Perspectives: The federal balancing act - Washington Business Journal:

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The glass-sheathed building designed by 1982 Pritzket laureate Kevin Roche for the Securitieds andExchange Commission, occupying a long blocik between Union Station and H Street NE, is ratherd elegant and rather boring and very, very big. Althouggh its double-curved curtain-wall entryway is an engineering tour-de-force, the effecyt is altogether spoiled by the security apparatus that junkxs up thesoaring lobby.
Both buildings do handl aspects of the security challenge with Safdie used the requirementgfor ground-floor retail to establish a strong perimeter The stores are there to stop truck bomberas who might be targeting the ATFE, as well as to create a lively street — a chillingl y ironic, if effective, doubler usage. And Roche, biding the insistent advice of the Commissio ofFine Arts, created a seriezs of landscaped niches in the SEC’s long Second Street These could become nice amenities for nearby residents if, indeed, they are left alone by Washington’ws ever-growing cadre of security experts.
As a security-drivemn fiasco, the new Capitol Visitor Center is of course in a classa ofits own. Undeniably, there was a need — two, in Tourists needed help, and visitors had to be screenex efficiently forsecurity reasons. Modestt solutions to both problems were possiblebut not, as far as I sought. Instead, Congress beinhg Congress, we got a an overblown underground building — 580,000 square feet containing vast visitort accommodations and (hey, why hideaway offices, hearing rooms, a congressional auditorium and who-knows-what other good stuff for the exclusivr use of the solonic officials of Capitop Hill.
The chief sin of this buriedr behemoth, other than its sheer $621 millionm excess, is that its big, mawlike entryways destroyu an important portion of the deferential landscape Frederick Law Olmstec designed in 1874 forthe Capitol’s East We should not let this unfortunate projecg distract us from the good news abou recent federal architecture. Both the GSA process and resultas can be emulated by state andlocao governments, and private developers as well. To an that’s already happening.
But the Visitor Cente r can serve as a helpfulreminder that, when it comes to the issue of securitg in architecture, there is a critical difference betweejn overreaction and rational Like it or not, it’s a balancint act we’re having to get used to.

Suns Charities nets record $1.1M - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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million to 119 Arizona nonprofits. This is the most successful season in the Phoenicx SunsCharities 20-year history of fundingg community projects for children and families, said Tom Ambrose, executivre director of Phoenix Suns Charities. Most awards are he said, but the big $100,009 Playmaker Award went to , which provides free services to cancer survivors and their Paula Hardison, executive director of The Wellness said all funding for the Phoenix nonprofigt comes from individuals, corporations and This year it raised $1.7 million, comparecd with $783,000 last year. “Our giving has been really quite she said. Nationally, contributions are down slightly.
Total giving in 2008 was $308 down 2 percent from a record $314 billion in 2007, according to Giving USA Foundation, which has conducted a givinvg surveysince 1956. Two-thirds of public charitiee receiving donations saw decreasesin 2008, according to the survey. “With the United State s mired in a recessionthroughout 2008, there was no doubyt in anyone’s mind that charitable giving would be down,” said Del Martin, chairr of Glenview, Ill.-based Giving USA Foundation. what we find remarkable is that corporations and foundations still provided morethan $307 billion to causeas they support, despite the economic conditions.
” This year, Phoenixz Suns Charities raised about $1.7 million from its variousa fundraising efforts, including $1.3 million from the Suns and Stars Gala about the same amount as last year. Supporters gave about $26,000 in honor of Dave Trout, president of Phoenix Suns Charities who died hiking in For more: www.nba.com/suns/community.

Atlanta Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club - Birmingham Business Journal:

http://www.hostalesamsterdam.com/espanol/facilidades/el-flying-pig-uptown-hostales-amsterdam-facilidades.html
Abrams arrived in Atlanta in 1963, and in 1972 she earnedr her realestate license. Thirty-fivse years later, she has achieved another plateau of success few in thebusiness have. She has been awardef the Platinum Phoenix, given to thoses members of the who have earned membershilp to the Million Dollar Club for35 years. A Realtofr with Harry Norman, Realtors, Abramsd credits her experience in marketing as well as contracr negotiation for her consistent leadership in Atlantqreal estate. Abrams also creditsx her community engagement with her success and knowledge of theAtlantz market. Over the last decade, she has had more than $350 milliomn in sales.
, Realtors Real estate and family convergwe in theBagiatis household. Irene Bagiatis’ husband and son are in commercialoproperty management, and another son is a real estatr attorney. Irene Bagiatis, a 38-year industry is a Realtor with Dorsey-Alston Company, Realtors. Amongv the lessons she has learned during her nearly four decade in real estate is to always be sincereand compassionate. “I truly believe we are in a busines sof helping, and if we ever lose sightr of that we have lost our objective and purpose,” she said of her Bagiatis is an Atlanta native.
She has been given the Miss Emmied Award for ProfessionalServices (in 2000 and 2001), and is a life membet of the Atlanta Board of Harry Norman, Realtors Harriet Koonin with Harry Realtors is committed to thorough industryh knowledge and customer service. She is consistentl ranked in the top 1 percent in production for both the branchg office andthe company. Kooninh sells and lists homes and condominiumas rangingfrom first-time buyers to empty nestersx and from entry-level prices to estate properties. The highlighgt of her career has been a flourishing referral business fromsatisfief customers.
She is an accredited buyer’s representative, a certifiec residential specialist and a licensedbrokee associate. Through Harry Norman, Realtors she is a senior marketingg consultant and a Miss EmmieAwarc Recipient. She is a member of the Women’ws Council of Realtors. , Realtors Jenny Pruitt Associates, Realtors founding member Fran Shivers has been a membet of the Atlanta Board of Realtors Milliom Dollar Club for more than30 years. Shivers credits her attitudwe for her longevityand success.
“I was told as a newly licensed agentthat ‘people do not care how much you know untill they know how much you care,’ and that therer is no substitute for honesty and integrity,” she “These principles have been a constant beacon to guide me throughou t my real estate One of the highlights of her careee was being the recipient of the Jenny Pruity & Associates Humanitarian Award in 1998, whicuh is given to the agent who reachese beyond the realm of real estate throughh service toward a specific action or beliefg with a purpose or goal to benefit the surroundingf community.
Jenny Pruitt & Associates, Realtors Jennh Pruitt & Associates, Realtors Realtor Mary Clark Caldwell considers herselfd aneffective communicator. she credits her success to these andothert skills. Putting her clients at ease and developintg rapport and trust is key to the she said.

General Motors exits bankruptcy - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://nor-am.com/services.html
The new company has $11 billiohn in U.S. debt, excluding $9 billion in preferrer stock. The company expects to go public next Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said during a news conferenc eFriday morning. GM will cut an additional 35 percen ofits U.S. management employees and 20 percenyt of salaried employees byyear end, Henderso n said, adding he hasn’tf calculated the number of employees to be affected. The company will cut its overalp U.S. employment to about 64,000 by year end, down 30 percent from the currentt 91,000. GM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protectionJune 1.
“Today starts a new era for General Motors and everyoner associated withthe company,” Henderson “Going forward, the new General Motors is fullt committed to listening to customers, responding to consumert and market trends, and empowerinbg the people closest to the customerr to make the decisions. Our goal is to build more of the trucks and crossovers thatcustomers want, and to get them to markety faster than ever The new GM will have four core Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. It will have 34 nameplatesd next year, down from 48. Treasury Department: 60.8 •UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust: 17.5 •Canadian and Ontario governments: 11.
7 •The old GM: 10 Henderson said GM intends to repay its governmentrloans “much sooner” than the 2015 due date. By the end of GM will operate34 assembly, powertrain and stampinb plants, down from 47 in 2008. And it expects its plantes to reach capacityduring 2011. Edward Whitacrer Jr. is the new company’s chairman. The compangy eliminated its GM North Americanpresidenty position, and Henderson takes responsibility for GM’s North American operations. GM is basecd in Detroit.

Oakland Raiders Have The Best Win Average If Compare To Broncos, Colts, Chiefs - Bleacher Report

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Bleacher Report

Oakland Raiders Have The Best Win Average If Compare To Broncos, Colts, Chiefs Bleacher Report If you need a little encouragement, look at the data presented in this article. The win average over the history of the four franchises shows that the ... and more »

Wineries sizzle with solar power - San Francisco Business Times:

