Portfolio.com joins forces with bizjournals.com - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Condé Nast Portfolio magazinew and its Website Portfolio.com, launcheed in April 2007 and the magazine closed this April. The site provideas insight into topbusiness stories, with analysizs from bloggers and columnists. Charlotte, N.C.-based ACBJ and New York-based Nast are both owned by New York-basee . The site will offer newlyy created content and tap intoother Condé Nast sited such as Wired.com, GolfDigest.com and WWD.com. Portfolio.com also will work with the Phoenicx newspaper and other ACBJ newsrooms acrossthe “We believe our readers will benefit as the re-launched Portfolio.
co will have a stronger focus on industr news and a greater mission to offerd information relevant to today’s business professionals,” said Tim Bradbury, president of new mediaq for . David Carey, group president for Condé Nast, callesd ACBJ “a perfect match due to its great editorial resourcesx in thebusiness arena.” During its two yeard Portfolio.com grew to 2.8 million monthly uniques and won awarde such as MIN: Best of Web Award 2008, MIN: Hottesft Launch of the Year 2007, WebAward: Outstanding Achievemeny in Website Development 2007, and Webby nominations in Best Business blog and Financial Servicea categories.

States lax in regulating cosmetic surgery - USA TODAY

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USA TODAY

States lax in regulating cosmetic surgery USA TODAY By Jayne O'Donnell, USA TODAY Only 21 states require the accreditation or licensing of offices where doctors perform surgery. Offices that are accredited or licensed must have certain life-saving emergency equipment and drugs, adhere to strict safety ... and more »

Saudi firm buys farmland in Argentina to secure animal feed - USA TODAY

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USA TODAY

Saudi firm buys farmland in Argentina to secure animal feed USA TODAY By Alejandro Pagni, AFP/Getty Images Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner speaks at her inauguration in Buenos Aires Dec. 10, 2011. By Alejandro Pagni, AFP/Getty Images Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner speaks at her ... Argentina Fences Off Land to Foreign Buyers W »

Tesla co-founder Eberhard sues CEO Musk - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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Eberhard sued Musk on May 26 in San Mateko CountySuperior Court, claiming libel, slander and breacnh of contract in connection with his oustedr from the company in 2007. Eberhard in the lawsuiy claims he was forced out of the company he helped to starg and was then denied the severancwe his contractcalled for. He furthee claims that Musk disparaged him publiclty and accuses the CEO of tryinyto "rewrite history" by taking creditf for the company's electric Roadster. Among othet claims made in the lawsuit, Eberhar d accuses the companyof "destroying" the Tesla Roadsted that was to be delivered to him.
Teslaz said its momentum and business strategh are unaffected by the lawsuit and it will likely file counterclaimxsin court. "This lawsuit is an unfairr personalattack and, more paints an inaccurate picturse of Tesla's history. It's a fictionalized accoun t of Tesla's early years it's twisted and wrong, and we welcomr the opportunity to set the record the company said ina statement. "As the mediq have already covered exhaustively, Tesla's full boars of directors unanimously fired Martibn shortly after discovering that the cost of the car was more than twicre what Martin portrayed it to be atthe time.
" A copy of the lawsuitf can be found

Gannett may make more staff cuts at newspapers, salary cuts at television stations - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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A report by the Gannetf Blog on Friday referencesd a memo from Gannett CFO Gracisa Martore thatprojects 4,500 newspaper layoffs throughougt the Gannett chain in July as well as a 10 percentf pay cut for its broadcast employees. The Gannett Blog reportf also says Gannett workers will not face any more furloughsxthis year. The Arizona Republid is the largest metropolita n daily inthe Va.-based Gannett chain. The Republic has already suffered through layoffs and furloughs as the newspaper industry strugglew with poor advertising numbers andonliner competition.
Gannett (NYSE: GCI) announced Monday that president and CEO Craig Dubosw will be on a temporary medical leavd of absence followingback surgery. Martorde is taking over as interimchief executive. Gannety has 41,000 employees company wide including at dailyt newspapersin Phoenix; Palm Springs, Calif.; Honolulu; Mansfield, Ohio; and Des Iowa. The media conglomerate also owns TV stationzsin Phoenix, Flagstaff, Washington Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., and Gannett officials did not respond late Friday for a reques for comment on the Gannettg Blog report, which said the cuts wouldd come July 8.

French grab unpublished Charlotte Brontë manuscript with £690850 auction bid - Telegraph.co.uk

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Telegraph.co.uk

French grab unpublished Charlotte Brontë manuscript with £690850 auction bid Telegraph.co.uk An unpublished Charlotte Bronte manuscript has been snapped up by the French under the noses of a British museum after they paid a record £690850 for it at auction. Minor masterpiece: Written when Charlotte Brontë was 14, and dated 1830, ... Miniature Bronte manuscript sparks bidding war CNN Paris museum snaps up Bronte manuscript for $1.1 mln Reuters Charlotte Bronte manuscript sets record at auction The Associated Press New York Times (blog) -Art Daily  »

VC investment slows - South Florida Business Journal:

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million in Florida companies duringthis year'z third quarter, the lowest dollar volume in the state sinc e 1999's first quarter, according to a surve by PricewaterhouseCoopers. survey, compiled by the accountingy and consulting firm and venture capital consultantVenture One, shower 13 Florida companies received venturre capital during the recent That averaged out to $6.9 million per investment. The recent quarter's statewide dollar total was considerablyg smaller than inthis year's second which had 12 VC deals totaling $260.7 million. The Money Tree surveyy for 2000's third quarter showed 23 Florida investmentstotaling $542.
8 million, a quarterl y dollar record for the state. This year'ds third quarter results includee five South Florida companies receivin g a totalof $29.2 million. Duringg this year's second four South Florida companiesz received venture capitaltotalingt $86.1 million. "What we saw in the last quarter is probablyt a significant indication of what is to saidPhyllis Jones, a Tampa-based Pricewaterhouse partnedr who heads the firm'ss Florida Technology Practice. "We are back to Jones said. "The boom period was just that. Historically, the third quarter (of was not bad. We didn't have monster deals closing like in thepreviouds quarters.
" The decline in technologuy stocks that began during the spring of 2000 is impactingt the flow of venture capitalk in Florida and around the country, Jonew said. During 1999 and early 2000, numerous ventures funds gave money toyoung Internet-related companiesd with a goal of gaining profits from anticipated initiak public offerings. However, those IPOs did not materialize. The lingeriny effects of this year's economic slowdown, the 11 terrorist attacks are other factors probably will keep VC deal flowat pre-19990 levels for the next several quarters, Jones Thus, for the next several quarters, it is anticipatedc the number of VC investments likelu will remain flat and there probably will be few of the $10 million-plua investments in early-stage companies that were widespread in late 1999 and last "Many venture funds are spending times advising and helpinfg to shore up their existint investments (companies)," Jones said.
"Some are saying that the secondr round is where theyare looking, but some are stilo interested in early-stage companies." The thir quarter's largest VC deal in South Florida was an $18.77 million investment received by Coordinated Care Solutionw of Coral Springs, which provided care management of high-risk, high-cost patientsx insured by HMOs, PPOs, self-insured companiesx and government-funded programs. Essex Woodlands Health Venture and Pequot Capitapl Management invested the mone y in CoordinatedCare Solutions. The fundinbg was the second round of venture capita forthe company.
Othetr South Florida companies that receive venture capital duringthis year's third quarter, according to PWC, BizProLink Network of Fort $3.2 million; Bioheart of Fort Lauderdale, $3.0 OpenClose.com of Sunrise, $2.25 million; and NetByTel of Boca $2.0 million. Through this year's first three quarters, the PWC surveys show 43 Florida companies have received venture capitaltotaling $455 That puts the state far behind last year's recore pace, when 98 Florida companies receivee $1.5 billion in venture capital.

Asian Stocks Retreat Following Fed Fails to Initiate Steps to Boost Economy - Dice News

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Asian Stocks Retreat Following Fed Fails to Initiate Steps to Boost Economy Dice News Asian Stocks (MXAP) fell for the second day, whereas, credit risk rose and oil declined following the Federal Reserve failed to take more initiatives to boost the US economy. The policy makers at Fed refused the anticipations from investors that the ... and more »

Naperville dentist next president of Chicago Dental Society - Chicago Sun-Times

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Naperville dentist next president of Chicago Dental Society Chicago Sun-Times John Gerding, a general dentist who has practiced in Naperville since 1981, was sworn in as president of the Chicago Dental Society at a ceremony Nov. 13 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago. ... and more »

Hereford House fire damage exceeds $1M - Houston Business Journal:

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Joe Vitale, a battalion chief and publicx information officer forthe , said Monday that the KCFD receivee cell phone calls reporting an explosion and fire at the buildinf about 12:45 a.m. Monday. The KCFD dispatchec 12 to 15 pumpers, aerial ladders and other fire departmentr vehicles to the scens ofthe two-alarm Vitale said. Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire runningf laterally alongthe building’ s roof line, he said. The brick veneeer on the building’s south side had blowj off, he said, “so there was some concern aboustructural integrity.” Firefighters vented the roof and brought the fire undef control within 40 minutes, he said. No injuriea occurred.
Smoke but no fire spreac to thevacant five-story building immediatelyh to the north, Vitale said. Officials with the loca ATF office and theKCPD couldn’t immediatelyt be reached for comment. owns the restaurant and Hereforr House locationsin Independence, Leawood, Shawnee and the Northland, and Pierpont’sd at Union Station. Officials with the compan couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Foreclosure brings new owner at Worthington Square - Business First of Columbus:

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Chicago-based Inc. took control of the 170,000-square-foot mall just befor e Christmas after foreclosing on owner GE Credit then hirec to take over leasing duties from CB Richard ElliwsGroup Inc. , a Chicago assetr manager, is working with “We are sorting through the issueds and challenges firstand foremost,” Jupiter Assef Manager Jerry Ong said. “We’ll then move forward. Our vision is one that will reintroduce a tenanf mix and shopping experience we believe the people of Worthington are In the eyes of Worthington City Manager Matt the mall remains important to the communitgy and he hopes the new owner and managers will make stride at improving theshopping center.
“We look at this as potentiallyha positive,” he said. “Wr hope the new owner and property managerr will be focusedon long-term Improving tenant relations and maintenancr issues top the new owner’s to-do list. Ong knows mall merchanta have heard the revitalizationtalk before. He hopeas the initial improvements made will show consumers and the retailerxs that GE Credit intends to investy for thelong term. CB Richar d Ellis took management contropl of the mall in 2006from Cambridge, Mass.-based Carpente & Co., which had handled those dutied for four years.
It continued an $8 millionj renovation plan put in placwby Carpenter, including the demolition of a piece of the complex between the mall and a Kroger supermarket. turned the storwe into one of its three Fresh Fare grocersd inthe area. Part of the plan also includeds giving the malla Colonial-style face lift, but that nevert happened. The mall, which opened in 1972 as an open-airt shopping center and was enclosed in the early has 43retail spaces, according to its flooer plan, but just 19 tenants, though some take up more than one Recent defections have included Godfry’s Men’s Clothier, Victoria’ws Secret and Bath & Body all of which moved to storefronts at Polaris Fashionn Place.
“There are a number of high-quality currengt tenants that want to Greeson said. is one of them. Chieg Marketing Officer Chris Tomasso said sales atthe 12-year-oldx restaurant in the mall are down but he attributed that more to the economic climates than to a decline in tenantas and shoppers visiting the “We’re disappointed by the path the mall has he said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to establishu a loyal customer basethat doesn’rt really rely on the other tenants.” Improvefd contact is high on some of the lists, too.
“We didn’t feel like there was open Tomasso said of previous owners andmall “There wasn’t a lot of information coming our way abouty plans for the center.” Talbots Inc. has the biggesgt operation in the mall, accounting for four of the 19 shops. The companu shuttered its Talbots Mens and Talbotws Kids storeslast year, but that was part of a move to returh the chain to its core women’s market. Strugglintg retail centers and slow progress to second lives for the complexess have become old hat for Central Ohio The once-thriving Columbus City Center at 1.2 million square feet, will be bulldozed to make way for a downtowhn park.
A forlorn Northland Mall was demolished in 2004 to becomea mixed-use project that has been slow to develop. is seeking a partner or an outright buyer for the Westland which could see some of its building torn down with anchoe storesites redeveloped. And the Kingsdals Shopping Center in Upper Arlington is targeted to undergoa $60 million conversion into an office and retaill center. Worthington Square managers may find some helpful cues fromthe $6 milliom redevelopment of the Shops on Lane an aged shopping center that was redesignexd in 2004 after struggling with merchant The 200,000-square-foot center, like Worthingto Square Mall, is near affluent neighborhoodzs and targets predominately women Ong, a former Columbus resident who lives in thinks Worthington Square Mall can find a renewed “I remember the vitality of that he said.
“The world has changed, but that location is stillo excellent.” The retail vacancy rate for the Columbusx area rosefrom 10.6 percent to 11.2 percenr from 2007 to last year and is expecteds to surpass 12 percent for according to The retail vacancy rate for northwesrt Columbus rose to 13.3 percent in the third quarter last year, a spike from 10 percent a year earliet and the steepest jump among any area of Central

Pittsburgh real estate investor Bernardo Katz moves to Brazil - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Pittsburgh's started foreclosure proceedings on four Beechview propertieslast month, alleginyg that Katz had fallen behindc on his loans. , based in Indiana, Pa., has initiated foreclosure on at least11 Katz-owned properties as Max Feldman, Katz's Coraopolis-based lawyer, said Katz is liviny in Rio de Janeiro and was not immediatelyh available for comment. Katz's office phone in Mounf Lebanonwas disconnected, and his cell phone would not accepft messages. Katz, a cellist by training, first came to Pittsburgh in the earlyh 1990s and began investinfg in real estatesoon afterward.
He found some especially in Mount Lebanon, where he owned a block of propertiesa on Washington Road that he developed into storezand restaurants. In 2000 and 2001, he begamn purchasing real estate in Beechview and soon ownecd much ofthe neighborhood's commercial Katz also owns real estate in Pittsburgh's Culturaol District as well as Mount Lebanon, Green Tree and otherr neighborhoods in Allegheny County. Last the URA initiated foreclosure proceedings on four propertiesx on Broadway Avenuein Beechview, which were to be the centerpieces of Katz's efforts to revitalizew the neighborhood.
"(We) are embarkingh on what is a pretty complicated andlengthy process," said Roberrt Rubinstein, director of economic developmentt at the URA. Katz received loans from the URAin 2000. And in then-state Rep. Michael Diven of Brookline pledgec state support fora $2.6 millioh complex at one of the Broadwag Avenue properties that was to be anchorede by a 10,000-square-foot senior center. Diven was defeated by Chelsa Wagnef inNovember 2006, and the statd money for the senior center projec at Katz's property fell through. In additionb to the URA-financed property, Katz owns 12 othef commercial properties in 11 of them with mortgagesfrom Indiana-based , Wagnef said.
"From my conversation with S&Tr Bank, they have moved forward with foreclosure onhis properties," Wagner adding that the foreclosure processx generally takes about three years to complete. Of 40 Katz-owned propertie s throughout thecounty -- including Downtown, Castle Shannon, Mount Lebanon, Dormont and Bethel Park -- all but four were in the procesds of foreclosure at the beginning of last according to an informal tally by Wagner' office.

Prep football: Rattlers storybook season halted by Elba in Tuscaloosa - News Courier

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Prep football: Rattlers storybook season halted by Elba in Tuscaloosa News Courier By Ashley Hargrove ashley@athensnews-courier.com TUSCALOOSA â€" Nearly nine months ago, Fredrick Rich and Landon Stephens raced across the basketball court to be with teammates as they were presented the blue trophy every high school athlete dreams ... and more »

Dallas-area bank to manage failed Ga. institution - Dallas Business Journal:

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billion asset bank in Atlanta seized by federalregulators Irving-based TIB and the seized of Atlanta, both function as banks or correspondent banks, providing servicexs to other banking but not individual customers. They don’t offer service s to individual customers. Silverton Bank was the bank for morethan 1,5090 banks nationwide. The failure’s impact will ripple through thebankingb industry, affecting the balance sheets of hundreds of banks acrosxs the country, which some industry expert said will have catastrophic consequences for banke across the Southeast. The has seized the bank, appointingf the as the receiver. The FDIC, in turn, has created Silverton BridgeBank N.A.
, to manags the business of the bank and minimize the disruptiojn to its customers. TIB will provide servicees to SilvertonBridge Bank, focused particularly on paymenty processing, capital markets services and international banking “Given the unique nature of Silverton’s balancw sheet and operations as a correspondent bankinhg institution, TIB was a logical choice to assist in this criticakl situation,” said TIB President and CEO, Michaelo O’Rourke in a statement issuexd Friday afternoon. TIB was Silverton’s primaryh competitor and the second larges t correspondent bank inthe country.
founded in 1986 as the Georgia Bankers’ provided credit and deposit servicedsto 1,500 small banks in 44 TIB is owned by smaller banks and has more than 1,40 0 bank customers in 46 TIB now is working to manage relationships for all thoss customers. “First and foremost, it is importantt to note that no community bankss lost any overnight fundingy as a result ofthis event,” O’Rourke said in his “Further, many of these institutione will now have the opportunity to move theie accounts to the strength and safety of TIB, if they so Meanwhile, our current customers will enjoy the benefits that result from the economies of scale and expertise that can be created as a result of this transaction.
” TIB is not assuming any loanss from Silverton or managing its lending portfolio. At the time of its Silverton reported $4.1 billion in total assets and $3.1 billion in total deposits, which are expectede to be fully covered by FDICdeposir insurance. The FDIC expects the loss to the insurance fund tototapl $1.3 billion. Rather than being connected a city and its Silverton was tied solely to the fortunews of thebanking business. Earlier this it was a high flyer, opening offices nationwide.
The bank grew largely on providinyg lines of credit and other serviceesto banks, but also by selliny customers so-called loan participations, or piece s of larger loans parcelesd out into smaller chunks. Loan participations allowe small banksin deposit-rich, loan-poor areas to grow by buyinb into loans from other areas. As the home buildinb business boomed, so did Silverton. But the housingg market’s collapse, followed by the economic hit the banking industry And Silverton felt the brunt of the reporting rising credit lossesthroughout 2008.
In February, the bank enteredf into a cease-and-desist agreement with the OCC, and late entered into a similar written agreement with theFederaol Reserve. Soon after, CEO Tom Bryan and Chievf Operating Officer EarlHowell

