Some grads still in demand despite economy - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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“I graduated May 2 and started on May said Hall, 25, of Marietta, who works in humanm resources at the Atlanta office of , a health-care technologu consultant. “It’s been a but it’s going pretty Hall’s new company overlaps two sectors of the economhy that are going strong despitethe recession. University careerf services directors say medicaol and technology companies are continuingg to recruit and hire new employees even as other industries freeze payrolls and hand outpink “When recruiters call me to hire, they ask for computer scienc majors or engineers,” said Ralph Mobley, director of career servicesw at Georgia Tech.
“Our data indicate they’rw doing better in the job marketthan non-technicalp majors.” Overall, however, interest among employers in the Class of 2009 is The ’s spring career fair attracted only 145 companies, down from 215 that sent representativesw to the Athens campus last fall, said Scot Williams, executive director of UGA’s Careert Center. Likewise, the last three quarterlyy career fairs held at drew abouy 20 percent fewer companies than thepreviousx year, said Ramona a career and employer relations specialistf at the downtown Atlanta school.
Students are reacting to the tepis response from corporate recruiters and the tight job markert it signifies by applying to graduate schoolin droves. At Georgiaw State, for example, MBA applicationzs for the coming school year increased 22 percent over last while the number of students seeking master of arts degreew went up19 percent. Timothy Renick, GSU’s associate provosf for academic programs, said many graduatee school applicants are coming directlg fromundergraduate programs. “The decision makesa sense,” he said.
“Rather than face unemploymen or takea minimum-wage job, students can increase their academixc credentials for a time when the economyt takes a turn for the better.” The scarcityy of jobs is motivatinv other graduates to take a breakl from their formal educations or put off enterinhg the workforce to enroll in such servic programs as the Peace Corps or Teacj for America. “We’re seeing an increass in the number of students who want to take a year off to engagw in aworthwhile adventure, discover some things and make some said Paul Fowler, executive director of the Career Centere at .
Hall said making connectiond proved important to her landing a job so She said she met her new boss at McKesson during a mock interview while she was an undergraduat marketing majorat UGA. “We just kept in touch,” she “When I was having trouble findingy a jobin marketing, he had a positio open here.” Hall said it was also importany that she was willingy to be flexible in her job “Finding a marketing job in Atlants right now is impossible,” she said. “[But] this is a big If I want to move over I can.” While marketing jobs aren’t to be had, some jobs fieldsz are still hot.
Mobley said government particularly at thefederal level, are in high He said one growth area is the , createed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Burgess: Property tax losses

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The Miami-Dade County property appraiser releaser its preliminary tax rollinformation Monday, with all four taxingv jurisdictions – fire rescue, library, the unincorporated area and Miami-Dade overall – seeing a decline. The countywide decreased comparing preliminary tax numbers from year to year shows a 9percen decrease, or a total of $22.55 billion.” “Thesd losses would have been wors e if not for new constructio n that was added to the property tax roll as of Jan. County Manager George Burgese said in a memo sent tocounty commissioners. Nortb Bay Village took the biggest hit, down 20.2 percent from 2008 Homestead sawan 18.
2 percent decline, followeds by Normandy Shores, down 17.5 percent, and Aventura whichn was down 17.3 percent. Golden Beacn and the tiny city of Islandia sawno change. Medley saw a 1.5 percent drop while Biscayne Park saw a 4percent decline. Clic for the full list. Staffers reviewer property tax rolls going back to 1985 and founf that 1993 saw taxable value shrinkby 2.9 percent, or $1.9 “Even in 2008, when we absorbed the impacft of doubling the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000, the propertuy tax roll was relativelyu flat,” Burgess explained in the “These losses in property tax roll values are Burgess warned of a lot more pain on the using the last two years as a barometer of what is For the second consecutive Miami-Dade faced a $200 million budget gap in the last fiscaol year.
Core services were kept intacg bytightening belts, but assuming the same tax rate adoptes for 2008-09, the estimated ad valorem revenues for fiscakl year 2009-10 would shrink by $174.1 million, according to the Taking into account the impact of normal inflationary growth and the economidc slowdown, combined with the non ad valoremj revenue sources, results in property tax subsidized operationz facing a budget gap of $350 milliob to $400 million, Burgess said.
“We are working diligentlgy to prepare a proposed budget forFY [fiscal year] 2009-1o that to the extent possible, preserves essential services and minimizes service impacts to our residents,” he wrote in the “However, closing a budgetary gap of this size will required some very difficult decisions.”

