xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
The report from the Center for Colorado’s Economixc Future at DU is titled “Colorado’x State Budget Tsunami.” It is to be formally released “There is simply not enougjh money to pay for the government wehave created,” the report says. “Barrintg a quick and dramatic turnaround ofthe economy, it appears that the currenr fiscal system cannot be sustained.” In announcing the report’s DU noted that “anticipated fiscao demands for K-12 education, prisonxs and Medicaid will swamp today’s revenue-generatingf tax and fee system” in Colorado.
The report recommendsd a review of the statebudget “It is once again time to take a criticak look at where we are and startf the process of a much-needed overhaul,” it says. Colorado lawmaker s this year made steep cuts in statde programs and drew on federal stimulus funds to balance the budget, and then that the stat e faces a $384 million revenue shortfall for next • “The budgetary tsunami that washed over Colorado government last fall and winte r was likely just the first wave.
More tidal wavee in [fiscal year] 2010-11 threaten to keep the general fund underwatef and lawmakers struggling to findnew • “The largest departments of stated government are growing more than twice as fast as tax dollar are coming in, leaving a lot less mone available for other needs.” “Education, prisons and health care consumed about 54 centws of every general fund dollaf a decade ago. They now eat up nearlt 76 cents of every generakfund dollar, and that figure will jump to 91 centsx in five years if the average growtj rate continues. Eventually, at this there would be no moneu forother programs.
” • “There is little question the financial difficulties faced by Colorado’d state government during this decade’s two recessions will continue into the The problem is mathematical – there is simply not enough money to pay for the governmentt we have created and the services many of us have come to Center director Charles Brown co-authored the report with Jeffreh Roberts. The full report is to be releasex Tuesday at a10 a.m. MDT news conference, and Brown is slatex to testify on its findings before thestat legislature’s Fiscal Stabilization Commissionb on Wednesday.
The Center for Colorado’s Economic Futur describes itselfas “an independent, nonpartisan organization that conducta research on matters related to Colorado’s fiscao health, trends affecting the state’s economy and propose d legislation relating to taxation and public
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Small businesses wary of health care reform - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
polinaagyvtiwu.blogspot.com
That goal, however, may not be achievecd in the legislation now movintgthrough Congress, some business groupsx fear. They’re afraid the bill being markedc up this month by theSenate Health, Education, Labo r and Pensions Committee won’t do enough to controk health care costs, but will go too far in imposin stiff new insurance requirements—including minimum coveragee levels—on employers. They also worry that includinga government-run plan as an option in new insurance exchangea would lead hospitals and doctors to chargr private insurers more for their servicese in order to compensate for underpayments they would receivre from the public plan. The U.S.
Chamberd of Commerce has e-mailed its members, urginv them to oppose the SenatdHELP Committee’s bill, calling it “az dangerous proposal.” James Gelfand, the chamber’s senior manager of health said now is the time for businessex to demand changes in the including striking a requirement for employeres to provide insurance to their “We need health reform,” Gelfand said, but if the bill isn’g fixed, “I don’t know how we could possibly support it.
” The prospecgt of health care reform raising costs for smalk businesses is “a legitimate fear,” said John CEO of Small Business Majority, an organizatio that believes employers should provide insurance to their workers. A study commissioneed by the organization found that businessews with fewer than 100 employeea could save as muchas $855 billion over the next 10 yearsz if health care reform is enacted.
The conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economistJonathab Gruber, assumes that Congress will require all but the smallesf firms to provide healtj insurance to their employees or pay a fee to the federal based on their It also assumes that Congress will provide tax creditws to small businesses to help them pay for the coverage— provision that is included in the Senatw HELP Committee’s bill.
Todd McCracken, presidenf of the National SmallBusiness Association, said it’es “not yet clear” whether small businessees will be better off after health care Providing tax credits or othe subsidies to small businesses for insurance coverage couldd “create all kinds of weird incentivesz and disincentives” for companies, he said. McCrackehn also is disappointed that the health care reform billw in their earlyforms aren’t more aggressivs about driving down health care costs by changing the way medicine is practiced.
The National Federation of Independentt Business has been lobbying hard for healthj care reformfor years, with the goal of bringinfg down costs for small employers through pooling mechanisms and insurancse market reforms. Like McCracken, NFIB lobbyist Amandas Austin thinks the Senate HELP Committee billis “a littlse light on cost containment.” NFIB also opposew an employer mandate and a government-run insurancw plan, two key parts of that panel’sw legislation.
That goal, however, may not be achievecd in the legislation now movintgthrough Congress, some business groupsx fear. They’re afraid the bill being markedc up this month by theSenate Health, Education, Labo r and Pensions Committee won’t do enough to controk health care costs, but will go too far in imposin stiff new insurance requirements—including minimum coveragee levels—on employers. They also worry that includinga government-run plan as an option in new insurance exchangea would lead hospitals and doctors to chargr private insurers more for their servicese in order to compensate for underpayments they would receivre from the public plan. The U.S.
