titus-neither.blogspot.com
TBC [Nasdaq: TBCC] will grow to 1,144 location s with the addition of the NTB The acquired stores will be foldedinto TBC's Tire Kingdom company-operated network, whicy has 357 locations. TBC also has 561 franchised tire and automotiv e centers under the Big OTires brand. The company's other brand is Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers. Larry Day, president and CEO of TBC, "The acquisition of NTB enables us to expanrd our national footprint by 25 percentt with the addition of profitable retail locations in many attractivs markets where we currentlyg donot operate." Hoffman Estates, Ill.
-based Sears [NYSE: S] expectxs to post a pretasx gain of $50 million to $100 million from the all-cash which is scheduled to closw in the fourth quarter. "Thix transaction is a further refinementof Sears' focus on our core businessa strategy," says Alan Lacy, chairmanm and CEO of Sears. "Wes believe this sale is in the best interests of Seards andits customers. ..." Most of the estimated 3,5090 employees of NTB will become employeedof TBC, according to Sears.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Groups sue Mirant Mid-Atlantic over power plant - St. Louis Business Journal:
polinaagyvtiwu.blogspot.com
The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Districtf Court in Baltimore, claims that the Chalk Poinrt Generating Plant operatedby Atlanta-based Miranft Mid-Atlantic has spewed unacceptable levels of sulfur dioxidre into the air hundreds of times without the appropriater pollution controls required under the federap Clean Air Act. A Mirant spokeswoman said thecompany hasn’t been servedr with the lawsuit yet, and can’t commeny on the claims.
The Environmenta Integrity Project, a legao nonprofit founded by formerenforcement attorneys, and Villari, Brandes and Kline have file the lawsuit on behalf of the Chesapeake Climate Actionj Network and four residents, including a married Nancy and Norton Dodge, who live seven mile away from the planf on a 1,200-acre farm in Mechanicsville. The Dodges “needx to close windows, limit theie time outdoors and/or cover their faces when they are outdoord to avoid the respiratory irritants and smell of the pollutiohn from the Chalk PointPower Plant,” the lawsuit reads.
Of the other two residentss suing Mirant, David Bookbinder lives in Accokeek, abouf 30 miles from the plant, and Chris Schmitthenner liveszin Mechanicsville, 11 miles away, and works five milex from the plant. The Environmental Integrity Project had sent Mirantt a letter in Januaryy notifying of its intent to sue the powerr companythis year. The plaintiffs pointed to a Harvard University 2006 study that showed that such particulate matter pollution from the Chalk Point plany can have negative effects on the health and respirator systems of people living ina 400-kilometer, or nearlty 250-mile, radius of the plant.
In thei r initial notification letter, the plaintiffs wroted that EPA hourly data shows that two boilers at the Chall Point plant exceeded allowable levelxs of sulfur dioxide emission 591 timesin 2006, 726 timeds in 2007 and 113 times in 2008. Mirant has said it’s launchesd a $1.6 billion project to install scrubberzs andother pollution-reducing equipmenrt on its Chalk Point boilers by the beginningb of 2010.
The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Districtf Court in Baltimore, claims that the Chalk Poinrt Generating Plant operatedby Atlanta-based Miranft Mid-Atlantic has spewed unacceptable levels of sulfur dioxidre into the air hundreds of times without the appropriater pollution controls required under the federap Clean Air Act. A Mirant spokeswoman said thecompany hasn’t been servedr with the lawsuit yet, and can’t commeny on the claims.
The Environmenta Integrity Project, a legao nonprofit founded by formerenforcement attorneys, and Villari, Brandes and Kline have file the lawsuit on behalf of the Chesapeake Climate Actionj Network and four residents, including a married Nancy and Norton Dodge, who live seven mile away from the planf on a 1,200-acre farm in Mechanicsville. The Dodges “needx to close windows, limit theie time outdoors and/or cover their faces when they are outdoord to avoid the respiratory irritants and smell of the pollutiohn from the Chalk PointPower Plant,” the lawsuit reads.
Of the other two residentss suing Mirant, David Bookbinder lives in Accokeek, abouf 30 miles from the plant, and Chris Schmitthenner liveszin Mechanicsville, 11 miles away, and works five milex from the plant. The Environmental Integrity Project had sent Mirantt a letter in Januaryy notifying of its intent to sue the powerr companythis year. The plaintiffs pointed to a Harvard University 2006 study that showed that such particulate matter pollution from the Chalk Point plany can have negative effects on the health and respirator systems of people living ina 400-kilometer, or nearlty 250-mile, radius of the plant.
In thei r initial notification letter, the plaintiffs wroted that EPA hourly data shows that two boilers at the Chall Point plant exceeded allowable levelxs of sulfur dioxide emission 591 timesin 2006, 726 timeds in 2007 and 113 times in 2008. Mirant has said it’s launchesd a $1.6 billion project to install scrubberzs andother pollution-reducing equipmenrt on its Chalk Point boilers by the beginningb of 2010.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
GM files for bankruptcy, plans to transfer operations to Wentzville - Business First of Columbus:
obofym.wordpress.com
Some operations and equipment from a stee l stamping plant inGrand Mich., which is slatefd to close as part of the automaker's will be transferred to Wentzville, according to Bob Wheeler, a spokesmahn for the Wentzville plant. It'sd not yet known how many, if any, Michiganm employees will opt to transfer to he said. GM officials callee Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi at9 a.m. Mondaty to assure him the locakl plant wouldremain open. "It's good that they are shippingb in work forthis plant," Lambj said. "That's a positived that corporate thinks this plantf willbe around.
" Still, Lambi said, riva l automaker Chrysler plans to shutter its Fentohn factors after investing $130 million in them, so it was importany for Wentzville to not rely on GM so much and diversif y its revenue stream. When Lambi took office sevenb years ago, Wentzville counted on GM for abougt 55 to 60 percen of itstotal revenue. that's more like 15 percent of the city's $24 million generall fund, because GM pays the city aboutf $3 million a year in real estatwe taxes, property taxes and other fees, he said.
GM on Mondayh by the end of 2010, but the Wentzville plant was sparedbecause it’s the only plant whers Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans are The Wentzville plant will still undergol a previously announced and other productiob cuts in June and July that will result in the layoff s of 300 workers. Monday’es Chapter 11 filing by the 101-year-old automakedr is among the largestin U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturinvg bankruptcy. GM listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billion in according to the filed in New GMto St.
Louis’ largest privatelyg held company, Enterprise and to Chapter 11, which allows the company to operatse while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-track bankruptcy and providesd $30 billion of additional taxpayer fundzs to restructure. The GM plan as detaile by U.S. officials would allow a much smaller GM to emerge from court protection within 60 to90 days. The automakef has not provided an updated targett for job cuts but was lookinhg toeliminate 21,000 U.S. factory jobs from the 54,0009 union members it now General Motorsemploys 92,000 in the United States and is indirectl responsible for 500,000 retirees. The U.S.
government woulds hold a 60 percent financiao interest in areorganizex GM, and the UAW would take a 17.5 percent The governments of Canada and the province of Ontarip have agreed to a 12 percent ownershipl stake in exchange for financial aid. GM bondholders would get 10 "It’s a bittersweet thing," Wheeler said. "You hate to have to go througb the process of closing plants andeliminating jobs, but look around, that’ss what's going on with a lot of industries.
Hopefullyg we can rebound, hire people in the futurwe and be the vibrant company we once Download a copyof the
Some operations and equipment from a stee l stamping plant inGrand Mich., which is slatefd to close as part of the automaker's will be transferred to Wentzville, according to Bob Wheeler, a spokesmahn for the Wentzville plant. It'sd not yet known how many, if any, Michiganm employees will opt to transfer to he said. GM officials callee Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi at9 a.m. Mondaty to assure him the locakl plant wouldremain open. "It's good that they are shippingb in work forthis plant," Lambj said. "That's a positived that corporate thinks this plantf willbe around.
" Still, Lambi said, riva l automaker Chrysler plans to shutter its Fentohn factors after investing $130 million in them, so it was importany for Wentzville to not rely on GM so much and diversif y its revenue stream. When Lambi took office sevenb years ago, Wentzville counted on GM for abougt 55 to 60 percen of itstotal revenue. that's more like 15 percent of the city's $24 million generall fund, because GM pays the city aboutf $3 million a year in real estatwe taxes, property taxes and other fees, he said.
GM on Mondayh by the end of 2010, but the Wentzville plant was sparedbecause it’s the only plant whers Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans are The Wentzville plant will still undergol a previously announced and other productiob cuts in June and July that will result in the layoff s of 300 workers. Monday’es Chapter 11 filing by the 101-year-old automakedr is among the largestin U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturinvg bankruptcy. GM listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billion in according to the filed in New GMto St.
Louis’ largest privatelyg held company, Enterprise and to Chapter 11, which allows the company to operatse while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-track bankruptcy and providesd $30 billion of additional taxpayer fundzs to restructure. The GM plan as detaile by U.S. officials would allow a much smaller GM to emerge from court protection within 60 to90 days. The automakef has not provided an updated targett for job cuts but was lookinhg toeliminate 21,000 U.S. factory jobs from the 54,0009 union members it now General Motorsemploys 92,000 in the United States and is indirectl responsible for 500,000 retirees. The U.S.
government woulds hold a 60 percent financiao interest in areorganizex GM, and the UAW would take a 17.5 percent The governments of Canada and the province of Ontarip have agreed to a 12 percent ownershipl stake in exchange for financial aid. GM bondholders would get 10 "It’s a bittersweet thing," Wheeler said. "You hate to have to go througb the process of closing plants andeliminating jobs, but look around, that’ss what's going on with a lot of industries.
Hopefullyg we can rebound, hire people in the futurwe and be the vibrant company we once Download a copyof the
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Pilot killed in Manitoba float plane crash - CTV.ca
llrx-royce.blogspot.com
Updated News | Pilot killed in Manitoba float plane crash CTV.ca A Hercules aircraft was dispatched from Winnipeg when the plane was reported overdue Saturday night, and two search and rescue technicians parachuted into the crash site early Sunday. Houde says the technicians found the plane submerged in the lake ... Pilot, 81, dies in plane cras h in Manitoba lake |
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Cincinnati-area firms win Ohio incentives - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
cicugaha.wordpress.com
, a maker of marketinb simulation and planning received $1.1 million from the Innovationm Ohio Loan Fund, at an annual interesgt rate of 1 percent for the first year and 8 percent for five years. The Cincinnati-based compant will use the loan to develop a new generatio n of its Emerging Marketplace softwarse and buy computer The $2.2 million project is expecte d to create 36 jobs and retain 10 Two local firms also received Job Creation Tax Credit for expansion projects. , a supplier of labeling systems for the beverage was awarded a 45 percent tax credit for five yearsw fora $1 million expansion projectt in Mason.
The company expectxs to use the credit, worth about $52,700 over its term, to create 25 jobs and retainn 118. • won a 45 percent job credit, for a six-yeard term, for a $170,000 expansion project at its regionaloffice downtown. The credit is valued at about $119,750 over its Advantage expects to creater 33 positions andretain 65. The headquartered in Spokane, Wash., provides energyh management consulting services.
, a maker of marketinb simulation and planning received $1.1 million from the Innovationm Ohio Loan Fund, at an annual interesgt rate of 1 percent for the first year and 8 percent for five years. The Cincinnati-based compant will use the loan to develop a new generatio n of its Emerging Marketplace softwarse and buy computer The $2.2 million project is expecte d to create 36 jobs and retain 10 Two local firms also received Job Creation Tax Credit for expansion projects. , a supplier of labeling systems for the beverage was awarded a 45 percent tax credit for five yearsw fora $1 million expansion projectt in Mason.
The company expectxs to use the credit, worth about $52,700 over its term, to create 25 jobs and retainn 118. • won a 45 percent job credit, for a six-yeard term, for a $170,000 expansion project at its regionaloffice downtown. The credit is valued at about $119,750 over its Advantage expects to creater 33 positions andretain 65. The headquartered in Spokane, Wash., provides energyh management consulting services.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
White Electronic off the sales block - Phoenix Business Journal:
symowugebeda.blogspot.com
White (Nasdaq:WEDC) has been through a numbefr of changes over the past including the exit of CEO Hamid Shokrgozar and a shift from its Display Systems Divisioh and focus on its militaryelectronics business. The Phoenicx company also announced Wednesda that Brian Kahn had beenelectexd chairman, replacing founder Edwarrd White in that position. Kahn, founder of Caiman Partnerds L.P., has been a board memberd since February. White has been a board memberd since starting the company in 1951 and previously servedd as CEO and chairman before returning tothe chairman’s post last year aftetr Shokrgozar resigned.
In exploring possible sale of the company, officiald said there were severalformal but: “After careful consideration of alternatives, the compangy has determined that shareholders’ interests will be best served by continuinvg to operate as a stand-alonde entity.” Tuesday’s announcement, also said White Electronic woulc continue to evaluate opportunities to purchase otherr companies. Citing past losses and depressed stock Caiman Partners was part of an investor grouop that tried to take control of White Electronic earlier this year proposin g its own slateof directors.
That proxy fight was settlede via the addition of board including Kahn’s seat, and a changwe in company bylaws. The first quartee hit a positive note at the company with net incomeof $136,000p compared with a $1.5 millioj loss for the same period last year. Revenue increased to $17.q million for the quarter, up from $14.6 million last year. In announcinvg his retirement, White said: “I am extremelh excited about the increasing amount of success that the companyis experiencing. Since September 1951, this company has been my laboerof love.
After spending this past year workin g with the board to determinew the appropriate future course for the I could not be more pleased withthe
White (Nasdaq:WEDC) has been through a numbefr of changes over the past including the exit of CEO Hamid Shokrgozar and a shift from its Display Systems Divisioh and focus on its militaryelectronics business. The Phoenicx company also announced Wednesda that Brian Kahn had beenelectexd chairman, replacing founder Edwarrd White in that position. Kahn, founder of Caiman Partnerds L.P., has been a board memberd since February. White has been a board memberd since starting the company in 1951 and previously servedd as CEO and chairman before returning tothe chairman’s post last year aftetr Shokrgozar resigned.
In exploring possible sale of the company, officiald said there were severalformal but: “After careful consideration of alternatives, the compangy has determined that shareholders’ interests will be best served by continuinvg to operate as a stand-alonde entity.” Tuesday’s announcement, also said White Electronic woulc continue to evaluate opportunities to purchase otherr companies. Citing past losses and depressed stock Caiman Partners was part of an investor grouop that tried to take control of White Electronic earlier this year proposin g its own slateof directors.
That proxy fight was settlede via the addition of board including Kahn’s seat, and a changwe in company bylaws. The first quartee hit a positive note at the company with net incomeof $136,000p compared with a $1.5 millioj loss for the same period last year. Revenue increased to $17.q million for the quarter, up from $14.6 million last year. In announcinvg his retirement, White said: “I am extremelh excited about the increasing amount of success that the companyis experiencing. Since September 1951, this company has been my laboerof love.
After spending this past year workin g with the board to determinew the appropriate future course for the I could not be more pleased withthe
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Gay marriage attracts out-of-state workforce - Boston Business Journal:
iwegasely.wordpress.com
Even so, Webb and Schuster left the Californiq sunshine in December and moved to Brookline with theidtwin sons. It wasn't the promise of endurinf a gloomy Massachusetts winter that beckonedthem -- it was the abilituy to live in Massachusetts as a legallg married couple. "That was something that was reallhy importantto us," said who married Schuster in Massachusetts soon aftee the couple bought a vacation home in Truro in 2004. Webb has sincs joined the law firm as a partnee in thetrial department, and Schuster is now the chied of general pediatrics and vice chair for health policy researcnh at Boston.
Massachusetts has a dubious reputation for losingy talented workers to lesspriceyt markets. But a trend that runs counter to the talentt drain has emerged in the form ofthe state'w controversial same-sex marriage law, a powerful lure for same-sedx couples who want to live in a placew where they can get married, gain legal rights and have accesse to spousal health benefits. In some observers see the influxof same-sex couplezs as a boon for the state's economy. "Sincr the marriage law we see a lotmore (gay) professionals movingv into the Boston area," said Henru Hoey, a board member of the , a chambert of commerce for gay professionals.
The organization' membership has increased 5 percentto 1,100 members since last year. "The effectes of this law are starting totake hold." In the legalized same-sex marriage in a landmark ruling. The decision sparked an intense effortby same-sexc marriage opponents to amend the statw Constitution; but that effort died in the Legislaturd last year. Since 10,168 same-sex couples have said theit "I-Do's" in Massachusetts.
And while same-sex nuptials have tapered off sincs the initial rush in 2004when 6,121 couples tied the knot -- last year 550 same-sexx couples got married in the statd -- that likely reflects an expectec leveling off since the law was passed, accordinfg to the and The number of same-sex couples who have movex here since 2004 is not tracked by any organization. Marths Livingston, founder and CEO of , a Boston-based staffingg firm that places gay, lesbian, bisexualo and transgender professionals inwelcomingy workplaces, has noticed an increase in gay and lesbia n couples who have moved or are planninh to move to the state.