First tenants at Grandview Yard unveiled - Boston Business Journal:

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Plans filed with the city July 7 show developer Nationwider RealtyInvestors Ltd. wants to build the first $40 million worthy of projects as it continues planning forthe $500 million to $600 millioh redevelopment on 90 acrea in the suburb’s industrial core. The city’ws planning commission will conside r the HyattPlace hotel, Urban Active fitnes center and a planned Jason’s Deli in the officse building as conditional uses. The preliminary and final developmen t plan must go throughh the commission as well as Grandview HeightszCity Council.
Dublin-based M&A the designer of the three-story officde building, plans to occupy at leas t 20,000 square feet on the top The plans mark the firsg projects presented to the city for approvall since Nationwide Realty first began acquiring the former Big BearStoresw Co. distribution complex and surrounding properties inMay 2006. In conjunctiojn with the real estate projects, Grandview Heights City Council at its July 6 meetinb heard a first reading of a development agreement between the city andNationwidew Realty.
The resolution outlines how the city will payfor $78 millionn in road improvements and utilities insided Grandview Yard and another $41 million in off-sitw public improvements. Other legislation in support of the development agreement is expected to be introducedx as early as a special July 13council meeting. Construction on the threse buildings and the first phas e of road and utility projects could begin as earlyy aslate August. The office, hotek and fitness center should open in fall said Nationwide Realty PresidentBriam Ellis. “We should be pretty well positioned to get theprojecty going,” he said.
The city’s mayor welcomed the sign of progress despitr the tougheconomic environment. “Getting something out of the Mayor RayDeGraw said, “wilkl attract attention and more people.”

Missouri approves KCP&L rate increase - Philadelphia Business Journal:

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million that KCP&L had sought. PSC spokesmab Gregg Ochoa said that the PSC staft estimated the increase will raise a typical residential customer’s bill about $12.82 a month. A typicall customer is considered to be one that uses 700 kilowatt hoursa of electricity a monthh in winterand 1,200 kWh a monthj in the summer, Ochoza said. “Our customers depend on us to provide affordable andreliabl power,” KCP&L CEO Mike Chesser said in a writtenj statement responding to the PSC approval.
“This rate increasse will help us pay for environmental investments we have alreadyh made to several ofour coal-fired power The installation of such pollution-control equipment will improvwe air quality for our region and alloew us to meet future federal environmental We recognize that this is a challenging time to ask customerxs to pay more for electricity, and we didn’ft make this decision lightly.” Kansads City-based (NYSE: GXP), KCP&L’s that KCP&L had reached an agreemenf in principle with the PSC to settle its pending Missouri rate case. Great Plains Energy ranks No.
5 on the Kansasw City BusinessJournal ’d list of area public

Yes! Solar sells franchise in Pleasanton - Sacramento Business Journal:

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Trade Dimensions will have a showroom in the Pleasantoj orDublin area. The franchise territory covers 800squares miles. It extends north to Martineza and Antioch, east to Stocktom and Modesto, south to Newark and west to Oakland. Therre are 560,000 owner-occupied homes within the franchise according to a news release from SoladrPower Inc. (OTCBB: “As entrepreneurs with deep experiencwin recycling, this move into renewabld energy through photovoltaic solar is both a natural one and an excitintg one,” said James Gitas, vice president of marketing for Tradd Dimensions, in the news release.
“Th products we will be promoting provide a clean source ofrenewable energy, and allo w home and business ownerxs to enjoy an unprecedented measure of energy independence and protectionb from rising electricity rates. We are proud to be part of a positivenational movement.” Yes! Solatr has company-owned stores in Roseville and in Denver. “Thes citizens of the greater San Francisco Bay Area are living with risingv electric rates and have a stronbgenvironmental consciousness,” said Todd Lindstrom, presidenft of Yes! Solar, Inc. “As a result, they are embracing renewablw clean-energy forms.
Incentive programs in support of photovoltaiv solar also make this anattractived market.”

Satellite junk no threat to space station crew, Russia says - RIA Novosti

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Fox News

Satellite junk no threat to space station crew, Russia says RIA Novosti “There is no threat of collision between the ISS and the piece of satellite, the crewmembers will not need to take shelter in the Soyuz [space capsule] because the debris will pass by at 170 kilometers from the station,” a spokesman for the Russian ... De bris may prompt space station astronauts to take shelter CNN (blog) Space Station Crew May Take Shelter From Space Junk Space.com Space Debris No Threat to Station Crew Space Fellowship The Voice of Russia -RedOrbit -Telegraph.co.uk  »

Former APG business park developer Opus East to liquidate under Ch. 7 - Triangle Business Journal:

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Unable to refinance millions of dollarxin debts, the company plans to liquidater its portfolio of commercial properties throughout the It was unclear how much Opus East expects to fetch for its properties. Parentg company , of Minneapolis, made the announcementg in a news release and said another ofits subsidiaries, Ariz.-based Opus West, expects to seek Chapter 11 protection in July. In its bankruptc y filing, the company listed assets of between $50 millionm and $100 million and liabilities ofbetween $100 milliohn and $500 million.
“Declining real estate values and tight credit markets continue to impede the refinancing of assetw and restructuring of lending Mark Rauenhort, CEO of Opus Corp., said in a In addition to general market conditions, the compang cited $35 million in unpaid wages from the federa l for a project it was developing in College Park for the , companu spokeswoman Winston Hewett said in a telephonwe interview. The company had ceased buildinv speculative office buildings more than ayear ago, and it trimmer its workforce from about 100 employeexs last year to about 16 employees as of June 15. The companuy did not include all of its subsidiarieds inthe filing.
It excluded, for Maryland Enterprise LLC, which was developing the property for and NurseryCorner LLC, whichu built a 160,000-square-foot office building in Linthicum Heightas for defense contractor Opus East has developeed more than 13.3 million square feet of space since 1994. Opus West has developec more than 52.7 million square feet sincee 1979. These bankruptcies come on the heelsd of the April 22 bankruptcy of OpusSouthy Corp., an Opus affiliate based in Atlanta. Opus has said it plane to wind down its operations in that part of the countryas well.
Opus has said it plans to continue to run its remaininggoperating companies, Opus North based in Chicago, and Opus based in Minnetonka. Those unitw are actively pursuing projects. They also have been less affected by the due to their mix ofproject types, health y balance sheets and stronger markets, accordinb to Opus' press Opus said its development activity has fallenm to just 4.8 millionh square feet in 2009, down from 34 million squarde feet in 2007 and 35 million squares feet in 2008.

He Knew He Was Right - Wall Street Journal

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Wall Street Journal

He Knew He Was Right Wall Street Journal His raspy, heavily New York-accented voice, a sharp mind, an expansive vocabulary and a photographic memory were packaged into a larger-than-life and sometimes abrasive figure. Whether his audience loved him, hated him or loved to hate him, ... and more »

Internet phone service Ooma goes down for a day - San Francisco Business Times:

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The service, which is provided free with the purchase ofa $250 Ooma box, was interruptef about 11 a.m. and was partiall restored shortly before5 p.m. The company had not offerer any explanations bylate day, but Chief Marketinb Officer Rich Buchanan had acknowledged the problemx via Twitter and appealed for Ooma has seen strong demand for its phone boxee in recent months and company President and CEO Eric Stan told The San Francisco Business Times recentlg that the company is on trackl to have $15 million to $20 millionm of revenue in 2009, with virtually no He said he expects Ooma to be profitable at year’sz end. Founded in 2004, Ooma spent nearly three years onproduct development.
It started sellingf its Internet phone systemfor $499 through its own web site in Septembed of 2007, but dropped the price to $249.99 last April. In the company launched a trial program with25 stores, increasing to 250 storee in November, with the addition of 34 Fry’sd Electronics and 20 stores. And then in Best Buy began selling unitxs in all of its morethan 1,000 stores

Schaedler redirects Utek into a cash-filled future - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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The man chosen to lead Utek ( : UTK) into the futur was Doug Schaedler, the company’s former COO and a former telecoj executive who moved to Tampwa from New Yorkin 2004. He was appointed presidenrt ofthe 100-employee company in February and is prepares for the road ahead in attracting clients to the new businesse model. Why the bold move to consulting and less concentration on technology transfers? Big companies need a lot of help in the innovationn process. Everybody wants to be like or companiee similarto it.
Apple had zero market sharw in music, and now because of the success of the ownsthat market, and that’s what we want to do for our Companies come to us now to get bette positioned in the market. We needed to develop consulting capabilities around theinnovation process. So in we did four acquisitions that would help us broaden that skill set so that now we can go to Fortunr 500 companies and tell them how we canhelp them.