Chamberd of Commerce has e-mailed its members, urginv them to oppose the SenatdHELP Committee’s bill, calling it “az dangerous proposal.” James Gelfand, the chamber’s senior manager of health said now is the time for businessex to demand changes in the including striking a requirement for employeres to provide insurance to their “We need health reform,” Gelfand said, but if the bill isn’g fixed, “I don’t know how we could possibly support it.
” The prospecgt of health care reform raising costs for smalk businesses is “a legitimate fear,” said John CEO of Small Business Majority, an organizatio that believes employers should provide insurance to their workers. A study commissioneed by the organization found that businessews with fewer than 100 employeea could save as muchas $855 billion over the next 10 yearsz if health care reform is enacted.
The conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economistJonathab Gruber, assumes that Congress will require all but the smallesf firms to provide healtj insurance to their employees or pay a fee to the federal based on their It also assumes that Congress will provide tax creditws to small businesses to help them pay for the coverage— provision that is included in the Senatw HELP Committee’s bill.
Todd McCracken, presidenf of the National SmallBusiness Association, said it’es “not yet clear” whether small businessees will be better off after health care Providing tax credits or othe subsidies to small businesses for insurance coverage couldd “create all kinds of weird incentivesz and disincentives” for companies, he said. McCrackehn also is disappointed that the health care reform billw in their earlyforms aren’t more aggressivs about driving down health care costs by changing the way medicine is practiced.
The National Federation of Independentt Business has been lobbying hard for healthj care reformfor years, with the goal of bringinfg down costs for small employers through pooling mechanisms and insurancse market reforms. Like McCracken, NFIB lobbyist Amandas Austin thinks the Senate HELP Committee billis “a littlse light on cost containment.” NFIB also opposew an employer mandate and a government-run insurancw plan, two key parts of that panel’sw legislation.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Old-style Hawaii Tourism Authority junket pulls new-media crowd - Orlando Business Journal:
zyluzugizovota.blogspot.com
That’s according to Christine Lu, Los Angeles resident, whos handle is “Geekgirl” and is a blogger “Our cell phones didn’t work, either,” said Lu, stopping at the Royal Hawaiian hotel earlierthis week. “We waitesd until we left the park and couldr make our postings Lu was wrapping upa week-long blitza of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Along for the ride with Lu were seven full-timw bloggers from the Mainland (assisted by local bloggeer L. P. “Neenz” Faleafine) whose trips to Hawaii were paid for by the and itsmarketingg partners. The bloggers’ junket was the most ambitious experimengt by the HTA to exploitsocial media.
Desperate to drum up new Hawaii tourism executives are findintg thatTV commercials, ads in newspapers and magazines and morningy talk show chatter — i.e., old mediz — are no longer enough. The HTA sees new mediaz and online social networkingas cheap, effectived ways to reach a highly desirable market of smart, adventurous, and relatively well-off vacationers. To that end, the HTA want its board to approvespending $1.3 milliojn in its $71.4 million fiscap 2010 budget on developing social media outreach — Facebook, MySpace and the New media approaches have playef no small part in current marketinf strategies, especially in computer-literate North America and East Asia.
The HTA and its chiec marketer, the , have streamlined Hawaii’s tourism onlins content to keep its images freshy andmessages consistent. But it’e no longer sufficient to simplyy have an attractive Web destinations are now reaching out withpersonalized messages. What’w especially attractive about the latestonline onslaught, is the price tag: virtually The HTA spent about $15,000 on the So Much More Hawaii bloggedr FAM, or familiarization, tour, the kind of free trip that’ss been offered to friendlyh writers and travel agentsx for decades. A good chunk of the moneyt went tobuilding HTA’s blog site, www.somuchmorehawaii.
com, and to organizingt the tour, which Lu coordinated. So Much More Hawaio is the state’s two-year-old marketin mantra, a campaign that emphasizez cultural, historical and personao stories in contrast to theusual “Try our wonderfu beaches” tag. A collaborative approach was key in keeping expensed down for theblogger tour. , , Hilto Hawaii, and Starwood Hawaii were among the companies that kickedc in servicesfor free. “Everybody pitched in — restaurants, attractions, bloggers,” said the HTA’s David Uchiyama. It is difficult to measure the effectiveneszs ofonline marketing, but Lu said it may be beyone calculation.
“When I tweet, there’e 10,000 people reading it,” said Lu, who is 33. Lu and Uchiyam a were introduced byNathan Kam, vice president of . “When David and I met, he didn’g even know what Twitter and bloggingt were,” said Lu, laughing.
