Varian cuts deep as industry sours - Dayton Business Journal:

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The Gloucester maker of equipment used in computef chip manufacturing says it is running as lean as It will have temporarily shuttered operationa nine times in nine months by And it laid off 500 employee s and instituted salary cuts onmany upper-level The operation ended employee stock ownershipo programs and 401(k) contributions. But executived acknowledge themoves aren’t enough in the wake of the worstt sales environment in recentf memory, and the firm will likely lose money no matter what it While booms and busts are a fact of life for semiconductof equipment businesses, the length and severity of this downturn are surprisinv industry executives and analysts alike.
While Variabn (Nasdaq: VSEA) has steadily increased its shar e of the ion implantation markety to around 60 percentlast year, it has not been immuns to deep and lasting cuts to the business. “It’sw a very difficult situation. You’re probablyh cutting to the bone right nowand you’rre probably taking some bone with said Dean Freeman, a semiconductor equipment analyst with Conn.-based Market conditions have forcedr Varian’s hand in the cost-cutting Spending in Varian’s core product category droppedf an estimated 31 percent in 2008 to $24.9 according to Gartner. The firm forecasts an additionap 33 percent contractionin 2009.
“This is worse than the perfect storm of Freeman said. Varian’s revenue plummeted throughour 2008, but the company maintained profitability throughout most of the In its first quarter of fiscal whichended Dec. 28, 2007, Variab posted revenue of $254 millio and profit of $63.6 million. By the fourthb quarter, revenue had dropped to $142.1 million but a combination of staff and benefit cuts resulted ina $2.4 million But the financial crisis crushesd any thoughts of profitability, even with more extensive cash-saviny measures. “We had already been running leanet for about a year when the widespread financial and economiccollapse hit.
We cut our spendinvg even faster and hardefr starting in the Septembert2008 quarter,” said Chief Financial Officer Bob Halliday in a receny earnings call. In the fall the company has slashed researcyh and development expensesby $4.7 millio and general and administrative costs by $6 but could not avoid a $13.6 millioj loss on revenue of $107.45 million. “These actions are unpleasant and hard on the but they have allowed us to keep the organization much more intact forthe future, a futurr about which we are ultimately quite optimistic at Halliday said. He was unavailable for Cost-cutting will likely continue in theupcoming quarter.
When asked by an analysr how much deeper the companycan cut, Halliday said Varian is “trying to turn down just a little bit more in Q3, Q4 but we woulx like to see a little bit more visibilith before we commit to cutting a lot Gartner’s Freeman said Varian’s recent profitability makes cuttinbg a bit easier. Still, he said how much furthee to cut is a delicatebalancinb act. It seems many analysts are willingy to give Variansome time.
“We believe this is nearly all a reflectiomn of the virtual cessation in spending by and not at all an indicatioh of marketshare loss,” said analyst Steve O’Rourke in a recent research “We believe Varian remains best positionerd to leverage an industry however, we don’t expect one to materialize untip well out into 2010 at the

Kathy Castor: Clean energy jobs come at

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In a Monday morning teleconference Castor, a membet of House Energy and Commerce said clean energycreateds “good paying jobs for people of all skill levels and diversr educational backgrounds.” report issued June 10 analyzexd the role of clean energyy in economic recovery. The report arrivedx at a critical timefor legislation, Castord said. It shows that between 1998 and Floridagained 2,277 jobs from companies involved in clea energy. The numbers provided a glimpse of what jobs in the futurewcan be, Castor said. The cleanb energy sector is “poised for explosive said Lori Grange, interim deputy directodr of the , in the teleconference.
The Pew report talliee jobs, businesses and investments in 50 statea that would contributeto clean, renewable energ sources, energy efficiency, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the conversio n of water and other natural resources. An independent nonprofit foundexin 1948, Pew has primaryg offices in Philadelphia and

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Business Journal: Broadly, how do you expecft the FDA’s approach to regulatiohn of medical devices to change undefr Margaret Hamburg and theObama administration? DuVal: The medical-device industry is very concerned right now because there’s a trend afoot with the agencg wanting more and more data and a trendf afoot with looking at comparative-effectiveness data. When you’rw in my business, things swingg fairly dramatically from one commissionere and one administration tothe next. Previously, you needec to, not compromise safety, but make sure innovation got out in a reasonabltyexpeditious fashion. We’re starting to lose that focus.
Businesz Journal: The 510(k) clearancr process, which usually takes less time and requires fewed clinical trials thanthe pre-market approval process has come under intense scrutiny in recen t months. FDA scientists in January wrote a letter to Presidentt Barack Obama saying the approval proceses for medicaldevices ‘has been corrupted and and asked that their bossed be fired. The FDA also has been asking for more data befor eapproving devices. Do you expect to see significan reform ofthe 510(k) procesas in the coming years, and if so, what kind of changeds are likely to be implemented?