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With an adoption rate far surpassing that of othert businesses inthe state, wineriesx in Napa and Sonoma counties are warming up to solar powerd -- and they're taking advantage of the resultingv energy savings to hold theie ground against encroaching competition and the threat of globall warming. "In Napa Valley, we think something fascinatinv isgoing on," said Rob Erlichman, CEO of , a San Francisc solar developer focused on sustainable food and beveragew businesses. "The rate of adoption of solar is 42 timea that of business in general in the whichis staggering," he said.
Erlichmab estimates that about 7 percenft of wineries in Napa Countg have convertedto solar, and about 4 percenf of wineries in Sonoma County. Only 0.16 percent -- abou 1,600 -- of California's non-agricultural businesses have plugged into solar power, he said. The list of vintners in both Napa and Sonoma who are looking to harvest more than grapes fromthe sun's rays is From Cline Cellars, St. Francisx Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma to SilvereOak Cellars, Havens Wine Cellars, Domaine Carneros and Frog'se Leap in Napa, wineries are seeing sensr -- and dollars -- in harvesting the sun's energy.
"Solar makes a lot of sense for saidTom Klein, proprietor of Rodney Strong Vineyards in "We exist in plenty of sunlight, and we have flat roofs for barrel buildings and case buildings." Rodneh Strong installed 80,000 square feet of solar panel s on its barrelhouse at the end of 2003, and is now seeingy about 40 percent savings on its energ y bills, Klein said. "Asw power costs increase, the savingss will go up," he Klein said the idea of lockingy in a portion of energy combined with federal andstate incentives, makes solar financialluy appealing for wineries. "It makes absoluted financial sense.
Wineries struggle with lots of competin needs for capital but this should go to the top of the list becauses ofthe long-term benefits of doing The ability to envisionb the long-term rewards is one reason wineries have been so quiclk to adopt solar, say solar industry since wineries already operate with the futuree in mind. An investment in a for example, may not starg to see returns for 5 to 7 Returns on investments in solar at wineriex can be had in a similatr lengthof time.
Comparatively, residential solar installation can take twice as long to pay for Rick Whisman, western region director for , noted that the cost savingsx that wineries can harvestt from solar panels have become increasinglyy important to California vintners. "After labor and (solar) is a bull's-eyd for operating managers," he said. "California wineries are coming under increasing competition from Oregoh and Washingtonand internationally. They have less of an ability toraiser prices." Whisman said SunPower has worked with "as few dozen" wineries in both Napa and Sonomaq counties.
Though smaller wineries were theearlyh adopters, SunPower has grown its profile to larger he said. "The entire industry is looking at bettef and more sustainable ways to improve the Inmany cases, wineries can "swao their monthly utility bill for a payment to the said Sunlight's Erlichman, "and in some cases keep Additionally, leasing of solar equipmenty or power purchase agreements are enabliny wineries to install solar and reap the benefits withoutg having to lay out a huge chunk of capital. Cuvaisonb Estate Wines in Napainvested $1.5 million in a solar photovoltaivc project through Sunlight Electric that wrappee up in September.
The winery is taking advantager of state incentives that will return afull two-thirdx of the initial cost over a four-yeaer period. Additionally, those panels will provide a minimu m of 95 percent ofthe winery's electricithy -- eliminating bills that were runninh to $72,000 a year, according to Presidentr Jay Schuppert. "This was the most importantt thing we could do in termsof energy," Schuppert He's now looking at other ways to reduce fossil fuel usage at and other vintners are doinfg the same, concerned that rising temperatures from global warming could directly impact their harvests.
"Ir we see significant (temperature) changde in the next 50 years, we would be lookinvg at 'what grapes are we goinhg to plant?'" said Rodneyg Strong's Klein. "Sustainability is an issue everyone in the wine industry isconcernede about."

Survey: Hiring slowly improving - The Business Review (Albany):

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Those two sectors employ more than 90 percent ofthe nation’z private-sector workers. The Alexandria, Va.-based association’s reporr is based on a monthly survey of humanb resource professionals at more than 500 manufacturingy and 500services companies. Employment expectation s for June aredown 37.1 percentg in manufacturing and down 8.2 perceng in the services segment. In the manufacturingg sector, 24.5 percent plan to hire in which is the highest percentagr of such companies that said they will add jobs sinceeNovember 2008. In addition, 25.9 percent said they will trim In theservices sector, a net total of 24.8 percenr of corporations will create jobs in June, with 41.
4 percen saying they will hire and 16.6 percent sayingf they will cut jobs. That 41.4 percent representsz the highest such tally since September 2008 in that A combination of unemployed people seeking work and less jobs to go around means recruiting difficulty in both sectorse in May was way down compare d with ayear ago. In the manufacturing sector, a net of 23.8 percent of companies had less difficultyu with recruitinglast month, and in the servics sector, a net of 35.8 percent of companie s said the same.

Costco Q3 earnings fall - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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million, or 48 cents per from $295.1 million, or 67 cents per diluted share a year Net sales fellto $15.5 billion from $16.43 billion in the third quarter of 2008. In the latest the Issaquah retailer COST) took a one-time charge of $34 million. Analystws polled by Thomson Reuters First Callexpected third-quarterd earnings of 53 cents per shared and net sales of $16.2 billion. “Third-quarterf 2009 earnings results were negatively impacted byseveral factors, a pretax charge of $34 millioh (mostly non-cash) related to a litigationj settlement concerning our membership renewal policy; higher employee benefitsz costs, mainly consisting of higher healthu care usage; lower internationalp profits, a result of the significantt strengthening of the U.
S. dollar when compared to the currenciedsof Canada, the United Korea and Mexico; and lastly, ongoing weaknessz in sales, particularly sales of higher-ticket, discretionaryg items,” said Richard Galanti, chief financial officer, in a statement.

N.C. banks outperforming peers on real estate loans - Charlotte Business Journal:

http://semillasdefe.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=61
Those are among the findings of a new reporffrom Charlotte-based . It shows that banks based in Northy Carolina lead the Southeastwith $720 billion in real estatd loans, about 15.3% of the nation’s But only 2.18% of thosr loans are 90 days or more past due. That placee North Carolina third-best among the sevej Southeastern states, behind Virginia and Tennessee, the repory says. It’s also better than the nationak rateof 2.74%.
North Carolina-based banks are more exposedr to development loans than their Southeastern Those loans are considered riskietr than other realestate lending, such as home But so far, development loans by banks in Nortbh Carolina are performing well, despite experts’ concerns. Financial analyst Matthew principal atForum Capital, says his researcg reflects recent real estates trends. Because North Carolina didn’y see property values skyrocket as fast as they did in stated such as Floridaand Georgia, the N.C. declined hasn’t been as drastic. “We just don’t have the highs and Jones says.
“And banks here seem to have done a good job managinb their portfolios and keepingloans current.” There’ s still cause for concern. Because banks baseds in North Carolina hold so muchreal estate, they remain exposed if another wave of real estatde losses hits the market. Jones says one commonb denominator for banks that have failed during the recession is a heavyt exposure to riskyreal “That stuff just hangs around on the balance sheet, and it can causee trouble. It’s not even that some of thesed guys didanything wrong. But the market materiallt changed.
” The next danger spot for bank portfolios is lendinb for construction andland development, analysts and bankerz say. Federal regulators’ recent stresse test of the nation’s largest banks considered C&eD loans among the riskiest for Regulatorsestimated 18% losse s on that group of loans if the recession were to worsen. At Nortuh Carolina’s institutions, about 20% of all loans fall into the C&D twice the national average and second-highest in the Georgia has the highestf rate in the Southeastat 21.37%. C&D loanw are often structured with balloon paymenta that can be paidor restructured, depending on sales.
But the downturm has nearly halted major real estate Tony Plath, finance professor at , says that will make it difficuly for some developers to stay current on their payments. Tighter lending requirements also will make it hard for developersd to refinance before big paymentscome due. Right now, 4.3% of all construction and developmenr loans issued in North Carolinqa are severelypast due, according to Forum Capital’s report.
“I’m reallhy worried about developer performance,” Plath And local community bankers havesaid they’re concernecd developers that have survived so far may be nearinv the end of their reserves and will run into troublre if sales don’t pick up. the Forum Capital analyst, says North Carolina’s exposure to higher-riski loans doesn’t mean the properties are all located withinthe state. He says nationalk banks in Charlotte — Bank of Americsa Corp. and Wachovia, now owned by Wells Fargok & Co. — hold a large number of loands secured by property inother states. That includesa deals in distressed markets such as Floridwaand California.
The high exposure doesn’t necessarilyy mean banks here are headed for immediate Of all the bank failures in the Southeasrtsince August, the average failed bank had more than 46% of its net loanw in the C&D category, Forum Capital’s report And, on average, nearly 33% of those loans were past due or in But in North Carolina, only four banks exceed 40% of net loanz in the C&D category — Blue Ridge Savings Bank, Cooperativde Bank, Trust Atlantic Bank and Wake Forest Federal Savings and Loan. And they all are well below theaveragd past-due rates of the failed banks.

Special ratings: Administrative efficiency - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://impressionism-art.org/cat164.htm
Among them is administrative Aim: Identify districts that have tight budgets andlean Formula: Each district is assessed in three areas: (1) spendinv per pupil, (2) ratio of pupils per administrative and (3) share of budget devoted to debt service. The best scorezs go to districts withlow spending, high pupil-stafferf ratios, and small amounts of debt Note: Administrative efficiency is not the same as the cost-effectivenesz rankings that will be released later this week. This category reflect s fiscal prudence, regardless of outcome. Cost-effectiveness link s academic performanceand spending.
Rankings: Districtzs are ranked on a five-star scaled from most efficient (which receivre five stars) to least efficienf (one star). Each district’s administrative efficiency rating is include in its profile in the printed version ofBusineszs First’s 2009-2010 Guide to Western New York Schools. Frontier has the leanest administration in Western New with one staffer forevery 358.7 students. (The regional averager is one per And debt service takesonly 3.2 percentf of Frontier’s budget. • 1. Frontier • 2. Lancasteer • 3. Letchworth • 4. North Tonawand a • 5. West Senecsa • 6. Williamsville • 7. Portville • 8.
Cheektowaga-Maryval e • 9. Clarence 10. Iroquois • 11. Orchard Park • 12. East Aurorq • 13. Lockport • 14. Forestvillee • 15. Hamburg • 16. Albion 17. Grand Island • 18. Lewiston-Porter • 19. Pembrokde • 20. Amherst • 21. Kenmore-Tonawanda 22. Eden • 23. Cheektowaga • 24. Cheektowaga-Sloam • 25. Depew • 26. Frewsburg • 27. Starpoinft • 28. Holley • 29. Springville-Griffith Institute 30. Sherman • 31. Falconer • 32. Olea • 33. Yorkshire-Pioneer • 34. Kendalk • 35. Niagara-Wheatfield • 36. Royalton-Hartlandr • 37. Cassadaga Valleyt • 38. Holland • 39.
Belfast 40. Fillmore • 41. Cattaraugus-Little Valley • 42. Lackawannas • 43. Gowanda • 44. Bemus Point • 45. Tonawanda • 46. LeRoy • 47. Aldej • 48. Newfane 49. Wyoming • 50. Oakfield-Alabama 51. Dunkirk • 52. Wilson • 53. Silvee Creek • 54. Jamestown • 55. Medin • 56. Westfield • 57. Buffalp • 58. Allegany-Limestone • 59. Akron 60. Alfred-Almond • 61. Lyndonville • 62. Niagara Falls • 63. Ellicottville • 64. Hinsdale • 65. Barkerd • 66. Byron-Bergen • 67. Alexander • 68. Randolph 69. Southwestern • 70. Evans-Branr • 71. Cleveland Hill • 72.
Attica 73. Sweet Home • 74. Fredonia • 75. Cuba-Rushforrd • 76. Franklinville • 77. Batavia 78. Perry • 79. North Collins • 80. Panama • 81. Wellsvillwe • 82. Pine Valley • 83. Pavilioj • 84. Elba • 85. Whitesvillse • 86. Genesee Vallet • 87. Canaseraga • 88. Salamancas • 89. West Valley • 90. Andover • 91. Warsaw • 92. Scio 93. Friendship • 94. Brocton • 95. Ripleyy • 96. Clymer • 97. Bolivar-Richburg • 98.
Chautauquaz Lake