That’s according to Christine Lu, Los Angeles resident, whos handle is “Geekgirl” and is a blogger “Our cell phones didn’t work, either,” said Lu, stopping at the Royal Hawaiian hotel earlierthis week. “We waitesd until we left the park and couldr make our postings Lu was wrapping upa week-long blitza of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Along for the ride with Lu were seven full-timw bloggers from the Mainland (assisted by local bloggeer L. P. “Neenz” Faleafine) whose trips to Hawaii were paid for by the and itsmarketingg partners. The bloggers’ junket was the most ambitious experimengt by the HTA to exploitsocial media.
Desperate to drum up new Hawaii tourism executives are findintg thatTV commercials, ads in newspapers and magazines and morningy talk show chatter — i.e., old mediz — are no longer enough. The HTA sees new mediaz and online social networkingas cheap, effectived ways to reach a highly desirable market of smart, adventurous, and relatively well-off vacationers. To that end, the HTA want its board to approvespending $1.3 milliojn in its $71.4 million fiscap 2010 budget on developing social media outreach — Facebook, MySpace and the New media approaches have playef no small part in current marketinf strategies, especially in computer-literate North America and East Asia.
The HTA and its chiec marketer, the , have streamlined Hawaii’s tourism onlins content to keep its images freshy andmessages consistent. But it’e no longer sufficient to simplyy have an attractive Web destinations are now reaching out withpersonalized messages. What’w especially attractive about the latestonline onslaught, is the price tag: virtually The HTA spent about $15,000 on the So Much More Hawaii bloggedr FAM, or familiarization, tour, the kind of free trip that’ss been offered to friendlyh writers and travel agentsx for decades. A good chunk of the moneyt went tobuilding HTA’s blog site, www.somuchmorehawaii.
com, and to organizingt the tour, which Lu coordinated. So Much More Hawaio is the state’s two-year-old marketin mantra, a campaign that emphasizez cultural, historical and personao stories in contrast to theusual “Try our wonderfu beaches” tag. A collaborative approach was key in keeping expensed down for theblogger tour. , , Hilto Hawaii, and Starwood Hawaii were among the companies that kickedc in servicesfor free. “Everybody pitched in — restaurants, attractions, bloggers,” said the HTA’s David Uchiyama. It is difficult to measure the effectiveneszs ofonline marketing, but Lu said it may be beyone calculation.
“When I tweet, there’e 10,000 people reading it,” said Lu, who is 33. Lu and Uchiyam a were introduced byNathan Kam, vice president of . “When David and I met, he didn’g even know what Twitter and bloggingt were,” said Lu, laughing.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Dredge project completion date extended - Hernando Today
burwellmitubaes1369.blogspot.com
Dredge project completion date extended Hernando Today By MICHAEL BATES | Hernando Today The completion date for the Hernando Beach channel dredging project has been extended yet again. The contractor, BCPeabody, was supposed to finish punch-list items Friday. However, the company said repairs to Caliente ... |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Mass layoffs rise in Texas, U.S. - San Antonio Business Journal:
mytyhona.wordpress.com
Employers in Texas initiatecd 135 mass layoffsin May, which is up from 55 mass layoffes during the same period of 2008. The number of layoffs, which are not seasonally was up from 74 in Apri l and 112in March. A mass layoff is definexd as the termination of 50 or more employeesw from asingle employer, the report says. The same reporty indicates that nationwide, U.S. employers performed 2,933 mass layoffw last month, which resulted in the terminatiojnof 312,880 workers on a seasonall y adjusted basis. The report says that initia l jobless claims rose to theitr highest level on recordin May. Since Decembed 2007, the start of the recession as designated bythe , U.S.
employer have performed more than 37,000 mass layoffxs resulting in morethan 3.8 million initialo claims for unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjustee basis. The national unemployment rate roseto 9.4 percent in May, up from 8.9 percent in Apri l and 5.5 percent in May 2008.
Employers in Texas initiatecd 135 mass layoffsin May, which is up from 55 mass layoffes during the same period of 2008. The number of layoffs, which are not seasonally was up from 74 in Apri l and 112in March. A mass layoff is definexd as the termination of 50 or more employeesw from asingle employer, the report says. The same reporty indicates that nationwide, U.S. employers performed 2,933 mass layoffw last month, which resulted in the terminatiojnof 312,880 workers on a seasonall y adjusted basis. The report says that initia l jobless claims rose to theitr highest level on recordin May. Since Decembed 2007, the start of the recession as designated bythe , U.S.
employer have performed more than 37,000 mass layoffxs resulting in morethan 3.8 million initialo claims for unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjustee basis. The national unemployment rate roseto 9.4 percent in May, up from 8.9 percent in Apri l and 5.5 percent in May 2008.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
CPS staff recommending nuclear option - San Antonio Business Journal:
ejoxot.wordpress.com
The cost of expanding STP to include twoadditiona reactors, each capable of generatinhg 1,350 megawatts of electricity, would run somewheree between $10 billion and $13 according to CPS Energy interim General Manager Stevw Bartley. “Any route we take will be expensive and will requirsebill increases,” Bartley says. “We believe all methods of producing electricity will cost more as timegoes on, so we are lookingv for the best way to slow cost escalation as much as possibles and retain Greater San Antonio’s position as having the lowestr energy bills among the nation’s 20 largesft cities.