Solar Liberty in line for UB contract - Business First of Buffalo:

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Kessel was joined by Solat Liberty officials atcompany headquarters. Solaer Liberty would be the primary and perform an extensive role in procurement and laboer for the solar arrau installationat UB. In May, Kessel revealed the projecf plansat UB’s Center for Tomorrow. It woulr have 5,000 panels to generate power at four campuashousing complexes, a total of 735 apartments housing approximately 2,0000 students. Kessel said the project woulds cost anestimated $7.5 million. If the boardc gives its OK, Kessek said, construction could begin as early as with a completion date sometime in the fallof 2010.
“Most of the work on this which will be the largest solar installation at any collegew or university in New York State and one of the largestg on any campus inthe country, will be undertakenj by Western New Yorkers,” Kessel The contract, which was subject to a competitivwe process, would be awarded to Ontario, Canada-based DeCloetf Greenhouse Manufacturing. Solar Liberty President Adam Rizzo said DeCloet is experienced in puttingy steel in the ground forsuch projects, and the two companiesd would work together. Approximately $6 million of the contract is expected to go toSolare Liberty.
“This job gives us special satisfaction (as) most of our managementt and staff are UB andSUNY graduates,” said who expects to hire 10 to 15 workers to install the ground mounted system at a pay rate of $35 to $50 an Other administrative jobs, he said, might be an outgrowtn of the UB project. Rizzo said the company, whosw customers are residential, commerical and not-for-profit agencies, installee around 50 systems last year, and 90 this He estimates 2009 revenues should totalaround $30 million.

Attorney General and Other Officials to Deliver Remarks at the National Institute of Justice Annual Crime and Research Conference

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, Forensic Anthropologist and Authorof "The Bone A Forensic Anthropologist's Search for Truth in the Mass Graves of Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo," will also delivedr remarks. MONDAY, JUNE 15 8:30 A.M. ET Acting Assistangt Attorney General Robinson will make openintg remarks and then moderate a panepl on homicide in theUnitedr States. Arlington, Va. 12:00 P.M. ET The Attorney Generak will address criminal and juvenilrejustice practitioners, policymakers and the general Arlington, Va. 12:15 P.M. ET Clea forensic anthropologist and authorof "The Bone A Forensic Anthropologist's Search for Truth in the Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo, " will be the lunchtime keynote speaker.
Va. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 12:00 P.M. ET Actinv Assistant Attorney General Robinson willintroduce , Directorf of the Office of National Drug Control who will deliver the keynot address. As the Nation's "Drug Czar, Kerlikowske coordinates all aspects ofthe President's Nationalo Drug Control Strategy. Arlington, Va. NOTE: No multbodx or press riser will be available at the Press inquiries should be directed to Sheila Jerusalem orat 202-598-0377 or and . SOURCrE U.S.
Department of Justice

Safeway a long shot for pension funds - East Bay Business Times:

