Venerable Palms Relocated for New Bike Path Patch.com Three large palms were transplanted at the corner of the Gill Tract at San Pablo Avenue and Buchanan Street Wednesday to make room for the new bike path being constructed along Buchanan. Gary Gragg of Golden Gate Palms Nursery in Richmond was in ... |
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Venerable Palms Relocated for New Bike Path - Patch.com
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Saturday, January 26, 2013
Ritter signs bills on driver texting, worker leave for school events, Pinnacol - Kansas City Business Journal:
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Another measure signed by the governo r creates a special committee to study the operations ofPinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s largest worker’s-compensation insurer. . • House Bill 1057, sponsores by Rep. Andy Kerr, requires employers to give workers up to 18 hourds of parental leave per year toattenrd parent-teacher conferences and other school-related events. Underr the bill, parents must notify employersx about academic activities at least one week in Seasonal employees and companies with fewer than 50 workeres are excluded fromthe bill’s requirements. Employerd can also deny leave for workers whose absencew would cripple operations if the leavewere granted.
Events coveredx by the bill include parent-teacher conferences; special-educationj services; dropout prevention; and attendance, truancy and disciplinary Some business groups and Republicanes opposedthe legislation, saying it imposees more regulations on businesses in a time when they couldn’ afford it. • Housw Bill 1094, sponsored by Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, bans cell-phone use by motoristz under 18 and prohibits any drivers from sendinvgtext messages. The bill originally barredd adult drivers from using handheld cell phonesx whilein transit, but the legislatio n was weakened by a Senate conference committee in earlt May amid growing opposition.
Ritter was slated to sign the bill into law Mondayh night inFort Collins. Senate Bill 281, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, formsa a special committee to study the state’s largest worker’s-compensation insurer. The measured once was part of a plan to raidnearly $500 millionh in reserves from Pinnacol to cover shortfalls in the state’s budgetr and avoid cuts in higher education. But lawmakersa decided not to siphon the reserves aftee Pinnacol executives threatened to sue and afte Ritter indicated he would not supportthe action.
Supporters of the legislatioh maintained that even though the plan fell it would still be a good idea to look intowhetheer Pinnacol’s quasi-governmental structure is working for the state. Business including the Colorado Association of Commerce and opposedthe legislation, saying that Pinnacol isn’t broken and doesn’t need to be fixed. House Bill 1035 expands sales-tax refundz for bioscience and clean-tech companies that purchase equipmenr used in the research and development of new technologie sand products.
Supporters say the legislation will help ensurr continued investmentsin “clean-tech” research and developmen t and the continued growth of startup and spinoffr companies that create high-payingh jobs. • House Bill 1242 provides tax credits to philanthropistds who donate to Coloradoresearch institutions. Supportersa said the legislation would help researcy initiatives that could ultimately benefitthe state’z economy. • HB 1363 designates Colorado’s unemploymentg insurance division asan “enterprise” under the Taxpayer’as Bill of Rights (or TABOR).
Supporters say the measures letsthe state’s unemployment insurance fund to function betterf for businesses and workers and puts the state budgegt process on more stable ground for futurr planning. • HB 1338 prohibitds insurance companies from using genetic testingy for setting premiums or blocking individuals fromobtainint insurance. .
Another measure signed by the governo r creates a special committee to study the operations ofPinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s largest worker’s-compensation insurer. . • House Bill 1057, sponsores by Rep. Andy Kerr, requires employers to give workers up to 18 hourds of parental leave per year toattenrd parent-teacher conferences and other school-related events. Underr the bill, parents must notify employersx about academic activities at least one week in Seasonal employees and companies with fewer than 50 workeres are excluded fromthe bill’s requirements. Employerd can also deny leave for workers whose absencew would cripple operations if the leavewere granted.