Norway attacks: Police probe darker side of boyish-looking suspect - Los Angeles Times

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ABC News

Norway attacks: Police probe darker side of boyish-looking suspect Los Angeles Times Police describe him as a 'right-wing Christian fundamentalist' while friends reportedly say he had begun voicing increasingly extremist views. This image taken from a helicopter shows what the police believe is gunman Anders Behring Breivik walking ... Norway's far right not a spent force BBC News  »

Mother, two children saved from Lake Superior rip current - Duluth News Tribune

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Duluth News Tribune

Mother, two children saved from Lake Superior rip current Duluth News Tribune A member of the Duluth Fire Department rushes a boy wrapped in a blanket to an ambulance after he was rescued by bystanders after getting swept away by a rip current on Lake Superior at the 12th Street Beach on Park Point on Wednesday evening. ... Mother and 2 children rescued from Lake Superior in Duluth The Republic  »

Vector Group Q4 income down - South Florida Business Journal:

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million, up slightly from the $555.4 million reporte d for 2007. The country's fifth-largest cigarette company (NYSE: VGR) reportef net income for of $60.5 million, or 80 cents a share, for the year, down from net income of $73.8 or $1.07 a for 2007. The results for 2008 included $12. million in pretax income from the Miami-based company’s investment in the St. Regisx hotel, which was sold in Marcbh 2008. Fourth quarter 2008 revenus was $144.4 million, basically flat with the $145.1 million reportedx in the fourthquarter 2007. Fourth quarter net income was $12.2 million, or 9 cents a down from net incomeof $14.2 or 21 cents a share, in the 2007 fourtuh quarter.
For the thred months and year ended Dec. 31, the company’s conventiona cigarette business, which includes cigarettes and USAbrand cigarettes, had revenues of $143.8 million and $562.7 million, respectively, down slightlty from $144.4 million and $551.7 million for the threw months and year ended respectively. Shares were down 50 cents to $11.1q1 in morning trading. The 52-week high was $19.455 on Sept. 19. The 52-week low was $10.8 on Oct. 10.

Dream's Latest Offering Signifies the Ominous State of JMMA - Bloody Elbow

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Dream's Latest Offering Signifies the Ominous State of JMMA Bloody Elbow I'm an eternal optimist, the sickeningly positive type that can flesh out a few encouraging aspects in even the most dire of circumstances. Normally, I'd be penning a rah-rah piece to ...

Former GM, Chrysler dealerships shift from selling cars to selling lots - Baltimore Business Journal:

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“You have got to be a realist and you have to move said Burgunder, owner of the dealership in Bridgevillee that Chrysler announced as one amon 12 in the region and 789 nationwide it plans to eliminater as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy consolidation. “Whem one door closes, another Within only a few Burgunder’s decision to shut down has alreadhy resulted in a sales agreement forthe dealership’s property, a nearly four-acre parceo with a 25,000-square-foot building just off Interstate 79 in the fast-growiny southern suburbs.
He declined to discloses the buyer or the In the wake of the painful restructuring of Chryslerand GM, two of America’ss big-three automakers, the echo of car doorw closing may be followed by an historic sell-offg of car dealer properties at a time when commercia real estate already is in the midst of a difficult Along with Burgunder and 11 other area Chrysler dealer deciding what to do with theier dealerships — options include selling used cars or closingg up shop — another wave of closing dealers will soon follow as negotiates its own Chapterr 11 reorganization.
During a June 12 hearingg before the House Energy andCommerce Committee’s subcommittee on oversight and investigations, GM revealed it planz to eliminate 90 of its dealers in Pennsylvania over the next 12 to 17 months. While those dealerships have yet to be madeknown publicly, they will gradually be revealesd and added to the alreadyt closed car dealerships that dot the commercial real estat map in the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere as part of GM’a strategy to consolidate from more than 6,000 dealersd to 3,380.
“It goes without sayingy that having a glut of properties on the market couled not come at a worsee time in ourdevelopment history,” said Herkty Pollock, the national director of the retailerd service group for “Ik see it as future opportunity with challenging existing It’s not like there aren’t already closedc car dealerships. Along heavily travelled McKnight for example, the former McCrackin Ford property remains emptg and available two years after boughtg it for a new a project long stalled. In the has been advertising it will closee down its Baum boulevardDodge operation, whicyh also didn’t make Chrysler’s cut.
That’s just a few blocks down the streey from the former Don Allen Auto which the Voelker family closed last year with plan s to pursue a major redevelopment project of morethan 750,000-square-feet of retail space and residential While the Voelker’s development partner, walked away from the project a few months ago, sources familiar with the who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the indicate that South Side-based is considerinhg the project. Richard Voelker wouldn’t comment on any projecf or development partner and said to expect anAugust announcement. Armstrong did not return calls for comment.
Bought or blight Jeff Stephan, a commercial real estate broker forColdwell Banker, has been attempting to sell the former Northu Star Ford dealership in Carnegie after it moved to Moon Township, takinv over the location of a dealetr who retired there. Despite working with a strong location just offParkwayu West, he said sellingf the property has been a challengde for a dealership that has now been closedf for two years. “We had this property undeer option for eight months and then tried to attractr users for new retailand couldn’t do it,” he said of the marketinbg effort last year, when large retailers were beginningt to cut back their expansion plans.
Doug German, the retaill manager for Downtown-based Howard Hanna Commercial, expectz to see car dealerships in highly desirablr locations sell quickly while others may not sellat all. He’es involved with three dealership propertiesfor “There are some dealerws out there with some great locations. Thosr will go,” he said. The others? “Thehy could be a blight on their communitieds forsome time,” he said.

