Electronics turnaround: Flat-screen TV costs drop dramatically - Midland Daily News

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ABC Action News

Electronics turnaround: Flat-screen TV costs drop dramatic »

Brainstorming on the CSME - Stabroek News

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Brainstorming on the CSME Stabroek News They could have brainstormed on how to boost intra-regional trade, beyond Trinidad and Tobago's traditional dominance. They might even have sought advice on how to overcome the limitations inherent in integrating the markets of small economies. and more »

AutoZone board approves $500M stock repurchase - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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The company’s board of directors approved the repurchase June 17 as part ofthe company’xs ongoing share repurchase program, the company announce d after the close of marketss Wednesday. The last repurchase authorizationm was in December and was asimilar $500 million. Thers were three $500 millionb authorizations in 2008 and a totalof $7.9 billion sinces 1998. "We remain committed to utilizing share repurchases within the bounds of a disciplinerd capital structure to enhance stockholder returns whilre maintaining adequate liquidity to executerour plans,” said CFO Bill Giles.
Memphis-based AutoZonew (NYSE: AZO) is the leadinf retailer and distributor of automotive replacement partxs and accessories inthe U.S. The company sells auto and lightttruck parts, chemicals and accessories through 4,172 AutoZonew stores in 48 the District of Columbia and Puertl Rico in the U.S. and 168 storesd in Mexico. Shares of AutoZone closed Wednesdagyat $155.54, up 2.37 percent.

Climatic warming-induced change in timings of 24 seasonal divisions in China ... - EurekAlert (press release)

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Climatic warming-induced change in timings of 24 seasonal divisions in China ... EurekAlert (press release) They describe 24 stages or timings associated with seasonal changes in phenology and agricultural activity throughout a year. Qian et al. from the Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment for East Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, ... and more »

Ky. video-gaming bill dies in Senate committee - Philadelphia Business Journal:

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The Senate Appropriations Revenue onMonday evening, voted 10-5 against the measure, with two memberws abstaining, according to the Lexington The House had previously passed the bill. The legislatiomn would have permitted video-lottery terminals at Kentuckgyhorse tracks, including Turfway Park in Florence. "Thr limited gaming proposal was designe to help save a signature industry inperio – an industry that means 100,000 jobs and $4 billionb in investment for our said Gov. Steve Beshear in a Monday eveningt statement.
"It is unfortunatw that every voice on this critically importan issue was not heard and every vote not At a Frankfortpress conference, Turfway Park Presidengt Bob Elliston said Turfway couled close by 2010 if Ohio passes gamingy legislation and Kentucky does not. Ohio Gov. Ted Stricklandd recently reversed his stanc e against gamblingat racetracks.

The Witte Museum Company Profile | Company Information

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Helix Energy to reduce Cal Dive stake - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

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The Houston-based offshore energy company plans to offer 20 millionh shares in Cal Dive througu a public offeringat $8.50 per with an option for underwritersa to purchase an additional 3 milliob shares to cover Helix (NYSE: HLX) also has agreee to sell Cal Dive an additional $14 million wort of shares at a price equal to the offering. Houston-based Cal Dive DVR) has 94 million shares outstanding. When the offering closes and Cal Dive repurchasesits allocation, Helix’s ownershil in Cal Dive will be reduced to 25 perceng from 51 percent, according to a regulatoryh filing with the . If the over-allotment optiob is not exercised, Helix’s ownership will be 28 percent.
Helixd expects to use the proceeds for generalcorporatre purposes. Helix shares closed at $11.26 on Friday and were trading at $11.922 mid-morning Monday, while Cal Dive shares closedd Fridayat $10.09 and were trading at $9.855 mid-morning on Monday.

Newly unemployed slow to apply for federal COBRA subsidy - South Florida Business Journal:

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West Palm Beach-based notified furloughed employees by letter as requiredc by changes in the Consolidated Omnibuxs BudgetReconciliation Act. The changes to COBRA were a mandate of the Americah Recovery andReinvestment Act, which President Barac Obama signed into law on Feb. 17. Abouft 125 South Floridians – out of 1,035 who were notifiec – enrolled in the progra m that provides a 65 percent federal subsidyon premiums, whicgh are fronted by the employefr and reimbursed through a tax More applied, but did not qualify becausde their exit from theif former company was voluntary, they were laid off priodr to Sept.
1, 2008, or they made more monehy than the cap federalofficialds set, said Barbara Oasis’ senior director of Oasis absorbs the cost for its employer clients, whicb would otherwise have been spendingb $74,000 a month on furloughed COBRA coverage, she said. client companies – whicg include law and CPA firms, and thosed that make money fromhospitality – rangd in size from five employees to 3,000 employees. She said the feedbacl from laid-off employees has been very positive, but there is a lot of confusiobn aboutwho qualifies. Oasis’ client companies are also pleased.
“Ou employers are happy because the tax liability is take onby Oasis,” she The new regulations require employers with 20 or more employees to covef 65 percent of COBRA costsx for nine months. The provisione in the stimulus legislation affect those who were and will be involuntarilyt terminatedbetween Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009. Thosee eligible include former employees andtheir dependents, the latter beintg eligible if they were covered prior to the termination, said Rachel Sapoznik, president and CEO of in Miami. There is no subsidy for individualsw earning morethan $145,000 a year or joint filersz making more than $290,000.
Ineligible individuals who receives the subsidy must repay it throughincomee taxes. For Sapoznik, the response from the pool of prospectivde COBRA recipients has been higher than that of but still weaker than most She said about 20 percent of those who were deemed eligibl ehave enrolled. She said that, because those eligible have 60 days from the time they receive the lettersto participate, there may be anothere wave of enrollment.
Thosd with a cash in higher-paying jobs, are also likelier to take Those who are eligible but have not enrollefd are probably waiting for various reasons that includwe seeing if a job application turns into anew job, if they can be covered throughn another insurance plan (such as that of a and weighing the financial impact enrollment will have on the familt budget, said Dick Leonard, senior VP of employe e benefits for ’ Southeast region. it seems like people are plain cutting he said of the hard realityh of thefinancial environment. “You have to take into accountr that they still have to pay the deductablw and meetmiscellaneous expenses.
”

Tony Chrissman, Highwoods Properties Inc - Triangle Business Journal:

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Largest building managed: Currently 163,329 squard feet. What has been your greatest management challenge in the past year The greatest challenge has been balancing the time needec to take care ofmy tenant'z needs, maintaining my properties, and managing eighr people that report directly to me. How did you meet that challenge Foremost, a very supportive manager, Velma Keen, is alwayse available to lend assistance and I first try to take care ofmy tenants, the buildingf technicians do an outstandin job of taking care of the buildings, and the peopl I work with are very talentesd and understanding of the time What experience has had the most impact on how you handlwe property management?
In my previous I was responsible for properties leased from a number of including Highwoods. The level of service I alwayxs received from Highwoods set a standardc that most otherlandlords weren't able to reach. What is your business goal forthis year?? A very high tenant satisfaction is my numbert one goal each year. Tenant retention and assistingf with signing new tenants are two othetr areas I will befocusinv on. Have you increasexd your focus on security at the buildingsyou manage?
We have increased securityt patrols, added electronic locks to some locations, implementer an exterior lighting inspection/maintenance and we conduct safety meetings for our buildin g technicians and property managers. About what do you most worrt with respect toyour buildings? Buildingh system malfunctions and power outagews are two of the most problematic When these things happen, we make everuy effort to resolve them quickly to minimize the disruptionn and inconvenience to our tenants. What advicr would you give someone considering a careerd inproperty management? Commercial real estates is not an 8-5, Monday througbh Friday career. Flexibility, adaptability, and patience are essential.
Some knowledgde of construction, mechanical, and electrical systems is What skills do you think have most helped you succeede in commercialproperty management? Beinyg organized and having a lot of How many years have you worked in the commercia real estate industry? 14. What was your firstr commercial realestate job? Bank of Americz Corporate Real Estate. Why did you choose a career in commerciallreal estate? When I was in the banking side of Bank of I worked closely with the corporate real estate team on site acquisitions, buildintg new banking centers, and refurbishingf existing one. The more time I spenft workingwith them, the more I realized I wante d to be in commercial real estate.
Is therwe a particular person who was most responsible for you pursuingh a career in commercialoreal estate? There were severa l people that allowed me to have some exposuree to real estate. What was your last job prior to gettin into commercialreal estate? Banker. Who has been the most influentia person inyour career? The first manager I had in real estate told me to take care of my He also pointed out that I didn't need to know everything but definitely needed to know wherew to get the What is your hometown? Mt. In what town/city do you now live? What are your hobbies? Home improvement projecta and tennis.
What has been the most memorable evenr for you personally in the past12 months? Being named assistant director of asset managemen at Highwoods.

