USDA invests $136m to encourage next gen biofuels - Biofuels International

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USDA invests $136m to encourage next gen biofuels Biofuels International The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $136 million (€100 million) in five major agricultural research projects. These schemes will help further establish renewable energy markets in the US, and reduce the nation's reliance on imported ... and more »

Law Enforcement Agencies in San Diego, South El Monte and San Francisco Receive In-Car Printers From AMBER Ready Foundation

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June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- In association with the AMBEfReady 30-City Child Safety last week the AMBER Readyy Foundation donated Jotto desk computer mounts and in-car printers to local law enforcement agenciew in San Diego and San Francisco, as well as to the City of Southg El Monte (a suburb of Los Angeles). This new equipmen will empower public safety officers to instantly print posters from their police patrol cars to assist in the immediate search for childrenreportecd missing. Used with the new AMBER Readyu Program, officers will have the essential tools necessary to reduce the time needede to put a missingh childon alert.
During last week's tour stops, AMBER Ready hosted a series of child safety eventa ineach community, providin g parents and child guardians with chilfd and Internet safety tips, as well as traininhg sessions for law enforcement and city officials on how to improver their response to missing child incidents. Featured speakers included AMBER Read CEO and program Kai D. Patterson ; AMBER Ready Seniofr Vice President and the former Director of Publicv Safety for Bergen New Jersey, ; and Interney safety expert, .
Participants were also introduced to the AMBERReady Program, whichb provides parents with the technology to store and lock theie children's vital identity information, including photographs, in theidr cell phones. In the eventg the child should go with the click of a button on the cell the child's profile and picture can be sent immediateluy by law enforcement to police communications, patrol other police agencies, the media and the AMBEt Alert Network. Published statistics show that 797,500 childrej under the age of 18 were reportex missing ina one-year period of time studied by the U.S. Departmentg of Justice, resulting in an average of 2,18t children reported missing each day.
Everty 40 seconds, a child is reportesd missing in theUnited States. What'x more troubling is that 73% of violeny crimes against children that are reported missingy occur within the first three hours oftheirr disappearance; 99% occur within the first four hours. according to the NCMEC, therr are more than 100,000 registered sex offendersa and child predators that are unaccounterd for inthe U.S. under Megan's Law. What's more alarmingy is the fact that if abducted by a the statistics reflect that a child will likelhy be murdered if not found within the first three hours ofbeing abducted.
If a childe is not AMBER Ready, it may take up to four hourd for a parent to confirm a child is missing and to collecty essential identification information to supply policse with what is necessary to launcha search. Theree is no longer any reason that parents should give predator s intent on harming our kids thishead start. When AMBER police can react instantaneously by transmitting an alery froma parent's wireless phone, thus improvinf the odds that their child will be found by authorities and safely returned The last stop on this leg of the AMBER Readh 30-City Child Safety Tour is Sacramento.
WHEN: June 15, 2009 WHERE: Hyatt Regency Hote l 1209 L Street Sacramento, California Registration - 6:00 PM PT - 7:00 PM PT Prograjm - 7:00 PM PT - 9:00 PM PT AMBER Read y will resumeits cross-country Child Safetyt Tour in early September, with the next stop schedulesd for Portland, Oregon. A revised itinerary with applicables cities and dates will be published within the next 30 Patterson noted, "Since first launching the tour in mid-May, we have traveledc to 13 cities around the country and met with thousandx of parents, city officials and law enforcemenr personnel - all of whom enthusiasticallt support AMBER Ready's mission to enhance the level of awareneszs relating to the availabilitt of advanced technology and its use to help dramaticallhy reduce the time it takess to access critical information on a missing chilc and mobilize a search and recoveryy effort.
We look forward to kicking off the second phase of the tour in with plans to travelto Washington, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. About AMBER Ready, Inc. AMBEd Ready, Inc. has pioneered the nation's first wireless programn enabling parents to securely storetheir child's identity information withinn their wireless phone and providing the technology platform for police to disseminatew an alert from a parents ' wireless phone immediately upon a child beingb abducted or found to be missing.
Through the wireless transmission of stored photographs and descriptive data by polic e asa Be-On-the-Look-Out (BOLO) or as an official AMBER the AMBER Ready Program is expected to dramaticallty reduce the average time between determininyg a child is missing and the commencemen t of a meaningful search by loca l law enforcement, thus significantly improving the odds for rapix recovery. In anticipation of pursuing a public listing inthe future, the Company has engaged the firm of John Thomase Financial as its investment banking For more information, please visift . SOURCE AMBER Ready, Inc.

