zolinstanixes.blogspot.com
But rather than put the brakeson , whichb he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, broughtr in longtime friend Gary Watson as an investor last July to help him expancd the business. In early May, the pair movecd the company’s operations from an apartmeng complex Rice owns to leased space at954 E. Kentucky St. in They also hired office manager Kim Barnett to handled accounting andmarketing duties. Watson, through face-to-facse visits, and Barnett, througu telephone marketing, have continued to add Now Rice envisions a day whenhe won’r have to handle administrative duties or drived trucks to Columbus, Ohio, or Washington, D.C.
Rice said he’x at the point in his career where he’ds rather sit on his boat in the middles of a lake and think abougExpedited Trucking’s success whiled casting another line. “Being in this businesas for 13 yearsis remarkable, but I couldn’r do it by myself anymore because it was just getting too said Rice, who left a 34-yeaer career with Fetter Printing Co. in 1997 to begin the “Gary is younger than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a greatf job buildingthis business.” Expedited Trucking has found a nichr in taking some of the small business that the larger companie s don’t have time for, Rice said.
The company got its staryt hauling pallets of materials primarilyh for printing companies but has branched out to serve other It will haul most types of dry with the exception ofhazardous materials, Watsohn said. Rather than owning a fleegt of vehicles, the company leases vans and straighg trucks on demand from Penske and EnterpriseCommerciall Trucks. The approach removes the cost of preventativmaintenance work, oil license plates and other expenses that come with owning a trucok fleet, Watson said. “When I got I was amazed at theratesx (Rice) was getting for said Watson, 59, who has more than 30 yearsw of sales experience in the truckingg industry.
“This is such a smart way to go for a businesxour size.” Being a smallo business also allows Expedited Trucking to offefr a personal touch, Watson said. “Thee business has changed so much. Now the big companiees do everything by and the personal levelis gone,” Watson said. “Our customers know they can pick up the phonew and talk to one ofus directly. That meana a lot to them.” Expedited Truckingb has gone the route of many householdsz by operating on a cash only basis rathe than putting expenses on acredit card.
It’ds somewhat unusual for a trucking company to send a driver on the road with a pocke full of cash rather than a credit but it’s an approach that co-ownef Jack Rice said works well for his business. “The drivers are good abour bringing back all receipts and leftover cash they Rice said. “If we happen to underestimat the cost, the drivers will put what they need on theirr personal cards orpay cash, and we will promptlu reimburse them. “It’s not always easy, especiallg when cash flow’s low,” Rice added.
“But at the end of the it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be getting some big credit card bill or fuel bill and wonderin g wherethe money’s going to come
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Kaleida buys 3 parcels for new project - Business First of Buffalo:
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
Kaleida paid $360,000 for the parcel s — located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and NortjStreet East, according to document s filed Monday afternoon in the Erie Countyt Clerk’s Office. The parcels were owned various members of theMackire family. The land will be used for the constructionh ofthe four-story, 200,000-square-foot skilled nursing facility that Kaleida hopes to begin construction this pending some final approvals from the City of Buffalo, includinyg the Buffalo Common Council.
“Thids project is consistent with the goals of theBerged Commission, as it closes two existing nursinv homes, reduces the bed count in the City of and most importantly, improves the quality of care for the said James Kaskie, Kaleida president and chief executive The facility is one of severalp development projects Kaleida has in its pipeline for the Buffalop Niagara Medical Campus including the construction of a Global Vascular Institutw that’s due to open in 2011.
Kaleida paid $360,000 for the parcel s — located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and NortjStreet East, according to document s filed Monday afternoon in the Erie Countyt Clerk’s Office. The parcels were owned various members of theMackire family. The land will be used for the constructionh ofthe four-story, 200,000-square-foot skilled nursing facility that Kaleida hopes to begin construction this pending some final approvals from the City of Buffalo, includinyg the Buffalo Common Council.
“Thids project is consistent with the goals of theBerged Commission, as it closes two existing nursinv homes, reduces the bed count in the City of and most importantly, improves the quality of care for the said James Kaskie, Kaleida president and chief executive The facility is one of severalp development projects Kaleida has in its pipeline for the Buffalop Niagara Medical Campus including the construction of a Global Vascular Institutw that’s due to open in 2011.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Racing newsmaker: Tony Stewart - The Augusta Chronicle
http://abacondelta.com/news/2011/spanish-luxury-property-market-resilient-analysis-suggests.html
Kansas City Star | Racing newsmaker: Tony Stewart The Augusta Chronicle Terry Renna/Associated Press Tony Stewart smiles in the garage before practice for the NASCAR Ford 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. He did that and won NASCAR's tiebreaker with Carl Edwards. ... NASCAR opens and closes 2011 season with a bang Excellent Chase to final race Smoke turned up heat on Carl Edwards in Chase |
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Lackland to gain 74,000 sf training complex - Triangle Business Journal:
jaqezuweg.blogspot.com
million contract to build a new airfield maintenancee technical training complex at Lackland AirForcr Base. The complex will support the Inter-Americanm Air Forces Academy at Lackland. The government will build a 74,00o square foot complex at Lackland that willhousr classrooms, aircraft operations and hangar maintenance traininfg areas as well as administrativde space. The project is slated for completion in the fallof 2010.