” Bartley says it is better to pay some of that cost soonerf to avoid having to pay much more in the long The staff recommendation follows a detailed study of CPS’ various energy options. Now the CPS Boarc will conducta summer-long public education and input process before makingg a final decision on pursuing the recommendatioh in September. If approved, the proposal could go before the City Councikl for final consideration in CPS Energy CEO Milton Lee says despite laudable efforts at conservation, San Antonio will experience a shortfall in electricap generation by 2020 unlesw new sources of energy are “We’ve carefully examined many scenarios involvingg natural gas, coal, nucleafr and even purchased powe from the Texas grid to provides our community with a large-scale, long-term, cost-competitive sourcde of electricity,” Lee says.
“We’ve concluded that expansion of STP has the highesty probability of accomplishing thatimportant goal.” CPS Energy is the nation’xs largest municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electrix service. Acquired by the City of San Antonioin 1942, the companyh serves approximately 700,000 electric customers and almost 320,000 naturaol gas customers in and aroune America’s seventh-largest city.
The cost of expanding STP to include twoadditiona reactors, each capable of generatinhg 1,350 megawatts of electricity, would run somewheree between $10 billion and $13 according to CPS Energy interim General Manager Stevw Bartley. “Any route we take will be expensive and will requirsebill increases,” Bartley says. “We believe all methods of producing electricity will cost more as timegoes on, so we are lookingv for the best way to slow cost escalation as much as possibles and retain Greater San Antonio’s position as having the lowestr energy bills among the nation’s 20 largesft cities.
” Bartley says it is better to pay some of that cost soonerf to avoid having to pay much more in the long The staff recommendation follows a detailed study of CPS’ various energy options. Now the CPS Boarc will conducta summer-long public education and input process before makingg a final decision on pursuing the recommendatioh in September. If approved, the proposal could go before the City Councikl for final consideration in CPS Energy CEO Milton Lee says despite laudable efforts at conservation, San Antonio will experience a shortfall in electricap generation by 2020 unlesw new sources of energy are “We’ve carefully examined many scenarios involvingg natural gas, coal, nucleafr and even purchased powe from the Texas grid to provides our community with a large-scale, long-term, cost-competitive sourcde of electricity,” Lee says.
“We’ve concluded that expansion of STP has the highesty probability of accomplishing thatimportant goal.” CPS Energy is the nation’xs largest municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electrix service. Acquired by the City of San Antonioin 1942, the companyh serves approximately 700,000 electric customers and almost 320,000 naturaol gas customers in and aroune America’s seventh-largest city.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
MBA: Mortgage, refinancing applications fall - Phoenix Business Journal:
edibin.wordpress.com
percent in the week endefd June 5, according to the . Refinanciny applications fell 11.8 percent from the previous while applications for new mortgages wereup 1.1 percent. Refinancinvg made up 59.4 percent of total applicationslast week, down from 62.4 percent the previous week. That’s the lowest the refinance share has beensinces November. The share of adjustable-rate mortgages increased to 3.4 percent from 3 percen t of total applications from thepreviouz week. The average interest rate for 30-yead fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.57 percent from 5.25 with points increasing to 1.09 from 1.02. The average interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.
1 percent from 4.8 with points decreasing to 1.04 from 1.1. The average interest rate for one-yeat ARMs increased to 6.75 percent from 6.61 percent, with point s decreasing to 0.1 from
percent in the week endefd June 5, according to the . Refinanciny applications fell 11.8 percent from the previous while applications for new mortgages wereup 1.1 percent. Refinancinvg made up 59.4 percent of total applicationslast week, down from 62.4 percent the previous week. That’s the lowest the refinance share has beensinces November. The share of adjustable-rate mortgages increased to 3.4 percent from 3 percen t of total applications from thepreviouz week. The average interest rate for 30-yead fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.57 percent from 5.25 with points increasing to 1.09 from 1.02. The average interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.
1 percent from 4.8 with points decreasing to 1.04 from 1.1. The average interest rate for one-yeat ARMs increased to 6.75 percent from 6.61 percent, with point s decreasing to 0.1 from
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Insuring man
mytyhona.wordpress.com
Klyn recovered almost 80 percent of that hefty because he opted to get a pet insurancwe plan before his energeticand accident-pron e yellow lab could dig a gigantic hole in his bank “That’s just how they are. They’re very active, very into trouble kinds of dogswhile they’rew puppies,” says Klyn, who chose a plan with San Antonio-based . “I like the feeling of safety that if somethiny devastatinggoes wrong, I’m not going to be rakeed over the coals I’m going to be covered.
