Garland of roses readied for Derby winner - WDRB

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Garland of roses readied for Derby winner WDRB (WDRB) -- The garland of roses that will adorn tomorrow's Derby-winning horse is being crafted. Kroger's floral designers at the Middletown location are working nonstop to create this year's garland. It will be more than 10 feet long and two feet wide ... and more »

Colliers Turley consolidating with 3 other firms - Charlotte Business Journal:

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The St. Louis-based firm said the consolidatiob includesand , also affiliates of Colliers International, a groupo of loosely affiliated real estate serviceds firms. Upon closing the the new holding company plans to include anotheeaffiliated firm, New York’s . Colliersa Turley, last year ranked the third-largest commercial real estat e broker inCentral Ohio, has a Columbus office that employs 41. Mark Burkhart, presidenft and CEO of Colliers Turley, said the deal is aimed at givingt the new holding company a competitive edge in thecommerciaol market. The companies when combinedf have operations in all50 states.
Financial termxs of the deal were not but the companies said the combined firm will creatwe a property management portfolio of 288 milliom square feet and a leasing portfolio of 210 milliobnsquare feet. The firm said it planws to keep its nameand doesn’t expecty any major changes in daily operations.

General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Baltimore plant to stay open - Portland Business Journal:

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Monday’s filing by the 101-year-old automaker once the world’s biggest company — is among the largest in U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturinb bankruptcy. Chapter 11, which allows the company to operatde while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-tracmk bankruptcy and provides $30 billion of additionak taxpayer funds to restructured itself. The company in its filing listedx $172.81 billion in debt and $82.29 billion in The GM plan as detailerby U.S.
officials would allow a much smalletr GM to emerge from court protection within 60 to 90 Al Koch, a managing director at the advisorh company AlixPartnersLLP in New is named in the filingsz as the company’s chief restructuringf officer, reporting to GM CEO Fritzs Henderson. GM (NYSE: GM) also plans to close 11 U.S. facilities and idle anotheer three plants by the endof 2010. The company' Baltimore transmission plant employs more than 200 people was not listed amonggthe closures. GM's Wilmington, assembly plant, however, will close in July. That planft employs 1,060 workers. The automaker has not provided an updatedr target for job cuts but was looking toeliminate 21,000 U.S.
factory jobs from the 54,000 union members it now General Motorsemploys 92,000 in the Unitedf States and is indirectly responsible for 500,000 The U.S. government would hold a 60 percent financiall interest in a reorganized GM and the UAW wouldc takea 17.5 percent stake. said Mondayg on GM's bankruptcy. The governments of Canada and the provinces of Ontario have agreedf to a 12 percent ownership stake in exchange forfinanciak aid. GM bondholders would get 10 Holders ofGM stock, which hit its lowest price on record Friday at 74 are expected to own none of the Trading was halted on Monday's news.
Listed among GM's top creditors are (NYSE: T) and (NYSE: The list of facilities that GM said will be closesd and their dates include two the Wilmington assembly plant and onein Pontiac, (October 2009); three stamping plants — including the previouslyg announced closing in June of Grand Mich., Indianapolis, Ind. (December 2011), and Ohio (June 2010). Also, six Powertrain plants including Massena, N.Y., which closesd on May 1 - Livonia, Mich. (June 2010), Flint and Willow Run, (both December 2010), Parma, Ohio (Decembedr 2010), and Fredericksburg, Va., (December Three locations will beidlexd — assembly plants at Orion, (September 2009) and Spring Hill, Tenn.
(November and a stamping plantat Mich., (December 2010). In addition, servic e and parts operations and warehousingh and parts distribution centersin Boston, Fla.., and Columbus, Ohio, will closwe by Dec. 31, 2009. For a PDF of the bankruptcy filingfpetition .

Valley surgeon heads up test of aneurysm treatment - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Rodriguez, the director of peripheral vascular services at the Arizon aHeart Institute, has been named the nationakl principal investigator for the Phase II study, whichn is required by the to enrol 160 patients. The Arizona Heart Institutew is one of 14 centers involved in thestudh nationwide. “We are lookintg to include at least six more centers to complete 20 centerd inthe U.S.,” Rodriguez said. The endoluminalp graft is manufactured bynear Glasgow, Called the Anaconda Steny Graft System, it allows the surgeon to reposition the deviced once it has been placed across the aneurysm.
So far, nearluy 4,000 patients in Europe have received the Anaconda but it must get approval from the FDA before it can be used inthe U.S. Rodriguez said the minimally invasive procedure onthe study’s first patienyt went well, saying the devic is very easy to use. “He was up on his feet the next morninbghaving breakfast,” Rodriguez said of the patient. “Yoi can’t do that when you open the This eliminates the need for openheart surgery.” Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or “ballooning” of the body’z main artery, is a serious condition prone to rupturer and lead to sudden death. Actot John Ritter died of an aortic rupturein 2003.
Symptomes can occur suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the Patients who experience theswe symptoms should seek immediatemedical attention, Rodriguezz said. Early detection can prevent suddem death. Patients with a family history of aorticf aneurysm or other connective tissus disorders should notify their physician about their risk ofaortivc aneurysm, he said.

Kentucky gets $124,000 to handle boat sewage - Business First of Louisville:

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The funding was provided as partof $14.6 million awarded to 28 states under a Cleanj Vessel Act grant. Indiana will receive $495,482 to install eight sewage pumpout stations and one floating restroom inboating areas. The Clean Vessel Act fundes support construction of facilities in communitiea that depend on recreationakl boating for their economy and on cleab water fortheir health, U.S. interior secretar y Ken Salazar said in a news release fromthe . Sincre the program’s inception in the early 1990s, the program has givem states morethan $163 million to install thousands of sewagd pumpout stations.
“Sewage pumpouts may not be the most glamorousconservationj tool, but their presence can have an immediatde and clear impact on the well-bein of aquatic resources and recreational waterwayss that provide drinking water to millions of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acting director Rowanb Gould said inthe release.

NTSB investigating possible sensor failure on Northwest flight - Houston Business Journal:

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The federal agency said Thursday that it is investigating an inciden t on a NorthwestAirbus A-330 flying between Hong Kong and Toky on Tuesday. The aircrafgt landed safely in Tokyo. In a possiblh similar incident, a TAM Airlines flight between Miam andSao Paulo, Brazil, experienced a loss of primaryh speed and altitude information while in cruise flight. The flightt crew used backup instruments and primarhy data was restored in about5 minutes, a NTSB news releaser said. The malfunctions are of special interestt because the two planes are both Airbus the same type of aircraft involved in the Air France Flight447 crash.
Automated data messagew from the plane indicated that sensors failed shortly beforethe crash. Atlanta-based , which is phasingg out the Northwest name after mergingf with the airlinelast year, said it is cooperating with the NTSB to providr information requested about the Northwesyt flight. Delta spokesman Anthony Black said Delta pilots have proceduresx to follow if the sensorsgo out. He also said Delta was already installing updated versions of the sensors on itsAirbusx A-330s before the Air France crash, following a manufacturer’xs recommendation.

Afghanistan Bars US Lawmaker From Visiting - Wall Street Journal

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Wall Street Journal

Afghanistan Bars US Lawmaker From Visiting Wall Street Journal By NATHAN HODGE KABULâ€"A Republican congressman who has been a frequent critic of President Hamid Karzai was effectively blocked from visiting Afghanistan over the weekendâ€"though his fellow lawmakers proceeded to stir tensions by meeting with Afghan ... and more »

KU's Dixon running toward national prominence - Kansas.com

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Kansas.com

KU's Dixon running toward national prominence Kansas.com By RUSTIN DODD Dee Dee Trotter had the field, including Diamond Dixon (5) covered, in her record-breaking 400-meter race Saturday at the Kansas Relays in Lawrence. LAWRENCE â€" Diamond Dixon shuffled along the green turf at Memorial Stadium, ... and more »

Texas sales tax revenue down 11 percent in June - Dallas Business Journal:

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Texas distributed $426.7 milliobn in rebates to local governmentsthis month, down 8.8 percentt from July 2008. “The oil and gas, constructio and retail trade sectors showed continued resulting in a sharp decrease in salez tax collectionsin June,” Combs said. “Contributinv to the decrease was not only the weaknessz in thesethree sectors, but also the stron g level of collections received from them in June Dallas received a net paymentr for this period of $14.9 down 21.5 percent from the same period last Fort Worth's payment fell by 9 percent to $7.1 million July’sd sales tax allocations are based on saled that were transacted in May.
Overall, Texas citieas received $284.3 million in sales tax rebates in July an 8.8-percent decrease compared to July 2008. Rebated to Texas counties were $26 million, down 10 perceny over last year. The 151 special purpose taxiny districts around the state receivexd a totalof $16.6 million in rebates in June 5.5 percent less than in July 2008. The next sales tax allocatio n will be madeon Aug. 14.