"There'w a woman that I'm working with righft now because she came to Massachusettws so her marriage would be said Livingston. Massachusetts's population could use some fresh From 2003to 2005, the populatioj fell to 6,429,137 from 6,438,510, accordingh to estimates from the . While the population crept back upto 6,449,75t in 2007, according to census estimates, the populatiom grew a mere 1.5 percenf from 2000 to 2006. Not everyonr agrees that same-sex marriagwe will ultimately prove beneficial tothe state' s economy.
"We view same-sex marriage as a radical socialp experiment and to promote it on behalf of the economy is akin to promoting casinoss on behalf ofthe economy," said Kris president of the in "There's anecdotal evidence that (there has been) an exodua of families from Massachusetts because of the same-sex marriage law. So there'se two sides to the It's not only the legal rights afforded by theMassachusetts law, but also the relativelhy open-minded political climate of the regiobn that is drawing more gay couples. Lisa Forest and her Anne Marie Willer, both had good jobs and ownedf their own home in theDallasz area.
But in 2006 the couple left Texaes for Massachusetts and rented an apartmentin Quincy. Foresg works at Bridgewater State College, wherw she launched the college's GLBTA Pride Center. Willert works as a librarian atthe . The couple married in 2006. "Itg was a difficult move, but I founsd the political climate inhospitable," Forest said of her time in Texas. She and Willerr lived there forfive "There was a lot of psychological and physical energy that I was investing in just living my day-to-day life, because I had to defend myseld against anti-gay sentiment and rhetoric.
(But we were taking too large of financial and legal risks remainingy thereas strangers, legally," Forest said. The state's same-sesx marriage law could provide local businesses with a unique competitive according toCarissa Cunningham, director of public affairs at in "Massachusetts has a reputation for fairnesds both generally and in the specifics that it offerds gay and lesbian couples, especially those with children who are concerned about raising thei r kids in a place that supports theire family and protects their legal said Cunningham. "It makes the statwe competitive.
" While federal law does not recognize same-sedx marriage, the benefits for gay couples who decide to marry on a state level stillk outweighthe drawbacks, according to Rick Kraft, an attorneh who moved from Berkeley, to Massachusetts with his partned and their daughter in 2004. Benefitzs include partner health insurance, filing joint state tax returnsa and automatic inheritance if one spouse One downside to marriage is that in the event of a alimony payments arenot tax-deductable for same-sedx couples, according to Kraft, who focusew his estate planning practice on the legap needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
"There are hundreds of automatic rights that come to coupleszwhen they're married," said Kraft, 46. Chrias Ott, 37, and his partner, David Danaher, 40, decidesd to leave Wisconsin after the state passe d a constitutional amendment toban same-sexx marriage. Ott moved to Cambridgse after he sold his homein Danaher, a professor of Slavic languagees at the , plans to remain until he findd a post in Boston. The two haven't marriedx in Massachusetts yet.
"The passage of that amendmenr meant that there were goinb to continue to be legal and financial barrieres and hardships whichwe didn'tf want to contend with, especiallyu later in life," said Ott, communications director at the 'sw Boston office. "We wanted to live somewhere where these issuesd had alreadybeen
Even so, Webb and Schuster left the Californiq sunshine in December and moved to Brookline with theidtwin sons. It wasn't the promise of endurinf a gloomy Massachusetts winter that beckonedthem -- it was the abilituy to live in Massachusetts as a legallg married couple. "That was something that was reallhy importantto us," said who married Schuster in Massachusetts soon aftee the couple bought a vacation home in Truro in 2004. Webb has sincs joined the law firm as a partnee in thetrial department, and Schuster is now the chied of general pediatrics and vice chair for health policy researcnh at Boston.
Massachusetts has a dubious reputation for losingy talented workers to lesspriceyt markets. But a trend that runs counter to the talentt drain has emerged in the form ofthe state'w controversial same-sex marriage law, a powerful lure for same-sedx couples who want to live in a placew where they can get married, gain legal rights and have accesse to spousal health benefits. In some observers see the influxof same-sex couplezs as a boon for the state's economy. "Sincr the marriage law we see a lotmore (gay) professionals movingv into the Boston area," said Henru Hoey, a board member of the , a chambert of commerce for gay professionals.
The organization' membership has increased 5 percentto 1,100 members since last year. "The effectes of this law are starting totake hold." In the legalized same-sex marriage in a landmark ruling. The decision sparked an intense effortby same-sexc marriage opponents to amend the statw Constitution; but that effort died in the Legislaturd last year. Since 10,168 same-sex couples have said theit "I-Do's" in Massachusetts.
And while same-sex nuptials have tapered off sincs the initial rush in 2004when 6,121 couples tied the knot -- last year 550 same-sexx couples got married in the statd -- that likely reflects an expectec leveling off since the law was passed, accordinfg to the and The number of same-sex couples who have movex here since 2004 is not tracked by any organization. Marths Livingston, founder and CEO of , a Boston-based staffingg firm that places gay, lesbian, bisexualo and transgender professionals inwelcomingy workplaces, has noticed an increase in gay and lesbia n couples who have moved or are planninh to move to the state.
"There'w a woman that I'm working with righft now because she came to Massachusettws so her marriage would be said Livingston. Massachusetts's population could use some fresh From 2003to 2005, the populatioj fell to 6,429,137 from 6,438,510, accordingh to estimates from the . While the population crept back upto 6,449,75t in 2007, according to census estimates, the populatiom grew a mere 1.5 percenf from 2000 to 2006. Not everyonr agrees that same-sex marriagwe will ultimately prove beneficial tothe state' s economy.
"We view same-sex marriage as a radical socialp experiment and to promote it on behalf of the economy is akin to promoting casinoss on behalf ofthe economy," said Kris president of the in "There's anecdotal evidence that (there has been) an exodua of families from Massachusetts because of the same-sex marriage law. So there'se two sides to the It's not only the legal rights afforded by theMassachusetts law, but also the relativelhy open-minded political climate of the regiobn that is drawing more gay couples. Lisa Forest and her Anne Marie Willer, both had good jobs and ownedf their own home in theDallasz area.
But in 2006 the couple left Texaes for Massachusetts and rented an apartmentin Quincy. Foresg works at Bridgewater State College, wherw she launched the college's GLBTA Pride Center. Willert works as a librarian atthe . The couple married in 2006. "Itg was a difficult move, but I founsd the political climate inhospitable," Forest said of her time in Texas. She and Willerr lived there forfive "There was a lot of psychological and physical energy that I was investing in just living my day-to-day life, because I had to defend myseld against anti-gay sentiment and rhetoric.
(But we were taking too large of financial and legal risks remainingy thereas strangers, legally," Forest said. The state's same-sesx marriage law could provide local businesses with a unique competitive according toCarissa Cunningham, director of public affairs at in "Massachusetts has a reputation for fairnesds both generally and in the specifics that it offerds gay and lesbian couples, especially those with children who are concerned about raising thei r kids in a place that supports theire family and protects their legal said Cunningham. "It makes the statwe competitive.
" While federal law does not recognize same-sedx marriage, the benefits for gay couples who decide to marry on a state level stillk outweighthe drawbacks, according to Rick Kraft, an attorneh who moved from Berkeley, to Massachusetts with his partned and their daughter in 2004. Benefitzs include partner health insurance, filing joint state tax returnsa and automatic inheritance if one spouse One downside to marriage is that in the event of a alimony payments arenot tax-deductable for same-sedx couples, according to Kraft, who focusew his estate planning practice on the legap needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
"There are hundreds of automatic rights that come to coupleszwhen they're married," said Kraft, 46. Chrias Ott, 37, and his partner, David Danaher, 40, decidesd to leave Wisconsin after the state passe d a constitutional amendment toban same-sexx marriage. Ott moved to Cambridgse after he sold his homein Danaher, a professor of Slavic languagees at the , plans to remain until he findd a post in Boston. The two haven't marriedx in Massachusetts yet.
"The passage of that amendmenr meant that there were goinb to continue to be legal and financial barrieres and hardships whichwe didn'tf want to contend with, especiallyu later in life," said Ott, communications director at the 'sw Boston office. "We wanted to live somewhere where these issuesd had alreadybeen
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Conference Board employment index edges up in May - Wichita Business Journal:
houston-nearly.blogspot.com
The organization’s Employment Trends Index was 89.9, up 0.2 percent from 89.7 in Aprilp and down from 113 inMay 2008, The Conferencw Board said Monday. The inde x number is relative to 100for 1996. “Whilre it is too early to say that the ETI has the moderation of the last two monthws is certainly a sign that the decline in job losses is real and signalz that the worst is Gad Levanon, The Conference Board’s seniore economist, said in a release.
“However, as the economic recoveru over the coming months is likely to bevery slow, we stil expect the unemployment rate to continue to increas to double digits by the end of this year and into • Percentage of respondents who say they find “joba hard to get,” gathered from The Conference Boardr Consumer Confidence Survey. • Initiaol claims for unemployment insurance, from • Percentage of firms with positions not able to fill righ t now because of inability to findsuitablde candidates, from the . • Number of employeesd hired bythe temporary-help industry, from the . Part-time workers for economic reasons, from Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job openings, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. • Industrialo production, from the . Real manufacturing and trade sales, from the . The Conferencew Board is an independent NewYork City-based nonprofit organizatiom whose mission is to provid organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improvse their performance and better serve society.
The organization’s Employment Trends Index was 89.9, up 0.2 percent from 89.7 in Aprilp and down from 113 inMay 2008, The Conferencw Board said Monday. The inde x number is relative to 100for 1996. “Whilre it is too early to say that the ETI has the moderation of the last two monthws is certainly a sign that the decline in job losses is real and signalz that the worst is Gad Levanon, The Conference Board’s seniore economist, said in a release.
“However, as the economic recoveru over the coming months is likely to bevery slow, we stil expect the unemployment rate to continue to increas to double digits by the end of this year and into • Percentage of respondents who say they find “joba hard to get,” gathered from The Conference Boardr Consumer Confidence Survey. • Initiaol claims for unemployment insurance, from • Percentage of firms with positions not able to fill righ t now because of inability to findsuitablde candidates, from the . • Number of employeesd hired bythe temporary-help industry, from the . Part-time workers for economic reasons, from Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job openings, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. • Industrialo production, from the . Real manufacturing and trade sales, from the . The Conferencew Board is an independent NewYork City-based nonprofit organizatiom whose mission is to provid organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improvse their performance and better serve society.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Expert: Phoenix-area home sale increase may not signal recovery - Phoenix Business Journal:
zuloraxelewo.blogspot.com
Some 11,820 previously owned homez were soldin June, compared with 9,980 in May and 7,870 in June 2008, accordinv to data collected throug h ASU’s Realty Studies program. About 34 percent of last month’sw sales were for propertiesw in some stageof foreclosure. Aboutt half of the other June sales representee previously foreclosed properties that were taken back bythe “While there is hope that the housinyg troubles are beginning to ebb, the recent rise in activity ... does not necessarilu represent recovery,” Butler said. The current he said, is driven by “investors looking for a especially with the potential ofgreat appreciation.
It is not drivehn by the traditional owner-occupant looking for a placer to live.” That’s an unfortunate dynamic, givejn the need for individual stability ineconomic recovery. “Recoverty cannot really take place untillthe owner-occupant looking for space is the fundamental market force, and the other areas of activityu — investment and foreclosures — return to their respectivd historical norms,” Butler said. • More expensive homezs represent a growing segmentof foreclosures, with 22 homes valued at more than $1 million entering the foreclosure process. Seven of thoswe are valued at morethan $2 million.
Lender or bank-owned properties are beingt put back into the markeft withsignificant markdowns, ranging from an averagwe of 51 percent in Maryvale to 30 percenft in El Mirage and 12 percent in Tempe, perhaps the strongest submarkeft in the Valley. Rapidly declining values in certain neighborhoods because of foreclosurer activity make it harder for existing residentws to take advantage of loan modification programs that would help them avoidr foreclosure on theirown homes. The affluent North Scottsdale area saw a slight increase in median home values inJune 2009. The median price for a foreclosed propertywas $451,595, comparec with $451,530 in May 2009.
The median pricr for a traditional sales transaction in the same areawas $460,00p in June, compared with $435,000 in May. The lowest median prices in June were recordesd in theWest Valley’s Maryvale neighborhood. The highest media prices, as expected, were recorded in Paradises Valley. For more: .
Some 11,820 previously owned homez were soldin June, compared with 9,980 in May and 7,870 in June 2008, accordinv to data collected throug h ASU’s Realty Studies program. About 34 percent of last month’sw sales were for propertiesw in some stageof foreclosure. Aboutt half of the other June sales representee previously foreclosed properties that were taken back bythe “While there is hope that the housinyg troubles are beginning to ebb, the recent rise in activity ... does not necessarilu represent recovery,” Butler said. The current he said, is driven by “investors looking for a especially with the potential ofgreat appreciation.
It is not drivehn by the traditional owner-occupant looking for a placer to live.” That’s an unfortunate dynamic, givejn the need for individual stability ineconomic recovery. “Recoverty cannot really take place untillthe owner-occupant looking for space is the fundamental market force, and the other areas of activityu — investment and foreclosures — return to their respectivd historical norms,” Butler said. • More expensive homezs represent a growing segmentof foreclosures, with 22 homes valued at more than $1 million entering the foreclosure process. Seven of thoswe are valued at morethan $2 million.
Lender or bank-owned properties are beingt put back into the markeft withsignificant markdowns, ranging from an averagwe of 51 percent in Maryvale to 30 percenft in El Mirage and 12 percent in Tempe, perhaps the strongest submarkeft in the Valley. Rapidly declining values in certain neighborhoods because of foreclosurer activity make it harder for existing residentws to take advantage of loan modification programs that would help them avoidr foreclosure on theirown homes. The affluent North Scottsdale area saw a slight increase in median home values inJune 2009. The median price for a foreclosed propertywas $451,595, comparec with $451,530 in May 2009.
The median pricr for a traditional sales transaction in the same areawas $460,00p in June, compared with $435,000 in May. The lowest median prices in June were recordesd in theWest Valley’s Maryvale neighborhood. The highest media prices, as expected, were recorded in Paradises Valley. For more: .
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Cafe di Napoli closes in Minneapolis - Houston Business Journal:
milicinodijoo1981.blogspot.com
The restaurant was on the Skyway retaip level of a condo and office buildingv at the corner of Marquette Avenuse and SouthSixth Street. It was owned by developer Larry Abdo, principal of Anxon Inc., the companh that owns the building. Abdo said he’s very closre to finishing a deal with a new restaurantf tenant that is interested in the spacr and he could make an announcemen in the nextfew days. Cafe Di Napoli originallh opened in 1938 on Hennepin Avenue and operatedx therefor years. In 2005, the lack of lunchb patrons prompted theformer owner, Joe .
Then in 2007, two of Joe’as children, David and Nancy Piazza, in the skyway level of Abdo’se condo project, also known as 6 In late 2008, Abdo acquired the restaurant. “I bought it knowin g that unless it was an enormous home run that we would probablu not be inthat business, so we’ve been looking for someonew to take the space over.” Abdo and his wife went on theitr first date at Cafe Di Napoli so he said he had an emotionap attachment to it. Abdo tinkered with the menu and pricingv atDi Napoli, trying things such as 10 cent bottleas of wine to go with pizzas during happyy hour. “It did OK, but it was not he said.
“We just really want to concentrat e on ourburger brand.” That brand is a restaurantr called My Burger - a no-frills hamburger and french friee restaurant that was created and is owned by the Abdo The original My Burger stor e is two-doors-down from the former Di Napoli restaurant space. There’s also a location in Cente r City, Minn. “We’ve got peoplw that are interested in doing some fundinvg for it and we have got some locations that are pickexd outand we’ve been working on improving our product and our
The restaurant was on the Skyway retaip level of a condo and office buildingv at the corner of Marquette Avenuse and SouthSixth Street. It was owned by developer Larry Abdo, principal of Anxon Inc., the companh that owns the building. Abdo said he’s very closre to finishing a deal with a new restaurantf tenant that is interested in the spacr and he could make an announcemen in the nextfew days. Cafe Di Napoli originallh opened in 1938 on Hennepin Avenue and operatedx therefor years. In 2005, the lack of lunchb patrons prompted theformer owner, Joe .
Then in 2007, two of Joe’as children, David and Nancy Piazza, in the skyway level of Abdo’se condo project, also known as 6 In late 2008, Abdo acquired the restaurant. “I bought it knowin g that unless it was an enormous home run that we would probablu not be inthat business, so we’ve been looking for someonew to take the space over.” Abdo and his wife went on theitr first date at Cafe Di Napoli so he said he had an emotionap attachment to it. Abdo tinkered with the menu and pricingv atDi Napoli, trying things such as 10 cent bottleas of wine to go with pizzas during happyy hour. “It did OK, but it was not he said.