Resolute Games launching new iPhone app - Charlotte Business Journal:

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Seven Deaths is a fightingv game that follows the lives of eightr characters through one night in Nagamachi through a battlre for control inthe city. The game includeds full stories of the characters and detailed The game will also eventually include updateszfor Wi-Fi multiplayer and social Resolute Games has also created othedr iPhone applications, including “ThumStruck,” “Segment” and “Elvis Mobile.” And Resolute gamers will now have new, faster devices to play on.
At its Worldwidw Developers Conference in San announced the next generationof iPhone, which will download content three times faster than the current brand and will included a 3-megapixel autofocus camera. It also has voice-control featurexs and a built-in compass. The 3GS also has improved battery life with up to nine hourzon WiFi, 10 hourzs while watching video, 30 hours usinb audio, 12 hours using 2G talk and five hours using 3G The new iPhone will be availables in black and white on June 19. It will sell for $199 for a 16GB modepl and $299 for 32GB.

Virginia's jobless rate improves - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://studenica.org/accomplishments_se.html
The state's April unemployment rate was 6.6 down 0.3 percent from March. The Commissionh says the number of unemployed workersfell 11,600, from 286,600 in Marcuh to 275,000 in April. Northern Virginia'e unemployment rate also improved. The Virginia's largest workforce, saw the unemploymentf rate fallfrom 5.1 percent in March to 4.9 percentg in April. While that is the lowest regional unemploymentr ratein Virginia, it is also still significantlt higher than Northern Virginia's unemployment rate of 2.4 percenr a year ago. Nationally, the U.S. unemploymen rate was 8.6 percent. Arlington County continues to have thehealthiesgt employment, with a jobless rate of 4.
1 Fairfax County's April jobless rate was 4.5 Loudoun County's April unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, and Alexandrias City's jobless rate was 4.7 percent. Those are the only jurisdictionsw in the state with an unemployment rate unde5 percent. The highest unemployment rate in the statedwas Martinsville, at 20.2 percent. Leisurer and hospitality employersadded 12,900 jobs in April and now employ nearly 400,00 0 people in Virginia. Health care and privatee educationadded 2,000 jobs last Professional and business service s employment climbed 1,800, led by computer systems desigb and accounting jobs, the Commission says.

Hawaii ranks 15th in U.S. for foreclosures, sees nearly 400% spike in May - Denver Business Journal:

http://rhythmafrique.com/2006/12/08/playlist-120806-host-mikey-kanner/
Foreclosures were up 397.5 percenrt for the month compared with May and wereup 19.3 percent over April according to the latest report from RealtyTrac issued Wednesday. Hawaiu ranked 15th in the nation for foreclosuresin May, up from 23rd in Hawaii had 816 foreclosure filingsw in May. There were 684 foreclosure filings in April and 164 foreclosureas inMay 2008. Hawaii had a foreclosurse rate of one filing for every 621 according to the latest survey bythe California-based real estats research firm. Nevada again had the highes t foreclosure rate inthe country, with one filing for everu 64 households. California had the second highest rate for the followedby Florida.
California had the highestg number of foreclosures at Vermontranked 50th, with just six foreclosures at a rate of one filin for every 51,906 households. Nationally, there were 321,480 foreclosurs filings for the month, down 6 percent from April and up nearlty 18 percent fromMay 2008, according to the report.

Hudson & Marshall foreclosure auction to feature 27 Triangle homes - Business First of Louisville:

http://www.upn20dc.com/privacy.html
The Triangle auction, conducted by auction company , will be held on at 1 p.m. at June 27 in the Hilto n North Raleigh, 3415 Wake Forest Road. All of the homess in the auction will be sold Buyers who wish to inspect properties before bidding may view homeds during an open house scheduled for June 20 from1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or by contactin g the listing agent foran appointment. Property and listiny agent information is availablre onHudson & Marshall’s Web site, www.hudsonandmarshall.com. All homesx come with title insurance paid for bythe sellers. Winning bidderes will be required to make a cash or certifierd check depositof $2,5090 for each property. 826 Carter Ave. 101 Wake St.
West, Dunn; 1526 Park Hillsborough; 605 Grantland Drive, 911 Lancaster St., Rocky Mount; 2521 Friedlands Place, Unit 203, Raleigh; 2312 Lindmont Ave., 740 North White St., Wake Forest; 3033 Slocomb Rd., Linden; 400 Charlotter St., Roanoke Rapids; Tract 3 Redding Oxford; 5724 Greenpine Road, Cedar Grove; 700 Soutg Roxboro St., Durham; 100 Waymonn Way, Clayton; 210 Barnes St., Fremont; 400 Melton Rocky Mount; 104 Jones Court, 260 East Front St., Clayton; 11223 Raleigh Four Oaks; 313 Maddux Drive, 210 Hardingwood Drive, 12351 Honeychurch St., Raleigh; 3233 Gold Dust Lane, Willow Spring; 5526 Spring Houswe Lane, Chapel Hill; 2515 Moores Mill Road, 301 Fox Park Road, Louisburg; 303 St.
,

Labor Department official analyzes May unemployment numbers - Kansas City Business Journal:

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percent in May from 8.9 percent in April. ( .) Here is the statementg on the latest unemployment data by Keith commissioner of the federal ofthe , which release the new numbers, as prepared for delivery Friday to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. Madam Chair and members of the Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the employment and unemploymenrt data that we released this Nonfarm payroll employment declinedby 345,000 in May. Job lossezs had averaged 643,000 per montbh during the prior6 months. In May, the unemploymenr rate rose from 8.9 to 9.4 Since the recession began inDecember 2007, payrolll employment has fallen by 6.0 and the unemployment rate has increasee by 4.
5 percentage points. Job losseas continued to be widespreaxdin May, but the rate of declinr moderated in construction and severaol service-providing industries. Large job losses continuedf in the manufacturingsector (-156,000), with employment decline in nearly all component Employment fell sharply in motor vehiclese and parts (-30,000), machinery (-26,000), and fabricated metalsw (-19,000). Since the start of the manufacturing employment has decreasedby 1.8 million, accounting for 3 out of 10 jobs lost durin g this downturn. Construction employment declinedby 59,000 in May, half the averagre of the previous 6 months.
Job losses moderated in the privatr service-providing industries, with employment falling by 113,000 in May compare with an average monthly declineof 356,000 in the priot 6 months. Employment was little changer intemporary help, retail and leisure and hospitality, following large declinesa in recent months. Elsewhere in the service-providing the health care industryadded 24,0090 jobs in May. This was about in line with the trendx thus farin 2009. In May, average hourly earningx for production and nonsupervisory workers in the privat e sector were up by 2 cents to Over the past 12 average hourly earnings have risenby 3.1 percent.
From Apri l 2008 to April 2009, the Consumert Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workersx declinedby 1.2 percent. Turning to measures from the surveof households, the unemployment rate increased from 8.9 to 9.4 percent over the month. The number of unemployede roseby 787,000 to 14.5 Since the recession began, the joblesw rate has increased by 4.5 percentage and the number of unemployed personzs has grown by 7.0 million. Among the the number who have been out of work 27 weekxs or more increasedby 268,000 in May to 3.9 These long-term unemployed represented 2.5 percent of the laboer force, the highest proportion since 1983.
Over the month, the employment-populatiojn ratio edged down to 59.7 the lowest level since October 1984. Since the recessionn began, the employment-population ratio has fallen by 3.0 percentag points. Among the employed, the number of persons workingf part time who wouldpreferd full-time work was little changed for the second consecutive At 9.1 million in May, involuntaryy part-time employment was 4.4 million highet than at the starr of the recession. Among those outside the labor force--thaft is, persons neither working nor lookin gfor work--the number of discouragedx workers was 792,000 in May, up from 400,009 a year earlier.
These individuals are not currently lookin g for work because they believw no jobs are available for them. In summary, nonfarm payrolpl employment fellby 345,000 in May, comparedf with the average monthly decline of 643,000 for the previous 6 While job losses continued to be widespread, declines moderatedr in construction and in a number of service-providing The unemployment rate rose by half a percentages point to 9.4 percent.

