Tuesday | February 9, 2010

Fourth person pleads guilty in Central Valley counterfeiting case

SACRAMENTO, 2/9/10 12:03am

• Passed fake $100 bills throughout Valley

• More than $277,000 in bogus bills were passed

Lottery reforms may go before voters

SACRAMENTO, 2/9/10 12:02am

• Proposal might put more money into prizes, schools

• Would trim management costs

Credit-repair specialist pleads guilty to multimillion dollar fraud

SACRAMENTO, 2/9/10 12:01am

• Created bogus IDs for multiple scams

• Now faces up to 30 years in prison

Former Central Valley postmaster pleads guilty to embezzlement

SACRAMENTO, 2/8/10 7:44pm

• Stole more than $1,000

• Faces up to ten years in prison

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

CLOUDY BUT WARM IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/8/10 2:37pm
World Ag Expo opens for 43rd year Tuesday in Tulare; 20,000 applications submitted for 14 seats on the Citizens Redistricting Commission; SBA loan program to be explained in free workshop in Merced later in February; Doritos ad tops all of the Super Bowl ads.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

OVERCAST BUT WARM IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/8/10 2:04pm
Markets fell today, Dow below 10K; Crude up a bit.

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for March delivery

UC Davis still on the hook for apparent Title IX violations

SAN FRANCISCO, 2/8/10 12:37pm

• UPDATED at 5:17 p.m. with UC Davis comments

• Appeals court says university did not provide equal sports opportunities for women

• ‘Budgetary constraints often prevent universities from creating new teams and adding varsity slots’

UC Merced scientist honored for biofuels research

MERCED, 2/8/10 12:21pm

• Elliott Campbell receives $407,588 grant from National Science Foundation

• ‘Biofuels hold great promise as a new energy source’

Surge in applications for Citizens Redistricting Commission

SACRAMENTO, 2/8/10 11:43am

• Deadline extended to Feb. 16

• ‘I'm thrilled with the surge and want to keep the process open a few more days’

Placement agents might have to register as lobbyists

SACRAMENTO, 2/8/10 11:30am

• Would put them under tighter controls

• ‘Removes any cloud of secrecy around investment decisions’

Tulare gets ready to host the world once again

TULARE, 2/8/10 5:42am

• More than 100,000 visitors expected for World Ag Expo

• Despite recession, show has about 1,500 exhibitors

Chips win Super Bowl of ads

SAN JOSE, 2/8/10 5:16am

• Doritos top Snickers, says TiVo

• ‘The common theme in this year's list is yet again humor’

SBA financial help to be outlined at Central Valley workshop

MERCED, 2/8/10 12:02am

• Government loan programs detailed

• Is there Stimulus Act money for your business?

VIDEO: Central Valley no longer ‘shell shocked’ by recession

STOCKTON, 2/8/10 12:01am

• Residents now beginning to look ahead

• ‘People are getting their heads out of the ‘shock zone’

VIDEO: To fix California’s government, look to London

STOCKTON, 2/6/10 12:15pm

• Former state senator says English way may be better

• Predicts latest $20 Billion deficit will be solved the old fashioned way

Saturday News Briefs

STOCKTON, 2/6/10 12:01am

• Delta pumps cranking back up

• Tomato king to remain in slammer

• UC Davis pinpoints pollution problem

• And much more….

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

DRIPPING NICELY IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/5/10 1:44pm
Official says home values have plummeted so steeply in the Valley none of the government plans can help; UPS being sued for not flying some "Next Day Air" and "Second Day Air" packages; Wells Fargo says small businessmen showed no significant change in mood in last quarter; Under $3 a gallon in most places in California.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

RAINING IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/5/10 1:41pm
Markets nearly flat, though down early; Crude dips also.

