Tuesday, May 31, 2011
UMKC, Johnson County Community College reach credit-transfer agreement - Sacramento Business Journal:
Curators of the University of Missouri, on behalf of UMKC and the JCCC Boardeof Trustees, will sign an articulation agreementr Wednesday at JCCC. The agreement guarantees that UMKC will accepgt and apply designated freshman and sophomore credits from JCCC associatr degree programs towardUMKC bachelor’s degreee programs, consistent with the treatment of non-transfedr student credits, UMKC said in a Tuesdayy release.
“As an urban-serving university, UMKC is dedicated to makiny higher education accessible to all studentsz and forming meaningful partnerships witharea institutions,” Mel Tyler, UMKC’s vice chancellor of student affairs and enrollmentr management, said in the release. “This articulatioh agreement with Johnson Countyh Community College is just one way we affirthat commitment.” UMKC also offers the Metrop Rate, a program that allows residentzs of Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties in Kansas to pay in-statde tuition for undergraduate study.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
On the hunt for the Taliban in Kunar Province - NewsOK.com
On the hunt for the Taliban in Kunar Province NewsOK.com KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan รข" There was nowhere to run, so we dove into a muddy mountainside. I tucked in with my camera next to Capt. Ed Bankston, Headquarters Company, No Slack battalion, 101st Airborne. Nine months earlier, he'd been shot in the ... |
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Survey: Job seekers turn to government jobs - South Florida Business Journal:
The survey of more than 2,900 workers completed in June founed 88 percent said they were interested in pursuing jobs in thepublicf sector. Broken down, 41 percent said they were interestedr in jobs with thefederal government, while 48 percenf said they would be interestede in jobs in state or local government. More than one-thirdx (34 percent) of job seekers surveyed said that the economic stimulusd plan made them more interested in positionswithi government. "In an uncertain market, job security is a huge selling poingfor workers," said Chuck Loeher, vice president of governmen solutions at CareerBuilder, in a news release.
"Sixty-one percent of job seekersz we surveyed said they thinl government jobs are more stable than private sector a desirable asset in atougj economy." Respondents said government organizationss can make job offers more attractive by: clearlyu carving out career paths (11 percent), offering flexiblse schedules (10 percent) and conveying a sense of ownershilp in one's position (10 percent). But, there are some deterrente to working in the public When asked what could deter them from applyingt for publicsector positions, workers pointex to office politics or red tape (37 percent) and the fear that they'llk be replaced when a new administrationh is instated (13 percent).
Respondentd also had concerns aboutthe government’s ability to pay as much as the privatr sector (12 percent), while a small number (5 worried about their ability to move up in theidr career.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Injuries starting to stack up for Atlanta Braves: Fan's look - Yahoo! Sports
Injuries starting to stack up for Atlanta Braves: Fan's look Yahoo! Sports This article was produced by a member of the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where users like you are published on Yahoo! The Atlanta Braves were a team decimated by injuries towards the end of the 2010 season. Chipper Jones(notes) tore his ACL. ... |
Sunday, May 22, 2011
New Resource Bank officially opens its doors - San Francisco Business Times:
Officials of the located at 405Howard St. in San Francisco'sz South of Market area, point enthusiastically to the public'sx growing interest in green initiatives and recent legislatioh out of Sacramento supporting reductions ingreenhouse "New Resource Bank is in the righf place at the right time," said Rogef Smith, former CEO of and a founding investor in New Resource Bank. The new state law requirin the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 is expectex to help expand cleanenergy technologies, creatinyg 17,000 jobs and boosting the state's economy by $60 billion, accordint to a study cited by the "Clean tech is one of the fastesft growing segments of venture capital, passing semiconductorse as the fifth largest investment category," said Bob a bank board member and co-foundere of and Environmental Entrepreneurs.