FCPA Guidance: What Has Your SOE Done For You Lately? - Forbes

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FCPA Guidance: What Has Your SOE Done For You Lately? Forbes In the last year, the debate about whether state-owned entities (“SOEs”) qualify as an “instrumentality” and thus a “foreign official” under the FCPA has been heating up. In the midst of this debate we wonder whether the resolution lies in the answer ... and more »

Health care reform could prove costly for some businesses - Business First of Louisville:

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But some business groups fear that this goal mighr not be achieved in the legislation now moving through Congress. They’re afraid the bill being marked up this montjh by theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee won’ t do enough to control health care costs and that it will go too far in imposin stiff new insurance requirements — including minimu coverage levels — on employers. They also worrgy that includinga government-run plan as an option in new insurancwe exchanges would lead hospitals and doctors to chargw private insurers more for their services to compensate for underpaymenta they would receive from the public plan.
The has e-mailed its members, urging them to opposde the SenateHELP Committee’s calling it “a dangerous James Gelfand, the chamber’s senior manager of health policy, said he is optimistifc that the Senate ultimately won’t go alongh with a provision that calls for a government-appointerd board to decide what level of benefits must be included in insurance plans. If that provisiob is not changed, many employers likelu would face higher insurance costs because senators look atthe benefits-ricb plan now offered to federal employees as the “gold standard” for healthj care reform, he Now is the time for businesses to demands changes in the bill, including strikingv a requirement for employers to provide insurance to theirt workers, he said.
Many small businessexs simply can’t afford that, the chamber contends. “We need healtb reform,” Gelfand said. But if the bill isn’t “I don’t know how we could possiblyg support it.” Business groups are hoping the Senate Finance Committee will produce legislation that’s friendlier to employers. The prospect of healtuh care reform raising costs for small businessedis “a legitimate fear,” said John CEO of Small Business Majority, an organizationb that believes employers should provide insurance to their workers. But if done health care reform would save smallbusinessesw money, he said.
A study commissioned by the organizationh found that businesses with fewer than 100 employees could save as muchas $855 billiom in the next 10 years if health care reform is enacted, compared with what they woulx pay for health insurance if the system isn’gt reformed. The analysis, conducted by economist Jonathan assumes that Congress will require all but the smallest firmes to provide health insurance to their employees or pay a fee to thefederao government, based on their size. It also assumes that Congress will provide tax creditd to small businesses to help them pay for the coverage a provision that is included in the SenateHELP Committee’ss bill.
“With a strong credit, small businesses can be a big winnefr inthis reform,” Gruber said. Todd president of the , said it is “not yet whether small businesses will be better off aftert health care reform than theyare now. Providing tax creditsa or other subsidies to small businesses for insurance coveragecould “create all kindas of weird incentives and disincentives” for companies, he Basing the subsidies on the size of a businesa isn’t a good solution becausde some small businesses — a law for example — can be quits profitable, he said.
Focusing on low-wag businesses might not be fair either becaus that encourages companies to pay low he said. “Whatever you subsidize, you get more of,” he

Building business a passion for Cray director Sally Narodick - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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At 63, after a long and successful career as acorporatre executive, Narodick is focusing much of her energy on servinbg on multiple boards. Financially comfortable at this staged inher life, Narodickl said her intention in remaininb on boards is to help steer worthy organizations throughb the complexities of the current economifc climate. On top of that, she relishesa the challenge, and loves the “I think building a successful businesse is one of the most exciting endeavorse that youcan do,” she said.
“Boards of directors are part of that team theycontribute oversight, experience, business strateggy insights, objectivity and some distance, and an ability to step back from the detaip and help the team focus on the most importangt things — both for the long term and the immediatee plans.” Currently Narodick serves on seven boards three of them large corporationas and the other four are nonprofit organizations. The thres corporate boards upon which Narodick servesware , Penford Corp. and SumTotal Systemsx Inc.
On the nonprofit side, she sits on the boards of the , the Washingtonh Research Foundation, the Klin Galland Center, which provides housing for Jewis seniors, and Darim Online, which helpas Jewish organizations usethe internet. Narodick is this year’s recipient of the Seattle-Northwest chapter of the Nationall Association ofCorporate Directors’ 2009 Public Company Directorf of the Year Award. Craig who nominated her for the cited her abilityto “spoty strategic dilemmas or weaknesses,” her “financial and her supportive attitude towarde other board members. Cole, CEO of investmenft firm , served with Narodick on the Puget SoundEnergu board.
The seven boards on whic h Narodick sits encompass a wide rangeof activities, but to Narodiclk the common thread is that they help, and how they do it. “Ther tone at the top, and the integrityh of people involved, are No. 1 determiners of whether I’ll join a board,” she said. “It has everythinfg to do with long-term value creation.” In Narodick’ss view, value creation is another way of saying she wants to dedicate her time to groupsz that makea difference. “I’ve been with the Hutcyh for seven to eight and I joined that because they doincredible work,” she said.
And, “I think the Washingtonm Research Foundation does some fabulouw work for research institutionsin town.” But for her the othef intriguing facet of corporate and nonprofit organizations is how they fulfil l their goals, especially in terms of ethical And here, Narodick said, boardsd have a particular function. “I think you feel a huge she said. “Someone once said the board’w responsibility is to do the sniff tests, to make sure managemeny is doing their job with integrity and strategic Another linking factor isher background, which includes both technologuy and education.
She served for sevem years as CEO of Edmark a publicly held educational softward company that has sincebeen sold, and followed that as CEO of , anothee similar company backed by Paul Allen’s . Is seveh too many boards? Narodick thinkz not, adding that in her view a benefi t to serving on multiple boards is developing wider understanding about how organizations and the contexts in whichthey “When you have an opportunity to sit on more than one that enhances the value that you bring,” she As for the difficulties brought on by the currenrt recession, for Narodick that just adds to the allure.
“Thee nature of board conversations have changed so dramatically in this You really have to focus oncontingency planning, the availability of the ability to do acquisitions,” she said. “It is a challenge everyt day to keep up on governance economic issues, individual industry and companuy issues, and on the strategy of the business… I find it a privilegd to participate and to work with the teams I do, and that’sx what motivates me.
”

Perry signs bill that includes $150 million for UTMB - Boston Business Journal:

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The university will use the funds to build anew 200-becd hospital tower adjacent to the existing John Sealy Hospital, restorinh bed capacity to 550, as it was priord to Hurricane Ike. In addition, tuitioj revenue bonds of $5 million will go to at HB 51 also establishes measures to enhance and maintain the quality ofthe state’s designated and emerging public research creates incentive programs and funding for higheer education institutions, provides higher education fund allocations, and create an interim committee to study the feasibility of tracking specializerd technology research projects.
Of the 62 nationao research institutions inthe nation, three universities , The and Texas A&M University — are in Texas. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has designate d seven institutions as emergingresearch universities: the ; the Universityt of Texas campuses in Arlington, El Paso and San Antonio; ; and the University of Nortg Texas. In addition, HB 51 provide s a performance incentive funding mechanism for all ofthe state’s general academic institutions based on the average numbed of degrees awarded annually and an increase in the average numberd of degrees awarded annually, with weightec consideration for at-risk students and critical

GOP's Presidential Plans in Peril if Economy Keeps Improving - Chicago Tribune

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Globe and Mail

GOP's Presidential Plans in Peril if Economy Keeps Improving Chicago Tribune Mitt Romney may end up out of luck if economic news continues to stay positive What happens to Mitt Romney's campaign if criticisms of the economy are off the table? Republicans - and namely the GOP presidential front-runner - are having to rapidly .. . More flip-flops, please, Mitt Albany Times Union Is Obama running the right campaign? Hot Air Rick Santorum Drops Out: Why He Couldn't Get Over The Hump Huffington Post New York Daily News -The Week UK  »

Fred Weber wins $4M Mississippi River Bridge contract - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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awarded Fred Weber a $4.44 millioj contract Wednesday to remove and replacwe the Madison Streetand St. Louis Avenue bridges over Interstate 70 indowntown St. The majority of work on this project will start afterHighway 40/Interstate 64 reopens betweehn Kingshighway and Interstate 170. Crewd will remove the St. Louis Avenure bridge first and then remove and replace the MadisonStreet bridge. During work to remover the MadisonStreet bridge, crew will also remove the Cass Avenue bridg in preparation for replacing that bridge later in 2010. This work is part of preliminary work on a new Mississippi river which is expected to reduce congestion on the PoplafrStreet Bridge. Maryland Heights, Mo.
-based Fred Weberd is one of the largest privatelg held companiesin St. Louis with $353.3 million in revenure in 2008. The commercial construction firm is also working onthe $245 million reconstruction of AmerenUE’s Taum Sauk Reservoie in Johnson’s Shut-Ins state park and is part of Gateway Constructors, the consortium of contractors performing $535 million worth of improvementsz on Highway 40/Interstate 64.

Academic Team honoree: David Ban - Business First of Buffalo:

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Accomplishments: National Merit Scholarship Class valedictorian. SAT score of 1,530. Scores of 98-100 on threre Regents exams. AP Scholar Awardx (with Distinction). Harvard Book Captain of ScienceOlympiad team. President of Math Editor of school newspaper. Full David Min Hyeon Ban. Born: November 8, Columbus, Ohio. Parents: Ban Meebong, Ban Changill. Residence: Favorite class: Linear algebra (taught by Joaquin Carbonara). “Ig showed me how to expandc my mind when approaching After takingthis class, I am able to look at math in a much more abstracy sense.
” College and likely major: , Hope to be doing 10 yeard from now: “I hope that I will be doing my residency at Johns Hopkins.” If could meet anyone from history: “I would like to discuss philosophy and learb from one of the greatesyt thinkers of all time.” If coulsd have dinner with anyone now Barack Obama. “I would ask him how he learnec to give such inspirational to proceed to the next First Team Nick Brown.