Events coveredx by the bill include parent-teacher conferences; special-educationj services; dropout prevention; and attendance, truancy and disciplinary Some business groups and Republicanes opposedthe legislation, saying it imposees more regulations on businesses in a time when they couldn’ afford it. • Housw Bill 1094, sponsored by Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, bans cell-phone use by motoristz under 18 and prohibits any drivers from sendinvgtext messages. The bill originally barredd adult drivers from using handheld cell phonesx whilein transit, but the legislatio n was weakened by a Senate conference committee in earlt May amid growing opposition.
Ritter was slated to sign the bill into law Mondayh night inFort Collins. Senate Bill 281, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, formsa a special committee to study the state’s largest worker’s-compensation insurer. The measured once was part of a plan to raidnearly $500 millionh in reserves from Pinnacol to cover shortfalls in the state’s budgetr and avoid cuts in higher education. But lawmakersa decided not to siphon the reserves aftee Pinnacol executives threatened to sue and afte Ritter indicated he would not supportthe action.
Supporters of the legislatioh maintained that even though the plan fell it would still be a good idea to look intowhetheer Pinnacol’s quasi-governmental structure is working for the state. Business including the Colorado Association of Commerce and opposedthe legislation, saying that Pinnacol isn’t broken and doesn’t need to be fixed. House Bill 1035 expands sales-tax refundz for bioscience and clean-tech companies that purchase equipmenr used in the research and development of new technologie sand products.
Supporters say the legislation will help ensurr continued investmentsin “clean-tech” research and developmen t and the continued growth of startup and spinoffr companies that create high-payingh jobs. • House Bill 1242 provides tax credits to philanthropistds who donate to Coloradoresearch institutions. Supportersa said the legislation would help researcy initiatives that could ultimately benefitthe state’z economy. • HB 1363 designates Colorado’s unemploymentg insurance division asan “enterprise” under the Taxpayer’as Bill of Rights (or TABOR).
Supporters say the measures letsthe state’s unemployment insurance fund to function betterf for businesses and workers and puts the state budgegt process on more stable ground for futurr planning. • HB 1338 prohibitds insurance companies from using genetic testingy for setting premiums or blocking individuals fromobtainint insurance. .
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Assurant will cut 73 jobs in Birmingham - Birmingham Business Journal:
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Most of the jobs will be eliminatedeffective Nov. 1, the company said in a written release. The reduction representz 7 percentof Assurant's total work force of 2,03i8 people. Assurant also will cut positionsin Dallas, Minneapolis and Kansas City. The company said that locap displaced workers can apply for open jobs in the Birmingham which is located at 3595Grandview Parkway, Suite 150. The locaol office is co-managed by Dr. Jim Barrett, VP of Providerr Relations & National Dental Director, and Kim Reese, seconcd VP, Voluntary Risk. Their jobs will not be affected.
Kevijn Murphy, officer of external communications forthe company, said the jobs cuts were the resultf of "an ongoing comprehensive review, department by department, by a seniodr management team." The staff reductionzs will reduce costs and help keep it he added. "We are lookingf for ways to be more efficient and he said, adding that none of the jobs will be The company didn't say how much the layoffs will cost or save the "Displaced employees from our other locations will allowec to apply for jobs in Kansas City," Murpht said. Assurant Employee Benefits is a divisionj ofNew York-based Assurant ( : AIZ), formerlt known as Fortis.
Most of the jobs will be eliminatedeffective Nov. 1, the company said in a written release. The reduction representz 7 percentof Assurant's total work force of 2,03i8 people. Assurant also will cut positionsin Dallas, Minneapolis and Kansas City. The company said that locap displaced workers can apply for open jobs in the Birmingham which is located at 3595Grandview Parkway, Suite 150. The locaol office is co-managed by Dr. Jim Barrett, VP of Providerr Relations & National Dental Director, and Kim Reese, seconcd VP, Voluntary Risk. Their jobs will not be affected.