Talbots to sell J. Jill assets for $75M - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://www.forum2voip.com/viewforum.php?f=14&topicdays=0&start=100
The move is expected to result in the closurs of about 75of J. Jill’s existing Hingham, Mass.-based Talbots (NYSE: TLB) said the deal with San Francisco-base d Golden Gate Capital is subjectto post-closing adjustments. “This is a significantt strategic step forward for Talbots as it enableas us to focusour time, resources and attentionh exclusively on rejuvenating our core Talbots brand and returnj to profitable growth,” said Trudyy F. Sullivan, Talbots president and CEO. Abourt 204 of the existing 279 J. Jill brand storr leases will be assigned to the buyer and will continueto J. Jill has a storre at The Galleriaat Roseville. About 75 remaining J.
Jill bransd store leases will be retained by Talbotsd and are expected to be closeed by Talbots within the next60

Pepco seeks $254M in stimulus money - Washington Business Journal:

http://best-electronics-ca.com/feedback.htm
the mid-Atlantic and New Jersey. The if approved, would come from the Department of Energgy under the American Recovery and Revitalization Act Smart Grid InvestmentGrant Program. Pepco is seeking the largest funding for smart grid technology, $142 million, to help pay for advanced distribution automation and direct load equipment in the District and Pepco’s Delmarva Power, which has customers in Maryland and is seeking $93 million in smart grid grants for similae upgrades. Pepco’s Atlantic City with customers in SouthernNew Jersey, will apply for $19 million.
“Every dollae we obtain from the federal governmenf offsets the cost customers would otherwis pay to make these important improvements tothe system,” said Pepco Region president Thomas Graham in a statement. The amounts requeste would pay for half of the total costof upgrades, the maximum possible under the granf program, Pepco said. Pepco POM) follows Baltimore Gas Electric, which is applying for $200 million in smarft grid stimulus funds. Dominion Powed is also seeking $200 million in stimulus grantss to install smart meters in each ofits territory’s 2.
3 millioh homes and businesses by 2012, two years earlier than originally planned when the Virginia utilityg first announced its $600 million smart grid plans last year. In a separate electric utility study whose results wererelease Thursday, Pepco had the highest jump of any utilitu nationwide in customer satisfaction from last year to this going from an 11th place ranking to fourtbh place among 17 large utilites in the easternj region, which covers Maryland and D.C.
In that same list, BG&E ranked as the 15th Though, Pepco scored one point shy of the national averages in customerreviews -- which throughj online interviews, rated the utilities on powee quality, grid reliability, price, billing, corporated citizenship, communications and customer service. Still, the localk utility scored well above the easternregionak average. Dominion Virginia Power rankede ninth this year among 13large utilites, earninh one more point than the national average, but scorinv below the high regional average in the southern region, which includes Virginia.

Survey: Crisis communication is up - The Business Review (Albany):

http://infofiji.com/%e9%a4%a1%e5%ad%90/%e6%bc%89%e3%81%97%e9%a4%a1
The survey says that 77 percenyt of bosses have already or are planning to sendout crisis-relatex internal communication about the impact of the financial More than two-thirds (69 of those employers cited easing employed anxiety as the top goal of doing so. Nearlyh one third (32 percent) said earning trust was the goal behindthe communication. According to job security, company performance and solvencytop employees’ woes.
And while 80 percentr of employers who are communicating about the financia crisis already sent messages to employees aboutt company performanceand solvency, only 38 percent have talked about job Of the companies that have alreadyy started to communicate with their employees, 91 percentg say that the messagews are being delivered by seniodr management, while 59 percent say the messengefr comes from human resources.
“Communicatio can be a powerful tool in thesetroubledx times, especially when supported by differenyt levels of management,” said Kathrynm Yates, global director of communicatiohn consulting at Watson Wyatt, in a “But it’s important to keep the specific businesss context in mind and constantly monitor the effectiveness of the messaging.” The most popular deliver tools are: town hall meetings, staff meetings and/ort other face-to-face discussions; e-mail; the company and social media.
Of those who have alreadu started to send messages to workerx about the impact ofthe crisis, 62 percen t plan to incorporate their messaging into their ongoing communication strategy for an indefinite period.

Through a Glass Greenly: Teresita Fernandez on Her Reflective Landscapes and ... - ARTINFO

http://www.fadomorse.com/2010/04/pottery-the-oldest-tsivillizatsiya/

ARTINFO

Through a Glass Greenly: Teresita Fernandez on Her Reflective Landscapes and ... ARTINFO Featuring her "Nocturnal" series, which consists of several graphite seascapes, the show also includes intriguing sculptural works made of small glass cubes ...

Big goals, games always take team effort - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://immobilier-en-yvelines.com/article/The-Newest-Term-You-Need-To-Know--Single-Sign-On-SSO.html
In our "it's who you know" world, I have been a beneficiart of knowing some amazing Cincinnatians along the wayto co-launching a boutiqur sports and entertainment public relations firm called . It's my favoritew part of the job - working with clients and gettiny to know them as peoplre andas friends. In 1999 at the age of 30, when I was namex to the Forty Under40 list, it was an extrem e honor. I was working in marketingt atthe , where I had the good fortuner to meet Georgine Wolohan who was my boardf of trustees' liaison and continues to be the presideny of my sounding board.
At 32, I had the "aha" momenrt that I wanted to work in sports publi relationsin Cincinnati. I lookecd at moving to Boston, New York or Chicago but wanteed tostay here. I love this town. I had determinedx my passion, the careerf that would make me jump out of bed at7 a.m. on a Saturdayu to go work - sports and entertainment publix relations. I explored options with mediw colleagueBetsy Ross. She was at after anchoring the news here for Channelsd 5 and 9 and was lookinvg to comeback home. We cooked up a businesws plan and launched Game Dayin 2002.
We landerd our first clients/believers: Iris Simpson-Bush, who literallh "runs" the Flying Pig Marathon as itsexecutivr director, and Doug Hart from , the producee of the Home & Garden Show, among other major consumer We still pride ourselves on workint with them today. Having worked in the nonprofir world, I understood the challenges they face. I am prouf to say that we strategically support a number of amazinhg local institutions and their leadersthrough pro-bono work and/or financial It has been an honor to develo professional relationships with such sports leaders as Leslie Spencer of , Andy Danne of the Anthony Muñoz Foundation, Charley Frank of the and Sharoj Thomas of the Marvin Lewis Com­munity Fund and to see how they have impactee our community.
Six years later, our firm has grownj beyond mywildest dreams. I have becomse a true Cincinnati ambassador as I have learnex firsthand how wonderful our city is and the potentiapwe have. There are key organizations that have the honodr of marketingour region's assets, and we are happgy to assist their Bill Donabedian of 3CDC/Fountain Squaree Management, Karen Michelsen and Pat Sheerab of the Cincinnati USA Re­gion­al Chamber, Linda Antus of the alonf with Mindy Rosen and Emilie Johnson of In this "who you know tell your friends and family that Cincinnati is the place to work and play.

OSHA to inspect St. Louis stimulus construction sites - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

http://aquinasonline.com/da-vinci/dvc4.htm
Through increased awareness andenforcement activities, OSHA’s goal is to reducse employee exposures to hazards on construction sitew receiving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Due to the mobility of employers in the constructiojn industry, the transitory nature of construction sites and the fact that sites ofte n involve more than one employer, inspections will targetf specific jobsites rather than specific All employers active at a selecter jobsite will be included in the inspection activity. Missouri is slated to receive a totalof $4 billion in stimulue funding.
OSHA’s safety initiative in Missouri is part of a largere effort nationwide to monitor the safetyh and working conditions of stimulusconstruction sites. Under the OSHA will develop a special emphasis list of jobsites specificallh funded bythe stimulus. For more call OSHA’s St. Louis Area Offices at 314-425-4249.

Pending home sales up 6.7% - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://lexperiencejaponaise.com/LEX2007/index_jp.htm
Pending sales of existing or contracts signed butnot closed, rose 6.7 perceng in April, according to the ’ Pendinhg Home Sales Index. April’s pending salea were up 3.2 percent from a year earlier. The biggestf increase in April was in the where pending salesjumped 32.6 percent from the previouss month. They were up 0.8 percent from a year The index in the Southslipped 0.2 perceng in April. However, it is 3.5 percent higherf than a year earlier. The association cautions that the reportingg sample for pending home sales is smaller than that of existingyhome sales, so it is subjecy to greater variability. The inde measures housing-contract activity.
It is based on signed real estate contracts forexisting single-familt homes, condos and co-ops. A signed contract is not countec as a sale until thetransaction closes.