” Advances in veterinary medicinde coupled with pets taking on a more important role in the familg are leading people to spend more mone y on the health of their pets. With more people have opted to carry insurancd ontheir pets, says Dr. David Goodnight, a veterinariann and president of PurinaCare PetHealth
Klyn recovered almost 80 percent of that hefty because he opted to get a pet insurancwe plan before his energeticand accident-pron e yellow lab could dig a gigantic hole in his bank “That’s just how they are. They’re very active, very into trouble kinds of dogswhile they’rew puppies,” says Klyn, who chose a plan with San Antonio-based . “I like the feeling of safety that if somethiny devastatinggoes wrong, I’m not going to be rakeed over the coals I’m going to be covered.
” Advances in veterinary medicinde coupled with pets taking on a more important role in the familg are leading people to spend more mone y on the health of their pets. With more people have opted to carry insurancd ontheir pets, says Dr. David Goodnight, a veterinariann and president of PurinaCare PetHealth
Monday, March 12, 2012
Limo service driven by teen CEO
kapitonragomo.blogspot.com
It was founded by a 15-year-old. “(In the) long, long we want to go nationwide,” said CEO Billy Jinks, now age 19. Jinkds attributes the company’s success to careful attention to thelittle things. Lexani makes sure everuy car arrives withthe client’x favorite newspaper or magazine, as well as appropriate The company’s slogan is “Perfection has arrived.” Lexanoi relies mostly on the support of customers who refer their friends, he “We’ve built a strong networok of clients,” Jinks said.
“Most of it’s just word of That support, built on a company spirit that encourages the bestpossibl service, has allowed Lexani to take market shar from other companies, Jinks said. The companhy has a diverse fleertof vehicles, from sedans to buses, and all are less than a year old, he Lexani works with a number of clientsw in various sectors, offering high-ende to regular transportation. That diversity of service insulatesx the company from tougheconomixc conditions, Jinks said. “Instear of just doing a corporate market or aretaio market, we do a little bit of he said.
He has been interested in the limo businesxs since he wasabout 5, when he startecd accompanying his father on business trips to New He learned about the industry from a family frienx who owned a transportatio company, and he got in-depth knowledgwe from industry trade shows and other events. He formed Lexani in 2004 and turnea first-year profit of more than According to a 2006 study by the U.S. Censua Bureau, only 5 percent to 10 percent of new businesseds survive their first five years and only about 2 percent of smalol businesses nationwide are owned by someone underage 25. Jink s said his age hasn’t been a factor in doing business.
“Some people seemed standoffish at he said, but the qualitu of service was enough to quell any Rob Miller, president of , said he’sd very impressed by Lexani’s qualityu of service, as well as work ethic and business sense. “We want to do businesas with the best doctors and the best CPAs and the besttransportatio company,” Miller said. “As far as I’m (Lexani is) the best Miller said Jinks has a keen business and it showsin Lexani’s reliable transportation service. When Jinks was 17, he once pickedx up Miller personally to make sure he was on time for an earlyhmorning flight. His scheduled ride had technical problemsthat day, Mille said.
“I think that just demonstrates Lexani’xs ... willingness to go the extra he said. “Billy has certainly shown the business acumen of someone far olderand
It was founded by a 15-year-old. “(In the) long, long we want to go nationwide,” said CEO Billy Jinks, now age 19. Jinkds attributes the company’s success to careful attention to thelittle things. Lexani makes sure everuy car arrives withthe client’x favorite newspaper or magazine, as well as appropriate The company’s slogan is “Perfection has arrived.” Lexanoi relies mostly on the support of customers who refer their friends, he “We’ve built a strong networok of clients,” Jinks said.
“Most of it’s just word of That support, built on a company spirit that encourages the bestpossibl service, has allowed Lexani to take market shar from other companies, Jinks said. The companhy has a diverse fleertof vehicles, from sedans to buses, and all are less than a year old, he Lexani works with a number of clientsw in various sectors, offering high-ende to regular transportation. That diversity of service insulatesx the company from tougheconomixc conditions, Jinks said. “Instear of just doing a corporate market or aretaio market, we do a little bit of he said.
He has been interested in the limo businesxs since he wasabout 5, when he startecd accompanying his father on business trips to New He learned about the industry from a family frienx who owned a transportatio company, and he got in-depth knowledgwe from industry trade shows and other events. He formed Lexani in 2004 and turnea first-year profit of more than According to a 2006 study by the U.S. Censua Bureau, only 5 percent to 10 percent of new businesseds survive their first five years and only about 2 percent of smalol businesses nationwide are owned by someone underage 25. Jink s said his age hasn’t been a factor in doing business.
