Wednesday, October 31, 2012

It's official: 15 General Motors dealers in Colorado to lose franchises - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

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It was the first definitive statement of exactlyt how many GM dealers in the statew were informed thay will lose their franchise agreementsin 2010. The Colorado Automobile Dealers Associatiob previously had estimated the numberf at 13 to 15 based on reportwsfrom dealers. GM still is not releasing the namex ofthe 1,323 dealers it plans to drop including the 15 in Colorado. The information came in a list released by the House Energy andCommercw Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, baseds on information provided by GM. Executives of GM and Chrysler, whicy plans to shed 14 Colorado dealers, testifief before Congress about their dealer plans Friday.
GM's car lines include Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Saab, Saturn and Hummer. It has some 6,000 dealerships Letters sent in mid-May to GM dealersd the company plannedto drop, a copy of whichj was obtained by the Denver Business Journal, said the automakee reviewed each of its sales volume, profitability, capitalization, location and facilitiezs along with other "market patterns." . "Based on our review and currenrt and foreseeable market conditions andyour dealership's historical we do not see that GM can have a productiver business relationship with [name of dealership] over the long said the letter, dated May 14.
About 92 of Colorado's 264 auto dealerships sell one or more GM said Tim Jackson of the state auto dealers Additional dealers may lose theirfranchises later, GM has

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sales heating up for Earth to Air - Houston Business Journal:

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Formed in 2002, Earth to Air Systems develops heatingb and cooling systems based on a technologhy known as directexchange geothermal, called DX in the The company’s applications have been showhn to reduce heating and cooling costs by 50 percent to 80 CEO Randy Wiggs says. Earth to Air’s system bypasses the more conventionall geothermal heating andcooling model. Insteade of using water as a source, the technology skips a step and controlss heating and temperatures directly from the earth withcopperf tubing. The tubes tap into welles that are 300 to 500feet deep. Environmentallg friendly refrigerants are then piped throughthe tubes.
Earth to Air’s revenue comes from licensing fees collected from heatinf and cooling companies who decide to market and installkthe systems. Earth to Air got its first internationakl distributor two years ago when Australian entrepreneufr John Gagliardi embracedthe technology. He says he’s securee more than $30 million in including contracts withschool systems, mining housing projects and major corporations, such as BP. “We are movingt into significant profitability,” Galiardi says, addinyg that he’s planning on expandint into the Southeast Asian market Galiardi predicts that Earth to Air willbecome “ billion dollar business or more.
” Sales in the first quartefr were up 60 percenrt from the same time last year. “We’r e living in an time when there’s a huge demands (for products) to reduce our dependences on foreign oil,” Gagliardi says. “Twentgy years ago this wouldn’t have It wouldn’t have even worked 10 years ago. But now the potentialp is huge.” There are multipls installations of Earthto Air’s geothermal system in the United States, but the companhy is just now setting up a formal distributodr network, says Clayton Washburn, chief operations officer at Eartbh to Air. “Our biggest struggle is having to say no at Washburn says.
“We’re preparing for a much bigger onslaught.”

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Survey: Speeders less common in Denver - Triangle Business Journal:

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Denver, Cleveland and Portland tied for having the lowes t percentage ofmotorists -- 51 percent -- who see otherd drivers speeding every day out of 25 U.S. citied surveyed, according to the fourth annual "Imn the Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey." At the othef extreme, San Diego and Houston drivers were the most likelgy to see speederseach day, at 58 percentg each, AutoVantage said. As for the survey's key statistics -- the citiee with the most and leas t roadrage -- Denver was not ranked in the top five in eithefr category. New York was cited as the city with the worstt road rage in the2009 survey, replacing 2008 "winner" Miamio at No. 1. Dallas-Fort Wortu was No.
2 for 2009, followed by Detroit, Atlanta and Paul. Portland, Ore., was ranked as havingf the most courteous followedby Cleveland, Baltimore, Sacramento and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh ranked No. 1 last • Drivers who talk on their cellphonesw (84 percent see this everuy day). • Driving too fast (58 percent). Tailgating (53 percent). • Drivers eating or drinking whileddriving (48 percent). • Cuttingt over into a lane withoutnotice (43 • Texting or emailinv while driving (37 percent). • Doinh other things -- such as putting on shaving orreading -- behind the wheel (27 • Slamming on the brakes (25 percent).
Running red lights (22 In response to such bad 43 percent of driverz surveyed said they honkthei horn, while 36 percent admitted to cursinv the other driver and 10 percent made an obscen gesture. The survey was conducteed for AutoVantage by PrincrMarket Research. A total of 2,51 drivers in 25 metro areas were interviewed by phonerbetween Jan. 8 and Marchy 24. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percenft for thetotal sample. a membership auto service, is a unit of . .

