oc697vot.blogspot.com
Construction companies and technology firms shouls already be tracking upcoming projectzof interest. The funding will flow to local communitieds through a varietyof sources, including stimulus local bond initiatives, disaster recovery programs and non-stimuluxs grants. The influx of dollars will result in thousandds of opportunities to buildnew facilities, renovatw and modernize existing buildings, upgrade and enhance existinv technology and provide infrastructure improvements.
New and newly renovatex facilities will also requireupgraded security, furniture, fixtures and Despite all the talk surrounding the Americaj Recovery and Reinvestment Act, most of the fundz have not yet started A recent report stated that less than 6 percentf of the total funding has been releasec by the federal government. Watch for Texas schoopl districts to receive larger chunks ofthe funding. Some school districts already have authorization tobegin spending, but most of the activity is still a month or so This summer, the Texas Education Agencty will open an application period for the $4 billio n State Fiscal Stabilization Fund — one of the largest federalo stimulus programs.
The stabilization fund is wrapped aroun grant programs and the money can be used by districtsx for a variety of purposes such as the modernizingt ofschool facilities, upgrading technology infrastructure, purchasinh technology products, building science buying education equipment and redesigning high schoola for more efficiency and studenf success. In the fall, an additional $60 millioj will be made available to Texas schoop districts through a funding source known asthe Ed-Tech grany program. This program funds the purchase of technology to improvestudent achievement. Districts may also use the funds to buy technologyg to help withthe collection, management and analysisw of student data.
The Texas Water Development Boar will get a large share of thestimulus funding. Because of that, the agenct has received $10.7 billion in funding requestw for clean water and drinking watedrinfrastructure projects. Eligible applicants will be notified of theirt allocations in June and July and entitiees should begin advertising for bids on the construction projectaby September. Texas was appropriated abouft $2.6 billion in stimulus funds for transportation Some bidding processes havealreadyy begun, but the process will be rampin up for months. Although details are still the ARRA also provides fundintg for improving broadband in rural andurban areas.
Depending on how the moneyg is allocatedin Texas, there is a potentiakl for billions of dollars to flow to loca l communities. And, in spite of the weak Texas voters approved morethan $1.3 billiom in local bond elections on May 9. The approver funding will finance capital improvement projectxs such as new andrenovatedr facilities, technology, large equipmenyt purchases and improved infrastructure such as parks and • College Station Independenft School District: $144 million for a new high school new elementary school campus, new transportationn facility, renovations to the existinbg high school and the purchase of • Carroll Independent School $138 million for new schools, expansion of existin g schools and an overhaul of technologt infrastructure.
• City of Plano: $128.65 million for capital improvement program projects for public safety, libraries, park improvements, recreation center improvements, street improvements and a technologyy service facility. • Allen Independent School District: $119.4 millionb for a new athleticd stadium, high school transportation maintenance and studentnutrition • Midland County Hospital $115 million for facility improvements to Midland Memorial Hospitalp including a new patient tower with 240-plusa beds, expanded emergency facilitieas and more telemetry beds. Even more funding will make its way to Texads in the formof non-stimulus granta to school districts.
A bill approved earlier this month bythe U.S. Housd of Representatives would provide Texae school districts withabout $600 million to modernizes schools and improve energy efficiency. In the bill includes $600 million in separate funds for public schools damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and The programs discussed here represent only a few of the sourcees of federalstimulus funding. There are many othe r programs that will provide fundint for airportimprovement projects, port security, transitr programs, improved security and more.
Government contractors shoule be loving life in Texasthese
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Rose Hill Bank plans fall branch opening - Wichita Business Journal:
ysynut.wordpress.com
Work on the 4,300-square-foot branch at 33rd Street and Nortg Ridge Road started late last year and mostlty ison schedule, Waitt says. is the generak contractor. designed the building. It will be Rose Hill Bank’a second branch in Wichita. It has a locatio at 21st Street and Webb Road onthe city’e east side. “We’re very excited about the west Waitt says. “We’ve been happty with our growth in Wichita onthat There’s actually more rooftops than where we are (on Rose Hill Bank will spend more than $1 million on the new Meanwhile, Topeka-based Capitol Federal Savingsd held a ground-breaking ceremony Friday for its new branch in The 3,600-square-foot building is slated for completion by It will be the bank’s eighth locatiobn in the Wichita metro.
The branch is in developer Paul Jackson’s Andover Marketplace development. Commercew and are doing the work. “Capitol Federall is proud to become a part of thisstrong family-orientedf community,” said Rhonda Dennis, the bank’s first vice president in a news “We recognize the Andover Marketplace as a ‘destination’ locationm that will thrive within the neighborhood. We are so happty to be here.
”
Work on the 4,300-square-foot branch at 33rd Street and Nortg Ridge Road started late last year and mostlty ison schedule, Waitt says. is the generak contractor. designed the building. It will be Rose Hill Bank’a second branch in Wichita. It has a locatio at 21st Street and Webb Road onthe city’e east side. “We’re very excited about the west Waitt says. “We’ve been happty with our growth in Wichita onthat There’s actually more rooftops than where we are (on Rose Hill Bank will spend more than $1 million on the new Meanwhile, Topeka-based Capitol Federal Savingsd held a ground-breaking ceremony Friday for its new branch in The 3,600-square-foot building is slated for completion by It will be the bank’s eighth locatiobn in the Wichita metro.
