Business groups slam proposed tax increases - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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The said it opposes changes to the corporateminimum tax, a new corporate income tax and a new personal income tax. The alliancd consists of 30 business groups that represent morethan 25,000p Oregon businesses and employ 500,000 Raising the taxes could cause the stat to lose 6,000 according to state revenue office estimates. “These proposals ignore the stark realities of ourcurrenrt recession,” the group said in a news release sent by J.L. a lobbyist with Associated Oregonb Industries. “They are counterproductive measurezs that kill jobs and prolongfour recession.
” The corporate minimunm tax and corporate income tax proposals woulde collectively harm companies with small profiyt margins as well as businesses looking to invest more in capita l equipment, the group said. The alliance callede on lawmakers to instead focuson private-sector job retention and “We believe strongly that increased taxes are detrimental to job Wilson said in the news release. “An increased tax burden will hurt the abilitgy of our members to create desperatelyneededc jobs. It is the wrong approach to balancethe state’e budget.
” Other groups signing the letter includew Associated Oregon Loggers, Independent Community Banks of Oregon, the Northwesty Food Processors Association, Oregom Association of Realtors, the Oregon Automobilw Dealers Association, the Oregon Bankers the Oregon Home Builders Association, the Oregon Restaurangt Association and the Oregon Trucking Association. Oregon’s House and Senatse members hope to adjourn byJuly 1. Lawmakers must addresss a $4.
2 billion budget shortfall before they adjourn or in a seriee of special sessions throughout the rest ofthe

Randolph Loses in ODAC Title Game - WSET

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Randolph Loses in ODAC Title Game WSET For the second straight year the Randolph Wildcats finished second, losing to Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC Tournament Championship Game. For the second time in four seasons, Virginia Wesleyan emerged from a highly competitive Old Dominion Athletic ... Virginia Wesleyan men win ODAC title The Virginian-Pilot  »

Stirling Energy Systems expands its offices as solar efforts ramp up - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The Scottsdale company, which received a $100 milliom investment last yearfrom Dublin-based NTR plc, is movinhg quickly to capture a segment of the utility-scald solar market with its Stirling engine The company opened its new 37,000-square-foo t office in early May. It has hired abou 100 employees this year and expects to add 60 to 80 more by the end of the for a totalof 180, said CEO Steve who joined the firm last year as part of NTR’as investment. “We’ve always liked the solar and this was a good he said. The company is based on a nearlu 200-year-old engine design, which operates throughh the expansion and contractiojof gases.
Stirling uses a 40-foot mirrored dish to focus the sun’s rays to heat hydrogen gas to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas expands, moving a pisto and powering the engine. As the gas it is moved out of the piston chamber and back to wheres it will be reheated bythe sun. The companyg had been operating in the Valleyusince 1996, but NTR’s investment has pushed it to develo the technology more quickly. It has two power-purchasw agreements: one with San Diego Gas & Electric for between 300 and 750 megawattzs at a site inImperial Valley, Calif., and one with Southernm California Edison for 500 to 900 megawattds in the Mohave Desert.
Cowman said it’d adding positions of all from engineeringto construction, to meet its growth curve. To handl e project management, NTR founded Tessera Solar earlier this year to develolthe utility-scale projects, with Stirling providing the equipment. Rampinvg up both project development and construction has required capitao and people to serve what the companyh believes will be one of the largest solaf markets inthe world, said Jim Barry, CEO of NTR. “We believe the U.S.
will be the global leader in renewablwe energy, and that will happeh in the nextfew years,” he NTR, founded 30 years ago to operate Ireland’es toll roads, has expanded into a number of renewabler energy and recycling efforts. Stirling’s technology — which offerx an alternative tophotovoltaic systems, as well as a differengt take on concentrated solar power — has a good base in Arizonsa that can serve markets throughout the Barry said. In addition to hiring, the company is lookinvg at potential sites in the Valley to hous ea 60-dish, 1.5-megawatt test location.
The company has a small site at the Sandia National Laboratoriesin Albuquerque, but is hoping to find a largefr site to provide a location to bring It has run into challenges securinf local permits for a site and finding a locatiom that can be tied into the electricv grid, officials said. The company could be a boon for Arizonsa in more ways than simplyproviding power. It is using auto componeny suppliers to build itsenginre parts, and officials are talking with thoser suppliers about the possibility of locatinb facilities in the Southwest to handle the bulk of Stirling’sd projects, at least for the firs t few years, Cowman said.
“If you can build your manufacturint close to yourend that’s going to benefit everyone,” he said. Stirling is one of the solar companies that could provide a base for other manufacturers to land in the saidBarry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “This is a good example,” he “It’s got a small number of people and it hopesto expand, and it coulc help its suppliers relocate here.” Stirling’e expansion in Arizona depends on state Other states are offering manufacturing incentives, and Arizona’s effortg to develop such enticements is miredf in budget problems.
“We realluy want to grow our businessin Arizona, but we need thoss incentives,” Cowman said.

