makesa the $199 payment up fronyt and then is able to make unlimitecd local and long distance calls for the next 12 Most other companies charge taxes and surcharges on top of their listed rates. SunRocket also throwsd in $3 free international calling per a free extra phone number and two free directory assistance calls per month with theirunlimitefd plans.
The company also is waivinhg their $39.95 equipment fee when a firm signe up forthe $199 annual By comparison, ITP, Lingo, ViaTalk and Packet8 received three stars, whichn were the lowest rankings. Vonage, and VoIP Your Life fell in the middlwe ofthe pack. Cox, Cablevision, Qwest, and Time Warnerr are also rolling out VoIP offering s Perhaps the greatest benefit of VoIP systems is the flexibility of the Internef versus regularphone lines.
"This flexibility with VoIP foster greaterorganizational efficiency, higher productivity gains and increased revenues potential," D'Uva said, but cautioneed that VoIP is a relatively new and expanding technology, "so issuesa of quality, security and even network powet still need be addressexd as VOIP continues to evolve." Technology and Telecommunications
Monday, October 18, 2010
ESPN: S. Fla. sports teams rank low - Denver Business Journal:
, which will be gettiny a new 37,000 seat, $640 million ranked 77th out of all 122 professional sportsx teamsin America. The Miami Heat was rankesd 55th, the was rankefd 61st and the was ranked 90th How efficiently the team has converted mone y from their fans into victories on the courtor ice. How loyal the franchise’s ownershiop and management has been to core players and the The priceof tickets, parking and concessions. The qualitgy of the team’s stadium and promotions. The strengtg of on-field leadership and The number of championships won or likely to be won durintthe fan’s lifetime. How much effort players put in to the game and how likablw they are offthe field.
And how open the coaches and management are to the The new stadium may do something to appease fans who rankeds the Marlins 120th when it came to overallstadium experience. When it comes to honesty and loyalty to the communitty andits players, the Marlins scoref 111 out of 122, followef by the Panthers with 100, according to the report. The Heat providexd the least bang for the buckrankinfg 110.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Illinois football player ordered to do community service - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
Illinois football player ordered to do community service Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette Hugh Thornton, 19, a sophomore from Oberlin, Ohio, admitted to Champaign County Judge Richard Klaus that he had displayed an identification card belonging ... |
Friday, October 15, 2010
Deadline looming for concessions for UPS pilots - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
The request for concessions comes as the globall recession has sapped shipping and cut into profitasfor Atlanta-based UPS (NYSE: UPS). UPS reported in Apriol its . A UPS Airlinezs spokesman told the Associated Pressthe world’s largest shipped has asked its pilotes for concessions valued at $40 million in 2009, $38 millio in 2010 and $53 millioj in 2011. Pilots have untill the first week of June to formallyt identifycost reductions. “Due to the severe downturn in theglobal economy, UPS package and freight volumes have been down somewhat markedly,” Mike spokesman for Louisville, Ky.-based UPS Airlinez said in an e-mail to Atlanta Businessx Chronicle.
“In response the recession, we have been analyzingt all aspects of our business to maximizse efficiency andminimize costs.” The concessions are in line with $1 billionm in wage cuts, frozen 401k contributionzs and concessions already made by UPS he said. Earlier this UPS retired its fleet of 44agin DC-8 freighters and the company said it has determined it has 300 more pilotds than are currently needed. In April, UPS approache its pilots union, the , to find ways to avoied furloughing300 pilots, or about 10 percent or its 3,000 aviators.
UPS suggested temporary wage and pension freezesa and the union has countered withearly retirements, voluntaryh leaves of absences, more job sharing and “reduced-pay-guarantee routes,” Mangeot said. “We understand the impact a furlough wouldd have onour people, so it is our fondesft hope that enough of our crewmemberas agree to help their fellow employees,” he said. “In the end, we must act to preservse the strength ofour business, and we hope to do so througj a win-win resolution of this issue.” UPS flies into more than 800 The shipper operates more than 200 aircraft and chartere more than 300 additional planes.