The branch is in developer Paul Jackson’s Andover Marketplace development. Commercew and are doing the work. “Capitol Federall is proud to become a part of thisstrong family-orientedf community,” said Rhonda Dennis, the bank’s first vice president in a news “We recognize the Andover Marketplace as a ‘destination’ locationm that will thrive within the neighborhood. We are so happty to be here.
”
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Sharky
cicugaha.wordpress.com
“The concept is designed to be a comfortabls fine dining andseafoor restaurant,” says John Golon, owner of the restaurant operatin company. “But with today’s our price point isn’tg going to be in the $23 and more range.” Golonb has worked in the restaurant industru since he was 13years old, includintg the last 18 years at where he’s helped the company expand from two to seven Memphis-ares locations. His start up-cost is $1 million. Sharky’es Gulf Grill is leasing the 6,300-square-foot building on 1.3 acresx from LLC, which consiste of local businessmenRobert Allen, Bernard Farbed and Anwar Aman.
Sharky’s Gulf Grilk will serve primarily seafood, including sushi and Golon is contracting with seafood suppliers who deal directly with Instead of taking the fishto they’ll ship it directly to certainm restaurants. “It eliminates the middleman and helps you to get fres h seafood at a morereasonable price,” he says. Sharky’s Gulf Grillp will print up new menus each day to reflectthose catches. “We’re not going to be absolutely certaibn aswhat we’re goingf to have until we get it all into the store,” Golobn says. “When you deal with all freshu seafood, you don’t alwaye know what you’re going to have.
” Golo n hired Gretchen Rogers asgeneral manager. She previously served as general manager at nearbyOwen Brennan’s. Sharky’s Gulf Grilp should begin hiring in late July and open in Augus tor September. Golon plans to hire 100 peopler initially. Gary Shanks and John Reed, brokeres with LLC, represented RABF Holdings when it purchasedr the propertyfor $2 million in December 2008. “Thisa is one of the premier restaurant sites inthe city,” Shankas says. “You can fast forward 20-30 years and this will still be a grea piece of real estate and a solidtraded area. It’s Poplar Avenue.” Tom Turri with , designed the is general contractor.
“The concept is designed to be a comfortabls fine dining andseafoor restaurant,” says John Golon, owner of the restaurant operatin company. “But with today’s our price point isn’tg going to be in the $23 and more range.” Golonb has worked in the restaurant industru since he was 13years old, includintg the last 18 years at where he’s helped the company expand from two to seven Memphis-ares locations. His start up-cost is $1 million. Sharky’es Gulf Grill is leasing the 6,300-square-foot building on 1.3 acresx from LLC, which consiste of local businessmenRobert Allen, Bernard Farbed and Anwar Aman.
Sharky’s Gulf Grilk will serve primarily seafood, including sushi and Golon is contracting with seafood suppliers who deal directly with Instead of taking the fishto they’ll ship it directly to certainm restaurants. “It eliminates the middleman and helps you to get fres h seafood at a morereasonable price,” he says. Sharky’s Gulf Grillp will print up new menus each day to reflectthose catches. “We’re not going to be absolutely certaibn aswhat we’re goingf to have until we get it all into the store,” Golobn says. “When you deal with all freshu seafood, you don’t alwaye know what you’re going to have.
” Golo n hired Gretchen Rogers asgeneral manager. She previously served as general manager at nearbyOwen Brennan’s. Sharky’s Gulf Grilp should begin hiring in late July and open in Augus tor September. Golon plans to hire 100 peopler initially. Gary Shanks and John Reed, brokeres with LLC, represented RABF Holdings when it purchasedr the propertyfor $2 million in December 2008. “Thisa is one of the premier restaurant sites inthe city,” Shankas says. “You can fast forward 20-30 years and this will still be a grea piece of real estate and a solidtraded area. It’s Poplar Avenue.” Tom Turri with , designed the is general contractor.
Friday, December 23, 2011
First Bancorp acquires failed bank - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
sunrise-invoices.blogspot.com
All branches of Cooperative are reopening todah as branches of First which is based in Troy inMontgomert County. First Bancorp (Nasdaq: FBNC) will acquire Cooperative’s 21 branchesd in the eastern part of the state plus three Southu Carolina branches and most of thefailed bank’s borrowings and assets. No depositorr will suffer any losses, First Bank said in an As of May 31, Cooperative had total asset sof $970 million and total deposits of about $774 The acquisition adds $835 million in loans to First Bank and $717 million in plus liabilities of about $873 First Bank is protected by a loss-sharinbg agreement with the FDIC on the acquired loans.
With the First Bank now has 98 brancheds in the Triad and other parta of North andSout Carolina, and a total of $3.6 billion in assets. Cooperative Bank is the seconrd North Carolina bank shutteredthis year. The first, Cape Fear Bank, was also based in Wilmington and was closed in The collapse of the real estate market and the recessioh has led to 40 bank failures nationwidethis year.
All branches of Cooperative are reopening todah as branches of First which is based in Troy inMontgomert County. First Bancorp (Nasdaq: FBNC) will acquire Cooperative’s 21 branchesd in the eastern part of the state plus three Southu Carolina branches and most of thefailed bank’s borrowings and assets. No depositorr will suffer any losses, First Bank said in an As of May 31, Cooperative had total asset sof $970 million and total deposits of about $774 The acquisition adds $835 million in loans to First Bank and $717 million in plus liabilities of about $873 First Bank is protected by a loss-sharinbg agreement with the FDIC on the acquired loans.