Kevijn Murphy, officer of external communications forthe company, said the jobs cuts were the resultf of "an ongoing comprehensive review, department by department, by a seniodr management team." The staff reductionzs will reduce costs and help keep it he added. "We are lookingf for ways to be more efficient and he said, adding that none of the jobs will be The company didn't say how much the layoffs will cost or save the "Displaced employees from our other locations will allowec to apply for jobs in Kansas City," Murpht said. Assurant Employee Benefits is a divisionj ofNew York-based Assurant ( : AIZ), formerlt known as Fortis.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Carving out an identity in banking is serious business - Nashville Business Journal:
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But for two local banks, embracing the elements as brand centerpiecesx was veryserious business. When and announced their $10 billiohn merger in late 2006, finding a way to communicatw the fused personality of the new bank quicklyh became acritical issue. In October 2007 the new face of which includes heavy use of a bright sprinbg green color scheme anda single-speed green bicycle, debuted in Middle Tennessee. In the case of Nashville' s , there was a need to create a brand from Avenue Bank's rollout marketing featured a hummingbirfd and use of sophisticated sepia and gray hues and artistidc photographs of Music City.
It was mean t to send a message that the bankis creative, stronbg and a little different than the typical buttoned-up, formal stereotype of many banks. The two branding efforts are basecd onsimple themes, but coming up with the concepts involved a complex process that took months. "Wse really had an opportunity to wipe the slate cleanm and come out with a completelynew message," says Randy Shepard, Tennessee marketing director for Regions. "Itt was no small undertaking." The challengde was to blend the identity of the two iconic regional banks into a new brand that includedrthe banks' past strengths as well as theidr plans for the future.
"AmSoutyh was all about relationships," Shepard "Regions was more about having an every-dahy confidence in the bank." Both Regions and Avenue Bank begahn their branding campaigns withtheir associates. They used outsidw branding experts and hunkered downin think-tankk mode for months. "Yo really do have to start withthe employees," Sheparfd says. "You are also building an internaol brand withyour associates." Birmingham-based . workexd with Regions to develop a strategic advertising campaign.
Shepard would not disclose the cost of the The first theme that emerged from the internal cultureof 33,000 associates at Regionas was "to make life better," Shepard says. Then the bank went to customersd and the wider community toget feedback. Focus groupws were conducted throughoutthe bank's 16-state footprin in the South, Midwest and Texas. What the bank hearr consistently from constituents is that they value simplicitt and ease in a world fillecd with information overloadand multitasking. "People said, 'Life is complicated, but it shouldn' be,'" Shepard says. "'We want it easy and relatively uncomplicated.
' That's the mantra we The spring green color, whicjh Shepard calls "life green" was chosen becausse it's vivid and The single-speed bicycle seemesd to capture the need for trusted simplicityand
But for two local banks, embracing the elements as brand centerpiecesx was veryserious business. When and announced their $10 billiohn merger in late 2006, finding a way to communicatw the fused personality of the new bank quicklyh became acritical issue. In October 2007 the new face of which includes heavy use of a bright sprinbg green color scheme anda single-speed green bicycle, debuted in Middle Tennessee. In the case of Nashville' s , there was a need to create a brand from Avenue Bank's rollout marketing featured a hummingbirfd and use of sophisticated sepia and gray hues and artistidc photographs of Music City.
It was mean t to send a message that the bankis creative, stronbg and a little different than the typical buttoned-up, formal stereotype of many banks. The two branding efforts are basecd onsimple themes, but coming up with the concepts involved a complex process that took months. "Wse really had an opportunity to wipe the slate cleanm and come out with a completelynew message," says Randy Shepard, Tennessee marketing director for Regions. "Itt was no small undertaking." The challengde was to blend the identity of the two iconic regional banks into a new brand that includedrthe banks' past strengths as well as theidr plans for the future.
"AmSoutyh was all about relationships," Shepard "Regions was more about having an every-dahy confidence in the bank." Both Regions and Avenue Bank begahn their branding campaigns withtheir associates. They used outsidw branding experts and hunkered downin think-tankk mode for months. "Yo really do have to start withthe employees," Sheparfd says. "You are also building an internaol brand withyour associates." Birmingham-based . workexd with Regions to develop a strategic advertising campaign.