Stepmom, grandmother charged in Ala. girl's death - CBS News

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Atlanta Journal Constitution

Stepmom, grandmother charged in Ala. girl's death CBS News Hardin and 46-year-old Joyce Hardin Garrard, stepmother and grandmother of a 9-year-old Alabama girl who died after witnesses said she was forced to run for three hours as punishment for lying, have been charged with murder and are being held in jail. Police: Girl forced to run 3 hours dies; 2 charged Atlanta Journal Constitution Stepmom charged with murder gives birth WBRC Grandmother, stepmother charged with running girl to death Reuters WAFF  »

San Jose area tops U.S. in Q2 rent drop - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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percent from March to June, the biggest drop in the according to a reportissued Wednesday. Rents in San Francisco posted the second biggest decline in that down 2.7 percent, according to a nationa l study of rents and occupancy by . The real estatre analysis firmsaid higher-then-average unemployment rate s in the region were taking theirf toll on rental rates in the second quarter. Unemployment in Silicon Valleyhit 11.2 percent in Year-to-year, the drop in the average rent asked in the San Jose area was 8.2 percenty to an average of $1,552 a monthy and San Francisco fell by 4.6 percent to $1,544. The severitty of the drop in the San Jose markeyt varied by type of apartmentand location.
One-bedroom unitsw fell 9.9 percent to an average of $1,372 a montn from the first quarter to thesecond quarter. Two two-bathroom units were down 8 percengtto $1,812. Sunnyvale has seen the steepest year-to-year drops actual rents in the region, down 11 percent to an averagrof $1,492 a month. Santa Clara rents fell by 10.7 percent to $1,469 and Mountain View apartmentsddropped 9.8 percent to $1,562. In San which with 150 complexea has the largest supply of apartments in the the average actual rentdropped 6.4 percenft to $1,495. Occupancy in the San Jose region's apartmentx fell by 1.6 percent to 94.
8 percent in the area in the past RealFacts only surveys apartment complexes with 100 units or more nationwide and 50 unitws or more in theBay Area.

Want to Lose Weight? Try Teamwork - WebMD

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Daily Mail

Want to Lose Weight? Try Teamwork WebMD By Denise Mann A new study shows that people who shed at least 5% of their initial body weight during a weight loss competition were likely to be on the same teams. Those who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss were more ... Is Weight Loss Contagious?  »

Expesite reaches out in new purchase - Business First of Columbus:

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Columbus-based , which creates projecgt management softwarefor restaurants, retail, real estate and financial companies, said it acquirecd Report Hawk for an undisclosed sum. Report Hawk, founded in 2005, specializes in onlined project managementfor contractors, subcontractors and constructiohn vendors. With the acquisition, Expesite expects to gain additionakl clients in the constructio n and real estate markets and addnearlyy $2 million in annual revenue. The company declinexd to specify 2008 revenue but said it totalecd lessthan $7 million. Report Hawk, whicgh will operate as a subsidiary, said it is lookinv to expand its reachas well.
“Together with we now have the abilityh to offer a rangew of solutions that is as wide as it is deep whether it’s helping a small contractor deliver weekly statuds reports on a single projec or enabling a multibillion-dollar globa retailer to manage all of its real estate and construction programs from end to end,” Report Hawk Presidenft Brian Gunnoe said in a release. Expesite, which employxs 33 workers, said that Report Hawk’s severalp employees will be moved to its offices on NorthbFifth Street. Expesite, founded in 1999, was ranked last year as one of the50 fastest-growinhg private companies in the region, according to Columbusz Business First research.
The company also has made the rankssof Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies in the U.S. for two consecutivw years.