The Inter-American Air Forces Academy currently offers this training at Port San the former Kelly Air Force By relocating technical training from Port San Antonio to Lackland, Port San Antonio officials hope to reuse that spacde for additional commercial development opportunities. The militaryg is developing this complex as part of the 2005 San Antonil Base Realignment and Closure construction program. In all, the governmenf expects to spend morethan $2 billion on BRAC-related The Air Force Center for Engineeringy and the Environment selected Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-basecd AMEC Earth & Environmental Inc.
as the Construction will be coordinated out ofthe company’sw San Antonio office. The Fort Worth District office ofthe U.S. Army Corpsw of Engineers will provideconstruction management.
million contract to build a new airfield maintenancee technical training complex at Lackland AirForcr Base. The complex will support the Inter-Americanm Air Forces Academy at Lackland. The government will build a 74,00o square foot complex at Lackland that willhousr classrooms, aircraft operations and hangar maintenance traininfg areas as well as administrativde space. The project is slated for completion in the fallof 2010.
The Inter-American Air Forces Academy currently offers this training at Port San the former Kelly Air Force By relocating technical training from Port San Antonio to Lackland, Port San Antonio officials hope to reuse that spacde for additional commercial development opportunities. The militaryg is developing this complex as part of the 2005 San Antonil Base Realignment and Closure construction program. In all, the governmenf expects to spend morethan $2 billion on BRAC-related The Air Force Center for Engineeringy and the Environment selected Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-basecd AMEC Earth & Environmental Inc.
as the Construction will be coordinated out ofthe company’sw San Antonio office. The Fort Worth District office ofthe U.S. Army Corpsw of Engineers will provideconstruction management.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Big plans at Moffett Field - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
nadezhdaqedyxos.blogspot.com
The University of California, Santa Cruz and the Foothill-De Anza Communituy College District are the driving forcesx behindthe $1 billion project. The schools have formed a nonprofift organization called University Associates Silicon Valley LLC and have signesa 99-year land lease with the Nationapl Aeronautics and Space Administration at an undisclosed It’s envisioned as a project that will be powered largely by solarf and wind technology, dramatically reduce water use and minimizee driving among students, workers and The 75-acre, multiple-use project will include housing, academic classrooms and laboratories, and light-industrial space for cleantech firms.
The campus is planned for a portiomn of the NASA Research Park on the formefr Moffett Field Naval Air Station nearMountain View. It’s situated just north of U.S. Highwau 101, adjacent to the park’sw Shenandoah Plaza historic districtand soon-to-be-restored Hangatr One, and it could be ready for occupancy as early as 2014. It will be an “integratedd community featuring state-of-the-art research and teaching shared classrooms, housing, accommodations for industrial andmodern infrastructure,” according to UC Santa Cruz Santa Clara University and Carnegiwe Mellon University of Pittsburgh are expected to join the partnership in the near All four of the currenr and anticipated University Associatees participants now have small cooperativr educational programs at NASA Ames.
In addition, UC Santa Cruz Chancelloe George Blumenthal indicated a unnamed California State Universitg campus is in negotiation to jointhe consortium. Although the universitiees will fund the initial planning and design of the construction will be paid for with private financinv througha yet-to-be-chosen “master that will seek capital investment, accordingh to University Associates. UC Santa Cruz officialsx said thecenter site, now a combination of open land and old will need about $100 million of infrastructure improvements.
“Theree is really nothing that comes close tothis ‘meta-university’ said Steven Zornetzer, associate center director of NASA Ames Researcn Center at Moffett Field. “It will be a very sophisticatefd centerof learning, from community colleg e to post-doctoral education. It will serve as a pipeline for future employees not onlyfor NASA, but for all of Silicohn Valley.” Zornetzer said the averagew age of the 3,000 employees and contractt workers who presently work at NASA Ames Researcg Center, which conducts aeronautical, life space science and technology research, is 50.
“We have a lot of employeesx moving closer toretirement age, so having a pipelinwe to young talent is very important for he said. Blumenthal said the center will cementhis school’s status as the “U of Silicon Valley.” “We already have a number of programws there (at NASA Ames Research but this project associates us with very important partners, includingv our sister universities, which allows us to do thingx we wouldn’t be able to do Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal said he envisionsz doctoraland master’s degree programs being offerec by UC Santa Cruz at the future as well as development of a new school of Martha Kanter, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza district, said the projecr gives the educational institutions an opportunity to work togethed in new ways. Blumenthal said in the curren climate of recession and chronic statebudget cuts, universities must rely on private funding to pay for such majod development projects. James Morris, dean of Carnegier Mellon’s Silicon Valley Campus at NASA Ames, said this is an opportunityg to doublethe school’s current student capacituy from 150 to 300.