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But whether a group of public pension funds can muster enough support to preventthe re-electioh of three members of Safeway's nine-membe board of directors, including Chairman and CEO Steve remains a long shot. On May 20, Safewau shareholders will gather atthe company'sx Pleasanton headquarters for their annuaol meeting. The get-together comew after a tumultuous yearmarked by: The longesft grocery strike in U.S. history, lasting nearly five months, at Safeway'ds 289 Vons and Paviliona supermarkets inSouthern California.
The cripplin g labor conflict over cuts in healtu benefits left unionemployees resentful, increase market share for rivals such as Costco and Trader Joe's and left Safeway with a a net loss of nearly $696 or $1.57 per share, for its fiscalo 2003 fourth quarter. Safeway and two rivap chains, Albertson's Inc. and The Kroger Co., the standoff, however, exacting big cuts in health care forfutures employees. A retreat from selling its troubled Dominick'se chain in the Chicago area. Safewayt bought Dominick's for nearly $2 billionb in 1998, analysts say. In 2003, Safeway tried to sell the 113-storde chain for an estimated $350 million but gave up in November.
Now the companyu must negotiate with thousands of union workers who have been withoutf a contract since 2002 and lure back customere lost tothe Jewel-Osco chainh run by Albertson's. The opening of Wal-Margt Stores Inc.'s first "supercenter" grocery/general merchandisr store in California, which may be follower by 39 othersby 2007. Wal-Mart's entry into the state, with its comparativelg low pay and sparehealth benefits, helped spark the Southerj California strike and lockout. Coupld those events with a drop inthe company'x stock price from about $61 in late 1998 to barely $20 per shar today and investors are worried.
A group of publivc pension fundsfrom Illinois, New York and Connecticut are organizinbg a drive to keep three members of the company'se board of directors - Burd, Williamm Tauscher and Robert MacDonnell - from keeping theifr seats. "We plan to withhold our votezs because they are the only directorx upfor re-election," said Bill executive director of the Illinois Board of Investment, a Chicago-basedd fund with $10.2 billion in assets that managez pension investments for state employees. "There'ds been a substantial loss of shareholder value and we feel the key contributoe is a failure ofcorporate governance.
The current boarc has shown it's not serious about holdin g management responsible forthe company's poor performance." Atwood's which holds 166,000 shares of Safeway stock, is beinhg bolstered by public pension funds in New York and as well as the California Publidc Employees Retirement System. The funds hold a total of 7 or2 percent, of Safeway's 444.8 millionm shares. Leaders of the except CalPERS, will be recruiting others to theit cause. "Other (public pension funds) will be coming aboared once they get approval fromtheir (boards of Atwood said.
"But whether we can get even as much as 20 or 25percenyt (of shareholders) to withhold their voted is hard to say. That'sa tough to reach." Pension fund officials claim conflicts of interesty aboundon Safeway's board of directors. Burd and fellow directors James Paul Hazen and George Roberts are either advisers or formere partners at Kohlberg KravisRoberts & Co., a buyout firm that made $7 billion on its sale of Safeway after acquiring it in 1986. MacDonnell is a retired partnerat KKR, where he still sits on pay and audiy panels, while companies operated by Tauscher have made $3.
5 milliobn from business with Safeway since he joinerd the board in 1998, accordiny to the pension funds. In a statement, Safeway officials blam union leaders for orchestratingthe "Let's be clear on what this is. This is an attemp - at the behest of uniob leadership - to pressure a company that has takenm decisive action in labor issues and moved to restructurwe itslabor costs," said spokesman Brian Dowling in the "Union leadership has threatened to attack Safeway CEO Steve Burd and individual memberss of Safeway's board as a pressure tacticd to get better results during labor negotiations, and theser union-backed pension funds are carrying through on that threat.
" That stance is bolstered by Mark Hugh Sam, equit y analyst for Morningstar Inc., a Chicago-based investmenyt research firm. "These are biased, labor-based pensioh funds, so I doubt a lot of othe r shareholders willjoin them," Hugh Sam said. "They will regards their demands with a graimnof salt." Until recently, he said, Safeway has been viewed as a top industryu performer, for which Burd should be given most of the credit.
"He's had great operatinh margins and sales per square footin stores," Hugh Sam "And the strike results show investore he was correct in sticking to his Hugh Sam added, that Burd shouldn't be exempt from criticism over poorlhy handled acquisitions such as Dominick's. Ellehn Anreder, a spokeswoman for the United Food and Commercial Workera union locals involved in the Southern California strikeand lockout, said the UFCW is not involverd in the pension fund actions. "Thew funds have a fiduciary responsibility to their memberss to promote goodbusiness practices," she said. "Thatr is motivating them, not the UFCW.
" Atwood said challenginb the directors is the last thing the funds wantedsto do. He said letters sent in December toRebeccaz A. Stirn, chairwoman of Safeway's Nominatinb and Corporate Governance Committeewere ignored. "qA perfect storm of sorts has happenedr here, with the excessive influencw of KKR, poor labotr relations and the droppingshare price," Atwooc said. "The shareholder movement is real.
Investorw have every reason to expect better returns than theyare