Metro New Orleans area road closures for Tuesday, July 12 - NOLA.com

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NOLA.com

Metro New Orleans area road closures for Tuesday, July 12 NOLA.com US 11 at the floodgate: Intermittent closures of the roadway will be enforced daily through Friday, 6:30 am-5 pm, for milling, overlay and striping. US 90 at the floodgate: Intermittent lane closures will be enforced Friday through July 19, 6 am-5 pm, ... and more »

Santa Clara city manager not swayed by Montana's offer - San Jose Mercury News

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Santa Clara city manager not swayed by Montana's offer San Jose Mercury News Instead, she argues that everyone should have a chance to bid on the land -- even if it means Golden Joe walks away from his offer. In December, Montana and his business partners, including former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. proposed building a ... and more »

Bill would allow psychologists to prescribe medications - bizjournals:

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Psychologists say the measure will increase access to psychiatrixc care in rural and urban areaxs of the state where there is a shortage of psychiatrists. But psychiatrist groups said allowinh non-medical doctors to prescribe drugs would endangeerpatient safety. “The main issue with this whole thing is the idea that can prescribe medication safely with the level of training they aresuggesting they’ll said Dr. Jerry Halverson, chairmajn of the ’s legislative “Most psychologists don’t need any biology as an undergraduatr andthe master’s degrees they are talkingv about getting is basically 11 weeke over two years done primarily over the Internet.
That make me very uncomfortable.” Sarah Bowen, executive director of the , said oppositio n to the bill is similar to the turf battles that occurred when advanced practicew nurses and physician assistantse soughtprescriptive authority. “We haven’t heared any horror stories come from that and now they are a valuable part of the healthcare community,” Bowen said. In orde r to be given prescription authority, a psychologisg would need to have theirdoctoral degree, practiced in a clinical setting for a minimum of three years, complete a 450 credit hour post-doctoral prograk and have a minimum of one year of supervised experienc from a physician.
Once that is completed, they woulds need to pass a national exam. Bowej estimates about 15 percent of psychologists will underg theadditional training. “We look at this as a sub-specialtty within psychology and we certainly believe that the additionaol training and experience should answert any additionalsafety concerns,” she said. There are abouyt 1,700 licensed psychologists in according tothe association, although not all are Brian Wolf, a Kenosha psychologist, completedx his post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacologt at in Teaneck, in 2006.
He said he hopex the law passes so his patients who needmedicatiojn don’t have to wait an average of nine weeksz to see a psychiatrist. “We’ll remain psychologistsz firstand we’re going to continuee focusing on therapy,” Wolf “This is just one more tool we can State Sen. Judy Robson (D-Beloit) introduced the bill in It has been referred to a Senate health committe e and likely will be put on hold untipl after the state budget is passe dthis summer, said Nadine Gratz, a spokesperso n for Robson. Louisiana and New Mexico are the only states that allos psychologists toprescribe drugs.
The Wisconsin bill has been backefd by the and many groups representing nursinhg homes andrehabilitation facilities. Paul Miller, chief operationsz officer with , said the two parties who will ultimatelhy determine if this law is valuablew are health insurance providersand “In this business, what we see time and time again is ultimately insurers dictate a standard of practicse by deciding what is reimbursable,” Miller said.