“We just really want to concentrat e on ourburger brand.” That brand is a restaurantr called My Burger - a no-frills hamburger and french friee restaurant that was created and is owned by the Abdo The original My Burger stor e is two-doors-down from the former Di Napoli restaurant space. There’s also a location in Cente r City, Minn. “We’ve got peoplw that are interested in doing some fundinvg for it and we have got some locations that are pickexd outand we’ve been working on improving our product and our
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
SMU students warned of gas leak - Triangle Business Journal:
oryzacody.wordpress.com
The warning came out after a gas leak was identified on campuz sometimebetween 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. Thursday said Kent Best, executive director of news and Best added that wasnotified immediately. Additional e-mailsw with more information were sent to facultyand staff, and a final e-mai l was distributed alerting everyone on campus to the fact that the gas leak had been Best said. “Those messages came from our emergency Best added, “the emphasis is on brevity and It is something we will review to make sure that as much detaill that we can put in there is providesd to avoid any confusion in the Best said the whole event lasted abouy an hour.
The gas leak occurredf at a construction site near Moodyt Coliseum at Airline Road and Binkley accordingto Best.
The warning came out after a gas leak was identified on campuz sometimebetween 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. Thursday said Kent Best, executive director of news and Best added that wasnotified immediately. Additional e-mailsw with more information were sent to facultyand staff, and a final e-mai l was distributed alerting everyone on campus to the fact that the gas leak had been Best said. “Those messages came from our emergency Best added, “the emphasis is on brevity and It is something we will review to make sure that as much detaill that we can put in there is providesd to avoid any confusion in the Best said the whole event lasted abouy an hour.
The gas leak occurredf at a construction site near Moodyt Coliseum at Airline Road and Binkley accordingto Best.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Ernst & Young 2009 Florida Entrepreneur Of The Year winners celebrated - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
yvejodo.wordpress.com
Award recipients were announcefd at a gala event Thursdau night at the at An independent judging panel ofregional business, academic and communitgy leaders made the a release said. West Centralo Florida winners were named in four They included: • Health services: Stephenh F. Dickey, founder and vice presidenrt of operations, Doctor’s Walk-In Clinidc in Tampa • Marketing, media and entertainment: Tony president, CEO and founder, in St. Petersburgh • Services: Scott Riley, CEO, Technology: Tony DiBenedetto, CEO, Tribridge in Tampa The Entrepreneue Of The Year award recognizes effortsx in business excellence andcommunityu improvement. There were five other honorees.
They includerd a lifetime achievement awarfd forMichael J. Ward, chairman, president and CEO, (NYSE: CSX) in Jacksonvillew and Michael Murdoch, presidentr and CEO of of Gulf Breezr inthe "emerging" category. Menderes Akdag, president and CEO of in Pompanio Beach won inthe "retail & consumer services" In all, there were nine honorees. Regionao award recipients will be considered for the Ernst Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009national awards. Winnersw in numerous national categories, as well as the overall nationaol winner, will be announced at the annual awardxs gala inPalm Springs, on Nov. 14, 2009.
It is the 23rd anniversart of the program, which has expanded to recognized business leaders in more than 135 cities in 50 Awards are given toentrepreneurss “who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and a release said. Founded and produced by Ernst Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are sponsored nationallu by the and . In Florida, sponsors includes Bowne, RFB Communications Grou p and SmartBusiness Network.
Award recipients were announcefd at a gala event Thursdau night at the at An independent judging panel ofregional business, academic and communitgy leaders made the a release said. West Centralo Florida winners were named in four They included: • Health services: Stephenh F. Dickey, founder and vice presidenrt of operations, Doctor’s Walk-In Clinidc in Tampa • Marketing, media and entertainment: Tony president, CEO and founder, in St. Petersburgh • Services: Scott Riley, CEO, Technology: Tony DiBenedetto, CEO, Tribridge in Tampa The Entrepreneue Of The Year award recognizes effortsx in business excellence andcommunityu improvement. There were five other honorees.
They includerd a lifetime achievement awarfd forMichael J. Ward, chairman, president and CEO, (NYSE: CSX) in Jacksonvillew and Michael Murdoch, presidentr and CEO of of Gulf Breezr inthe "emerging" category. Menderes Akdag, president and CEO of in Pompanio Beach won inthe "retail & consumer services" In all, there were nine honorees. Regionao award recipients will be considered for the Ernst Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009national awards. Winnersw in numerous national categories, as well as the overall nationaol winner, will be announced at the annual awardxs gala inPalm Springs, on Nov. 14, 2009.
It is the 23rd anniversart of the program, which has expanded to recognized business leaders in more than 135 cities in 50 Awards are given toentrepreneurss “who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and a release said. Founded and produced by Ernst Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are sponsored nationallu by the and . In Florida, sponsors includes Bowne, RFB Communications Grou p and SmartBusiness Network.
Friday, April 20, 2012
New law increases court fees in Florida - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
hustenuejib1630.blogspot.com
Senate Bill 1718 increases the $295 filingg fee on all civil actions, suits or proceedings in circuity courtsto $395. Foreclosure case fees will now be baserd on asliding scale, ranging from $395 to depending on the value of the property or mortgager claim. The new fees are intended to produce revenue for the amove that’s getting mixes reactions from local attorneys. At issuee is the fact that $80 of the fees from all types of cases will go tothe state’s generap revenue fund, which can be used for anything. In the fees charged by the court systenm typically funded onlyjudicial programs. there were about 385,30o9 foreclosures in 2008, which woulde have translated into $30.
8 million had the fee been in placelast year. “The basic problem here is the Legislature is usingh the judicial system as a funding sourcefor non-judiciaol programs,” said John Fisher, an attorney with Orlando-basedc . The bill’s fee changes also come at a time when foreclosuree are atan all-time high in Florida, whicb ranks No. 1 in the United States in foreclosurew inventory, the said. The change could leaver lenders witha “massiver new fee to even start down the to resolve unpaid said Wade Vose, a partner at the Winter Park-basecd .
All real estate-related cases — including construction liens, boundary disputes betweenm property owners and other dispute over realestate — will be Vose said. The sliding-scale fees, depending on the valuew of the property ormortgage claim, mean someonre filing a claim on propertu or a mortgage valued at: $50,000 or less will pay $50,001 to $250,000 will pay $900. $250,001 or more will pay The same rates apply to anyone filinva counterclaim, counterpetition or third-party complaint for any real estate-related The higher fees may deter new case filings by thoser who can’t afford the increased costs, said And although most cases will get filesd regardless of the fees, increasing the cost may make some people feel their acces s to the courts is limited, he Ed Loos III, a partner and shareholder in the Orlandp office of Fort Lauderdale-basefd Greenspoon Marder, said the new fees shouldn’ deter mortgage lenders from filing because, in the end, a $1 ,909 fee is outweighed by a $250,000 or more claim, and the fee will be includecd in the judgment.
Van Bogan, chief executivr officer of , said the changes won’t stop his bank from filing a claim. However, the fee increase will be a short-term fix to the state’se budgetary problems because foreclosure filings will drop once the market recovers, Bogan said. Until then, “the consumer will bear the brunytof it.” Added Vose: “Part of the way real estate corrects itself is through litigation of thesed issues, and the fees seem counterproductivr to helping work out the real estate imbalance in Florida.
”
Senate Bill 1718 increases the $295 filingg fee on all civil actions, suits or proceedings in circuity courtsto $395. Foreclosure case fees will now be baserd on asliding scale, ranging from $395 to depending on the value of the property or mortgager claim. The new fees are intended to produce revenue for the amove that’s getting mixes reactions from local attorneys. At issuee is the fact that $80 of the fees from all types of cases will go tothe state’s generap revenue fund, which can be used for anything. In the fees charged by the court systenm typically funded onlyjudicial programs. there were about 385,30o9 foreclosures in 2008, which woulde have translated into $30.
8 million had the fee been in placelast year. “The basic problem here is the Legislature is usingh the judicial system as a funding sourcefor non-judiciaol programs,” said John Fisher, an attorney with Orlando-basedc . The bill’s fee changes also come at a time when foreclosuree are atan all-time high in Florida, whicb ranks No. 1 in the United States in foreclosurew inventory, the said. The change could leaver lenders witha “massiver new fee to even start down the to resolve unpaid said Wade Vose, a partner at the Winter Park-basecd .
All real estate-related cases — including construction liens, boundary disputes betweenm property owners and other dispute over realestate — will be Vose said. The sliding-scale fees, depending on the valuew of the property ormortgage claim, mean someonre filing a claim on propertu or a mortgage valued at: $50,000 or less will pay $50,001 to $250,000 will pay $900. $250,001 or more will pay The same rates apply to anyone filinva counterclaim, counterpetition or third-party complaint for any real estate-related The higher fees may deter new case filings by thoser who can’t afford the increased costs, said And although most cases will get filesd regardless of the fees, increasing the cost may make some people feel their acces s to the courts is limited, he Ed Loos III, a partner and shareholder in the Orlandp office of Fort Lauderdale-basefd Greenspoon Marder, said the new fees shouldn’ deter mortgage lenders from filing because, in the end, a $1 ,909 fee is outweighed by a $250,000 or more claim, and the fee will be includecd in the judgment.
Van Bogan, chief executivr officer of , said the changes won’t stop his bank from filing a claim. However, the fee increase will be a short-term fix to the state’se budgetary problems because foreclosure filings will drop once the market recovers, Bogan said. Until then, “the consumer will bear the brunytof it.” Added Vose: “Part of the way real estate corrects itself is through litigation of thesed issues, and the fees seem counterproductivr to helping work out the real estate imbalance in Florida.
”
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Texas nurse charged in killing of mother, abduction of newborn had suffered ... - Washington Post
xysecurakihir.blogspot.com
Texas nurse charged in killing of mother, abduction of newborn had suffered ... Washington Post CONROE, Texas â€" Verna McClain, apparently desperate to find a baby after suffering a miscarriage, went looking for an infant where she knew she could find one: the suburban Houston clinic where she had taken her three other children for checkups. |
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Champs Sports extends agreement - Sacramento Business Journal:
tenamup.wordpress.com
Champs Sports, a division of New York-base d (NYSE: FL), and Florida Citrus Sports announced the sponsorshi p extensionJuly 7, but didn’g disclose any specifics of the deal in a writteh release. The game is played on Dec. 29 each year betweej college teams from the Atlantivc Coast and BigTen conferences. Last year’s game attracted a recore number ofattendees — 52,69w2 — and was among the highest-rated bowl gamess telecast by ESPN.
“Champxs Sports is truly one of the most committed sponsors in college We are extremely pleased to have them as a partner and name sponsor of the Champs Sports Bowl for anotherfour years,” said Stever Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports. Floridza Citrus Sports is a nonprofiy organization dedicated to promoting the Centra Florida community through foursignature events, including The Capitalp One and Champs Sports bowl games, the Orland Citrus Parade and the OUC half marathon and 5k.
Champs Sports, a division of New York-base d (NYSE: FL), and Florida Citrus Sports announced the sponsorshi p extensionJuly 7, but didn’g disclose any specifics of the deal in a writteh release. The game is played on Dec. 29 each year betweej college teams from the Atlantivc Coast and BigTen conferences. Last year’s game attracted a recore number ofattendees — 52,69w2 — and was among the highest-rated bowl gamess telecast by ESPN.
“Champxs Sports is truly one of the most committed sponsors in college We are extremely pleased to have them as a partner and name sponsor of the Champs Sports Bowl for anotherfour years,” said Stever Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports. Floridza Citrus Sports is a nonprofiy organization dedicated to promoting the Centra Florida community through foursignature events, including The Capitalp One and Champs Sports bowl games, the Orland Citrus Parade and the OUC half marathon and 5k.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
BioMarin: Genzyme virus problem won
haga-aa8xuq.blogspot.com
Genzyme (NASDAQ: GENZ) found a virus strain and stopped production of two drugs atthe Mass., facility. The strain, Vesivirus 2117, apparently does not cause huma n infection but interrupts the growty of cells that are used tomake drugs. Aldurazymse — a treatment for MPS I, a rare and fataol disease caused by an enzymwdeficiency — was last filled at the Genzyme facility in Septemberf 2008, according to BioMarin (NASDAQ: BMRN). The companty has about 10 months of vialed inventoryton hand, it said, and uses a seconxd fill finish supplier. A third supplier is expecteed to be qualified later this BioMarin said. BioMarin makes the bulk materia used in Aldurazyme at itsNovatio facility.
The Food and Drug Administration hadinspectedf Genzyme’s plant in Septembe r and October and reportedly was concerned about controls to protect against
Genzyme (NASDAQ: GENZ) found a virus strain and stopped production of two drugs atthe Mass., facility. The strain, Vesivirus 2117, apparently does not cause huma n infection but interrupts the growty of cells that are used tomake drugs. Aldurazymse — a treatment for MPS I, a rare and fataol disease caused by an enzymwdeficiency — was last filled at the Genzyme facility in Septemberf 2008, according to BioMarin (NASDAQ: BMRN). The companty has about 10 months of vialed inventoryton hand, it said, and uses a seconxd fill finish supplier. A third supplier is expecteed to be qualified later this BioMarin said. BioMarin makes the bulk materia used in Aldurazyme at itsNovatio facility.
The Food and Drug Administration hadinspectedf Genzyme’s plant in Septembe r and October and reportedly was concerned about controls to protect against
Friday, April 13, 2012
David Murphy: For Phillies, little things mean a lot - Philadelphia Inquirer
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
David Murphy: For Phillies, little things mean a lot Philadelphia Inquirer NO ALGORITHM can predict what will happen when a hitter with the speed of Jose Reyes sends a weak chopper bounding through the infield grass. Instincts and muscle memory take over when the bat meets the ball: Placido Polanco charges in from the ... |
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Associate Solutions, Lewis Block and Supply win Kansas City, Kan., chamber awards - Kansas City Business Journal:
ramsburgsyuheo1544.blogspot.com
Lenexa-based Associate Solutions is aninternationa business-software service company specializing in Microsoft Dynamics. Terrid Johnson and Charley Pogue founded ASIin 1998. The company employs 27 people and works with local agenciesz such as andKansas City-based Lewisx Block and Supply supplies construction materiald such as segmental retaining highway wall panels, stonework and concrete masonry units. Owner Dwayne Lewis started the compang inApril 2007. The company has been involved with projectas such as installing stonework at Kauffman Stadium and pavers atthe . Lewisa and one part-time employee work for the whichservices Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
“Axs a small business you never really expect to be recognizelike that,” Lewis said. “What gives me the most gratificatio n is that I know people recognizewthat I’m out there and doingt something right.” The chamber selected the two winnersz from a pool of 50 “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community,” said Patrickl McCartney, the chamber’s vice president of marketing. “They do a lot of hard work and a lot of grear things forour community, and it’s important that they get recognizec for their achievements.” The other finalists for the 2009 New Smallo Business of the Year Award were , , and .
The othed finalists for the 2009 Small Business of the Year Awardwere , , and .
Lenexa-based Associate Solutions is aninternationa business-software service company specializing in Microsoft Dynamics. Terrid Johnson and Charley Pogue founded ASIin 1998. The company employs 27 people and works with local agenciesz such as andKansas City-based Lewisx Block and Supply supplies construction materiald such as segmental retaining highway wall panels, stonework and concrete masonry units. Owner Dwayne Lewis started the compang inApril 2007. The company has been involved with projectas such as installing stonework at Kauffman Stadium and pavers atthe . Lewisa and one part-time employee work for the whichservices Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
“Axs a small business you never really expect to be recognizelike that,” Lewis said. “What gives me the most gratificatio n is that I know people recognizewthat I’m out there and doingt something right.” The chamber selected the two winnersz from a pool of 50 “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community,” said Patrickl McCartney, the chamber’s vice president of marketing. “They do a lot of hard work and a lot of grear things forour community, and it’s important that they get recognizec for their achievements.” The other finalists for the 2009 New Smallo Business of the Year Award were , , and .
The othed finalists for the 2009 Small Business of the Year Awardwere , , and .
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
New SBA stimulus loans meant to get businesses through crisis - bizjournals:
zemlyanikiyri.blogspot.com
And local bankers say they believethe program, fundefd by stimulus money, could produce a double economic coming at a time when they say commercialk loan demand is The SBA-guaranteed loans will be made directly by which can begin submittinv applications from small businesses on June 15. The program allows for about 10,000 America’s Recoverty Capital deferred-payment loans of as much as $35,000 each. That amoun t is far less than the typical SBA loan.
But the program is designes to provide financial relief to smallk businesses struggling to meet existing expenses such as debts andpayrollds “so they can keep theid doors open and get their cash flow back on according to SBA “This loan is meantt to be used by a viable small businesx (so) that with this help, they can (ensure) theit survival,” said Mike Stamler, directorf of the SBA press officde in Washington, D.C.
Stamler said the Americamn Recovery and Reinvestment Actof 2009, passed in provides the SBA with about $255 million to cover the costs of administering the The ARC loans fall under SBA’ws 7(a) program, which includes its most government-guaranteed loans. The loans are made directlyg by lenders, and those expensea include training bank personnel on how to administerthe program, Stamledr said. Several features set apart the ARC Other SBA programs guaranter the majority ofthe loan, but if the borroweer defaults, banks must pay the “deficienty amount” — the difference between an 80-percent SBA guarante and the unsecured 20 percent.
The ARC loanxs are 100 percent guaranteed by the which is crucial because the loans are meant expresslyu forstruggling business, and SBA officiale expect a higher defaulft rate than with other SBA loans, Stamledr said. Unlike other SBA small-business loans, the borrowers pay neithee loan fees, which could be thousands of dollars forlarged loans, nor interest, Stamler said. (See relatecd item at right.) ARC loans give qualifier borrowers monthly disbursements ofamounts — dependingt on the terms — up to $35,000 over 18 months to use to pay underlying business debtse and expenses, he said.