Wigwam faces foreclosure sale as Starwood deal ends - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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Also included in the foreclosur e action are the two golf courses atthe . LLC owns the propertiese in foreclosure and had provided them as collaterakl for the loan it received from Citigroupp Global Markets Realty inJune 2007. But that is not all of the bad news for the historicf westside resort. , which operates the property, notifieed owners, employees and the city of Litchfieldf Park April 20 that it will not renews its contract effectiveMay 29. At that 330 employees will belaid off. Starwood has managede the Wigwamsince 2001. “It’s a surprise.
I knew there were financial problems, but when I heard that Starwood had a meetin g yesterday withtheir employees, I knew it was something said Darryl Crossman, Litchfield Park’s city manager. He in turn callefd Starwood, which he said confirmed that the international hospitalithy firm no longer will maintain the Wigwam as part of its Luxurhy Collectionof hotels. The decision was made in the last two accordingto K.C. Starwood’s vice president of public relations. “This is separate and totallt unrelated tothe foreclosure,” Kavanagh Starwood and Kabuto, she “have spent many months negotiatinv and there were several material points of difference.
Givejn that, we decided to terminate our Kavanagh would not elaboratde what thedifferences entailed. According to a letter sent Mondaty to Crossman byRonnie Collins, actin g general manager of the Wigwam: “Starwood and the ownet of the hotel had been workinh toward trying to resolve a dispute concerning theird management agreement and Starwood’s ability to continue to operate the hotel.
it is now clear to Starwood that this disputde cannot be resolved in a way that woule enable Starwood to continue to manage the Crossman said closure of the Wigwam woulde cause serious distress toLitchfield Park, a community of 4,500 residents locateds in the vicinity of West Camelback and North Litchfielfd Road. The Wigwam, built by the Goodyear Tire Rubber Co. in 1929 for its executives, has been the backboner of the community. “It not only is an historicc property for the whole Valleyand it’sa not only the heart of this community, it’s also our financiap lifeline,” Crossman said.
The Phoenis Business Journal was unable to contact Kabutl Arizona Properties PresidentGeorge Lee, a resident of Litchfield Crossman said Lee’s wife is giving birtgh to a child. Thoughn Crossman said he talked with Lee they haven’t been in touch for several “I’ll probably call him by the end of the Right now we’re trying to find out what the city can do, how we mighgt be able to facilitate some other arrangements,” Crossman Even so, Kabuto Arizona Properties is facint the foreclosure sale of the Wigwam resort and golf coursew and the Biltmore’s Adobe and Links golf courses.
Accordingb to documents filed with the MaricopzCounty Recorder’s office, Kabuto failed to make monthlhy payments on the $65 milliobn loan beginning in November. It is unclear what impacf the foreclosure will have on Biltmore Golf a popular spot with local A spokesperson for the adjacen t Arizona Biltmore Resortand Spa, which is owned by a different referred questions about the foreclosure to the golf club’zs General Manager Dick Bates. He did not respond priod to press time.

Lack of humidity shocks Sydney - Sydney Morning Herald

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Lack of humidity shocks Sydney Sydney Morning Herald Sydney has just recorded its lowest humidity in two years, giving residents their first electric shocks of the season. Westerly winds were so dry and strong this afternoon, the humidity dropped to just 13 per cent, well below the average of 51 per cent ... and more »

Blue Cross Ga. hit with class action suit - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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The suit alleges Blue Cross Georgia has discouragedf visitsto out-of-network providers by reimbursing procedures at a tiny fraction of “usual and customary” Blue Cross Georgia spokeswoman Cheryl Monkhouse dismissed the allegations as beinfg without merit and said the insurer plans to “defenf the suit vigorously.” Blue Cross Georgia “is committed to providin g appropriate reimbursement for out-of-networko services, while at the same time protecting its members and group customers againsty excessive charges by some non-participating providers,“ Monkhouse said. The suit is similart to one filed earlier this year by a dialysis provider againstBlue Cross.
That suit was The new suit, filed against and Blue Cross and Blue Shieldeof Georgia, alleges Blue Croses members paid higher premiums in exchange for the flexibility to receive coverage for care from providers who are not part of the plan’sa preferred network. Blue Cross Georgia has targeterthese out-of-network providers, including ambulatory surgery centers, “for a drasti c and unprecedented slash in reimbursement to a mere fraction of usuapl and customary charges,” the suit claims. These actions violate federal and state laws protecting patients and providers, as well as Blue Crosws Blue Shield’s contracts, the suit claims.
Blue Cross has cut its reimbursemengto out-of-network surgery centers by abougt 80 percent, said Leigh Martin May, attorney with the plaintiff’s . Blue Cross “has slashed reimbursemeny ratesto non-member surgery centerzs making it impossible for their insureds to receive the benefit they are paying for,” May “[The insurer] is charging for a service it has effectivel eliminated. BCBS should honor the contracts they have made withtheidr insureds.
” Plaintiffs are seeking monetary damagexs -- which, May said, could run into the “eight -- for Blue Cross Georgia’s allege failure to pay the contracted reimbursement rate and they are askinfg the court to force Blue Crosw Georgia to honor its agreements. Earliedr this year, Nashville, Tenn.-based National Renap Alliance filed a lawsuif against BlueCross Georgia, claiming the insurer slashe reimbursement rates for out-of-network dialysis services by 88 National Renal Alliance was acquiref by Renal Advantage Inc. last year.
In a federal court judge in Atlanta dismissedthe suit, sayinh Blue Cross’ decision to amend its reimbursement ratex for dialysis performed at out-of-network facilitieas like the Alliance’s did not violate the act’ s provisions that prohibit insurers from discriminatinvg against individuals with end-stagde renal disease.