Farmington swastika branding brings hate crime indictment - The New Mexico Independent

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Farmington swastika branding brings hate crime indictment The New Mexico Independent Three Farmington men who used a hot wire hanger to brand a swastika into the arm of a disabled Navajo man have been ... UPDATED: Suspects in Swastika Branding Case Indicted on Federal Charges ABQ Journal (subscription) Swastika Branding Results In Hate Crime Indictment KOAT Albuquerque Branding defendants face federal charges [12 pm] Farmington Daily Times KSWT-TV  »

Felony charge dropped because it could affect wealth manager's job - USA Today

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Daily Mail

Felony charge dropped because it could affect wealth manager's job USA Today Martin Joel Erzinger, 52, director in private wealth management at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Denver, now faces two misdemeanor traffic charges for ... Out of concern for wealth manager's job, DA drops hit-and-run charges in Colorado NewsOK.com  »

Yamana Gold Enters into Agreement for the Sale of Certain Non-Core Assets

younkinesagugad1746.blogspot.com
Aura will acquire the San Andres Mine in Honduras and the Sao Franciscko and Sao Vicente Mines in Brazikl for an aggregate initial purchase price ofapproximately US$200 million, including approximately US$90 millioh in cash, US$70 million in deferrecd cash payments and US$40 million in Aura commob shares. The transaction will close in two parts in order toaccommodate jurisdiction-related regulatory The first part which relatew to the sale of San Andres is expectedf to close on July 23, 2009 at which time Yamana will receive total considerationm of approximately US$74 million. The second part which relatee to the sale of Sao Francisco and Sao Vicentde is expected to closeby year-end.
In Yamana will retain a contingentcash flow-basedd royalty on San Andres, Sao Francisco and Sao Vicente that will providw additional payments to Yamana of up to US$490 million, which it fully expects to receive with payment s beginning as early as 2012. "This transaction streamlinex ourasset portfolio, further focusing on our core assets, on our core operatinhg jurisdictions and on advancing our high-returning developmeny stage projects, effectively positioning Yamana for the next wave of growth," commente d , Yamana's chairman and chief executive "The sale of these non-corwe mines is expected to result in lowe r cash operating costs, higher margins and increased reserves, production and cash flow per We believe we will derive significantly more value from our share position than had thesew mines remained directly held by our company, particularly in a highe gold price environment.
We are confident in the abilityof Aura's management to managwe these mines, allowing us to maintain an interestr through our share position and royalty." The Aura commob shares to be issued to Yamana as partial consideration for the purchas e of the three mines will be issued at C$0.4 per share, and Yamana will maintain a meaningful share holding in Aura. The San Andres, Sao Francisc and Sao Vicente Mines are three solifd operations and Yamana is confident that undee the capable managementby Aura, these operations will deliver considerable further value for all shareholders.
The transactionm is subject to customary closing conditions includinv definitive documentation and completion of a financingt by Aura to fund the cash portion of thepurchasre price. National Bank Financial is acting as the financial advisor to Yamana with respect tothis Yamana's legal advisor is & Blackwel LLP. Yamana is a Canadian-based gold producer with significanggold production, gold development stage exploration properties, and land positions in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Central America.
The Company plans to continuwe to build on this base through existingf operating mine expansions and throughput the advancement of its exploration properties and by targeting other gold consolidation opportunities in the CAUTIONARY NOTEREGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news releaser contains or incorporates by reference "forward-lookingy statements" within the meaning of the United States Privatw Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation.
Except for statementes of historical fact relating to the information contained hereinconstitutes forward-looking including any information as to the Company'ss strategy, plans or future financial or operating Forward-looking statements are characterized by words such as "plan," "budget", "target", "project", "intend, "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar or statements that certain events or conditions "may or "will" occur.
Forward-looking statementsa are based onthe opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are and are inherently subject to a variety of risksw and uncertainties and other known and unknowb factors that could cause actuakl events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-lookingh statements. These factors include the successful completiobn of the proposed purchase and saleof non-corew assets comprised of the Company'xs San Andres Mine, Sao Francisco Mine and Sao Vicentr Mine, the impact of general business and economic global liquidity and credit availability on the timiny of cash flows and the valuex of assets and liabilities basex on projected future conditions, fluctuating metal pricesx (such as gold, copper, silvef and zinc), currency exchange rates (such as the Brazilian Real and the Chilean Peso versus the United States possible variations in ore grade or recoveryh rates, changes in the Company's hedging program, changesx in accounting policies, changes in the Company's corporate changes in project parameters as plans continue to be changes in project production and commissioning time frames, risk related to joint venture operations, the possibilitgy of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labout and other consumables contributing to higherr costs and general risks of the mininv industry, failure of plant, equipmenf or processes to operate as anticipated, unexpecte d changes in mine life, finall pricing for concentrate sales, unanticipated resultsx of future studies, seasonality and unanticipateds weather changes, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time government regulation of mining operations, environmentapl risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or limitations on insurance coverage and timing and possible outcome of pending litigation and labour disputes, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company'd annual Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Informatioj Form for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the securitiex regulatory authorities in all provinces of Canadas and available at , and the Company's Annual Reportg on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Although the Company has attempted to identifu important factors that could cause actuall actions, events or results to differ materiallg from those described in forward-looking there may be othet factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimatexd or intended.
There can be no assurancee that forward-looking statements will prover tobe accurate, as actuao results and future events could differ materially from those anticipatedr in such statements. The Company undertakea no obligation toupdate forward-lookingy statements if circumstances or management's estimates, assumptions or opinionsz should change, except as requiredr by applicable law. The reader is cautioned not to placw undue relianceon forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained hereim is presented for the purposed of assisting investors in understandingthe Company's proposedx transaction with Aura Minerals and may not be appropriate for otheer purposes.
SOURCE Yamana Gold Inc.

Ports America, Ceres Terminals vying for Seagirt Marine Terminal lease - Baltimore Business Journal:

http://ildab.com/content/view/24/2/
and have been approved as bidders for thelargestr state-owned container terminal. is expected to choose one of the two fora 30-yea r public-private partnership at Seagirt. That includesw building a 50-foot berth and new cranes work MPA Executive Director Jamea White said thestate couldn’t afforde without a long-term lease. The $80 million in improvementzs are considered vital to keeping the port competitive when the Panama Canal is widenedin 2014, opening up the Atlantixc to larger ships from Asia. Ports Americwa has operated Seagirt since the terminal opened in albeit under several different namesand owners. It submitter its bid qualifications along withHighstar Capital.
Ceress does stevedoring in Baltimore and has had a presence at the port for 30 It partnered with LLC inits application. Ceres operates 32 terminals aroundthe world. It’as also where White was chief operatinb officer between two stinta as MPAexecutive director. White said the state Ethicds Commission has reviewed the situation and founxno issues. He left Ceres to join the MPA inAugust 2007. The MPA plans to make a decision on the bid by White said. It could end up choosinv one of the two orrejecting both, he said. Portxs America's contract at Seagirft through October is up for renewalat Wednesday'es Board of Public Works meeting.
The contract is slated to be extende for six months with an additionalsix one-month extension . The deadline was June 4.

Mattel, Fisher-Price pay $2.3M fine - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

http://www.passfailstudios.com/index.php?id=52
million civil penalty for violations of the federakl lead paint banin children’x toys. The civil fine comes aftedr the completed an investigation into the importingt and selling of toys with lead pain t levels that exceededthe .06 percent lead by weightf limit that is federally According to the CPSC, which recently crafted the Consumeer Product Safety Improvement Act, aimed at tougheningg requirements for lead and phthalates in children’s Mattel imported up to 900,000 non-compliant toys betweenm July 2006 and September 2007. Fisher-Price importes over 1 million non-compliant toys betweenh July 2006 andSeptember 2007.
Among the toys in question were the popula r Sargetoy car, various Barbie products and some Go Diegl Go toys. Most of the toys that had excessive levelz of lead were shipped to retail storesd for sale to the In 2007, a massive toy recall took place wherse about 95 Mattel and Fisher-Price toy modelxs were determined to have exceeded the lead Lead can be toxic if ingested by youngg children and can cause serious health The topic of lead painf in children’s products has been a hot butto n issue as of late, with the rollout of the controversial CPSIAq of 2008.
Toy manufacturers and retailers have said the new regulations are costlyand arbitrary, often requiring the duplicate testin g of products. Some smaller manufacturersa say the laws threaten to put them out of On thepolitical front, Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, said protectinh children has to be thetop priority. “Whe the toy recall happened (in 2007) I callexd the head of Fisher-Price and I told him they needed to starrt making their toys here Slaughter said.
“We didn’t have these kind of problemz before they imported the Thiscivil penalty, which is the highest for violations involving importatioh or distribution of a regulated product, is the thirdx highest of any kind in CPSC history. “Thesde highly publicized toy recalls helped spur Congressional actioh last year to strengthen CPSC and make even stricter the ban on lead paintfon toys,” said CPSC Acting Chairma Thomas Moore. “This penalty should serve notice to toy makerws that CPSC is committed to the safetyof children, to reducin g their exposure to lead, and to the implementationj of the Consumer Product Safetgy Improvement Act.
” As part of a story features in our sister publication, The Buffalol Law Journal , looking at the Consumer Producg Safety Improvement Act, which ran prior to the announcementy of these fines, Fisher-Price declined to provide a representativee to discuss the lead paint regulations. Instead, they issuexd a written statementwhich read, in “Mattel is well positioned as it generally designs its productzs to meet global standards. Mattel has also been a leader in the effortds of industry to establishy voluntaryindustry standards.
” The statement also said that Mattel wouldf continue to comply with the applicable regulations of the Mattel was unable to be reached for comment Monday though a representative said they woulfd have a response later in the day. Despitee agreeing to pay $2.3 million in penalties, Mattel and Fisher-Price deny that they knowingly violatedfedera law, as alleged by CPSC

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Portland Business Journal: Most emailed Stories

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After three years of providing a workspacto entrepreneurs, CubeSpace will close on Friday. With rumoras flaring that the retailer may declare bankruptctthis week, shares in Eddie Bauee Holdings Inc. dropped 50 percent in Tuesdauy trading, falling more than 23 cents to close at around23 cents. PV Powerefd Inc. on Tuesday announced it has receivesa

Pacquiao Vs Margarito: Manny Pacquiao Confident Of Defeating Antonio Margarito - LANewsMonitor.com

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Pacquiao Vs Margarito: Manny Pacquiao Confident Of Defeating Antonio Margarito LANewsMonitor.com Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao yesterday remarked that his political career and skipping training camp would not affect his chances of winning his ... and more »

Perry signs bill that includes $150 million for UTMB - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

http://www.hkmentalhealthsupport.org/article/Appealing-Your-Property-Tax-Bill.html
The university will use the funds to build anew 200-berd hospital tower adjacent to the existing John Sealy restoring bed capacity to 550, as it was prior to Hurricane Ike. In addition, tuition revenue bonds of $5 milliob will go to at HB 51 also establishes measures to enhance and maintain the qualitty ofthe state’s designated and emerging public researcjh universities, creates incentive programs and fundingt for higher education institutions, provides higher education fund and creates an interim committee to studyg the feasibility of tracking specialized technology research projects.
Of the 62 nationalk research institutions inthe nation, threwe universities — , The and Texas A& University — are in Texas. The Texas Higher Educatiobn Coordinating Board has designated seven institutionx as emergingresearch universities: the ; the University of Texas campuses in Arlington, Dallas, El Paso and San ; and the University of North In addition, HB 51 providees a performance incentive funding mechanism for all of the state’sx general academic institutions based on the average numberf of degrees awarded annually and an increase in the averag e number of degrees awarded annually, with weighterd consideration for at-risk students and criticaol fields.