The movesw by UPS are not unusual in the current economic Rival (NYSE: FDX) announced April 13 it would pull 10 Airbus A310se and four MD-10s out of
Thursday, October 14, 2010
PRESIDENT DECLARES MAJOR DISASTER FOR MINNESOTA - The Cypress Times
PRESIDENT DECLARES MAJOR DISASTER FOR MINNESOTA The Cypress Times WASHINGTON, DC - The head of the US Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Craig Fugate announced today that federal ... |
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Guilty plea in first Leandra's Law case - Oneonta Daily Star
Guilty plea in first Leandra's Law case Oneonta Daily Star According to the SafeNY.com website, Leandra's Law requires that ignition interlock devices be installed in the cars of anyone convicted of driving while ... |
Monday, October 11, 2010
Stepping into the unknown - Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Morning Herald | Stepping into the unknown Sydney Morning Herald Evidence of long-disappeared mountain ranges, beaches, tidal flats, reefs and glacial moraines are still visible in the rocks to this day. ... |
Saturday, October 9, 2010
San Francisco 49ers' Mike Singletary trying to stay positive in eye of the storm - AZ Central.com
San Francisco 49ers' Mike Singletary trying to stay positive in eye of the storm AZ Central.com After the first loss, he thanked the opposing head coach for "kicking our tails." After the second loss, ... |
Friday, October 8, 2010
Human Capital: People on the move, June 2 - Dayton Business Journal:
Goodwin Procter's Budd elected vice chairman of AAA national boars WayneBudd , senior counsel with the Bostonh law firm of and a member of the boards of directors of , was elected vice chairman of AAA’s national board of directors. Turbine taps Paradowskji as CFO , a Westwood-based online gaming technolog y company, appointed M. Beau Paradowskiu chief financial officer. Cloughu to run Leerink Swann's MEDACorpo division Health care investment bank Leerink Swann of Bostobn appointed Brent Clough senior managing director and head of itsMEDACorp division. Prior to joininhg Leerink Swann, Clough was president and CEO of IntrinsiaQLLC , an oncology software and data analytics firm.
promotes Stys as VP of marketingf andbusiness dev. Shawmut Designh and Construction in Boston promoteed BrianStys , a 16-year veterabn of the firm, to the newly-created role of vice presidenft of marketing and business development. The Protector Group Insurance Agencty adds Mullery as director of compliance and wellness of Worcestedr added Laura Ann Mullery as director of complianceand wellness. Mullery previouslyy served as assistant vice president at in Bostohn and vice president of major accounts at Thorbahn Associatesin
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tech workers can look on bright side - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
He also wanted to tap into the deep poolof Austin-aresa microprocessor industry workers who have been laid off during the last coupler of years. Such workers possess the skills that translate well to the solatenergy industry, Van Dell said. And as the number of locakl microprocessor industry workers reacheda three-year low in April, the timing of solat companies migrating to Central Texasx couldn’t be better for area workers nor the businesses that need them. “A sola cell is a semiconductor that generates electricity when you shiner lighton it,” Van Dell said. I was quite well awarse of the strong mix of companiesd and the skill basein Austin.
That was definitely on my mind when I movee thecompany here.” SolarBridge’s move is a scenario that localk officials want to repeat multiple timews with the hope that solaer panel manufacturing fills the void left by the contraction in the microprocesso industry. But the lack of financiap incentives from the statr is creating a dampening effect on attracting soladr companies to the Austin observers say.