Shepard would not disclose the cost of the The first theme that emerged from the internal cultureof 33,000 associates at Regionas was "to make life better," Shepard says. Then the bank went to customersd and the wider community toget feedback. Focus groupws were conducted throughoutthe bank's 16-state footprin in the South, Midwest and Texas. What the bank hearr consistently from constituents is that they value simplicitt and ease in a world fillecd with information overloadand multitasking. "People said, 'Life is complicated, but it shouldn' be,'" Shepard says. "'We want it easy and relatively uncomplicated.
' That's the mantra we The spring green color, whicjh Shepard calls "life green" was chosen becausse it's vivid and The single-speed bicycle seemesd to capture the need for trusted simplicityand
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Associated Banc-Corp swings to loss - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
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million net loss. Green Bay-based Associatedc (NASDAQ: ASBC) said the net was 19 cents per common sharr after includinga $7.3 millionh dividend to preferred shareholders. That compared with net incomedof $47.4 million, or 37 centse a share, for the second quarter of 2008. The per-sharse loss was less than analyst predictions of24 cents, accordinvg to Thomson First Call. Associated Banc-Corp executives had warnerd on June 29 that they expected to recorda higher-than-anticipatee provision for loan losses of between $145 million and $160 million for the seconcd quarter that would lead to a net loss.
The bank also said at the time that seconsd quarternet charge-offs would be between $60 millioh and $70 million. The final figure was $63.3 the bank said Thursday. The provision for loan losseswof $155 million, compared with $59 million for the same periods one year ago. Net charge offs for the quartedrwere $61.1 million, compared with $37 milliobn for the second quarter of 2008. Nonperforming loana were $733.4 million as of June 30, compared with $452.23 million on March 31 and about $288 million a year ago.
The highe provision for loan losses was primarily due to furthert deterioration of existing construction and commercial real estate credits and declininh commercial real estatecollateraol values, Associated executives said. “The higher than anticipateed provision is a resulty of the continued weakness in the economy and relatedx stress onour customers,” said Associatedf chairman and CEO Paul Beideman. “While we believer loan loss provisions and charge offs willremainn elevated, we expect the pace of deteriorationb to moderate in future quarters.” Net income for the first half of the year was $10.
78 million, or 8 cents per common share, comparex with a net income of $113.8 or 89 cents per for the first half of 2008. Associated the parent company ofAssociated Bank, is the second-largestr bank headquartered in Wisconsin with assets of $24 Associated stock was trading Thursdayg afternoon at $11.78, down 60
million net loss. Green Bay-based Associatedc (NASDAQ: ASBC) said the net was 19 cents per common sharr after includinga $7.3 millionh dividend to preferred shareholders. That compared with net incomedof $47.4 million, or 37 centse a share, for the second quarter of 2008. The per-sharse loss was less than analyst predictions of24 cents, accordinvg to Thomson First Call. Associated Banc-Corp executives had warnerd on June 29 that they expected to recorda higher-than-anticipatee provision for loan losses of between $145 million and $160 million for the seconcd quarter that would lead to a net loss.
The bank also said at the time that seconsd quarternet charge-offs would be between $60 millioh and $70 million. The final figure was $63.3 the bank said Thursday. The provision for loan losseswof $155 million, compared with $59 million for the same periods one year ago. Net charge offs for the quartedrwere $61.1 million, compared with $37 milliobn for the second quarter of 2008. Nonperforming loana were $733.4 million as of June 30, compared with $452.23 million on March 31 and about $288 million a year ago.
The highe provision for loan losses was primarily due to furthert deterioration of existing construction and commercial real estate credits and declininh commercial real estatecollateraol values, Associated executives said. “The higher than anticipateed provision is a resulty of the continued weakness in the economy and relatedx stress onour customers,” said Associatedf chairman and CEO Paul Beideman. “While we believer loan loss provisions and charge offs willremainn elevated, we expect the pace of deteriorationb to moderate in future quarters.” Net income for the first half of the year was $10.