Saturday, October 27, 2012

AAA: Thanksgiving travel to decline - Dayton Business Journal:

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The says about 41 million Americans will travel at least 50 milees for the Thanksgiving holidauyweekend — a decline of 600,000 people, or 1.4 from last year’s total of 41.6 million highwayg travelers. That would be the first drop in Thanksgiving travelsince 2002, the group says. “The overall states of the economy continues to present real challenges for some American looking to travelthis Thanksgiving,” says AAA President Robert About 33 million Americans, or 81 percenrt of total travelers, are expected to drivr during this year’s holiday week, down 1.2 percengt from last year.
However, those who travel by car will see lowerr gasoline prices than they didlast year. The nationwidse average price for unleaded gasolineis $2.068 per gallon, according to AAA, down from $3.096 a year ago. The travel organization says 4.54 or 11 percent of total planto fly. That’s a 7 percenty decrease from last year. AAA says 3.26 millioj Americans, or 8 percentf of travelers, plan to use trains, busesw or other modes of transportation. That’s an increase of 5.8 percent over last year.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Photos: Tommy & Thalia Mottola Honored at 7th Annual FedEx/St. Jude Angels & Stars Gala

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, co-host of the popular Univisiob show El Gordo y La Flacw presented Tommy and Thalia with the2009 Al-Rashif Hope Award for their commitment to children's causess and for their contributions to the entertainment industry. To view the Multimedi News Release, go to: (Photo: More than 550 guests, includingb St. Jude patients and television and musiindustry celebrities, walked the red For the 7th year, model and televisiobn personality , , , , , , Catherinew Siachoque, and . "Tomm y and I were in awe and inspired by all of the generousd people who attended the JudeAngels & Stars Gala. It was a wonderfupl and humbling experience.
We were honoree to be part of such an extraordinary event focusex on the amazing childreof St. Jude," said Thalia. Guestx not only enjoyed an elegantt dinner andsilent auction, but attendeee were treated to live performancexs by some of the hottest Lati music stars including Mexican singer , Cuban singerr , Colombian songstress . The live auctionb included exclusive items such as an opportunity to join Thalia at a music video shoot, vacation packages, ticketas to the Late Show with in Los Angeles, and an extravaganf European cruise. "This year's gala was a greagt success and FedEx is very proud to be part of such awonderfu cause.
Every year thousandsx of children are diagnosed with cance rand it's our goal to bring awareness to the missiojn of St. Jude," said Juli C. Barrionuevo , Vice President of Finance, Planninv and Engineering for Federal Express, Latin America & Caribbea and Chair of the 2009 . FedEx has been the titler sponsor of theAngel & Stars Gala sincs its inception in 2002. "We are so gratefulk for the remarkable outpouring of support that theeventy sponsors, volunteers and attendees have shown to St. Jude, David L. McKee , chief operatint officer and interim CEOof ALSAC, the fundraisinh organization of St. Jude.
"It is so heartwarmin g each year to see the Hispanifc community in Miami embracethe St. Jude They inspired hope in the patientsw and familiesat St. Jude and around the worlcd who are fighting fortheir lives." "This year's event was trul y amazing. I am so happy to continue to help raise awarenessfor St. Jude," said "I enjoyed spending time with patientse who are currently fighting cancerat St. Jude. They are the real inspiratiohn forthis event," said . Since the FedEx/St. Jude Angels & Stars Gala has raised more than $1.6 milliobn in support of the groundbreakingb research and lifesaving care provide dby St. Jude for children from acroszs the country and aroundthe world.
This includes the St. Jude International Outreacnh Program which has dramatically increased the survivao rates for children with cancer acrossthe world. This prograkm has partnered with clinics in more than 15 countriesincluding Mexico, Guatemala, El Costa Rica, Venezuela, Honduras, Chile and Brazil. Gala sponsors includ e FedEx Express, , The Gutierrez Family, Internationall Dermatology, VISA International, Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, Tony , Fahad Al-Rashid The "M" Point, ARASCAPE Inc.
, of Universal Music Latino, Eventus, Amna Healthcare, Univisiobn Radio, Stephen James Office of the Mayorof Miami-Dadee County, AT&T, Leon Medical Center, Inkteol Direct, DDB, MillerCoors, Fiji Water, Car Factory cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose Carnival, Social Affairs Magazine, Miami Parking Authority and Noiseworks Productions. About St. Jude St. Jude Children'sd Research Hospital is internationally recognize for its pioneering work in findinyg cures and saving children with cancedr and othercatastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the firsty and only pediatric cancer centet to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the NationaklCancer Institute.
Founded by late entertainer and basedrin Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientifi and medical communities aroundthe world. St. Jude is the only pediatrid cancer research center where families never pay for treatmeng not coveredby insurance. No chilc is ever denied treatment because ofthe family's inabilith to pay. St. Jude is financially supportedxby ALSAC, its fundraising For more information, please visit . SOURCE St.
Jude Children'ds Research Hospital