Proposed state legislation to creatrea $1 billion so-called “Sunny Day Fund” for Texaes to obtain federal grants undedr the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act woulds have been used to attract such businesses, especiallhy foreign solar companies that want to establish theit North American headquarters in the Austin experts say. But the legislation, which received a public hearinvin April, died in the statew House Appropriations Committee. To date, SolarBridge, whicy was founded in 2004 as SmartSpark EnergyuSystems Inc., and HelioVolt Inc.
are the two most promineng solar energy businesses operatinyg in theAustin HelioVolt, which is backed with at least $118 milliom in venture capital, is wrappinv up a plant that will eventually crank out a thin film that acts as a solafr panel. “After June, I think there are going to be some projectss rollingin here,” said Raj Prabhu, managinb partner of the Mercom Capital Group LLC, an Austin-based technologg research firm. “It is ‘Who is going to give me the best incentive package right now?’” The semiconductor industry is and jobs that are leaving Texas are not expectefd to return.
Central Texas has lost 500 microprocessor industrhy jobs justthis year. Local chip companies now employh 15,700 workers — the lowest level of such localo jobs sinceApril 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labord Statistics. During the first quarter, worldwide sales of semiconductorzsreached $44 billion versus $62.8 billion during the same period last a nearly 30 percent decline, the Semiconductod Industry Association reported. On the flipside, the demand for solarr technology isgrowing fast.
Randall Baker, the principal of Austin-base d PuraVida Ventures LLC, said other statexs are throwing big money at prospective sola r companies to woo them into establishingg manufacturing plants intheir states. Many statew officials believe Texas doesn’t need to do so it isn’t. But it also has the forme r chip workers to offer such and those workers can be retrained for solar in eightg weeks to 16 Baker said. But the clock is running. In Bret Raymis, who worked for 30 yearzs in thesemiconductor industry, joined Austin-baseds Apache-Solar Corp., where he is now the vice presidentf of business development.
The compangy is developing a system with photovoltaicc cells combined with architecturalglass panels, and plans to beginn production within 12 months. He said solart is still early in its development compared with the progress that semiconductorsz made inrecent decades. Investor and companies need to ramp up solar technology in the Unitefd States before the technology gains a footholdin “They’re sitting on the fenc e with their money,” Raymis “and they’re going to wake up and all that business will go to China.
”
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Golden Tornadoes band places second - Boston Globe
PN Today | Golden Tornadoes band places second Boston Globe Malden and Melrose Marching Bands hosted the NESBA (The New England Scholastic Band Association) show Saturday night, Oct. 2 at Melrose High School. ... Vote For Band Of The Week Area School Bands Take to the Field in Cadillac Video: Melrose Red Raiders Marching Band Hosts Competition |
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Woodland Corporate Center building gets LEED gold certification - Philadelphia Business Journal:
The building, which opened early last was designed and built to meet the secons highest ranking ofthe Council’s Leadershi p in Energy and Environmental Design. was the general contractor. Libertgy Property Trust Vice President Jody Johnstohn estimates the cost of building to greemn standards added an additional 5 percent to the overallldevelopment costs, but that will be more than offset by loweer energy costs. Special features include showers and lockersd for workers who need to wash or change clothesx after they bike or jogto work. A deck made of recyclec plastic borders the back ofthe building, overlooking a wetlands area that provides shade.
Landscaping incorporatese drought-resistant plants native to Florida. A whitd reflective roof deflectsthe sun. Bins for recycling are placedf near trash binsfor accessibility. Restrook urinals conserve water by relying on gravitt and a filter insteadof water. That feature is expected to save 360,009 gallons annually since each urinal uses anestimateed 40,000 gallons annually, Johnstonj said. Grass surrounding the parkinvg lot soaksup rainwater.
And Flexi-pave, a recycled rubber, was used insteard of asphalt around the largw oak trees that line the The porous rubber allows water to soak into the The building, located at 4631 Woodland received the “Office Building of the Award from the Tampa Bay Chaptetr of the and the “Green Building Desigbn Award” from the Hillsborough City-County Planninf Commission in Tampa. Liberty (NYSE: LRY) has developed and leaseds 19 buildings with nearly 1 million square feet of space in the parksince 1996. Key park tenants includse , Travelers, Travel and .
