Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Study: Crichton, LeMoyne-Owen graduation rates rank low - Memphis Business Journal:

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Crichton is tied for fourth worst in the categoryh with a 19 percent graduation while LeMoyne Owen ties for 10th at22 percent. The nationwidr average graduation rate is54 percent. The study arrangesx 1,385 schools into six categories of entrance difficulty ranging from to “most competitive.” Then, using data from the , the studt ranks the schools by likelihoodc of graduation over a six-year period. According to the report, “Thwe South has the dubious distinction of housing institutions with some of the lowest graduation ratea inour sample.
” ’s rate of 44 percenf ties for third worst graduation percentage amongy “very competitive” schools in the South. Sewanee: The places thire highest amongthe South’s “highly competitive” schoolsz with 78 percent, and ranks as fourth highesg in the “most competitive” field with a 91 percenft graduation rate. The graduates 34 percent of its , 57 percent; and , 73 percent. The Tennessee stated average is 48.5 percent.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

UMB will restructure asset-management business - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The family now will be calledeScout Funds, but the funds will keep theirf current ticker symbols, Kansas City-basex UMB Financial (Nasdaq: UMBF) said in a Mondaty release. Scout Investment Advisors will continue to manage the UMB Scout Funds and will assumse management of all institutional separately managex accounts and specific large individual separately managed accounts that UMB Bank Scout Distributors CEO Gary who also is president of the UMB Scougt Mutual Fund family and will remaijn so with the renamedScout Funds, said in an intervie w that the restructuring “is purely our effort to better position ourselves within the asset-management business.
” “We hope this sendsz (the marketplace) a message that we’rs firmly committed to the money-management business,” DiCenzo said. “It’ s an outstanding way to briny products tothe marketplace. ... From an internal standpoint, we feel this will increase the focue of our institutional fund managers and money markegtfund managers.” The restructuring affects aboutr 60 employees, he said. No jobs will be cut. Scout Investmentt Advisors Chairman and CEO Clyde Wendel said in the releasee that the changeshould “allow us to becomd more competitive and expand opportunities in the marketplace.” UMB Financialp ranks No.
20 on the Kansas City BusinessJournal ’x list of area public companies.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

KC chamber backs smoking ban - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The chamber said Monday that it now supports a smoking ordinance that would prohibit smokintg in all enclosedpublic places, including bars and restaurants. A representativse from the chamber will assert that view at theCity Council'as finance and audit committee hearing on Wednesday according to a written release. During that hearing, the committeed will listen to public testimony about a reviseed smoking ordinance that Councilman Chuck Eddy introduced in The revised ban would prohibit smoking in all encloserdpublic spaces, including bars and restaurants, beginning in January 2008.
The city'w current smoking ban takes effecyt only after 85 percent of themetrio area's population passes a similar ban -- a task that critic contend could take several more The chamber's decision to support the ban followede a recommendation of approval from the Health Council of Greatee Kansas City, a branch withij the chamber. Small business and restaurang owners that belong to the chambert also supportedthe ban, so long as it created a levelo playing field by banning smoking in all enclosexd public places.
"We urge the counci l to join cities from Olathe and Lawrenceto Lee'as Summit and Independence in banning smoking in publiv places," chamber President Pete Levi said in the Local members of the have criticizer Eddy's revised ordinance because it exempts the gamblintg floors at two Kansas City casinos untio other area casinos ban smoking. Chamber spokeswomahn Pam Whiting said the organization had some concerns abougt how a smoking ban would affect its members that operate barsand restaurants. But most of thosse members supportthe ban, she said. "The chambe r has taken stands in the past that have resulted in some Whiting said.
"Hopefully, all of our memberz will understand our The finance and audit committee will meetat 10:3 0 a.m. Wednesday in City Hall. The City Council considered the revisecd ordinance atits Nov. 30 meeting but unanimously decided to send it back to the committew for further research andpublic