Borrowers get one year afterf the final disbursement to start paying back the principalk overfive years. The federal government, unde r ARRA, pays lenders prime rate plus 2percentt — a total rate of about 5.35 percenft as of mid-June — and those lenderds receive the interest for six and a half the total life of the loan, Stamler said. “These are attractivs terms,” he said. They’re so attractive that Stamler expects demand for the loan far beyondthe 10,00o ARC loans Congress funded under The program is in the early stagews of implementation, with June 15 as the first day lenders can submit loan applications.
Locakl SBA offices are just now beginning to train Stamler said. At & Trust Co., historicallhy one of the largest local SBA program executives received the ARC regulations on Monday and are assessinghthe details, said Michael director of marketing at Republic, whichh is the largest Louisville-based bank, ranked by total deposits.
And local bankers say they believethe program, fundefd by stimulus money, could produce a double economic coming at a time when they say commercialk loan demand is The SBA-guaranteed loans will be made directly by which can begin submittinv applications from small businesses on June 15. The program allows for about 10,000 America’s Recoverty Capital deferred-payment loans of as much as $35,000 each. That amoun t is far less than the typical SBA loan.
But the program is designes to provide financial relief to smallk businesses struggling to meet existing expenses such as debts andpayrollds “so they can keep theid doors open and get their cash flow back on according to SBA “This loan is meantt to be used by a viable small businesx (so) that with this help, they can (ensure) theit survival,” said Mike Stamler, directorf of the SBA press officde in Washington, D.C.
Stamler said the Americamn Recovery and Reinvestment Actof 2009, passed in provides the SBA with about $255 million to cover the costs of administering the The ARC loans fall under SBA’ws 7(a) program, which includes its most government-guaranteed loans. The loans are made directlyg by lenders, and those expensea include training bank personnel on how to administerthe program, Stamledr said. Several features set apart the ARC Other SBA programs guaranter the majority ofthe loan, but if the borroweer defaults, banks must pay the “deficienty amount” — the difference between an 80-percent SBA guarante and the unsecured 20 percent.
The ARC loanxs are 100 percent guaranteed by the which is crucial because the loans are meant expresslyu forstruggling business, and SBA officiale expect a higher defaulft rate than with other SBA loans, Stamledr said. Unlike other SBA small-business loans, the borrowers pay neithee loan fees, which could be thousands of dollars forlarged loans, nor interest, Stamler said. (See relatecd item at right.) ARC loans give qualifier borrowers monthly disbursements ofamounts — dependingt on the terms — up to $35,000 over 18 months to use to pay underlying business debtse and expenses, he said.
Borrowers get one year afterf the final disbursement to start paying back the principalk overfive years. The federal government, unde r ARRA, pays lenders prime rate plus 2percentt — a total rate of about 5.35 percenft as of mid-June — and those lenderds receive the interest for six and a half the total life of the loan, Stamler said. “These are attractivs terms,” he said. They’re so attractive that Stamler expects demand for the loan far beyondthe 10,00o ARC loans Congress funded under The program is in the early stagews of implementation, with June 15 as the first day lenders can submit loan applications.
Locakl SBA offices are just now beginning to train Stamler said. At & Trust Co., historicallhy one of the largest local SBA program executives received the ARC regulations on Monday and are assessinghthe details, said Michael director of marketing at Republic, whichh is the largest Louisville-based bank, ranked by total deposits.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Solar land auction nets two sales, more slated - Nashville Business Journal:
vuwodu.wordpress.com
million, with a third deal potentially in the Buyers of the small parcels were not butKuldip Verma, presideny and CEO of , which sold the land, said the buyerzs had interest in developing the land'sd solar potential. Vermaland also is lookingt at sellinga 3,600-acre parcel at auctionn within the next six months in the county’ss western reaches. While the first auctioh focused on fivesmaller parcels, a larger, contiguous site such as Vermaland’ could draw a higher premium, if companies believer it has access to water and power lines.
“Severakl large-scale utility companies have expressed interest in the property once the siteis developed,” said who added the site has water on-site wells and a low slope. While the company was able to sell thetwo parcels, prices were belows what neighboring land has been selling for. The goal was to spur solae companies to purchase land rather than simpluy tieit up, Verma said. The properties sold at Saturday’as auction included an 80-acre site in the Tonopah area for $340,0090 and a 320-acre site in Tonopah for $2.24 The company did not identify which of the remaining threse properties might be involved inanotherd deal.
“The auction brought the propertiee to the attention of some partiesd that we had never been incontacft with, as well as reminded others we had spoken with in the past of the which is highly suitable for soladr development,” said Anita Verma-Lallian, the company’s marketingh director. Vermaland already had sold land toseverao California-based utilities looking to develop renewable resourcesa to meet that state’s standards for cleanb energy.
Solar energy developers have been placing applicationxs on state and federal lands in western Arizons for the pastthree years, and privater land owners have been negotiating as developers look for the best As companies scout for land, they also face financintg issues and none of the proposed projecte in Arizona has broken ground. Arizona’x main solar corridor includes Vermaland’s parcels, an area that stretched from Yuma to Phoenix and Tucsoh seen as a huge growth area fordeveloping utility-scale solaf power plants.
million, with a third deal potentially in the Buyers of the small parcels were not butKuldip Verma, presideny and CEO of , which sold the land, said the buyerzs had interest in developing the land'sd solar potential. Vermaland also is lookingt at sellinga 3,600-acre parcel at auctionn within the next six months in the county’ss western reaches. While the first auctioh focused on fivesmaller parcels, a larger, contiguous site such as Vermaland’ could draw a higher premium, if companies believer it has access to water and power lines.
“Severakl large-scale utility companies have expressed interest in the property once the siteis developed,” said who added the site has water on-site wells and a low slope. While the company was able to sell thetwo parcels, prices were belows what neighboring land has been selling for. The goal was to spur solae companies to purchase land rather than simpluy tieit up, Verma said. The properties sold at Saturday’as auction included an 80-acre site in the Tonopah area for $340,0090 and a 320-acre site in Tonopah for $2.24 The company did not identify which of the remaining threse properties might be involved inanotherd deal.
“The auction brought the propertiee to the attention of some partiesd that we had never been incontacft with, as well as reminded others we had spoken with in the past of the which is highly suitable for soladr development,” said Anita Verma-Lallian, the company’s marketingh director. Vermaland already had sold land toseverao California-based utilities looking to develop renewable resourcesa to meet that state’s standards for cleanb energy.
Solar energy developers have been placing applicationxs on state and federal lands in western Arizons for the pastthree years, and privater land owners have been negotiating as developers look for the best As companies scout for land, they also face financintg issues and none of the proposed projecte in Arizona has broken ground. Arizona’x main solar corridor includes Vermaland’s parcels, an area that stretched from Yuma to Phoenix and Tucsoh seen as a huge growth area fordeveloping utility-scale solaf power plants.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Easygates opens two new franchise stores - Wichita Business Journal:
gavrilovaefivu.blogspot.com
The new markets further CEO Bud Gates’ efforts to creatd a platform to develop both corporatd and franchise stores inthe country’s $6 billion rent-to-ownb industry. Gates started the companyt in 2007. Easygates, which sells name-brand householsd furnishings, appliances and electronics, is opening a store in the in Salina and another inSan Texas. Both stores opened Gates is formerly chairman and CEO atand “W e are elated to bring the easyhom e concept to two new markets ... Gates said in a written statement.
“The easyhome concept has proven to be very successful and we believes consumers in Salina and San Marcos will love the outstandint customer service they will experience atour Easygates, through easyhome U.S. Ltd., has the exclusivs rights to franchise or operate easyhoms stores in the 36 states in theUnitex States, not bordering Canada. Easyhome Ltd., the parent company of easyhomde U.S., is Canada’s largest merchandise leasin g company and the third largesyt inNorth America. Easyhome Ltd. operateds 232 stores across Canads and theUnited States.
There are seven Easygates franchisestores
The new markets further CEO Bud Gates’ efforts to creatd a platform to develop both corporatd and franchise stores inthe country’s $6 billion rent-to-ownb industry. Gates started the companyt in 2007. Easygates, which sells name-brand householsd furnishings, appliances and electronics, is opening a store in the in Salina and another inSan Texas. Both stores opened Gates is formerly chairman and CEO atand “W e are elated to bring the easyhom e concept to two new markets ... Gates said in a written statement.
“The easyhome concept has proven to be very successful and we believes consumers in Salina and San Marcos will love the outstandint customer service they will experience atour Easygates, through easyhome U.S. Ltd., has the exclusivs rights to franchise or operate easyhoms stores in the 36 states in theUnitex States, not bordering Canada. Easyhome Ltd., the parent company of easyhomde U.S., is Canada’s largest merchandise leasin g company and the third largesyt inNorth America. Easyhome Ltd. operateds 232 stores across Canads and theUnited States.
There are seven Easygates franchisestores
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Rosenberg Library April 2012 Treasure of the Month - Galveston.com & Company (press release) (blog)
erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com
Rosenberg Library April 2012 Treasure of the Month Galveston.com & Company (press release) (blog) By Galveston.com on April 4, 2012 The Rosenberg Library presents Texas Heroes: An Instructive Game as the April Treasure of the Month. The card game was produced in 1908 and was donated to the library by its creator, Mrs. Sally Trueheart Williams of ... |
Monday, April 2, 2012
Rebel Rebel yells of soaring revenue - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
ejoxot.wordpress.com
“We didn’t come out the but when people got a chance to see our work they realizes how solidwe are, and it’ s created relationships that have been continual,” said Dianna Colton, co-founderf of Rebel Rebel. Sinc e launching in 2007, Rebeo Rebel has provided productionand post-productiojn services — from commercials and videos to presentationas and video Web content — and has amassed a rostedr of notable clients, including GSD&M Idea City, Dell Inc., Sicol a Martin, Schematic and Door Numbee 3. The five-person production house grew 100 percent and is on target togenerate $1 million in revenue this year.
But before growth there was overcomingbeinbg new, said Chris Blankenship, the othe r co-founder of Rebel Rebel. “It was a littl tough getting in the door of some places at The first year was kind of I don’t think eithert of us realized how hard it would Blankenship said. Blankenship and Coltonh have experience and connections in the localproduction industry. Blankenship cut his teeth in production in Chinaq and has 17 years of experiencein editing, visualo effects and post production. Coltojn has executive producing experience, and she launched a successfupfashion business.
Blankenship said transitioning from a freelancer to a businessmab hasbeen challenging, and getting clients to think of Rebel Rebep for larger projects took some convincing at “We took a pretty good look at what we thoughy the business was going to be for us, and we had to come to some hard realizationss that that wasn’t the way thingsx were,” Blankenship said. In addition to beinyg persistent, Blankenship said the company’s flexibility in takinyg small and large projects has helped sellits services.
The companhy uses freelancers, which enables it to ramp up quicklyh for larger projects and to test out employeeds before adding them to their Blankenship said RebelRebeol hasn’t been entirely immune to the recession. It saw work plateauu in March, but for the most business hasbeen steady. “We’ve been pretty busy for the last he said. As a smaller productionj company, Rebel Rebel has been able to weather the recessiom a bit better because it has less Blankenship said. There are more than 20 film and videoi production companies in the CentralTexas region. Among the larges production companies here are Omeg aBroadcast Group, 501 Groupl Inc. and Elephant Productions Inc.
Quinct Lowman, president of Elephant Productions, says that the production landscape is getting increasingly more competitive with new playerss enteringthe market. At the same time, he said demanr is going up forproduction work. “I thinkj the outlook is positive. Videi is increasingly being used to train and now everybodu has video on theirWeb site,” Lowmann said. “The market has grown, but the competitionn has grown.” Colton said Rebel Rebel’s work has been evenly split between local, regional and national It recently hired a nationalsales representative. Coltom and Blankenship said they aren’t concerned with becomin g a larger company.
“We will continue to work with more people and create more Colton said. “In the short term, we want to find new build a base and do a varietyof
“We didn’t come out the but when people got a chance to see our work they realizes how solidwe are, and it’ s created relationships that have been continual,” said Dianna Colton, co-founderf of Rebel Rebel. Sinc e launching in 2007, Rebeo Rebel has provided productionand post-productiojn services — from commercials and videos to presentationas and video Web content — and has amassed a rostedr of notable clients, including GSD&M Idea City, Dell Inc., Sicol a Martin, Schematic and Door Numbee 3. The five-person production house grew 100 percent and is on target togenerate $1 million in revenue this year.
But before growth there was overcomingbeinbg new, said Chris Blankenship, the othe r co-founder of Rebel Rebel. “It was a littl tough getting in the door of some places at The first year was kind of I don’t think eithert of us realized how hard it would Blankenship said. Blankenship and Coltonh have experience and connections in the localproduction industry. Blankenship cut his teeth in production in Chinaq and has 17 years of experiencein editing, visualo effects and post production. Coltojn has executive producing experience, and she launched a successfupfashion business.
Blankenship said transitioning from a freelancer to a businessmab hasbeen challenging, and getting clients to think of Rebel Rebep for larger projects took some convincing at “We took a pretty good look at what we thoughy the business was going to be for us, and we had to come to some hard realizationss that that wasn’t the way thingsx were,” Blankenship said. In addition to beinyg persistent, Blankenship said the company’s flexibility in takinyg small and large projects has helped sellits services.
The companhy uses freelancers, which enables it to ramp up quicklyh for larger projects and to test out employeeds before adding them to their Blankenship said RebelRebeol hasn’t been entirely immune to the recession. It saw work plateauu in March, but for the most business hasbeen steady. “We’ve been pretty busy for the last he said. As a smaller productionj company, Rebel Rebel has been able to weather the recessiom a bit better because it has less Blankenship said. There are more than 20 film and videoi production companies in the CentralTexas region. Among the larges production companies here are Omeg aBroadcast Group, 501 Groupl Inc. and Elephant Productions Inc.
Quinct Lowman, president of Elephant Productions, says that the production landscape is getting increasingly more competitive with new playerss enteringthe market. At the same time, he said demanr is going up forproduction work. “I thinkj the outlook is positive. Videi is increasingly being used to train and now everybodu has video on theirWeb site,” Lowmann said. “The market has grown, but the competitionn has grown.” Colton said Rebel Rebel’s work has been evenly split between local, regional and national It recently hired a nationalsales representative. Coltom and Blankenship said they aren’t concerned with becomin g a larger company.
“We will continue to work with more people and create more Colton said. “In the short term, we want to find new build a base and do a varietyof
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Embarq, CenturyTel will become CenturyLink after merger - Kansas City Business Journal:
vidineevostegity.blogspot.com
billion sale to closes, expected this month. The rura phone companies on Tuesday announced the planned name and logo for thecombinedf company. CenturyLink will retain the CenturyTel (NYSE: CTL) trading “Our new brand name was selected because our customer s and employees told us it reflected a companty thatis forward-looking and committed to linkint the country together,” CenturyTel CEO Glen Post III, who also will be chiefr executive of CenturyLink, said in the release. The compang will begin operating under the new brand immediatelu upon closingthe deal.
In the followingh months, markets will be converted to the new with customers being notified in advance and the name beinbg added tocompany signs, vehicles and marketinvg materials. The logo is intended to represenrt the power of connecting peopls and businesses to one anothedr and tonew opportunities, locally and the release said. Overland Park-based Embarq (NYSE: EQ) and CenturyTel, baseds in Monroe, La., are — from the — before the deal can close. The headquartersw will be in A Denver brandconsulting agency, , helpeed develop the new brand strategy, name and logo, the releasre said. Together, the two companies will have about 7.
5 million access more than 2 million broadband customerx and morethan 400,000 video subscribers. will . Embar q ranks No. 3 on the Kansazs City BusinessJournal ’s list of area publicx companies.
billion sale to closes, expected this month. The rura phone companies on Tuesday announced the planned name and logo for thecombinedf company. CenturyLink will retain the CenturyTel (NYSE: CTL) trading “Our new brand name was selected because our customer s and employees told us it reflected a companty thatis forward-looking and committed to linkint the country together,” CenturyTel CEO Glen Post III, who also will be chiefr executive of CenturyLink, said in the release. The compang will begin operating under the new brand immediatelu upon closingthe deal.
In the followingh months, markets will be converted to the new with customers being notified in advance and the name beinbg added tocompany signs, vehicles and marketinvg materials. The logo is intended to represenrt the power of connecting peopls and businesses to one anothedr and tonew opportunities, locally and the release said. Overland Park-based Embarq (NYSE: EQ) and CenturyTel, baseds in Monroe, La., are — from the — before the deal can close. The headquartersw will be in A Denver brandconsulting agency, , helpeed develop the new brand strategy, name and logo, the releasre said. Together, the two companies will have about 7.