78 million, or 8 cents per common share, comparex with a net income of $113.8 or 89 cents per for the first half of 2008. Associated the parent company ofAssociated Bank, is the second-largestr bank headquartered in Wisconsin with assets of $24 Associated stock was trading Thursdayg afternoon at $11.78, down 60
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Kumi Naidoo: governments must confront climate change in 2013 - The Guardian
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The Guardian | Kumi Naidoo: governments must confront climate change in 2013 The Guardian I hope to witness â€" and be part of â€" the exponential growth in popular pressure to force governments to take steps to avert catastrophic climate change. I hope to see even more unusual » |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Oops! Emma Watson Stopped at Airport, Mistaken for an Unaccompanied Minor - Seattle Post Intelligencer
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Fox 31 KDVR.com | Oops! Emma Watson Stopped at Airport, Mistaken for an Unaccompanied Minor Seattle Post Intelligencer The Harry Potter actress, 22, was stopped at a passport checkpoint over the holidays by agents who thought she was an unaccompanied minor and was asked where her parents were, she recounted on Twitter. "Passport control: 'unaccompanied minor? Emma Watson stopped at JFK airport, mistaken for 12-year-old Emma Watson stopped at airport over age mix-up Report: Emma Watson stopped at JFK |
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Scotts Valley-area man missing since Friday; Alex Fossgreen had been ... - Santa Cruz Sentinel
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Scotts Valley-area man missing since Friday; Alex Fossgreen had been ... Santa Cruz Sentinel SCOTTS VALLEY -- Deputies and others are searching for a 23-year-old Scotts Valley-area man who has not been seen since early Friday. Alex Fossgreen left home on foot about 4:45 a.m. and was depressed over a recent breakup with his fiance, friends ... |
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Artur Boruc's Friday Rage List - Yahoo! Sports (blog)
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Yahoo! Sports (blog) | Artur Boruc's Friday Rage List Yahoo! Sports (blog) 1. WHAT IS HAPPENING -- I FINALLY GOT OFF OF SOUTHAMPTON'S BENCH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A MONTH AND IT WAS LIKE MY BODY FORGOT HOW TO DO ANYTHING!!!!!!!! MY HANDS COULDN'T HOLD THE BALL MY TEAMMATE DARED TO ... |
Friday, January 4, 2013
In final flurry, Ritter signs tourism-incentives bill, vetoes another labor measure - Charlotte Business Journal:
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Ahead of Friday’s deadline for actioh on legislation, Ritter signed 12 including SenateBill 173, which will allo w local governments to work with the state Economic Development Commission to use some sales-tax money to attract and help to build tourist The bill, sponsored by former Sen. Jennifert Veiga, D-Denver, is considered key to two pursuit of a NASCAR track in separate areas east of But Ritter also vetoed SenateBill 180, whicbh would have given local firefighters the ability to engage in collectivs bargaining.
Business groups praised the move as one that will give the states a more stablebusinesx atmosphere, but unions blasted the Democratid governor for breaking a promise to look out for working Coloradans. Ritter said in a news conferencwe that he had little doubt on whether he woulds signthe tourism-tax bill but struggled over the collective-bargaining Ritter said he vetoeds SB 180 because it wouled have overturned the will of individual communities that have outlawed collective bargaining by public-safety workers and because local firefighterxs already can seek collective bargaining with theie city governments.
“This was a wholesalee success for a session in termas of what it did forworking families,” Ritter, a son of a uniobn member and a former union member himself, referring to laws that increase unemployment benefits and get more people onto Medicaid. SB 173 ranks with a bill Ritter signex earlier this year that gives tax credits for job creationb as two of hisstrongest pro-business said Travis Berry, lobbyist for the . Both measuresa give opportunities for private companies to work with the governmenty to bring about big projects that they might not be able toaccomplisnh otherwise, he said.