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for March delivery

Foreclosure rates increase across Central Valley

SANTA ANA, 2/5/10 1:36pm

• Up in eight markets

• Chico has lowest rate, Merced the highest

Wife of Congressman Radanovich dies

WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/5/10 10:51am

• Had battled cancer

• ‘Ethie was the love of my life’

AUDIO: Federal programs aren’t solving mortgage crisis, says Valley housing counselor

FRESNO, 2/5/10 10:35am

• Homes are too far underwater, banks are recalcitrant

• ‘The banks basically are taking the posture that they’re going to wait this thing out’

Lawsuits accuse UPS of overcharging

LOS ANGELES, 2/5/10 10:12am

• Suits say it doesn’t always fly packages that are labeled 'Next Day Air'

• UPS says it discloses the issue in its tariffs

Small business owner optimism remains low

SAN FRANCISCO, 2/5/10 6:03am

• Optimism drops slightly from last autumn’s level

• Outlook for capital spending and revenue improves

Gasoline prices dribbling down

LOS ANGELES, 2/5/10 5:12am

• Third straight week of price ‘droplets’

• ‘But we’re still seeing prices that are 40 to 50 cents higher’

Former SK Foods CEO arrested

SACRAMENTO, 2/5/10 12:02am

• Nabbed at New York airport

• Salyer charged in ongoing tomato industry probe

People in the News

STOCKTON, 2/5/10 12:01am

• Bankers hired and promoted

• Honor for Bakersfield attorney

• And more, from Modesto, Livingston, Sacramento and beynd

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

NOT COOL, BUT CLOUDY IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/4/10 1:47pm
Hollywood Video closing 760 stores nationwide, leaving about 40 open in the Central Valley; California Air Resources Board starts $20 million assistance program to purchase hybrid trucks, ranging from $10,000 to $45,000; Home loan delinquency rates nationwide have surpassed 10%; The Raisin Board is moving to downtown Fresno.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: Stock Market Report and News

STILL OVERCAST BUT DRY IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/4/10 1:44pm
Markets fell off sharply today; Crude dropped also.

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for March delivery

Raisin Marketing Board to move headquarters to downtown Fresno

FRESNO, 2/4/10 12:18pm

• Mayor hails the move

• ‘Downtown Fresno is the ideal location to centralize agribusiness activity’

Poll: Voters say technology industry is at core of California's recovery

SAN FRANCISCO, 2/4/10 11:05am

• Want expansion of technology and innovation

• ‘Employment costs are high, but we are choosing to do business in California’

State offers tax payment plans

SACRAMENTO, 2/4/10 9:58am

• Installment plans can be offered

• Relief from tax liens in some cases

Report: Senators vote according to contributions

BERKELEY, 2/4/10 9:42am

• California’s proposed single-payer insurance delineated by who got money from whom

• Bill expected to be vetoed by governor

Foreclosure rate soars in Stockton

SANTA ANA, 2/4/10 9:07am

• Now nearly double national average

• Delinquency rate is increasing

Hollywood Video reprises its bankruptcy act

WILSONVILLE, ORE., 2/4/10 5:54am

• Company to close 760 stores

• About 40 will survive in Central Valley

California to help in purchasing of heavy-duty hybrid trucks and buses

SACRAMENTO, 2/4/10 4:59am

• Program is the first in the nation

• ‘An aggressive approach to getting lower-polluting vehicles on the road’

Loan delinquency rates surpass 10 percent

JACKSONVILLE, FLA., 2/4/10 12:02am

• More than 7.2 million loans behind on payments

• Estimated 1 million properties in REO status

AUDIO: Central Valley actually getting its fair share of stimulus money

FRESNO, 2/4/10 12:02am

• About $1.5 Billion already allocated to San Joaquin Valley

• ‘We’re still a little bit below the Bay Area and LA’

Tony's Fine Foods acquires Columbus Distributing

WEST SACRAMENTO, 2/3/10 2:31pm

• Acquisition further consolidates perishable foods distribution

• Financial terms not announced

WEBCAST: Business News Headlines of the Great Central Valley

WARM BUT CLOUDY IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/3/10 1:54pm
Alon USA Energy, mostly owned by Isreael's largest oil company, selected as "stalking horse" bidder for Big West refinery in Bakersfield; Rabobank says California wine industry being squeezed, and may emerge as a new vintage; Yuba Community College governing board may rescind a $30,000 raise for chancellor; Career Builder says just over half of workers laid off from full-time jobs have found new full-time positions.