“Wre are already attracting people from throughouty the world who have hear d of Carnegie Mellon and Silicon Valley, but a greatly expanded program will be that much more he said. Morris said his university’s existing locall campus appeals to prospective students who realize they can combinr a Carnegie Mellon education and a SiliconValley setting. “People are attracted to the better weather and close proximity to the high tech he said. Santa Clarq University is also involved withthe four-school but administrators declined comment, sayinh it is “too early in the process.
” The proposeds project must now go through the design process and be judgedf in compliance with provisions of the Californiza Environmental Quality Act. Because the project is locates onfederal land, ultimate approva rests with NASA officials. Ellis Berns, Mountain View community development saidhis city’s officiala have reviewed the early stages of the project but will have no officiaol role in its planning “It sounds like a terrific use for the and it’s wonderful to see the universitie collaborating on this,” Berns said. UC Santaz Cruz’s Blumenthal would agree.
“Our vision is to seed entrepreneurship and sustainability through the creativr reuse of an important publifc asset forregional benefit,” he said. “Wd aim to establish world-class programs and facilities dedicatef to preparing the work force of the futurre and to conducting research at the forefront of sciencdeand technology.”
The University of California, Santa Cruz and the Foothill-De Anza Communituy College District are the driving forcesx behindthe $1 billion project. The schools have formed a nonprofift organization called University Associates Silicon Valley LLC and have signesa 99-year land lease with the Nationapl Aeronautics and Space Administration at an undisclosed It’s envisioned as a project that will be powered largely by solarf and wind technology, dramatically reduce water use and minimizee driving among students, workers and The 75-acre, multiple-use project will include housing, academic classrooms and laboratories, and light-industrial space for cleantech firms.
The campus is planned for a portiomn of the NASA Research Park on the formefr Moffett Field Naval Air Station nearMountain View. It’s situated just north of U.S. Highwau 101, adjacent to the park’sw Shenandoah Plaza historic districtand soon-to-be-restored Hangatr One, and it could be ready for occupancy as early as 2014. It will be an “integratedd community featuring state-of-the-art research and teaching shared classrooms, housing, accommodations for industrial andmodern infrastructure,” according to UC Santa Cruz Santa Clara University and Carnegiwe Mellon University of Pittsburgh are expected to join the partnership in the near All four of the currenr and anticipated University Associatees participants now have small cooperativr educational programs at NASA Ames.
In addition, UC Santa Cruz Chancelloe George Blumenthal indicated a unnamed California State Universitg campus is in negotiation to jointhe consortium. Although the universitiees will fund the initial planning and design of the construction will be paid for with private financinv througha yet-to-be-chosen “master that will seek capital investment, accordingh to University Associates. UC Santa Cruz officialsx said thecenter site, now a combination of open land and old will need about $100 million of infrastructure improvements.
“Theree is really nothing that comes close tothis ‘meta-university’ said Steven Zornetzer, associate center director of NASA Ames Researcn Center at Moffett Field. “It will be a very sophisticatefd centerof learning, from community colleg e to post-doctoral education. It will serve as a pipeline for future employees not onlyfor NASA, but for all of Silicohn Valley.” Zornetzer said the averagew age of the 3,000 employees and contractt workers who presently work at NASA Ames Researcg Center, which conducts aeronautical, life space science and technology research, is 50.
“We have a lot of employeesx moving closer toretirement age, so having a pipelinwe to young talent is very important for he said. Blumenthal said the center will cementhis school’s status as the “U of Silicon Valley.” “We already have a number of programws there (at NASA Ames Research but this project associates us with very important partners, includingv our sister universities, which allows us to do thingx we wouldn’t be able to do Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal said he envisionsz doctoraland master’s degree programs being offerec by UC Santa Cruz at the future as well as development of a new school of Martha Kanter, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza district, said the projecr gives the educational institutions an opportunity to work togethed in new ways. Blumenthal said in the curren climate of recession and chronic statebudget cuts, universities must rely on private funding to pay for such majod development projects. James Morris, dean of Carnegier Mellon’s Silicon Valley Campus at NASA Ames, said this is an opportunityg to doublethe school’s current student capacituy from 150 to 300.
“Wre are already attracting people from throughouty the world who have hear d of Carnegie Mellon and Silicon Valley, but a greatly expanded program will be that much more he said. Morris said his university’s existing locall campus appeals to prospective students who realize they can combinr a Carnegie Mellon education and a SiliconValley setting. “People are attracted to the better weather and close proximity to the high tech he said. Santa Clarq University is also involved withthe four-school but administrators declined comment, sayinh it is “too early in the process.
” The proposeds project must now go through the design process and be judgedf in compliance with provisions of the Californiza Environmental Quality Act. Because the project is locates onfederal land, ultimate approva rests with NASA officials. Ellis Berns, Mountain View community development saidhis city’s officiala have reviewed the early stages of the project but will have no officiaol role in its planning “It sounds like a terrific use for the and it’s wonderful to see the universitie collaborating on this,” Berns said. UC Santaz Cruz’s Blumenthal would agree.