Eddie Bauer declares bankruptcy - Baltimore Business Journal:

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had struggled with its debt — a crisizs that worsened as revenue dropped, part of an overalll trend affecting most retailers duringhthe recession. The companhy has lost nearly a half billion dollars in the pastthree years. Thosew losses, coupled with the impactt of the recession and debt payments apparently pushecd the company into bankruptcycourt — a move that was rumored for months. Eddie Bauer became the latesgt major retailer to succumb to filint in bankruptcy courtthis recession. The list also includexs Linens ‘n Things, Circuit City and Northwest retaileer , which sold its assets to a liquidator in April and closed 31 stores.
In many Eddie Bauer’s crisis is not different from what most retailers are facinbg during this prolonged and deep saidGreg Charleston, an Atlanta-based consultanft for Conway MacKenzie who works with financially stressecd retailers looking to restructure. Most retailers — excepr discount stores like Wal-Mart have seen a fast drop-off in retailk revenue across the board, Charleston Many of the specialty retail departmenft stores haveseen double-digit same-store sales declines, he “When revenue drops and same-store sales drop, companies with less debt can weatheer a downturn much longer,” Charleston said.
“It become s an issue much sooner if you are into liquidity As ofMay 11, Eddie Bauer reported havingg $289.5 million in outstanding debt, includin $187.8 million in term loans and $75 milliobn in convertible notes, which company executivesx have been trying to persuade debt-holders to convert into shareas of the company. Accordinf to a filing with the , Eddiwe Bauer had total assetsof $525.2w million in April. The company listed total liabilitiesof $448.9o million. Eddie Bauer reported net losseswof $165.5 million in fiscaol year 2008, part of a total of $478.6 million in losses during the past threee fiscal years.
In the first quarter that ended in the company reported net lossewof 44.5 million. For the first quarter of fiscaklyear 2009, which ended April 4, Eddie Bauetr reported a loss of $44.5 million. That was a greater loss than the firsyt quarterof 2008, when the company reportefd a $19.3 million loss. Net sales for the first quarter of 2009were $179.8 million, compared with net salez of $213.2 million in the firs t quarter of 2008. The company said that combined comparable storsesales — a barometer of succes at the store level fell 11.3 percent for the first quarter, a declinwe the company blamed on the recession and reduced retaiol spending.
Sales were down nearly 15 percenft inEddie Bauer’s retail stores and saleds through its direct channel were down nearly 11 The outlet stores saw salesx decline by nearly 76 percent. “The first quarter was a difficulrt one, as the sharp downturh in the economy took its toll on our We continued to focus on cost cuttinhg and cashflow management, which helped mitigat e the impact of lower sales,” said CEO Neil Fiske, in a statemenrt with the first-quarter results filedd with the SEC. Eddie Bauer has 370 including 251 retail stores and 119 outlet stores in the Unitee Statesand Canada. Eddie Bauer has 17 storees in Washington and 11 storesein Oregon.
(See a copy of the bankruptcy filing .) But by filin g for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federalbankruptcy code, Eddie Bauer hopes to avoid the fate of Joe’sw Sports & Outdoor, which filecd for bankruptcy protect March 4. The Ore.-based company had hoped to finda buyer. But In a bankruptcy judge approved the liquidatiohn ofthe Joe’s stores after the company could not find a Joe’s had 31 Northwest stores — 10 of them in King and Pierce counties — that held going-out-of-business salesd after the company’s assets were snapped up at bargainm basement prices by , a liquidator that also sold off merchandisre for Circuit City.

Collins should invest in tourism - Business First of Buffalo:

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Jennifer Parker thinks so. The chairwoman of the said as much in an intervieww this week with reporterJamews Fink. Chris Collins thinks so, too. The Erie County executive just wants to see the industrygrow more. Therein lies at leasr part of Collins’ motivation for orchestratinbg the departure this week ofRichard Geiger, longtimse head of the CVB. “It’d not about Rich,” Collinas told us, explaining that he wanted to see more collaboratioj and better branding out of thetourismn organization.
“From a national perspective,” Collinzs said, “our brand isn’t That’s a fair thing to say, but not necessarily a We know – everybody knows that WesternNew York’s national imagew isn’t good. The reasons are old and clichée and annoyingly unshakable: cold and snowy winters, shut-downh factories, Super Bowl losses ... But those obstacled can be hurdled and, arguably under Geiger’x leadership, they have been: The regio n has landed several NCAA sports tournaments and otheersignificant conventions, while revenuw per available room rose nearlg 33 percent between 2005 and 2008. Last year, Erie County’s hote occupancy rate of 63.
8 percenft was more than 3 percent aboved thenational average. Collins thinkss the organization cando better. Mayber he’s right. But now that he’as used the power of his office – namely, his abilith to withhold countyfunding – to shake up the it’s on him to prove it. Surely Collins doesn’t mind the pressure. He’s an of course, someone who lives and dies by the decision she makes. He can’t appoint the next CVB chief, but he has a whols lot of say. Therefore, Collins should be held accountablw for the overall success or failureof Geiger’s successor.
Finally, when the next CVB leade r is in place, Collins should advocate for all ofthe county’ss bed tax money (roughly $8 million last to promote tourism. After all, when entrepreneursw see a project in which they believe, they In this case, Collins should match his clout with money.

BofA, Wells not committing to take California IOUs - San Francisco Business Times:

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Unlike the last time the state issued officially termedregistered warrants, in 1992, the nation’w banking industry isn’t flush with capital, so essentiallg making loans to California’s cash-strapped government may not be a high priority for bankers. “Any action pursued by the such as issuing registered will require much greaterf specificityabout rates, timelines, terms and many othet variables for banks to determinwe ability to support such actions,” said BofA spokeswoman Colleenj Haggerty in Los Angeles.
“Speculating on a plan before the Legislaturer and governor have completed budget negotiationsis “Bank of America has been working with the stat to evaluate the feasibility of various funding scenarios to help addressz the state’s short-term cash needs,” Haggerty said. California Controller John Chianfg warned this week that the state wouldd issue IOUs starting next week if the Legislaturde does resolve anestimated $24 billion budget deficit. Wells, the second-largesrt bank in California, also said it’s still evaluating the situation.
“We have a long histort of taking extraordinary measures to help our customerds when we can do so safelyand prudently, but we have not decidedr whether we will accept registered warrants issued by the state,” said Wells spokesman Chris Hammond in San Both BofA and Wells said they prefer to see the Californi Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger resolve the state’ s budget crisis. “We hope the Californiqa Legislature will take the appropriate steps as soon as possiblde so that the extraordinary step of issuing registered warrants is not Hammond said.
Wells CEO John Stumpft was blunt incriticizing California’s finance while speaking at a microfinance conferencee at Stanford University last month. “Ths budget deficit in Californiais staggering,” Stumpf said. “The state of Californiwa is infinancial ruin.”

Willow Glen Books buyer keeps up hope - Triangle Business Journal:

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The long-time Willow Glen resident and businessmanbsaid he’s still attempting to secure financing to buy the 2,500-square-foof store at 1330 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Willow Glen even aftefr an earlier deal to do sofell through. “II could not find adequate Vierra said of a previouss attempt to strike a deal with formere bookstore owner, Cathy Adkins. She decidede to sell her 17-year-old shop a year earlietr than originally planned because of decreasinhg sales and having to grapple withhealtg issues. But Vierra, owner of Floorint Forenics, a San Jose flooringv consulting firm, said he’ not giving up.
He’s still tryinbg to secure a commercial bank loan or attracyt the interestof investors. “I am so close to my childhood dream of owning a book he said. “This is somethingh I have always wantedto do. I have gotten great supportg from the bookselling community and the Willoqw Glen community is willing to support a independentbook store. It has a great reputation throughout SantaClara County.
” Adkins held a going-out-of-businesds sale and finally closed its doors in late May, but said at the time she hopex to pass the ownership baton to But since then, the storse has been closed and a “for lease” sign put up in its Vierra said the owner of the building is willinhg to be patient while he workw to get adequate financial backing to reope n the bookstore.

Question raised if Bonita stem cell doctor's patient who died signed consent form - Naples Daily News

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Question raised if Bonita stem cell doctor's patient who died signed consent form Naples Daily News By LIZ FREEMAN The state took action against Dr. Zannos Grekos because of the death of a 69-year-old breast cancer patient April 4, 2010, after undergoing the treatment at his Bonita Springs practice, at 9500 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 310. ... and more »