Bradenton Holiday Inn Express owners seek bankruptcy protection - Phoenix Business Journal:

jwid-infants.blogspot.com
Sroka Hospitality filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday inthe ’ss Middle District of Florida claimint assets and liabilities of between $1 million and $10 court documents said. Sroka Hospitality was foundedc in 2003 and purchased the Bradenton hotel in 2007for $7.2 according to the company’s case management summar y filed with the Revenue was about $1.8 million in 2008 and is expected to be almost half that in 2009 at $1 Bank of the West is still owed $4.3 milliobn while the is owed just under $2 documents said. The hotelp also owes $102,000 to the Manated County Tax Collector, a debt the company Both loans were handlec throughthe .
Bank of the West said the hotel’sz value has fallen from $7.2 million to $2.8 milliojn based on its own appraisal, however, Sroka Hospitality said it believes the property iswortu more. The hotel, located near Statse Road 64 and Interstate 75in Bradenton, sold in 2004 for $4.365 million. Sroka Hospitality purchased it after the companyt soldits St. Augustine hotel in favor of having a Holiday Inn Expressbranderd hotel, according to published reports.

Congress Convenes Without a Kennedy For the First Time in Nearly 50 Years - The Takeaway

acasadtoglad-shiva.blogspot.com

Washington Post

Congress Convenes Without a Kennedy For the First Time in Nearly 50 Years The Takeaway When the 112th Congress convenes next week, it will be the first class of legislators in nearly fifty years that does not include a member of the Kennedy ... Kennedy's exit from Congress leaves a family void Washington Post The sole Kennedy in office, Shriver 'thrilled' to be in local politics Santa Monica Daily Press Patrick Kennedy Announces Retirement MyFox Phoenix The Voice of Russia -Scotsman  »

Webdigs lists shares on OTC stock exchange - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

http://www.alternativemedicinetalks.com/wanted-info-on-spine-situation
Webidgs, founded in 2007, is a Web-basedf real estate brokerage that gives home buyere and sellers discounts on realestates services. It also has a mortgage-financing The firm began its process of going public last year when it merged with a dormant shelo of a public company calledr SelectVideo Inc. “Becoming a fully-reportingv public company is anotherd step in our plans to expaned our services in markete acrossthe U.S.,” said Webdigsw founder and CEO Rob Buntz. “We believes the savings we offer are beneficial toour customers, especiallt in tough economic times such as Webdig’s stock (OTC Bulletin Board: WBDG.
OB) was unchanged at 30 centa per share Monday afternoon. The firm has a marketr capitalization valueof $6.6 million. The companyg reported net salesof $235,922 and losses of $551,990 for the threre months ended July 31, its fiscak third quarter, according to documentsw filed with the U.S. Securitiee and Exchange Commission.

Sharpening skills a necessity - The Detroit News

http://personaltouchlv.com/news-tips/Top-10-Customer-Expectations.htm

Sharpening skills a necessity The Detroit News Detroit -- There are points in the NHL season when every team has to look at itself and take account of what's happening. No season ever goes totally ... and more »

King Soopers, workers heading back to bargaining table - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

shemwellmygalej1291.blogspot.com
The contract at hand involved an increas e inpreventative health-care programs and a wage increase, as well as a decrease in pension benefits, King Soopers spokeswoman Diane Mulligan said. workers had protested the pensionbenefit cuts, with the Unitef Food and Commercial Worker s Union Local No. 7 warning that some could lose $100,00p over the life of the and said the wage increases werenot “We are ready, willing and able to get back to the bargainingb table if the corporation is willing to meet us King Soopers worker Julie Gonzalez said in a news release put out by the “All we’re asking for is a fair deal.
And we reallg hope they don’t lock us out for asking for livable wages and a pensiohn plan that recognizes our contribution tocompany profits.” Aboutt 17,000 union workers from the area’ws three largest grocery chains — Albertsons, King Sooperx and — have been in negotiationws with the grocers since Aprio 9 on new five-yeat contracts. Safeway workers have voted to exten their contract untilJune 26, which Albertsons and King Soopers employees currently are workinv without contracts. The rejection of the latesyt King Soopers contract proposal came quicklty after votingbegan Monday.
Workers in Coloradok Springs, Longmont and Boulder are voting today, while Pueblo workers are schedulecd to castballots Wednesday. King Soopers spokeswoman Dian Mulligan said that the rejection of the deal will not have any tangibl effect onstore operations. King Soopers workerse have not cast ballotsto strike. “We’re disappointec in the vote, but we look forward to getting back to Mulligansaid Tuesday.
King Soopers is a unit of Cincinnati-basedr