“Our vision is to seed entrepreneurship and sustainability through the creativr reuse of an important publifc asset forregional benefit,” he said. “Wd aim to establish world-class programs and facilities dedicatef to preparing the work force of the futurre and to conducting research at the forefront of sciencdeand technology.”
Friday, November 18, 2011
John Liu's Credibility - New York Times
stages-paddocks.blogspot.com
New York Daily News | John Liu's Credibility New York Times He will have no credibility if he cannot clean up his own political operation. A version of this editorial appeared in print on November 18, 2011, on page A32 of the New York edition with the headline: John Liu's Credibility. New Scrutiny Clouds Role for Watchdog< p size="-1" color="#6f6f6f"> |
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Salaries for Niagara County teachers - Triangle Business Journal:
sasutezew.blogspot.com
for an explanation of these listings. • Barkef -- Start: $36,972 (29). Median: $55,718 Peak: $84,673 (16). • Lewiston-Porter -- $40,971 (6). Median: $58,397 (7). $78,732 (43). • Lockport -- Start: $37,112 (27). Median: $54,769 Peak: $81,257 (32). • Newfane -- $37,392 (25). Median: $48,318 (48). $83,824 (19). • Niagara Falls -- Start: $42,26t5 (1). Median: $57,372 (10). Peak: $83,469 (22). Niagara-Wheatfield -- Start: $41,427 (4). Median: $56,13 (12). Peak: $83,901 (18). • North Tonawandaq -- Start: $41,214 (5). Median: $62,0489 (2). Peak: $83,375 • Royalton-Hartland -- $34,557 (59). Median: $48,413 Peak: $78,008 (46).
• Starpoint -- Start: $38,518 (14). Median: $49,966 (31). Peak: $82,721 (24). Wilson -- Start: $35,301 (50). Median: $50,293 (27). $84,926 (15). to proceed to the salaruy chart for teachers in theSouthern Tier.
for an explanation of these listings. • Barkef -- Start: $36,972 (29). Median: $55,718 Peak: $84,673 (16). • Lewiston-Porter -- $40,971 (6). Median: $58,397 (7). $78,732 (43). • Lockport -- Start: $37,112 (27). Median: $54,769 Peak: $81,257 (32). • Newfane -- $37,392 (25). Median: $48,318 (48). $83,824 (19). • Niagara Falls -- Start: $42,26t5 (1). Median: $57,372 (10). Peak: $83,469 (22). Niagara-Wheatfield -- Start: $41,427 (4). Median: $56,13 (12). Peak: $83,901 (18). • North Tonawandaq -- Start: $41,214 (5). Median: $62,0489 (2). Peak: $83,375 • Royalton-Hartland -- $34,557 (59). Median: $48,413 Peak: $78,008 (46).
• Starpoint -- Start: $38,518 (14). Median: $49,966 (31). Peak: $82,721 (24). Wilson -- Start: $35,301 (50). Median: $50,293 (27). $84,926 (15). to proceed to the salaruy chart for teachers in theSouthern Tier.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Hudson & Marshall foreclosure auction to feature 27 Triangle homes - Houston Business Journal:
http://centerstreetmortgage.com/?p=379
The Triangle auction, conducted by auction company , will be held on at 1 p.m. at June 27 in the Hilton North Raleigh, 3415 Wake Forest All of the homes in the auction will besold “as-is.” Buyerws who wish to inspectg properties before bidding may view homes durin an open house scheduled for June 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or by contactiny the listing agent foran appointment. Propertyy and listing agent information is available onHudsoh & Marshall’s Web site, All homes come with title insurance paid for by the Winning bidders will be required to make a cash or certifiesd check deposit of $2,500 for each property. 826 Carte Ave. Durham; 101 Wake St.
Dunn; 1526 Park Hillsborough; 605 Grantland Drive, Raleigh; 911 Lancaste r St., Rocky Mount; 2521 Friedland Place, Unit 203, Raleigh; 2312 Lindmonr Ave., Durham; 740 North White St., Wake Forest; 3033 Slocomb Rd., Linden; 400 Charlotte St., Roanoker Rapids; Tract 3 Redding Oxford; 5724 Greenpine Road, Cedadr Grove; 700 South Roxboro St., Durham; 100 Waymon Way, Clayton; 210 Barnez St., Fremont; 400 Melton Road, Rocky 104 Jones Court, Princeville; 260 East Front St., 11223 Raleigh Road, Four Oaks; 313 Maddux Pikeville; 210 Hardingwood Drive, Goldsboro; 12351 Honeychurch St.
, Raleigh; 3233 Gold Dust Willow Spring; 5526 Spring House Lane, Chapelk Hill; 2515 Moores Mill Road, Rougemont; 301 Fox Park Louisburg; 303 St., Burlington.