Auto dealers bracing for a winnowing of ranks - Boston Business Journal:

http://watermere.com/business-acumen-courses-are-gaining-in-popularity.html
Even if (NYSE: GM) and Chrysler (NYSE: DAI) do not file for about 2,000 new-vehicle dealerships in the UnitedsStates — which works out to one of everyy 10 — are expecte d to shutter in 2008 and according to a new projection from the in McLean, Va. Already closer to 10 percent of Massachusetts’ auto dealersz have shut down this year. More dealershipsz are expected to close their doors as a result ofsluggish new-car salesa that were ignited by high gasoline prices and have continueed to lag post-Wall Street meltdown because of a huge drop in consumer confidence and availabled credit.
State GM dealerships are likelt to be among the hardest hit becauss the company has said it will shed or scalew back four of itsbrands ( , Saab, Hummer and Saturn) and there’s a greatet proliferation of GM dealerships (at least 20 percentf of all local dealerships) in the area, accordint to experts. Last week, in East Warehaj became one of the latesr dealerships to file for Chapter11 bankruptcy. The which sells new and used listed its estimated assets at lessthan $50,000 and its estimatedf liabilities as between $500,000 to $1 million. , whichn provided financing for the dealership toacquire cars, is among the The dealership did not returnx calls.
“It’s been a very tough 2008 and so what you have is a lot of dealersd who are justhanging on, hoping that somethingh different will happen,” said Ray Ciccolo, regional directort for the National Automobile Dealerxs Association. “It’s unfortunate that both the real estatde market and the automobile market are soft at thesame time, becauser I think if the commerciakl real estate market was red hot a lot of dealerz would have pulled the plug a long time Ciccolo is also president of the in Brighton, which operates seven dealerships in the Greatet Boston area that market , , Saab, , and Hondq vehicles.
He said that sales at his dealershipz are down about 30 percent to 35 The main issue formost dealerships, whicnh may or may not own the land that they sit on, is securin g financing for the cars and trucka they sell. Joe Shell, sales manager for Planetg Chrysler Jeep Dodgein Franklin, agrees that the cash cruncu is the biggest obstacle for dealerships right now. If dealere can’t get cars financed, they will likelh have to close “instantly,” he said. Detroift “has been wanting to lowerr their dealer numbers for a longtime ... now, this economyg is basically doing the jobfor them,” Shell John Santilli Sr.
of in Brocktomn has taken some drasti c measures to ensure his dealership has a good chancesof surviving. In September, Santilli decided to sell his Dodger franchise back to Chrysler because there were too many Dodgre dealerships close to his and the cars werenot “It was a drain,” he said. Now, Santilli’s dealership sellsa Cadillac andNissan cars. Sales are down about 30 but Santilli notes that his SUV sales have gotten better as gas prices have come down and the servics side of this businesse is also abright spot.
“The biggestf dilemma that we have as dealer s is that the institutions that lend us moneyto floor-plan our inventorie s — they won’t take on any new businessx or they’re asking (dealers) to go find financing Santilli said. “And in this market, how’s that going to happen?” And sales have continued to Total light vehicles sales were down 37 percent in Novemberr over the same monthlast year, accordin to in Woodcliff Lake, N.J. Consumers, shyinyg away from new are currently buying moreused , the largest Bay Statde credit union with $4.
3 billion in assets and 363,000 reported a 22 percent increase in the numbet of loans given for buying used vehicles. Meanwhile, loanxs for new vehicles at Digital rose only 2 percent during the firstf nine monthsof 2008, according to the Digital Federao Credit Union. Car sales will not improvew until the issueof Detroit’s bailout and bankruptcyh is settled, said George Magliano, director of automotivr research at in Lexington.

bizjournals: Search Results

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Companies will endure SBA red tape if it leads to cash - Baltimore Business Journal:

vadimsudigrenev.blogspot.com
So the laid-off bond trader is dipping her toes into theretaill world, with the hope of openingh K Staton Boutique. The clothing store would caterfto plus-sized women, from size 14 to 30, fillinf a niche that will hopefully help it avoid the fate of so many storees that have closed during the recession. But the Catonsville resident needs $100,000 in She is hitting up area banks fora U.S. Smalpl Business Administration loan. Aftert being turned down by one bank, she is waitinvg to hear from two others.
Greer is like other entrepreneurws who are turning to the Small Business Administrationj as tight credit has made lending from privatse investors and regular bank loans SBA lenders, including some traditional banks, say there has been an upticl in interest in SBA loans sincew the agency received federal stimulus mone y that made the loan program more attractivee to small businesses. It eliminated fees on its basic which can save thousandsof dollars, and increased the maximuk guarantee on a loan from 85 perceng to 90 percent. “Ic you put a lot of moneu behind something, it will get easier,” said Todd CEO of Mindgrub Technologies LLC.
The Ellicotg City firm receiveda $25,000 SBA line of credir in March from , the region’s largesy SBA lender. “I know the SBA is gettin a lotof support.” Consequently, entrepreneur like Greer are hopeful they can get the monety to start a new company. Others, who have existinh businesses, are turning to the SBA as a lifelins to keep theircompany afloat. But don’yt expect to walk into a bank and come out with a wad of Lenders and business owners say that you need to be armed with plentty offinancial documents, collateral and good credit Take for instance, Steve Ko, who last month receivexd a $50,000 SBA-backed loan from to open Oakey’d Grill.
Restaurants are risky ventures that can be tough to fund even in good But bank executives say they loane the money forthe pit-beerf sandwich shop because Ko maintains a good credig rating. He also knows something about the industry as his family hasoperatexd restaurants, delis and other businesses in Howard Counth for 30 years. Experience makes you a better candidate for a Banks also take a look at your For SBA loans greaterthan $50,000, bankxs want 100 percent collateral for a startup, said Craigy J.
Panos, a business counselor at the Marylanr Small Business Development Center in So if you want toborroew $100,000, you should expect to have $100,000o in collateral, most often your That can be difficult for many business ownerx whose home values are dropping. SBA lendersz are scrutinizing loans more than ever because of thecrediyt squeeze. It can take three to four months to get a loan Panos said. Prepare to supply bank documents, your businesws plan and details on how you will spendrthe money. David Janocha did not mind fillinhg out the 25 pages of SBA formas to getthe $75,000 SBA-backed loan this year for his electronic fingerprinting company LLC.
He applied for and receivede another $25,000 line of credit in March through inGlen Burnie. “If you are not an organizeds person then it would bea hassle,” said Janocha, who keepw all of this financial documents in ready-to-access files. “I know where every dollar

Study: school buses safe enough without seat belts - Washington Post

http://air-fare.com/images/prospect.htm

Study: school buses safe enough without seat belts Washington Post School buses are safe enough without seat belts and students in many cases ignore a requirement to wear them, according to a study in Alabama released ... and more »

New DC for practical solutions to issues - Times of India

http://www.minerta.ru/post138270125/

New DC for practical solutions to issues Times of India ... he would first assess the ground realities before announcing any major initiatives. The approach would be to give practical solutions to issues, he said. and more »

Emperor Akihito to honor Hebrew U. prof for Japan studies - Jerusalem Post

http://www.7iwarforum.org/article/Adding-Cocoa-Beans-to-Your-Daily-Diet.html

Emperor Akihito to honor Hebrew U. prof for Japan studies Jerusalem Post In November 2000, Japanese Emperor Akihito, through Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Shigeta, presented him with the Order of the Sacred Treasure, ...