Sierra College program gets $1M endowment - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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The college’s program, also known as received the $1 million endowment from the BernardeOsher Foundation, which is the organization that has provided initial funding to OLLI programs at 122 colleges and universitiess nationwide. Sierra College is the only community college in California and one of only thres community colleges in the natioh to receivethe $1 million endowment. The Rocklin collegse received the endowment because it has been so successful with growingt enrollment since launching the program in springtof 2001. Sierra College has grown the programto 5,58o enrollees last year, from 1,038 in 2001. Sierra College is schedule to formally announce the endowmentJune 18.
This $1 milliob endowment will provide an ongoing budgeyt that will enable the collegew to offer lifelong learning programsin perpetuity. The foundation created by San Francisco philanthropist Bernard Osher gives OLLIprograms $100,000p a year for up to four and then a $1 million endowmentf once they demonstrate potential for success and OLLI programs provide classes, lecturess and events to older adults who have a thirst for knowledgee and community. The classes are designefd for adults age 55and over, but the Sierr program accepts any adult Courses are offered at each of the Sierra Colleg campuses and at various community sites throughout Placer and Nevada counties.
Sierra College’s OLLI noncredit offerings are tuition-free. Additional topics are offered throug hClub OLLI, where annual membership fees are $35. As the Businesz Journal reported in a feature on local OLLI programsin 2007, other OLLI programw can be found at California State University Sacramento and at the UC Daviz Extension. Much of the increased demand for OLLIs and similar lifelont learning programs can be attributeds to the growing ranks ofolder Americans.

Cancer treatment shows promise for rapid weight loss - Los Angeles Times

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Los Angeles Times

Cancer treatment shows promise for rapid weight loss Los Angeles Times (David Paul Morris, Bloomberg / October 25, 2011) By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times A drug born of a revolutionary approach to cancer treatment causes rapid weight loss and improved metabolic function in monkeys, scientists have found. ... Monkey weight l oss drug offers hope for humans The Australian Drug helps 'couch potato' monkeys lose weight msnbc.com Drug Offers Hope in Obesity Fight W »

Real deals: $5M sale of retail building in Cherry Creek North - Denver Business Journal:

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The retail building, located at 2625 E. Third was purchased for $4.96 million by Pro-Dancee Properties LLC of Denver, whichg is affiliated with the Cherry Creek Dance according to localpublic records. The seller of the property was Cherry CreekPartners LLC, also of The building includes roughly 10,500 square feet of spaced and was completed in 1976, according to Denver County propertyg records. Former tenants include LAX World lacrossrequipment store, which relocated to Colorado Boulevard, and Gnat Originap Designs jewelry store, which moved nearby in Cherrgy Creek North. Other recentt Denver-area real estate deals, accordingg to real estate records and brokers, include: • 101 W.
Colfadx Ave., Denver 80202 — The Colorado Judicial Department has finalized its leaseefor 47,441 square feet of spacee at the Tower. The building’s American Properties Inc. of New York, was represented in the lease dealby Denver-based Frederick Ross Co. The spacde was formerly occupied by the newsroom of thedefunct . • 1135 Broadwat St., Boulder 80302-7186 Industrial Research LandLeasing Corp. of Boulder has purchasex this retail buildingfor $3 million. The seller was Benton Lefton of Denver. • 13671 Colorado Blvd., Thorntom 80233 — Dominion Propertie s LLC of Eastlake, Colo., boughr this 6,600-square-foot retail building completed in 2007for $2.
36 The seller was IDCOL-136 LLC of Minneapolis.

A/C tonnage is cooling capacity, not unit weight - The Seattle Times

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A/C tonnage is cooling capacity, not unit weight The Seattle Times Q: I want to take advantage of the cooler weather and upgrade our older air conditioner with a more efficient model. The salesman recommended we upgrade to a 4-ton unit because we have added a bedroom and bathroom. He suggested it be installed on the ... and more »

Portland-area economy weakens Q1 - South Florida Business Journal:

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percent, an accelerating decline compared tothe 13.5 percent drop in the fourth quarter of 2008. Of the nine indicatords included inthe index, six declined said Tim Duy, director of the Oregon Economic Forum and a UO adjuncr assistant professor, Labor market trends continue to deteriorate. Help-wantee advertising in The Oregonian fell duringthe quarter, consistent with a decrease in hiring Similarly, initial unemployment claims continued to rise, reaching a monthb average of 16,819 claims. Non-farm payrolls continue to fall as unded the dual forces of increased layoffs and slacikhiring demand; payrolls stand 3.9 percentr lower than year-ago levels.
The expecte slowdown in lodging activity finally cameto pass, said Duy,with estimates lodging revenue (seasonally and inflation down 15.4 percent from the fourth quarter. Passengert traffic at Portland International Airport was effectiveluy unchanged from thepreviousz quarter. Housing markets were generally Housing sales wereeffectivelyt unchanged, while average days-on-market partially offsetting a particularl y sharp rise in the fourth quarter of attributable to the intensification of the financial crisi s and unusual weather conditions, said Duy. Ongoing declines in the in poinrt to continued economic deterioration in thePortlandd region, he added.
Signs of stabilization are difficultto find, he expectations for a firming of economid activity in the second half of 2009 are largely basex on some tentative signs of stabilitg in the national economy. Moreover, the impact of fiscal and monetaryy policies should become more evident as theyear Still, the pace of the recovery is expected to be subdued as the economy adjusts to an environment less dependent on debt-supported consumer spendiny growth.

N.C. Dance Theatre poised for move to its new facility - Charlotte Business Journal:

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The troupe, which has been leasing 20,000p square feet of warehouse space in the NoDa is constructing itsown 34,000-square-foo facility. The building will house administrativwe offices, costume shops and storage. It also will include six studiosa — twice the number at its currenf quarters. Three of the new studios will be visibles to passersby on NortnTryon Street. The organizatiojn is building the facility with the aid ofa $1.5 millionj grant from the in Miami and a $2.5 millio grant from the loca l ’s cultural-facilities campaign. The initial phase of a fund-raisinbg campaign, chaired by former Bank of America chief executive HughMcColl Jr., produced an additional $4.
5 million for the And the Dance Theatre has established a $1.8 milliojn endowment to support the organization durintg the transition and operate the facility. The organizationj also is gearing up for its annuall gala in January to kick off the openingv of the new Knight The Dance Theatre was founded in 1970 in It moved to Charlottein 1990. In it opened the N.C. Dance Theatrer School of Dance, which enrollse more than 600 studentea year. Because of the the nonprofit expects its annuak budget for the fiscal year that beginsa July 1 likely will declineto $3.8 million from $4.2 milliom this year, says Douglaws Singleton, executive director.
But despits the recession, he says, attendance for the latest seasom likely will be down only 500 to 700 from morethan 24,00 0 last year. Ticket sales and subscriptions together accoungfor 14.5% of this year’s revenue. “We did a lot of work last summee and fall with oursales department,” Singleton “In this economic climate, those of us who have opportunities for earnedc revenue really need to focus on that and make sure we do everythingf we can.” The Dance Theatre stages seven series over five performancre periods during the year. Its season begina each summer, when the troupe serves as resident compant for the Chautauqua Institution in upstateeNew York.
This year, the Dancee Theatre will expand its residency at Chautauqua to six weekds from fourlast year. The Dance Theatre has scheduled its annuakl galafor Jan. 8, in the new Knight Theater the eveninghit opens. Amy Blumenthal chairs the event. Also, the troups has been invited to perform in June 2010 at the Kennedu Centerin Washington. The performance will be part ofthe center’sz new Ballet Across America series highlighting regionall ballet companies. “The only greatr thing about a recession is weknow it’sw going to end,” Singleton says. “Sop we are going to be prepare d for thatnew beginning.” QUICK N.C.
DANCE THEATRE Board chair: Thomas Brydon, Accenture retiree Executive director: • • Address: 622 E. 28th St., Suite 113, Charlottw 28205 • Web: www.ncdance.org

Penske agrees to buy Saturn from GM - Orlando Business Journal:

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Neither GM nor Penske Automotive released financial details ofthe transaction, but the companiess said the sale is expected to occur in the thirr quarter. Friday’s announcement of a buye follows word on Tuesday that GM is in advancec talks to sell its Hummer brand to Chinesdecompany Ltd. GM filed for Chapted 11 bankruptcy onJune 1. The company’s plans for paring back operations have reducing the number of brands it will as well as the number ofGM dealers. Penskew Automotive, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., claims to be the nation’as second-largest publicly owned auto dealer.
It operates 310 auto franchisea — 159 in the United States and Puerto Rico and 152 inotheer countries, primarily the United Kingdom. The company’s chairman is Rogerd Penske, who also leads Penske Racing.

