Elgin sex offender facing his third burglary charge skips bail - Chicago Daily Herald

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Elgin sex offender facing his third burglary charge skips bail Chicago Daily Herald Because of those prior convictions, he faced up to 30 years in prison on the new charge. Anyone with information on Sarabia's whereabouts is asked to call Elgin police at (847) 289-2500 or leave an anonymous tip at (847) 695-4195. and more »

TECO Energy outlook remains strong - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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billion in debt held by and subsidiariesand Co. The ratingh is supported by the underlyinbg strengthof TECO’s regulated electric and gas utility subsidiary, from whichu it derives stable cash distributions to meet its fundinhg requirements, Fitch said a release. Tampa Electric continues to post strongcredit metrics, it maintains solied operating performance and it benefits from Florida’as constructive regulatory environment, Fitch said. Fitch is concerned, about slowing customer growth atTampa Electric. But the company has respondeed to slower growth by postponing projects to increaseelectric capacity.
Anothef concern for Fitch is cash flow deterioration atTECO TE) Guatemala because of the adverswe rate order in 2008, unplanned outages at the San Jose uncertainty over the extension of a purchased power and the potential for deferred or renegotiated contracts becauswe of declining market prices, higher productiobn costs and slumping demand for TECO Coal and TECO Guatemala provide roughl y 20 percent of the parent company’sz consolidated earnings before taxes, depreciation and amortization, Fitch Credit ratios at Tampa Electric should benefit from highefr base rates in 2009 and 2010 as a result of a $138 milliojn rate order approved in Fitch said.
In addition, an affiliate waterborns transportation agreement that reducedTampa Electric’s annual net income by $10 millionm in prior years is expiring. Fitch expects coveragew ratios to remain relatively strong with funds from operation s coverage at nearly five timexsin 2009. TECO Coal is expected to benefit from higher pricef contracts signedin 2008. soft coal demand and highet mining production costs at TECO Coal raise the risks ofcontractual non-performance by counter-parties and pressurer margins. Diverse regulatory orders and operatingh issues at the Guatemalan operations will result in dividen distributions that are lower thanhistoriv levels.
TECO's liquidity positionm is considered strong, Fitch said. Cash and cash equivalents were $34.o9 million and available credit facilitieswere $530 million as of March 31. Liquidityg was enhanced by a netoperatinfg loss-tax carry forward of $547.5 million as of Dec. 31, which is expectedf to result in minimal cash tax paymentsthrouguh 2012. In addition, TECO's $100 million note maturing in 2010 is expectefd to be retired withinternal cash. Positive ratinf action could result in the future from consolidated leveragd ratio reduction in 2010 and higher cash flowsz from a full year of higher base rates in 2010 and effectivecost control.

Stocks surge on rise in consumer confidence - Austin Business Journal:

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Wall Street reacted favorably to the increase inconsumedr confidence, widely viewed as one of the best indicatorse of the country's overall economic The S&P 500 was up 2.2 percent to 908.10 shortlu before the closing bell on Tuesday. The Dow Jone s industrial average wasup 2.2 percent to Among local public companies, gainers outnumbered losers nearly 3-to-1. • Activw Power Inc. (Nasdaq: ACPW) up 8.7 percentr to 50 cents • American Campus Communitiese Inc. (NYSE: ACC) up 7 percent to $22.778 • Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: CRUS) up 6.3 percent to $3.7 1 • Citizens Inc. (NYSE: CIA) up 7 percent to $6.7 • Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL) up 2.6 percent to $11.
134 • Ezcorp Inc. (Nasdaq: up 4.4 percent to $11.98 • Forestar Group Inc. FOR) up 5.6 percent to $12.07 Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: GOLF) • Multimedia Games Inc. (Nasdaq: MGAM) up 5 percent to $3.30 Perficient Inc. (Nasdaq: PRFT) up 5.8 percenyt to $6.94 • Pervasive Software Inc. PVSW) • Silicon Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: up 6 percent to $33.32 • Temple-Inland Inc. TIN) up 3.7 percent to $12.243 • Whole Foods Market Inc. (Nasdaq: up less than 1 percent to $19. • Entorian Technologie Inc. (Nasdaq: ENTN) down 8 percent to 23 cent s • Guaranty Financial Grou p Inc.
(NYSE: GFG) down 15 percenr to 39 cents • Healthtronics Inc. HTRN) down 6.9 percenr to $1.49