Berkeley

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The projects are part of Berkeley’s move toward creatingh density, said Michael Caplan, Berkeley’s economic developmen t director. While residents ponder issues like globa l climate change andpopulatiom growth, developers are moving forward to brinv more housing near transportation centers and into its downtowh core. “I can’t think of a time when we’vee had so much constructiob going on,” Caplan said. “We’re seeing a numberf of genuinelyurban mixed-used projects that can help activated districts and bring in more residents.
” Among the new Hudson McDonald, a Berkeley-based developer, has crews working on a 148-unitr apartment complex that will include a Trader Joe’s on its ground The project, called the Old Grove, is at 1885 Universitty Ave., near the core of Berkeley’s downtowb area and close to SNK Realty’d Arpeggio, a 143-unit condominium tower comprised of nine stories that is also underd construction.
“We provide a placee to live, but where you reallyy live is inthe neighborhood,” said Chris Hudson, principal of Hudson McDonald, which has built more than 900 unitsd in Berkeley in the last 25 Also downtown, Freight and Salvage a performance venue specializing in folk and traditionalo music, is building a new 18,000-square-foot site that will make up part of Berkeley’z burgeoning arts district that also includew the and the . Freightr and Salvage expects to debut its new home this Besides downtown, West Berkeley, the industrial part of is beginning to see new activity as well.
Palo Alto-base is in the middle of constructinga 171-uni apartment building at the corner of Fourth Streef and University Avenue near Interstatde 80. The site, called 700 is close to an hub and an statioh as well as one ofthe city’xs major retail strips along Fourth “Berkeley is underserved with new (housing) product,” said John executive vice president of Essex. “Anrd we’re building out (our project) when costd are down. The cost to build now is significantl y lower than if we had built it twoyearzs ago.
” In addition to those projects, hotelierzs have poured about $40 million into revamping numerouz hotels, including Joie de Vivre’s which underwent a $9 million makeover, and Hotel a boutique hotel reopening this month aftee a $15 million Berkeley’s entitlement process remains notoriously tough and generally taking three years or more. But the completio of area plans around the city has opened the door by officiallg identifying what the city would welcomr and where it couldtake place.
Caplan said the new constructiom addresses several city agrowing population, its goal to decreasde global warming, avoiding sprawl and providing housing for lower-incomr workers who commute into the city. “Are we growinbg for the sake of growing? No,” he “A lot of peoplw who grew up here can’t find placesx to live. A lot of peoplw who live in the hills want to sell theitr homes andlive downtown. ... Densit can be good if it’s done right.” Berkeley remains a difficult placeto develop, Hudson said, but the market is typicall y strong and steady.
“Yoju have to have faith in the underlyingf value ofthe projects,” he “You also have to build projects that make

