Thursday | March 11, 2010

Marysville mail processing facility to close

MARYSVILLE, 3/11/10 8:51am

• USPS says it will improve productivity

• Sacramento to absorb workload

“Race to the Top” voting leaves a money trail

BERKELEY, 3/11/10 5:43am

• Group tracks who got what from lobbyists

• Sharp differences in contributions

Proposed decision recommends OK for Lodi power plant

LODI, 3/11/10 5:24am

• Gets key committee approval

• Project would build 255-megawat plant

‘March Madness’ may help morale at work

MENLO PARK, 3/11/10 5:10am

• Most managers say college basketball playoffs have no impact on work

• ‘It can be a healthy diversion if….’

California finds some cash in the couch

SACRAMENTO, 3/11/10 12:03am

• Road to insolvency gets bit longer

• ‘Revenues came in above projections for the third month in a row’

AUDIO: Dairies launch campaign to tell their animal care story

MODESTO, 3/11/10 12:02am

• Statewide program to promote responsible practices

• ‘This way we can show them what we are doing’

Central Valley unemployment balloons

SACRAMENTO, 3/11/10 12:01am

• Latest figures show rates from 14.8 percent to 21.7 percent

• State’s rate was ‘just’ 13.2 percent

Foreclosures increase by 6 percent in February

IRVINE, 3/10/10 9:12pm

• Smallest annual increase in four years

• More than 300,000 properties get foreclosure filings for 12th straight month

President Jimmy Carter to visit UC Merced May 3

MERCED, 3/10/10 2:32pm

• To deliver keynote address at seminar on management of parks and protected lands

• ‘Offers a spectacular learning opportunity’

Senate OKs unemployment, COBRA extensions

WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/10/10 1:34pm

• Also provides aid to specialty crop growers

• House now needs to vote on bill

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

CHILLY AND CLOUDY IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/10/10 1:30pm
European grapevine moths creates 162 square mile quarantine; Napa County grapes brought over $3,400 per ton, Sonoma County grapes almost $2,200; Thresher Industries of Hanford may have a buyer; If you're in the food processing sector, 60% say their business will increase this quarter, and beyond.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

OVERCAST AND COOL IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/10/10 1:28pm
Markets flat to mixed; Crude over $82

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for April delivery

State’s 2009 grape crush up 11 percent

SACRAMENTO, 3/10/10 12:14pm

• Final report issued today

• Tops 4 Million tons

Drexel University names new president

PHILADELPHIA, PA., 3/10/10 11:54am

• John Fry is the university’s 14th president

• ‘I am thrilled to succeed Taki Papadakis’

Offer made to buy Thresher Industries

HANFORD, 3/10/10 11:24am

• Buyer not identified

• Thresher board to review it

It’s not us, says Socius about Socius

SAN FRANCISCO, 3/10/10 11:06am

• Socius Capital Group LLC not investing in Pacific Ethanol

• Says it is being confused with investment company with similar name

Drexel to expand co-operative education program

SACRAMENTO, 3/10/10 10:12am

• Gives students paid work experiences

• ‘Drexel's Co-op program was the deciding factor for me’

California sues farm labor contractor

SACRAMENTO, 3/10/10 10:01am

• Cites worker safety and wage law violations

• ‘We have no tolerance for contractors like Munoz’

Parts of wine country quarantined

NAPA, 3/10/10 5:40am

• New pest worries growers

• Statewide trapping effort underway

Replacement named for Leonard on Board of Equalization

SACRAMENTO, 3/10/10 12:03am

• Aide Barbara Alby sworn in

• ‘I will continue his legacy’

Diesel deadline rapidly approaching

SACRAMENTO, 3/10/10 12:02am , by Dave Kranz

• By March 31 set for farmers, ranchers

• ‘You have to report your vehicles by the end of this month’

AUDIO: You’re never too young to learn finance

LOS ANGELES, 3/10/10 12:01am

• Start lessons in kindergarten says professor

• ‘My hope is that we’ll have a generation of kids who are very smart’