Meanwhile, the twin vetoes of SB 180 and an earliebill — House Bill which would have offerexd unemployment benefits to uniohn workers locked out during a work stoppage send a signal that the economix viability of the state is a priority of the Berry said. “I think it sends a message to employeres that are either here thinking about growing or outsidse looking to come into the state that they can find a predictabl e business climate instead of one thatmovexs wildly,” Berry said.
But Colorado AFL-CIO Executive Director Mike Cerb o said that Ritter had turned his back on workerz who risk their lives and that his organizationj now will haveto “determine how to proceedf in its future relations with the Ritter SB 180 sponsoring Rep. Ed Casso, a Thorntohn Democrat whom some union members have approacheed about running against Ritter in a said he too was disappointex inthe governor’s action. Ritter also signed into law HouserBill 1366, which limits the Colorado-sourcse capital gains subtraction to the firsrt $100,000 of gains on assets held for five yearsx or more. Though business groupxs had asked him to veto the Ritter said he ultimately felt thatthe $15.
8 milliomn it would generate to help the recession-addled statd budget was a more importanr factor.
Ahead of Friday’s deadline for actioh on legislation, Ritter signed 12 including SenateBill 173, which will allo w local governments to work with the state Economic Development Commission to use some sales-tax money to attract and help to build tourist The bill, sponsored by former Sen. Jennifert Veiga, D-Denver, is considered key to two pursuit of a NASCAR track in separate areas east of But Ritter also vetoed SenateBill 180, whicbh would have given local firefighters the ability to engage in collectivs bargaining.
Business groups praised the move as one that will give the states a more stablebusinesx atmosphere, but unions blasted the Democratid governor for breaking a promise to look out for working Coloradans. Ritter said in a news conferencwe that he had little doubt on whether he woulds signthe tourism-tax bill but struggled over the collective-bargaining Ritter said he vetoeds SB 180 because it wouled have overturned the will of individual communities that have outlawed collective bargaining by public-safety workers and because local firefighterxs already can seek collective bargaining with theie city governments.
“This was a wholesalee success for a session in termas of what it did forworking families,” Ritter, a son of a uniobn member and a former union member himself, referring to laws that increase unemployment benefits and get more people onto Medicaid. SB 173 ranks with a bill Ritter signex earlier this year that gives tax credits for job creationb as two of hisstrongest pro-business said Travis Berry, lobbyist for the . Both measuresa give opportunities for private companies to work with the governmenty to bring about big projects that they might not be able toaccomplisnh otherwise, he said.
Meanwhile, the twin vetoes of SB 180 and an earliebill — House Bill which would have offerexd unemployment benefits to uniohn workers locked out during a work stoppage send a signal that the economix viability of the state is a priority of the Berry said. “I think it sends a message to employeres that are either here thinking about growing or outsidse looking to come into the state that they can find a predictabl e business climate instead of one thatmovexs wildly,” Berry said.
But Colorado AFL-CIO Executive Director Mike Cerb o said that Ritter had turned his back on workerz who risk their lives and that his organizationj now will haveto “determine how to proceedf in its future relations with the Ritter SB 180 sponsoring Rep. Ed Casso, a Thorntohn Democrat whom some union members have approacheed about running against Ritter in a said he too was disappointex inthe governor’s action. Ritter also signed into law HouserBill 1366, which limits the Colorado-sourcse capital gains subtraction to the firsrt $100,000 of gains on assets held for five yearsx or more. Though business groupxs had asked him to veto the Ritter said he ultimately felt thatthe $15.
8 milliomn it would generate to help the recession-addled statd budget was a more importanr factor.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Graham Allen: ministers are bringing councils to their knees - Telegraph.co.uk
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Telegraph.co.uk | Graham Allen: ministers are bringing councils to their knees Telegraph.co.uk “Such a plan needs to appeal to ministers and to rouse local government from its knees.†Mr Allen added: “Neither the oppressor nor the oppressed are comfortable with this relationship, together they need to work out a sustainable relationship ... |
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