Swine Flu threatens to close Springfield middle school - Dayton Business Journal:

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There are now five confirme cases in theregion — up from two earlier this week and 23 cases in Ohio, which is up from 13 on May 19. The five local cases include one in ButlerCounty (a 30-year-old and four in Clark County (a 12-year-old a 25-year-old male, a 15-year-old male and a 15-year-ols female.) Three of the Clark County cases are from the same middlew school: in Springfield. There also are sevenb suspected cases of the virusw inClark County, including three from the middle school. Children at Northridge Middle school are continuing asof Friday.
The director of the and the schoo superintendent are working together on a daily basis and awaiting the resultzs of the suspected cases before shuttintgit down, a spokeswoman for the health district The school district was not immediatelh available for comment. The Swine Flu — or H1N1 virus — is now in 11 Ohio countiez as it continuesto spread. There are 12,954 confirmed casews worldwide, according to the , with 46 countries having at leasftone case. There have been 92 deaths confirmed caused by SwinweFlu worldwide, according to the WHO. Mexico, where the illness is believedx tohave originated, has 4,174 cases and 80 according to the WHO. The U.S.
has the most with 8,975 confirmed and probable casese in 48 states as of11 a.m. Friday, accordingt to the federal . There have been 15 confirmef deaths inthe U.S., with three in three in Arizona, two in Illinois, one in one in Utah, four in New York and one in officials said that as of 12 p.m. Thursday the officialp number of confirmed cases of Swins Flu inOhio were: • Clarkk County – 3 (15-year-old male, 25-year-old 12-year-old male) • Cuyahoga County – 2 (41-year-olde female, 9-year-old male) • Franklin County 10 (31-year-old male, 33-year-old male, 18-year-old male, 20-year-old female, 19-year-ole female, 21-year-old male, 20-year old male, 22-year-oldd female, 23-year-old female, 19-year-old There also are 25 suspect cases of Swin Flu in Ohio.
People who are sick are urgec to stay home from work or schooll and to avoid contactwith others, except to seek medicaol care. This action can avoid spreading illness healthofficials said.

Six-month report: 12 of Arizona's 21 major stocks gain ground in first half - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Twelve of Arizona’s 21 billion-dollar-a-year publif companies saw an increase in stock prices for the first six monthes ofthe year, comparec with just seven at the end of the first But looking back a little farthedr -- to the beginning of 2008 -- just thred companies have gained ground: P.F. Chang’s Chinaq Bistro Inc., and On a larger scale, the Dow Jones Industrialp Average isdown 3.8 percent for the year, and 36 perceng since the start of 2008. The Nasdawq Composite managed to post a gain of 16 percent for the firsty six months ofthe year, but remains off 31 percent from January 2008.
In the firsrt hours of trading Wednesdaymorninh -- the first session of the third quartere -- the Dow was up more than 100 The best way to describee stock performance so far this year is “mixed,” said Kevin Yeanoploas of Brueggeman and Johnson Yeanoplosd PC in Tucson. “There is still a significanrt amountof uncertainty,” he said noting that while there has been an upticj in the housing market another wave of foreclosures is likelyg to hit. He likened the situation to Pavlov’s dog conditioneds to getting shocked in itscage — being very upsey at first, then learning to live with the discomfort.
“We’vee all been shocked into submission,” he said. But even though that has allowe the market torecover somewhat, there could be another dip in the next six months with so much hinging on such issued as consumer spending, Yeanoplos Joe Blankenship, vice president of researcj at Source Capital Group in Scottsdale, agreesd there could be another correction, but expects that to be minimal. Both financialp experts also say undervalued stocks are driving some ofthe “Players in commodities, like Freeport McMoRan, and specialtyy areas, especially some tech areas, like Apollo, are recognizinyg value,” Blankenship said.
“It’es still a bargain hunter’s mentality becausd we’re not breaking out of the plateau we’re in and probablgy won’t for another three months.” Select industriexs are likelyto prosper, he said, citing the race in small computedr devices such as BlackBerry, Palm and iPhone. Experts point to 2010, for a significant improvement inmajoe areas, including housing, Blankenship Stock price close June 30, 6-month change, 18-month change (NYSE:RSG): $24.37, -1.7%, -20% (Nasdaq:FSLR): $162.15, 18%, -39% P.F. Chang’ds China Bistro (Nasdaq:PFCB): $31.96, 53%, 40% (NYSE:VVI): $17.22, -45% (NYSE:PCU): $20.
39, 28%, -37% (NYSE:AVT): 15%, -40% (NYSE:LCC): $2.42, -69%, -84% (Nasdaq:PETM): $21.46, 17%, -8.1 % (Nasdaq:NSIT): $9.66, 40%, -47% Meritagr Homes Corp. (NYSE:MTH): 55%, 29% (NYSE:PNW): $30.15, -4.7%, -23% Amkor Technologgy Inc. (Nasdaq:AMKR): $4.72, 117%, -45% Apolloi Group Inc. (Nasdaq:APOL): $71.12, -7.2%, 1.4% $37.15, 7.6%, -43% ON Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq:ONNN): $6.86, -23% (Nasdaq:MESA): $0.10, -97% (NYSE:UNS): $26.54, -8.6%, -12% $22.55, 18%, -24% Clear Channel Outdoor $5.
30, -14%, -81% (NYSE:RRR): -21%, -46% Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE:FCX): 105%, -50%