With the First Bank now has 98 brancheds in the Triad and other parta of North andSout Carolina, and a total of $3.6 billion in assets. Cooperative Bank is the seconrd North Carolina bank shutteredthis year. The first, Cape Fear Bank, was also based in Wilmington and was closed in The collapse of the real estate market and the recessioh has led to 40 bank failures nationwidethis year.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Nonprofits brace for budget emergency aftershocks, IOUs - Dayton Business Journal:
chauezhelolocu1622.blogspot.com
While service providers don’t yet know whethef they’ll receive IOUs — or what the amountw will be — Sparky CEO of the in Santz Clara, is prepared for the worst. “We receivew about $400,000 in state funding,” Harlan said. “We’re already accustomed to gettingg money from the statelate — last for example, it took untilk December before we finally got paid.” For this year and last year the centerf has relied on a $150,000 line of credity through to cover the gap, along with $500,000 out of its reservde funds. The center’s operating budget is $10 million for fiscap 2009-10.
The money that may be on hold from thestated covers, in part, the center’s shelteer and drop-in program, street outreach, and parentinvg classes. “The problem right now is that we don’tt know for certain how much they’re going to hold back,” said who has been with the centetr for26 years. “But this is by far the wors I’ve ever seen.” In anticipation of the state’sx budget problems, 10 percenyt cuts have already been plannedfor foster-care Locally there are 300 to 400 kids in foster Foster care rates are the same acrossw the state, so families in high-cosgt areas such as the Bay Area get the same amounty of compensation as people in more affordablde places.
“We’re fronting half a million dollars she said. It’s a layered problem for the since in addition to state money some comese from the federal Housing and UrbanDevelopment department. And Harlann said HUD is so slow it can take up to six monthsa for payments tobe received. “We’rw hoping to get paid by July,” she said. “Nonprofits are just getting slammed.” Harlan said the Bill Wilson Center has closed down two programse already and cut about 15 percent of its leaving about 110 These arereal layoffs, she pointe out — not attrition or open jobs — and “heartbreaking” to do.
“Wed had to give one staft person a layoff notice and a week later his wife was laid off fromanothedr nonprofit,” she said. in Campbelkl gets about $500,000 a year from the state for its AIDS CFO Ira Holtzman said the agency is large enougbh and financially stable enough that he would just book an IOU as accountds receivable and hope the money camethroughh eventually. The Health Trust’ss budget for fiscal year 2010 is morethan $16 million, Holtzman said.
Pam Brandin, executive director of and Visuallgy Impaired, which has offices in Palo Alto andSantq Cruz, said that even though her agency providess the kind of services that are especially at risk in Statw Controller John Chiang’s the Vista Center is relatively safe. “We receiver money through Title 7 Chapte r2 services,” Brandin explained. “Sincs much of our funding is federalmoney we’re hoping that it has to be releaserd and passed on; the state won’t be allowed to hold on to The Vista Center also has school contracts through special educatiomn funding.
“Last year when the state had similadr budget issueswe didn’t receive any she said, “but that situation was resolve d sooner than this appears to be. The agencies that receivwe IOUsprobably won’t even know they’re coming untiol they submit their bills.” She’s also bankin on Vista Center’s status as a preferred vendord with the state, “so we’ll be paid in advancse of other vendors — if in fact the state is even writing checks.” Lisa president & CEO of Avenidas Rose Kleiner Seniorr Day Health Center in Palo is also cautiously optimistic.
“The only fundas we receive from the state are MediCalk payments for services provided at our adult daycare she said. “Our understanding is that those servicews are protected by the state constitution as well asfederalp law. We do receive funding indirectl throughthe county, but we don’t expect that to be affected.” Tom public policy director of the , said people are on pins and “Everyone’s sitting around waiting, not knowinvg what’s going to happen.
But even with the most optimisticoutcome it’s still going to be very He pointed out that the deficit last year for Santas Clara County was more than $270 and many of the cuts were made in program around health, mental health, drugs and alcohol and social And there’s no relief on the For 2011 the county is looking at a deficif of about $250 million, he
While service providers don’t yet know whethef they’ll receive IOUs — or what the amountw will be — Sparky CEO of the in Santz Clara, is prepared for the worst. “We receivew about $400,000 in state funding,” Harlan said. “We’re already accustomed to gettingg money from the statelate — last for example, it took untilk December before we finally got paid.” For this year and last year the centerf has relied on a $150,000 line of credity through to cover the gap, along with $500,000 out of its reservde funds. The center’s operating budget is $10 million for fiscap 2009-10.
The money that may be on hold from thestated covers, in part, the center’s shelteer and drop-in program, street outreach, and parentinvg classes. “The problem right now is that we don’tt know for certain how much they’re going to hold back,” said who has been with the centetr for26 years. “But this is by far the wors I’ve ever seen.” In anticipation of the state’sx budget problems, 10 percenyt cuts have already been plannedfor foster-care Locally there are 300 to 400 kids in foster Foster care rates are the same acrossw the state, so families in high-cosgt areas such as the Bay Area get the same amounty of compensation as people in more affordablde places.
“We’re fronting half a million dollars she said. It’s a layered problem for the since in addition to state money some comese from the federal Housing and UrbanDevelopment department. And Harlann said HUD is so slow it can take up to six monthsa for payments tobe received. “We’rw hoping to get paid by July,” she said. “Nonprofits are just getting slammed.” Harlan said the Bill Wilson Center has closed down two programse already and cut about 15 percent of its leaving about 110 These arereal layoffs, she pointe out — not attrition or open jobs — and “heartbreaking” to do.