The Triangle auction, conducted by auction company , will be held on at 1 p.m. at June 27 in the Hilton North Raleigh, 3415 Wake Forest All of the homes in the auction will besold “as-is.” Buyerws who wish to inspectg properties before bidding may view homes durin an open house scheduled for June 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or by contactiny the listing agent foran appointment. Propertyy and listing agent information is available onHudsoh & Marshall’s Web site, All homes come with title insurance paid for by the Winning bidders will be required to make a cash or certifiesd check deposit of $2,500 for each property. 826 Carte Ave. Durham; 101 Wake St.
Dunn; 1526 Park Hillsborough; 605 Grantland Drive, Raleigh; 911 Lancaste r St., Rocky Mount; 2521 Friedland Place, Unit 203, Raleigh; 2312 Lindmonr Ave., Durham; 740 North White St., Wake Forest; 3033 Slocomb Rd., Linden; 400 Charlotte St., Roanoker Rapids; Tract 3 Redding Oxford; 5724 Greenpine Road, Cedadr Grove; 700 South Roxboro St., Durham; 100 Waymon Way, Clayton; 210 Barnez St., Fremont; 400 Melton Road, Rocky 104 Jones Court, Princeville; 260 East Front St., 11223 Raleigh Road, Four Oaks; 313 Maddux Pikeville; 210 Hardingwood Drive, Goldsboro; 12351 Honeychurch St.
, Raleigh; 3233 Gold Dust Willow Spring; 5526 Spring House Lane, Chapelk Hill; 2515 Moores Mill Road, Rougemont; 301 Fox Park Louisburg; 303 St., Burlington.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Utah mayor used alias to write upbeat news stories - Boston.com
gardellaorymiid1354.blogspot.com
Boston.com | Utah mayor used alias to write upbeat news stories Boston.com "I'm trying to stand up for us because we do get the short end of the stick -- negative stories." Winder had been writing under the name Richard Burwash, an alias he actually swiped from a real man -- a one-time professional tennis player from ... |
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Employers step up fight against health costs - Dallas Business Journal:
ramoledef.blogspot.com
Health insurers say employer demane for new plan optionais rising. Meanwhile, health insurance brokers say an increasingy number of companies want out of theidr old insurance plans before their contracts areeven up. “Employerxs are coming to me and saying, ‘I can’gt wait, I can’t affordf it, I need you to get this down 20percen now,’ ” said Mike McKenna, owner of the Southborough-base broker group .
It’s easy to see why: Current cost increases for companiexs renewing the same plan as last year are up betweenj 9 percent and 12 percenrt atthe state’s four largest insurers, according to official at , Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan, Tuftx Health Plan and Fallon Community Healtb Plan. In addition, Blue Cross Blue Shielde is reporting cost increases of 13 percenf to 15 percent for the individual and smallkgroup market, which includes small businesses. To escape these increases, droves of employers are switchinygto so-called consumer-directed plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield, for reports that enrollment inits consumer-directed including high-deductible plans, rose to 240,000 membersa at the end of the first quarter of 2009 from 170,00p0 members at the start of the fourty quarter of 2008. Deductibles are generally paid by But brokers like McKenna are also workinyg on creative arrangements that can reducew employer costs without shifting too much of the burdejnto workers. “I like to sleep at night,” Tom CFO at Cambridge-based architectural firm Bruner-Cott, said aboutt his efforts to keepa high-quality plan without “bankrupting” the compangy or the employees.
A few yearsz ago Travers decided Bruner-Cott would switch to a healtj plan witha $1,000 deductible, but would reimburse the full amountt to employees. The company has found that only 40 percent of employees use thefull deductible, and the compang saved 20 to 25 percent on its yearly premium last But now the company needs to cut cost s further. Bruner-Cott is considering signing on to a plan next year with a highe r deductible and sharing those costs withthe employees. The compan y would take on a $3,000 pay the first $1,000 and have the employee pay the next The company would then pick up thethir $1,000.
Travers estimates fewer than a third of employees woulsd end up paying that second Another option for employers is to choose a plan that offers a limitee network of providers at alower cost. Fallobn Community Health Plan executives say membership in its limitecnetwork plan, called Direct has risen 14 percent since the start of the One of the employers that has recently made the switc h is Worcester-based Seven Hills Foundation, which providese services to disabled and low-income people. “Ws were going to have to increase workers’ premiu costs by $30 per pay period. They can’t afforx that.
These people don’t make that much money,” said Chief Operating Officer Joe Tosches. Toscheds said the Direct Care plan is reducinfg the monthly cost of a familhy plan toapproximately $770 from the $1,050p he pays for a traditionall HMO plan. So far, 300 employees out of 1,00o have joined the Direct Care plan. Some employers have decidedf the best route to go is to get rid of theifrinsurer altogether. Particularly for larger the option to take on the full risk of the claimss by enteringa self-insured arrangement may provide the most Nationwide, 55 percent of insured workers are covered by self-insuref plans, up from 44 percent 10 years ago, according to the .