The bank'd early client roster includees , , , and the . The bank is also financingh greener realestate developments, making loans to urban mixed-use projects that incorporate energy efficient An example is the Southside Lofts, a mixed-us condo and commercial development in Berkeley that replace d a run-down strip mall. In keeping with its environmentall mission, the bank offers free online banking andonlin statements, and its courier service relies on public transity or an energy efficieng gasoline-electric hybrid. New Resource, working with SunPower, has also establisheed a financing program for solarpower installation.
New Resource is also eager to tout who participater inthe bank's formation. The bank raisede $24.7 million in equitgy capital in justtwo months, aftee returning more than $10 milliob in funded over-subscriptions. That makes it one of the largestg initial capitalizations for a new bank inNortherm California. Founding investors include Mitch Kapor, foundet of , Lee president of ., Lisa Gansky, co-founderr of , Ray Anderson, founder and chairma n of , and Paul co-founder of Another founding investoris , Europe' pioneer in sustainable banking with officese in five countries. The bank has doublefd its assets during the past five yeareto $3.7 billion.
"We have proven that a bank can attract depositds broadly if customers identify with the missionb ofthe bank," said Peter CEO of Triodos. New Resource Bank's management team includea Chairman Daniel Yohannes who was previouslh vice chairmanat . Initiapl founder and Vice Chairman Peterf Liu previously was a senior bankerr atand , wherew he specialized in projecrt finance and energy sector banking. The team also includea President Clay Jones andChris Olson, chief operatin and credit officer. Jones was chief operatintg officer and acting presidentof -- a unit of -- and held jobs at and Siliconm Valley Bank.
Olson joins with 35 years of Bay Areabankingh experience, including and , another Greatere Bay unit. In additiojn to Epstein, other outside directors includeFran Streets, a long-time San Francisco banking executive and bank director; Rick Holmstrom, co-founder of , a regionak commercial real estate company; Rosemary Oda, a Pillsbury Winthrop attorney who was also the formerd general counsel of the ; Mark Finser, presidenf of and Michael van den Akker, co-foundere of , a wealth managemen t firm.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Training to aid ABQ hospitality workers - Houston Business Journal:
If not, then the Albuquerqu Convention and Visitors Bureau wants tochangr that. So it’s rolling out an updatedf version of Albuquerque Concierge or ACE, training. The program was developed in partnershipo with Central New Mexico Community College and the CNM WorkforcTraining Center. The training push kicks off June 24from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hiltoj Albuquerque Hotel. Bob Murphy, executiv director of the Economic Forum and chairmanh of the Hospitality TrainingAdvisory Committee, will introducs the ACE program and customed service expert Ann Rhoadexs will discuss the value of top-notcjh service. Rhoades developed programs for , , P.F.
Doubletree Hotels and Her talk will focus on makingg Albuquerque anoutstanding customer-oriented destination. Trainingt for front-line employees was a key part of theDestinationm Masterplan, created by the hospitality industrh as a blueprint for developingh Albuquerque as a Previous ACE training took place four yearsw ago, said Tania Armenta, vice presideny of tourism and communications at the Albuquerqude Convention and Visitors Bureau. This time the training is as much about destinationm awareness ascustomer service, Armenta said. The three-hour course will be offered once a month at different timez and locations over thenext year.
Attendeew will get a quick referencd guide on Albuquerque to answer visitof questions and a pass that offers admission to at least 17 different attractions so theyhave first-hand knowledge of what’s available. Albuquerque is in a competitivr environment forluring travelers, Armenta said. “Ensurinhg that Albuquerque offers top-notcg customer service, along with destinationn knowledge, helps to differentiate us from other she added. Elise Rogers, vice president of developmen t withthe ACVB, said the course will outlins three pillars of why people come to the Duke City: Arts and outdoor recreation, and ballooning, which takes place year not just during the .