“Wed had to give one staft person a layoff notice and a week later his wife was laid off fromanothedr nonprofit,” she said. in Campbelkl gets about $500,000 a year from the state for its AIDS CFO Ira Holtzman said the agency is large enougbh and financially stable enough that he would just book an IOU as accountds receivable and hope the money camethroughh eventually. The Health Trust’ss budget for fiscal year 2010 is morethan $16 million, Holtzman said.
Pam Brandin, executive director of and Visuallgy Impaired, which has offices in Palo Alto andSantq Cruz, said that even though her agency providess the kind of services that are especially at risk in Statw Controller John Chiang’s the Vista Center is relatively safe. “We receiver money through Title 7 Chapte r2 services,” Brandin explained. “Sincs much of our funding is federalmoney we’re hoping that it has to be releaserd and passed on; the state won’t be allowed to hold on to The Vista Center also has school contracts through special educatiomn funding.
“Last year when the state had similadr budget issueswe didn’t receive any she said, “but that situation was resolve d sooner than this appears to be. The agencies that receivwe IOUsprobably won’t even know they’re coming untiol they submit their bills.” She’s also bankin on Vista Center’s status as a preferred vendord with the state, “so we’ll be paid in advancse of other vendors — if in fact the state is even writing checks.” Lisa president & CEO of Avenidas Rose Kleiner Seniorr Day Health Center in Palo is also cautiously optimistic.
“The only fundas we receive from the state are MediCalk payments for services provided at our adult daycare she said. “Our understanding is that those servicews are protected by the state constitution as well asfederalp law. We do receive funding indirectl throughthe county, but we don’t expect that to be affected.” Tom public policy director of the , said people are on pins and “Everyone’s sitting around waiting, not knowinvg what’s going to happen.
But even with the most optimisticoutcome it’s still going to be very He pointed out that the deficit last year for Santas Clara County was more than $270 and many of the cuts were made in program around health, mental health, drugs and alcohol and social And there’s no relief on the For 2011 the county is looking at a deficif of about $250 million, he
Monday, December 19, 2011
Expansions and relocations fill large vacancies in downtown Appleton - Appleton Post Crescent
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
Expansions and relocations fill large vacancies in downtown Appleton Appleton Post Crescent The 222 Building at 222 W. College Ave. in Appleton has only one floor vacant as Affinity Health System expanded in the building. / The Post-Crescent APPLETON รข€" Downtown office occupancy took a leap forward in recent months when two health ... |
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Southwest traffic down in June - Nashville Business Journal:
ocybakenos.wordpress.com
Dallas-based (NYSE:LUV) said it flew 6.73 billion revenue passengerf milesin June, down from 6.88 billionj in the same period a year ago. Revenue passengerd miles, which measure one paying passenger flowjper mile, is the official measures of airline traffic. The airline’s capacity fell 4 percent in June while itsload factor, or percentage of seats filled, grew more than a percentagwe point to 79.5 percent. Southwest in the first half of the year saw trafficd drop 2 percentto 36.6 billionn revenue passenger miles from 37.
4 billion last The airline, which carrie about 28 percent of all Port Columbus passengers througu May, also said it is sellin g one-way tickets for as low as $30, $60 and $90, dependingv on how far customers are traveling. The fares are availables through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesdat and are possible for flightx booked for travel in the perio d runningfrom Sept. 9 to Nov. 18. Clickj for more details.
Dallas-based (NYSE:LUV) said it flew 6.73 billion revenue passengerf milesin June, down from 6.88 billionj in the same period a year ago. Revenue passengerd miles, which measure one paying passenger flowjper mile, is the official measures of airline traffic. The airline’s capacity fell 4 percent in June while itsload factor, or percentage of seats filled, grew more than a percentagwe point to 79.5 percent. Southwest in the first half of the year saw trafficd drop 2 percentto 36.6 billionn revenue passenger miles from 37.
4 billion last The airline, which carrie about 28 percent of all Port Columbus passengers througu May, also said it is sellin g one-way tickets for as low as $30, $60 and $90, dependingv on how far customers are traveling. The fares are availables through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesdat and are possible for flightx booked for travel in the perio d runningfrom Sept. 9 to Nov. 18. Clickj for more details.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Beale considers $1B proposal to redevelop some Air Force land - Sacramento Business Journal:
loxezop.wordpress.com
Their estimated $1 billion proposal includes an industrial park with a concentration on new research and development or lighytindustrial space, and $125 million in improvements to the base’ s wastewater facility that coul increase the capacity for additional commercial uses. The Air Forcer considers the property to be excess and not needexd forits operation. The base includesd an underutilized rail spur that could be put back into servicr to cut down ontruck traffic. The threw Sacramento-based firms that are partnersd in the venture are Constructiom and supplyfirm , California lobbyist and real estate developerr and manager Negotiations are scheduledf to wrap up withijn the next month.
Disaster evacuatio kits were distributed this weekto 8,00o0 families in the Natomas Unified Schoo l District and 3,000 employees of in Roseville. Gary president of the Sacramento-based nonprofit , came up with the idea for the SAFEL Y OUT kits after volunteering with the Americajn Red Cross to help in the recoverg efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and The kits are meant not only to help familiese protect themselves in the event of anatura disaster, but to aid emergency responders.
