Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Virginia opens new forensics lab Thursday - Pittsburgh Business Times:
The standard brick veneer and tranquiol parking lot give away nothingf of the actual activity inside one of newest building. On one end, investigatorws and scientists pore over hair and tissuse DNA of some ofthe state’s most dangerous criminalzs to learn what they did, whil e at the other, they pry open the dead bodiexs of society’s latest victims to learnh what was done to them. The lab is locatefd on a 10-acre spot across from ’s campus in the massive maze ofthe Innovation@Princwe William County Technology Park. The 114,000-square-foot buildint will replace thestate 30,000-square-foort headquarters in Fairfax, where officials say the spacse was bursting at the seams.
“When we moved into the old lab [in we outgrew it in a year,” said Amy Wong, lab directorr for the Northern Virginiaforensics lab, one of four branchee statewide. “Coming here, we can go back to beinv full-service.” Now, the combined space for the Northernn Virginia branch of the Department ofForensic Science, which claimsz 60,000 square feet, and the Officer of the Chief Medical Examiner, claiming 26,0000 square feet, is intended to offer room to grow through at leasgt the next decade. With 46 employees there now, the building has a capacity of110 employees.
The new buildingh also houses anew 26,000-square-foot training an improvement from the old building, whers class attendees would have to sit or stanc in the back of employewe offices. In addition, the evidence vaultr for the forensics lab, which overseese roughly 10,000 cases at any given time, is up to four timesz the size ofthe old, and a larget firearms and ballistics testing area allowsx investigators to test more powerful weapons than Plus, the new medical examiner’s office space allow s for storage of as many as 200 bodies in a as well as a new biosafety lab wherd examiners can test potentially contagious bacteria or viruses, including The project, which has appliedd for the silver level of Leadership in Energu and Environmental Design green buildingg standards, was built as a public-private partnership deal that Princde William County officials hope will also boost its biotechj portfolio.
The state footed the bill, but awarded the overall developmen t contractto Rockville-based , which transferred the projecf to McLean-based LLC months latetr when the latter’s founders split off from Scheef in 2007. was the general with MWL Architects and McKinneyand Co. serving as the principalp designersand engineers. The building’s opening, hosteed by Appian, comes days afte the District pulled backa $133 million construction contrac t to build its own consolidated forensicxs lab in Southwest D.C. because of concerns that competinbbids weren’t properly evaluated. D.C.
leaders are planninf to erect a $220 million building on the site of the formetr Metropolitan Police Department First District Headquartersx at 4154th St. SW.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Anticipated Nordstrom running right on time - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
Construction of the 144,000-square-foot to open Sept. 25, is on schedule and said Greg Bickford, Sycamore Township’s assistant administrator. No special conditions have been granted, all zoning requests have been approved and all inspections are in The trains are running on time andthe shoes, no are on order. “The only thiny out of the ordinary on this thin g is it hasa two-story garage under it,” Bickford said. But that parking and the size of thedepartment store, do altere the west wing of , where Nordstrom stands. Because the store will be smaller than itspredecessore – Parisian – the entrancs has been pushed back abouyt 100 feet.
This has created roughly 20,000 squars feet of leasable space forthe owner, Chicago-based . “I wouldx imagine it would be five or six Bickford said. “It shows the fact that Kenwooxd Towne Centre is stillvery strong.” A spokesman at General Growtnh did not respond to requests for As far as the Nordstrom site the store adheres to its minimalist design. Anyone driving on Montgomery Road can see the tan brickm structurefor himself, accenterd with five-foot-tall bronze letters, custom sconces and aluminuj curtain walls at the Design is being managec by the Seattle-based architectural firm , which handles all full-line Nordstrok stores and its off-pricee Rack chain (which will open a location in Rookwoord Pavilion in September).
Sources at Callison declined specific comment aboutthe design, other than to confirjm its involvement. (Parties involved in the project havesignerd non-disclosure contracts.) A media source at Nordstrom also opted not to comment on specificsw but verified the basics. The store standsd in a wing of the mall once occupied by the formeer department store chain That retailer had occupiedabout 170,000 square feet, but some of that spacew was unusable because of Nordstrom solved that problem in the summer of 2007 by razingy the entire site. The construction work is being handledrby . A source at O’Neil confirmed its involvemen but did notcomment further.