Adjusting the recipe: River Oaks Restaurant adapts to flailing economy with strategic changes - Houston Business Journal:

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And he’s not about to let his just die. But in the restauranyt businessyou can’t change things with a ham-handedd approach. And you can’t bring big change to a fine dining restauran withoutalerting (and possiblg running off) the So the most recent thing Vaughj has changed are the hours. Once only open for the East Memphis “bustling neighborhood bistro” is now open ever y day from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. “Houston’s is open at 11 a.m.
and they’rd on wait until they close,” Vaughn “That’s a piece of our The River Oaks menu will not change for will be the same until the doors closr and is the samemenu “oufr regulars have come to expect.” The only difference is the lunchy portion will be half of the dinner portion and cost half as Vaughn says the Memphis dining scenwe is in bad The restaurant scene, he says, is holdin g its own with a firm foundation laid years ago by pioneeringy chefs and new directionw from chefs like himself. But the recession has made customerxsscale back. Some folks that used to go to River Oaks are now gointto .
Those that went to Houston’sx are going to or other fast casual Vaughnsays he’s seen a 30% decline in businessw over the past year, which is a largew chunk for a small restaurant that seats 85. But for the Rive Oaks loyals, Vaughn isn’t about to changee their culinary refuge. “The goal for this restaurangt is to ride out thetougyh times, manage our costs and not allowa it to reflect to our guests,” Vaugh n says. “We’re not going to cheapen the placw up.” For example, you’re not going to find two-for-one drink specials every night. But on Mondays, you’lk find all wine labels half off.
Vaughn’s able to do he says, through a good relationship with his local The biggest change for Rivetr Oaks came about two years ago when Vaughnh says he first sawbusiness decline. Back he was shipping ingredients to Memphis from all over the worle via The hundreds of dollars in additionak freight costs began toadd up. “What I failed to realizre is that (local farmers) are in the same boat I’km in,” Vaughn says. “We’re all strugglinhg for a bigger piece ofthe pie.” So, Vaughb now chooses his ingredients from more localk farms. He gets as much as he can from Tennessee, Arkansazs and Mississippi, but stretches out to Louisianaand Alabama.
The local food movement is in full swinh says editor and publisherMelissa Petersen. When she and her husbane arrived here two years ago there weretwo farmer’z markets. Now there are five in the Memphia area. Her magazine’s food guide used to highlight loca l restaurants that cooked with local ingredientes and then listthose ingredients. Frankly, she she’s run out of room in the pring edition. With local restaurants’ farmers are slowly able to convert from a retail to a wholesalebusiness model, she says. “They are working with chefs and growin whatthey want,” Petersen says.
“The farmers are bringing fresh deliveriess to chefs each day and the whole thingt produces a little cost savinga forthe restaurants.” Fresh ingredients meansd a fresh menu, Vaughnj says, as he has to cook with the different growing This has produced a following that includes executivesd with FedEx Corp., and other businesses who go to Rivere Oaks to see what Vaughn creates. That free rein to do as he please s is one of the biggesty business forces that guidesRiver Oaks.
The restauranty is owned by a groupof five, local investores who take their “silent partner” titles very seriously and have put Vaughn’es name at stake for the The same investors are responsible for the renovatiomn on the same lot as River Oaks. In developinvg the hotel, they couldn’t leave the former Cockeyecd Camelspace vacant, so they invested $2.5 million in transforming the Camel into River named for the East Memphis Vaughn came to Memphis in 2003 as a chef with Hiltoh Hotels Corp. River Oaks opened in 2006 with another Vaughn was tapped after thatrelationship didn’t work out.
“It takes some peopl a lifetime and a fortun e to get to that place where you have the abilitu to do what you how you want and when you Vaughn says. “So, this has been an amazinbg experiencefor me.”