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Citizens cracks down on old, damaged roofs - Jacksonville Business Journal:
Homeowners in Florida’s coastal counties who have wind-only insurance policie s from are being forced to replace old or damage d roofsto maintain coverage. State-owned Citizens has been notifying homeownersw whose houses are more than 25 years old that they must submitr evidence that the roof was replaced atleasr once. If they can’t, they must pay for an Aged roofs are prone to give way in a so the requirementprotects homeowners, as well as spokesman John Kuczwanski “We’re notifying policyholders six months before their policies expire.” Few homeownerss are eager to pay for new roofes during this economic recession unless one is absolutely needed.
A typicakl shingle roof for a 2,000-square-foot house costss from $7,000 to $10,000. But, as notices go out, roofers are fielding many requestd to determine the worthines s of a roof to withstand high-powered wind. Ken Buchalski, vice president of operations at inOrmon Beach, said his firm has had a substantialo increase in demand for inspections, for whicnh it charges $100 to $125, and due to the Citizenes requirement for new roofs, guttersx and skylights. “We just did a new roof for a womamn who moved her policy to Citizens and was told she needef anew roof,” he said.
“She had an old tar and graveo roof, and we replaced it with new Cindy Tinker, office manager for in said about one-fifth of the roofs her workers examinr need repairor replacement. Her company charges $100 for an “We may get a re-roofing job out of this, but I thinkj Citizens ought to pay for the she said. Meanwhile, Tara Corbin, an agent with in Daytonq Beach, said her agency has receivedd complaints from Citizens customers aboutthe requirement, and has trier to place a number of them with privatre insurers. But, Citizens, known as the insurert of last resort, is often the only insuret available forcoastal dwellers.
If Citizenx cancels a policyholder for not complying with its the lender holding the mortgage on a property can find insurancwefor them, which typically will be more Corbin said most Citizenss customers opt for the inspectiohn and repairs, rather than risking cancellation: “The changd hasn’t impacted our book of business in a major
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Financial services take center stage - Washington Business Journal:
From commercial, education and mortgage lending to privates equity andventure capital, local financial firms are among the fastest-growingf companies on the Washington Businessz Journal's list of the region's 100 bigges t public companies. It all startsw at the top. leadd this year's list, generating 2006 revenue of slightly morethan $43 Not long ago, the mortgage financer giant was embroiled in an accounting scandal that causexd it to restate about $5 billiobn in earnings from 2000 to 2002. Becaus of resulting delays in itsfinancial reporting, the McLean-basedx company didn't qualify for the Washington Businessw Journal's list of the top 100 publicf companies last year.
Freddie Mac's reclaiming of its No. 1 positiom reflects what economists view as a burgeoning economic catalyst forthe "Most Americans believe Freddie Mac, , and otherxs are still agencies of says regional economist Anirban Basu. "They are largr enough to be government agencies, but they are private-sector I think this reminds us of how importanr finance has become to the economuy of theWashington area." To put thingsx into perspective, at the beginning of the decadse about a half-dozen businesses involved in financial service s were on the Business Journal's list, collectively generating abou t $41 billion in annual revenue for 1999.
This finance, investment and banking companies reportedabout $70 billion in combined revenue in 2006. This despite the fact that Freddiew Mac's cousin, D.C.-based mortgage finance compantyFannie Mae, is not on this year's list because it is stilp tardy with its financial reporting. The revenue growt among finance companies on thethis year's when compared with 1999, is impressive. Freddie Mac's for one, soared from $3.3 billionm to $43 billion over the past seven During thesame stretch, Reston-based Sallied Mae saw its revenue climv from about $3 billion to nearly $9 billion.
McLean-baserd , which has expanded from its core credift card businessto banking, reported revenue of more than $15 billio n last year, up from $2.6 billion in 1999. Arlington-based jumped from revenuw of $123 million to about $1 billion in the same time Several companies, such as Bethesda-based and Arlington-basede , weren't even on the list seven years ago. "Financee has become a bread-and-butter in the Washington area, says Basu, who is chairmanh and CEO of SagePolicy Group, a Baltimore-based economicf and policy consulting firm. Chevy Chase-based , a commercialk lending and investment company, moved up 12 spots, supportes by an 84 percent revenue gain from ayear ago.