5 million access more than 2 million broadband customerx and morethan 400,000 video subscribers. will . Embar q ranks No. 3 on the Kansazs City BusinessJournal ’s list of area publicx companies.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Lingle orders unpaid days off for workers - Memphis Business Journal:
yjanebixe.wordpress.com
In an address broadcasrt from theState Capitol, Lingle also said she would scale back free Medicaird benefits to low-income adults and said the statse would delay paying some of its largert bills until July. The governofr is also asking the Judiciary, the and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to implement equivalent furlough days or restricfttheir budgets. Hawaii law does not allosw ordering furloughs for the Departmenof Education, the University of Hawaii or the Hawaiji Health Systems Corporation, but Lingle said their spending will be restricted in an amounty equivalent to the three-days-per-month The furloughs, which start July 1, amount to aboutr a 13.
8 percent pay cut, or about $5,500 for a workerd making $40,000 a year. As with layoffs, Lingle does not have to negotiat the furloughs with any of the unions representing state Lingle has saidshe doesn’t want to lay off workers because of the disruptive effect of contract rules that wouls enable senior workers to junior workers, even if they workesd in different state agencies. The furloughs will save $688 Lingle said the savings are needec to close a gapof $730 million between now and June 30, 2011, as forecast by the state’e Council on Revenues May 28. All told, Hawaii is expectec to see tax revenue fallby $2.
7 billion over the next two “If we do not implement the furlough plan, we woul have to lay off up to 10,000o employees to realize an equivalent amoun of savings,” Lingle said. The statde has about 46,000 workers, includinv 21,000 employees of the Departmengtof Education. Lingle blamed the fiscal shortfall on thelingerinb recession, rising unemployment, dropping visitor arrivals, a declin e in private building permits, a doubling of foreclosures, and recorrd bankruptcy levels. The state Legislature enderd its session last month by raising tax rates onhotell rooms, high-income earners, luxurhy home transactions and tobacc o to help meet the budgetg shortfall.
But Lingle, a Republican whos e vetoes of those measures were overridden bymajorith Democrats, said she would not ask for additionalp tax increases. She also rejected calls for legalizingy gambling. However, Lingle notec that 70 percent of state operating funds go to labor costs and that the statee had provided employee wage increase of betweej 16 and 29 percent over the past fouryear “when our economy was
In an address broadcasrt from theState Capitol, Lingle also said she would scale back free Medicaird benefits to low-income adults and said the statse would delay paying some of its largert bills until July. The governofr is also asking the Judiciary, the and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to implement equivalent furlough days or restricfttheir budgets. Hawaii law does not allosw ordering furloughs for the Departmenof Education, the University of Hawaii or the Hawaiji Health Systems Corporation, but Lingle said their spending will be restricted in an amounty equivalent to the three-days-per-month The furloughs, which start July 1, amount to aboutr a 13.
8 percent pay cut, or about $5,500 for a workerd making $40,000 a year. As with layoffs, Lingle does not have to negotiat the furloughs with any of the unions representing state Lingle has saidshe doesn’t want to lay off workers because of the disruptive effect of contract rules that wouls enable senior workers to junior workers, even if they workesd in different state agencies. The furloughs will save $688 Lingle said the savings are needec to close a gapof $730 million between now and June 30, 2011, as forecast by the state’e Council on Revenues May 28. All told, Hawaii is expectec to see tax revenue fallby $2.
7 billion over the next two “If we do not implement the furlough plan, we woul have to lay off up to 10,000o employees to realize an equivalent amoun of savings,” Lingle said. The statde has about 46,000 workers, includinv 21,000 employees of the Departmengtof Education. Lingle blamed the fiscal shortfall on thelingerinb recession, rising unemployment, dropping visitor arrivals, a declin e in private building permits, a doubling of foreclosures, and recorrd bankruptcy levels. The state Legislature enderd its session last month by raising tax rates onhotell rooms, high-income earners, luxurhy home transactions and tobacc o to help meet the budgetg shortfall.
But Lingle, a Republican whos e vetoes of those measures were overridden bymajorith Democrats, said she would not ask for additionalp tax increases. She also rejected calls for legalizingy gambling. However, Lingle notec that 70 percent of state operating funds go to labor costs and that the statee had provided employee wage increase of betweej 16 and 29 percent over the past fouryear “when our economy was
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
On the fringe: Tseng in a league of her own - MyrtleBeachOnline.com
youngmanmeledero1636.blogspot.com
MyrtleBeachOnline.com | On the fringe: Tseng in a league of her own MyrtleBeachOnline.com By Doug Ferguson - AP JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Yani Tseng is starting to draw comparisons with Tiger Woods when he was at his absolute best. Coming off a year in which she won 12 times around the world, Tseng started a new season by winning three of the ... < br />Golf Capsules: On The Fringe - Tseng in a league of her own |
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Paulson Capital reports Q2 revenue, earnings losses - Portland Business Journal:
yvejodo.wordpress.com
million led to second quarter revenue and earningz losses for For the quarter endinvgJune 30, the Portland parent company (NASDAQ: of had a revenue loss of $3.2 with an earnings loss of $4.8 million, or 81 cent per share, compared with revenue of $7.98 with earnings of $1 million, or 16 centss per share in the same quarter of 2007. “Challenginfg market conditions — particularly thosde affecting small and micro cap companies have resulted in a sharp declinwe in the number of initial publicofferingz (IPOs) and private equity transactions taking place,” said Chestert Paulson, chairman and CEO of Paulson Capital Corp.
, in a “During the first six monthws of 2007, there were 147 IPOs completerd in the U.S. markets, while only 42 have been completefin 2008, thus far. What’s more, 56 companiea have canceled planned IPOs since the first of this Asa consequence, investment banking firms nationwide have and our company is no exception.” For the first six monthsd of fiscal 2008, the independent brokerage firm had a revenude loss of $1 million, with an earningw loss of $6.96 million, or $1.16 per compared with revenue of $17.7 million, with earningsz of $3.8 million, or 61 cents per share, in the same perioe of last year.
million led to second quarter revenue and earningz losses for For the quarter endinvgJune 30, the Portland parent company (NASDAQ: of had a revenue loss of $3.2 with an earnings loss of $4.8 million, or 81 cent per share, compared with revenue of $7.98 with earnings of $1 million, or 16 centss per share in the same quarter of 2007. “Challenginfg market conditions — particularly thosde affecting small and micro cap companies have resulted in a sharp declinwe in the number of initial publicofferingz (IPOs) and private equity transactions taking place,” said Chestert Paulson, chairman and CEO of Paulson Capital Corp.
, in a “During the first six monthws of 2007, there were 147 IPOs completerd in the U.S. markets, while only 42 have been completefin 2008, thus far. What’s more, 56 companiea have canceled planned IPOs since the first of this Asa consequence, investment banking firms nationwide have and our company is no exception.” For the first six monthsd of fiscal 2008, the independent brokerage firm had a revenude loss of $1 million, with an earningw loss of $6.96 million, or $1.16 per compared with revenue of $17.7 million, with earningsz of $3.8 million, or 61 cents per share, in the same perioe of last year.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Higgins wants more NYPA funds in WNY - Business First of Buffalo:
gonyzyf.wordpress.com
The Buffalo Democrat, a frequent critid of the , whic h oversees the plant, has asked the state to turn over 36 percengt of net revenue for economic development and tourism effortsxin Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua and Orleanes counties. That would amount to some $65 million per year, Higginw said, and could create 14,000 jobs in five years "This community must stand up and claimk what isnaturally ours,” he said. “Like Florida profitsz from its sunshine and Californiq profits from itsPacific surf, Western new York must demaned our right to benefit from our lake that feeds our which generates the power producedf by Niagara falls.
” According to Higgins, in 2008 NYPA had a surplusw of $309 million, over 75 percent that was directly attributables to the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston. He the state agency’s own study found that only 14 percenyt of the economic benefit derived from that plany remains in WesternNew York. In a letter to both Gov. Davif Paterson and NYPA President and CEORichards Kessel, Higgins outlined his Among the projects noted is development of Buffalo’ds waterfront, including the Inner Harbofr area, as well as the Darwinh Martin House, Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Buffalo Zoo.
The Buffalo Democrat, a frequent critid of the , whic h oversees the plant, has asked the state to turn over 36 percengt of net revenue for economic development and tourism effortsxin Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua and Orleanes counties. That would amount to some $65 million per year, Higginw said, and could create 14,000 jobs in five years "This community must stand up and claimk what isnaturally ours,” he said. “Like Florida profitsz from its sunshine and Californiq profits from itsPacific surf, Western new York must demaned our right to benefit from our lake that feeds our which generates the power producedf by Niagara falls.
” According to Higgins, in 2008 NYPA had a surplusw of $309 million, over 75 percent that was directly attributables to the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston. He the state agency’s own study found that only 14 percenyt of the economic benefit derived from that plany remains in WesternNew York. In a letter to both Gov. Davif Paterson and NYPA President and CEORichards Kessel, Higgins outlined his Among the projects noted is development of Buffalo’ds waterfront, including the Inner Harbofr area, as well as the Darwinh Martin House, Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Buffalo Zoo.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tough times breed Ponzi schemes - Denver Business Journal:
ethelbertdiya3334.blogspot.com
“You have the astonishinb confluence of a significanyt downturn in the market coupled with great fear on the part of and a desireto liquidate,” said now a securities lawyer with LLP in Denver. “Investora don’t want to The stuff that fuels a Ponz scheme is taken fromthe market, so it can’t go From Bernie Madoff, who pleadedd guilty in March to the biggesy investment fraud in Wall Street history, to Aurorsa money manager Shawn Merriman, who has been accused by the of stealinhg at least $17 it seems like fraud is on the Until last December, the Securities and Exchange Commissionm (SEC) was bringing, on average, three fraud casee a month nationwide, said Don director of the SEC’s Denver regionalo office.
More than two dozen cases were broughy in the first quarterof 2009. “Wer come along after the paradwe and cleanup afterwards, so we don’t know what the paradr looks like,” Hoerl said. “Are there otherds out there? You have to believe that theree are, but there’s no way to really put any kind of numberon that.” The number of Coloradansw accused of fraud lately is reminiscent of the when Denver earned a dubious distinction as the penny-stock swindle capitalo of the world. But area regulators say that was adifferengt situation.
Colorado lawmakers loosened states securities law in creatinga hands-off regulatory environment in which penny-stocko promoters such as the late Meyer Blinder flourished. That era closed with the enactment of the Coloradp Securities Actin 1990. “Thre penny-stock thing was related to the laws that were in placr atthe time, in the ’80s,” said Fred Colorado securities commissioner. “We didn’t have the securitiez law that we have inplaced now.” Colorado’s most recent alleged Ponzi schemw involved Merriman, owner of Aurora-based investmentf firm Market Street Advisors.
Merrimajn allegedly raised $17 million to $20 million from at least 38 investors in Coloradkand elsewhere, according to a civil complainf the SEC filed in federal district courr in Denver on April 7. The investors believer that Merriman was investing thei money in stocksand options. Instead, he used it to suppor t a lavish lifestyle, including purchases of classic cars, motorcycles, a cabij in Idaho and millions of dollars wortyhof art, including works by the SEC claims. Funds obtained from late investors allegedly were used to repayearlier investors, whicgh is the definition of a Ponzji scheme.
Similar to a pyramid a Ponzi scheme is named after Charles who bilked tens of thousands of Bostonians out of nearly $15 million in 1920. Although he didn’r invent the scam, his version was so largr that his name became synonymousx with this typeof fraud. Ponzi’s investors thought he was buyingt international postal reply coupons in foreign countriex to redeem at face value in the UnitedStated — basically, foreign exchange Instead, he kept most of the money for and used funds from a rapidly expanding pool of new investorx to pay off early investors and keep the schem going as long as possible.
He eventually was convictes and sentto Stock-market crashes both expose and encouragew Ponzi schemes, Joseph said. They’re typically exposecd when multiple investors, who may have lost moneuy in stock andbond markets, seek to withdraw cash from the Ponzi operator. “Hee doesn’t have it, and then the wholes thing collapses,” Joseph said. “Therre are no new investors to pay theserguys off.” At the same time, when investorse are wary of traditional investments such as stocks, they’rwe more receptive to a fraudster’s “They’ll tout it as an alternative Joseph said.
“They’ll say, ‘You’ll lose money in the stock lookwhat it’s done. You can’t make money in a CD becausd the rates areso low. But I have the alternativ for you.’ On the one hand it exposesz them, and on the other hand it perpetratew them.” Merriman is the latest Coloradan to be accused of running aPonzoi scheme, but he’s by no means the first. In the SEC accused formerf Lone Tree money manager William Walters of operatin a Ponzi scheme that bilked about 80 investora outof $11.4 million between 2003 and 2006. Walters is believed to be livingin U.S. officials are trying to have him extradited back to theUnitedr States.
Also in February, a Denvee district court judge sentenced real estate promoteerFrederic “Rick” Dryer to 132 yeards in state prison for a $34 million Ponzi schemd involving more than 1,200 His sentence was even longer than that imposerd on Denver financial adviser Will Hoover in 2004. Hoover is serving 100 yearsz in Sterling Correctional Facility fora $15 million scheme. There’d no evidence Colorado has more of these schemes than anyothedr state, regulators say. It sometimesd can seem that way.
“You have the astonishinb confluence of a significanyt downturn in the market coupled with great fear on the part of and a desireto liquidate,” said now a securities lawyer with LLP in Denver. “Investora don’t want to The stuff that fuels a Ponz scheme is taken fromthe market, so it can’t go From Bernie Madoff, who pleadedd guilty in March to the biggesy investment fraud in Wall Street history, to Aurorsa money manager Shawn Merriman, who has been accused by the of stealinhg at least $17 it seems like fraud is on the Until last December, the Securities and Exchange Commissionm (SEC) was bringing, on average, three fraud casee a month nationwide, said Don director of the SEC’s Denver regionalo office.
More than two dozen cases were broughy in the first quarterof 2009. “Wer come along after the paradwe and cleanup afterwards, so we don’t know what the paradr looks like,” Hoerl said. “Are there otherds out there? You have to believe that theree are, but there’s no way to really put any kind of numberon that.” The number of Coloradansw accused of fraud lately is reminiscent of the when Denver earned a dubious distinction as the penny-stock swindle capitalo of the world. But area regulators say that was adifferengt situation.
Colorado lawmakers loosened states securities law in creatinga hands-off regulatory environment in which penny-stocko promoters such as the late Meyer Blinder flourished. That era closed with the enactment of the Coloradp Securities Actin 1990. “Thre penny-stock thing was related to the laws that were in placr atthe time, in the ’80s,” said Fred Colorado securities commissioner. “We didn’t have the securitiez law that we have inplaced now.” Colorado’s most recent alleged Ponzi schemw involved Merriman, owner of Aurora-based investmentf firm Market Street Advisors.
Merrimajn allegedly raised $17 million to $20 million from at least 38 investors in Coloradkand elsewhere, according to a civil complainf the SEC filed in federal district courr in Denver on April 7. The investors believer that Merriman was investing thei money in stocksand options. Instead, he used it to suppor t a lavish lifestyle, including purchases of classic cars, motorcycles, a cabij in Idaho and millions of dollars wortyhof art, including works by the SEC claims. Funds obtained from late investors allegedly were used to repayearlier investors, whicgh is the definition of a Ponzji scheme.
Similar to a pyramid a Ponzi scheme is named after Charles who bilked tens of thousands of Bostonians out of nearly $15 million in 1920. Although he didn’r invent the scam, his version was so largr that his name became synonymousx with this typeof fraud. Ponzi’s investors thought he was buyingt international postal reply coupons in foreign countriex to redeem at face value in the UnitedStated — basically, foreign exchange Instead, he kept most of the money for and used funds from a rapidly expanding pool of new investorx to pay off early investors and keep the schem going as long as possible.
He eventually was convictes and sentto Stock-market crashes both expose and encouragew Ponzi schemes, Joseph said. They’re typically exposecd when multiple investors, who may have lost moneuy in stock andbond markets, seek to withdraw cash from the Ponzi operator. “Hee doesn’t have it, and then the wholes thing collapses,” Joseph said. “Therre are no new investors to pay theserguys off.” At the same time, when investorse are wary of traditional investments such as stocks, they’rwe more receptive to a fraudster’s “They’ll tout it as an alternative Joseph said.
“They’ll say, ‘You’ll lose money in the stock lookwhat it’s done. You can’t make money in a CD becausd the rates areso low. But I have the alternativ for you.’ On the one hand it exposesz them, and on the other hand it perpetratew them.” Merriman is the latest Coloradan to be accused of running aPonzoi scheme, but he’s by no means the first. In the SEC accused formerf Lone Tree money manager William Walters of operatin a Ponzi scheme that bilked about 80 investora outof $11.4 million between 2003 and 2006. Walters is believed to be livingin U.S. officials are trying to have him extradited back to theUnitedr States.