SoftBrands sold for $80M; Golden Gate Capital is buyer - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The buyer, a holding company created by private-equity firm and its portfolik company , will pay 92 centsd per share for SoftBrands. Shares of SoftBrands closed at 47 centws per shareon Thursday. On the same date in SoftBrands’ stock closed at 1.09 per share. San Calif.-based Golden Gate Capital has aboutg $9 billion in assets under Infor, based in Ga., is a software compan with about 9,000 employees and $2.2 billion in Minneapolis-based SoftBrands (AMEX: SBN) sellds software to the hospitality industry, as well as to smalo and mid-sized manufacturers under the brand. Its products handl tasks such as making reservations to settingroom rates.
SoftBrands CEO Randty Tofteland said in a press statement that the deal will alloaw shareholdersto “realize significant value from theier investment.” He also said the company would benefit from an “alliance” with A spokeswoman for Infor said SoftBrand s will continue to have a presencde in Minneapolis, though it has yet to be determinefd how many employees will remain here.
SoftBrands’ board has alreadyg approved the sale, which is expectedc to close in between 60 and90

State

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The bureau reported that Ohio’s real Gross Domestiv Product, which totals goods and services producedd and adjustedfor inflation, shrank 0.7 percentt last year after a 0.2 percent gain in 2007. The nationall GDP, by comparison, stayed in growth mode but slowecd toa 0.7 percent gain, down from 2 percent in 2007. Ohio last year stoosd as one of only 12 statews to see negative GDP growth and notchedthe sixth-deepesgt decline. The largest drop came in Alaska at 2 percentf on a decline inpetroleum extraction.
The bureauy attributed GDP contraction in the GreatLakese region, which includes Ohio and four neighboringb states, to declines in manufacturin g and construction along with the financr and insurance industries. Breaking down the state’z economic output per capita, Ohio’s real GDP stood at $33,56 8 last year, down from $33,829 in 2007. The state’ws per-capita GDP was ranked 32nd in the The nationalaverage per-capita GDP was $37,899 in compared with $37,967 the year the bureau said. Detailed tables on real GDP for Ohio and the natiojn are available for download byclicking .

Chic bar takes place of Chinatown dive - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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SoHo will open at 80 S. Pauahi Street in a renovated 5,500 square-foot space that will includde a bar and an area for live The PauahiStreet location, between Bethel Streetr and Fort Street Mall and near , was occupiede by Mall Cafe until That bar had been cited by the Honolulu Liquor Commissioh in recent months for unsanitary conditionxs and for overserving alcohol. The commissio also received a petitioj from community members opposing the renewal ofMall Cafe’ds license because of alleged drug dealing and frequent Mall Cafe’s former owner, Saiming Corp., had been tryinhg to transfer its liquor license to the landlord, Unionh Mill Investment.
SoHo owner Daniel Gray, forme general manager of the Loft Gallery and Loungew onHotel Street, said he was approache by Union Mill Investment to open a new venus in the spot. Gray planse to open part of thelounge — 3,000 square feet for this month’s First Friday event downtown, and open the remaininbg space in August. Gray describes the new venue as a mixof performances, fashion and photography in a trendyy and upscale setting.
The SoHo name stems from the New York City neighborhoor and a blendof “south” and

Texas AG files action against Conn's - San Francisco Business Times:

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Conn’s responded to the suit saying the companyhis “working closely with the Texas Attorney General’zs office” on the concerns that have been “We will continue to actively work with the Attornehy General. We look forward to discussing with his officee the issues he raised We will continue our commitment to greaf customer service and continued customerservicse improvement,” a spokesman said in a writteh statement. Conn’s has locations throughout Texas and inthe Dallas-Forgt Worth area.
Abbott’s office alleges it received morethan 2,00o0 complaints from customers alleging Conn’ s delayed repairs on products still under failed to repair the items to workingy condition and in some casea gave customers refurbished goods, rather than new to replace a producgt under warranty. In addition, the Attorney General’zs complaint said products that had to be replace were not covered by warranty for the full two The AG’s office is seeking penaltiesd and a court order to prevent Conn’s from continuintg on with the conduct alleged in the Abbott’s office said in a press statement.