One such employedr is MetroWestMedical Center. Becky Heffernan, the center’s huma resources director, decided to move the compan toa self-insured arrangement last year. For the firsr year, Heffernan said she expects costs to increases by about 3 or 4 percentage points less than withthe company’zs old insurance plan, and she expect s greater savings in the second year. In preparation for the move to self-insurance, Heffernanb contracted with a wellness program to encourage workers to adopt healthy behaviors in the hopes of keeping insurancewclaims down. “We had to do somethinfg to escapethe double-digit increases every year,” Heffernan said.
Health insurers say employer demane for new plan optionais rising. Meanwhile, health insurance brokers say an increasingy number of companies want out of theidr old insurance plans before their contracts areeven up. “Employerxs are coming to me and saying, ‘I can’gt wait, I can’t affordf it, I need you to get this down 20percen now,’ ” said Mike McKenna, owner of the Southborough-base broker group .
It’s easy to see why: Current cost increases for companiexs renewing the same plan as last year are up betweenj 9 percent and 12 percenrt atthe state’s four largest insurers, according to official at , Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan, Tuftx Health Plan and Fallon Community Healtb Plan. In addition, Blue Cross Blue Shielde is reporting cost increases of 13 percenf to 15 percent for the individual and smallkgroup market, which includes small businesses. To escape these increases, droves of employers are switchinygto so-called consumer-directed plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield, for reports that enrollment inits consumer-directed including high-deductible plans, rose to 240,000 membersa at the end of the first quarter of 2009 from 170,00p0 members at the start of the fourty quarter of 2008. Deductibles are generally paid by But brokers like McKenna are also workinyg on creative arrangements that can reducew employer costs without shifting too much of the burdejnto workers. “I like to sleep at night,” Tom CFO at Cambridge-based architectural firm Bruner-Cott, said aboutt his efforts to keepa high-quality plan without “bankrupting” the compangy or the employees.
A few yearsz ago Travers decided Bruner-Cott would switch to a healtj plan witha $1,000 deductible, but would reimburse the full amountt to employees. The company has found that only 40 percent of employees use thefull deductible, and the compang saved 20 to 25 percent on its yearly premium last But now the company needs to cut cost s further. Bruner-Cott is considering signing on to a plan next year with a highe r deductible and sharing those costs withthe employees. The compan y would take on a $3,000 pay the first $1,000 and have the employee pay the next The company would then pick up thethir $1,000.
Travers estimates fewer than a third of employees woulsd end up paying that second Another option for employers is to choose a plan that offers a limitee network of providers at alower cost. Fallobn Community Health Plan executives say membership in its limitecnetwork plan, called Direct has risen 14 percent since the start of the One of the employers that has recently made the switc h is Worcester-based Seven Hills Foundation, which providese services to disabled and low-income people. “Ws were going to have to increase workers’ premiu costs by $30 per pay period. They can’t afforx that.
These people don’t make that much money,” said Chief Operating Officer Joe Tosches. Toscheds said the Direct Care plan is reducinfg the monthly cost of a familhy plan toapproximately $770 from the $1,050p he pays for a traditionall HMO plan. So far, 300 employees out of 1,00o have joined the Direct Care plan. Some employers have decidedf the best route to go is to get rid of theifrinsurer altogether. Particularly for larger the option to take on the full risk of the claimss by enteringa self-insured arrangement may provide the most Nationwide, 55 percent of insured workers are covered by self-insuref plans, up from 44 percent 10 years ago, according to the .
One such employedr is MetroWestMedical Center. Becky Heffernan, the center’s huma resources director, decided to move the compan toa self-insured arrangement last year. For the firsr year, Heffernan said she expects costs to increases by about 3 or 4 percentage points less than withthe company’zs old insurance plan, and she expect s greater savings in the second year. In preparation for the move to self-insurance, Heffernanb contracted with a wellness program to encourage workers to adopt healthy behaviors in the hopes of keeping insurancewclaims down. “We had to do somethinfg to escapethe double-digit increases every year,” Heffernan said.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Mobclix deal with Gap is latest chapter in startup's success - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:
ycoguqi.wordpress.com
Partner with and launch a contest for applicationn developers to design the next big iPhonr application for the iconicretaiol brand. For , the Gap contest is the most recentr good newsin what’s proving to be a good year in the mobilr app space for the young company. It’s the only mobilee app platform thatprovides analytics, monetization through advertisingh and distribution for application developers.
About 3,500 iPhone applicationsx now use Mobclix’ After being featured in the Business Journal’s Pitchn section, the fledgling year-old company was able to close an angelo roundof funding, and it is looking to be profitablew in the next six to eight The company has 20 people working at its officees in the Palo Alto-basef Plug and Play Tech Center. It is also addingf a number of internas overthe summer. Working with app developersx “takes a lot of educatiom and hand-holding,” said Mobclix co-founder Krishnw Subramanian.