TV tax man pleads guilty to $13.5 Million Ponzi scheme

SACRAMENTO, 3/9/10 3:31pm

• Faces up to 23 years in prison

• Fleeced over 50 clients

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

COOL AND CLOUDS IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/9/10 2:00pm
Solar Power of Roseville to build a manufacturing plant and solar farm in Sacramento County; Fresno County says 23% of their companies adding jobs in next 3 months, Merced County has only 9% adding, but says 16% are firing workers; Fresno streamling development review process; CalFire says El Dorado County fire lookouts may be manned by remote control cameras.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

PUFFY CLOUDS IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/9/10 1:58pm
Markets relatively quiet; Crude down, but still over $81

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for April delivery

California updates video surveillance for forest fires

ELDORADO HILLS, 3/9/10 1:02pm

• Hi-res cameras to scan El Dorado County

• Will look for smoke, not people

CSU Fresno Foundation gets federal funding

FRESNO , 3/9/10 12:23pm

• Expect to create jobs

• ‘These funds will go towards educating business owners’

Fresno says it’s chopping city hall red tape

FRESNO , 3/9/10 12:18pm

• Claims it’s more business-friendly

• ‘For too long, economic development in our city has been hampered’

Capitol veteran named head of state Consumer Services Agency

SACRAMENTO, 3/9/10 11:25am

• Bill Leonard appointed Tuesday

• ‘Bill understands the need to protect consumers’

CFOs see business pace picking up

MENLO PARK, 3/9/10 5:28am

• But financial hiring expected to dip

• ‘Some companies are beginning to hire selectively’

Solar Power to build manufacturing plant in Central Valley

ROSEVILLE, 3/9/10 5:01am

• Sacramento County commits $24.7 Million in bonds to project

• Company also plans 10 Megawatt solar farm

Employers see hiring inching ahead

MILWAUKEE, WIS., 3/9/10 12:02am

• Staffing levels expected to gain only slightly

• Central Valley has a few bright spots – and one very dim one

AUDIO: Make your home the stage to sell it, says expert

VALLEY SPRINGS, 3/9/10 12:02am

• You need to merchandise it like a product

• ‘Make your property more appealing to a buyer’

VIDEO REPORT: Business Leadership Academy shows its stuff

STOCKTON, 3/9/10 12:01am

• Schools and businesses partner in Stockton

• Goals are jobs -- and better employees

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

DRY BUT CLOUDY IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/8/10 1:41pm
Senator Florez says PG&E should stop installing "smart" meters until they can be examined; Pacific Ethanol selling $37 million in debt to Socius Capital Group of San Francisco; Roy Asburn says he's gay; Tri-Valley of Bakersfield, changes CEOs.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

CLOUDY AND COOL IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/8/10 1:38pm
Markets mixed today; Crude eases up again.

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for April delivery

Comments sought on habitat plan for Sacramento River

SACRAMENTO, 3/8/10 12:50pm

• Would cover more than 200 miles of the river

• ‘A major step forward in the common effort to recover … important species’

Ashburn outs himself

BAKERSFIELD, 3/8/10 12:10pm

• Tells Bakersfield talk show he’s gay

• Still no official statement

H-1B applications to be accepted starting April 1

WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/8/10 12:01pm

• Limit is set at 65,000

• But there are exceptions to the cap

Prison guard convicted in insurance fraud scheme

SACRAMENTO, 3/8/10 8:00am

• Claimed his motorcycle had been stolen

• Will serve time in jail

Blystone retires from Tri-Valley

BAKERSFIELD, 3/8/10 7:39am

• New top leadership named

• ‘Tested during some of the very toughest economic and industry times’

Florez wants ‘smart meter’ installs stopped

BAKERSFIELD, 3/8/10 12:02am

• Accuses PG&E of speeding up installation of controversial meters

• ‘Disallow further installations until we know these meters work’

AUDIO: Simple steps to sell your business for top dollar

TORONTO, ONTARIO, 3/8/10 12:01am

• Most businesses are not ready to be sold. Period.