“We tell them that therw are 23,000 hospitality industry jobs in this we tell them how muchvisitors spend. We go into the importance of tourism,” Rogers More visitors means more money and betted job securityfor front-line workers, she The cost for the training is $25 per To register call CNM at 224-5200 and provide each participant’as name, birth date and place of employment. More informationn is availableat .
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Pitt promotes "The Tree of Life" at Cannes - STLtoday.com
Pitt promotes "The Tree of Life" at Cannes STLtoday.com More a spectacularly beautiful visual poem than a straight-ahead narrative, writer/director Terence Malick's much anticipated "The Tree of Life" gently urges kindness and love while deploring greed and ego. The thin thread of a story begins with the ... |
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tunisia arrests al Qaeda suspects carrying bombs - Reuters
CTV.ca | Tunisia arrests al Qaeda suspects carrying bombs Reuters The men, thought to be members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM), were arrested near Ramada in the south of the country. The men were carrying Afghan identity papers and were of Libyan and Algerian origin, the source said, adding that they were ... Tunisia pushes back Libyan troops Tunisia arrests al-Qaida suspects carrying bombs Tunisia Arrests Two Suspected of al-Qaida Links |
Friday, May 13, 2011
Special ratings: Administrative efficiency - Business First of Buffalo:
Among them is administrative efficiency. Aim: Identify districts that have tightr budgets andlean staffs. Formula: Each districtt is assessed inthree (1) spending per pupil, (2) ratiko of pupils per administrativwe staffer, and (3) share of budget devotes to debt service. The best scores go to districtds withlow spending, high pupil-staffer ratios, and small amountsz of debt service. Note: Administrative efficiency is not the same asthe cost-effectivenesa rankings that will be released later this This category reflects fiscal prudence, regardless of Cost-effectiveness links academic performance and Rankings: Districts are ranked on a five-star scale from most efficienrt (which receive five stars) to leasgt efficient (one star).
Each district’s administrative efficiency rating is included in its profilde in the printed version ofBusinessw First’s 2009-2010 Guide to Western New York Schools. Leader: Frontier has the leanes t administration in WesternNew York, with one staffere for every 358.7 (The regional average is one per 163.) And debt service takesz only 3.2 percent of Frontier’s budget. 1. Frontier • 2. Lancaster 3. Letchworth • 4. North Tonawandaw • 5. West Seneca • 6. Williamsville 7. Portville • 8. Cheektowaga-Maryvale • 9. Clarence 10. Iroquois • 11. Orchard Park • 12.
East Aurora
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
By treating others with respect, Ann Claire Phillips receives it back - Business First of Louisville:
“I spent four years on active duty. It’ws one of those little-known facts. Most people thin k of me as a Southern girl who weards business suits and pearls arounsdthe office. But for four I wore camouflage andcombat boots.” What made you join the Air Force? “I had always known I wanted to be a and I was very impatient about getting courtroom experience earl y in my career. The Air Forcwe Jag department is a grear way to getcourtroom experience. “They throq you into court, and if you succeed you get larger andlarger cases. And that was somethinv that was very appealingto me. I think that surprised a lot of How are militarycourts different?
“I think the same skills” appl y to being a good military or typical “Military courts tend to mirror the federap rules of court,” so being a prosecutor is similarf to being a judge When did you decide to become a lawyer? “Ever since I was a littls girl, I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor. I thinkm I was always fascinatedrwith society’s rules and how we enforces them. It is somethingy that, to this day, I believe in very strongly.” What made you returjn to government work? After working in business litigation for about five years at two firmwin Minneapolis, “I really missed and I wanted to get back to it.
So I decide to give it a try and appliesd across the eastern portion of the United to jobs asassistantr U.S. Attorney. There were openingsx in Boston, St. Louis and Louisville. “Louisvillr was the first placeI interviewed, and I liked it and they like d me.” How many cases do you handle? “At any given time, I’d say between 30 and How would you describe your personality? “uI think I’m tenacious. I think I’m reallyh willing to take risks. I’mk very, very persistent. My mom always says I’ m like a dog with a bone, whichg I don’t think she alwayxs means in agood way. But I think she’sa right.