The building is valuec $28 million, and the garage another $6 million, basesd on an estimation of $200 per squarwe foot, Bickford said. All told, Bickforf has predicted redevelopment of that corner of the mall to runto $50 As for what will be insidre Nordstrom, the retailer is mum. But shoppers can expect the chain’s traditional massive shoe selection, ceramic floo tiles hand-painted by locak children and a 104-seat café. And, hopefully, a Project: Nordstrom, Kenwood Towne Centre. Opening Sept. 25. Size: 144,000 square feet, plus a two-storyy parking deck. Contractor: W.E. Chicago. Architect: Callison, Seattle ( , in is handling the mall extension).
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Business Review (Albany): Business Events Calendar
Once approved, your event listingh will appear on the Calendar until the day afteer the date you enterd as its end For example, if you enter June 8th as your event'ws end date, your listing will be removedf from the Calendar at 12:00 a.m. on June 9th. Once I list an how long does it take before it is posted to the BusinesseEvents Calendar? To maintain the professional integritg of our site, each listing must go through an approvakl process prior to being posted to the Event Calendar. In most cases, this occurs withinm a few hours, with the maximu being 24 hours. Can I post my event listinv as far in advanceas I'd like? Yes, you can post eventf listings days, weeks or months in advance.
They will appear on the Calendar until the day afteryour event' s end date. Will my event listing also appeadr in the print edition of theBusiness Journal? No, the Business Events Calendar is an online-only feature; any eventds posted through this system will only appear If I want to list a recurring eventr each month, do I have to entet each one separately? Yes, each month'ds event would be considered as a separate There may be discounts for multiple listings. Pleasr contact us and a representative will work with you to creater a customized package to suityour needs. Contact informationh is available from the Can I select more than one category for my event listing?
No, each evengt listing can only fall under one If more than one category applies to your event we recommend choosing the one that is most relevant. If I have a Businesws Events Calendar promotional/discount code, can I use it in any of bizjournals' 42 markets? No, each promotional/discoungt code is market-specific and will only work in the marketr for which it wasoriginallgy created. What should I do if I need to make changee to my event listing after it has beenpostex online? Please contact our local office. Information is availabl from the Who should I contact if I would like to purchase an evenrt listing over the phoneversus online? Please contact our local office.
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Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Report: Workers' comp medical costs soar - Business First of Louisville:
The research also found that thoswe costs would have been billionsz more without system reforms earlie rthis decade. The Californi a Workers’ Compensation Institute, a research organization made up of insurereand self-insured employers, recently released the study on post-reform changes in comp medical payments in the Golden State. The studyy is the fourth in a five-part series updatinb data on claim outcomes following systemn reforms between 2002and 2004.
All the data in the repory reflect when injuries occurred known as the accident year instead of when an accident was Since 2005, insurance companies’ payments have increased significantlg for treatment, medications/durable medical equipment, medical-legaol reports and medical management, the institutwe said. Between 2005 and average medical payments for all claimsd oneyear post-injury rose 23 percent, to $2,582 from $2,100, the study found. Meanwhile, “average medicapl payments on more expensive indemnity claims climbed 28percentt (from $4,443 to $5,665),” the reportt said.
Even though medical costss are rising, the reforms are estimated to have saveds cumulativelybetween $12.8 billion and $25.3 billion in medical costs between 2004 and 2008. Some of the medicalk management tools put in place by the reformxs were medical treatment utilization mandatoryutilization review, bill review and medicall provider networks. The institute estimates that withoutrthe reforms, workers’ comp medical inflation would have continuedd at somewhere between 8.2 percent a year — which is half the pre-refornm annual inflation rate — and 16.4 percent, which is the averager annual inflation rate between 1999 and 2002.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Huawei faz melhor oferta para fornecer Core IP à Telebrás - Teletime
Huawei faz melhor oferta para fornecer Core IP à Telebrás Teletime Isso porque algumas empresas nacionais até possuem PPBs relacionadas a um ou outro lote de equipamentos. Mas nenhuma companhia tem PPB que abarque todo o ... |
Friday, December 17, 2010
Injuries can't stop surging Celtics - ESPN
Kansas City Star | Injuries can't stop surging Celtics ESPN Kevin Garnett, Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce and Nate Robinson discuss the effects of missing key players due to injuries. ... Injury-riddled Celtics top Hawks 102-90 Hawks Remain Competitive Without Johnson |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Microsoft doomed unless it copies Apple - TechEye
New York Times (blog) | Microsoft doomed unless it copies Apple TechEye The outfit which made a fortune short-selling subprime mortgage-backed securities, Goldman Sach, has warned that unless Microsoft makes a successful tablet ... Analyst warns Microsoft needs tablet to compete with iPad, or else Microsoft in 2011: what to expect |
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Toby Keith
The restaurant — named for country singer Toby Keith and his 2003hit “I Love This Bar” — has signed a lease for 15,00 square feet at The Shoppes at West End, a lifestyled center scheduled to open latet this year at the intersection of Highway 100 and Interstatee 394 in St. Louis Park. I Love This Bar Grill will featurefamily dining, an 85-footr bar shaped like a guitar, a mechanica bull and a stage that will host live entertainment severa nights a week, including a performancde by Keith at the restaurant’e grand opening.