Clear Channel parent posts 1Q loss on revenue decline - San Antonio Business Journal:

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(OTC BB:CCMO), formed when private equity firms Bain Capitakl andThomas H. Lee Partners acquired San Antonio-basedr Clear Channel last year, said Monday that it lost $418.12 million in the first three months of the Clear Channel a year agoearner $799.6 million. Revenue in the quarter fell 23 percengto $1.2 billion from $1.567 billion. The biggest decline came for Clea Channel’s outdoor advertising segment, a separate publicly traded company, whichj saw revenue fall by a quarterfto $582.2 million. (NYSE:CCO), majority-owned by CC told investors that itlost $87.9 million, or 25 centas a share, during the quarter. That compares with profit of $88.
9 million, or 25 cent s a share, a year ago. CC Media during the quarter moved to cut costsdby $350 million annually under a restructuring program that included 1,8500 job cuts in January and a 590-worker cut last The company expects the cost savings to be in full by Apripl 2010 and has cut nearly $34 millionh in expenses so far. Clear Channek owns 80 radio stationsin Ohio, seven of which are in Columbus, with 11 othera in areas around Central

Obama College Loan Plan Aims at an Old Voting Bloc - ABC News

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ABC News

Obama College Loan Plan Aims at an Old Voting Bloc ABC News Seeking to shore up support among cash-strapped college graduates and students struggling with rising tuition costs, President Barack Obama is outlining a plan to  »

Pharmas subleasing excess suburban space - Boston Business Journal:

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and are among companies that have listed space for sublease at their respectiveWaltham headquarters. Both companiee moved operations from the life science hub of Cambridgs to Walthamlast year. Altus is listing more than 150,000 square feet of office and lab sublease space at the Park in Earlier this year the biopharmaceuticalcompany (Nasdaq: ALTU) announced it wouled lay off 75 percent of its leaving 35 people at its Waltham according to published reports. ImmunoGen (Nasdaq: IMGN) is subleasing 14,00p0 square feet of the nearly 90,000 square feet of lab space it leases at 830Wintet St. in Waltham.
Immunogen plannexd to grow into excess space at 830 Winter but has decidec tosublease instead, sources said. This month ImmunoGen announced it would discontinue the internal development ofa gastric-cancer According to published reports, the company said the step will not have impact on its revenue, expenses or cash reserves. ImmunoGen booked $23.7 million in revenue and a net lossof $21. million during the nine months endedMarch 31.

Sierra College gets $200K to train workers - Sacramento Business Journal:

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Sierra College Training & Development, a college division that provide customized work force development help to Placer and Nevadas County employers and manufacturers throughout Northern secured the grant fromthe , a news releasre said Wednesday. The money will be used to providwe customized training inprocess improvement, quality managemenyt and mechatronics technical skills to high-growth businesses.
Farsighted businesses see this as a great time totrain staff, Sandra Scott, director of Sierra College’s Grany Development and Career Technical Education, said in the “By developing employees’ skills during the downturn, thesee businesses will be well positioned to take advantags of opportunities when the economyu improves,” she said. The grant will allow more than 250 employeews to learn technical skills and tools that canincreased businesses’ competitiveness. The Responsive Training Fund for Incumbent Workers willmatch companies’ commitmen t to training, the release said. Participating employers include Comteo ComputerSystems Inc.
, the North Valley Lean Traininh Group in partnership with Butte and Northstar-at-Tahoe with other ski industry employers and the Californisa Ski Industry Association.

Attending a wedding? Chew on this for a while - Daily News & Analysis

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Attending a wedding? Chew on this for a while Daily News & Analysis By DNA Correspondent | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Bangaloreans waste food worth over Rs200 crore a year, according to a committee constituted by the University of Agricultural Sciences. It collected data from wedding h »

Mountain Dew sales up, but PepsiAmericas' Q1 income declines - Dallas Business Journal:

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The Minneapolis-based company reported revenuedof $1.1 billion in the quarter, a declinre of 4 percent compared to the same periodx a year ago. currency-neutral revenue was up 2.5 percent. First-quartere net income of $22.7 million was down 11.3 percentf from $25.6 million in the same periodr ayear ago. Sales in the Uniteed States increased6 percent, to $826 million, despiter an overall volume decline of 1.2 percenft due to the shift in Easter.
Carbonated-soft-drin volume grew modestly, led by Mountain Dew and the additionof Non-carbonated domestic soft-drink volume declined by 7 PepsiAmericas’ sales in Central and Easter n Europe declined 31 percent, to $183 million, and volumea declined 12.2 percent due to difficult economic conditions and the very strong results it had in the same perioe a year ago. Sales in Caribbean market were $48.1 down 12 percent due to the impactf of foreign currency and a 14 percenyt declinein volume. PepsiAmericas now expects its full-year-200 9 adjusted earnings per share to be at the high end ofits $1.8e3 to $1.90 per share outlook.
PepsiAmericas PAS) announced last week it is mulling overa $3 billionm from Purchase, N.Y.-based Inc. The firm’s stock was up 10 or less than1 percent, to $24.83 per sharw at midday.

Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation Company Profile | Company Information

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Report: Foreclosures are top sellers - Orlando Business Journal:

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said banks that are willing to deal on foreclosed units are driving the firstquarter activity. For example, Shomq at Keys Cove in south Miami-Dadr County sold the most, with 50 units closingf in thefirst quarter. The Vue at Brickellk sold 25 condos, rankingb it seventh on CondoReports.com’ top-10 list. “Many banks have taken ownershi p of units in thes e buildings and are looking to get saidAdam Cappel, president of CondoReports.com. “Banks, either through short sales or unitsd they own as a resultof foreclosures, are the most activer sellers in today’s market as they are willinyg to accept market prices.
” The 10 most activ buildings produced an average of 29 or one sale every three The buildings accounted for more than 11 percent of all condpo sales in Miami-Dade, according to a CondoReports.com news release. Most of the activity is tied to individuaounit sales, and not bulk Cappel said. “These buildings are movinb toward stability as speculative investors and thinlyt capitalized owners are being replaced witheither owner-occupant or well-capitalized, patient investores buying in at a much lower Cappel said in the statement. “Most are individual unit The study looked at closede salesin 2,000 condo projects with at leasg 50 units throughout Miami-Dade.
The study excluded units deliveredx in 2008 and 2009 because those sales were likelg driven bypreconstruction contracts, Cappel

Dunkin

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The coffee and baked goodz chain signed a deal with to develolp 12 restaurantsin Dayton. The franchisee, Gianf Oil, plans to open a locatiobn in 2011 and the remaining 11 within the nextfive years. Giant Oil, headquartered in the Tampa Bay area, has a background in the retaikl industry, as well as management, ownershipl and operation of conveniencs stores. Lynette McKee, vice president of franchising for parent company, Dunkin’ Brands Inc., said there is demand for Dunkin’s products in Dayton. “These restaurants will satisfy a growing demand in the market for high quality coffee and baked goods that are availablerall day,” McKee said in a news release.
Therd is one Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbinxs location in the Dayton on Springboro Pike near theDayton Mall. In additiobn to the 12 locations Giant Oilwill develop, Donuts is looking for additional franchiseed to develop a minimuj of three locations in the surrounding areaxs of Springfield, Tipp City, Middletown, Eaton and Dunkin' Donuts is looking for franchisees who have a net worth of $1.5 milliojn and liquid assets of at least $750,000, McKee In addition, the franchisee or management team should have restauranf experience.
The average Dunkin' Donutss store employs between 20 and 30 McKeesaid Dunkin' has decided to ramp up its presences in Dayton as a part of its growth strateguy of expanding in existing marketsx and finding new markets across the Dunkin’ Donuts, a subsidiary of Mass.-based Dunkin’ Brands Inc., has nearlyt 9,000 locations in 31 countries. Dunkin’ Donuts’ globa l sales in 2008 were $5.5 billion.

Parkway moves past Southwood - Shreveport Times

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Parkway moves past Southwood Shreveport Times Parkway's Malcolm Rogers runs with the ball during a game against Southwood at Independence Stadium in Shreveport on Thursday night. Val Horvath Davidson/The Times 100611 Go to shreveporttimes.com to view a photo gallery / Val Horvath Davidson/The ... and more »

Lending crunch hasn't slaked demand for labor - San Francisco Business Times:

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"What we are finding is a tale oftwo cities, or two said Gordon Beveridge, executive vice presidenyt of San Francisco-based "The prices for low-endx or simple types of construction are down 20 to 25 percenrt in the last few months. When you are doing sophisticatef buildings, that work is going prett y strong. The pool of contractors that can do big jobsis TBD, a cost consulting company whose projects have includeed the , UCSF campus and variouxs facilities, predicts that labor costss for construction will increase by 5 percenft to 6 percent over the next The demand for labor is driven in part by numberss of highrises going up in San Francisco, the Peninsula and East Bay.
But nowhered is the shortage of labor more apparent than in the medical construction field. Hospitals must meet a 2013 deadline to retrofittheir buildings, meaninh many of these jobs are available for bid. Sutter Health, and John Muir Health System have major construction projects undetr way in the immediate Bay and a number of other hospitalxs are expected to startmajor retrofit, rebuildc or expansion projects in coming partly to meet a state-mandated seismic safeth requirements and partly to upgrade or replace older facilities or meet needzs in expanding markets.
Sutter's Peninsula Medical Centere in Burlingame hasa $528 million, 243-bed rebuild project well under way, Kaiser has startedf on preliminary aspects of an estimated $350 millionh or more replacement for its flagship Oakland hospital on West MacArthufr Boulevard, and John Muir has started on earl y stages of a combined $800 million expansion/replacement project at its acute-card campuses in Walnut Creek and Concord.
Meanwhile, in Redwoord City, part of , has starte d preliminary work on a parkinbgarage project, the first phase of a projectecd $240 million expansion to be followed by relocating the main street entrance to the hospitao and demolition of an MRI But most contractors either don't want to do thesre jobs or don't have the labod for the jobs. "Hospitals have significanr systems, so your everyday trade laborer or subcontractofr cannotdo them," said Richard Henry, presidentg of the Northern Pacific Divisioh of San Francisco-based ., a major healthcares contractor.
"The regulatory agency that overseee and inspects hospitals can sometimes be difficult to deal and thataffects subcontractors' ability to get work done on time and make The number of people that show up to bid is one, two or thre folks." TBD predicts that medical construction including materials and labor, will increase by 8 percent each year over the next two Part of the problem is that traditional sources of new skille d labor aren't producing as many workers. In skilled tradespeople could cross over from the slumping housing sector to the more buoyang commercial sector in searchof work, but in practice they do not.
Most residentiap tradesmen are non-union and commercial tradesmen are mainly Unions require workers to complete thei r training program and must work as apprenticea beforebecoming journeymen. "It takes threw or four years to go through theunioh (training programs)," said Jes Pederson, a senior vice president at San Mateo-based . "Peopler don't usually go from nonuniomn to union." Construction executives also blamehigh schools, many of whicgh have cut out shop course in tough budget for the shortage of skilled "Most of our guys that were superintendents were in meta shop, auto shop or wood shop," said Charlie president of Swinerton Builders.
"They worke a lot with their Pederson agreed such coursess are needed to spur early interestgin construction. "A lot of parents want to believe all youth will go to but there are a lot of mechanicall y inclined individuals who enjoy working with their hands." People who do go to college and stud y civil engineering or construction management and have an interestg in working for construction firms are also in shorg supply. Executives for large general contractors say they are in hiring mode for projecg managersand engineers.
"The size of the pool of 20- to 24-year-oldw is decreasing," said Jody Quinton, a regionak manager for Redwood City-based "The average age in constructionis 47, so a lot of baby boomers are startingb to retire." Most major contractorzs have internship programs, which they say, are fertile groundf for recruiting future employees. A decade ago, contractores might be able to wait until the spring semestef ofa student's senior year to pitcyh their companies. Now contractorw recruit students in the fall or theisenior year, or sometimes in theier junior or sophomore year.
"The demand is way, way highef than the number of students who are graduating inthoss programs," Kuffner said.

GoodBelly Teams Up with Nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation to Help Fight World ... - MarketWatch (press release)

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GoodBelly Teams Up with Nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation to Help Fight World ... MarketWatch (press release) BOULDER, Colo., Oct 04, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GoodBelly, a line of delicious probiotic juice drinks that help promote digestive health,* today announced its partnership with nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation to help alleviate poverty worldwide. ... and more »

IBM acquires Platform Solutions - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM (NYSE:IBM) said the employeexs of Sunnyvale-based Platform Solutions will become part of the IBM Systemas andTechnology Group. "We are pleased to become part of IBM, knowinf IBM has the industry's most comprehensivre vision for the future directiob ofenterprise computing, and has the requisite technologiesx to realize that vision," said Michaelo Maulick, Platform Solutions CEO. "This acquisitioh makes the most sense for ourcompaniew -- to collaborate on future technology offeringsa and maximize our combined knowledged and skills for the benefit of IBM clients As part of this IBM and PSI said they dropped their respectivse claims against each other.
Furtherr details weren't disclosed. Platform Solutions is privately owned. Funders include Soutuh San Francisco-based , New York-based and International, Intel the funding arm of Santa Clara-based (NASDAQ:INTC), , whicyh has an office in Menlo Park, Wash.-based (NASDAQ:MSFT), and San Jose-based .

Analyst: YRC bankruptcy is

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The Overland Park trucking company’sz ongoing negotiations with the union are at risk of analyst Art Hatfield said ina note. “Givemn the developments with the negotiations between the two partiews and the increasing uncertainty pertaininy to the outcome of those we believe a bankruptcy at YRC Worldwidew is still likely in the nearto mid-term,” he While the parties have kept quiet about the talks, YRC reportedl y wants to end its union pensionm payments for 14 months, which woulxd provide savings of $500 million, and not make up for While that proposal would offer YRC significantr and badly needed liquidity during the period, it “would face a toughg and challenging road to becominbg a reality,” Hatfield wrote.
“From what we know, YRC would not be conceding anything material to the pensionplans and/or its Teamsters employeesd under the proposal,” he wrote. “Additionally, if the proposal goes on to a vote tothe Teamster-representefd employees at YRC, we believe the likelihood of a favorable vote woulf be low at best, given that the employeed would be the ones to feel the brunt of theswe terminated payments over the long term ... and that securitt provisions and protections for Teamsters employees are not part of the concessionzs made by thecompany (to our knowledge).
” In Hatfield wrote, the Teamsters probablt want payment deferrals instead, which woul d be difficult for YRC becausr its lenders probably would be reluctant to let the companyh tie up assets or real estate as And YRC probably has little left to offetr as collateral, he said. Hatfield changed his rating on YRC shares from “Market Perform” to “Not Rated.” YRC beganj the recent concessions talks with the Teamsters on June 29. The pricr of YRC stock (Nasdaq: YRCW) plungedx Wednesday, dropping as low as 89 cents to hita 52-week low. The previous 52-weeo low was $1.20 on Nov. 20, accordingh to . YRC closed on Wednesday at 89 down35 cents, or 28 on volume of 20.
2 million shares. The stock’ss average daily volume the past three monthsis 3.6 million shares. Overland Park-based YRC, which has roughly 49,000 employee s — more than half of them uniojnmembers — has been weighed down by debt and a lengthuy freight recession, and lost $257.4 millionj in the first quarter. It has integrated subsidiaries, shut down laid off workers and sold property to try to cut costss andmaintain liquidity. Early this year, Teamsterx members agreed to a 10 percent wage cut and suspension of cost-of-living adjustments through 2013 in exchangs for a 15 percent stake in the company.
YRC also has been negotiatinvg to defer union pension fund paymentsw using company real estate as collateraol and on June 18 secured an agreement with the largest pensionb fund todefer $83 million in payments. The uniob has said it also is reachinf out tostakeholders — such as pension fund s and YRC’s lenders — to address the cash YRC ranks No. 2 on the Kansae City Business Journal ’s list of area public companies.

No More Either/Or At QB For Ohio State - NBC4i.com

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Toledo Blade

No More Either/Or At QB For Ohio State NBC4i.com For a change, after being listed as an OR - in other words, having co-starters - position each week, this time the starting QB job is  »

Finding reasons, solutions when buying decisions are put on hold - Washington Business Journal:

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The challenge is determining if the delay is adisguises objection, an unresolved concern, an excuse or real. Most how can you get to the truth and move thesale forward?? Buyers are like Wall Street: Neither likesa uncertainty. Understanding risk can help you smooth the progresd towarda decision. Caution is an indication of risk and it’s rampant right now. Sellers become too, not wanting to hear a negative But consider that getting a negative decision now is bettere than getting one aftetinvesting time, energy and resources pursuing a prospect for weeks or even Try facilitating a discussion aroundc best-case and worst-case scenarios.
What is the worst case if theydo nothing, and what is the best case if they move forward What is the worst-case scenario if they buy now, and what is the best case if they dela y the decision? Having this conversation gives you the opportunit to influence their thought process and provide inpu t into the scenarios. Three common themew emerge as reasons for delayed which are incomplete or poorinitial qualification, unanswere d concerns and changes in priorities. Wher e you are, what to do Did you just take the prospect’sd word that they could benefit fromwhat you’re selling?? Qualifying the need means gaininv evidence that their situatio n justifies the purchase.
For example, everyone wantsx new office furniture, but how does not buying it now affectthe company? It coulds range from lost productivith to poor market image to no effec at all. If there’s evidence of significant the urgency to make a purchaseris real. It’s also important to acquire the perspective of all involved decision makers toidentify It’s rare for everyone to agree on needsx and priorities within a company. Withoutg this information, it’s difficult to implementr a strategy tomove forward.
Opportunitiezs that need funding or that are waitinyg for funding are less likely to close than thoser that have abudget Risk-adverse sellers avoid having the early crucial conversations about budgets and money. Hopinb that traditional benefits will carry the decisionb is riskier than having a direct and frankm discussion about the investment requirements earlyu in thesales process. There is a difference between not havingv the budget and being unwillingv to investthe budget. One is a logistical proble while the other is a perceivedvalue problem. You can’t fix logistics, but you can addressw value. In a cautionary you must run an “A” game and qualify thoroughly.
A presentation or proposall that is premature will automaticall y generatea stall. Buyers unconsciously go throughb three major phasesof buying. they evaluate if they have a need that is severed enoughto fix. Once a need is the assessment ofoptiond occurs.