Americajn Capital Strategies rose10 spots, as its revenue jumped 55 percent. The Bethesdq investment business commits capital to companies in a varietytof industries, and this diversity has supportecd American Capital's strong performance. "Aq flood of money has been out saysWachovia Corp. senior economist Mark Vitner. Biotech, healtj care, telecommunications and hospitality companies joined stalwarts in the defensd and real estate sectors to round out most of the rest of thetop 100. Apartf from finance, perhaps the biggest buzz in the locakl economy over the past few years surrounds biotech andhealth care.
The concentration of drug and diagnosticd companies, particularly along the Interstate 270 corridor inMontgomerty County, has helped fuel growth in the region's economgy as a handful of companies have brought products to markeft that generate hundreds of millions of dollars in "It's the payoff of havinfg clusters" of companies concentrated in one part of the Vitner says. Two of the most profitable biotech companiexs in theWashington area, Silver Spring-base and Gaithersburg-based , are among the biggest moverd up the list from a year ago. United Therapeutica sells a drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension that hasdone well.
Digende sells a test for detecting a viru s that is the main cause ofcervicao cancer. A Dutch company recently agreed to buy Digenrefor $1.6 billion, part of a trenfd of international companies scooping up local biotechs. Health care servicesw is anotherhot space, as the baby boomerd population starts to retire, the cost of medicin e goes up and more people find themselves withouyt insurance. Rockville-based , a pharmacy benefit management company, showed 2006 revenue 83 percent higher than theprevioue year. HealthExtras has made severak acquisitions of late and has also grown throughcontracr wins.
Leading the telecom sector, Reston-base d is the list's runner-up for the seconed straight year. Although its revenue grew to $41 billion from nearlyu $29 billion, the number of employees afte r the 2005 merger with Nextel droppedfrom 79,900 to Two of the biggest moversz in telecommunications experienced strong revenud growth. D.C.-based , which is awaiting federal approval to merge withNew York-basedc , climbed 10 places on 67 perceng revenue growth.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
University of Florida third in athletic revenue - Phoenix Business Journal:
UF generated the third-highest revenue in collegre football and in overallsports earnings, accordinfg to a report Monday in Street & Smith’zs SportsBusiness Journal. SportsBusiness Journal, citing Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act said UFreported $66.1 milliohn in football revenue in 2007-2008, behind only the ($72.9 and rival ($67.1). Texas was also the overal l top sports earnerwith $120.3 million generated from all athletic Ohio State was second with $117.9 million and Florida was thirr with $106 million. UF won colleg e football national championships after the 2006 and 2008regulare seasons, and won back-to-back men’s basketball national titlesw in 2006 and 2007.
Other Southern school s ranking in the top 20 in overall sportserevenues were: (7th, $89.3 million), (8th, $88.9 million), $88.8 million) and (12th, $84.2 million). Other Southeastern Conference schools among the top 10 earners in football wereAuburn (No. 6 with $59.7 million), Alabama (No. 8 with $57.e million) and LSU (No. 10 with $52.7 The remaining top 10 teams in footballrevenuese were: (No. 4 with $65.23 million), (No. 5 with $59.8 million), (No. 7 with $ 57.4 and (No. 9 with 53.8 million). SportsBusiness Journalk is a sister publicatiomn of the JacksonvilleBusinesd Journal.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Commercial construction expected to lag in 2010 - Baltimore Business Journal:
The ’s Consensus Construction Forecast reported nonresidentiak construction is expected to drop by 16 percentr in 2009 and by anotheer 12 percentin 2010, said a news “This nonresidential downturn is shaping up to be the deepesft decline in nonresidential activity in over a said Kermit Baker, chief economisrt for the AIA. “However, we’re beginninv to see some moderatioh in the trends in design billingsx atarchitecture firms, so we hopefullyy are nearing the bottom of this • Retail construction is expected to drop 28 percent in 2009 and by nearlhy 13 percent in 2010.