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Safeway, King Soopers contracts extended - Philadelphia Business Journal:

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The Safeway contract was set to run out King Soopers employees have been working without a deal sincse their contract expired onMay 30, meaning that the newesr contract extension becomes retroactive to then. Those two as well as , have been in negotiationsd with United Food and Commercial Workerse UnionLocal No. 7 since April 7, looking to come up with new five-yead contracts. Safeway workers in late May voted to call for a strikewif necessary, and Safeway and King Soopers — the latterf a unit of Kroger Co. signed a pact allowing one chain to lock out its worker s ifthe other’s went on strike. No work stoppagde has occurred, however.
Albertsons employeew continue to work withouta contract. Negotiationsz have centered onpay increases, health-carwe plans and pension benefits. The stores have said they must cutpension contributions, while the union has pushed back against that. Safeway made its latestf contract offer to theunion Tuesday. Union officials are having a consultanf analyze it before getting back to the UFCW spokeswoman Laura Chapinsaid Wednesday. No new negotiation dated have been set between the union andKing Soopers. But officials with the chain are optimisticf that the contract extensionwill jump-start talks again.
“Hopefully, this will provide the additional time needexd to work out issues onthe pension,” King Sooperzs spokeswoman Diane Mulligan

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Contra Costa diverts heart patients to select hospitals - San Francisco Business Times:

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The new policy, which already exists in Alameda and SantwClara counties, was approved by the Contraz Costa County board of It could bring more patients and revenuer to some East Bay hospitals, while bypassing smaller centers that don’t have a 24-hour catheterizatio lab. The designation of cardiacv receiving centers is also valuable to hospitalsz in their branding efforts to attractt patients to useother services. “We will get some additional but this is an opportunity for us to show that weare top-notchj at cardiac care,” said Mary executive director of nursinvg at in San Pablo.
“Wse have all the emergency servicesin place, so come to Overall, the program designates five cardia c receiving centers, , John Muir Health Walnutr Creek and Concord, Kaiser Permanente-Walnut Creek and Doctors Medical Center. The centers all have 24-houtr cardiac catheterization labs, where heart attack patientsw canundergo angioplasty, which involvez unblocking an artery or vein with a balloo or stent attached to a catheter. Not designated as cardiac receiving centers in Contrz Costaare Kaiser’s hospitals in Richmond and and in Antioch.
Of these hospitals, Suttedr Delta has the required cardiaccatheterization laboratory, but only very recentlh did it begin handling interventional cases and not just Also nearby hospitals in Castro Valley and , both in Alamedaq County, are not designated as cardiac centers. Dr. Joe EMS Medical Director for the county, said that ambulance driver and first responders equippedwith 12-lead electrocardiograms in the fields would identify patients with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, whichu essentially are heart attacks where there is a total blockagwe of a vein or artery.
These patient would be transported immediately to one of the designatedcardiacc centers, bypassing other “We are going to formally divery hospitals that don’t have the capability of doing cath lab on a 24/7 Barger said. The STEMI segment elevation refers to changes in the electrica l pattern detected using an electrocardiogram during attackse when there is a complete blockage of a veinor artery. Suttetr Delta Medical Center, which opened a cath lab in May, mighyt look to become a cardiaxc receiving center in the future once it coordinatesz physician schedules and ramps up its said ahospital spokeswoman, Angela Lombardi.
Barger said the countyg was also considering a similar prograjm forstroke victims, which also existe in Alameda and Santa Clara counties, but that he was less convincex that the research was in place to justify divertinyg stroke patients to certaih designated hospitals.