Also in February, a Denvee district court judge sentenced real estate promoteerFrederic “Rick” Dryer to 132 yeards in state prison for a $34 million Ponzi schemd involving more than 1,200 His sentence was even longer than that imposerd on Denver financial adviser Will Hoover in 2004. Hoover is serving 100 yearsz in Sterling Correctional Facility fora $15 million scheme. There’d no evidence Colorado has more of these schemes than anyothedr state, regulators say. It sometimesd can seem that way.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Bank of America Shares Top $10 First Time Since August - Bloomberg
fixyruw.wordpress.com
Bloomberg | Bank of America Shares Top $10 First Time Since August Bloomberg Bank of America Corp., the second- biggest US lender by assets, topped $10 in New York trading for the first time since August amid a r » |
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Marketing at festivals can be way to draw customers - Phoenix Business Journal:
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Festival organizers say they are working hard this year to tailofr marketing opportunities to meet the needs of theitrlocal sponsors. One new marketing opportunitg at Summerfest is gate saidJohn Boler, ’s vice president of sales and marketing. Four businesses , U.S. Cellular, and Chipotle will give a promotional item to patronsx at select times on four separatde days duringthe 11-day music festival. Bolefr said the program is probablgy one of the most economical sponsorshipp opportunitiesat Summerfest, although he declined to say what fee companied pay.
“If they have a particular product they want to put in our hands or if they want to put a special offer that will bounce that patron back to the retaikl establishment afteran event, that’s how these programs can providse benefit to a local marketer,” he said. Marcus Hotels & Resorts will have two new promotionas at Summerfest and also for the first time has createc room packagesaround Milwaukee’s ethnic festivals. The first 5,00 patrons through the Summerfest gates on June 27 beginning at noon will receive a gift card booklet with discountsfor Marcus-owned businesses, such as the Well Spa and Masonj Street Grill at The Pfistefr Hotel.
On Family Day, Marcusw also will distribute cups withthe company’w water park logos and a card inside that will be good for 50 game tokensz at either of its Paradise Landinh or Timber Ridge Lodge water In addition, Marcus will have a bootgh at Irish Fest in Augustr promoting an opportunity for guests to book theier stay for next year’s festival. Marcusw has created an Irish Fest package for an extendedx stay vacation that comes with authentic IrishFest memorabilia. The compant also has created a “Seize the 3-Day package that offers visitors to all ofthe city’s festivalse a free third night if they book two nights, said Chries Anderson, a Marcus spokesman.
Marketing at the festivalws is economical, Anderson said. “It’sa old-fashioned direct sales,” Andersohn said. “Face-to-face sales are stillp some of the best formof selling. You have a great chancs of converting that customer intoa vacationer.” Otherd local companies said the festivals provide an opportunit y to reach their target markets and be seen as a communit supporter. sponsors the Liturgy on Sundayand children’s activities at Irish Fest.
The company will sponsorr the Family Passport program at theethnicv festival, for which families pick up a passpory and travel with their children to 10 festivao destinations highlighting education and Irish “It’s a great opportunity for Catholic Knights to be seen supportiny community organizations,” said Bill O’Toole, the Milwaukede company’s president and chief executive officer. “It showws that we’re supportive of community organizationsx that share our By supporting activities such as the Liturgy and Passport the company also reaches itstarget market, O’Toole said.
Figurintg out ways to help businesses reacb their audience is an importang part of keeping sponsors coming back toIrisu Fest, said Jane Anderson, Irish Fest executives director. Companies are “always looking to get the visibility and the she said. Sponsorship dollars are down for Festwa Italianathis year, said Henry Piano, Fest a Italiana chairman. But the festival has attractedc some new local includingPiggly Wiggly.
Festival organizers say they are working hard this year to tailofr marketing opportunities to meet the needs of theitrlocal sponsors. One new marketing opportunitg at Summerfest is gate saidJohn Boler, ’s vice president of sales and marketing. Four businesses , U.S. Cellular, and Chipotle will give a promotional item to patronsx at select times on four separatde days duringthe 11-day music festival. Bolefr said the program is probablgy one of the most economical sponsorshipp opportunitiesat Summerfest, although he declined to say what fee companied pay.
“If they have a particular product they want to put in our hands or if they want to put a special offer that will bounce that patron back to the retaikl establishment afteran event, that’s how these programs can providse benefit to a local marketer,” he said. Marcus Hotels & Resorts will have two new promotionas at Summerfest and also for the first time has createc room packagesaround Milwaukee’s ethnic festivals. The first 5,00 patrons through the Summerfest gates on June 27 beginning at noon will receive a gift card booklet with discountsfor Marcus-owned businesses, such as the Well Spa and Masonj Street Grill at The Pfistefr Hotel.
On Family Day, Marcusw also will distribute cups withthe company’w water park logos and a card inside that will be good for 50 game tokensz at either of its Paradise Landinh or Timber Ridge Lodge water In addition, Marcus will have a bootgh at Irish Fest in Augustr promoting an opportunity for guests to book theier stay for next year’s festival. Marcusw has created an Irish Fest package for an extendedx stay vacation that comes with authentic IrishFest memorabilia. The compant also has created a “Seize the 3-Day package that offers visitors to all ofthe city’s festivalse a free third night if they book two nights, said Chries Anderson, a Marcus spokesman.
Marketing at the festivalws is economical, Anderson said. “It’sa old-fashioned direct sales,” Andersohn said. “Face-to-face sales are stillp some of the best formof selling. You have a great chancs of converting that customer intoa vacationer.” Otherd local companies said the festivals provide an opportunit y to reach their target markets and be seen as a communit supporter. sponsors the Liturgy on Sundayand children’s activities at Irish Fest.
The company will sponsorr the Family Passport program at theethnicv festival, for which families pick up a passpory and travel with their children to 10 festivao destinations highlighting education and Irish “It’s a great opportunity for Catholic Knights to be seen supportiny community organizations,” said Bill O’Toole, the Milwaukede company’s president and chief executive officer. “It showws that we’re supportive of community organizationsx that share our By supporting activities such as the Liturgy and Passport the company also reaches itstarget market, O’Toole said.
Figurintg out ways to help businesses reacb their audience is an importang part of keeping sponsors coming back toIrisu Fest, said Jane Anderson, Irish Fest executives director. Companies are “always looking to get the visibility and the she said. Sponsorship dollars are down for Festwa Italianathis year, said Henry Piano, Fest a Italiana chairman. But the festival has attractedc some new local includingPiggly Wiggly.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Cash America closing 43 sites - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
, is reviewing its Ohio stores but it’s not readyg to announce plans here. The companuy recently laid off 20 employees at its SycamorwTownship headquarters, where it operate under the name . In August, the company took out licenses to offerf installment loans at up to 73Ohio locations. Spokesmajn Jeff Kursman said an announcementy could come within a week regarding 71 OhioCheck ’nj Go stores that employ aboutf 150 people. “Operating under the restrictionsz set forth in House Bill 545 is notan option,” Kursman said.
“We will continue to explors opportunities permitted under Ohio law to support our customers with financiaol products and to provide jobs forour associates.” The Fort Texas-based Cash America International on Wednesday said it will closer 43 Cashland shops in the coming months. The decisiom comes a day after 64 percent of Ohio voters cast their ballots in favor ofIssue 5, which supports a law that caps interesty rates payday lenders can charge customers on short-tern loans at 28 percent a year.
The paydah lending industry foughta high-profile battle to repeapl portions of House Bill 545, sayintg the interest rate cap and other limitations would drive many of them out of the Payday lenders had hoped to returb to a rate structure that allowed them to charge an annualizerd 391 percent. Cash America’s plans to closr the 43 shops – it runs about 140 in the including more than a dozeb in GreaterCincinnati – will cost 150 jobs, the compan said. Spokeswoman Mary Jackson said CashAmerica isn’t disclosing the stored to be shut until it informs workers. “Aas you can imagine, we have employeex who are very upsetright now,” she said.
Ohio’s Issud 5 passed with a 63-36 percent margin. The lending law severelyy limits the interest rates payday lenders canoffer consumers. Lenderes said passage of the interest rate cap would drivee them out ofthe state.
, is reviewing its Ohio stores but it’s not readyg to announce plans here. The companuy recently laid off 20 employees at its SycamorwTownship headquarters, where it operate under the name . In August, the company took out licenses to offerf installment loans at up to 73Ohio locations. Spokesmajn Jeff Kursman said an announcementy could come within a week regarding 71 OhioCheck ’nj Go stores that employ aboutf 150 people. “Operating under the restrictionsz set forth in House Bill 545 is notan option,” Kursman said.
“We will continue to explors opportunities permitted under Ohio law to support our customers with financiaol products and to provide jobs forour associates.” The Fort Texas-based Cash America International on Wednesday said it will closer 43 Cashland shops in the coming months. The decisiom comes a day after 64 percent of Ohio voters cast their ballots in favor ofIssue 5, which supports a law that caps interesty rates payday lenders can charge customers on short-tern loans at 28 percent a year.
The paydah lending industry foughta high-profile battle to repeapl portions of House Bill 545, sayintg the interest rate cap and other limitations would drive many of them out of the Payday lenders had hoped to returb to a rate structure that allowed them to charge an annualizerd 391 percent. Cash America’s plans to closr the 43 shops – it runs about 140 in the including more than a dozeb in GreaterCincinnati – will cost 150 jobs, the compan said. Spokeswoman Mary Jackson said CashAmerica isn’t disclosing the stored to be shut until it informs workers. “Aas you can imagine, we have employeex who are very upsetright now,” she said.
Ohio’s Issud 5 passed with a 63-36 percent margin. The lending law severelyy limits the interest rates payday lenders canoffer consumers. Lenderes said passage of the interest rate cap would drivee them out ofthe state.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Dirty South and Other Observations - Wall Street Journal
authors-morphology.blogspot.com
Wall Street Journal | The Dirty South and Other Observations Wall Street Journal AP Likeliest to knock off the No. 1 seed: If No. 3 Florida State manages to sustain its late-season surgeâ€"it upset Duke and North Carolina back to back in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournamentâ€"the Seminoles could make a run at the Orange. |
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Health reform details emerge - Denver Business Journal:
cahijisebi.wordpress.com
percent of the cost of health insurance premiumwfor full-time employees under the health care reform bill being considerexd by the House. They also woulx be required to pick up at leastt some of the tab forinsurinvg part-time employees. Businesses that don’t providd this minimum level of coverage would be required to pay the federal government a fee based on 8 percenft oftheir payroll. Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determined threshold would be exemptex fromthis “play or pay” requirement.
The chairmenj of three House committees with jurisdiction over health care introduced drafrt legislationJune 19, offering the most details yet on how healtn care reform could affect small Under the bill, small businesses and individuals couldx shop for insurance through a nationakl exchange, which would include a government-rum plan and private insurers. Tax credits would be available to help small businesses afford the Health insurance premiumsfor U.S. businesses increasec by 9.2 percent this year, and are expected to increase anotherr 9 percentnext year, according to Small businesses often face much higher rate hikes.
While most small businesses agree the current health insuranc e marketis dysfunctional, there’s a lot of disagreemeny over whether the House bill would cure the proble or just make it worse. Mike who owns a retail clothing store and desigm business called Smash inDes Moines, Iowa, likesa what he sees in the bill. Draper thinks adding a publi c plan would hold down premiums by creating more competition in the Draper doesn’t offer health insurance to its seven full-timee workers, but reimburses them for the cost of policies they buy on their own. That’es fine with his employees, who are single and in their 20s.
The reimbursementx now account for 6 percentof Smash’as payroll, but that coule jump to 22 percent in four when Draper expects everyone on his management team to have creating the need for family His business couldn’t handle that expense, he said. If the House bill were enacted, he would consider buying insuranced through the exchange if it were easyto use. But he mighgt decide to pay the 8 percent payrololfee instead, then reimburse his employees for some of the cost of the policies they purchase through the exchange. Drapefr thinks employers should be requirer to help pay for their health insurance.
Like Social Security contributions, this sort of responsibilitt is “kind of what you signed up for” when you becomse a business owner, he said. Other smalll business owners, however, think the House bill imposees too tough of a standard onsmall businesses. The requirement to pay 72.5 percent of an employee’s premiumm for individual coverage “is much too high for many small businesses,” says Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the SmalpBusiness & Entrepreneurship Council. The only way many smalll businesses can afford coverage is by making employees pick up more of the she said. Arlington, Va.-basesd Company Flowers & Gifts Too!
, for pays 50 percent of the cost of health insurance forseven full-time employees. Even that may not be affordable next because “our rates are going to skyrocket,” co-ownetr John Nicholson told the House Small Business Committee earlier this
percent of the cost of health insurance premiumwfor full-time employees under the health care reform bill being considerexd by the House. They also woulx be required to pick up at leastt some of the tab forinsurinvg part-time employees. Businesses that don’t providd this minimum level of coverage would be required to pay the federal government a fee based on 8 percenft oftheir payroll. Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determined threshold would be exemptex fromthis “play or pay” requirement.
The chairmenj of three House committees with jurisdiction over health care introduced drafrt legislationJune 19, offering the most details yet on how healtn care reform could affect small Under the bill, small businesses and individuals couldx shop for insurance through a nationakl exchange, which would include a government-rum plan and private insurers. Tax credits would be available to help small businesses afford the Health insurance premiumsfor U.S. businesses increasec by 9.2 percent this year, and are expected to increase anotherr 9 percentnext year, according to Small businesses often face much higher rate hikes.
While most small businesses agree the current health insuranc e marketis dysfunctional, there’s a lot of disagreemeny over whether the House bill would cure the proble or just make it worse. Mike who owns a retail clothing store and desigm business called Smash inDes Moines, Iowa, likesa what he sees in the bill. Draper thinks adding a publi c plan would hold down premiums by creating more competition in the Draper doesn’t offer health insurance to its seven full-timee workers, but reimburses them for the cost of policies they buy on their own. That’es fine with his employees, who are single and in their 20s.
The reimbursementx now account for 6 percentof Smash’as payroll, but that coule jump to 22 percent in four when Draper expects everyone on his management team to have creating the need for family His business couldn’t handle that expense, he said. If the House bill were enacted, he would consider buying insuranced through the exchange if it were easyto use. But he mighgt decide to pay the 8 percent payrololfee instead, then reimburse his employees for some of the cost of the policies they purchase through the exchange. Drapefr thinks employers should be requirer to help pay for their health insurance.
Like Social Security contributions, this sort of responsibilitt is “kind of what you signed up for” when you becomse a business owner, he said. Other smalll business owners, however, think the House bill imposees too tough of a standard onsmall businesses. The requirement to pay 72.5 percent of an employee’s premiumm for individual coverage “is much too high for many small businesses,” says Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the SmalpBusiness & Entrepreneurship Council. The only way many smalll businesses can afford coverage is by making employees pick up more of the she said. Arlington, Va.-basesd Company Flowers & Gifts Too!
, for pays 50 percent of the cost of health insurance forseven full-time employees. Even that may not be affordable next because “our rates are going to skyrocket,” co-ownetr John Nicholson told the House Small Business Committee earlier this
Thursday, March 8, 2012
D.C. Mayor taps Valerie Santos as deputy mayor - Pittsburgh Business Times:
http://traillscrestloft.com/in-the-city-cheap-hotels-booking.html
Santos, as chief operating officer under Albert, has been closel y involved in decision-making on many of the real estater dealsAlbert managed, including majo r city projects such as Poplar Point. Albertf began his new job as city administratoron Monday, replacing Dan who is taking a job in the Obamw administration. "In Ms. Santos, we not only have a steady hand who knowdthe job, we have someone who is a consummatee professional who will bring private-sector talents to get the job Fenty said. Santos was previously a vice presidenrt at commercial real estate services firm and a manage rwith 's real estate group.
She holdds both an MBA and master'sz of public policy from the Kennedy School of Governmentat . Santos has displayed a no-nonsense approacyh appearing as Albert’s stand-in to testify at D.C. Councikl meetings and in publixc forums representing the city when he was She is already getting her feet wet in dealing with the politicalk aspects ofthe job. On when the D.C. Council was busy squaring away final detaild of budgetimplementation legislation, Santoxs and Albert’s other top deputy, Director of Developmenrt David Jannarone, moved around the Wilson Building seeking changex from council members.
Santos apparently was not Fenty’ s initial choice to be deputy Greg O’Dell, Washington Convention Center Authority CEO and a former staff member of the deputy mayor’s office, had been consideredf a top candidate to replace Albert, but a source closd to O'Dell says he was offered the job and turned it down. O’Dell would not confirm that, but indicated he would remainn in hiscurrent post, where he is now taskef with seeking public financing for all of a $550 millionh convention center hotel.
“The board and the mayor have every expectation of me completing all the tasks Ihave here,” he Fenty would not say whether he had offeredx the job to O’Dell or anyone else befores Santos. He announced the pick outsid e the Walker JonesElementary School, whicuh is being rebuilt as part of a new Northwesgt One neighborhood, and said she was “thr first person who has risen to the deputgy mayor’s position from within the ranks.” “II think it’s a great sign for the D.C.
governmengt that not only does Valerise Santos have amazing experience in the private sector butthat she’es been hard at work serving the people of the District of Columbiwa for the last two years,” the mayoer said. He said Santos sharedr the vision that he and Albert had for how economic development in the city shoulebe run, not by owningg or overly managing projects but by allowing the private sectorf to bring ideas to the “We should try to just facilitate development. We’ve got the greatest business communitu in the world herein D.C. We don’t need to try to replicat what they’re doing. We don’t need an emphasis on ownin or building inthe D.C.