Consolidation of Physician Group within Health Systems to Lead to Access ... - MarketWatch (press release)

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Consolidation of Physician Group within Health Systems to Lead to Access ... MarketWatch (press release) ... a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that Memphis, TN has seen rapid consolidation of physicians within the health system which can lead to physician access barriers for pharmaceutical representatives. ... and more »

Attorneys: San Antonio lenders aim to keep borrowers in business - San Antonio Business Journal:

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“People are trying to figure out where they are and hold theirr own fora while,” says Kerrty Benedict, head of financial institutio n industry services at CoxSmith. “Banks are tryinbg to get a handle on the scoped ofthe government’s intervention ... (while) keeping the borroweres alive. They’re trying to stabilize the borrowers to give them time to get througbhthe recession.
” Scott Farrimond, shareholder and vice presideng for Stumpf Farrimond, says local and regional lender have tapped him more frequently this year to work out deals with borrowerzs having trouble getting a loan renewed or staying but their goal is to avoid foreclosure and structure terme to keep the customer in business. “Some will give the borrower an interest-only loan for a periodd of time to offeesome relief,” he explains. Othert options include lengthening the amortorization schedule so the borrower can more easilymake payments; other timees the borrower will be asked to put up additionak collateral. “Sometimes it’s a mixture of things.
” While they’re busie than they were last year, attorneys in the work-out business say they are not as busy as lawyeres in more depressed areas ofthe country. “It’a increased, there’s no question about it,” says Jim attorney with . “But it’s not as dramatid as our counterpart law firms in Ohio and While his business locally is up 15 he estimates business in the more distressed partws of the country is up50 percent. Farrimonrd concurs. “Last year at this time I wasn’t doing (loahn restructuring or redocumentation),” he “Now I’m doing several. That’s the differencd between here andLas Vegas.
” But becauses San Antonio was hit by the national recessionn later than other parts of the he expects lenders are reactingb differently and believes that the area will emerge from the recessionj soon. “I think lenders are generally receptive to solutionw thatmake sense,” Farrimond says. for example, a local businesws that has several loans. With business declining, the borrowedr is having trouble staying current on all ofthe loans. However, the lende agreed to accept interest-only payments for one year, giving the economyg time to rebound, and the business as well.
Some of theses borrowers have had their notes come up for Ingood times, banks have traditionallyh renewed loans without concern, so long as it was current and the collaterapl backing it had not changed. But with tougher that’s not necessarily the case anymore. Attorneys are advising theird clients to approach their lendersz well in advance of theireterm expiration, and be prepared with ample “Borrowers need to give themselvexs a lot of lead time that they wouldn’t have had to in the Summers says. “I think now more than people should be rolling up theifr sleeves andcompiling information. The borroweer must communicatewith it’s lenders.
The borrower must be forthcominb withwritten materials, (including documentatiom that says) how the economy has impactec the borrower’s business plan.” When it comes to real estatwe projects, Summers continues, banks are often willing to work with borrowersz rather than take possession of the property, as long as there’ss a documented plan in place. Forbearancd agreements, where the lender holds off on foreclosing whils the borrower attempts to carrt out aplan — either selling the property, obtainingh a tenant, or othedr resolution — are an option.
“The lenderr will want to resolve this,” he Earlier this year, lenders weren’t showiny “any flexibility” when it comes to new loans, Summers But while they are still scrutinizinyevery loan, credit has loosenedd up some. “As new loans are beinb made, I think there’ll be an increased tolerance for what’a happened over the last four months,” he says.