Maersk Line, Limited Company Profile | Company Information

http://themurmursoftension.com/08/hdpvr-test.html
that provides U.S. flag transportation, ship managemeng and technical services to government andcommercial customers. As a busineses within the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, our customera rely on our unparalleled maritime expertise and globaolintermodal capability. Maritime Technicaol Services applies provenprogramk management, along with maintenance and lifecycle strategies that optimize performanced for maritime customers in the U.S. and Our Ship Management and Chartering business operates noncombatant ships forthe U.S. government and charters a fleerof U.S.
flag tanker, combinatio and dry bulk ships that provide a flexible capacityu to competitively deliver a wide range of cargo aroundthe world. U.S. Flag Transportation Services offers flexiblew andreliable end-to-end transport for any U.S. government cargo, from containers and militarg vehicles, to breakbulk and humanitarianfood aid. Through the years, we have dedicatee ourselves to serving our countr y through superior service toour customers. MLL colleagues participate on numerous governmentak boards and panels that promote safetyg and security at sea and support the education and development of marinersa and professionals inthe U.S. maritimee industry.
We seek everyday to build greate trust in our maritime and transportationm services and strengthen the partnership with our customers for yearwto come.

Government-backed SBA loans could spare auto dealers - bizjournals:

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Many lenders have stoppesd making so-called floorplan loanzs becausethey haven’t been able to sell them on the secondaryg market. Through these lines of auto dealers borrow against their vehicle repay the debt when vehicledsare sold, and then borrow again to add more John Lyboldt, NADA’s vice president of dealership operations, applauded the SBA and Presidentr Barack Obama “for understanding that any efforft to revitalize the auto industry simpl y will not work until dealer credit issues are “The success and continued operation of thousandsw of small, family-owned auto dealerships across the countr y are directly connected to their abilituy to purchase both new and used vehicles to offerr their customers,” Lyboldt said.
Beginning July 1, the SBA will guarante e 75 percent of floorplan lines of credit throughits 7(a) businesw loan program. SBA lenders will make the which will rangefrom $500,000 to $2 million. Dealerd in automobiles, recreational vehicles, boats and manufactured homes are eligible for the The loans will be availablethrough Sept. 30, and possibly longer if the SBA decides to extend thepilort program. Floorplan loans previously were ineligible forthe 7(a) “Countless small businesses, including dealerships, across the countryu are facing significant challenges as a result of the uncertainty in the auto SBA Administrator Karen Mills said.
“Floorpla n financing can offer some dealerships the opportunity to get through these tough economic times by allowingg them to keep their inventory and cash flow as well as save the jobs these smalpbusinesses provide.” Sen. Mary D-La., and Olympia Snowe, D-Maine, the top-rankingh members of the Senate Small Businessz andEntrepreneurship Committee, noted that auto like other small businesses, will benefit from the temporargy elimination of fees on 7(a) loana that was included in the economic stimuluws bill.
More auto dealers became eligiblefor 7(a) loans when the agencyu changed its rules May 1 so that more businesses with high salew volume but low profit margines could qualify as small Previously, only auto dealers with less than $29 milliobn in annual sales qualifiedc for 7(a) loans. “Nearlhy 20 percent of all retail purchases are new cars and so expanding access to credit for dealerss will not only help the struggling auto industry but aid the overalo economyas well,” Lyboldt Md. schools get $589M Maryland schools will receivr $589 million from the federal stimulus the U.S. Department of Educationb said June 1.
The state will use the moneyt to improve public schools andcommunity colleges. Maryland learnerd it will receive the money after applyingh for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds in To receivethe money, Maryland had to assures it will collect and analyzs data on the quality of classroojm teachers, student improvements and effortz to turn around underperforming schools. The state also has to repor the number of jobs saved througnthe funding, tax increasesz that were averted and how the fundsa are used. Maryland will be eligible to applu foranother $290 million this fall.
To date, Marylanc has received $180 million in education stimulus Maryland will receivenearly $122 million in federal stimulu s funds to help boost state water infrastructurwe projects and improve the Chesapeake Bay. The announcement was made June 2 at Bladensburtg Waterfront Parkby U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. a Maryland Democrat and chairman of the Senatse environmental and public works water andwildlifer subcommittee. Other state officials will be on hand for the The funds will be used to construct wated infrastructure projects thatcreate jobs, protect publivc health and bolster the Chesapeakre Bay, according to a press release.
Specific projects were not yet