Rio Rancho looking for public access manager - New Mexico Business Weekly:

symowugebeda.blogspot.com
In early 2005, city officials decided to seek a private contractort to managethe city'ss public access cable services. Previously, the city had managed the operation itself, running a small studipo out of city hall and using city employees for the work. But in July of the city will move to new officesx in the Rio Rancho City Center nowunder construction, and the plans for the $15.8 million city hall do not include studio spacd for public access television. When the city firsr issued a request for proposals in 2005, it received no So it solicited proposals from several companies including Rio Rancho'x , , and Albuquerque's .
Edit Houss withdrew after losing an optiojn to lease a building next door to itscurrenrt facility. Edit House co-owner Ed Smith says he simplgy didn't feel his company couldd fulfill the contract without more The then- $89,000 contract went to Rio Grandd Studios. But in May, the city gave the studioi 90 days notice that it would terminate its City Manager Jim Palenick says the contract was in part, due to Rio Grande'as slowness in seeking a Rio Rancho facility outsidd of city hall, and a failure to meet other conditione of the contract.
Rio Grande Studios' owners Michaelp Jacobs and Ruby Handler Jacobx counter that they lost the opportunity to leas e one desirable space because the city was slow in finalizinv the deal and say the contracyt was terminated forno cause. Nonetheless, the contract is up for bid andthis time, there is quite a bit of Just one day after the June 12 postinh of the RFP, Steve Ruger, contracta administrator for the city, reported four companies had pickee up copies. Two of the four did not identifhy themselves, but one was , which manages the city of Albuquerque's public accesw Channel 27. Steve Ranieri, executive director of Channel 27 and an employee ofQuote ...
was out of town and unavailabldfor comment. The other identified compan wasEdit House. Smith says that with plans for Edit House tooccupyg 2,400 square feet in a buildingh currently under construction across the street from , his compant can handle the new work. "Television has had and continuees to have a huge impact in a community and my wife and I are so committecd to the good things television can provide and we really want to seethat continue," he says. The city'sx RFP was issued on June 12 and proposalws are due at10 a.m. on July 14.

Stimulus package yields lots of changes to tax code - bizjournals:

sunk-need.blogspot.com
As a result, accountants will stay busy. The tax code which took effect retroactivelyto Jan. 1, includer simple tweaks, such as the Making Work Pay Credit that’sw already been funneled to Oregon as well as rules regarding depreciation of capitalequipmentr purchases. The changes have proven populaf amongaccounting clients. A survey of CFOs and seniort comptrollers found that 75 percent of executives plan to use stimulutax provisions. The tax changes, included in the so-callesd stimulus package that aims tofortifuy America’s battered economy, apply to both businesss and individual returns.
“A lot of it is kind of but several of the new rules havebroasd applicability,” said Dan O’Leary, a shareholdee with Geffen Mesher Co. . For example, the maximuj tax credit for first-time home buyers rose from the 2007 tax year levelpof $7,500 to $8,000, and can be claimed on 2008 tax returnes for homes purchased in 2009. It also eliminatezs any required repayment to the s aftert the buyer spends 36 months intheir “Several of my clients’ children have extended thei r 2008 returns, or will file amenderd 2008 returns, in orde to claim the $8,000 credit,” O’Leary said.
“Eight thousandc dollars can go a long way when buying shower garbage cans, lawn mowers and other things you need when buyin your home.” Overall, the new stimulus provisions make more than 300 changes to the Internal Revenue Code, accordingt to CCH Inc., a Riverwoods, Ill. researcher that’as analyzed the impact of several of thepending changes. Most incentives in the law are retroactiveto Jan. 1, whilwe most of the tax relief will provide benefitx in the nexttwo years. For businesses, sevebn reforms stand out amongthe stimulus-related The “Making Work Pay Credit.
” Considered President Baracmk Obama’s individual tax relief trademark, the provision allow a credit against income tax in an amount equal to the lesser of 6.2 percent of the individual’ds earned income or $400 for individuals. Marrie couples filing jointly wouldreceivee $800. Individuals with gross incomes lessthan $75,0000 (married couples less than would qualify for the full credit whiles those earning more would collect 2 percent or 4.2 percent of earnefd income. The alternative minimum tax “patch.
” Whiles the alternative minimum tax helped ensure that wealthuy taxpayers indeed paidtaxes (as opposed to using loopholes to generats refunds), it snared several middle-class workeras in its net, forcing them to pay highert amounts. Congress approved a “patch” last year that alleviated the issue by raisingexemption levels. For the stimuluss package, lawmakers raised the exemptiohnamount slightly, to $70,950 for married couples from $69,950. The amount for individuals rosefrom $46,620 to $46,700. While it may not soun d like much, the patcn helps exempt around 26million middle-income taxpayers from payinbg the alternative minimum tax, accordingt to CCH.
The patch costs the federal governmentaboutt $70 billion in revenue. Unemploymentf compensation. While unemployment benefitw are currently includedin recipients’ gros s income for federal income tax purposes, the new law temporarily excludess up to $2,400 of unemployment compensation. The provision lastas through 2009. Small-business expensing. Under Section 179 of the InternaRevenue Service’s Code, sole proprietors, partnershipas or corporations can fully expenss tangible property in the year it is purchased. The 2008 Economi c Stimulus Act increased the amount they can expensdeto $250,000 from $125,000.
The act also ups the cap on how much companies can spend on tangible property and still be considerec asmall business. They can now spend up up from $500,000, on expensesd equipment and still benefit fromthe $250,000 expensed amount. Net-operating losses “carryback.” The IRS now allows smalol businesses with deductions exceeding their incomwe in 2008 to use a new net operating loss or retroactivefiling status, that extendsa the normal carryback period from two to five The move allows businesses to collect refunds of taxes paid in previousd years.
O’Leary said the provisiojn is popular in industries such as real construction and auto dealers that incurreds losses in recent tax years but paid significant taxess priorto 2006. Bonus depreciation. In most the new law extends a first-yea bonus depreciation of 50 percentthrough Dec. 3, 2009. In othef words, businesses can immediately deduct half of many newinvestment costs.

National Aquarium in Baltimore postpones part of $50M waterfront project - Baltimore Business Journal:

houston-nearly.blogspot.com
The facilities were part of the aquarium’d planned Center for Aquatic Life and a $50 million waterfront development and park that’s been in the works since 2004. Aquariun spokeswoman Jen Bloomer said the nonprofigt suspended its fundraising efforts for the new building s because of thebad economy. “The Middler Branch location continues to be top of mind at theNationalk Aquarium,” Bloomer said in an e-mail. “Because of the economic situation, we are not fundraising for a building on the site at this The project includes relocatingthe aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescuew Program from Wolfe Streetr in Fells Point to the Middler Branch property.
Construction on the projecr had been slated to beginb byMarch 2008, with completionn later this year. Bloomer said the aquarium stilo plans to move ahead with plans to cleann up the contaminated property in ordeer to turn it into a publicly accessiblrwaterfront park. That work has been approved for $2.3 milliohn in federal transportation funds. But the aquariumk needs to provide $375,000 in matching fundws in order to qualify for the grant saidJamie Kendrick, deputy director of the city transportatiobn department. Bloomer could not be reached for additiona comment on the project or its The delay is the latest setback for the popular InneeHarbor attraction.
In February, Fitcn Ratings downgraded the aquarium’s bond rating to just two notchesw above junk bond status because of its sagging attendance andfinancialp performance. The aquarium is projecting 1.35 million visitors this a nearly 6 percent decline from according to theratings agency. Fitch also noterd the aquarium’s available funds fell 31 percentto $23.8 million for its last fiscal year.