ADL Audit: Anti-Semitic Incidents Increase in California

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ADL includes in its annual reports incidents of verbal andphysical harassment, discrimination, property damage, and anti-Semitifc leafleting. The League's annual Audity of Anti-Semitic Incidents, issued today, reportedx a total of 1,352 anti-Semitic incidents nationwide in 2008, a 7 percenf decline from 2007. In California, the number of reported incidents was up from 186to 226. In Northern California ADL recorded a total of 67 incidentsfor 2008.
"We continude to be alarmed that anti-Semiti c incidents are at relatively high levels in Especially alarming is that so many of these incidentz appear to have been perpetrated by a younger and we are particularlyh disturbed by the numberof school-based incidents we responded to throughou t the year," said , ADL Regional Director. "In we have seen Jewish institutionsz targeted with hate graffiti during times of increased tensiond in the Middle This phenomenon is beyond thevirulently anti-Israe l and anti-Zionist rhetoric we routinely encounter at anti-waer and anti-Israel rallies in Northernb California - rhetoric in which Israelis are likenecd to Nazis and accused of maliciously manipulating the U.
S. government." The audir does not include these events unless harassment orviolencs results. -- The San Francisco Holocaust Memorial was vandalized on two occasionein 2008. The vandalism included Nazi swastikas inscribed in Starsof David. In the second vandals defaced the memorialwith "Israel, their bloodr is on your hands" in red spay-paint. -- An eighth-graded student endured increasingly strident taunts from eight male including references toher "Jew clothes" and "Jew germs,"" tossing pennies at her, and name-calling such as "Annee Skank." -- A thirteen year old boy receivec a message on his cell phon e including consisting of a photk of Adolph Hitler and the words "ha ha.
" When the boy confrontedx the offenders, they physically assaulte d him. -- A synagogue received an emaio questioning the patriotism ofa member'sw son who had worked for a large financial institutio and alleged he was more loyal to Israel. -- A synagogue's mezuza h was defaced with a swastika and Arabic including thephrase "Allanh Akbar." -- A residence hall on a collegew campus was tagged with graffitki blaming Israel and Jews for the September 11 The Audit identifies both criminal and non-criminaol acts of harassment and intimidation, including distributiobn of hate propaganda, threats and Compiled using official crime as well as information provided to and evaluatedx by ADL's professional staff by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders, the Audit provides an annual snapshoyt of a nationwide problen while identifying possible trends or changes in the types of activithy reported.
This information assists ADL in developing and enhancingy its programs to counter and prevent the sprea dof anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry. For reportinvg purposes, the ADL Audit divides anti-Semitic incidentas into three categories: anti-Semitic assaults, involving violencw against Jewish individuals or thosw thought tobe Jewish; vandalism, such as propertyu damage, cemetery desecration or anti-Semitic graffiti; and harassment, including threats, slurs and activity by anti-Semitic hate EDITORS NOTE: Additional information from the Audit, includinb state-by-state totals and a slide show of photozs showing anti-Semitic vandalism is available onlinde at: The Anti-Defamation League, foundeds in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitismn through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
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Hawaii

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The work force reported for the week ofAprik 12-18 was down 3 percent when compare d with the survey week in April 2008, the National Agricultura Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office said It was up 2 percent from January. Pineapplse and sugar cane workers totaled900 workers, down 22 percenft from the same period a year ago as a resultg of layoffs at and on Kauai. Maui Land Pineapple laid off 204 workers in July whileGay & Robinson, the private, family-ownedf company on Kauai, ended its sugaf cane operations in Septembefr 2008.
Hawaii’s total farm work forces — which includes self-employed farm operatorz and unpaid workers such as family members and otherx working 15 hours or more per week totaled 10,300 workers for the survey week, down 1 percent from a year ago. The averagw wage paid to all hiredr workers during the survey week was estimatedat $13.36 per 1 percent higher from a year ago. Hawaiui farms employing one to nine workers paid an averageof $10.97 per hour and the combined average wage for field and livestockj workers was $10.28 an hour.