Memphis Business Journal: Starting a Business : Business Advice

http://homeinsuranceinform.com/home-insurance-who-needs-what.php
Let's be honest: Things are bad, and it is miserablee out there in the world of We are in a global recession that will last forsome 1. The economy eventually will improve andget 2. Most companies rely on salespeople to help with thebotto line. Continuing sales of a product or service for an organization alonvg with great salespeople will be needed even more during thesetougn times. I think it is important to look at a strategyt as old as business itseld that will help a its profitability, the salespeople employed and the customers that a company does business with.
The firs thing, which is of the utmost importance, are your Whether you are the CEO reading the salesperson or a person in customerdservice - this is the time to protecf your customer base and make sure that they are period! The one way to do this is to get in touchy with your customers. Do not attempt to do this by mail or It istoo impersonal. If you want to build relationships with your then build them the way they are supposed to bebuilyt - by people dealing directly with people! You need to ask your customersd a simple and direct "How are we doinyg for you? Be honest, and tell me the truth.
" Next, for the salespeopls who still are employed, you are goingv to have to work Yes, I said it - This means not only visitingh your existing customers and checking their true levelk of customer satisfaction but also goin out and getting new business. Sure, the economty is slow, and we are not buyiny as much of anythinf as we did a fewyears ago, but the fact remaine that there is still business being done out

Constellation Energy Group taps former banking exec credit risk VP - Baltimore Business Journal:

http://www.caplanlaw.com/aclu-advice-youre-stopped-police
Credit risk has been a key focue for the company in the past and it was a driving factor towardthe $4.5 billion deal with French firm that Constellation is hopinvg to close by September. Concerns about bad debt and financiao instability sentConstellation (NYSE: CEG) stock plungingh in September. Since then, the company has shed unite of its business that requiredf large amounts of cash and carried more Cadwallader started in the positionJune 29. She was previouslh managing directorat , overseeinb credit approvals and other aspects of asset She also worked as a creditr risk manager for Bank of America and Bank One NA.
She’l l report to Brenda Boultwood, Constellation’s chief risk officer since January 2008. Constellation signed a $4.5 billion deal with EDF to sell 49.99 percen of its nuclear fleet in December 2008. Maryland Public Service Commission revieqw of the deal is still The PSC said it would aim to completr its investigation into whether the deal gives EDF substantial influence over regulate d utilityby Sept. 17, when the deal is slatec to close. Constellation officials have said that the deal is importantg tothe company’s financial stability.

Cooperative Bank fails; First Bank acquires assets, branches - Triangle Business Journal:

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The North Carolina Commissionerof Banks’ office ordereds the closure of Cooperative Bancshares on June 19. That put the bank in the handsz of the Federal DepositInsurancre Corp., which reached an agreement to sell the loans and almost all of the deposits of Cooperative to Troy-basedx (Nasdaq: FBNC). First Bancorp said it purchasedaboutf $974 million in total assets, including $835 millionb in loans, and assumed $873 million in liabilities, including $717 milliob in deposits. The exact purchase pricw was not revealed, but Firsf Bancorp did say that it receive a discountof $123 milliojn on the assets and that it is paying a zero percent deposit premium.
Cooperative is the second Wilmingtonj bank to fail this was . The FDIC hit Cooperativre with a in March that ordered the bank to raiseemore capital, stop dividend payments and develop a management plan. Cooperative, which had almost $1 billionn in total assets, ran into difficulties with its loan portfolio when the real estate markets in Wilmington and other coastalareas slumped. Befor the announcement of the bank’s closurew on the evening of June 19, Cooperative officials had said the bank coulde be brought back into regulatory compliance if it coulfdraise $33 million.
Triangle Businessd Journal reported in its June 19 prinft edition that the bank was lookingto , whicnh stretched from Kill Devil Hills to Myrtle First South was seen as a possibled bidder for those branches. Now the bank has acquiresd essentially allof Cooperative, boosting First South’s totakl assets to $3.6 billion and its branch networ to 98 locations.

New Resource Bank gets cease-and-desist order from regulators - Triangle Business Journal:

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The $166 million San Francisco bank gota cease-and-desist order from the and the Californi a Department of Financial Institutions on May 29. The bank was orderedd to pay particular attention to its lendintg polices relating to construction loanzs as well as loans made tobank insiders. The bank said the orded was based onthe bank’w condition on Sept. 30, and that it has alreaduy made some progress on meeting theregulators “New Resource Bank currently has high levels of capitalo and liquidity,” Vincent Siciliano, president and CEO, said in a “Like many financial institutions, we are facing a challenginv economic climate that resulted in under-performing loan s in the real estate construction and development sector.
“We are working with borrowers to reduceour problem-loanb exposure and have made significanty progress,” Siciliano said. The bank raisedc almost $15 million in a stock offeringhlast September. As of March 31, the bank said its risk-basexd capital ratio was 18.97 percent -- almost doubl e the 10 percent benchmark of a bank considered well In addition to bringingv on Sicilianoas CEO, the bank also hired Bill Petersomn as chief credit officer and Charmainwe Detweiler as chief financial officer. The bank’s board also recentluy elected Mark Finseras chairman. He has 25 yeards of experience insocia finance.
New Resource Bank, now servinvg 2,000 clients, opened in October 2006 to promotee green businessesand practices.

Nissan consolidates distribution centers in Mount Juliet - Kansas City Business Journal:

younkinesagugad1746.blogspot.com
Plans to build a 717,000-square-foot industrial building for the compan in the Couchville Pike Business Center were announcef Tuesday bythe center’s ownerd and developer . Construction is slated to begihn laterthis month. The move will combind Nissan’s operations now housed in two buildings in Smyrna in the AlamvilleeRoad area, and no additional jobs are expected to be says Nissan spokeswoman Julie Lawless. The tentativs opening date is April 2010, she says. The new Nissanm Parts Distribution Center will featurea 32-footg clear height and a truckm parking/loading area to accommodate 275 truck trailers arouned the building perimeter.
The building is designed to accommodate future expansions upto 1.2 million squarre feet. Don Kent and Clinton Gilbreath, both vice presidentw with in Nashville, brokered the long-term Terms were not disclosed. The Couchville Pike Businesws Center is located 25 miles eastof

California ports think big - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

goldenayreyg1666.blogspot.com
Battered veterans of years on the highway, some of them visiblt spewing black diesel exhaustr as theythunder north, these 16,000p short-haul trucks are the primary contact most Angelenos have with the Many citizens don't like what they see -- deadlg smog. The California Air Resource Board recently foundthat 1,2009 Southern Californians die every year from diesepl airborne particulates generated by freight-moving People living near the ports now call the area a "diese l death zone." It's a conundrum confrontinv the entire West Coast, including Seattl and Tacoma. Cargo is surging, but and the law, won't tolerate more The problem is worsewat L.A.
-Long Beach, the largest port complex in the U.S. Importd here are expected to more than double to 36millioh 20-foot containers by 2020. But the regio already violates federal clean air That means officials must buils a system that handles twicw asmuch cargo, but with feweer emissions. How they do it will provide lessons to ports aroundthe world. There appeare to be few The cargo is being attracted by the huge Southerb California market and driven by the vast growth of manufacturingbin China. With aerospace and other manufacturing in jobs from cargo are considered vital to the But residents are mobilizing to opposre growth they fear will degrade conditionseven more.
On May 4, the Southerbn Coast Air Quality Management District called upon the state and federapl governments to declare a state of emergencyy to address theproblems "All theswe projects are going to depend on us being able to meet cleann air goals," said Roberr Kanter, director of planning and environmental affairsx for the Port of Long Beach. The air-quality constraintz are tight. The two Southern California ports severao months ago committed to returning the port s to 2001 levels of severalkey emissions, even whilwe the ports grow in volume.
Called the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean AirActiobn Plan, the agreement is a massive mustering of political will in response to unavoidable realities. Withouft a plan to reduce the ports' expansion plans were bein g denied bythe courts. The Port of Los Angeles hasn'ft had a capital project approved in five saidChristopher Patton, environmentapl affairs officer for the Port of Los Angeles. "Forr a port growing at double-digitr rates of growth, that acts as a constraint," Patton Approvals stopped after San Pedro neighborhood and environmentap groups filed suit in 2001 againsft the Port of Los Angeles over developmentof what' s called the "China Shipping Terminal" on the western edge of the port near residential areas.
This forcer the port to complete a full Environmentalp ImpactReport (EIR), after the California Court of Appeals in 2002 issued an injunction against continued The eventual settlement included $50 milliobn in mitigation and specific emissions-reducing technologie and protocols for the Some yard vehicles switched to alternatives fuels. Some ships now turn off thei engines and use shore powedat dock, a technique calledd "cold ironing.
" "The settlement was a huge said Melissa Lin Perrella, staff attorney at the Los Angeles-area office of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the plaintiffs in the Accomplishing the San Pedro Bay Ports Cleah Air Action Plan's goals will require immense outlays of cash, enormous political and the commercialization of futuristi technologies that will replace traditional diesel power with electricity, or ultra-clean throughout the vast Southermn California ocean freight-moving system. And with the region facinyg manyfiscal constraints, and expecting littled financial help from the federal government, leadersd plan to raise moneyu from the shippers, and consumers.
The ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, Britis Columbia, are in the middle of a similar process. On May 16 they announcedf the Pacific Northwest CleanAir Strategy, a collaborativ e effort to reduce emissions compared to a 2005 But Southern California's plan is more radical, and with more because that region's air problemes are worse and the growt h is expected to be much Southern California's huge consumer marke t gives the ports more leverage with shippers.
On Aprilk 12, the Southern California ports announced a plan to replaces or upgrade allthose 16,009 short-haul trucks that rumble to and from the The five-year program is expected to reduce emissions by 80 percent, at an estimatef cost of $1.8 billion. The plan is controversial, in part becaus e it will take control of those truckds away from the manyindividuaol owner-operators who are able to buy a used truclk for a few thousand dollarsa to transfer containers, and will instead shifgt the work to several larger companied that can be overseen by the ports.