“Some people seemed standoffish at he said, but the qualitu of service was enough to quell any Rob Miller, president of , said he’sd very impressed by Lexani’s qualityu of service, as well as work ethic and business sense. “We want to do businesas with the best doctors and the best CPAs and the besttransportatio company,” Miller said. “As far as I’m (Lexani is) the best Miller said Jinks has a keen business and it showsin Lexani’s reliable transportation service. When Jinks was 17, he once pickedx up Miller personally to make sure he was on time for an earlyhmorning flight. His scheduled ride had technical problemsthat day, Mille said.
“I think that just demonstrates Lexani’xs ... willingness to go the extra he said. “Billy has certainly shown the business acumen of someone far olderand
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Harry
afukakuja.wordpress.com
The restaurant served its last mealsMay 31. The Thircd Street restaurant employed 45 to 50 Jesse Jabot, vice president of operations and chieg operating officer of Harry’s Seafood and Grille LLC, said the recession forcedd the company to close the restauranr after 14 years becauss sales had been down there significantl y since 2008. “We tried to keep it open as long as we Jabot said. “It was a very tough decision to It was the second tough decisioj the company was forced to make in as many The Roosevelt Boulevard location that employed 40 to 45 peoplwe closedin April. The first Harry’s which was not a full service opened in the Jacksonville Landingin 1987.
That locatiohn sold and changed names, and the Jacksonville-based company startedx opening full service restaurants in Northb andCentral Florida, eventually growing to eight locations including three in Jacksonville. The last remaining Jacksonvill location, which is also the site of the corporatse headquarters on Gate willremain open. The other locations in St. Gainesville, Ocala, Tallahassee, Lakeland and Tampas will alsoremain open, Jabot said. Jabot said the companyy does hope to open another Jacksonville location in a yearor two, but there are no definite plansw yet.
The restaurant served its last mealsMay 31. The Thircd Street restaurant employed 45 to 50 Jesse Jabot, vice president of operations and chieg operating officer of Harry’s Seafood and Grille LLC, said the recession forcedd the company to close the restauranr after 14 years becauss sales had been down there significantl y since 2008. “We tried to keep it open as long as we Jabot said. “It was a very tough decision to It was the second tough decisioj the company was forced to make in as many The Roosevelt Boulevard location that employed 40 to 45 peoplwe closedin April. The first Harry’s which was not a full service opened in the Jacksonville Landingin 1987.
That locatiohn sold and changed names, and the Jacksonville-based company startedx opening full service restaurants in Northb andCentral Florida, eventually growing to eight locations including three in Jacksonville. The last remaining Jacksonvill location, which is also the site of the corporatse headquarters on Gate willremain open. The other locations in St. Gainesville, Ocala, Tallahassee, Lakeland and Tampas will alsoremain open, Jabot said. Jabot said the companyy does hope to open another Jacksonville location in a yearor two, but there are no definite plansw yet.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Crist vetoes controversial insurance bill - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
http://babyvett.net/Twice-Claims/Family-Usually-460/
“We really don’t have a choicde but to continue with our plan to discontinue our property insurance coveragein Florida,” said Stater Farm spokesman Michael Connolly. Crisrt cited concerns that signing HB 1171 could trigger significant rate increases and reverse efforts by state officials and the Legislature to make the Florid marketmore competitive. Proponents of the legislation calle d itthe “Consumer Choice” bill.
Crist said in a news releasre that the bill gavea “select grouo of property insurance companies” the power of choosing who wouls be offered the policy, allowing them to cherry-picki the best customers and dump policies with the greatest risk. In a June 16 letter to the Jim Thompson, president of Statw Farm FloridaInsurance Co., encouragexd him to sign the but made no promises to stay if he did. Thompsomn even included a couple of caveats toState Farm’ statement of non-commitment.
“If HB 1171 were to become law, and if the (Offices of Insurance Regulation) expediently administers the law in a manner consistenty with the legislative intent of its legislative sponsorssand supporters, State Farm would be willing to re-examine its options,” Thompson wrote. The governor pointeds to the fact that the bill did not require that the selecy companies stay in Floridza as a motivating factor inhis decision. “Housw Bill 1171 allows certainh insurers the ability to collect unregulated insurances premiums and then leave the marketplac ewith Florida’s hard-working families’ earnings,” he said.
State Farm Floridqa has been talking with statr regulators about its plan to leave In , the company askeds to stop writing property coverage in the Sunshinre State because it no longed could afford to do business Following the veto, the National Association of Insurancs and Financial Advisors–Florida, which represent s the majority of State Farm released a statement through spokesman Bob Lotane.
“If nothing else, this movedd debate on how to address our insurance challenge 180 degrees from wherewe were, and showed we have got to welcomre and examine new ideas,” he Ed Domansky, spokesman, said a hearinhg will be held July 15 to determine the need for a formall hearing on State Farm’s plan to leave Florida. Click to read the plan. OIR’s biggest stickinb point in the negotiations has been whether Stat e Farm agents would be able to sell policies other than its own and The initial agreement states that State Farm would provide a minimu of six months notice prior toexecuting non-renewals. Statw Farm policyholders, he said, have time to find otherr coverage.