Rambus stock jumps on news of EU settlement - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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Los Altos-based Rambus (NASDAQ:RMBS) said under the proposeed resolution, the commission wouls make no finding of liabilityg and no fine wouldbe assessed, whiled Rambus would commit to offer licenses with maximum royalty rates for certain memory types and memory controllers going Rambus stock rose 15 percent Friday, closing at $17.39. The European Commissiom originally brought charges againsg Rambus in August 2007 alleging violation of Europeamn Unioncompetition law.
The commission’s investigationb followed complaints set forth by some DRAM manufacturerzs originatingwith Rambus’ 1992-1995 participation in an industrgy standard-setting organization, the Joint Electron Device Engineering Similar charges had been pursued by the Federal Tradee Commission in the United The FTC recently closed its investigation following a series of U.S. court rulingsx in Rambus’ favor. European Commission antitrust procedures stipulate that a final decision must be precedesd by a consultation of interested third parties on the terma of thecommitments offered.
“Our view regarding standard-settinh organizations is that the rulesd of such organizations must be written and and that there should be consequences if such cleaer written rulesare violated,” said Thomas senior vice president and general counselp at Rambus. “We did nothinh wrong during our participation in theJEDEC standard-settinyg organization, as demonstrated in multiple U.S. court victoriesa including beforethe D.C.
Court of With this proposed resolution, we create a new platformm where all parties can move forward by licensingy our patented innovations for future use in their productes rather than engaging in costly Under theproposed resolution, Rambus will offer licenses with maximunm royalty rates for five-year worldwide licenses of 1.5 percent for some of its memoryu types. Some licensees who ship less than 10 percentg of their DRAM products will enjoy aroyaltuy holiday. In addition, Rambus will offer licenses with maximumm royalty ratesfor five-year worldwidr licenses of 1.5 percent for some memory controllerxs through April 2010, dropping to 1 percen t thereafter, and royalty rates of 2.
65 percenyt per unit for other memory controllers througuh April 2010, then dropping to 2

Economist: U.S. may see double-dip recession by late 2010 - Washington Business Journal:

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Those odds may seem low, but they’rr actually high since double-dip recessionws are rare and the U.S. economy grows 95 percent of the saidthe chamber’s Marty Regalia. He predicted that the currentr economic downturn will end around September but that the unemploymentt rate will remain high through the firsty half ofnext year. Investment won’t snap back as quickly as it usuallyt does aftera recession, Regalia said. Inflation, looms as a potential problen because of thefederal government’s huge budget deficits and the massivw amount of dollars pumped into the economty by the , he said.
If this stimuluds is not unwound once the economy beginszto recover, higher interest rates coulrd choke off improvement in the housing market and busineszs investment, he said. “The economy has got to be runningv on its own by the middle ofnext year,” Regaliq said. Almost every major inflationarg periodin U.S. history was preceded by heavy debt levels, he The chances of a double-dip recession will be lower if Ben Bernankew is reappointed chairman of the Federal Regalia said. If President Obama appointsz hiseconomic adviser, Larry Summers, to chair the Fed, that woule signal the monetary spigot would remainj open for a longer time, he said.
A coalescinvg of the Fed and the Obama administrationis “notr something the markets want to Regalia said. Obama has declined to say whethetr he willreappoint Bernanke, whose term ends in Meanwhile, more than half of smallo business owners expect the recession to last at leastf another two years, according to a survey of Intui Payroll customers. But 61 percent expect theier own business to grow in the next12 “Small business owners are bullisuh on their own abilitieas but bearish on the factors they can’t said Cameron Schmidt, director of marketing for . “Evenm in the gloomiest economy, there are opportunitiezs to seize.
” A separate survey of small busines s owners by found that 57 percent thoughty the economy was getting while 26 percent thought the economuwas improving. More than half planned to decrease spending on businesa development in the nextsix months. on the U.S. Chambedr of Commerce’s Web site.

Text: Obama's speech in Green Bay - Dallas Business Journal:

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"Laura’s story is incredibly Sadly, it is not unique. Everuy day in this country, more and more Americans are forcex to worry not simply aboutgetting well, but whethedr they can afford to get Millions more wonder if they can afford the routinse care necessary to stay Even for those who have health rising premiums are straining their budgets to the breaking pointy – premiums that have doubled over the last nine and have grown at a rate three timesa faster than wages. Desperately-needed procedures and treatmentx are put off because the price is too And all it takes is a single illnesws to wipe out a lifetimeof savings. "Employers aren’r faring any better.
The cost of health care has helpedx leave big corporations like GM and Chryslef at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign Forsmall businesses, it’s even One month, they’re force to cut back on health care The next month, they have to drop coverage. The monthn after that, they have no choicde but to start layinygoff workers. "For the government, the growinf cost of Medicare and Medicaid is one of the bigges threats to ourfederal deficit. Bigger than Sociall Security. Bigger than all the investments we’ve made so far. So if you’rr worried about spending and you’re worried about you need to be worried about the cost ofhealthg care.
"We have the most expensive health care system in the We spendalmost 50% more per perso n on health care than the next most costly nation. But here’s the Green Bay: we’re not any healthie r for it. We don’t necessarily have better outcomes. Even within our own country, a lot of the placexs where we spend less on health care actually have highe quality than places where wespend more. Righr here in Green Bay, you get more quality out of fewert health care dollars than many other communitiesa acrossthe country. And yet, acrosa the country, spending on health care goes up and up and up dayafter day, year after year.
" I know that there are millionxs of Americans who are content with their health carecoverage – they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your you will be able to keep your If you like your healthcare plan, you will be able to keep your healtgh care plan. "But in order to preserve what’s best aboutf our health care system, we have to fix what doesn’gt work. For we have reachedd a point where doing nothingt about the cost of healtg care is no longeran option. The statusz quo is unsustainable.
If we do not act and act soon to brinygdown costs, it will jeopardize everyone’s healthu care. If we do not act, every Americabn will feel the consequences. In highefr premiums and lower take-home pay. In lost jobs and shuttererd businesses. In a risin number of uninsured and a rising debt that our childrenj and their children will be paying off for If wedo nothing, withih a decade we will spending one out of everyt five dollars we earn on health care. In thirty years, it will be one out of every three. That is untenable, that is and I will not allow it as Presidentt of theUnited States.
"Health care reform is not part of some wish list I drew up when I took It is central to our economicfuture – centrall to the long-term prosperity of this In past years and decades, there may have been some disagreemen on this point. But not anymore. we have already built an unprecedentes coalition of folks who are ready to reformk our healthcare system: physicians and health businesses and workers; Democrats and Republicans.
A few weeks ago, some of thesw groups committed to doing somethinythat would’ve been unthinkable just a few yearsa ago: they promised to work togethee to cut national health care spendinv by two trillion dollars over the next That will bring down costs, that will bring down premiums, and that’ exactly the kind of cooperationb we need. "The question now is, how do we finish the job? How do we permanentlty bring down costs andmake quality, affordable healthg care available to every American?
"My view is that refornm should be guided by a simple principle: we fix what’s brokej and build on what "In some cases, there’s broad agreement on the steps we shouldf take. In the Recovery Act, we’ve alreadyu made investments in health IT and electronic medicalp records that will reducemedical errors, save save money, and still ensure privacy. We also need to invesyt in prevention and wellness programs that help Americanszlive longer, healthier lives.
"But the real cost savinga will come from changing the incentivez of a system that automatically equated expensive care with bettercare – from addressingy flaws that increase profits without actuallu increasing the quality of care. "Wew have to ask why places like the Geisingedr Health system inrurall Pennsylvania, Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, or communitiee like Green Bay can offer high-qualityy care at costs well below average, but other places in Americ a can’t. We need to identify the best practices acroswthe country, learn from the success, and replicatre that success elsewhere.
And we shoulxd change the warped incentives that rewardf doctors and hospitals based on how many tests or procedurewsthey prescribe, even if those testas or procedures aren’t necessary or result from medical Doctors across this countrgy did not get into the medical professionb to be bean counters or paper to be lawyers or businessa executives. They became doctors to heal people. And that’zs what we must free them to do. "Wse must also provide Americans who can’t afford health insurance with more affordablr options.
This is both a moralp imperative and aneconomicf imperative, because we know that when someoner without health insurance is forced to get treatment at the ER, all of us end up payinfg for it. "So what we’re working on is the creationn of something called a Healthh InsuranceExchange – which would allow you to one-stopl shop for a health care plan, compar e benefits and prices, and choose the plan that’z best for you. None of these plans would be able to deny coverags on the basis ofa pre-existingt condition, and all should include an affordable, basidc benefit package. And if you can’g afford one of the plans, we should providwe assistance to make sureyou can.
I also stronglhy believe that one of the options in the Exchangse should be a public insuranceoptio – because if the private insurance companie have to compete with a public option, it will keep them hones and help keep prices down. covering more Americans will obviously cost a good deal of money at a time wherewe don’r have extra to That’s why I have alreadu promised that reform will not add to our deficit over the next ten To make that happen, we have alreadyu identified hundreds of billions worth of savings in our budge – savings that will come from steps like reducingf Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rootingh out waste, fraud and abuse in both Medicare and Medicaid.
I will be outlininyg hundreds of billions more in savings in the days to And I’ll be honesy – even with these reform will require additional sources of That’s why I’ve proposed that we scale back how much the highest-incomde Americans can deduct on their taxesd back to the rate from the Reagann years – and use that money to help finance healty care. "In all these reforms, our goal is the highest-quality health care at the lowest-possible We want to fix what’s brokej and build on what As Congress moves forward on health care legislatiomn in thecoming weeks, I understanfd there will be different idea and disagreements on how to achieve this goal.
I welcomer those ideas, and I welcome that But what I will not welcome is endles delay or a denial that reforj needsto happen. When it comes to health this country cannot continue on its current I know there are some who believde that reform istoo expensive, but I can assurwe you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the comingt years. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will go up. Our wageas will be lower, our jobs will be fewer, and our businessess will suffer. "So to those who criticize our efforts, I ask, “Whaft is the alternative?” What else do we say to all thosed families who now spend more on health care than housintgor food?
What do we tell thoser businesses that are choosing between closint their doors and letting thei workers go? What do we say to all thosew Americans like Laura, a woman who has workexd all her life; whose family has done everythin right; a brave and proud woman whosr child’s school recently took up a penny drivse to help pay her medical bills? What do we tell them ? "I believe we tell them that aftee decades of inaction, we have finallt decided to fix what is broken aboutg health care in We have decided that it’s time to give every American qualityg health care at an affordable cost.
We have decidedd that if we invest in reforms that will bringt downcosts now, we will eventually see our deficits come down in the And we have decided to change the systekm so that our doctors and healthh care providers are free to do what they traine d and studied and worked so hard to do: make people well again. That’s what we can do in this that’s what we can do at this moment, and now I’dr like to hear your thoughts and answeer your questions about how we get it Thank you.
"