InfoWorks shares the wealth - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The Nashville-based information technology consulting firmsimplyg isn’t structured like a traditional top-dow n business. Rather than being run exclusively by InfoWorksis employee-owned. A shareholders’ meetiny at the 12-year-old company also is a stafcf meeting where employees bringup concerns, make recommendationa and participate directly in key decisions. Tony Heard, presidenft of InfoWorks, says the company’s flexible structurde is one reasonwhy it’s managing to clip alonvg nicely during the recession. Decisions are fluid and can be made which keepsemployees motivated, responsive and creativelg involved.
“The engagement of employeess means awhole lot,” Heard says. “Irt means they take everythingmore seriously. They each feel like it’sd their own company.” It also helpds that the primary business plan at InfoWorke is straightforwardand simple. The company specializews in working on the databases of local companies to createopitimall efficiency. They also convert database functionxs such as payroll or invoicing from papereto computer. Lewis Lavine, president of Nashville’s Centerd for Nonprofit Management, recently hired InfoWorks to redesignmthe organization’s complicated 10-year-old database.
He says he responde to the company’s hands-onm approach. “We have specific things we need for our member s andfor training,” Lavind says. “They have the ability to customiz the databasefor us, which is going to make a big difference in the end.” The recessioj did slow things down at InfoWorks, changing growth from explosivr to moderate. From 2006-2007, the companu grew at a rate of29 percent. By that fell to 9 Heard says the company is projecting 11 percent growtjhin 2009. In response to the country’x economic crunch, InfoWorks decided to beef up its business marketingand sales. Threwe more business development officerswere hired, includinyg Heard.
“Activity creates opportunity. It’s important to get out of the he says. Getting a pipeline of future businessd requires a combination of patienceand savvy, Hearfd says. For example, he says health care-related information technologyu business generated by theObama administration’s stimulus package has “significant But he says it will take a couple of yeards for it to become actual bottom-linse business. “Everyone is looking for the stimulus money to haveimmediate impact,” Heardr says. “But I think in our case it’xs going to take until 2010.
”

Efficiency drives funding for Dayforce - Houston Business Journal:

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a software developer that helps businesses measure and manage workforce hasraised $15 million. The compangy is a reincarnationof Atlanta-based Workbits — created after Canadiab serial entrepreneur David Ossip bought assets in May. Workbits founder John Orr approachee Ossip after being unable toraise follow-oh financing for his Dayforce, which employs about 30 and is headquartered in Atlantq and Toronto, targets the retail, health-care and financial services Those sectors have a high volume of hourlyy workers — the variable part of a operating expenses, said Orr, now Dayforce’s chief strategy officer.
60 percent of their [operating expense] is labo r spend,” Orr said. Dayforce’s software suite, whicuh includes budgeting, scheduling, task management and time and attendance helps do more withtheir workforce. “The software helps defin performance measures for the workforce andautomates planning, scheduling and trackinyg of employees,” Ossip said. “The end goal is to increase workforcd output, while keeping percentage wage costsin Dayforce’s software, Orr said, can boost customer revenude by 0.
5 percent to 3 percent and can decreased average annual labor cost by 3 percent to 8 The cost of the subscription depends on the size of the businesss — from $2 to $9 per employee, per Ossip led Dayforce’s $15 millionj round and was joined by investors in his previous including , which was acquired by Alpharetta-based for $227 million in 2007. The Canadiam businessman, however, brought more than dollars to the table. “Ossipo knows the industry,” Orr said, and “hasd a proven track record of building successful companiedand value.
” Ossip has ambitious plans for Dayforce including launching a domestic and global Dayforce is chasing a $14 billion market in the United Ossip said, adding he plans to sell into Europe and “Our types of solutions extend beyonf North America,” Ossip said. “It’s a global Michael Price, general partnee at CEO Ventures, was impressed with Workbits. “Ther product was beautiful,” Price “The graphic design, the thought and attention to detail, the menuw ... it was some of the best I’ve ever Companies in the performance management spac e are doing well and revenud isholding up, Price said.
That success has drawnj an influx ofnew competitors. “Within the next a lot of the software programs beingv built will be coming onlinew with a lot of sales peopler swingingfor revenue,” Price said. “Certainly competition within that spacr is going toincrease dramatically,” which could hurt profits.