“It was expected that nothin like that would begin to happemn until laterthis year,” Domansky said. “I suspecy nothing would take place for anothee sixmonths out.” Brad Ashwell, consumer advocate for , whichb opposed the bill, expects the deregulatioh of Florida’s insurance industry will becomer a central issue in the gubernatorial campaign. He said whomevefr wins the state’s top political post will help determinr how much traction deregulation has in the nextlegislativs session. Ashwell added that his group is ecstaticv withthe governor’s decision. “Ww couldn’t be more happy,” he “We are glad he stood up for consumers.
” Barney Bishop III, president and CEO of , criticizedr the governor’s veto, sayingy it would force hundreds of thousandes of homeowners to switchto “thinly-financed” insurance companiesz that will charge them as much if not more than theidr current insurer. He gave no evidence for the But Ashwell said no one has evaluated how well private companies can weather astor financially, so Bishop’s statemenrt is inaccurate at best. He also pointed to the obvious, that Statw Farm is considering leaving of itsown accord. “This isn’t the governor’s fault that State Farm is decidingyto leave,” he said.
“OIR’s role in protecting consumers is not what is drivingh State Farm out ofthe state. [State has a choice.” commended the governor’s actio n saying it would have allowed certain larger insurancee companies an unfair business It noted that thebill “would have furtheer diminished affordable choices for Floridians and would have eventually dumpeed more policies into the state-run insuranc program Citizens.
"
“We really don’t have a choicde but to continue with our plan to discontinue our property insurance coveragein Florida,” said Stater Farm spokesman Michael Connolly. Crisrt cited concerns that signing HB 1171 could trigger significant rate increases and reverse efforts by state officials and the Legislature to make the Florid marketmore competitive. Proponents of the legislation calle d itthe “Consumer Choice” bill.
Crist said in a news releasre that the bill gavea “select grouo of property insurance companies” the power of choosing who wouls be offered the policy, allowing them to cherry-picki the best customers and dump policies with the greatest risk. In a June 16 letter to the Jim Thompson, president of Statw Farm FloridaInsurance Co., encouragexd him to sign the but made no promises to stay if he did. Thompsomn even included a couple of caveats toState Farm’ statement of non-commitment.
“If HB 1171 were to become law, and if the (Offices of Insurance Regulation) expediently administers the law in a manner consistenty with the legislative intent of its legislative sponsorssand supporters, State Farm would be willing to re-examine its options,” Thompson wrote. The governor pointeds to the fact that the bill did not require that the selecy companies stay in Floridza as a motivating factor inhis decision. “Housw Bill 1171 allows certainh insurers the ability to collect unregulated insurances premiums and then leave the marketplac ewith Florida’s hard-working families’ earnings,” he said.
State Farm Floridqa has been talking with statr regulators about its plan to leave In , the company askeds to stop writing property coverage in the Sunshinre State because it no longed could afford to do business Following the veto, the National Association of Insurancs and Financial Advisors–Florida, which represent s the majority of State Farm released a statement through spokesman Bob Lotane.
“If nothing else, this movedd debate on how to address our insurance challenge 180 degrees from wherewe were, and showed we have got to welcomre and examine new ideas,” he Ed Domansky, spokesman, said a hearinhg will be held July 15 to determine the need for a formall hearing on State Farm’s plan to leave Florida. Click to read the plan. OIR’s biggest stickinb point in the negotiations has been whether Stat e Farm agents would be able to sell policies other than its own and The initial agreement states that State Farm would provide a minimu of six months notice prior toexecuting non-renewals. Statw Farm policyholders, he said, have time to find otherr coverage.
“It was expected that nothin like that would begin to happemn until laterthis year,” Domansky said. “I suspecy nothing would take place for anothee sixmonths out.” Brad Ashwell, consumer advocate for , whichb opposed the bill, expects the deregulatioh of Florida’s insurance industry will becomer a central issue in the gubernatorial campaign. He said whomevefr wins the state’s top political post will help determinr how much traction deregulation has in the nextlegislativs session. Ashwell added that his group is ecstaticv withthe governor’s decision. “Ww couldn’t be more happy,” he “We are glad he stood up for consumers.
” Barney Bishop III, president and CEO of , criticizedr the governor’s veto, sayingy it would force hundreds of thousandes of homeowners to switchto “thinly-financed” insurance companiesz that will charge them as much if not more than theidr current insurer. He gave no evidence for the But Ashwell said no one has evaluated how well private companies can weather astor financially, so Bishop’s statemenrt is inaccurate at best. He also pointed to the obvious, that Statw Farm is considering leaving of itsown accord. “This isn’t the governor’s fault that State Farm is decidingyto leave,” he said.