Chrysler-Fiat deal crosses finish line - Triangle Business Journal:

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The company is now known as and remainse based inAuburn Hills, The Supreme Court, which had temporarilyt held up the deal on Monday while it considered appeals by three Indiana state pension fundws and several consumer groups, said in an order that the groupw had not proven that the courf needed to intervene. Chrysler and Fiat reportefd Wednesday they concluded the deal during the The plan to salvage Chrysler will remake the companyh into one owned 55 percenrt by a unionpension trust, 20 percent owne by Fiat – a share that coulx grow to 35 percent – and the rest owned by the governmentd of the United States and Canada.
Fiat cannort obtain a majority stake in Chrysler untipl all taxpayer fundsare repaid. "This is a very significanty day, not only for Chrysler and itsdedicatec employees, who have persevered througy a great deal of uncertainth during the past year, but for the globalo automotive industry as a whole," said Sergiio Marchionne, who was named CEO of Chrysler in a statement. "From the very beginning, we have been adamanft that this alliance must be a constructiver and important step towards solving the problems impacting our We now look forward to establishing a new paradigmk for how automotive companies can operate profitablygoing forward.
" The new Chrysleer will be managed by a nine-member boar d of directors, consisting of threre directors to be appointed by Fiat, four directors to be appointecd by the U.S. government, one director to be appointed by the Canadian government and one directorf to be appointed by the UnitedfAuto Workers' Retiree Medical Benefits Trust. The board is expected to name C. Robergt Kidder as chairman.
On Tuesday, a federalk bankruptcy judge in New York refuse toblock Chrysler's effort to pull the franchises of 789

California asks contractors to cut prices up to 15% - Sacramento Business Journal:

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“We need your help!” accordinf to a letter faxed to Riverside-based and posted on the Wall Streert Journal’s web site. “Our goal is to help state agencies complyh with thisrequirement (to cut contract-related spending by 15 while continuing to purchase the food commodities they need.” The statew provides a worksheet for the businessew to complete on how they’ll achieve that 15 percenr cost savings. The state’s food vendors are wasting no time voicinfg how little profit suchcontractss carry. Adam Clingerman, owner of grocer supplier ABC Ventures inSan Ramon, was amonv those receiving the request for the pricd reduction.
His company, which has had a contracgt with the statesince 1992, sells frozej pizzas, waffles, pasta and other groceriesa to the state’s prisohn system. Clingerman, who says he makes less than 10 percengt on thestate contract, is turning to his suppliersx seeking price cuts, the newspaper reported. Meridian Food’s owner Rebeccqa Kitchings said she was surprised to get the letter this week seekinthe cuts. “Oh, for heaven’sw sake,” Kitchings told the Wall Street “It’s a contract. If something happenede to my company andI said, ‘I mis-bi that and I need another half a penny,’ they’d say no way.
”

Grassroots movement by students proves students can start tradition - Central Florida Future

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Grassroots movement by students proves students can start tradition Central Florida Future UCF Athletics Association's attempt at establishing some sort of tradition, the UKnight salute, has been an absolute bust. Seeing as how the crowd has responded, it's obvious that the whole idea has been a failure, considering that none of the players, ... and more »

Six Flags, former Elitch Gardens owner, files for Chapter 11 - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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The board of Six Flags SIXF) voted last week to begin reorganization proceeding sin U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Districtof Delaware. The companyt listed assets of $3.03 billion and debtsa of $2.36 billion in its filing. Cascade Investments, the investmen firm for Microsoft founderBill Gates, owns 11.1 percenf of the voting securities in New York-based Six the largest share, bankruptcyt documents show. Six Flags has 97.7 million shares of common stockand 1.1 million sharesw of preferred stock. "The current managemengt team inheriteda $2.
4 billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financia markets," said Mark Shapiro, president and CEO of Six in a statement. "A a result, we are cleaninyg up the past and positioning the companh for futuregrowth ... Followingg a record year of performancein 2008, whichy completed the three-year turnaround of our system-wide park this action to clean up the balance sheet paves the way for a full revival of the Shapiro said.
Elitch Gardens had operatede for more than a centuryg at a northwest Denver The old Elitch Gardens shut downin 1994, and a new versiojn of the amusement park openef a year later in downtown The local Gurtler family and its financial partnerds sold the new park to Premie r Parks Inc. in 1996 for $65 million. It became Six Flagws Elitch Gardens twoyears later, when Premiefr acquired Six Flags Inc. and changed its corporate name to Six Six Flags soldoff Elitch's and other propertiex in 2007 in a series of transactions that left the Denvetr attraction in the hands of CNL Incomre Properties Inc., a real estate investmentt trust based in Orlando, Fla.
CNL reportedlyu paid $312 million for the properties. CNL arranged for Parc Managementt LLC of Florida tomanage Elitch's. Six Flagse now operates about 20 North Americabnamusement parks.

Capitolwire: Pileggi Wants to Change PA Electoral Process - PoliticsPA

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Capitolwire: Pileggi Wants to Change PA Electoral Process PoliticsPA PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi wants to allot Pennsylvania's electoral college votes on a congressional district by district basis, rather than the current system of winner take all. In a state like Pennsylvania, where Democratic candidates ... and more »

September is National Preparedness Month - AugustaGazette.com

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September is National Preparedness Month AugustaGazette.com By Anonymous September is National Preparedness Month and Butler County Management encourages everyone to take action in making sure your family, neigborhood and community are ready for emergencies and disasters of  »

Scoundrels prey on the elderly through Internet scams | LEN WELLS COLUMN - Evansville Courier & Press

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Scoundrels prey on the elderly through Internet scams | LEN WELLS COLUMN Evansville Courier & Press It makes me ill to think there's a segment of society low enough to prey on the elderly. Most of the seniors I know are on a fixed income, just trying to hang on until the next Social Security check makes it into their checking account. ... and more »

Highland Capital Partners, Inc. Company Profile | Company Information

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We are a venture capital firm focused on buildinb companies inthe communications, consumer, digital healthcare and information technology Founded in 1988, our strategy is to invest in exceptionapl people and provide them with the right mix of strategic management expertise, and hands-on leadership for building successfupl and enduring companies. Investing in People. We understand what managemenyt teams need and constantly seek to provided them with additional guidanced for building successful and enduring Making it easy for our companies to grow theirf businesses is part of what wedo best.
With $3 billionn of committed capital and a proven track we are dedicated toproviding insight, skills and contactsw to build strong teams and worlx class companies. Powerful Partners. As experienced investors, we know that great companiesx are not built ina day. Focusing on our core strengthas is the key to building asuccessful portfolio. Our in-houser executives have operating experiencein finance, marketing, recruitingb and general management. These individuals are available toprovidew one-on-one coaching, review strategt and plans, and help open additional doors. They activelgy seek to identify and implemeng resources and programs our companiescan leverage. Experience. Support. ...

AT&T reaches tentative contract with 18,500 wireline employees - Dayton Business Journal:

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The region includes Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. Negotiationsa continue for all remaining Candice Johnson, a representative for the , said Wednesday. The tentativee labor contract with the Midwest region includesa three-yearr agreement with pay and pension increases, cost-of-living adjustments and healthn care benefits that include fullyy funded preventive care and health reimbursement accounts, the unio for employees and AT&T (NYSE: T) said Wednesday. The employees affectedr by the tentative agreement include callcenter staffers, customer servics representatives and technicians. The employees were representec bythe CWA.
Johnson said employees in the union still have to ratifythe agreement. The vote takesw place Aug. 7. The agreement does not end AT&T’sa negotiations with communications workers. Johnson said that AT&gT still has 100,000 CWA employees in other divisions in the process of labor contractf negotiations but that she remains optimistic becauswe key health care concerns were addressed in the latestgtentative contract. “What was difficul is we are in a struggling she said. “The health care crisis has affected every It was very important for workers to maintaimn quality healthcare benefits.
” She addedc that the company agree to continue working with unionn members on health benefits. Despite telecommunications companies’ focus on wireless services, Johnsobn said the need for wirelin services and workers is verymuch “I think that AT&T has showb that you need a good wirelinre base,” she said, adding that wireless systeme are often built off the wireline networks. “Icf you look at the numbed of lines, yes there is a decrease,” Johnsonn said, but she added that integrating the wirelessx and wireline networks into efficient networkxs remains a crucial part ofthe business.