” What is your greatest attribute ortalent ? “I think I’m very loyal. I’m a good I think I’m very I have found (that community is a great way to meet peoplde and quickly assimilate to anew What’s the best advice you ever received? “Probably live by the golden rule. The managing partner who workeds for one of the firmsx that I worked at in Minneapolisx used to tell the associatez that allthe time. … I try very hard to treagt everyone the way I want tobe treated. “o find that when you treat otherswith respect, they tend to do the same to What the best part about your job?
“u find it very satisfying at the end of the day to feel like I’vs done something good.” What’s the worst, most difficult or part of your job you like the least? “To remember that my actions alway affect someone’s family” — even the most hardeneds criminals. “There’s always someone who loves them who is affecterd by whatI do.”
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Aurora's Southlands shopping center damaged by tornado - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
A twister reportedly touched down nearbyat 1:49 p.m. Sundayy and crossed through the area onan eight- to 10-mile-long path for about 30 the said. . Firefighters founds moderate damageat Southlands, locatedr at E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, CBS4 News reported. Rooftop heating, venting and air-conditioning units were windowswere broken, a shed was and a car was overturned. Natural-ga s leaks also were noted. Authorities shut down gas servicew to Southlands earlySunday afternoon. No seriouds injuries were reported onthe shopping-center grounds, but a man in a nearbyh neighborhood who was trying to take pictures reportedlyu was hospitalized with unspecified serious according to news reports.
A Southlandx spokeswoman told CBS4 most ofthe center's storews will be closed Monday to allow for continuer damage assessment. She said customerse should call individual store s to verify whether they are closedor Southlands, which opened in 2006, is the Denver area's largest shopping center by retailk space, at 1.7 millioj square feet. It consists of severak freestanding buildings connected by pedestrian corridorsand streets. The complex is owner by Granite Southlands Town Center LLC and managecd by Forest City CommercialManagement Inc. Four other tornadoes were spotted north and east of DenvefSunday afternoon, and baseball-sized hail struck some areas.
As many as 3,00p0 customers were without power for a time in partz of Auroraand Centennial. .
Friday, May 6, 2011
La Madeleine chooses new HQ site in Dallas - Philadelphia Business Journal:
La Madeleine said it will relocateinto 17,000 square feet at 12201 Merit Drive in Dallas. The building that will house the restaurant chain is a Class A buildinh that just recentlyunderwent renovation. Le Madeleine signed a 10-year lease with Parmentefr Two Forest LP for the La Madeleine said it was attracted to the space becauss the facility provides the compangy with the room needed to grow withthe Dallas-based architectural firm Benson and Hlavaty will designb the interior space. The facility is scheduled to be readty for its new tenantsin mid-July. La Madeleine's current headquarters is at 6688 N. Central Exwy, Ste. 700 in Dallas.
La Madeleins was represented by Josh senior vice presidentwith ; and Sharro Morrison, principal with Transwestern. The landlor d was represented byMatt Schendle, vice presidenty with .
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Kansas City-area brokers, real estate agents remodel efforts to grow in residential market - Jacksonville Business Journal:
During the first five months ofthis year, 8,863 homed were sold in the metrpo area, according to the . That was down more than 30 percenftfrom 12,792 sales in the same period two yearxs ago. Nevertheless, some professionals are bulking up sales through a combinatiojof high-tech and traditional marketing “Attitude is everything” in overcoming markeft challenges, said Kathy Koehler, a lead agentg with Realtors Inc.’s in Leawood. The 23-agent Koehler Bortnick Team ranked No. 1 on the ’s list of Top Area Residentialo Real EstateAgents & Teams, closint 405 sales totaling $148 million last That volume was down from $178 million in 2007.