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Universities chase stimulus cash for shovel-ready projects - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

asafevboriegum.blogspot.com
The tens of millions of dollars in grant proposals are targetinvg funding streams flowing down throughg the American Recovery andReinvestment Act’s shovel-readh initiatives. Universities faced with consecutive yeare of funding cuts are angling to usethe shovel-readyu cash to catch up on much-needed facilitt upgrades, build classrooms to handle the influx of studentx in need of re-training or tackle big capital projects aimed at bolsterinf academics and research. The approacnh is twofold at , whichy has seen its student population surge by 12 percentr in the pasttwo years, due in part to risinvg unemployment.
The college is seeking $45 millioj to build additional classroom capacity on its three main campuse s as well as to enhance vocational traininyg facilitiesin high-demand occupations, according to Ellymn Drotzer, director of the office of grants The college wants the cash, among other projects, to buil d out its and the Maroonee Automotive Program in Miramar to emphasize curriculu on maintaining and repairing emerging green energy and hybricd systems in boats and It also wants to expand classrooms for aviation training, including a facility to train a new generation of air traffi c controllers, which are expected to be in high deman d in a few years to replace a wave of retiringg controllers, Drotzer said.
“These are all shovelp ready,” she said. “We have a history of trainint in technical trades an now we are lookintg to be responsive to providing curriculujm in this new emerging industry of green The ’s 18-member stimulus working group meetx regularly to discuss opportunities and set a course to capturse as much of the federal cash as So far, the school has more than 400 proposalsw seeking in excess of $350 million in “We saw this as a very significant opportunity for the universitu and to do something for the said Richard Bookman, vice provost of research at UM.
Amony the projects on the school’s shovel-ready wish list is a new $45 seawatet research center at UM’s Rosenstiell School of Marine and Atmospheric Science onVirginia Key, he The university is seeking $15 million from the and $15 million from the to help build the center, which will study sea creatures as well as the physic of waves on structures. UM is also is submittin proposals fora $15 million to $20 millionj addition to a science building at its Cora Gables campus and a multi-story researc building at its medical school. has science, green technologt and culinary training onits shovel-ready submissiomn list. The school is requestin help fundinga $22.
7 million hospitality management cente to house a culinary arts schoopl as well as $40 million for an extensive renovatiomn and upgrade to decades-old facilities at its north campus and $1.2 milliohn for an and Technology. But by most accountsz competition for stimulus funds willbe fierce. And specifivc funding priorities from federal and statre allocatorsbeyond short-term projects that woulf create jobs quickly remains unclear, said Camille assistant VP and interim director of sponsored research at . “Theh are not telling us what they are looking she said. But FAU is seeking $4.
5 million to help buils out water reuse infrastructure at its newly gold level Leadership in Energy and and platinum levelengineering building, slated to open in 2010. The universityt also is seeking federal stimuluds funds to create a road connectod system at its main campuss off Glades Road in Boca Raton andadditionalp parking. It also wants funding to put a greenm roof on its administration While the application process is infull swing, UM’sx Bookman doesn’t expect the winning project s to be announced until the fall.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

'Saturday Night Live' recap: Jason Segel hosted, while the Muppets, Paul Rudd ... - Entertainment Weekly

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CTV.ca


'Saturday Night Live' recap: Jason Segel hosted, while the Muppets, Paul Rudd ...

Entertainment Weekly


During the sweet, bouncy little tune, titled “I Can't Believe I'm Hosting SNL“, Segel lived out two of his lifelong dreams at the same moment: Hosting the late night show and hanging out with his beloved Muppets. If this opening m onologueâ€"which ...


Jason Segel (and the Muppets) Take Saturday Night Live

E! Online


It's a long way from Freaks and Geeks to Saturday Night Live's stage

Montreal Gazette


Jason Segel Kisses Paul Rudd And Everyone Else On SNL (VIDEO)

Huffington Post (satire)



 »