The kits include itemsz such as a door hangeer thatsays “need help” on one side and “safely on the other, a refrigerator magnet bookleft for recording essential contact and evacuatiohn information, and storage bags for setting asidwe spare medicines and medical insurance information in the refrigerator — a place that is air-tight, water-tighr and fire-resistant. So far, Pride employees, in partnershil with Citizen Voice, have assembled 35,000 of the Safel Out kits. The 11,000 kits distributed Wednesdayy were made possible by a grant from the and the sponsorshilp of inWest Sacramento. Safelty Out kits can be orderecdthrough citizenvoice.org.
A $10 donation per kit is Artwork made from the stately old treesof Sacramento’e downtown is going to be sold, auctionee and raffled off to raise mone for the Legacy Trees Project. The project is sponsored by the , which is working with the city, propertyt owners and the state to obtain wood from treeds that are more than a century old that make up the canopy over downtown andmidtown Sacramento. The group harvestsa heartwood from dangerous, diseased or dying trees, and gives it to artists.
Some of the wood SEEARTT has harvested includes wood froma 129-year-old tulipo poplar on the grounds of the state Capitol, as well as black walnut and sequoia redwoods harvested around Three of the pieces to be raffled are on display at , 2508 J St. The piecesd will be sold at a free Second Saturday Art Walk partty on the upstairs patio at 1801L St. on June 13. Raffl tickets are $20 each and available at Art a sponsor of the LegacyTrees Project.
Their estimated $1 billion proposal includes an industrial park with a concentration on new research and development or lighytindustrial space, and $125 million in improvements to the base’ s wastewater facility that coul increase the capacity for additional commercial uses. The Air Forcer considers the property to be excess and not needexd forits operation. The base includesd an underutilized rail spur that could be put back into servicr to cut down ontruck traffic. The threw Sacramento-based firms that are partnersd in the venture are Constructiom and supplyfirm , California lobbyist and real estate developerr and manager Negotiations are scheduledf to wrap up withijn the next month.
Disaster evacuatio kits were distributed this weekto 8,00o0 families in the Natomas Unified Schoo l District and 3,000 employees of in Roseville. Gary president of the Sacramento-based nonprofit , came up with the idea for the SAFEL Y OUT kits after volunteering with the Americajn Red Cross to help in the recoverg efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and The kits are meant not only to help familiese protect themselves in the event of anatura disaster, but to aid emergency responders.
The kits include itemsz such as a door hangeer thatsays “need help” on one side and “safely on the other, a refrigerator magnet bookleft for recording essential contact and evacuatiohn information, and storage bags for setting asidwe spare medicines and medical insurance information in the refrigerator — a place that is air-tight, water-tighr and fire-resistant. So far, Pride employees, in partnershil with Citizen Voice, have assembled 35,000 of the Safel Out kits. The 11,000 kits distributed Wednesdayy were made possible by a grant from the and the sponsorshilp of inWest Sacramento. Safelty Out kits can be orderecdthrough citizenvoice.org.
A $10 donation per kit is Artwork made from the stately old treesof Sacramento’e downtown is going to be sold, auctionee and raffled off to raise mone for the Legacy Trees Project. The project is sponsored by the , which is working with the city, propertyt owners and the state to obtain wood from treeds that are more than a century old that make up the canopy over downtown andmidtown Sacramento. The group harvestsa heartwood from dangerous, diseased or dying trees, and gives it to artists.
Some of the wood SEEARTT has harvested includes wood froma 129-year-old tulipo poplar on the grounds of the state Capitol, as well as black walnut and sequoia redwoods harvested around Three of the pieces to be raffled are on display at , 2508 J St. The piecesd will be sold at a free Second Saturday Art Walk partty on the upstairs patio at 1801L St. on June 13. Raffl tickets are $20 each and available at Art a sponsor of the LegacyTrees Project.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Interest subsidy on urban poor housing not feasible:Guj Govt - IBNLive.com
ucenyt.wordpress.com
Interest subsidy on urban poor housing not feasible:Guj Govt IBNLive.com PTI | 09:12 PM,Dec 12,2011 Ahmedabad, Dec 12(PTI)Gujarat government has informed the Centre that Interest Subsidy for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP)scheme is not feasible for implementation in the state. The decision of the Gujarat government was ... |
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Delinquencies, foreclosures continue to climb - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
inofiquxi.wordpress.com
Four states – Arizona, California and Nevada – drovd up the national numbers, accounting for about 46 percent of the foreclosure starts in the and representing 56 percent of the increase inforeclosurre starts, according to the MBA. Nevada had the highest overall delinquency rate acrossd all types of loansat 11.75 percent, followed by Mississippji at 11.7 percent and Florida at 10.67 The delinquency rate includes loans that are at leasy one payment past due, but does not include loanss in the process of foreclosure. Based on foreclosure inventory, the states with the highest rate s wereFlorida (10.56 percent), Nevadaz (7.83 percent) and Arizona (5.
56 percent) The number s are higher and are only expected to said Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the MBA. “Thde rate of foreclosure starts remained essentially flat for the last three quarters of 2008, and we suspected that the numbers were artificiallg low due to various state and local moratoria, the and halt on and various company-level moratoria," Brinkmann said. However, he said, now that the guidelinez for theObama administration’x loan modifications are known, along with an increasde in the number of vacant homes with past due mortgages, “the pace of foreclosuress has stepped up considerably.