The future of The Park in Charlotte - Charlotte Business Journal:

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The sale set for 10 a.m. at the Charlottr office of law firm is the thirsd auction for the residential condol project in less than a The foreclosed property at the cornet of South Caldwell and Thired streets has been in and out of federaolbankruptcy court. A signed sales agreemen in late 2008 fell apart after investmengt partners bickered inopen court. And construction work has been froze for18 months. The Park is stillk missing its exterior skin and has been exposedf to weatherand vandals. “In terms of broke n developments, there are many across the countru in asimilar state,” says Laxson Boyd, a principaol at Wisconsin-based . “But this one has unique aspects.
It’es very visible.” Or, as Charlottew condo developer David Furmanputs it: “It’s a reminder ever day of how bleak thingss are.” Further delay on a sale will likelyt lead to more deterioration of the property. “Igt isn’t an asset that can be held until themarket improves,” Boyd says, adding the auction is “ann effort to accelerate the process.” Boyd is handling the sale of The Park for the lender that foreclosedc on the property — , a subsidiary of in Longtime local engineer Pete Vernz lost the property after his development company defaultefd on $28.5 million owed on a $30.6i million construction loan.
BB Syndicationb bought the buildingfor $14.32 million at the property’s second foreclosure auctionm in December. It was the only bidder. Next month’ s sale should be livelier. At least 15 suitors have signeed up forthe auction. “Naked” means theres will be no minimunmopening bid, Boyd says. “Allp bids will be That being said, BB Syndication reserves the right to reject an offerd that istoo low, he The lender would stilo consider a private sale, he Offers have been made but at prices beloe what BB Syndication believes the property is worth. An open auctionn will let the market speak onThe Park’sz proper value, Boyd says.
“My personal experiencd in this situation is the markey keepsitself honest.” More than 60 inquiries have been made regardinb the auction, and 15 parties have On Wednesday, a potential bidder was given a tour of the Interest has been widespread, from smalp private investors to investment funds and national development Some hail from California, New York, Georgia and Chicago, but most — about 60% — are from the Not on the list: the city of Charlotte. This Mayor Pat McCrory suggested using The Park for affordable housinf and asked city staffers to lookinto it. But city officials said this weekthey won’r be making an offer.
The Park is aboug 55% to 80% constructed, according to varyintg estimates. Summit Shores the development group that defaulted ona $19 million deal from the tower’se first foreclosure auction in Augustg — pegged completion costs at $12 million. It will likely take $12 million to $15 million to finishb The Parkto Verna’s according to one Florida investment group that has previously considered buying the

Marquette launches water law curriculum - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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The curriculum is another step in solidifyingh Milwaukee as a global leader in water research and polict and will address the ongoing and emerging legal issues posed by the water universityofficials said. The curriculum will include a coursew specializing in the legal principles involverin securing, allocating, transferring, managing and adjudicatinvg water rights for publif and private uses. It will also include courses onadministrative law, patent and trade secret law, environmental policy and land use planning, natural resources law and agriculture law, among “Establishing a specific water law program for studentz is another piece to the largefr puzzle of positioning the Milwaukee region as the worldwided destination for water policy and research,” said Joseph dean of the Marquette University Law School.
Richarx Meeusen, chairman, president and CEO of and co-chairman of the Milwaukew 7 Water Council, said the curriculum is a “vital additiohn to an already solid program that positions the Milwaukede region as the worldwater hub.” “To truly lead, the Milwauked region has to have the talent and expertis in all areas of water, includingh the legal aspect of water which will keep growing in significance,” Meeusenb said.
The water law curriculum is an example ofan industry-universityt collaboration that will prepare students to becomw leaders with the specialized expertise necessary to make this regionn the leader in the water industry, said Paul chairman and CEO of and co-chairmanj of the Milwaukee 7 Water “Marquette Law School has stepped in and fillee a real need as we assemble all the partsd needed to make the Milwaukee region the world waterf hub for freshwater research, economic education and, in the law,” Jones said.