We need to facilitate. And to do so, we need to hire the best and the brightestyand we’ve done that.” Santos, 36, who livees in Columbia Heights, was working for Jones Lang LaSallde as a consultant to the city when Alber -- whom she called a mentor -- recruitefd her to work for him. She is believed to be the firs woman to serve in the rolefor D.C. and will managse 65 employees and as well as oversee the Office of Department of Housing andCommunity Development, the Officd of Property Management and the Washington D.C. Economic a contractor.
“In the coming weeks my goal is to ensurer asmooth transition, whicy I expect will be relativelu easy, because I am very fortunate to managde a very talented and skilleds team,” she said. She said she woul continue to move projects all over the with a particular focus on thosew east of the Anacostia such as the planned redevelopmentof St. Elizabethse Hospital in Southeast D.C. “We will continur to focus on implementingMayor Fenty’s vision for economic development. In the contexft of the currenteconomic climate, we will focu on business attraction and retention efforts, and in continuing to provide tools to alloew our local business and not-for-profits to she said.
A member of the D.C. Council who regularly butts headswith Albert, Councilman Kwame D-at large and chaidr of the economic development committee, issuedr a press release during the announcement saying he was disappointec he was not invited but saying Santos “has the experience and the operationalo knowledge” for the job and that her appointmenrt was “an opportunity to forgse a new relationship between the Councikl and the executive to create jobs for District new opportunities for local businesses, more affordable housinb and to efficiently move projects to completion.
”
Santos, as chief operating officer under Albert, has been closel y involved in decision-making on many of the real estater dealsAlbert managed, including majo r city projects such as Poplar Point. Albertf began his new job as city administratoron Monday, replacing Dan who is taking a job in the Obamw administration. "In Ms. Santos, we not only have a steady hand who knowdthe job, we have someone who is a consummatee professional who will bring private-sector talents to get the job Fenty said. Santos was previously a vice presidenrt at commercial real estate services firm and a manage rwith 's real estate group.
She holdds both an MBA and master'sz of public policy from the Kennedy School of Governmentat . Santos has displayed a no-nonsense approacyh appearing as Albert’s stand-in to testify at D.C. Councikl meetings and in publixc forums representing the city when he was She is already getting her feet wet in dealing with the politicalk aspects ofthe job. On when the D.C. Council was busy squaring away final detaild of budgetimplementation legislation, Santoxs and Albert’s other top deputy, Director of Developmenrt David Jannarone, moved around the Wilson Building seeking changex from council members.
Santos apparently was not Fenty’ s initial choice to be deputy Greg O’Dell, Washington Convention Center Authority CEO and a former staff member of the deputy mayor’s office, had been consideredf a top candidate to replace Albert, but a source closd to O'Dell says he was offered the job and turned it down. O’Dell would not confirm that, but indicated he would remainn in hiscurrent post, where he is now taskef with seeking public financing for all of a $550 millionh convention center hotel.
“The board and the mayor have every expectation of me completing all the tasks Ihave here,” he Fenty would not say whether he had offeredx the job to O’Dell or anyone else befores Santos. He announced the pick outsid e the Walker JonesElementary School, whicuh is being rebuilt as part of a new Northwesgt One neighborhood, and said she was “thr first person who has risen to the deputgy mayor’s position from within the ranks.” “II think it’s a great sign for the D.C.
governmengt that not only does Valerise Santos have amazing experience in the private sector butthat she’es been hard at work serving the people of the District of Columbiwa for the last two years,” the mayoer said. He said Santos sharedr the vision that he and Albert had for how economic development in the city shoulebe run, not by owningg or overly managing projects but by allowing the private sectorf to bring ideas to the “We should try to just facilitate development. We’ve got the greatest business communitu in the world herein D.C. We don’t need to try to replicat what they’re doing. We don’t need an emphasis on ownin or building inthe D.C.
We need to facilitate. And to do so, we need to hire the best and the brightestyand we’ve done that.” Santos, 36, who livees in Columbia Heights, was working for Jones Lang LaSallde as a consultant to the city when Alber -- whom she called a mentor -- recruitefd her to work for him. She is believed to be the firs woman to serve in the rolefor D.C. and will managse 65 employees and as well as oversee the Office of Department of Housing andCommunity Development, the Officd of Property Management and the Washington D.C. Economic a contractor.
“In the coming weeks my goal is to ensurer asmooth transition, whicy I expect will be relativelu easy, because I am very fortunate to managde a very talented and skilleds team,” she said. She said she woul continue to move projects all over the with a particular focus on thosew east of the Anacostia such as the planned redevelopmentof St. Elizabethse Hospital in Southeast D.C. “We will continur to focus on implementingMayor Fenty’s vision for economic development. In the contexft of the currenteconomic climate, we will focu on business attraction and retention efforts, and in continuing to provide tools to alloew our local business and not-for-profits to she said.
A member of the D.C. Council who regularly butts headswith Albert, Councilman Kwame D-at large and chaidr of the economic development committee, issuedr a press release during the announcement saying he was disappointec he was not invited but saying Santos “has the experience and the operationalo knowledge” for the job and that her appointmenrt was “an opportunity to forgse a new relationship between the Councikl and the executive to create jobs for District new opportunities for local businesses, more affordable housinb and to efficiently move projects to completion.
”
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Youthbuild Boston Inc. Company Profile | Company Information
ycoguqi.wordpress.com
Launched in 1990 with 28 young people in achurcjh basement, YBB was the first replicatiohn of the YouthBuild model outside of New York. The mission of YouthBuilrd Boston Inc. (YBB) is to improve opportunities for youngh people of Boston by teaching skillds that will equip them to support themselves and help develop personapl andneighborhood responsibility. The guidingg principle of YBB is "Youth or young when treated asvaluable resources, will realize that they can be partnersd in rebuilding their community".
YBB realizes that the difficulties that youngy people face must be overcome by addressing the terrible and overwhelminfg lack of empowerment that they often These feelings are reinforced by a society that views them as part of the and notthe solution. YBB recognizes that these individuals are capablre of and vital to improving their livee and the condition ofthei community. YBB has been successful since its YBB, along with other agencies has contributed to the vibrancyg ofthe community.
Consistent fundin from the Department of Housing andUrban AmeriCorps, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, YouthBuild USA, the privatr foundation community, corporations, and individuals, has enabled us to serve Bostomn youth. We do this through the operation offour programs.
Launched in 1990 with 28 young people in achurcjh basement, YBB was the first replicatiohn of the YouthBuild model outside of New York. The mission of YouthBuilrd Boston Inc. (YBB) is to improve opportunities for youngh people of Boston by teaching skillds that will equip them to support themselves and help develop personapl andneighborhood responsibility. The guidingg principle of YBB is "Youth or young when treated asvaluable resources, will realize that they can be partnersd in rebuilding their community".
YBB realizes that the difficulties that youngy people face must be overcome by addressing the terrible and overwhelminfg lack of empowerment that they often These feelings are reinforced by a society that views them as part of the and notthe solution. YBB recognizes that these individuals are capablre of and vital to improving their livee and the condition ofthei community. YBB has been successful since its YBB, along with other agencies has contributed to the vibrancyg ofthe community.
Consistent fundin from the Department of Housing andUrban AmeriCorps, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, YouthBuild USA, the privatr foundation community, corporations, and individuals, has enabled us to serve Bostomn youth. We do this through the operation offour programs.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Patterson turned into a cheerleader on Gophers' two goals - Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)
hydiuco.blogspot.com
Patterson turned into a cheerleader on Gophers' two goals Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog) As it turned out, UMD and SCSU tied 3-3 after a scoreless overtime. So the Gophers finished 20-8-0 in the conference for 40 points, the Bulldogs 16-7-5 for 37 points. "Our senior class has been working for moments like this for our whole four years," ... |
Friday, March 2, 2012
Displacement is essential to Beauregard redevelopment plan - Alexandria Times
uzirukynurylew.blogspot.com
Alexandria Times | Displacement is essential to Beauregard redevelopment plan Alexandria Times Following an exhaustive tug-of-war over waterfront redevelopment, city planners, residents and developers have begun a new battle for the future of Alexandria, this time in the city's northwest corner: the Beauregard and Mark Center neighborhoods. |
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Express lane popularity waning - South Florida Business Journal:
mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com
According the most recent statistica fromthe (FDOT) Districty 6 office, about 23,500 vehicles used the toll lanez in May. “We’re aboutr 10 percent less than we had projectefd atthis point,” said Rory the FDOT engineer in charge of the Still, he said, “I’m not unhapph with the results we’re having at all.” Tollinbg along the two-lane, 7-mile stretch, whicb runs northbound from I-195 to the Goldenn Glades interchange, began in earl December. Total express lane trafficx from Dec. 5 through Jan. 3 was 516,000 For May, however, traffic fell to somewherer inthe mid-400,000s, Santana said.
Revenuee from the lanes, however, rose to $438,000 in May from $380,00 in January. While revenuer fell from the peakof $472,000 in March, it has remaines above $400,000 since Tolls vary from 25 centx to $6.20, depending on the level of congestiob on the highway. Also, the number of peoplee registered to use the lanee for free hasincreased steadily, said Jim Udvardy, project whose agency oversees registration. About 4,400 individuals are registered, he That’s up from 3,500 in January, when there was a rush to take advantagw of thenew lanes. Registered commutera with three or more peopler in their vehicles can use the express lanedsfor free.
The same applies to registered hybrid vehiclesand motorcycles. “The commuters who are actuallyt using the lanesI don’t think could be any more pleased,” Udvardy said. The express lanesx may be getting slightlyg less usage than anticipated due to the fact that more peopler are out of work or usingpublic transit, Santana said. He said more people may use the northboun express lanes once the southbounfd express lanes open for tollin before the end ofthe year, making driving easiet in both directions, he added. The southbound lane s will run from the Golden Glades interchanges todowntown Miami, he said.
There are also plansd to eventually extend the northbound express lanes nort h intoBroward County, Santana said. FDOT is also studying the possibilityg of one day extending the express lanes nortn into PalmBeach County, FDOT spokeswoman Barbara Kelleher said.
According the most recent statistica fromthe (FDOT) Districty 6 office, about 23,500 vehicles used the toll lanez in May. “We’re aboutr 10 percent less than we had projectefd atthis point,” said Rory the FDOT engineer in charge of the Still, he said, “I’m not unhapph with the results we’re having at all.” Tollinbg along the two-lane, 7-mile stretch, whicb runs northbound from I-195 to the Goldenn Glades interchange, began in earl December. Total express lane trafficx from Dec. 5 through Jan. 3 was 516,000 For May, however, traffic fell to somewherer inthe mid-400,000s, Santana said.
Revenuee from the lanes, however, rose to $438,000 in May from $380,00 in January. While revenuer fell from the peakof $472,000 in March, it has remaines above $400,000 since Tolls vary from 25 centx to $6.20, depending on the level of congestiob on the highway. Also, the number of peoplee registered to use the lanee for free hasincreased steadily, said Jim Udvardy, project whose agency oversees registration. About 4,400 individuals are registered, he That’s up from 3,500 in January, when there was a rush to take advantagw of thenew lanes. Registered commutera with three or more peopler in their vehicles can use the express lanedsfor free.
The same applies to registered hybrid vehiclesand motorcycles. “The commuters who are actuallyt using the lanesI don’t think could be any more pleased,” Udvardy said. The express lanesx may be getting slightlyg less usage than anticipated due to the fact that more peopler are out of work or usingpublic transit, Santana said. He said more people may use the northboun express lanes once the southbounfd express lanes open for tollin before the end ofthe year, making driving easiet in both directions, he added. The southbound lane s will run from the Golden Glades interchanges todowntown Miami, he said.
There are also plansd to eventually extend the northbound express lanes nort h intoBroward County, Santana said. FDOT is also studying the possibilityg of one day extending the express lanes nortn into PalmBeach County, FDOT spokeswoman Barbara Kelleher said.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Longtime publisher buys Girls' Life - Baltimore Business Journal:
http://www.apowerdesigns.com/2007/02/microsoft-ffice-any-alternatives/
Financed through a loan from , Bokram paid $300,00 0 with the remaining $600,000 due Aug. 16, 2007, accordingf to SEC filings dated Dec. 4. who founded the magazine, said that buying the title had alwayzs been one ofher "I think it's every founder's dream to one day be the sole owner," said a Detroit native who has worke d for and Seventeen magazine. Girls' Life publishez six times a year and the majority of its readerzs are between the ages of 11and 14. In additionm to the magazine, 's assets include a Web site and book The magazine sellsabout 400,000 copieas per issue, including newsstand and subscriptioh sales.
Bokram said she plans to enhance the Web site and add a dozen new book titlesthis year. Sales for Girls' Life totaled $3.8 milliohn during fiscal year a 9 percent decreasw over fiscal year 2005of $4.1 million. The decrease was mostlh the result of declining revenues from subscription Advertising revenues increased by 22 percent tonearlty $1.3 million. Bokram said she expects to increase subscriptions by increasing direcft mail effortsthis year. In July, Monarch shuttereed Peerce's Plantation, the unprofitable Baltimore Countt restaurantit operated.
In Augustt 2005, Monarch was delisted from the SmallCap Marketf because the company had not compliedd with corporategovernance requirements. LifeBridg Health has launched a new advertising campaign to promote its specialistd who treat brain andspinse disorders. Created by Milwaukee, advertising firm , the promotionsx include a 60-second television commercial, print and billboardsw that wentup Jan. 2. LifeBridge officials declinedc to say how much they spent on the highproductiohn ads, except that it was a significant investment. The billboardws are part of what LifeBridge describes as a campaign that will be followed up with new informatiom in thecoming weeks.
One billboard, for instance, featurez a dog with a sign reading, "I'ved missed 2,137 walks." In the follow-up ad, the sign reads, "I've missed 2,137 walks due to my owner'x back pain." The TV ads will run through mid-March while the billboards will remain upthrough June. The ads promote the launcu of the LifeBridge Health Brain Spine Institute, a consortium of neurologists, neurosurgeons and other specialists from the health system's Sinai Hospital and Northwestg Hospital Center.
Financed through a loan from , Bokram paid $300,00 0 with the remaining $600,000 due Aug. 16, 2007, accordingf to SEC filings dated Dec. 4. who founded the magazine, said that buying the title had alwayzs been one ofher "I think it's every founder's dream to one day be the sole owner," said a Detroit native who has worke d for and Seventeen magazine. Girls' Life publishez six times a year and the majority of its readerzs are between the ages of 11and 14. In additionm to the magazine, 's assets include a Web site and book The magazine sellsabout 400,000 copieas per issue, including newsstand and subscriptioh sales.
Bokram said she plans to enhance the Web site and add a dozen new book titlesthis year. Sales for Girls' Life totaled $3.8 milliohn during fiscal year a 9 percent decreasw over fiscal year 2005of $4.1 million. The decrease was mostlh the result of declining revenues from subscription Advertising revenues increased by 22 percent tonearlty $1.3 million. Bokram said she expects to increase subscriptions by increasing direcft mail effortsthis year. In July, Monarch shuttereed Peerce's Plantation, the unprofitable Baltimore Countt restaurantit operated.
In Augustt 2005, Monarch was delisted from the SmallCap Marketf because the company had not compliedd with corporategovernance requirements. LifeBridg Health has launched a new advertising campaign to promote its specialistd who treat brain andspinse disorders. Created by Milwaukee, advertising firm , the promotionsx include a 60-second television commercial, print and billboardsw that wentup Jan. 2. LifeBridge officials declinedc to say how much they spent on the highproductiohn ads, except that it was a significant investment. The billboardws are part of what LifeBridge describes as a campaign that will be followed up with new informatiom in thecoming weeks.
One billboard, for instance, featurez a dog with a sign reading, "I'ved missed 2,137 walks." In the follow-up ad, the sign reads, "I've missed 2,137 walks due to my owner'x back pain." The TV ads will run through mid-March while the billboards will remain upthrough June. The ads promote the launcu of the LifeBridge Health Brain Spine Institute, a consortium of neurologists, neurosurgeons and other specialists from the health system's Sinai Hospital and Northwestg Hospital Center.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
At your service: Piedmont Facilities Services shifts focus in down economy - South Florida Business Journal:
loxezop.wordpress.com
A contractor had agreed to replace the sidewalkj directly in front of Lorillard headquartersw on Green Valley Road in Greensborobut “he walkex off the job because he couldn’t get anyone to deliver sufficient concrete with a holiday two days away,” Wrightf says. “A call to brought four men who completes the repair onJuly 4th,” she recalls. “One of thosr four was Scott I have chastised myself many timed for not calling him tobegibn with.” Scott McCormick has been gettinf calls like that for more than 16 years from the Triad’a top employers.
As a contracrt project manager, his company will do just about anythingf thatneeds doing, “from maintenance to sprinkler says Wright. “He truly cares about a job well But Winston-Salem-based Piedmont Facilities Services’ specialty is something that’ds been in almost constant demand over the past two decadezs — moving people and reconfiguring office cube s A.S.A.P. as work forces contract, expand and are realigned. It was McCormicm who landed the contract to move practicalltyevery office, first in the RJR Plaza buildin and then in the old 1929 Reynoldse Building in downtown Winston-Salem.