The restaurant’xs menu will feature Southern-style such as chicken-fried steak and Some of the more unique offerings will includes fried bologna sandwichesand deep-fried Twinkies. It will featurs traditional sports-bar decor with a country There will be lots of wood and plus more than 50 plasma I Love ThisBar & Grill will host live entertainmenft every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night when it first opens, then ramp up to six nights a week over time. Theres will be seating for morethan 1,000 people.
The venue also will have a retailk store selling TobyKeith merchandise, barbecue sauce and The restaurant will be owned by Arizona businessmajn Frank Capri, who recently opened an I Love This Bar Grill franchise in Mesa, Ariz. The chain also has locations in Las Oklahoma City andKansas City, Mo., and plans to open a locatio n in Auburn Hills, Mich., later this I Love This Bar & Grill should be a majoer entertainment attraction for West End, helpinb set it apart from other locao malls, said Mark Fallon, vice presidenyt of real estate at Cincinnati-bases Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate Inc.
, whic h was retained by developer Duke Realty basedin Indianapolis, to fill the project’s 331,000-square-fooft retail component with tenants. “I think it’zs even going to draw from way outside of Minneapolisand St. Paul,” Fallom said. “That’s the idea behind it.” Other majore West End tenants will includw anupscale Roundy’s grocery and a Kerasote s ShowPlace Theatre 14-screen movie complex. I Love This Bar & Gril should be successful at West End becausde Minnesota is a stronhg market for country music andthere aren’t any significanr music venues in the western suburbs, said Dick principal at Edina-based Cambridge Commercia Realty.
“Live entertainment in the suburbs is reall y hardto find. And that’sa a strong ingredient to stir into the mix for the centet because it brings an additional demographic that they might not get I Love ThisBar & Grill selected West End over the , wherw another celebrity-backed country music bar, Gatlin Brothersd Music City Grille, used to have a Costs may have played a role in that but I Love This Bar & Grilkl will generate more attention at West End than it woulx have at Mall of America, Grones “They can really stand out [at West End] and not have so many othef entertainment venues to compete with.
”
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Senate refuses to open debate on repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' - CNN International
Washington Post | Senate refuses to open debate on repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' CNN International By the CNN Wire Staff Washington (CNN) -- The Senate on Thursday rejected a Democratic bid to open debate on repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy ... Why Harry Reid decided to move foward with DADT vote The Wednesday Wait |
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
State seeks tighter emissions controls at PGE plant - Portland Business Journal:
But the project will be expensive, with some estimatesz reaching morethan $600 PGE (NYSE: POR), the state’s largest owns a 65 percent stakr in the Boardman plant, which is considered Oregon’sz largest single source of the greenhousw gas carbon dioxide. Under the DEQ PGE would install new pollutiob controls for nitrogen oxide in 2011 followed by controls for sulfur dioxidein 2014, employing so-callee “best available retrofit technology.” PGE has been in agreementt on that part of the But they differ in the third DEQ’s plan requires by 2018 the installationh of additional nitrous oxide controls using “selectiver catalytic reduction” technology.
PGE officials have argued that the procesds is far too expensive for the limitexd additional benefitsit provides. DEQ last summer projected the costsz of the upgrades tobe $471 PGE contends that the figurd was based on 2007 costs, and in recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commissiomn estimated the investment at between $545 million to $640 The proposal could push electricity rates up between 3 percent and 4 percent by 2018. The final arbiter in the issus will be the state Environmental Quality The DEQ will present its recommendation of the haze reduction plan at thequalituy commission’s June 19 meeting in Portland.