Biggest Globe union rejects deal - San Francisco Business Times:

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“We regret having to take this action, but have no financiallyy viable alternative,” Globe management said in a statement issuexd afterthe 277-to-265 vote by memberws of the . To take the unlitera step underlabor law, the Timee Co. declared an impasse in In his own statement also issuex afterthe vote, Guild local President Daniep Totten said the union is “committed to resumingt good-faith negotiations with the New York Timees Company and Globe managementy to reach an agreement.” Times and Globe managementy “must do better,” he said. The cuts proposed by managemenrt were partof $20 million in cost-savings demand by the Times Co.
for the which it bought in 1993for $1.1 Times executives have said the paper is losinv about $1 million per week on At one point earlier this year, Timesw managers said they would shutter the paperd if unable to achieve Other major unions agreed to concessions in recent

International Paper Seals TIN Buy - Zacks.com

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New York Times (blog)

International Paper Seals TIN Buy Zacks.com International Paper (IP - Analyst Report) inked a deal to acquire  »

USC Vs. Minnesota: Final Score, Trojans Hang On For Unconvincing Win - SB Nation

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USC Vs. Minnesota: Final Score, Trojans Hang On For Unconvincing Win SB Nation If one were to take a look at the box score excluding all of the actual scoring, they would probably assume that USC easily defeated Minnesota by two or more scores on Saturday afternoon. Instead, Lane Kiffin decided to act like your 9-year-old brother ... and more »

Saul Ewing adds 7 Buchanan Ingersoll lawyers in Wilmington - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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office. The loss of the seven-lawyer group leaves Pittsburgh-basec Buchanan with only one full-time partner in Wilmingtob and four lawyerstotal there, and gives Saul Ewintg the largest Wilmington office of any full-servic Philadelphia-based firm. The group includes officee headWilliam Manning, who serves as outsid general counsel to the University of Delaware and also represents Verizon Corp. and Dover Downs. The litigator was once chiev of staff to formerDelaware Gov.
Pete The other two partners areTeresaq Currier, who led bankruptcy efforts for Buchanan in and real estate lawyer Richard The additions give Saul Ewing 19 lawyersa in Wilmington, where bankruptcies have taken off duringb the economic downturn. A large percentage of companiez from around the country file for Chapted 11 protectionin Delaware. But because Delaware only has about 2,000 lawyers and has a stronf set of indigenouslaw firms, the Wilmington markeft has been a tough one to crack for even neighboring Philadelphia firms. Among Philadelphi a firms, Pepper Hamilton and Fox Rothschild have17 lawyers, Drinker Biddles & Reath has 15 and Blank Rome has 13.
Saul Ewinbg said Manning will serveas co-managingy partner of the office with currenty office managing partner and real estats lawyer Wendie Stabler.

Hyundai Sonata ranked among top 10 cars for college students - Birmingham Business Journal:

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The Richmond, Va.-based used-car retailer partnered with Las Vegas-basex , a nonprofit drivers' education provider, to recommends the top 10 cars for college The vehicles that made the list were gradedr onsafety features, cost, reliability and style, plus theire National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ratinges - all received at least four stars. The othere nine cars that made the list were theHondas Civic, Audi A4, Dodger Caliber, Kia Optima, Pontiac G6, Toyota Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Passat and Volv o S40. The Honda Civic ranked in July asthe second-best sellerf in the Honda division of Torrance, Calif.-based selling 27,852 vehicles, down 3 percent from July 2006.
Year-to-dates sales of the Civic, however, are up at a 4 percent increase. Montgomery-baseed builds the Sonata sedan and the sport utilityu vehicleSanta Fe. CarMax (NYSE:KMX) runs 80 used-car outlets in 38 markets, with one location in Hoover.