NovaStar proposes $7.5M settlement in class-action suit - Kansas City Business Journal:

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million settlement of a class-action suit alleginyg that the company duped investors into thinkin itwas growing. The settlemengt has not been approved bythe court. A heariny is scheduled for April 14in U.S. Distric Court for the Western Districtof Missouri. The filed April 13, 2004, alleged that NovaStar’s stock traded at inflate levelsfrom Oct. 29, 2003, to April 8, 2004. The stockj hit a high of $67 a share on March 22, and the company sold more than $107 million worth of its sharese to the public while the stocmk wasriding high.
The suit alleges that NovaStar overstated the number of offices to create the illusion that record resultxs would follow the increasing number of The suit based most of its charges on an articlee in the Wall Streeyt Journal detailing regulatory problems relatedto NovaStar’s branch offices in Anyone who acquired stock during the class-actio period and still held it as of Aprilo 8, 2004, may be entitled to a share of the Those eligible must submitr a proof of claim no later than May 15, 2009.

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. Company Profile | CPRX Company Information

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We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercializationb of prescription drugs for the treatment of drug addictionand obsessive-compulsivew disorders. Our initial producf candidate is CPP-109, which is our version of the chemicalcompouns gamma-vinyl-GABA, commonly referred to as We are currently conducting a clinical trial evaluatinf the use of CPP-109 in the treatmeng of cocaine addiction, and a proof-of-concept studu evaluating the use of CPP-109 in the treatmeny of methamphetamine addiction.
We also believe that CPP-109 has the potentialk to treat other including addictionsto nicotine, prescription pain alcohol, and marijuana, as well as obsessive-compulsivr disorders such as obesity and compulsiv e gambling. We intend to develop CPP-109 to treat othee forms of addiction, such as those describefd above, subject to the availability of funding for such DuringJuly 2007, we initiated a randomized, placebo-controlled U.S. Phase II clinical trial in patientsw withcocaine addiction. During June 2008, we initiatede a similar U.S.
Phase II clinical trial evaluating CPP-10i9 as a treatment for methamphetamine addiction which was subsequentlyu converted into asmaller proof-of-concept study (see Recent Developmenta section below for a discussion of the status of the cocaine trial and methamphetamine proof-of-concept study).

SMF Energy announces $40M recapitalization - Memphis Business Journal:

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The company (NASDAQ: FUEL) said in a news releasd that it estimates the recapitalization will reducits short-term debt by $9.5 its total debt by $4.4 millioj and its cash requirements for interest and dividends by more than $1 milliob a year. It said shareholders' equity has been increased by morethan $4 millionj as a result. SMF Energy said it extinguished all of itsexisting non-bank debt and outstanding preferrefd stock through various agreement with dozens of existing debt and equit y investors, while converting its existing $25 milliomn asset-based lending facility into a new, more three-year, $20 million asset-based lendin facility and a $5 million, 60-month amortizex term loan, the proceeds of which were used to pay down $4.
86 million in secured notes and $125,00p in unsecured notes. The companyy said it issued new stocik to make up the balancer paid for the cancellation and extinguishmentt of theexisting investors' debt and equitu securities. Fort Lauderdale-based SMF Energhy said in the release that the recapitalizatioj took place with amended agreements withand . It said the only non-bankj debt incurred in the recapitalizatiohn was an unsecured subordinated promissory noteof $800,000 at 5.5 percentr interest issued to an existing institutional investor in exchange for $800,000 of one of the Augusrt 2007 11 percent senior securesd convertible promissory notes.
The institutional investor alsoexchanged $200,000 of the same secured note for shares of commonb stock priced at 38 centsz a share, which was greater than the closing bid price of the stock on the day before the effective acted as SMF Energy’s placement agentr for the recapitalization and received fees of paid with a combination of cash and pursuant to a Feb. 1 investment bankinf agreement. SMF Energy supplies specializecd transportation and distribution services for petroleunm productsand chemicals. It provides commerciap mobile andbulk fueling, along with other services to the manufacturing, construction, energy, telecommunications and governmenft services sectors.
Formerly known as , as of Nov. 30, it conductex operations through 31 service locations in 11 Shares closed down nearly 3 centx to about35 cents. The 52-week high was 71 centd on Aug. 28. The 52-week low was 10 cents on Feb. 20.

Room for a discount - San Francisco Business Times:

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That, in theory, was the lesson hoteliers learnedf from thelast downturn. With occupancuy tumbling after Sept. 11 and the dot-com hotels cut room rates deeply so deeply that local room rates still lagother cities. But it turns out that memoriedare short, and that hotelx have only a limited arsenal when it comea to getting heads in beds. By Novemberf 2008, some San Franciscok hotels anxious about the downturn were already publishinvg steep discounts on web sites likeand . And in as price-sensitives an industry as whereone leads, all too many will Some kick and scream, but they folloew all the same.
“Unfortunately, everybody talks restraint, and nobody does it,” said Tom CEO of . “All the grounx we lost after 2001, we still haven’tg made that up again because you drop rates real but increasing them againtakes time, even in as stron g a market as we had from 2004 to According to PKF, average dailyh room rates in San Franciscko dropped 14 percent between 2000 and 2001, and occupanct during that same period fell 20 percent.
In this current recession, PKF forecasts that averag daily rates in 2009 will drop between 4 and 5 percent and occupancy will drop by another 10 It also forecasts revenuee per availableroom — a factor of average daily room ratews and occupancy — to be down at leastg 10 percent in San That said, the firm has already had to adjusg downward its numbers more than once as economic conditions deteriorate rapidly. A Morgabn Stanley report for the first weekof February, the most recen t data available, had revenue per available room plunginhg 27 percent nationwide for the firsy week of February, an ominousx figure.
Experts agree that San Francisco is likely to fare better then the nation asa whole. some San Francisco hoteliers say they have had to give in to pressur tocut prices. “We want to keep peopl e traveling tothe city, so we do the most obviou thing. We have to soften some rates. (People) are not going to pay the same they would indifferenr times,” said Jon Kimball, general manager of the Westimn St. Francis, which is a 1,195-room hotel and said to be an earl adopter of discountingweb sites. “When push come s to shove, we have to react to the market, and we have to reacgt to other cities. When you have a Las and we compete for thesame traveler, it’s force on us.
” Hotel consultantsw — who, unlike general are not under intense pressurse to fill rooms — maintain that price-cutting is a false promise. “Igt doesn’t matter how much you slashy your rates. If there’s no demand, there’ no demand,” said Rick Swig of . “All it takes is one major player to star t discounting andacting unwisely, in my point of view, and it affecta the entire market because everybodgy has to compete. If enoughb players decide they will you look pretty stupid if your rates are 20 to 30 percenyt higher thanyour competitors.
” Other hotels, particularly luxury hesitant to tarnish their brand with anythinhg as populist as a sale, instead create packagesz with freebies. The individual componentzs add up to more than acustomer pays, but without discountinfg the actual room cost. For example, the Four Seasonw San Francisco, long a standout for not offerin grooms online, will extend certaimn promotions or offer an extra night free for a certain minimumj stay.
And the hotel is for the firsg time considering making some inventory available online, but only because it is an importany channel to reach guests who prefer to book The Four Season wouldn’t discounr rooms it puts online because it doesn’t want to jeopardize long-standingy client relationships by undercutting their rated with online specials, said Doug the hotel’s general manager. “It’s not the case that we won’t make we want to be competitive withour prices,” Housley “But there is a turn it on, turn it off where if a weekend is slow (hotels) will dump 100 roomws on the Internet at 50 percent off, to which we don’ t subscribe.
” The Clift Hotel, part of , has a “Stauy Big” recession package, where $425 gets you an upgradse from a deluxe room to a suite, guaranteed admission to the Redwoo Room, a welcome cocktail and a three-cours dinner at Asia de A one-bedroom suite for an upcominy Friday night costs $500. It’s discounting by another name but it looks different since room rates appear Hotels that do drop thei r rates are hopeful that getting more peopls into the hotel will get them to spendx ancillary dollars inthe hotel, whether on room service, at the bar or even in the gift “As long as they make incremental income, a lot of (general are going to discoungt accordingly,” Callahan said.
On the bright side, San Francisco’ss hospitality industry looks poised to weathe the downturn better than mostother There’s not a glut of new inventory coming a decent convention year is booked and internationapl arrivals are projected to drop just 1.3 percent, Callahan said, so internationap tourism looks to hold fairly In the meantime, many hotels are duking it out for reducec market share. “What rate cutting won’ t do is attract enough new business to San Francisco to make it more than another destinations or even stayingat home, Swig “What it will do is move marketr share. Customers will move from one hote l to another for abetter rate.
”

Bizjournals: Denver area to approach 3 million people by 2025 - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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The projected growth rate of Denvet and its suburbs ranks 78th amonvg250 U.S. metropolitan areas studied by bizjournals. Bizjournals forecastd that the Denver-Aurora metro area will grow 26.31 percenty from its 2005 estimated populationof 2,358,271q to a 2025 populationb of 2,978,712, an increase of 620,441 residents. The reportr treats Boulder as a separatemetrp area. It ranks Boulder at 172nde out of250 U.S. metros, with a 7.46 percent projectecd growth rateby 2025. The Bouldert area is expected to growfrom 282,11 residents in 2005 to 303,173 in bizjournals expects.
The bizjournals analysie ranks the Greeley areahighest -- 17th -- among Coloradol metro areas studied, with a predicted growtb rate of 60.61 percent by 2025. The report says Greeley will growfrom 226,35r residents to 363,539. The Fort Collins area ranks 106thg out of250 U.S. metros, with a projected growth rate of 19.43 percent, from 275,570 residents in 2005 to 329,120 in 2025. The Colorad Springs area ranks 122nd, with a predicted growtg rate of 17.13 percent, from 588,719 to 689,584. The bizjournalss forecasts are based on population data and existing ratedsof growth. for the full bizjournals growtj reporton U.S. metro-area growth. And for a chart showin g Colorado cities' rankings.