Auditor-General condemns federal integrity watchdog's conduct - Globe and Mail

http://hondaautoclub.com/2000-invoice-and-msrp-pricing-theautoreport-com

Globe and Mail

Auditor-General condemns federal integrity watchdog's conduct Globe and Mail Auditor-General Sheila Fraser says the woman appointed to protect federal whistleblowers engaged in “inappropriate conduct” with her own staff and meted out ... and more »

EPA settles with TS Trim of Canal Winchester - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://judotwins.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=253:2-x-zilver-in-lommel&catid=3:nieuwsflits
The EPA on Monday discloserd details ofan $82,500 settlemen t with that will see $68,1609 headed to state and local pollution contro l programs and $17,040 earmarked for a school bus retrofity program. TS Trim coats interior plastic parts and is a majofr supplierto Marysville-based and , according to its Web TS Trim has permits to spragy its products while keeping in compliance with pollution controls, but according to the the EPA between 2006 and last year identifiee a number of problems at TS Trim’se two Canal Winchester plants.
The EPA said the company failee to keep regular records of instancesa when it exceeded federal emissionsa standards and also jumped the gun on a constructionb project before the state had issued akey permit. The EPA said TS Trim’s pollution controlsw didn’t hit the mark during a 2007 compliancs test, but new equipment installed since then should put the companu backinto compliance. Under the settlement, the companuy has a month to show that its plants meetemissions standards. A company representative wasn’t available Monday as TS Trim is undetr aseasonal shutdown.

Thursday is Dump the Pump Day - Triangle Business Journal:

grearqakususi1426.blogspot.com
Thursday is the fourth annual Dump thePump day, a nationalk effort designed to get people out of their cars and onto theire bicycles or public transportation. The American Public Transit Association sponsordsthe event, and public transportation systems across the countryg are participating. In South four public transit agencies are partnering togethe r to promotethe day: Browarcd County Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Palm Tran, and Soutj Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
“With gas prices increasing 33 percengsince December, coupled with uncertain economivc times, people have been looking for ways to save and ridinf public transportation is a great choice to APTA President William Millar said in a news In Florida, the average price for a gallonj of regular is In South Florida, West Palm Beach has the highestg price at $2.78, followed by Miami at $2.76, and Fort Lauderdale at $2.74 a gallon, accordingy to AAA's fuel gauge report. Last year 10.7 billion trips were taken on public transportation in theUnitesd States. This was a 52-year marking a modern ridership record, accordinfg to the APTA.
Public transportation use is up 38 percenf since1995 – almost triple the growthj rate of the population (14 Nationally, nearly 2.6 billion trips were take on public transportation in the first quarter of this year. With local and state revenue for publicd transportation drying up due tothe economy, many public transportation system are being forced to raise fares or cut Millar noted. In South Florida Tri-Raipl officials have been warningf that service may be cut approximately in half if the state faile to establish dedicated fundingyby Oct. 1. The threat to service comexs after Tri-Rail set a recordd year for ridership growthin 2008.
“Raising farews and cutting service drives peoplw away from using public transirt andis counterproductive, as America struggles to create jobs, cut greenhouse gases, and reduce our reliance on expensive foreign oil,” Millar said. Just last week, South Florida’as congressional delegation sent a letter to the askinh for dedicated fundingfor Tri-Rail to secure its long-ter survival.

Second recession deemed possible - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

http://www.venice-hotel-guide.com/2003/venice-city-centre-hotels.html
Those odds may seem low, but they’re actuallty high since double-dip recessions are rare and the U.S. economy growsz 95 percent of the time, says the chamber’s Mart Regalia. He predicts the current economidc downturn will endaround September. However, the unemployment rate will remain high througbh the first half of next year andinvestment won’t snap back as quickl as it usually does aftetr a recession, Regalia says. Inflation, looms as a potential problem because of the federal government’s huge budget deficites and the massive amount of dollaras pumped into the economy by the Federal he says.
“The economy has got to be runningv on its own by the middle of next Regalia says. Almost every major inflationary periodin U.S. historu was preceded by heavy debt levels, he The chances of a double-dip recessionm will be lower if Ben Bernanke is reappointef chairman of theFederal Reserve, Regaliwa says. If President Barack Obama appoints his economicf adviser Larry Summers to chairthe Fed, that woulc signal the monetary spigot would remain open for a longerr time, he predicts. A coalescing of the Fed and the Obamaw administrationis “not something the marketz want to see,” Regalia Obama has declined to say whether he will reappoint whose term ends in February.