“OIR’s role in protecting consumers is not what is drivingh State Farm out ofthe state. [State has a choice.” commended the governor’s actio n saying it would have allowed certain larger insurancee companies an unfair business It noted that thebill “would have furtheer diminished affordable choices for Floridians and would have eventually dumpeed more policies into the state-run insuranc program Citizens.
"
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Gulf jabs at Syrian regime also aimed at Iran - Boston.com
eragywaqer.wordpress.com
Gulf jabs at Syrian regime also aimed at Iran Boston.com March 05, 2012|Brian Murphy, AP Around a gold-draped hall in Saudi Arabia, Gulf envoys listened to their host denounce the Syrian regime as an enemy of its people and the region. What they really heard were fresh salvos in the Arab Spring's wider war: ... |
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Bankrupt GM owes Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Maritz millions - Houston Business Journal:
fusajacuxejilyp.blogspot.com
billion in revenue in 2008. GM had promisedc to buy back $33 million in vehicled from Enterprise as part of a repurchaseagreement that's similar to a said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman for Enterprise. "W e have a good working relationshil with GM and have received assurances that the manufacturer will honofthe agreement," she said. GM also owes Maritza Inc. in Fenton more than $25.6y million, according to the GM hired Marit to perform customer satisfaction researchband surveys, as well as training for dealers to boosty customer satisfaction. Maritz also provides event and incentive programsfor GM.
"Maritaz leadership has been in close contactg with GM throughout its reorganizationplanning process," said Beth a spokeswoman for Maritz. "Wew believe the relationship will Maritz also performs workfor , whicu in April. Maritz continues to receive payments from Rusert said. Maritz, a family-owned sales and marketingy services companyin Fenton, reported $1.4o9 billion in revenue in 2008.
GM, which makea Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vansin Wentzville, listedc $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billioj in assets in its bankruptcy
billion in revenue in 2008. GM had promisedc to buy back $33 million in vehicled from Enterprise as part of a repurchaseagreement that's similar to a said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman for Enterprise. "W e have a good working relationshil with GM and have received assurances that the manufacturer will honofthe agreement," she said. GM also owes Maritza Inc. in Fenton more than $25.6y million, according to the GM hired Marit to perform customer satisfaction researchband surveys, as well as training for dealers to boosty customer satisfaction. Maritz also provides event and incentive programsfor GM.
"Maritaz leadership has been in close contactg with GM throughout its reorganizationplanning process," said Beth a spokeswoman for Maritz. "Wew believe the relationship will Maritz also performs workfor , whicu in April. Maritz continues to receive payments from Rusert said. Maritz, a family-owned sales and marketingy services companyin Fenton, reported $1.4o9 billion in revenue in 2008.
GM, which makea Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vansin Wentzville, listedc $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billioj in assets in its bankruptcy
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Raytheon lands $30M 'Space Fence' deal - Boston Business Journal:
obesonuqa.wordpress.com
The “fence” will use sensors and S-band radards to track small objectas in low earth orbit for situational awarenessin space. The firsrt radar system is expected to be deliveredin 2015. Earlief this month, Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems unitlander $1.2 million from the to develop a system to detect radiologicaol materials. Under the deal, the second phase of a $2.9 millon contract, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) will develop technologuy for a stand-off warning againsgt radiologicalmaterials (SWARM). Last month, Raytheon landed $9.9 million from the to develol missile defenseradar technology.
IDS will perform concepgt studies for the Air and Missile DefenssRadar S-Band (AMDR-S) and Radar Suite Controller (RSC). Also last month, Raytheonn landed $36.1 million from the to provide Kuwaitt with Patriot missileradar upgrades. Under the Foreign Militarty Sales contract for the stateof Kuwait, Raytheon will upgradwe the country’s Patriot missile radar systemws to Configuration-3, providing depot test training and technical services. Mass.-based Raytheon, with 72,000 employees, reported a 2008 net incomde of $1.7 billion on revenue of $23.2 billion.
The “fence” will use sensors and S-band radards to track small objectas in low earth orbit for situational awarenessin space. The firsrt radar system is expected to be deliveredin 2015. Earlief this month, Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems unitlander $1.2 million from the to develop a system to detect radiologicaol materials. Under the deal, the second phase of a $2.9 millon contract, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) will develop technologuy for a stand-off warning againsgt radiologicalmaterials (SWARM). Last month, Raytheon landed $9.9 million from the to develol missile defenseradar technology.
IDS will perform concepgt studies for the Air and Missile DefenssRadar S-Band (AMDR-S) and Radar Suite Controller (RSC). Also last month, Raytheonn landed $36.1 million from the to provide Kuwaitt with Patriot missileradar upgrades. Under the Foreign Militarty Sales contract for the stateof Kuwait, Raytheon will upgradwe the country’s Patriot missile radar systemws to Configuration-3, providing depot test training and technical services. Mass.-based Raytheon, with 72,000 employees, reported a 2008 net incomde of $1.7 billion on revenue of $23.2 billion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)