Golden Gate University eyes new highrise - Kansas City Business Journal:

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Bob Hite, vice president of business affairs and CFO for Golde nGate University, said the university startefd discussing a plan to sell its 33,000-square-foor property at Mission and Firsr streets to a highrise developer aboutt a year ago. The site now holde Golden Gate’s main building, and he said the university woulde only be interested if it could eithere be part of anew mixed-use developmeny on the site or move to another locationb in downtown San Francisco. Goldeb Gate has hired land use attorney Pam Duffy of LLP and has put togethee a task force to look atpotential deals.
Buzz aboug Golden Gate University’s interest in finding a develope for its site increased afterd a May 26 Plannin g Department Transbay forum during which a new zoning map was showingan 850-foot proposefd height at 536 Mission St. While plannefr Joshua Switzky said previous versions of the map had also designatedf the parcel for higher than800 feet, Hite said the new zoningf was news to Golden Gate University “The first we knew of the 850-foot heights was at last week’zs meeting,” said Hite. “This is a change, and we thinl a very good change.
” If approved, Golden Gate’s rezoning would be part of a highrise cluster aroundxa 1,000-foot Transbay Tower that woulf include six skyscrapers over 600 feet and allow for anothee 5.8 million square feet of new officw space, 1,350 housing units and 1,350 hotel rooms. Fees from the developmentr would help raisebetweemn $700 million and $850 millionh to help pay for a $2 billiohn transit center. However, with construction cost s still relatively high and housing prices and officde rents in decline it is unlikely that any of theses towers will be built in the next five accordingto experts.
The latest zoning proposal pits Goldeb Gate University against neighboring developetrDavid Choo, who owns sevenm parcels in and around Firsr and Mission streets. The latesft Transbay plan calls for two talltowers — one 700 feet and one 850 feet on the block that includes both Choo’s property and the Golden Gate University Choo has been tryinfg to sell his parcelws as a unified site that aloned could accommodate the two towers, one 700 feet and one 850 Thus, if a tower is designatedf for the Golden Gate University property, it coul reduce the Choo property to just one towe r of either 700 feet or 850 feet.
In Choo filed an applicationn to build as many as five towers on his but over the past 18 months has been tryin g to sell a number of San Francisco building sited as his commercial mortgagelending , has suffered severe losses. One of his II, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy onMarch 31. Hite said he and Goldenn Gate President Dan Angel met with Planning Director John Rahaim and other planners and made a case for 536Missio St. “We shared with them our belief that we think our site shouldd be designated thehigher site,” he said.
principa Jeffrey Heller, who has been working with Choo on schemes for Firsrt and Mission and is designing another tower in theTransbay district, said the tallerf tower belongs on the Choo site because it is closer to the proposed Transbay “The urban design plans and protocols for the Transbay planninfg area all say the tall buildings shouls be clustered around the Transbay Tower to create a hill and I believee that is an absolutely essential piece of how they finallhy set the heights in the area,” he said. “ I think it’s important that the planningg effort refocuses on this because Ithinj it’s getting vague and watered down by a varietuy of claims for height.
” Golden Gate Universityt has 5,000 students and offers graduate and undergraduate degreexs in law, accounting, business administration, communications and other areas It has been in the Mission Street buildingg since 1968. Hite emphasized that they need to stay in the greated financial district because most students walk to class from jobs at downtownh accounting andlaw firms. “The only way this would make senser to us is if it helped us financialltand operationally,” said Hite.
“We woulrd not do it for the money if it woulfd screw up oureducational Duffy, the land use attorney, said, “Like most property owners in the area, Golden Gate Universitg is interested in what happenx in the community around them and how it might effecf them. “They are one of the major downtown institutions and a significant employer with a significant student said Duffy. Hite said Golden Gate wouldc be willing to move into the bottonm six or seven floors ofa mixed-usse tower, but acknowledged that any development woul be years away. “I think we have a lot of time on our he said.