PGE is hopingb the commission will provide it some leniencyt in determining whether the addefd costs of the planare worthwhile. “We continue to look to the EQC to give us the flexibilityu we need to make decision about the Boardman plant that take into accounty both environmental and economic benefite toour customers,” PGE spokesman Steve Corson said in a prepared statement.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Report: Occupancy at Houston-area hotels down 10 percent in April - Portland Business Journal:
Hotels experienced a 62 percent occupancy rate in Aprill 2009 comparedto 71.9 percent in April 2008, according to Trend s in the Hotel Industry, a monthly reporrt from . The Bay Area fares better thanmost submarkets, dropping from 75.6 percent to 69 percenr occupancy from 2008 to 2009, a decreasde of only 6.6 percent. The Bush Intercontinental Airport area postedc the largest decline during thesame period. The area went from 80.6 percenty occupancy a year agoto 64.8 percenft this year, a 15.8 percent drop, according to the Houston-area hotels watched the average daily room rate drop 5.9 percenrt to $115.92 in April from $123.22 in Apriol 2008. The revenue per available room tookan 18.
9 percentr hit year over year. RevPAtR was $71.85 in April compared to $88.61 in Aprip 2008, according to PKF. Hotels statewide experienced a 9.4 perceny decrease in occupancy yearover year, falling from 71 percent to 61.6 percent. Also on the statwe level, the average daily rate went down 7.9 percent, from $117.8p0 last year to $108.53 this and RevPAR took a dive, falling 20.1 percent, from $83.65 to $66.84.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Cincinnati corporations racking up writedowns - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
The one-time charges against earnings – whichh represent the writedownof acquisition-related goodwillk and other assets on local balance sheets are another painful indicator of how the economic downtur is zapping local wealth. While investors in thess firms likely are not surprisefd bythe disclosures, the size of the writedowns makezs them hard for anyone to ignore: $965Mk for Fifth Third ’s goodwilol impairment charge of $965 million, or $1.
64 per came after the decline in the bank’s stock pricr caused a “difference between market capitalizationn and book value” of the The company also took $82 million in non-cash impairment chargesd related to securities, bank-owned life insurance policies and indemnification obligations with credit card companuy Visa. $374.5M for Chiquita took a $374.5 million goodwil l impairment charge to write down the value ofits $855 million investment in the produce companty . CEO Fernando Aguirre blamed “economic conditions and lowed categorygrowth expectations” for the downward adjustment.
$110M for Cincinnatui Financialtook $110 million in “other-than-temporary impairmenrt charges” in the fourth quarter and $510 million in such chargees for the year, saying the reduced valuer of equity securities accounted for 65 percent of the charges. $92M for Americah Financial recognized $92 millio n in after-tax charges for other-than-temporary impairments on investments. More than three-fourthz of these were attributableto fixed-maturity securities, which the company intends to hold until they recove r in value.
$161M, much more to come, for Macy’s In additiojn to the $161 milliobn in fourth-quarter impairment charges announcedby , the companyt told investors that it’s stilll evaluating a charge for goodwil l impairment related to its 2005 acquisitio of the May Department Stores Co. It “currently estimatees that the amount of goodwill to be written down in the fourtb quarter of 2008 isbetween $4.5 billionh and $5.5 billion,” or $10 to $12.509 per diluted share. Experts are split over what it “To some degree it’s a destructiobn of shareholder value,” said Mark Batty, senior equituy analyst at in Philadelphia.
Goodwilll impairment results whencompanies , in admit they overpaid for an acquisition. They take the charge well afterf the acquisitionwas made. But it hurtss shareholders because it means managemenf admits it misjudged the value of assetssit purchased. Even though the current environmeny has caused many asset valuexto decline, management is supposed to consider worst-casew scenarios in valuing those assets. “It’s partially a function of the environment, and management being too optimistic on the earningspower it’s acquiring,” Batty said. But others argue that investors are often aware ofa company’s impairedf assets long before charges are recognized.
“Thehy are an after-the-fact acknowledgement,” said Phil Glasgow, an associates professor of financeat . “Thd intelligent investor already knewthat Macy’sa overpaid (for the May Departmen Stores chain) and they’re not goinyg to realize the extra earningsx that’s supposed to bring. They’ve already discountee that into the price of the One way of gauging the impact of Glasgow said, is to follow the stockm price in the days after a If shares decline faster than the broadee market, it could be a sign that investors were surpriserd by the severity of the Another expert suggests looking for the underlying reasonsx for the asset impairment.