10-story hotel, supermarket, housing eyed for 3.5 acres of publicly owned land ... - Boston.com

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10-story hotel, supermarket, housing eyed for 3.5 acres of publicly owned land ... Boston.com By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent A committee overseeing the development selection process for three-and-a-half acres of vacant, publicly owned land in Roxbury has recommended that the city choose proposals that include a 10-story hotel with more ... and more »

Single parents frequently face discrimination - Dayton Business Journal:

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Some of us even may have rehearsed the answers time and agaimn as we smoothed out our blue suitzs in front of thebathroom mirror. "Where do you see yourselc in five years?" we ask ourselves, perhaps usiny a deeper tone to indicate those on the othedr side of theconference "I would like to be in a higher positiom at this same company," we quickly toss back with a yet gentle, smile. Other questions that inquire abouty ourwork ethic, our career path and what type of skillx we bring to the table often follow. But what if you founds yourself in a totallydifferent situation? Imaginde yourself walking into a business owner's office.
You sit and as you settle in the seat, he looksz up from your spotless resumeand asks: "Uh, no," you reply, a bit uncomfortable about the "Got kids?" he shoots back. I do," you say. This time allowin g your motherly pride and love for them to show througna bit. But before any warm fuzziese arehanded out, you're booterd out of the offics building. Why? Because this businesws doesn't hire single They're too much trouble. They take a lot of time off work and makethe company'ws health insurance premiums skyrocket. Sound ridiculous? many people, most often have found themselves inthis situation.
Kiki a 47-year-old woman who lives in Pennsylvania with her son and has been fighting what she calls famil biasfor years. She's made it her life's mission to get questionsz that pertain to marital status barred from interviewws in the stateof Pennsylvania. In fact, she even got one of her localo lawmakers to sponsor a bill to prohibit discriminationn in employment based on whether a person is married or has a It has yet to goto committee. Kiki's battle started in the mid-1990s when she and her two childrenh moved fromLong Island, N.Y., to Effort, Pa.
Of the 20 job interviewes Peppard had when shefirst moved, 18 of them includede questions about her marital Many interviewers asked her to leave as soon as she told them she was Kiki's gut feeling about the questions was that they must be She was partly Such questions are illegal for companieds to ask during a job interview, but only in certain Other states, such as Pennsylvania and don't bat an eye at such questioning, accordinvg to 9 to 5 National Association for Workinv Women. People who think they are being discriminated against can file a complainf with the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission.
But nothing can be done about it unless it is found that the company has treatesd single fathers in thesame manner. And that's almosty impossible to prove. Still, it's an issue many women are and often goes beyonddthe interview, according to Cindia Cameron, organizing director for 9 to 5. "Iyt also includes being passed over for promotiom or more responsibility inthe workplace," Camero said. "It is a stereotypre that says someone wouldn't be interested or able to make the because theyhave children. So, what can women, or men, who find themselvesz in this situation do? • Go with the flow.

Student sues school over proposed changes aimed at making prom more inclusive ... - Washington Post

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Daily Mail

Student sues school over proposed changes aimed at making prom more inclusive ... Washington Post ATLANTA â€" A suburban Atlanta high school student says in a federal lawsuit that administrators removed him as student body president after he promoted changes aimed at making the prom more inclusive to gay students. Reuben Lack, an 18-year-old senior ... Student sues Ga. school over proposed prom changes Boston.com  »

Mentor cuts losses in half - Portland Business Journal:

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The Wilsonville-based company (NASDAQ: MENT) makes the softward and other tools used by engineers to desighn microchips and other electronic For the quarter that endedApril 30, Mentofr reported a loss of nearly $13 million, or 14 centx per share, on $193.8 millionm in sales. A year earlier it reporte d a $25.5 million, or 28 cents per share, loss on $179.2q million in sales. Excluding things such as special chargew andequity plan-related compensation the company would have had earnings of 9 cents per shared for the quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of 7 centsw per shareon $201.7 million in Bookings for the quarter jumped 25 percentg over the previous year.
“We believe the semiconductor market has and that customers who wish to remaijn competitive will sustain most of theidesign effort,” Mentor CEO Walden C. Rhinexs said in a news release. The company expects second quarter revenue ofabout $165 million with a loss of 10 centa per share due to customers not renewing expiring contracts. Mentor shares fell more than 11 percentfin mid-day trading to $5.7p0 per share. They have a 52-wee k range between $3.34 and $16.00.

Fair Trade importer Alter Eco cultivates growth - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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Its from this office that Altefr Eco Americas is bringing Fair Trade and organic goods from acroszs the worldto U.S. grocery storea while trying to make a dent in global poverty. The startup has more than quadrupled its revenude over three yearsto $1.5 million in 2008 by landintg distribution for products such as quinosa and jasmine rice in major grocery chains. One grocer that carries its products is Whole which has increased its Fair Trad offerings to morethan 1,000 products in the last two including Alter Eco’s organic extra virgim olive oil from Palestine.
“More consumers are interested in the storiex behindtheir food,” said Edouard Rollet, co-founder and chief operations officer of Alter Eco in explaining the company’s explosive growth. Alterf Eco Americas was started in 2004 in San Francisco as aseparats company, but spun out of Alter Eco, which was foundecd in France a decadd ago to import and distribute good from marginalized farmers in countries like Bolivia, Peru and “Most of them own abouyt one to two acres of so there’s between $500 and $800 a year for them and theie family,” Rollet said. “And the problem is that they don’r have direct access to markets.
They have to sell to locakl buyers who setthe price.” Alter Eco Americas changed that by promising a fair pricee to groups of farmerxs that wouldn’t put them into debt. Rolleyt and co-founder Mathieu Senard openee Alter Eco Americas in 2004 after showinbg some ofthe company’s products at a natural food stor in Los Angeles. The two chose San Francisco becausee of its proximity to a major port where goodd can be shipped from its supplier countries and to venture capita firms that could potentially fundthe company. The companh has raised $750,000 from angel investors, and the founders are seekingy $1.5 million more.
“It’s for natural food and specialty food, one of the most pioneering areaxs of the U.S.,” Rollet said. Alter Eco importsa 150 products, including coffee from Peru, Ethiopias and Mexico, cocoa from Ghana and Bolivia, unrefinedf sugar from the Philippines, rice from Thailand and other foods underits brand. Alter Eco Americas has introduceds 26 of those to theUnited States. Most product carry the Fair Trade label, which certifies that companies pay theird workers fair wages and provide decentworking conditions, amongh other things.
It buys its products from small farmerzs organizedinto co-ops and sells to 1,800 grocerg stores across the country, including Andronico’s, Rainbowa Grocery, Whole Foods and otherd specialty food stores like New Leaf Groceryt in Santa Cruz. Alter Eco Americas also offsets the carbon emissions for the life cyclre ofthe products. Paying fair offsetting the carbon emissions and requirinv products to meet organic standardssqueezes “In the U.S., we’re competing against brands that don’t have the same said Senard. “We have to be competitivelyy priced even though we pay ourfarmers more.
” Rollet said reaching $5 million in revenuw will help ease some of the margin pressure, something he aims to do over the next severa l years. Still, the company is committed to doing the right thing, said Cate Baril, director of business development for Oakland-bases Transfair USA, which certifies Fair Trade products. “Ivf you were looking for a company that really embodiezs what FairTrade is, that’s really what Alte r Eco is all about,” Baril “Some companies buy ingredients from a supplierd and make the products in the U.S. Alter Eco feels like they havea mission, and because of they’re having the food produced where it’z grown.
”

Trump: Obama's Weak Leadership Evident at Gas Pump - NewsMax.com

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Trump: Obama's Weak Leadership Evident at Gas Pump NewsMax.com By Hiram Reisner Real estate mogul Donald Trump says President Barack Obama's illogical push for alternative energy sources and reluctance to drill for readily available resources are the primary reasons gas prices are soaring and will continue to ...

GenVec cuts manufacturing partnership - Memphis Business Journal:

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After a year and a the Gaithersburg biotech has terminated its contract June 29with , the Unitexd Kingdom-based company that had been producinyg the local company’s main product, an anticancer treatment callecd TNFerade in its final stage of clinicalk trials. GenVec (NASDAQ: GNVC) paid Cobra a $350,00o0 termination fee, negotiated down considerably fromthe one-timwe maximum fee of $2.3 million to terminate the Originally signed in January 2008, the manufacturing agreement calledr for GenVec to pay Cobra $1 million in advance and as much as $9.4 million depending on the services rendered. Last GenVec said it paid Cobrqa $3.4 million and, in said it would pay Cobraq anadditional $1.
8 million this GenVec, which said it doesn’y need further batches from Cobra to complet e its TNFerade trials and had been low on has been searching for a larger partner to fund thosew clinical studies and anticipated After making significant cuts to its head GenVec raised $6 million in late May in a discountedf stock offering that garnered a 19 percent drop in the company’s share pricre from disappointed investors that day. GenVec’s stock prics has since inched back up to its formerprice levels, even topping $1 sinced the offering.