• News you can use

• Interviews that inform

• Fact ... not OUR opinion

WEBCAST: The Stock Market Review

OVERCAST & HAZY IN SPRINGVILLE, 2/3/10 1:41pm
Markets nearly flat; Crude down a little.

• Brief market observation and commentary

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes

• Stocks of local interest

• U.S. Crude for March delivery

Porterville gets low-interest loan for water project

SACRAMENTO, 2/3/10 1:36pm

• State’s I-Bank OKs the money Wednesday

• Final funding that was needed

California revokes record number of real estate licenses

SACRAMENTO, 2/3/10 11:26am

• Loan modification scams a ‘large’ factor

• ‘Foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams have risen dramatically’

Study: Mortgage payments lag as consumers pay credit cards instead

CHICAGO, ILL., 2/3/10 10:17am

• Trend gaining momentum

• Especially true in California

Yosemite’s Shackelton named to NPS leadership team

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, 2/3/10 10:00am

• He’s Yosemite’s chief ranger

• Promoted to associate director of the park service

Big changes on tap for California wine industry

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., 2/3/10 9:43am

• Wine suppliers caught between lower demand, 
increased imports

• ‘The net affect … was a rocky 2009’

Most laid-off workers are finding new jobs

CHICAGO, ILL., 2/3/10 8:10am

• Six out of ten who were fired in the past year now have work

• But for many, it’s at lower pay and benefits

Closed Bakersfield refinery sparks bidder interest

BAKERSFIELD, 2/3/10 6:01am

• Big West refinery may go for $40 Million

• Favored bidder plans to strip part of the refinery

Neubacher named superintendent of Yosemite National Park

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, 2/3/10 5:33am

• Fills post long held by Mike Tollefson

• ‘Don is a seasoned manager who has proven himself’

Yuba Community College may rescind chancellor’s bonus

MARYSVILLE, 2/3/10 12:02am

• Students and faculty had protested

• School has had to make cuts in classes

Cigarette tax hike proposal begins collecting signatures

SACRAMENTO, 2/3/10 12:01am

• Would be first increase since 1998

• Money would go to research into tobacco-related illnesses, including cancer

AUDIO: Today's top business news

STOCKTON, 2/2/10 1:45pm

• Bigger than Hollywood, that's what California's happy cows are

• Report blasts slowness in spending some stimulus funds

• And more....

AUDIO: Today's stock market report

STOCKTON, 2/2/10 1:45pm

• Volker calls for big bank controls

• Toyota sales dented by recall

• How local stocks fared....

Water bottling plant approved – for now

ORLAND, 2/2/10 12:02pm

• Orland city council greenlights bottling plant

• Appeal is expected

Study says children of Spanish-speaking moms watch less TV

BALTIMORE, MD., 2/2/10 11:27am

• Could it be a cultural perception of the value of television?

• ‘What language mom speaks is a greater predictor than ethnicity’

Demand for state services increases as budget cuts loom, says report

SACRAMENTO, 2/2/10 10:05am

• Recession is taking its toll

• ‘Underscores the need for a balanced approach’

Auditor: California’s weatherization program virtually frozen

SACRAMENTO, 2/2/10 9:48am

• Cites delays by state, federal officials

• But department says auditor is wrong

Claim: Dairy industry responsible for more than 443,000 California jobs

MODESTO, 2/2/10 5:44am

• Accounts for 3 percent of state’s job production

• ‘A herd of 100 cows creates 25 jobs for California residents each year’

Pyramid Oil wraps up drilling on new Central Valley well

BAKERSFIELD, 2/2/10 5:25am

• Finds oil and gas zones in 3,351 shaft

• ‘This is the first of up to five wells we anticipate drilling’