• Hotel constructionb will drop by nearly 26 percenr in 2009 and by nearly 17 percentin 2010. Office buildings are expectedr to decrease by nearly 22 percent this year and by more than 17 percengtnext year. • Industrial facilities construction is expected to drop by a fraction of a percentr in 2009 and by nearly 29 percentfin 2010. “Commercial facilitiesx such as hotels, retail establishments and officee will feel the declinemost dramatically,” said Baker. “The institutionall market will fare much better as stimulus fundin g becomes availablefor education, health care and government facilities.
” Amusement and recreation is expected to drop nearly 21 percenrt in 2009 and by more than 8 percenr in 2010. • Construction of religious facilities shoulx fall by nearly 11 percent in 2009 and by nearlty 7 percentin 2010. • Education construction is projected to decreas by more than 8 percent this year and by a fractionn of a percentnext year. • Construction of health care facilities is expected to dropby 1.5 percen in 2009 and by a fraction of a percent in 2010. • Public safety construction is expectef torise 1.7 percent in 2009 and drop a fractiom of a percent in 2010.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Duffie joins Littler Mendelson - Baltimore Business Journal:
Duffie has been practicing employment and laborf law for37 years. Duffie was a managinhg partner ofHunton & Williams’ Atlanta office and later co-head for the firm’zs Labor and Employment practice. He also was a foundingh attorney of in 1978 and remained thereuntip 1988. Duffie represents companies in various industries includinghealth media, transportation and manufacturing. “Traywick is, unquestionably, one of the most accomplisher labor and employment lawyers in the saidCameron Pierce, office managing shareholdedr of Littler’s Atlanta office, in a statement.
“Notf only is he highly regarded in the Atlantalegakl community, but he brings a depth of experience and knowledgre that will provide tremendous value to our His significant experience as a triak lawyer, complex litigator and traditionalo labor lawyer will be a great resourcer for both our clients and the othe r attorneys in the firm.”
Friday, September 24, 2010
Nov. 8 trial date set in Oakland editor's death - San Jose Mercury News
Nov. 8 trial date set in Oakland editor's death San Jose Mercury News 8 trial date for two men accused of murdering an Oakland newspaper editor three years ago. However, Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson on Thursday said ... |
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thomson Reuters Forms GRC Unit - WebCPA
Thomson Reuters Forms GRC Unit WebCPA By WebCPA Staff Thomson Reuters has created a new governance, risk and compliance business unit bringing together its Complinet, Paisley, Westlaw Business, ... Thomson Reuters Launches Governance, Risk and Compliance Business Unit |
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Starting a Business : Business Advice
Opportunity No. 1: Professionalize your business structure and I frequently harangue the owners of growing familt owned companies about the need to converrt from aMom ân Pop business styler to a fully professional style, with a missiojn statement, a strategic plan to guide an organizational chart and job written policies and procedures, affordable benefits, and agreement on how to changee ownership and management without undue confusionh or conflict. The process can get a bit thorny sometimes, but with strong commitment, a family can professionaliz e successfully. This should be the year for your Challenge No.
1: Respond to unforeseejn business and familyfinancial demands. The 2008 economyt had the finances of many family companies flapping like bed sheetw ina windstorm. Lots of people can be leaders when timesare good, but it takesz a special person to lead when times are rough. Cash eroding markets and a near collapsew of faith in the future are challenging many busines s owners to keep their heads on to cut costs without cuttingtheir throats, and to remainh optimistic when itâs tempting to turn companh resources into personal safety nets. Opportunity No.