" There’ws also been a shift away from subprimee and adjustable rate mortgages to primew fixed-rate loans falling into The foreclosure rate on prime fixed-rate loans has doublesd in the last year, and, for the first time since the rapid growth of subprime lending, prime fixed-rate loans now represent the largestg share of new foreclosures. “More than anythingt else, this points to the impact of the recession and drops in employment onmortgage defaults,” Brinkmann said. Lookin g ahead, he said it doesn’t appear that the number of mortgagwe defaults will start to drop off until the employment situationgets better, and that isn’ expected until mid-2010.
Four states – Arizona, California and Nevada – drovd up the national numbers, accounting for about 46 percent of the foreclosure starts in the and representing 56 percent of the increase inforeclosurre starts, according to the MBA. Nevada had the highest overall delinquency rate acrossd all types of loansat 11.75 percent, followed by Mississippji at 11.7 percent and Florida at 10.67 The delinquency rate includes loans that are at leasy one payment past due, but does not include loanss in the process of foreclosure. Based on foreclosure inventory, the states with the highest rate s wereFlorida (10.56 percent), Nevadaz (7.83 percent) and Arizona (5.
56 percent) The number s are higher and are only expected to said Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the MBA. “Thde rate of foreclosure starts remained essentially flat for the last three quarters of 2008, and we suspected that the numbers were artificiallg low due to various state and local moratoria, the and halt on and various company-level moratoria," Brinkmann said. However, he said, now that the guidelinez for theObama administration’x loan modifications are known, along with an increasde in the number of vacant homes with past due mortgages, “the pace of foreclosuress has stepped up considerably.
" There’ws also been a shift away from subprimee and adjustable rate mortgages to primew fixed-rate loans falling into The foreclosure rate on prime fixed-rate loans has doublesd in the last year, and, for the first time since the rapid growth of subprime lending, prime fixed-rate loans now represent the largestg share of new foreclosures. “More than anythingt else, this points to the impact of the recession and drops in employment onmortgage defaults,” Brinkmann said. Lookin g ahead, he said it doesn’t appear that the number of mortgagwe defaults will start to drop off until the employment situationgets better, and that isn’ expected until mid-2010.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
AT&T Strategizes as Sprint Puts Lawsuit on Hold - Forbes
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TIME | AT&T Strategizes as Sprint Puts Lawsuit on Hold Forbes AT&T got breathing room to try to save its T-Mobile merger, as Sprint agreed to put its lawsuit on hold until the Justice Department finishes its investigation over the deal. Want the scoop on mobile news? Subscribe to our Facebook or Twitter page. ... AT&T is not backing away from T -Mobile deal AT&T says it won't back down on T-Mobile acquisition AT&T Vows to Pursue T-Mobile Acquisition, Immediately Hints Otherwise |
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Mercury News workers OK 9% pay cut - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
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The new contract cuts pay 7 percent for the rest of and slashes an additional 2 percent from paycheck starting onNew Year’ws Day. The Media Workers Guild’s Norther California unit announced late last week that it had reachedx a tentative contract deal with the Mercury News for its 257 membersz atthe paper. The contacrt also increases employee healthy insurance contributions and makesxother concessions. The Guild represents 257 Mercur yNews employees, including 130 in editorial jobs and 127 in circulation, finance and support positions. A ratification meetingt to discuss and vote on the proposedc contract was heldMondau afternoon. The new contract expires Nov. 30, 2010.
Othe r concessions include reduced vacation accruals and movingthe Merc’sz copy desk to Walnut Creek, where is based. It owns the Mercury News and 11 othert daily papers inthe region, which include virtually all of the dailty papers in the Bay Area except the and . “Thix is a tough contract that will hurt a lot of our but it reflects the terrible situation that the news industryh and the countryis in,” San Jose Guil d President Sylvia Ulloa said in a statemenyt published in the Mercury News . Ulloa was on the bargainin committee that negotiatedwith management.
“Thew committee did the best we coulde do to limit the damage to our minimize the loss of jobs and to try to maintainb the quality of theMercury News.” The deal would also permift management to require up to five furlougu days in 2010, move remaining circulation and finance jobs to the Bay Area News Group’e shared services center in San consolidate advertising functions in the East Bay and San hire commission-only sales representatives to develop new and win some additional subcontracting rights, accordingf to the Guild. The contract negotiations have taken placs during grim times fordailyu newspapers.
Several major papers have folded inrecent months, including the and the print version of the , and many majofr metropolitan papers, including the San Francisco Chronicle , , , and face dauntinf financial challenges.
The new contract cuts pay 7 percent for the rest of and slashes an additional 2 percent from paycheck starting onNew Year’ws Day. The Media Workers Guild’s Norther California unit announced late last week that it had reachedx a tentative contract deal with the Mercury News for its 257 membersz atthe paper. The contacrt also increases employee healthy insurance contributions and makesxother concessions. The Guild represents 257 Mercur yNews employees, including 130 in editorial jobs and 127 in circulation, finance and support positions. A ratification meetingt to discuss and vote on the proposedc contract was heldMondau afternoon. The new contract expires Nov. 30, 2010.
Othe r concessions include reduced vacation accruals and movingthe Merc’sz copy desk to Walnut Creek, where is based. It owns the Mercury News and 11 othert daily papers inthe region, which include virtually all of the dailty papers in the Bay Area except the and . “Thix is a tough contract that will hurt a lot of our but it reflects the terrible situation that the news industryh and the countryis in,” San Jose Guil d President Sylvia Ulloa said in a statemenyt published in the Mercury News . Ulloa was on the bargainin committee that negotiatedwith management.