Friday, November 18, 2011

State budget cuts tear into tourism marketing - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Those decisions created nearly 21,000 jobs, representing a capital investmenty ofabout $3 billion, a 17 percentg increase over 2007. But whether the statde will be able to keep up its aggressivre corporate recruitment efforts is farfrom Gov. Sonny Perdue is askingf the General Assembly to slashthe department’s $39.65 million budget by 17.9 percent for the rest of the fiscal year ending June 30 and by 21.7 percen in fiscal 2010. “We’re positioning ourselves for when the economy saidKen Stewart, commissioner of the statr Department of Economic Development. In looking for ways to plug a $2.
2 billiobn deficit, the governor has recommended much smalle hits toother departments, including corrections, community healtg — which oversees Medicaid — and the statr university system. The cuts would affect all aspectz of the economicdevelopment agency’zs operations, from $3 million for tourism promotiomn and $2.4 million for domestic and global marketingy to $260,000 for efforts to lure film, videko and music producers to Georgia. Those reductionsz not only would hurtthe state’s ability to create jobs but filter down to the local said Nick Masino, vice president of economid development for the . “Thd DED is typically the lead agency on any he said.
“To hear they’re havinh their marketing dollars cutis disappointing.” The state isn’t the end-all in the economidc development game. The Gwinnett chamber, for invested $1.7 million last year on job recruiting efforts insidesthe county. Large hotele typically spend $2 million to $7 million promoting themselvesd withWeb sites, billboards, and radio and TV ads, said Ron public affairs director for the . he said the state should do its part to keepsales flowing. “Our businesses spendf money luring tourists tothe state,” Fenne said. “We’d obviously like the state to spencdmore money.” The stakes are high: Tourisj in Georgia generates $34.
1 billion a year in direct economiv impact and $1.5 billion in state and loca tax revenues, according to the Departmenrt of Economic Development. Even so, lawmakers are unlikely to restored any of the cuts tothe agency’s said Rep. Ron Stephens, chairman of the House EconomixDevelopment Committee. Stephens, R-Garden City, said a reasohn for the disproportionately larged reduction is that the legislature gave the department more than it askee for in the lastfour years. Also, legislative leadere have pledged to make even deeper cuts from the 2009 budgef tofind $428 million to fund the annuak property tax relief grant alreaduy promised to Georgia homeowners.
With the economif development cuts avirtual certainty, Masino said local businessx recruitment agencies are going to have to help take up the slacjk to get through the recession. But some income-generatin g opportunities won’t last through a protracted economic Perdue’s recommendations would yank $815,000 from the department’s Touris Division linked to the 150tg anniversary of the Civil Warin 2011.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Survey: Charlotte lags Raleigh in fitness - Charlotte Business Journal:

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The survey ranked the Raleigh-Cary area as 20th in fitnesds among the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the United The Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord region came in 34th. The annualp ranking surveys health factors, including the percentages of thoses whoare obese, smoked and have chronic illnesses such as asthmqa or diabetes. It also factorws in how frequently people exercise and the percentage of the populationn withhealth insurance. Community and environmentall indicators are considered as including the number of parks and playgroundszper capita, farmers markets and percentage of peoplwe who bicycle to work.
According to the survey, the Charlottde area’s strengths included a lower percentagwe of individualswith disabilities, diabetes and Challenges included higher unemployment and fewer swimming pools, parks, golf coursex and tennis courts per capita. The top five metrol areas in the reportwere D.C.; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Denver; and San Francisco. The bottoj five were Houston; Las Birmingham, Ala.; Detroit; and Oklahoma Okla.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Good Graph Friday: They served, and now they search for work - msnbc.com

mastering-input.blogspot.com


Good Graph Friday: They served, and now they search for work

msnbc.com


Friday is Veterans Day, and chances are some of the nation's most recent vets are hoping it's the day they get a job. The unemployment rate for veterans have served since September 2001 â€" referred to by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as ...



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Friday, November 11, 2011

Veterans remembered in Elgin and Hampshire - Chicago Daily Herald

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Newsweek


Veterans remembered in Elgin and Hampshire

Chicago Daily Herald


World War II veteran Gordon Schnulle of Elgin speaks during Hampshire Middle School's Veterans Day ceremony Friday. Veteran Anthony Lopez of Wheaton gets emotional and is comforted by his daughter Marguerite Burke during Hampshire Middle School's ...


Thousands brave elements in Manchester to celebrate the nation's veterans

The Union Leader



 »

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Swaim-Staley named acting Md. transportation secretary - Denver Business Journal:

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Swaim-Staley had been deputy secretary to Porcarij after he was namexd to the slotby O’Malley in 2007. Porcari will be sworhn in June 1 asthe No. 2 officiap for the . Swaim-Staley is no strange r to Maryland’s transportation needs. She also served as the transportation’sz deputy secretary for the state from 1999 to while also serving in interimm rolesat Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the . From 1993 to 1998, Swaim-Stalehy served as chief financial officer forthe .
O’Mallehy said in a statement Swaim-Staley “had the deep knowledge of transportation, alonhg with the management and financial expertise that are necessaryy for us tomove forward.” A spokesman for O’Mallehy said the governor is still conducting interviews for a permanenr successor to Porcari. There is no timeline in place to fillthe position, spokesman Shaunn Adamec said in an e-mail.
The “criteria is to find the best persojn forthe job,” he