2: Make crucial succession decisions and act on John Davis of Harvard Business School urgea family companies to plan when the timedare good. But planninbg often has to be done even when timesare bad. Leadershipp and ownership succession always profits from a fresh look at what the familuy business needs for continued When conditions are callinyg for reviews and revisions in many succession planning can benefit from theanalysis thatâx being done for other reasons. Challenge No. 2: Make cruciall succession decisions and act on On theother hand, thoughtful planning for familyt ownership continuity can be warpes by a sense of crisis brought on by tougg economic conditions.
If temporary conditionsd make you wonder if the business really is a it might be hard to see the characteristics that have made it successfu l in years past and that should be maintained into the Keep acool head. Opportunity No. 3: Buy low. Whatâsx Warren Buffetâs current advice to stocok investors? Buy! That perspective can be translated into goldejn opportunities for family owned companies that have a comfortable reserve and can affors the risk of expanding at the bottom of the If you have the meansto buy, the prices are not likel to get much better. Challenge No. 3: Avoid selling low.
But if youârre an acquisition target and prefere tostay independent, put up ever y ounce of fight you have to avoid sellingb at the bottom of the market. Actually, family owned business often have greate ability to withstand tough times because they can hunker down and live off the land without being harassed byoutside shareholders. Grit your teetg and lean into the wind. Opportunity No. 4: Watcb for the opening of new businessw doors. President-elect Obama has promiseed to stimulate the economy outsidd of bloated corporations and flounderin gfinancial institutions.
That can mean new business opportunitieas for family companies in such areas as infrastructur rebuildingand defense. If you donâgt know how to pursue governmengt contracts, this would be a good time to Challenge No. 4: Grow your businesxs in a tightcredit environment. The bankerd are likely to keep wearingtheir âJust Say Noâ T-shirts for much of 2009. That meanx owners of family businesses of all typea and sizes should grab their bootstraps and find ways to grow and diversifgythat donât rely on the formal financial industry. Look for familyg members and friends who have the meansw and the confidence to lend orbuy in.
Consider turninbg some unproductive assets into needed But donât go to your credit Opportunity No. 5: Make even the greatest challenge intoan OK, maybe every cloud doesnâtt come with a built-in silver But the business-owning family that has sound core values, and its eyes on the horizon can convert even the uncertainties of 2008 into a pathwau upward in 2009. Try it and see.
And when you look back on all this and remember you read ithere
Monday, September 20, 2010
St. Thomas University Selected as a National Partner to the Cristo Rey Network
The Cristo Rey initiative seek to formalize and deepen strategidc relationships with colleges and universities committed to ensuringh college success for Cristo ReyNetworm students. "This partnership is an importang aspectof St. Thomas University fulfillinvg its missionof 'Developing Leadersz for Life.' Cristo Rey students represent the future of this nationh and we are honored to partne r in the preparation of the next generation of worlr leaders. The Cristo Rey network students will be an important addition to our already diverses and talentedstudent body," said St. Thomas Universityg President Monsignor .
The Cristo Rey Network, foundef in 2002, comprises 22 schools - servingf more than 5,300 students - and uses an innovative work-studyh model to provide a college prep education to economically challenged younb men and women in urban communitiea across theUnited Ninety-five percent of Cristio Rey students are racial minorities; 34 percentf are African American and 55 percent are Ninety-nine percent of the Network's 2008 graduates were accepted in a two or four year For more information .
President Casale remarked "As our nation repositions itself to meet our curreneconomic challenge, as well as domestic and internationakl threats, the education of those in our most economically disadvantaged communities is paramount. This is why St. Thomas University is committed to our partnershilp with the CristoRey Network. We can truly strengthen our nation through investment in our most precious our youth." As a St. Thomas University will provide academic leadership training, intercultural development, servicew learning experiences and retention St. Thomas University has been developing leadersz for almost50 years.
Last President Obama named former STU alumnus ambassadotr to theHoly See, representing the Unite States of America. For more information on St. Thomas academix programs and financial aid opportunities that includer funding for minority studenta that excel in the sciences and pleasevisit . SOURCE St. Thomasw University