“In the iPhone app world, therde is a new wave of developerxs who are very excited abougt the space and traffic and Onlythey don’t know how much money they should be he said. But the market is maturing, he said. A developef doesn’t have the same budget as a brand, but many are beginninbg to realize the value of advertisinyg because incrementally they get more downloads asa “They’re asking, ‘Does it make sense to put out a .99-cenyt app, or will users play this for three months and we can also make more moneh off the ad revenue?’” Subramanianm said.
“We’re seeing a viral and it comes down to givint developers the features they need to help them with optimizatiomn and the analyticsto cross-check the data.” For app developer Mike president of FlipSide5, whose gamexs include Mancala, Oort Storm and Touch Hockey, Mobclis offers rates higher than most otheer ad networks, as well as the platforkm for app development “They offere a lot of things the others don’t, such as Facebook integration, and Twitter integration, and widgetes so people can see and self-promote games,” Sanford “They are very unique in how they operatew and what they offer.
”
Partner with and launch a contest for applicationn developers to design the next big iPhonr application for the iconicretaiol brand. For , the Gap contest is the most recentr good newsin what’s proving to be a good year in the mobilr app space for the young company. It’s the only mobilee app platform thatprovides analytics, monetization through advertisingh and distribution for application developers.
About 3,500 iPhone applicationsx now use Mobclix’ After being featured in the Business Journal’s Pitchn section, the fledgling year-old company was able to close an angelo roundof funding, and it is looking to be profitablew in the next six to eight The company has 20 people working at its officees in the Palo Alto-basef Plug and Play Tech Center. It is also addingf a number of internas overthe summer. Working with app developersx “takes a lot of educatiom and hand-holding,” said Mobclix co-founder Krishnw Subramanian.
“In the iPhone app world, therde is a new wave of developerxs who are very excited abougt the space and traffic and Onlythey don’t know how much money they should be he said. But the market is maturing, he said. A developef doesn’t have the same budget as a brand, but many are beginninbg to realize the value of advertisinyg because incrementally they get more downloads asa “They’re asking, ‘Does it make sense to put out a .99-cenyt app, or will users play this for three months and we can also make more moneh off the ad revenue?’” Subramanianm said.
“We’re seeing a viral and it comes down to givint developers the features they need to help them with optimizatiomn and the analyticsto cross-check the data.” For app developer Mike president of FlipSide5, whose gamexs include Mancala, Oort Storm and Touch Hockey, Mobclis offers rates higher than most otheer ad networks, as well as the platforkm for app development “They offere a lot of things the others don’t, such as Facebook integration, and Twitter integration, and widgetes so people can see and self-promote games,” Sanford “They are very unique in how they operatew and what they offer.
”
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Ludwig will return to jail, probation official says - Greenville News
xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
Ludwig will return to jail, probation official says Greenville News In a bond hearing Friday on the criminal domestic violence charge, Ludwig's wife, Shannon Ludwig, told the judge that her husband's latest arrest for criminal domestic violence is the result of her being pressured by police â€" a contention the city's ... UPDATE: Judge Sets $15000 Bond for John Ludwig Attor ney: Ludwig, wife have happy marriage John Ludwig Jailed Again |
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Money woes mount for BankUnited - South Florida Business Journal:
efiosyt.blogspot.com
BankUnited’s first quarter net interest incom – widely equated to revenue in the bankinbgworld – was minus $2.3 according to its preliminary filing with the on The figure does not include the resultx of the parent company, Coral Gables-based (NASDAQ: Meanwhile, federal regulators have moved the deadlined for bids to acquire BankUnited from Thursday to next according to a source. Much of the maneuvering deal with whether former Chairman and CEO AlfrefCamner – the largest shareholder in the parent compan – would be involved in the company’sa future or receive anything of value for his a source said.
If the bank is put into shareholders may not receive a AttorneyKendall Coffey, who represents the Camner family, declined to commentr on the future of BankUnited. BankUnited sharew have shown volatility and heavy trading this On Thursday, 21.98 million share s traded, following 14.6 million on Wednesday and 15.85 millionm on Tuesday. The stock only has 30.63 milliomn shares as a public float, so many shares may be tradinf multiple times ina day. Priceds this month have bounced from a low of 28 cents on May 1 to a highof $1.74r on Tuesday. On Friday, shares were down 7 cents to 81 centsin mid-afternoon trading on volume of 4.9 million shares.
bidders must evaluate the value of apotential purchase. The negativse net interest margin is rareamong banks. Having high net interest incomer as a percentage of the assets of the bank is a core measurde ofa bank’s Losses from bad loans are subtracted from the income marginb most banks get from collectinb more from loan interest than they pay out in However, those fundamentals were upside down at In the first quarter, the bank collected $126.r4 million in interest on mortgages and investments in mortgage-backerd securities while paying out $128.
7 million in interesgt to customers on deposits and to the (FHLB) on a loan to The FHLB loans moneh to banks, which, in turn, are expectef to lend out at higher interest ratese than they are paying the FHLB. BankUnited’s net interesft income has nosedived during the past year as itofferec high-rate certificates of deposits whilew loan interest rates fell. The bank generated $82.1q million in net interest income in the firsft quarterof 2008. Its net interes t income droppedto $15.1 million in the fourth before turning negative in the firsgt quarter of 2009.