• ‘Identify a product or service that you sell today that is scalable’

Saturday News Briefs

STOCKTON, 3/6/10 12:01am

• Hundreds of thousands of California jobs lost

• Protest marchers trek through Central Valley

• And more….

California gets $700 Million to help homeowners

SACRAMENTO, 3/5/10 2:29pm

• Aimed at low- and moderate-income homeowners

• ‘Will contribute to stabilizing California’s housing market’

AUDIO: Today's stock market report

STOCKTON, 3/5/10 1:45pm

• Markets are up on threads of good employment news

• California loses 701,000 jobs in one year

• How the stocks of companies of local interest fared

AUDIO: Today's top business news

STOCKTON, 3/5/10 1:45pm

• Unemployment up slightly, but so are jobs

• Gasoline prices are spiking across the state

• And more....

California lowers some insurance fees

SACRAMENTO, 3/5/10 12:19pm

• Could impact 300,000 agents, brokers

• ‘These fee cuts have reached a cumulative total of $22 million'

Postal Service letter carrier indicted for workers’ comp fraud

SACRAMENTO, 3/5/10 11:15am

• Accused of running a business while collecting workers’ comp

• Will the YouTube video play a role?

California’s unemployment rate edges up, even as hiring increases

SACRAMENTO, 3/5/10 10:25am

• January’s rate put at 12.5 percent

• Non-farm payroll jobs increase by 32,500 from December

Stimulus funds $21.4 Million in area park improvements

WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/5/10 9:49am

• Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Lassen to be spruced up

• Projects range from solar to trail rebuilding

Voters may be asked to rewrite entire state Constitution

SACRAMENTO, 3/5/10 9:22am

• Initiative OK’d to gather signatures

• Scraps the Lottery, changes budget-making and more

Two charged in Central Valley ID fraud

FRESNO, 3/5/10 8:09am

• Accused to churning out fraudulent identification documents in Fresno and Madera counties

• ‘Putting the security of our communities and even our country at risk’

Hefty price increases for gasoline

LOS ANGELES, 3/5/10 5:12am

• Averages now commonly over $3 per gallon

• ‘California gas prices are sharply increasing about a week after the rest of the country experienced a spike’

VIDEO: Knives readied as Valley cities slash services

FRESNO AND STOCKTON, 3/5/10 4:51am

• Fresno and Stockton looking multi-million dollars deficits

• ‘Police and fire – that’s where we’re looking at the largest reductions’

People in the News

STOCKTON, 3/5/10 12:03am

• Regional economic development gains a leading banker

• Modesto teacher helps shape the future

• And more from Stockton, Sacramento, Granite Bay and beyond….

VIDEO: Central Valley jobless picture still grim

STOCKTON, 3/5/10 12:02am

• No clear direction for employment

• ‘It’s too early to say it’s getting better’

AUDIO: Cowboy your way to success in business

DALLAS, TEXAS, 3/5/10 12:01am

• Live for that eighth second of a bull ride says author

• ‘Cowboy leadership is about integrity in your work and in your personal life’

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

CLOUDY BUT PUFFIES IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/4/10 2:00pm
Over 6.5% of all mortgages in Merced fell into foreclosure in January; 3-2 vote on listing the Tiger Salamander by Fish & Game may mean significant land use changes for the Valley; If Toyota would keep the Fremont NUMMI plant open, it would be a sort of stimulus program; Kings Area Rural Transit of Hanford is installing wireless tracking to keep up with their 450 vanpool buses.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

OVERCAST AGAIN IN SPRINGVILLE, 3/4/10 1:57pm
Markets up today; Crude down but holds over $80

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for April delivery

University faculty, students want oil severance tax

SACRAMENTO, 3/4/10 1:15pm

• Say it could help find California higher education

• ‘Will provide a reliable funding source like other states have’

Central Valley call center to close

LEMOORE, 3/4/10 12:11pm

• Nearly 100 to lose their jobs

• ‘We’ll provide lateral mobility if that’s an option’

Where’s that bus? Kings County will know

HANFORD, 3/4/10 11:20am

• Bus system to use wireless tracking

• ‘Agricultural workers will benefit’