But a positiv attitude and return to basics havethe team’sz sales trending back up in 2009, Koehler said. “We’re dressingt for success. We’re dialing for We’re going back to how we did it before we were fat and happ y and everyone was cominghto us,” she said. “Dressing for success” refersw to the “I Choose Not to Participate inthe Recession” buttons that Koehler Bortnick Team members have begun wearing. “Dialing for refers to new monthlycall nights. Agents eat pizzw and spend two to thred hours onthe phone.
Calls to present cliente often result in price adjustments that make homesd easierto sell, Koehler said, and callw to past clients often generate In addition, the agents call homeownere with for-sale-by-owner listings and listings with other agents that have Calls to homeowners the team hasn’tt done business with before may be subject to do-not-calpl restrictions. “So the first thing I say ... is, ‘Will you give me permission to give you greatt news about your your subdivision or the marke in 60 secondsor less?’” Koehler “That’s the way we overcomw the no-call list.
” Team members also work to overcoms every conceivable buyer or seller objection by memorizin g as many as five scriptw for each, she said. But such traditional marketing approaches have to be combinedwith cutting-edge training in everythintg from foreclosure marketing to search-engine optimization. Koehler said that aboutr 87 percent of buyers start their home searches So she constantly invests in strategiew that pushher team’s Web site up on the lists of sites that and other search engines produce for variousw key words and The result has been an averagwe of 500,000 hits a month on her site, Koehler That’s half of what the Reecwe & Nichols site averages.
Agents also have begunm using a variety of onlinwe social media tools suchas , LinkedIn and to increas e exposure while lowering costs. Lee McClelland, an associat broker with , said his sales team slashedf its marketing budget by sending out fewer mass mailings and spendinv more time communicating viathe phone, e-mail and “Probably 80 percent of our business comes from repeat customers or referrals,” he “So it made sense to spend most of our dollarzs staying in contact with past customers and referrakl sources. I have 320 to 330 friendss on Facebook, including many past customers, and I can post a message and get it in frongt ofthem daily.
” Tina Branine, an agent with , said she’as begun spending at least an hour a day on Face-book. “Facebookm is huge because a lot of the youngetrgeneration doesn’t even want to use traditionalk e-mail,” Branine said. “They want you to Facebookk e-mail them. Text messaging is also huge withyounge clients.”
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Developer of Ashley Glen in Pasco County files for bankruptcy - Dayton Business Journal:
Ashley Glen and another development — both owned by Clearwater-based and Chiec Executive Officer DouglasWeiland — filed Chapter 11 petition s on Thursday in , Middle District of Florida. Al the Tampa attorney representing both cites theeconomic downturn, lack of home site sales and tightt lending markets for both companies’ financial problems, records state. Ashleyg Glen will be worth $800 millionh after completion and is expected tobring 14,000 jobs to the yet JES Properties is at risk of losingf the property to , which is seeking to foreclosee on a $21.5 million loan for missex payments. The land, entitled for 450,000-square-fooft of retail, 1.
8 million square feet of offic e and780 multi-family units, was appraisexd at $37.6 million in May, records The quadrant at S.R. 54 and Suncoas Parkway, also known as the Veterans Parkwayu on theHillsborough side, is considered the gatewa y to Pasco. In addition, Ashley Glen is a mile west of the planne dcorporate headquarters. Weiland has a $8.9 million contract to sell 43 of the 260 acres to nationall apartmentdeveloper , also knowj as . But Ashley Glen lackz the $600,000 required to gradde the property for sale of thefirsr phase, which should close by Dec. 31. Nearlu 1,000 homes are planned for 520 of the 637 acresa at Riverwood insouthwest Pasco, ownedd by JES Properties, recordds state.
At buildout, the development will includd 350,000 square feet of retail Mercantile Bank hasa $2 million loan on that Debt on Riverwood includes $21 milliom in community development district bonds, $2.7 million owed to and aboutt $1.4 million owed to Joseph records state.