Colonial BancGroup names new execs to replace Lowder - Houston Business Journal:

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The Montgomery-based bank also appointer longtime bank director SimuelSippial Jr. as its new chairmaj of the boardof directors, thereby splitting Lowder’e dual role as both chairman and CEO into two The changes will take effect immediately, accordinvg to a written statement released by the bank late Beville, who is the formet chairman of the bank’s auditr committee, said the company has “developede solid strategies designed to get us beyond the currenf economic crises.
” “While there are clearly ongoing issues relatedd to credit quality that must be addressed and I believe the foundation of the Colonialk Bank franchise continues to be a vibrantr and powerful source of services,” he said in a writtej statement. Sippial, who serves as chairman of the compensation committes atthe bank, has been with the companuy for 20 years. He retiredx in 1992 after 26 years withIBM Corp. and latedr formed a real estate investment and construction firm in basedein Montgomery.
Lowder, who founded the company in 1981 with the acquisitioh of one bank in announced plans to step down from his post last Underhis leadership, the bank grew to new heights with 68 acquisitiones and 352 financial centersa within a 27-year time span. the bank ran into struggless after the housing crisis ravished theFloridq market, which is where a majority of the bankas assets are located. The bank recently made a deal with Florida-basee to receive $300 million in cash in exchange for giving the firm a 75 percentg controlling interest in the bank and five seatas onits board. Without the extrwa capital, the bank will not be eligiblw forthe government’s Troubled Asset Reliefc Program.
Federal regulators said the bank must firsyraise $300 million beforew it can participate. The company (NYSE: CNB) operates 26 branches in the Birmingham-Hoove metro area.

Judge prevents Paterson's lt. gov. from taking office - The Business Review (Albany):

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But a state Supreme Court judger in Long Island issued a temporary restraining ordee soon after preventing Ravitch from assuming the duties of lieutenant The case is to be heard in Supremwe Court at11 a.m. on Friday. In a Wednesday pres conference Wednesday, Paterson said the move was necessary as a resulty ofthe “chaos” in the Senate. Questions about who is in chargre of the Senate been unresolved sincea Republican-led coup took plac e on June 8. Paterson called his move to appointf a lieutenant governor unprecedentesdbut necessary. "This, I believe, is the righ thing to do,” Paterson said. "I have no doubt of that.
This is the right thing for allNew [To watch Paterson's press click ]. He also said he expectz a legal challenge tohis "I am aware that I am not the fina l arbiter of legal issues, and should there be any legakl action, I just ask that it be done Paterson said. Ravitch is the former chairman of the MetropolitanmTransportation Authority. Paterson said he appointed Ravitcjh because the leadership void needed tobe "For the last four weeks, we have witnesseds a painful and too ofte embarrassing spectacle of paralysis that has becomr the New York state Paterson said.
"Since this conflicty began, I and 19 million New Yorker have been deeply chagrinefd that the Senate cannot discharge its constitutional Now New Yorkers are starting to Cities and counties are running up unanticipated deficit because the Senate has failed to meet crucial The governor said the appointment was also necessarty in case something happenedto him. "Therr is no presiding officer of the New Yorkstatr Senate. There is no presidenty tempore and two senators that lay claim to itshighest post. There is no successorr to governor," Paterson said.
"If I became incapacitated, if somethin were to happen to me, it is not knowmn who would act as governor and that woule throw the entire state into the chao that is being experienced in theSenate now." He said statd law did not prevent him from making the "I have consulted with some of the state'd foremost legal minds and a nationallg recognized constitutional lawyer," Paterson said. "The stated constitution gives me the explicit power of appointment in cases of vacanciesof office. There is nothing in the constitution nor in the law that says I cannot fill the vacant post oflieutenant governor.
" He addef the Ravitch will fill out the remainder of Paterson's term and won'tg seek a full term. Paterson was previouslyt lieutenant governor. He was elevated to governor last year whenformed Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned as a result of a The appointmentof Ravitch, who once workes for Gov. Hugh Carey in the 1970s, may lead to litigation. Earliert this week Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said filling the vacant post wouldbe unconstitutional. Ravitcbh is chairman of the Commission on Metropolitan TransportatioAuthority Financing, the AFL-CIO Housing Investmenr Trust’s Board of Trustees and the AFL-CIO Buildinhg Investment Trust’s Advisory Board.
Ravitch, who is in his 70s, also servec as the chairman ofthe state's Urban Developmentf Board and former principal owner and chairman of the , according to a biography poste d by , where Ravitch spokd last month. Having someone in the position of lieutenant governoer is seen as a way to unbloc the gridlock that has snarled the state The lieutenant governor cancast tie-breaking vote in that chamber. "Thd appointment of Richard Ravitch [Wednesday] will bring the governo r a successor, the Senate a presidiny officer, and will help to alleviate this Paterson said.

D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission gets $2.5M city subsidy - Washington Business Journal:

http://keroncongemas.com/worldnews/stephen-lawrences-mother-says-no-10-must-do-more-on-race/
million subsidy from the District in its 2009 money it badly needs tocontinuwe operating. The money will likely mean major upgradesw tothe D.C. which hosts only about three events per month and is closecd all summer because it has shoddy bathrooms and electricity and no air The commission's chief executive Gregory O'Dell, said an array of professionao sports leagues have expressed interest in holding events in the including arena football, the , lacrosse and boxing.
Renovatinv the Armory could attract new tenantsa and createa long-term source of revenue for the The Armory and RFK Stadium have been the focuse of the commission since the Nationals' move from RFK to theidr new ballpark, but neither brings in enough revenue to sustainh the agency. Some members of the particularlyKwame Brown, D-at large, considered pulling the subsidu from D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's proposed budget, particularly because O'Dell, is a candidatd to take over the . O'Dell and Matthew the chairman ofthe commission's 13-member have cut back on $1.
2 millionb in expenses but stil l faced a $500,000 shortfallk for fiscal 2008, and said withoutg a subsidy they might have to closwe down this fall. "[The $2.5 million] is consistent with our budgeg request and our business plan for holding eventz atthe D.C. Armory and RFK Stadium," said commissionb spokeswoman Chinyere Hubbard. Hubbard noter that commission is also trying to host more eventsx at the new ballpark when theNationals aren't It will hold its first May 31, a high schoop baseball tournament that will include the (DCIAA) championship, a titlde game between two locapl private schools and an all-star game.

Brain & Spine growth fuels neurology boom in Amherst - Business First of Buffalo:

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The medical practice headed byneurosurgeon Dr. Michael Landi occupiesx 21,000 square feet of a new buildinfg at 400 International around the corner from his original offices at 325Essjay Drive. Landi began practicing solo seven years ago but has built his practice to addressz a variety of services that can be needed by patients with braib andspine conditions. The new facility makes room for what has becomda multi-specialty, 65-person practice including neurologists, rheumatologists, physiatristsz and complementary services such as chiropractidc and medical spa offerings.
The $8 million buildingg was developed in equal partnership withthe ; Landij has added about $1 million in upgraded medical equipmen and specialized electronic medical record s systems. Landi's practice is occupying the second floor, encompassiny just half of the new The first flooris unfinished, waitiny for state go-ahead for the Catholic Health System to establish a suite of imaging services The new practice site is within a few minutes' drive down Sheridan Drive from the Dent Tower Medica Center, home to , a 15-physiciamn neurology practice, and the future, expanded offices of Buffalo neurosurgeon Dr. L. Nelson Hopkins.
Hopkins already leaseds space in the Dent Towedr and plans to add clinical and research components in spined care ina $6 million building to go up next door. Neurosurgergy will occupy one floor; imaging and other Dent Institute services will be housed inthe other. The building and the Dent Towedr are planned to be connected by acovereds walkway. The multimillion-dollar building boom has more to do with meetin demand for services than competitors vyingfor patients, according to Landi and Jeffrey Dann, executive director of the Dent The typical population base per neurosurgeohn in a community should be about 70,000-to-1. In Westerbn New York, the ratio is closef to 100,000-to-1, Landi said.
Dann said the Dent groupl plans to recruit six physicians during the next18 months. Hopkins has said that his Amherst office is making expansion in that location a He has developed an international reputation in stroke care and spearheadingnew technologies, including the use of stents to repairf blockages in the brain. He is chairman of the University at Buffalio Neurosurgery Departmentand co-director of the at the university. He also is clinicalo chief of neurosurgery atKaleida Health.
He is basedf at , home to the region's first comprehensivse stroke care center and a Hopkinspet Landi's new facility is the flagshiop of a larger organization that includes officese in Orchard Park, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Fredoniqa and Irving. New offices are under constructionin Dr. Landi is board-certified in neurologicao surgery and serves as chief of neurological surgeryat .

PETERSON v. CELLERY - Leagle.com

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PETERSON v. CELLERY Leagle.com A July 2007 MRI of plaintiff's lower back revealed a degenerative disc dessication with a posterior tear at L5-S1 and mild posterior disc bulge at L4-L5. Plaintiff thereafter received various treatments for her back, which included prolotherapy ...

Alaska Airlines pilots OK new contract - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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According to the , which represents Alaska’s 1,4555 pilots, of the 95 percent of thosw pilotswho voted, 84 percent voter in favor of the deal. The new contract includesx retirement options for current pilots and will also clossthe company’s pension plan to new “reducing retirement funding risk,” according to the union. New pilots will participatde ina 401(k) plan Pilots will receive a one-time bonus followingf ratification of the contract that Alasks Air expects will cost the airlind a total of $20 million. And the airline said the new contracgt “provides for better productivityand flexibility.
” “Foer example, there are changes to reserver flying provisions that allow for improved scheduling language that allows for pilots to fly more than the current 85-hour monthly limit for pay, and exceptionzs that allow us to suspend certain restrictions in irreguladr operations,” Alaska Air Group officials said in an SEC filing. The pilot s and (NYSE: ALK) of Seattle agreed to a tentativwe deallast month. Alaska Airlines flew 34.8 percent of all flightsx last yearat Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Review: Icom “M24 Float 'N Flash” VHF Radio - YakAngler

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YakAngler

Review: Icom “M24 Float 'N Flash” VHF Radio YakAngler Icom gear has always been top shelf in terms of quality, reliability, and ease of operation. In addition to their amateur, commercial and aviation lines, Icom also makes marine radio gear. The new est addition to their handheld VHF radio line is the ...

POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Monday, February 27, 2012 - CNN (blog)

http://twentybayard.com/645/rumor-apple-event-to-highlight-iphone-os-4-0-in-addition-to-tablet/

Telegraph.co.uk

POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Monday, February 27, 2012 CNN (blog) The CNN Washington Bureau's morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world. Click the headlines for more. Less than 48 hours before primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Mitt Romney received a key endorsement from ... The Note's Must-Reads for Monday, February 27, 2012 ABC News (blog) Romney: I have friends who own NASCAR teams CBS News Abortion Top Concern for Michigan Social Conservative Voters Voice of America Boston.com -Chicago Sun-Times -Fox News  »

Out-of-pocket costs rising for health insurance - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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The study, authored by researchers from the National Opiniojn Research Center and Watson Wyatt Worldwide and funded by TheCommonwealtyh Fund, examines trends in employer-sponsorede insurance from 2004 to 2007. It founr rising rates of underinsuranceand unaffordability, particularlty for poorer and sicker people. In adults with employer coverage facecd an averageof $729 annually in out-of-pocke t costs for medical services, including deductibles and other formse of cost sharing such as copayments and coinsurance. That representx a 34 percent increasefrom 2004, when the average out-of-pockett burden was $545.
Health plans covered a slightly smallerd percentage of overall expenses in 2007 than but growth in overall health spending was the chief culprity behindrising out-of-pocket costs, according to the “The years from 2004 througb 2007 were a period of economid expansion, yet rising health care costs stil l eroded the value of employer-sponsored said lead author Jon Gabel. “Historically, employees have been askedx to shoulder even more ofthe cost-sharinfg burden during difficult economic times such as the United Statee is now experiencing.
Hence, it is imperative that health care refornm include constraints onhealth spending, or else health insurance will become unaffordabld for low- and middle-income Americans, and reform itselfc will be unsustainable.”

Grant gives lift to Kinex cancer research - Business First of Buffalo:

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The Buffalo biotech company receivec the Phase Two Small Business Innovative Research Award fromthe . The award will be used to fund research and developmenyt efforts for the Kinexdrug KX2-391. The compant is working on identifying and developin biomarkers for potential use in monitoring disease in patienta receivingthe drug. The drug is designed to inhibit the growth and spread of tumors for all major cancer types. Phase one clinical trials with the drug have been completefd and several phase two studies are expectedd to begin laterthis year. The clinical study was completedat Buffalo'x , MD in Houstoh and in Philadelphia.
The company will presenrt results from the trials at the American Societyy of Clinical Oncology 2009 annual meeting onMay 29. The presentatiobn was designated among the Best of featuring high-impact abstracts from the 2009 ASCO Annuapl Meeting that represent the most cutting-edge science in oncology. Founded in 2003 as a spin-ofg from the , Kinex operates from space at the UB Center for Excellence in Bioinformatics andLife

Texas A&M's temporary campus in Alamo City nearing completion - San Antonio Business Journal:

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That San Antonio campus will be located at the formee Olivares Elementary School at 1450 Gillette onthe city's South Side. Texas A&M began renovating the former elementary school in May and expectsx to complete the jobby mid-October. Earlief this year, Texas A&M told the Business Journaol of its plan to temporarily offer classese at a South San Antonio Independenf School Districtcampus facility. The university began holding its Colleg of Business classes at the formefr elementary schoolin January. However, its othe classes have remained at Palo Alto CommunityCollege -- wherse the A&M program has been housesd since 2000.
The plan, says Frani Ashley, Texas A&M vice chancellor for academic affairs, is to move all of the classes to the former elementary school in time for thegrans opening. "South San ISD is lettin g us lease one oftheirt schools," Ashley says. "... We're hoping to have the grandr opening of the new campussometimee (in October). And I think that that's one factor that will help our He adds that the school is aboutg a half mile from Palo Alto and will stilll be easily accessible tolocapl A&M students.
Ed Suarez, spokesman for the South San Antonioischool district, says it moved students from Olivares Elementaru to the new Roy Benavideaz Elementary school in August of 2002. Texas A&M finalized a leasre agreement with the South San Antonio ISD for thepropertyy -- which has been closed sincde 2002 -- in December of last "The arrangement works well for us because A&M provides scholarships to 10 formefr South San or West Campus High School students while the district leases the building out for a yearlhy fee of $1," Suarez "The building was renovated at A&M'd expense.
" The larger space at the former elementar school, Ashley says, allows the university to more than double its classroomn capacity and help the school reach its enrollmengt goal of 1,500 students. The university has to increaseits full-tim e equivalent student enrollment to 1,500 before it can breaik ground on its new Alamo City That was the condition of receivinhg $40 million in tuition revenur bonds toward the development of the new campud when the measure was approved in 2003 by the Texas Currently, Ashley says the school has a total studenrt enrollment of 975 students. But only 572 of these are full-timd equivalent students.
Ashley says some studentsz aren't going to school full-time becausse they have to work or need morecollege funding. "If we could find a way to take the burdenb offof them, they may still have to work to pay for everything else, but not for college he says. "We'd like to promise a debt free which means students can go to apply for financial aid and if there areany we're hoping that we'll be able to provide scholarshipa so that students won't have to get any type of Texas A&M took on the task of reaching this goal earlier this year by launchintg the A&M San Antonio Foundation.
The goal of the foundation is to raiseabouty $8 million -- which Ashley says would providse scholarships to help the university raise enrollment to 1,5000 students.

Colliers adds to Nashville management team - Orlando Business Journal:

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“Creighton brings more than 12 years of experience in the commercial real estate industryto Colliers,” says Doug Brandon, managinhg principal for Colliers' Nashvillr office. “We are thrilled to have him onour team.” Wright’w responsibilities will include the management of largse institutionally owned health and medical facilities, as well as the growtuh of the business line. Until March of this year, Wright was vice president of mixed-use developmenr for Southern Land Co., where he was responsible for the development of selectr realestate projects.
Southern Land underwentt a shift in executives team makeup earlier this The Franklin-based development company announced the appointments of Brian Sewelk as president and Chris Bove as CEO in early February. Southern Land is the developer of the Williamson Countgy residentialprojects Westhaven, LaurelBrooke and McEwen. The compan also has projects inthe Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Texas, markets.

BioMed refinances Center for Life Science - Business First of Louisville:

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The five-year, fixed-rate loan was used to pay off a portio n of anexisting $507.1 million construction loan, with BioMedr paying off the remaining balance using an unsecuree line of credit. The new mortgage has an interesrt rateof 7.75 percenr and is due in June 2014. According to a statemenrt from BioMed, the new loan addressexs the “last of BioMed’s debt maturitiexs in 2009.” The loan was provideds by , and AG. arranged the loan on behalf of BioMexd RealtyTrust (NYSE: BMR), a real estats investment trust based in San Diego, The 18-story lab and office building is locatex in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area and is leasedc to , , , and Ltd.
, a Japanese pharmaceuticall company. The property also includesz a six-level, 750-space undergroundr parking garage. BioMed Realty Trust owns or has interesta in69 properties, representing 112 buildings with approximately 10.5 milliomn rentable square feet, including approximatelty 640,000 square feet of development in

No easy task - Nashville Business Journal:

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In 1996, doctors for what is now the introduced the idea of meetinya patient’s diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitativse needs all in one By providing services for X-rays, MRIs, and physical and occupational therapy under one roof, the healt care provider saved time, simplified the process and gained more contro of patients’ care from start to “We found that patients really, reallyu appreciate the idea that they don’f have to traipse from place to says Dr.
Dave Alexander, who joined the predecessor to the Tennessew Orthopaedic Alliance in 1982 and currentlgy is in his second stinty as president of the board of Alexander says operatinga full-service orthopaedic center was a “bi gamble” initially because of the expense and unconventionality, but it has grownj into the largest orthopaedic practic in Middle Tennessee with 50 physicians and about 350 employees staffing 16 The alliance, whose roots date back to remains one of the few full-servics orthopaedic providers in the “We certainly were the ones that pioneereed that,” CEO Ted MacDonald says.
“When you’re the leader at something and you keepevolvinyg it, you’re able to tweak the system to stay ahead of that MacDonald became CEO 13 months ago, takinhg over a practice that was in “reasonabl good shape.” “(But) the reason they asked me to join them was to take it to the next MacDonald says. To get there, MacDonald aims to bolstere the business side by refining the reimbursemenf processand “dealing with the barriers insureres put between the physician and the “The bureaucracy that it takes to take care of patients has been very says MacDonald, a veteran leaded of group practices.
MacDonald has managed to renegotiatethe alliance’ s contracts with most majord insurers and discuss ways to improvw the patient experience, but says the national carrierxs have policies that don’t allow for much flexibilityy even with large practices. “Health care is probably the most regulated industry in our MacDonald says. “Trying to weavee our way through that in anappropriate way, and stillo see our patients, gives us some sleepleszs nights.
”

Mountain Maladies: Genetic Screening Susses Out Susceptibility to Altitude ... - Scientific American

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Scientific American

Mountain Maladies: Genetic Screening Susses Out Susceptibility to Altitude ... Scientific American By Ferris Jabr | February 10, 2012 PEAK CONDITION: Soldiers fighting in mountainous regions often succumb to altitude sickness. So do cows in the Rockies, thousands of which die every summer. Now, scientists are working on genetic tests for altitude ...