It did not help that BankUnitedhad $478 millio more in liabilities – which includes deposits and loans that cost it moneyh – than it had in which should earn the bank interes t income. BankUnited’s $13.14 billion in assets included abour $2.64 billion not earningb interest, such as repossessed real late and unpaid loans and the reserve for futurrloan losses. On the othert side of the equation, BankUnited’s $8.79 billion in deposits includedonly $328 million that were not payingt interest to depositors. That meanas many of its depositswere costly.
Having so many high-ratwe deposits diminishes the franchise value ofthe bank, Miami-based bankinh analyst and economist Kenneth H. Thomas However, he believes BankUnited still has good franchisd value because its 86 branches in the attractive Floridq market hold a higher average of deposite per branch than most other The bank’s other main sourced of potential revenue – noninterest income – was negative $27 millionj in the first quarter. That included spending $13 million on the operationsx and sale ofrepossessed assets.
Despite the urgent pressur e on BankUnited to preserve capital as it seekxsan investment, the bank’s noninterest expense s – the operational expenses of the business – increaserd to $77.2 million from $63.1 million in the fourthu quarter. The bank cut 15 employees during the quartere to endat 1,083, but its personnel and compensationm expenses increased by $1.5 million to $20.7 million.
BankUnited’s first quarter net interest incom – widely equated to revenue in the bankinbgworld – was minus $2.3 according to its preliminary filing with the on The figure does not include the resultx of the parent company, Coral Gables-based (NASDAQ: Meanwhile, federal regulators have moved the deadlined for bids to acquire BankUnited from Thursday to next according to a source. Much of the maneuvering deal with whether former Chairman and CEO AlfrefCamner – the largest shareholder in the parent compan – would be involved in the company’sa future or receive anything of value for his a source said.
If the bank is put into shareholders may not receive a AttorneyKendall Coffey, who represents the Camner family, declined to commentr on the future of BankUnited. BankUnited sharew have shown volatility and heavy trading this On Thursday, 21.98 million share s traded, following 14.6 million on Wednesday and 15.85 millionm on Tuesday. The stock only has 30.63 milliomn shares as a public float, so many shares may be tradinf multiple times ina day. Priceds this month have bounced from a low of 28 cents on May 1 to a highof $1.74r on Tuesday. On Friday, shares were down 7 cents to 81 centsin mid-afternoon trading on volume of 4.9 million shares.
bidders must evaluate the value of apotential purchase. The negativse net interest margin is rareamong banks. Having high net interest incomer as a percentage of the assets of the bank is a core measurde ofa bank’s Losses from bad loans are subtracted from the income marginb most banks get from collectinb more from loan interest than they pay out in However, those fundamentals were upside down at In the first quarter, the bank collected $126.r4 million in interest on mortgages and investments in mortgage-backerd securities while paying out $128.
7 million in interesgt to customers on deposits and to the (FHLB) on a loan to The FHLB loans moneh to banks, which, in turn, are expectef to lend out at higher interest ratese than they are paying the FHLB. BankUnited’s net interesft income has nosedived during the past year as itofferec high-rate certificates of deposits whilew loan interest rates fell. The bank generated $82.1q million in net interest income in the firsft quarterof 2008. Its net interes t income droppedto $15.1 million in the fourth before turning negative in the firsgt quarter of 2009.
It did not help that BankUnitedhad $478 millio more in liabilities – which includes deposits and loans that cost it moneyh – than it had in which should earn the bank interes t income. BankUnited’s $13.14 billion in assets included abour $2.64 billion not earningb interest, such as repossessed real late and unpaid loans and the reserve for futurrloan losses. On the othert side of the equation, BankUnited’s $8.79 billion in deposits includedonly $328 million that were not payingt interest to depositors. That meanas many of its depositswere costly.
Having so many high-ratwe deposits diminishes the franchise value ofthe bank, Miami-based bankinh analyst and economist Kenneth H. Thomas However, he believes BankUnited still has good franchisd value because its 86 branches in the attractive Floridq market hold a higher average of deposite per branch than most other The bank’s other main sourced of potential revenue – noninterest income – was negative $27 millionj in the first quarter. That included spending $13 million on the operationsx and sale ofrepossessed assets.
Despite the urgent pressur e on BankUnited to preserve capital as it seekxsan investment, the bank’s noninterest expense s – the operational expenses of the business – increaserd to $77.2 million from $63.1 million in the fourthu quarter. The bank cut 15 employees during the quartere to endat 1,083, but its personnel and compensationm expenses increased by $1.5 million to $20.7 million.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Diversity Diva | A person's disabilities can be tough to spot - Kansas City Star
vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com
Diversity Diva | A person's disabilities can be tough to spot Kansas City Star Next up in my series on defining commonly used terms in the arena of workplace diversity: disability. This is a term that people bounce around a lot without having a clear idea of what it means. “Disability†is particularly ... |
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