Yahoo! confirms WNY site - Dayton Business Journal:

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Yahoo!, Tuesday morning, confirmed it will be buildingthe 190,000-square-footy center that could employ, initially, 125 Yahoo! has pegged a 30-acr site in the park for the Yahoo!’s decision is considered a major victory, especialluy against a backdrop of a weakened economh where unemployment has increaserd in past year in Erie Countyg to 8.1 percent from 5.5 percent and in Niagaraz County to 9.3 percent from 6.6 percent. “Thise is a big win for the saidTom Kucharski, presidentg and chief executive officer. “We won the Yahoo! was being courted by several statedsincluding Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinoid for the center. All offered a handsome arra y of incentives.
“When a high tech company like Yahoo! picks a communitg like WesternNew York, it’s like a lighthouse,” said Sen. Charlea Schumer, New York’s senior who played a key role in Lockporrt landing thedata center. The regio crafted its own aggressive incentive package including the offerinyg 15 megawattsof low-costg hydropower that could save Yahoo! an estimated $100 million over a 15-yead period. also offered job training grants and other High level pitches also camefrom Gov. Davix Paterson and Schumer. Schumer made personal callw to Yahoo! CEO Caroll Bartz to push the region.
Kucharski said it also helpede that the region offereda half-dozen sites and not just a singular location. It also helped that a friendship quicklgy developed betweenthe Yahoo! site selectiohn team and the local economic development community. “Wde developed a nice relationship with them and that helpesd makethis happen,” Kucharski said. “They were impressed that everyt timethey called, we could assemble our team on a very shor t notice and give them the answerw they wanted.” Construction on the data centere will begin in August, said David Yahoo! senior vice president. The centedr will be open by May.
Kucharski said there is a myriad positives that will comefrom Yahoo!’d decision. The BNE will use it in its outreach to other companies itis courting, he said. “Itr confirms our ability to attract high tech and highprofiles companies,” Kucharski said. “To get a name companyt like Yahoo! says a lot to the rest of the industriedsout there.” Yahoo! joins the rankss of , that have either opened or expandedx back office operations in the region in recenty years. “You add it into the mix of the some of the othedrcompanies we’ve landed and it becomes a very impressive Kucharski said.

Fed Ex eyes E. Greenbush site for plant - Orlando Business Journal:

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FedEx plans to tear down the buildint at 253 Troy Road inEast Greenbush, a formere manufacturing site for Albany Internationall (NYSE: AIN). That company closed the plant in cutting137 jobs. The 73-acre site is listed on the marketfor $14.9 It’s located near exit 9 on I-90, and being listerd by NAI Platform, of Albany. Moore said FedEx is starting to work on facility designss andrequired studies, such as environmentalp impact assessments. He said there is no time frame for making a decision on whether to alloaw FedEx tomove in.
“The town is lookinh at it as apotential asset, but we’rew withholding any initial judgments until additional studiee are performed,” Moore said. “As is alwayx the case, traffic along Route 4 is something we’ll look at carefully.” Moore said he did not know how many jobs the facilithwould create.

Ally CEO Carpenter Says IPO on Hold Until Mortgage Woes Ease - San Francisco Chronicle

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BACVA launching multicultural tourism promotion to lure visitors - Birmingham Business Journal:

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In a bid to get localz to plan and hold thei r family reunionsin Baltimore, BACVA will spend $300,009 to highlight the and other city resourcess that might contain family histories and other In the future BACVA plans to expand the efforr to attract different including Hispanic as well as gay, lesbian, bisexuap and transgender people, CEO Tom Noonah said. Noonan outlined the plans at a press conferencer that featured impersonators dramatizing the lives of Billie Frederick Douglass andHarrief Tubman, all born in Baltimore. A new print ad featuring the wax figure of President Baraclk Obama at the National Great Blackss in Wax museum in Baltimore will aid themarketing campaign.
It will run in two national magazines, Heart & Soul and Radio advertisements will airin Va., Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. BACVA wants to tout Baltimore’se black history, venues and attractions, since an estimated 21 percen ofthe city’s visitors are said Noonan. The African American Travel Conferencd also plans to hold its convention at the conventioh center inApril 2012. The group will brinvg 2,500 group travel planners and will take upto 1,00p room nights, about 300 during the weekend, Noona n said. Landing the 2012 convention coincideswith BACVA’se plans to focus on the War of 1812 and othee historical events to attract visitors.