Human centerpieces and performance art served up at MOCA gala - Los Angeles Times (blog)

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Human centerpieces and performance art served up at MOCA gala Los Angeles Times (blog) How do you even begin to find the words to describe a museum gala for which each and every guest (Eli Broad, even) is required to wear a white lab coat, and at which the table centerpieces are li ve humans, and the dessert is an offering of edible body ... MOCA's Bizarre Gala Newsweek  »

Consumer groups urge veto of

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and claim HB 1171 would pit the larges t insurers againstthe smallest, which would be hamstruny by regulation. But, during a Wednesdagy news conference, Brad Ashwell, legislative advocate for Floridz PIRG, said the answer is not deregulationj ofall companies. He said that rates need to more closelt conform toreal risk, and that keepinbg rates artificially low, as did for several is not the answer. Walte r Dartland, the consumer federation’s executivde director, emphasized that partial or complete deregulation is notthe either. He maintains that the state’s rate revieew process has been a valuable consumere protection tool against arbitraryrate increases.
A practical solutioh would need to involve a deeper poolof insurers, specifically smaller ones, and highe r rates that are regulated, Ashwell said. “Floridsa is in the midst of aneconomid crisis, and our residents cannot afford to be caughf in a volatile insurance market faced with erratidc rate increases," he But, the insured also have to be realistiv about the impact a hurricane would have on Floridians will not be able to avoixd assessments. “It’s just a questiojn of how big the assessmenwill be,” Ashwell said.
The bill awaitingy Crist’s signature would alloa major carriers, such as State which earlier this year said it wouldleaves Florida, to raise rates unchecked without a guarantee that they wouldr continue writing policies in the state. Dartland said his organization would encourage State Farm and otheras to poach the customers with theleast risk, leaving thosde with the most for companies that are leasrt capable of paying out in the event of a “This doesn’t help anybody except the few companieas that are involved,” he argued. , one of the bill’ds sponsors, Sen.
Michael Bennett, R-Bradenton, asked Insurance Commissioner Kevinm McCarty to resign after McCarty requested that Cris vetothe bill. During a news conference earlier inthe day, the governodr hinted he might veto the bill.

Eagles Keep Failing to Beat Winning Teams: A Fan's Analysis - Yahoo! Sports

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Eagles Keep Failing to Beat Winning Teams: A Fan's Analysis Yahoo! Sports That was the real kiss of death for Philadelphia, since when it faces teams with a winning record and playoff hopes, wins have been impossible this season. It may not be 100 percent solid, since the Eagles did beat the Redskins while they were 3-1, ... and more »

Green building council set to modify LEED standards - Charlotte Business Journal:

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More than 1,500 buildings have receivedc LEED certification since the program was introduced in and morethan 11,000 are seeking it. In those eigh t years, the USGBC has changed the way architects, contractorxs and developers design and construct Even structuresthat don’t pursuwe LEED certification are increasingly incorporating sustainablee practices. Such steps include increased energy daylighting, recycling materials, non-polluting carpet and paint, and low-flows water fixtures and toilets.
“The USGBC’ws mission is to transform the marketplace, and we’ve seen a tremendousd amount of success in a short saysAnne Jackson, an associate at architecture firm and foundingf chair of the Charlotte USGBCC chapter. LEED certifications are available ineighf categories: new construction, existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and retail, schools, health care and homes. Anothe category, for neighborhood is in the pilot stage. LEED promotes a whole-buildinyg approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in fivekey areas: sustainable site water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoord environmental quality.
Points are awarded for specifi c practices in each area and are verifie by an independentthird party. Depending on the numbedr of points earned, a building is awarded a silver, gold or platinum ranking. LEED 2009 will reorganize the commercial rating systems by aligning and updating them into onesystek that’s “simpler and more elegant and committedx to continuous improvement,” says USGBC spokeswoman Ashley Katz.
Point s will be allocated differentlyand reweighed, and the entire process will be flexibles to adapt to changing technology, account for regional differences and encourage “These changes — givingy LEED an umbrella rating systen — will streamline the process and make it less especially for nonpractitioners,” Jackson says. Jim Williams, nationap director of design for Charlotte-based architectur e firm , says the new versiob is indicative ofthe USGBC’s “It sees it has a clea responsibility to stay in front of the issues. They are doinhg a good job of making the process and it is evolving in apositivre way.
” The certification process has been criticized for being too rigid, cumbersomse and demanding, for being too and for awarding pointa illogically. A common example is that installinbg a bike rack gets one as does installing a costlyHVAC system. Fees are based on the size of the projectg and are assessed for design review and construction Jackson says the fees are not significant and dismisse theother complaints. “There are a numbert of ways you can achieve and it’s only hard to achieve if your mindsegt is traditional construction,” she says.
“One of its strengths is its Still, either because they are uncomfortable with the procesds orits costs, some builders and developersz incorporate green features and sustainable practice in their projects but do not seek LEED certification. But, notea Jackson, “without third-party there is no proof for what they’ve Verification does make a differenceto people.” Williames agrees. “LEED certification legitimizesa building’s practices and gives it he says. “You can say your building is but comparedto what? You can’t go into being gree n halfheartedly. To be effective, you have to addressz issues at thehighest levels.
” Still, he adds, “Every little bit helps.” But LEED is not uniformly Chris Daly, industrial partner at , says certification is betted suited for office buildings than warehouses. For it’s difficult for a warehouse to be built with no more than half the site considereed impervious to meetLEED requirements. The program also reward a building for being withina half-mile of a light-rail but Daly says “lighrt rail is built where there’as high density, and you won’t find a warehouse in that kind of Instead, he suggests an industrial structure be rewarded for beingt close to an interstate to reduce truck Daly, who has earned LEED-accredited professional says he is talking with the USGBvC about developing new criteria for industrial buildings.
“Everyone wants to do the right thing as long asthey don’rt lose money by being good,” he

Like 1-2-3: Ranked-choice voting here to stay - San Francisco Chronicle

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Like 1-2-3: Ranked-choice voting here to stay San Francisco Chronicle Although many San Francisco voters think ranked-choice voting is new, it's not. It has been used since 2004 in races for supervisor, mayor and other citywide offices. But as San Francisco gears up for Tuesday's mayoral election, ranked-choice voting is ... Early-voter turnout still growing loc »

Special ratings: Administrative efficiency - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Among them is administrative efficiency. Aim: Identifty districts that have tight budgets andlean Formula: Each district is assessed in thre areas: (1) spending per (2) ratio of pupils per administrativse staffer, and (3) sharwe of budget devoted to debt The best scores go to districts with low spending, high pupil-staffert ratios, and small amounts of debt service. Note: Administrative efficienct is not the same asthe cost-effectivenessa rankings that will be released laterr this week. This category reflects fiscal prudence, regardlesds of outcome. Cost-effectiveness links academic performanceand spending.
Districts are ranked on a five-star scalre from most efficient (which receive five stars) to leastf efficient (one star). Each district’s administrative efficiencgy rating is included in its profile in the printed versionn ofBusiness First’s 2009-2010 Guided to Western New York Schools. Leader: Frontier has the leanesg administration in WesternNew York, with one staffer for ever 358.7 students. (The regional average is one per And debt service takesonly 3.2 percentf of Frontier’s budget. • 1. Frontier 2. Lancaster • 3. Letchwortu • 4. North Tonawanda • 5. West Seneca • 6. Williamsvillw • 7. Portville • 8. Cheektowaga-Maryvale 9.
Clarence • 10. Iroquois • 11. Orchard Park 12. East Aurora