At about the same Piedmont Facilities Services also secured a contract with which did its share of playing musica chairs withoffice furniture. “God blessede me,” McCormick says with his characteristiv modesty, “because there’s no other way someone can have two contracte like that for theifrfirst clients.” Looking back 10 years ago, McCormickk recalls fondly, “Things were really rolling with 80- or 90-hour weeks, and it was Name a company in the Triad that’s realigned its work force and, chancezs are, McCormick’s been involved — , , Sara Lee , Sealy Corp.
and Nabisco Not bad for someone who, at the age of 5, was assignef his own row of tobaccpo to tend onhis father’s farm near Yadkinville and worked his way throug college running a garbage service. “I’mm an old tobacco farmer from Yadkinville,” McCormick says, slippinfg into his aw-shucks guise. “I ran out of thingsx to do, so I had to go to school and go out and get a real School was and his first jobwas “selling as a contract hardware salesmamn at Pleasant Hardware Co. He says he quickly discovererd he was not cut out to bea salesman.
But he did make a numbe of excellent contacts that opened doors for him when he switchedx over to doing facilitiescontractr work. “He has a good ol’ boy says Robyn Puckett, facility services manager at RMIC (Republic Mortgag e Insurance Co.) in Winston-Salem, “but fully believes in honesty, hard work and disciplind — and expects that from his employees.” Puckettr recalls a recent 10-week move of 350 RMIC employeea from Stanleyville to the Park Building in downtown Winston-Salem. “The time constraints were she says, “but having workef with Scott formany years, I knew if anyone coulr pull it off that he could.
” Installinvg cubes during the week and moving peoplde on the weekends, McCormick’s crew did it and did it on “We needed to expand our payroll departmenty two years ago,” recalls Jack Marable, maintenance supervisot for Pepsi Bottling Group in Winston-Salem. McCormick’s crew came in Frida y night and by Monday morningt at8 a.m., “they had everything up and runnin g — computers, phones, furniture, everything worked.
” Companies use contractors like McCormick instead of their own workers because moving and construction are often one-of-a-kinsd projects and are mostly done Up until last November, McCormick says, businesx was extremely good, with more 80- and 90-houre weeks. Then, he started seeing “less phone less e-mails, jobs that you had quoted being put on As the monthswent by, “I had to lay off five installersa and I put my designer on the road to sell McCormick’s strategy is to make the company more something, he says, “we never had to do Yes, he still has contract with a number of big corporations, but now when the phond rings, it’s mostly “punch
A contractor had agreed to replace the sidewalkj directly in front of Lorillard headquartersw on Green Valley Road in Greensborobut “he walkex off the job because he couldn’t get anyone to deliver sufficient concrete with a holiday two days away,” Wrightf says. “A call to brought four men who completes the repair onJuly 4th,” she recalls. “One of thosr four was Scott I have chastised myself many timed for not calling him tobegibn with.” Scott McCormick has been gettinf calls like that for more than 16 years from the Triad’a top employers.
As a contracrt project manager, his company will do just about anythingf thatneeds doing, “from maintenance to sprinkler says Wright. “He truly cares about a job well But Winston-Salem-based Piedmont Facilities Services’ specialty is something that’ds been in almost constant demand over the past two decadezs — moving people and reconfiguring office cube s A.S.A.P. as work forces contract, expand and are realigned. It was McCormicm who landed the contract to move practicalltyevery office, first in the RJR Plaza buildin and then in the old 1929 Reynoldse Building in downtown Winston-Salem.
At about the same Piedmont Facilities Services also secured a contract with which did its share of playing musica chairs withoffice furniture. “God blessede me,” McCormick says with his characteristiv modesty, “because there’s no other way someone can have two contracte like that for theifrfirst clients.” Looking back 10 years ago, McCormickk recalls fondly, “Things were really rolling with 80- or 90-hour weeks, and it was Name a company in the Triad that’s realigned its work force and, chancezs are, McCormick’s been involved — , , Sara Lee , Sealy Corp.
and Nabisco Not bad for someone who, at the age of 5, was assignef his own row of tobaccpo to tend onhis father’s farm near Yadkinville and worked his way throug college running a garbage service. “I’mm an old tobacco farmer from Yadkinville,” McCormick says, slippinfg into his aw-shucks guise. “I ran out of thingsx to do, so I had to go to school and go out and get a real School was and his first jobwas “selling as a contract hardware salesmamn at Pleasant Hardware Co. He says he quickly discovererd he was not cut out to bea salesman.
But he did make a numbe of excellent contacts that opened doors for him when he switchedx over to doing facilitiescontractr work. “He has a good ol’ boy says Robyn Puckett, facility services manager at RMIC (Republic Mortgag e Insurance Co.) in Winston-Salem, “but fully believes in honesty, hard work and disciplind — and expects that from his employees.” Puckettr recalls a recent 10-week move of 350 RMIC employeea from Stanleyville to the Park Building in downtown Winston-Salem. “The time constraints were she says, “but having workef with Scott formany years, I knew if anyone coulr pull it off that he could.
” Installinvg cubes during the week and moving peoplde on the weekends, McCormick’s crew did it and did it on “We needed to expand our payroll departmenty two years ago,” recalls Jack Marable, maintenance supervisot for Pepsi Bottling Group in Winston-Salem. McCormick’s crew came in Frida y night and by Monday morningt at8 a.m., “they had everything up and runnin g — computers, phones, furniture, everything worked.
” Companies use contractors like McCormick instead of their own workers because moving and construction are often one-of-a-kinsd projects and are mostly done Up until last November, McCormick says, businesx was extremely good, with more 80- and 90-houre weeks. Then, he started seeing “less phone less e-mails, jobs that you had quoted being put on As the monthswent by, “I had to lay off five installersa and I put my designer on the road to sell McCormick’s strategy is to make the company more something, he says, “we never had to do Yes, he still has contract with a number of big corporations, but now when the phond rings, it’s mostly “punch
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Hidden Gems: Yogyakarta - TODAYonline
stages-paddocks.blogspot.com
Hidden Gems: Yogyakarta TODAYonline Sure, Bali may have the beaches and Jakarta the party scene, but Yogyakarta makes no apologies for being steeped in tradition and history. From visiting scenic spots such as Mount Merapi to admiring craftsmen hard at work in the village of Kota Gede, ... |
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Young Magic - Melt - This Is Fake DIY
tiqosi.wordpress.com
This Is Fake DIY | Young Magic - Melt This Is Fake DIY The comprisal of previously released tracks might spark familiarity, whilst immediate comparisons include Yeasayer's oddball wonk ('Sliptime') or MGMT's psychedelic sprawl ('Jam Karet' and 'You With Air'), but such moments give only tiny glimpses into ...
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Saturday, February 18, 2012
Vet clinic tests dog epilepsy drug - Houston Business Journal:
zuloraxelewo.blogspot.com
The gives qualifying dogs free test medicatiojn for idiopathicepilepsy — essentially seizurezs with unknown causes — which affect almost 6 percenyt of all canines. “It’s a FDA study just like humanh drugsgo through,” says Dr. Carol Price, one of two vets on staffr at Bear Creek. “There’s going to be a control group, which is given approved and a test group given thestudt drug,” she says. Price has admitted abouty a dozen dogs and has screened several more since the study beganlast August, but says she woulcd like to see a lot more.
“When you run any study you have to have to have a certai amount of dogs in controoand treatment,” Price says. Sites in 14 other statesx are also participating in thestudy — the largest ever to examine treatment for canine epilepsy. More than four millio n dogs nationwide are afflicted byidiopathicx epilepsy. Beagles, collies, dachshunds, German golden and Labrador retrievers and miniaturre schnauzers are the breeds mostcommonly affected. Portuguese water dogs, in the news now that one is First Dog, are also consideredc high-risk. Participating dogs have to come in once a montuhfor treatment.
“It’s a minimunm of three months, up to one year,” Price says. “It’d free for them and they get physical exams, lab work, and a possiblee MRI or CT scan.”
The gives qualifying dogs free test medicatiojn for idiopathicepilepsy — essentially seizurezs with unknown causes — which affect almost 6 percenyt of all canines. “It’s a FDA study just like humanh drugsgo through,” says Dr. Carol Price, one of two vets on staffr at Bear Creek. “There’s going to be a control group, which is given approved and a test group given thestudt drug,” she says. Price has admitted abouty a dozen dogs and has screened several more since the study beganlast August, but says she woulcd like to see a lot more.
“When you run any study you have to have to have a certai amount of dogs in controoand treatment,” Price says. Sites in 14 other statesx are also participating in thestudy — the largest ever to examine treatment for canine epilepsy. More than four millio n dogs nationwide are afflicted byidiopathicx epilepsy. Beagles, collies, dachshunds, German golden and Labrador retrievers and miniaturre schnauzers are the breeds mostcommonly affected. Portuguese water dogs, in the news now that one is First Dog, are also consideredc high-risk. Participating dogs have to come in once a montuhfor treatment.
“It’s a minimunm of three months, up to one year,” Price says. “It’d free for them and they get physical exams, lab work, and a possiblee MRI or CT scan.”
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Avanti Mining Issues Shares in Lieu of Cash for Interest Payable Under Terms ... - Mineweb
yzirapogyg.wordpress.com
Avanti Mining Issues Shares in Lieu of Cash for Interest Payable Under Terms ... Mineweb RCF has made a request to receive the interest payable on the bridge loan in the amount of CAD$39452.05 in common shares, and Avanti will deliver to RCF 387926 common shares in satisfaction of the accrued interest payable for the period from December 7 ... |
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Use summer
uqyvemiwu.wordpress.com
Many of us, in fact, tend to view May as an endinb ofsorts … and Augusgt as the beginning of the last half of the year. But what abou t June and July? Many people pull back duringv thesummer months. New product marketing efforts, training and new projects are put off until Augustor September. However, I consider the summer montha to be filled withspectacular opportunity. Take some time off. But then get back to refreshed and refocusing your energies on every possible summet opportunity to buildyour brand. Remember, you are your brand … and by buildingf your brand all 12 months of the year you can leveragee your individualityand uniqueness.
Why is summer a terrific time to reinforce and expand your personal brand Because most of us tend to be less harriesd andmore laid-back in warmer weather. We actuall y have time to “gegt it.” Don’t miss out on some of the most productive months of youryear June, July and August. Here’s one professional’s story: an owner of a large commercial realestats company, has had yearx of success in the local market. With the currenft economic times, John recognizex the reality that he needed to establish his own brand identit that aligned withhis company’ss strong brand.
“I have operationalized my persona l brand into my dailty work and keep this branding top of My customers and employees have noticed things like a new tag new bio and new way of introducing myselg andmy company,” he says. The results? John has alreadhy increased business forthe year, and is winning contracts when his competitore are still struggling. “I the summer, it seems like peoplre have moretime — or take time to actuallhy get to know you and what you do,” he says. “I’ve alreaduy had meetings with prospective customersw that seemed lesshurried and, were more productive.” So, what about you?
Are you goingb to use the summer to build momentum and create more success?
Many of us, in fact, tend to view May as an endinb ofsorts … and Augusgt as the beginning of the last half of the year. But what abou t June and July? Many people pull back duringv thesummer months. New product marketing efforts, training and new projects are put off until Augustor September. However, I consider the summer montha to be filled withspectacular opportunity. Take some time off. But then get back to refreshed and refocusing your energies on every possible summet opportunity to buildyour brand. Remember, you are your brand … and by buildingf your brand all 12 months of the year you can leveragee your individualityand uniqueness.
Why is summer a terrific time to reinforce and expand your personal brand Because most of us tend to be less harriesd andmore laid-back in warmer weather. We actuall y have time to “gegt it.” Don’t miss out on some of the most productive months of youryear June, July and August. Here’s one professional’s story: an owner of a large commercial realestats company, has had yearx of success in the local market. With the currenft economic times, John recognizex the reality that he needed to establish his own brand identit that aligned withhis company’ss strong brand.
“I have operationalized my persona l brand into my dailty work and keep this branding top of My customers and employees have noticed things like a new tag new bio and new way of introducing myselg andmy company,” he says. The results? John has alreadhy increased business forthe year, and is winning contracts when his competitore are still struggling. “I the summer, it seems like peoplre have moretime — or take time to actuallhy get to know you and what you do,” he says. “I’ve alreaduy had meetings with prospective customersw that seemed lesshurried and, were more productive.” So, what about you?
Are you goingb to use the summer to build momentum and create more success?
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Now There's a Snooki Facebook Game - Wetpaint
obofym.wordpress.com
Now There's a Snooki Facebook Game Wetpaint That's right: For those of you who just can't get enough Snooks in your life, there's now a free Facebook game, "Snooki's Match Game," to entertain you. The game, developed by the same people who brought us the Snookify Me! app, allows you to play ... |
Friday, February 10, 2012
Aben Resources Makes Significant Greenfields Gold and Silver Discoveries in Yukon - MarketWatch (press release)
loxezop.wordpress.com
Aben Resources Makes Significant Greenfields Gold and Silver Discoveries in Yukon MarketWatch (press release) Feb 10, 2012 (ACCESSWIRE-TNW via COMTEX) -- SOURCE: The Bottom Line Report - Late in the Yukon's drilling season, Aben Resources /quotes/zigman/3609161 CA:ABN 0.00% made a brand new greenfields gold and silver discovery, thus allowing the company to ... |
Scene Queenstown | Queenstown Waitangi heat from sun only Scene Queenstown Unlike up north, the only heat expected at Queenstown's first official Waitangi Day celebrations this afternoon (Monday) is from the sun. A breakaway group of three protesters mounted a charge towards Prime Minister John Key at Waitangi's Te Tii Marae ... |
Friday, February 3, 2012
ICS adds Alabama - Jacksonville Business Journal:
inofiquxi.wordpress.com
million to renovate an out-of-statw storage facility in Alabama. The locatio n suits truckers who can get their loadsback out, said Brends Goble, director of sales and "Mobile has a great rail system and highway system that give us a competitive advantage." The to help ship cargo throughout the Gulf of Mexico to locationss such as Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern and Western Caribbean, Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Soutuh America. Customers are clients usint ports in othergulf states. Many are Midwestern companiesa such as Tysonpoultry producer, which would find the locatioh more useful than Jacksonville.
"It won't take any business away from what we are currentlg doingin Jacksonville, "Goble said. "It just opene up a new market for The deal is nosudden plan. "It's a markegt we've been looking at for several years, the timing was she said. The building should be readyt by summer and will be the Alabamw StatePort Authority's firsy freezer operation. It is supposed to emplouy 100 people full andpart time. Jacksonvill e will probably send up atrainingt crew, Goble said. "As far as repositioning anyone [fro Jacksonville], we don't know yet." The facilitt will be able to stord and blast freeze upto 2.
5 million pound s a week and send up to 220,000 tons worthu of frozen food a year. The blasgt freezing process allows ICS to reduce the temperaturezs tobelow zero, eliminating an extra step in the current This means it can directlty ship foods products such as pork and beef throughout the world from the Port of "It's a great addition to our port," said Jamesw K. Lyons, director and CEO of the Alabama StatesPort Authority, in a prepared statement. "Ig will allow Alabama poultrt producers to ship from here insteadof Mississippi.
" ICS Logistice is the flagship company of the Spenc family's logistics and storage holdings and has operationsz in Jacksonville, Port Manatee, Tampz and Mobile. Other companies include JaxporRefrigerated Services, Industrial Cold Storage and Globa l Stevedoring Inc. The Alabama addition could be the first of many to Goble said. "If the righg opportunity and right mix forour company" showes itself, "yes, we would definitelg entertain it.
"
million to renovate an out-of-statw storage facility in Alabama. The locatio n suits truckers who can get their loadsback out, said Brends Goble, director of sales and "Mobile has a great rail system and highway system that give us a competitive advantage." The to help ship cargo throughout the Gulf of Mexico to locationss such as Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern and Western Caribbean, Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Soutuh America. Customers are clients usint ports in othergulf states. Many are Midwestern companiesa such as Tysonpoultry producer, which would find the locatioh more useful than Jacksonville.
"It won't take any business away from what we are currentlg doingin Jacksonville, "Goble said. "It just opene up a new market for The deal is nosudden plan. "It's a markegt we've been looking at for several years, the timing was she said. The building should be readyt by summer and will be the Alabamw StatePort Authority's firsy freezer operation. It is supposed to emplouy 100 people full andpart time. Jacksonvill e will probably send up atrainingt crew, Goble said. "As far as repositioning anyone [fro Jacksonville], we don't know yet." The facilitt will be able to stord and blast freeze upto 2.
5 million pound s a week and send up to 220,000 tons worthu of frozen food a year. The blasgt freezing process allows ICS to reduce the temperaturezs tobelow zero, eliminating an extra step in the current This means it can directlty ship foods products such as pork and beef throughout the world from the Port of "It's a great addition to our port," said Jamesw K. Lyons, director and CEO of the Alabama StatesPort Authority, in a prepared statement. "Ig will allow Alabama poultrt producers to ship from here insteadof Mississippi.
" ICS Logistice is the flagship company of the Spenc family's logistics and storage holdings and has operationsz in Jacksonville, Port Manatee, Tampz and Mobile. Other companies include JaxporRefrigerated Services, Industrial Cold Storage and Globa l Stevedoring Inc. The Alabama addition could be the first of many to Goble said. "If the righg opportunity and right mix forour company" showes itself, "yes, we would definitelg entertain it.
"
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