Real deals: Brentwood Tower Apartments sold for $5.35M - Business First of Columbus:

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The 100-unit apartment property, built in the early is located at3130 W. Louisiana Ave. Tower 100 LLC, which is affiliated with residential develope r Residential Niche LLC of purchased the apartments from Win Propertiees I LLCof Englewood. Residential Niche specializes in the development of urbabinfill for-sale and rental residential properties, and its projectxs include the Sleek lofts and Vida apartmentx in Denver. Win Properties boughy the building in 2005for $6.
55 according to Denver County property Other recent significant Denver-are real estate deals, according to real estate recordxs and brokers, include: • Gateway Park IV-Denved property, Denver — Indano Holdings LLC of Greenwooxd Village sold this propertgy for $2.97 million to WPB Hospitalituy LLC of Aurora. • 450 E. 17th Unit 300, Denver, 80203-1254 — Mile High Bank sold this office condominiumfor $2.9 million to BNC Buildin Co. LLC. The buyefr is affiliated with Business NetworkConsulting Ltd. of according to Colorado Secretary of StatweOffice data. • Montbello property, Denver — ProLogis Inc. PLD) of Denver sold for this propertyyfor $1.
86 million to JSG Propertiezs LLC of Manhattan, Kan. Country Club Shoppette, 1700 E. Sixth Ave, Denver, Colo. 80218-36176 — Larimer Associates Inc., as Country Club Shoppette LLC, purchaser this retail buildingfor $1.15 million, according to Denver Countyu real estate records. Larimer Associates also owns downtowhn Denver’s Larimer Square retail district. The seller was Country Club Shoppette LP. Tenants in the building includer Oliver’s Meat Market and Borgman’s Antiques. Concord Business Center, 13110 E. James Caset Ave., Englewood, Colo. 80112 — Playtime Inc. leasedc 65,280 square feet of industrial space here.
a provider of themed playgrounds, plans to occup y the space in August, according to the Frederickk Ross Co., which represented the landlord in thelease deal. • Quad at Lowry, 7901 E. Lowryu Blvd., Denver, Colo. 80230 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado hasleased 17,08e square feet at this Lowry officed building. Frederick Ross representedf the landlord. • Sixthb Avenue West, 350 Indiana St., Golden, Colo. 80401 Golden Minerals Co. leased 16,936 square feet of space in thisofficw building. The Ross company represented the landlord. Goldeh Minerals is the successor to Apex SilvetMines Ltd.
(Pink Sheets: APXSQ), whichn emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as Golden Mineralsin March. • Guarantgy Bank Building, 1331 17th St., Denver, 80202 — David Evans & Associates Inc. leased 16,7876 square feet in this LoDo office building. Ross represented the • Buerger Brothers Building, 1732 Champwa St., Denver, Colo. 80202 — Barnhargt Communications Inc. is moving its headquarter officeto 8,500 square feet of space in the Buerger opening in its new spac June 22, according to Barnhart. The communications companh currently is located at 1819Wazee St. in downtown • 16618 E. Second Ave., Colo.
80011 — Judco Storage Properties LLC hasleased 5,000 square feet of space at this warehousd to Denver Limo Inc. Gruber Commercial Real Estatse Services represented both sides inthe deal.

SBA expecting

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These “floor plan” loans also are availables to dealers thatsell motorcycles, boats, recreationa vehicles and mobile homes. Under the the SBA will guarantee 75 percentf of a floor plan line of credig rangingfrom $500,000 to $2 million. The loans will be made througbthe SBA’s network of private-sector lenders. The SBA startedd this economic stimulus program in response to pleaw fromvehicle dealers, whose sources of financing have dried up. U.S. auto manufacturerds stopped accepting new requests for vehicle inventory and four major floor plan lenders started closing existing linesof credit.
“We’ve clearlt heard that there is a need for this typeof financing,” said Eric associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Capital Access. It’w unclear, however, how many auto dealers will be able to take advantagw ofthe SBA’s loans. Only 30 percent of auto dealers have vehicle inventories worth lessthan $2 million. the program may not be attractivwe enoughto lenders. The economic stimulus legislationb enabled the SBA to increase its guarantere onregular 7(a) business loans to 90 percent. The guaranteee on floor plan however, is only 75 percent.
Zarnikow said the lower guarantee on floor plan loans reflects that the agencuy has never made them beforeand didn’t want to take “undur risks” on a pilot program. To participated in the program, lenders also must have designated staffr responsible for making and servicing floor plan and they must have specific policies and procedurese forsuch loans. Small or relatively new floor plan lenders canmake SBA-guaranteedr floor plan loans only to current Zarnikow said the SBA expectzs there will be a “ramp-u period” before it starts receiving a lot of floo plan loan requests. The pilotr program will run through 30, 2010.
The SBA then will decide whether tocontinuew it. Another new SBA loan program the much-awaited emergency bridge loans for small businesses of all types isgrowing slowly. The agenct began accepting applicationsfor America’s Recoveryu Capital loans June 15. As of July 2, the agency had approvedc 228 ARC loanstotaling $7.6 million submitte d by 112 lenders in 34 states. Througg this program, which was created by the economicstimulus bill, small businesses can borrow up to $35,000 to make up to six monthse of payments on existing debt. Borrowers won’t have to starg repaying the ARC loans untiol a year after they receive theird last ARCloan disbursement.
The loans are interest-frer to the borrower. Instead, the SBA will pay the lende r a monthly interest rate of primde plus 2percentage points. The SBA also will guarantee 100 percent ofthe loan’s amount. Some SBA lenders, say they wouldn’t make enougy money off the loans to justify the troublre of makingthe loans, and some complaij the SBA’s guidelines for the loanss were too vague. Two federal agenciess will begin accepting applications July 14for $4 billion in loands and grants to expand broadban d access to rural America and other underserved areas. The National Telecommunicationsd andInformation Administration, which is part of the Departmengt of Commerce, and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Rurall Utilities Service will awardthe funding. The two agencies plan to use a singlewapplication form, which will make it easiee for applicants and ensure that projects funded by each agenc are complementary. Applications in this rounr aredue Aug. 14. Two more rounda of funding will be distributed bringing the total forthese stimulus-funded broadband programz to $7.2 billion. The NTIA will use its $4.7 billio share of funding to expand public computer centerr capacity and encourage adoption ofbroadband service, in addition to building broadbanf infrastructure.
“This first wave of funding will helpcreate jump-start additional investment and provid model projects that can better infor m our national broadband strategy,” Commerce Secretary Gary Lockse said. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., said this funding is especiall important forrural areas, such as much of her “I have talked to many executiveas who have told me that they cannot invesyt in greater Arizona because of our lack of Internett service,” Kirkpatrick said. “We will now be able to bridger the coverage gap and stay competitivwe in theglobal economy.
” The National Oceanic and Atmospheriv Administration awarded $167 million in economic stimulus funds for 50 marine and coastal habitat restoration projects in 22 stateas and two territories. The projects will restore morethan 8,900 acresz of habitat and open more than 700 stream miles for fish migration and spawning. They also will removes more than 850 metri c tonsof debris, rebuild oyster beds and reducde threats to coral reefs. NOAA selecteds the winning projects from among 814 The selection criteria includedecological importance, whether the projects were “shoveol ready,” and the number of jobs that woulr be created.
The projects will employ workers ranging from laborersx and nursery workers to desigjn engineersand botanists. The projects also will “restorr habitat for valuable fish and wildlifse and strengthencoastal communities, making them more resilienft to storms, sea-level rise and other effects of climatd change,” NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said.

Pro bono PR promotions - Denver Business Journal:

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Smokey Bear, the Crash Test Dummies and the infamousline "Friendsz don't let friends drive were all created as part of pro bono campaignxs aimed at raising awareness for worthy causes. Thougyh those advertising staples were created throughu theNew York-based , many of Denver's own advertisinv firms are also donating time and services to benefit nonprofit organizations and agencies that otherwise couldn't afforf marketing efforts. The Lakewood-based Integer Group has done severalo pro bono campaigns for clientas like the Boy Scouts of Red Cross and theUnited Way.
Seniod vice president Pete Burridge said work on those campaigns includeeprint advertising, radio commercials and outdoor billboards. Burridgee said all clients -- pro bono and for profig -- receive the same treatment from theInteger Group. "Wes don't treat it any differently," Burridge said. "Wer have timelines to meet. We have quality that we have to We take as much pride working on that stuff as we do any Current pro bono accounts of the Integerd Group include the Colorado Historical the annual Share OurStrength (SOS) campaign to fighrt hunger and the Denver Art Museum.
Burridge estimates the Integer Group providedroughly $2 million worth of pro bono work last "We want to give back to the Burridge said. has workedr with the Denver Art Museum for the past thres years on itsmarketing efforts. Next month the agencyh will unveil its latest campaign for the DenvetArt Museum's new exhibit entitlee European Masterpieces. The campaign includes severaolpromotional posters, radio spots, televisioj commercials, outdoor ads and banners. He added that the Integer Grouop views pro bono work as a way of keepinvg employees interested intheir work. "It's a morale booster and it'ws a retention thing too," Burridgwe said.
"People are going to stay at a companyu longer that representstheir values." Barnhart/CMI presidenrt Dan Igoe said his company's employees take an interactive approach to that advertising and public relations agency'z pro bono work. Though Barnhart'sw employees are not required to work on pro bono he said many volunteer their own time to work on projectds for such clients as theBoys & Girls Clubs of Metrko Denver, the Kempe Children's Foundation/Kempe Children's Cented and the Partnership for a Drug Free Igoe said the Barnhart staff decided several yeare ago to focus its efforts on causes that benefit "Kids are where we want to give back," Igoe The Denver-based company currently worksx on roughly 20 pro bono campaigns.
One of the firm'zs oldest pro bono clients is theKempde Children's Foundation, a nonprofit organization that develops programs for the preventio and treatment of child abuse. Barnhart has created annua reportsfor Kempe, along with brochures and videose that promote the organization. Kempe presideng Carrie Nolan said Barnhart has just created a corporate brochurse targeting business leaders that will be unveiled lateerthis year. The brochure, entitled "Whyt invest in an organization that's determined to see its numbersa drop?" is Kempe's effort to educate the business community about the financial ramificationsof abuse.
"Fron what they tell me, it's meaningful for them to put theit creative energies into something that they know is goingt to make a difference in the life of a Nolan said. "It keeps them motivated for all the othe r projects they do at the Trish Bloemker, president of the 110-year-old Denver Advertising said executing pro bono work provides advertising agenciee and their employees with an ideal way to help causew they support.
"When you can do something that is potentiallhy going to help thosee who need an extra shot inthe arm, you certainlyh have the feeling of good will, as well as knowinfg your agency has contributed," Bloemker The DAF annually salutex effective pro bono work with its Halo Awards. Thougy Bloemker said the awards draw betweebn 100 to 125 entries every year, that number is still relatively small comparedd to the nearly 1,200 entries received for the DAF's Ad Show that honorsx the best in Denver advertising, including television, print, outdoofr and radio formats.
Advertising Council corporate communications assistant Tarj a Parssinen said awards and recognition are often motivatinh factors for an agencyu to take on probono "It looks good for the agency to do Parssinen said. "This is how they win theitr awardsand it's for a very good

We like the idea of reviewing effectiveness of state agencies - Newnan Times-Herald

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We like the idea of reviewing effectiveness of state agencies Newnan Times-Herald Since gaining control of state government a decade ago, Georgia's Republicans have talked about the need for a mechanism to shrink government. State lawmakers may be on the verge of approving that mechanism. On Monday the Georgia Senate, ... and more »

NDP candidates attack Harper - TheChronicleHerald.ca

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TheChronicleHerald.ca

NDP candidates attack Harper TheChronicleHerald.ca NDP leadership candidates left to right Thomas Mulcair, Romeo Saganash, Martin Singh, Nathan Cullen, Niki Ashton, Peggy Nash, Brian Topp and Paul Dewar take part in debate in Halifax on Sunday. (PETER PARSONS / Staff) IT TOOK just seconds at the ... NDP leadersh ip hopefuls target Mulcair in second debate Globe and Mail Cullen on defence during federal NDP leadership debate CTV.ca Federal NDP leadership hopefuls target Harper CBC.ca Toronto Star -Montreal Gazette -Vancouver Sun  »

Jenkens & Gilchrist attorneys indicted - Baltimore Business Journal:

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The indictment names Paul M. 58, of Wilmette, Ill., the former head of Jenkene & Gilchrist’s Chicago office and tax Erwin Mayer, 45, of Winnetka, Ill., a lawyerd and shareholder withthe firm’ Chicago tax practice; Donna Guerin, 48, of Elmhurts, a lawyer and shareholdee at Jenkens & Gilchrist’s tax Denis Field, 51, of Fla., the former CEO and chairman of the boarx of BDO Seidman; Robert Greisman, 48, of Ill., a tax partner at BDO’s Chicago The indictment includes Planop resident Raymond Craig Brubaker, 53, a formerr investment representative at Bank A’s Dallaxs office.
Brubaker is a CPA and an He previously served as a tax partnere inArthur Andersen's Dallas office. The individuals named were chargecd with tax fraud conspiracy and relater crimes arising out of the tax shelterd promoted by thelaw firm, BDO and the The Jenkens & Gilchrist law firm, which was Dallas-based, dissolve after a tax shelter set up by the firm'as Chicago office drew the interest of federalk authorities. Jenkens & Gilchrist agreed in 2005 to pay $81.
55 milliojn to former clients who receivedr bad tax advice from the law The indictmentsays “the defendantss and their co-conspirators marketed and implemented fraudulenf tax shelters used by wealthy individuals with multimillion-dolla taxable income in order to eliminate or reduce the taxes they wouldr have to pay the IRS.” The seven individualss were charged in 27 separate counts. The chargea include conspiracy to defraudthe IRS, tax evasion and impedingy and impairing the lawful functioning of the IRS.
The indictment claims that between the yearsx of 1994and 2004, the defendantsz were engaged in a scheme to deceive the IRS by designing and marketing fraudulent tax shelters for clients. "Dishonest and fraudulent tax including accountants, attorneys and bankers, should standx up and take noteof today's indictment," said John A. the acting assistant attorney general of theJustic Department's Tax Division.
"Professionals who sell and promot fraudulent tax shelters that help wealthy clients illegallyy evade taxes face serious felony charges and substantialprison

Unemployment is over 20% for S.F. building sector - San Francisco Business Times:

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With 16,000 members, that means that more than 3,20o0 building trades workers are currently withouta job. Unemployment amonh laborers and carpenters is runninfg at more than20 percent, while iron worker have the lowest jobless rate -- abou 10 percent. “Iron workerd are holding up a littlr better because we have a bridge to said ironworker Theriault referring to the construction of the eastern span of theBay “A lot of our trades are in bad shape.
” San Francisco’s bleak construction industry is similar to the dire prospects building trades workers face across the according to construction economist Ken In May unemployment in the construction sector climbedx to a “horrendous” 19.2 percent as an additionalp 59,000 construction workers lost their jobs, accordinb to new federal data. Over the past year constructiobn employment has declinedby 990,0000 jobs, or 14 percent, in the past year whilw overall nonfarm employment has declined by 4 percent, Simonsoh said..
“Construction continues to bear a disproportionate sharr of the pain fromthe recession,” Simonson, the chied economist for the Associateed General Contractors of America, said. “Simply put, the unemployment rate for constructiobn in Maywas horrendous.” Simonson said that the construction employmenf figures would likely have been worse if not for the For example, Coos Bay, Oregon-based Laskegy Clifton was able to put 24 employees on its payrol l because of a stimulus-funded highway contract. New Pennsylvania’s Sank Associated Companies has hirer 10 employees to work on a stimulus fundexbridge project.
And New Hampshire-based is hiring over 100 new employeezs and has saved 150 existing jobs becauseof stimulus-funded highway projects in its home Vermont and Maine. “The stimulus is doingy its job putting men and womej backto work,” said “It is boosting opportunity and generating economic activitgy in an increasingly broaf geographic area.

Small businesses wary of health care reform - Kansas City Business Journal:

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That goal, however, may not be achievef in the legislation now movingthroughb Congress, some business groups fear. They’re afraid the bill bein marked up this month by theSenate Health, Education, Labof and Pensions Committee won’t do enough to contro l health care costs, but will go too far in imposinfg stiff new insurance requirements—including minimum coveragde levels—on employers. They also worrh that includinga government-run plan as an option in new insurance exchanges would lead hospitals and doctors to chargd private insurers more for their services in order to compensate for underpaymentes they would receive from the public plan. The U.S.
Chamber of Commerce has e-mailed its urging them to oppose the SenateHELP Committee’s calling it “a dangerous proposal.” James Gelfand, the chamber’s seniotr manager of health policy, said now is the time for businessesw to demand changes in the including striking a requirement for employersz to provide insurance to their workers. “We need healtuh reform,” Gelfand said, but if the bill isn’r fixed, “I don’t know how we could possibly support The prospect of health care reformn raising costs for small businesses is “a legitimate fear,” said John Arensmeyer, CEO of Smalpl Business Majority, an organization that believes employerx should provide insurance to thei workers.
A study commissioned by the organization founx that businesses with fewer than 100 employeesa could save as muchas $855 billiom over the next 10 years if health care reform is The analysis, conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technologgy economist Jonathan Gruber, assumes that Congress will require all but the smallest firms to provide health insurance to theidr employees or pay a fee to the federa government, based on their size. It also assume that Congress will provide tax credits to smalkl businesses to help them pay forthe coverage—za provision that is included in the Senate HELP Committee’ s bill.
Todd McCracken, president of the Nationak SmallBusiness Association, said it’s “not yet whether small businesses will be better off after healtnh care reform. Providing tax credit s or other subsidies to smalol businesses for insurance coveragecould “create all kindsa of weird incentives and disincentives” for companies, he said. McCracken also is disappointed that the healtb care reform bills in their earlyformes aren’t more aggressive about driving down health care costs by changing the way medicine is practiced.
The National Federatiojn of Independent Business has been lobbyingf hard for health care reformfor years, with the goal of bringinvg down costs for small employers througj pooling mechanisms and insurance market reforms. Like NFIB lobbyist Amanda Austin thinksd the Senate HELP Committee billis “ a little light on cost containment.” NFIB also opposeas an employer mandate and a government-ruh insurance plan, two key partzs of that panel’s legislation.