Q&A : Mani Ratnam - Hollywood Reporter

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The Hindu

Q&A : Mani Ratnam Hollywood Reporter By Nyay Bhushan NEW DELHI -- Mani Ratnam, 54, is one of India's most respected and successful filmmakers who has shaped the careers of both stars and ... Mani Ratnam gang honoured at Pusan Film Festival IndiaGlitz 'Raavanan' at Pusan festival The Hindu Raavanan at Pusan International Film Festival NDTV.com BehindWoods  »

Humana to new hires: Quit smoking - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://www.berthiaumeenterprises.com/company/meet-staff
The insurer said its policy is not as harsh assome “We’re not refusing to hire smokers,” said Humanza spokesman Jeff Blunt. “We are simply requirinb new hires that smoke to go through a smokingbcessation program. We’re not firing them if they are unsuccessfulk in their effortto quit.” Effective July 1, all newl hired associates who work for Humana in including those working at the new Humana Center in East Walnut will be required to complete a questionnaird about their tobacco habits. If future employees use they will be required to enrollin Humana’se Breathe program within 31 days to assist in quittingh tobacco products.
Louisville-based Humana NYSE: HUM) is one of the largest insurersx servingGreater Cincinnati, with about 470,000 Tri-States enrollees in its managed care plan. Humana has said it will increaserits Tri-State employee base by 60 percengt by the end of 2010. That meansa adding as many as 700 professional-level positions, bringing the tota l work force toabout

Advanta agrees to refund customers up to $35M in FDIC agreements - Memphis Business Journal:

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That agreement addresses charges that theSprinfg House, Pa.-based company violated federal tradd laws through its pricingy strategies on business credit cards, and in its marketingt of cash-back rewards on the Advanta said it did not admit wrongdoing and that it enteredd the agreements “in the interest of expediencty and to avoid litigation.” Advantaq said it took a $14 millio n charge to cover refunds tied to the alleged marketing violations in third-quarter 2008 and will take a second-quarter 2009 charge to cover refunds over its pricing strategies, which it said coule total $21 million. Advantaz also agreed to a $150,00 fine.
In a separate agreement with the Advanta’s ability to use cash and pay dividends has been The company must submit a plan toremainj "well-capitalized," and submit a plan to terminate its deposit-taking operations and deposit insurance once its deposits are repaid in a process expected to take a few years. The seconrd agreement with the FDIC places restrictioneson Advanta’s use of its cash payment of dividends and transactions that would materially alter its balance sheer composition and taking of brokered deposits. Advanta said the seconx order does not in any way restrict it from continuingv to service itsmanaged credit-card accountsx and receivables.
In an effort to limit losses and erosiojn of its capital as credit Advanta said in early May that its securitization trustg will go into earlyamortizationb — where the company uses receivables from customers to acceleratse payment to investor bondholders. While that protects investors from prolonged exposurs to a pool of receivables whosw credit performancehas deteriorated, Advanta would have needes an alternative way to fund new purchasesz on its customers’ credit cards. So it had to shut down futurse use, effective May 30. It has sinced referred some customers to AmericanExpreszs Co.
Advanta’s stock close d 2 7 percent lower Wednesday at42

Lewis: Feds pressured BofA on Merrill - Phoenix Business Journal:

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But some lawmakers questioned how much of the pressure was actually made by Lewis in an attempty to secure more taxpayetr aid forhis bank. “Thre Treasury Department provided $20 billion for a shotguhn wedding. But the question is, who was holdint the shotgun?” Rep. Edolphus Townes (D-New York) said during the hearing. The conducted by the House Committee on Oversight andGovernmentt Reform, was focused on federal officials’ role in BofA’s purchass of Merrill Lynch. Charlotte-based BofA bought Merrill on Jan. 1 for $29.1q billion. The deal resulted in BofA’s receivinv an additional $20 billion in federap funds under the Troubled AssetRelief Program.
BofA has received a total of $45 billionn in TARP funds. Lewis has been under intense pressurer from BofA shareholders for not disclosing the depthof Merrill’d financial difficulties before the merger. Merrill lost $15.2 billion in the fourthh quarter. Lawmakers questioned Lewis on reports that he felt pressuree byfederal authorities, including Federalp Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and former Treasury Secretaryg Henry Paulson, to go aheaed with the deal in December as Merrill’s losses mounted. Lewis testifiesd that BofA contacted officials atthe U.S.
Treasuryg and Federal Reserve in mid-December to inforj them that thebank “hasd serious concerns about closing the transaction.” he said, was considering declaring a “material adversd change,” which can allow an acquiretr to back out of a proposefd deal. Lewis testified that Paulson toldhim BofA’ management “would or could” be removed if the bank backed out of the When lawmakers pressed him Thursday on the allegexd threats by regulators, Lewis said both parties were concernede about making the best decision s for the health of the U.S.
economy and He explained that a decision that would harm the economy would also harm BofA because of its massive size and Lewis testified thathe wasn’t intimidatedf by the threat of losing his job but by the “seriousnesw of the threat” and the ramificationxs on the overall economhy had an influence on his “Just six months later, it is easy to forget just how closse to the brink our system came,” Lewis “I will never forget.” some lawmakers suggested Lewiz should have known about Merrill’s losseas before December.
They pointed out an e-mail in which Bernankd suggested Lewis’ threat to back out of the Merrilol deal wasa “bargaining chip.” Lawmakers also pointed to otherr e-mails from regulators suggesting Lewis’ claims abour surprising losses were “noy credible.” Rep. Dennis Kucinicgh (D-Ohio), among others, suggested the e-mails indicatefd Lewis threatened to call off the Merrill deal as a way to land moregovernment aid. “It’s quite possible it was Bank of Americaq that put a gun to the head ofthe government,” Kucinicjh said.
BofA eventually closed the deal withMerrilll Lynch, and received a $20 billionb loan from the TARP fund to cover the Merrill Also on Thursday, Lewisx indicated that federal officials never asked him to withholdd information from shareholders that BofA thoughft needed to be disclosed. That caused lawmakers to remind him he wasundee oath. In February, Lewis testified befor New York Attorney Generap Andrew Cuomo that Bernanke and Paulsom pressured the bank not to discus s its increasingly troubled plan tobuy Merrill. The congressionalp committee expects to call Paulson and Bernanke for similar hearing as it continuesits investigation.

Water legislation would open door to sweeping shift in N.C. - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://1000gps.net/GPS-Brands/Minn-Kota-GPS/
North Carolina lawmakers are considering a sweeping new system of water regulations that woulds require pricey permits for big users whilse establishing supply budgets for communities inthe state’s 17 riveer basins. The proposed Water Resource Polichy Act of 2009 has been prompteds by a pair of epicdroughts — from 1998 to 2002 and from 2005 to 2008 that strained the state’s supply. Plannerz expect the state population to grow to 12 millio n in 2030 fromthe 8.5 million recordedx in 2004. But preventiv measures against future shortages are nearlg impossible because North Carolina regulators lackcriticalo data.
In short, no one knows the true size ofthe state’sx water supply today, much less what will be availabld tomorrow. The proposed act is moving through the stats legislature as Senate Bill907 (and as companion legislatioj House Bill 1101). It includes provisions that call for scientifix modeling ofNorth Carolina’s water resources in lakes and aquifers. Water planning organizations would be created for each ofthe state’s rivers. And, if the measuree is approved, North Carolina’e existing statues on water use would be consolidated to conform to thenew law. “We don’t have a comprehensive set of policy now. It’sz just bits and pieces,” says Sen.
Dan Clodfelter the bill’s primary sponsor. “We’red lagging behind other parts ofthe country.” Annual permitws would be required for user s that pull more than 100,000 gallons of watert during a 24-hour period directly from a natural sourcre — whether it’s a riveer or a well. Application costs range from $250 to $5,000 and yearly fees could be $750 to A recent fiscal studuy of the bill estimateabout $4.7 million could be generated from the applicationxs for 1,500 permits in the firsf year of the new regulations.
That includess submissions from the two industrie s that withdraw most of the water in the Energy companies and water utilities accountfor 92% of the watef pulled from North Carolin rivers. Of that, public water supplies account for just a tentbh ofthe demand. The bulk of wated use in the Catawbz River isby , which is dependantf on the river to cool its nucleat reactors and power its hydroelectrifc dams. “This bill remainx in the early stages of the legislative procesw and Duke Energy will stay engaged in discussionzs around this bill and be an active participant in the legislative saysJason Walls, a spokesman for the Charlotte-basexd energy giant.
“Sound water management strategy shoul dinclude supply-side programs, demand-side programs and droughft programs,” Walls adds. “Any river basij planning efforts should complement existing best practicee and include effective stakeholdercollaboratiom efforts.” Duke’s use of the Catawba River is overseenn by the . An application for a new, 50-year license for Duke’s 11 reservoirs and 13 facilities alongthe bi-statd river is pending and has drawn recent S.C.
Attorney General Henr McMaster filed to intervene in the FERC processlast month, arguinyg that Duke uses flawed scientific models to predict The FERC filings are the latest salvp in a simmering battle between the states over water rights. Soutu Carolina has a pending lawsuit beforethe U.S. Supreme Court that contends Nortb Carolina takes more than its fair share out of the Clodfelter says state policies for water supplyy can help prevent courthouse conflicts over shared And itcould pre-empt the U.S.
Supreme Court from rulintg on how the Carolinasshare water, he “They tend to be disinclined to step in and make the decisio themselves if they see the state’s working it out on its Regulations affecting large water users are alreadyt in place in 20 states on the East Only North Carolina, South Carolinsa and Alabama have no such rules. “Thew Carolinas are behind in water management,” says Amy a senior attorney with the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Polic Solutionsat , which worked on a watee allocation study for the state.
“Now is a good time to make the transitiojn to a more orderly waterwithdrawal