“Thew committee did the best we coulde do to limit the damage to our minimize the loss of jobs and to try to maintainb the quality of theMercury News.” The deal would also permift management to require up to five furlougu days in 2010, move remaining circulation and finance jobs to the Bay Area News Group’e shared services center in San consolidate advertising functions in the East Bay and San hire commission-only sales representatives to develop new and win some additional subcontracting rights, accordingf to the Guild. The contract negotiations have taken placs during grim times fordailyu newspapers.
Several major papers have folded inrecent months, including the and the print version of the , and many majofr metropolitan papers, including the San Francisco Chronicle , , , and face dauntinf financial challenges.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Foreclosure rates drop in three Tampa Bay counties - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
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May was the third highest month of foreclosurd activityon record, said , up 18 percent from the year Defaults and scheduled foreclosure auction were down from April, but bank repossessionz were up 2 percent and couldc continue to grow as foreclosuree delays and moratoriums are lifted in varioux states, said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’s chief executive Hernando County posted the biggest decrease in the Tampa Bayregion year-over-year, falling more than 14.5 perceng with 475 homes in some state of That represents one in everh 169 homes under the threa t of being taken back by lenders.
Sarasota Countuy was not far behind with just undet a 7 percent dropaffecting 1,071 homes, or one in every 206 Manatee County had a 2 percent drop sincer May 2008 that hit 590 homes, or one in 287 On the other end of the spectrum, Pasco Counthy had the largest increase in jumping more than 62 percent to 1,500 properties. That representx one in every 145 homesin foreclosure, ninth worstt in the state. Despite falling more than 6 percentsincd April, Polk County was up nearly 53 percent over the past year as 1,57q homes were in foreclosure, representingb one in every 177 homes. Pinellas Countyh jumped 48 percentto 2,458 homes.
Hillsboroughb County climbed nearly 20 percent in foreclosurde rates as lenderstargeted 2,408 homes. However, rates were down well over 25 percengtsince April. Florida had the third highesft rate of foreclosure in the country affectinhg one in every148 homes. It had the secondd highest number of foreclosures at just fewerthan 59,000, a 50 percenr jump from May 2008. Threre Florida metropolitan areas were ranked amonbg the 10 worst foreclosure rates in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 6 with one in 82 home s in foreclosure; Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 with one in 101 home s in foreclosure; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 10 with one in 105 homed in foreclosure.
May was the third highest month of foreclosurd activityon record, said , up 18 percent from the year Defaults and scheduled foreclosure auction were down from April, but bank repossessionz were up 2 percent and couldc continue to grow as foreclosuree delays and moratoriums are lifted in varioux states, said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’s chief executive Hernando County posted the biggest decrease in the Tampa Bayregion year-over-year, falling more than 14.5 perceng with 475 homes in some state of That represents one in everh 169 homes under the threa t of being taken back by lenders.
Sarasota Countuy was not far behind with just undet a 7 percent dropaffecting 1,071 homes, or one in every 206 Manatee County had a 2 percent drop sincer May 2008 that hit 590 homes, or one in 287 On the other end of the spectrum, Pasco Counthy had the largest increase in jumping more than 62 percent to 1,500 properties. That representx one in every 145 homesin foreclosure, ninth worstt in the state. Despite falling more than 6 percentsincd April, Polk County was up nearly 53 percent over the past year as 1,57q homes were in foreclosure, representingb one in every 177 homes. Pinellas Countyh jumped 48 percentto 2,458 homes.
Hillsboroughb County climbed nearly 20 percent in foreclosurde rates as lenderstargeted 2,408 homes. However, rates were down well over 25 percengtsince April. Florida had the third highesft rate of foreclosure in the country affectinhg one in every148 homes. It had the secondd highest number of foreclosures at just fewerthan 59,000, a 50 percenr jump from May 2008. Threre Florida metropolitan areas were ranked amonbg the 10 worst foreclosure rates in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 6 with one in 82 home s in foreclosure; Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 with one in 101 home s in foreclosure; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 10 with one in 105 homed in foreclosure.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Patent-infringement suits hold steady during recession - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
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“It’s just like people with a lot of realpropertt that’s sitting around,” said Georgse Lewis, an attorney in the Denver officw of Merchant & Gouldf PC, an intellectual propertty law firm. “In a downturn they mighy look at those differeny pieces of propertyand say, ‘Hey, how can I make moneyy off this thing? Can I sell it, can I leasre it, can I do something with It’s exactly the same in patent law. Peoplew pull out all these patentx that they paid a ton of moneytfor ... and ask ‘how are we going to make thess assets performfor us?
’” Patent-infringement cases can drive an already weakenedr competitor out of the helping a company strengthen or maintaijn its hold while waitiny for the economy to “This is a very good time for that sort of strategi exercise of your intellectual property to consolidate your hold in a specific producy segment or a specific Lewis said. “If you’ve got somebody you’re thinkingb about acquiring, and you use your intellectual propertuy essentiallyto say, either let me buy you or we will make it so you won’r make money,’ it ends up beinfg a pretty easy But there is a downside: A patent-infringement lawsuit can easily cost hundreds of thousandws or even millions of dollars before it’sd over, which is why the vast majority of them are settled beforew trial.
And you don’t always win. For Broomfield-based Inc. recently lost a patent-infringemeng suit it brought against According toLevel 3, Limelighty was unfairly using technology on whicg Level 3 owned patents, thanks to the Broomfieldd company’s acquisition of Savvis Inc.’s content delivery networking businese in 2007. But in January, a jury said Limelighy wasn’t infringing on the patents.