Seattle council incumbents Godden, Clark easily top rivals - The Seattle Times

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The Seattle Times

Seattle council incumbents Godden, Clark easily top rivals The Seattle Times Seattle City Council incumbents Jean Godden and S »

Triple Crown charged with history - San Antonio Business Journal:

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When dad returned that evening, he looke d sad because he hadn’t done but made my day: I hit the dailt double and had a winninglong shot, two secondse and three thirds. A $2 show parlay, a sort of let-it-ride bet, would have returned a coupls thousand dollars. On July 4, 1948, dad took me to the traci where I saw Triple Crown champ Citation whip 20 olderr horses in theStars & Stripes Handicap. I’ve been a big fan ever since. I especiallu love the Triple Crown, the historic headlined of Amercan racing. The oldesf race in the series is theBelmontr States.
The inaugural was staged at Jeromew Park onJune 19, 1867, a year after its founder brought organized racing to metropolitam New York City. Leonard Jeromr named the race for his friendcAugust Belmont, a leading bankeer who helped finance the track. Jerome an oddly shaped, English-style racecourse, required runners to negotiated three turns instead of two because of a dip in the middlwe ofthe backstretch. A filly named Ruthless won when the pursdtotaled $1,850. The race was moved to Morrisw Park in 1890 when the trackl gave way to a city reservoir because the water systemnneeded upgrading. In 1905, the Belmont was staged at a new facilityyin Elmont, N.Y.
, after August Belmony II, William Collins Whitney and several businesas partners built the most lavishu track in America. The expression “Triple Crown” pertaining to thoroughbredws was introduced by Daily Racing Form columnist Charlesw Hatton while covering Gallant Fox en route to capturing the 1930Triple Crown. In 1868, Maryland’es chief executive and several friends visitec Saratoga in New York State several yearsafter America’s oldest track opened. Gov.
Oden Bowie and othedr prominent racing figures attended a dinner partt where they pledged to erect a facility in thei r state if a special racefor 3-year-old colts and fillie s was run within two In 1870, the Dinner Party Stakes was launched at Three years later, a new race was introduced for sophomored colts and geldings honoring the inaugural Dinnef Stakes winner — Preakness. On May 27, Survivor roared home 10 lengths in front with a purser valuedat $15,000. It was the largestf margin of victory until Smarty Jones cruiserd toan 11-length triumph in 2004.
Meanwhile, an ambitious 26-year-old Kentuckian got the idea for a big race in the Bluegrasas State while traveling in England and Francwe during theearly 1870s. The avid racing fan that lacker track management experience traveledto England, visiting the Epsom Derb that had been run annually sincw 1780, and France, where in 1863 the prestigiouss Grand Prix de Paris was He was Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of half the famouxs Lewis and Clark team that led the firsrt American overlandexpedition (1803-06) along the Ohio Rivef from Clarkesville, Ind., to the Pacific Northwest and back. At the racing and breeding in Kentucky werein decline.
Upon returninhg from Europe, Clark proposed a plan to prominent, wealtht Louisville gentlemen to builda track, hold a championship race and establishg a jockey club with memberships. In 1874, the brainchildx became reality and the Louisviller Jockey Club and Driving Park Association was incorporated that Then Clark leased 80 acres fromhis uncles, John and Henru Churchill, to build the facility. More than 300 subscriptions to membersw of high society were soldfor $100 each to fund The track, located just outside the city, was namede for Clark’s relatives. ( , which wasn’t officially incorporated until 1937).
On May 17, 1875, the inaugurall meeting featured several races that included theKentucky Derby, with a pursd valued at $2,850, modeled aftert the Epsom Derby. The Aristides.