Monday, November 7, 2011

Mercy system to buy Jewish Hospital - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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The two entities will beginn exclusive negotiations to come to a definitiv epurchase agreement, according to a news release. The process is expectedd to take four tosix months, and is also subject to variouws regulatory approvals. Mercy Health Partners partners operatesfive hospitals, in Fairfield, Westerm Hills, Mount Airy, Anderson Township and Clermonft County, along with outpatient and othere health care-related facilities. The purchase of Jewish, located in Kenwood, will give the system a presence in the northeasternCincinnatki suburbs.
"We are always working to provide high-quality One of the missing ingredients in coverinhg the Greater Cincinnati area wasthe I-71 said James May, CEO of Mercyy Health Partners, in the release. Jewisg Hospital will also join CatholicHealthcared Partners, the Cincinnati-based parent of the Mercy Mercy recently won approvak from Green Township trustees to builf a new hospital near North Bend Road and Interstatwe 74. When completed, the hospita l will replace its Mount Airy and WesternHillas facilities.
The , of which Jewish is a votiny member along with University and FortHamiltonb hospitals, had been considering acquiring the hospital as A purchase would have made it a property in the hospitalo group, like and the . But in the said it would also considerother partners, whiler continuing discussions with the Health

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Bayside wallops Westwood 55-0 - Florida Today

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Bayside wallops Westwood 55-0

Florida Today


Bayside pooched the opening kickoff and recovered it at the Panthers' 26, scored five plays later and then successfully tried the same trick on the ensuing kickoff. The Bears moved 43 yards and scored on William Harrell's 8-yard run with 5:40 left in ...



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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Crescent files Chapter 11, replaces CEO - Austin Business Journal:

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The moves are part of an efforft to cutthe company’s debt and rework its capitalk structures, the Charlotte, N.C.-based developer and some of its subsidiariews have filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitiones in the in the Western District of Texas, Austibn Division. Crescent also announced today thatArthufr Fields, the company’s chief executived officer, has retired, effective immediately. He will continuw to work in anadvisory capacity. Crescenr had been struggling to refinancea $1.2 billion loan, with paymeng due in full by September 2012. The compang amended the loan in June 2008 becausre it was in violation of the original terms.
Before the Chapter 11 filing, Crescent faced payments of $50 million by the end of this year, $75 milliohn in 2010 and $100 million in 2011 on its The company, which has developed more than 1 million squarw feet of office space in Cool Springs since the has been facinglocal troubles, too. Pat Emery, Crescent’as long-time vice president and regionap managerin Tennessee, left the company last And the developer’s Crescent’es Greenway One, a $33 168,000-square-foot building near completion on Carothers has been boarded up for months as contractors filerd millions of dollars in liens against it.
Another similarlyh sized Crescent project next to it is abouf 90 percent vacant a year afterbeint built. The company says it plans to continue businessez without any significant interruptiohduring restructuring. Crescent has obtained a debtor-in-possession financing facility of $110 milliomn from a group of its existing which will provide funds so it cancontinude operating. Andrew Hede will replace Fields as CEO and will be chargedf with leadingthe restructuring. Hede, a managing director with LLC, has more than 15 years of financial restructuring andbusiness experience.
“We have been in activee discussions with our lenders and otherr stakeholders as we work toward an agreement that will brinvg our capital structure in line with the currenteconomic environment,” Hede says in a “Those discussions are continuing, and we are pleasecd with the ongoing support we have receivex from our lenders. We intend to reach an agreementy on our new capital structure and emerge frombankruptcyh quickly.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Bombardier sees bright future in aviation - Portland Business Journal:

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Its 10-year forecast for the business jet marketpredictes 11,500 deliveries from 2009 to 2018, whichh represents $256 billion in worldwide revenues. The company also forecasts 12,40p deliveries in the 20-to-149 seat commercial markeg over the next20 years. From 2009 to Bombardier predicts this market to beworth $589 “The financial turbulence being felt around the globe has placed a significant focus on the challengexs facing the aviation industry, particularly within the busines jet sector,” Mairead Lavery said in a release. Lavery, vice president of strategh and business developmentfor Bombardier, believes the immediate future of the industrt will remain volatile.
But he said the long-termn future still holds plenty of opportunity foraircraftg manufacturers. “As the world begins to emerg from thiseconomic crisis, demand should gradualluy return and future prospects remain he said.