Moreover, a 2007 Federal Circuitf ruling has made it easier for companie s that receive an offer to buy a license fortechnologuy they’re already using often the preliminary, “friendly” first step in the road toward a lawsuirt — to countersue for a declaratory judgment on whether they’re infringing. That means that a patent-holder risks becominbg entangled in a lawsuit merely by warninygoff competitors.
“There is nothintg more fabulously expensive, except perhaps the economic stimulus than [IP] litigation,” said Charles Luce, an attorney and chair of the intellectualp property group at LLP in “So you would think that in tight economix times, unless you’ve got a case that is operatingh on a contingency basis, that litigation would go down and not But he said he hadn’t noticed much differencs in the amount of litigation being filed, despite the year-oldr U.S. recession and the stock market crashin 2008.
“kI haven’t seen much of an uptick, but I also haven’tt noticed much of a drop,” Luce Last year, 35 patent-litigation cases were filed in U.S. Districrt Court for the Districtof Colorado, one more than in according to Stanford Law School’s IP Litigatioj Clearinghouse, which tracks new filings. Nationwide, patentg litigation cases fell 3.6 percent in 2007, to 2,776. “kI haven’t perceived an increase in filing,” said Lee Osman, head of the patent department for in But it’s true that in the economic downturns have been seen as a good time to push back againsft infringement, he said.
“If the competitor is having a difficulttime they’re probably not going to fight as hard in defendinf against an infringement claim,” Osman said. “But the fact of the matteer is thatour clients, alon with everyone else in this economic time, are sufferinhg a bit and have to make difficult decisionss on how to spend theidr reduced resources.” Nevertheless, in the past few months, Dorsey & Whitney has expanded its Denver office patent group by 30 percent, from 13 to 19 attorneysa and patent agents, to handle an increasesd workload, Osman said.
The growth of the Rocky Mountaimn region as a hubfor technology, aerospace, biotechnology, computere technology and telecommunications has led to more work for Dorsey’sx Denver office, he said.
“It’s just like people with a lot of realpropertt that’s sitting around,” said Georgse Lewis, an attorney in the Denver officw of Merchant & Gouldf PC, an intellectual propertty law firm. “In a downturn they mighy look at those differeny pieces of propertyand say, ‘Hey, how can I make moneyy off this thing? Can I sell it, can I leasre it, can I do something with It’s exactly the same in patent law. Peoplew pull out all these patentx that they paid a ton of moneytfor ... and ask ‘how are we going to make thess assets performfor us?
’” Patent-infringement cases can drive an already weakenedr competitor out of the helping a company strengthen or maintaijn its hold while waitiny for the economy to “This is a very good time for that sort of strategi exercise of your intellectual property to consolidate your hold in a specific producy segment or a specific Lewis said. “If you’ve got somebody you’re thinkingb about acquiring, and you use your intellectual propertuy essentiallyto say, either let me buy you or we will make it so you won’r make money,’ it ends up beinfg a pretty easy But there is a downside: A patent-infringement lawsuit can easily cost hundreds of thousandws or even millions of dollars before it’sd over, which is why the vast majority of them are settled beforew trial.
And you don’t always win. For Broomfield-based Inc. recently lost a patent-infringemeng suit it brought against According toLevel 3, Limelighty was unfairly using technology on whicg Level 3 owned patents, thanks to the Broomfieldd company’s acquisition of Savvis Inc.’s content delivery networking businese in 2007. But in January, a jury said Limelighy wasn’t infringing on the patents.
Moreover, a 2007 Federal Circuitf ruling has made it easier for companie s that receive an offer to buy a license fortechnologuy they’re already using often the preliminary, “friendly” first step in the road toward a lawsuirt — to countersue for a declaratory judgment on whether they’re infringing. That means that a patent-holder risks becominbg entangled in a lawsuit merely by warninygoff competitors.
“There is nothintg more fabulously expensive, except perhaps the economic stimulus than [IP] litigation,” said Charles Luce, an attorney and chair of the intellectualp property group at LLP in “So you would think that in tight economix times, unless you’ve got a case that is operatingh on a contingency basis, that litigation would go down and not But he said he hadn’t noticed much differencs in the amount of litigation being filed, despite the year-oldr U.S. recession and the stock market crashin 2008.
“kI haven’t seen much of an uptick, but I also haven’tt noticed much of a drop,” Luce Last year, 35 patent-litigation cases were filed in U.S. Districrt Court for the Districtof Colorado, one more than in according to Stanford Law School’s IP Litigatioj Clearinghouse, which tracks new filings. Nationwide, patentg litigation cases fell 3.6 percent in 2007, to 2,776. “kI haven’t perceived an increase in filing,” said Lee Osman, head of the patent department for in But it’s true that in the economic downturns have been seen as a good time to push back againsft infringement, he said.
“If the competitor is having a difficulttime they’re probably not going to fight as hard in defendinf against an infringement claim,” Osman said. “But the fact of the matteer is thatour clients, alon with everyone else in this economic time, are sufferinhg a bit and have to make difficult decisionss on how to spend theidr reduced resources.” Nevertheless, in the past few months, Dorsey & Whitney has expanded its Denver office patent group by 30 percent, from 13 to 19 attorneysa and patent agents, to handle an increasesd workload, Osman said.
The growth of the Rocky Mountaimn region as a hubfor technology, aerospace, biotechnology, computere technology and telecommunications has led to more work for Dorsey’sx Denver office, he said.
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