Sunday, May 29, 2011
Lennar: 400 homes have Chinese drywall - Portland Business Journal:
idellecromwell1991.blogspot.com
One of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Lennarf (NYSE: LEN) said the homes were buil t primarily in 2006 and 2007 and make up a small percentage – 2.1 percent in the state and 0.5 of percent nationwid – of the total homes delivered. The company said it has put asidsenearly $40 million in warranty reserves to pay for the and that, as of May 31, thosd reserves, net of was $34.4 million. The company said it has $20.
67 million receivable to pay for damages under its insuranc coverage and it is seeking reimbursementffrom subcontractors, insurers and others for cost it expects to incur to investigatew and repair any damage, according to the In addition, as of July 10, the company said it was awarde of 41 Florida state court lawsuits and two federa l class actions that had been filed againsft it by those impacted by the defective drywall. The federal casees have been consolidated toa multi-district court in Louisiana. Lennaf said it has filed suit in Miami-Dadre Circuit Court against the entire supply chain, including the Chinese and German manufacturersd of the defective drywall.
It also has moved to stop all 41 state court actions, allowing builders to make the repairs. Sharesa were down 23 cents to $8.09 in morninb trading. The 52-week high was $16.90 on 19. The 52-week low was $3.42 on Nov. 21.
One of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Lennarf (NYSE: LEN) said the homes were buil t primarily in 2006 and 2007 and make up a small percentage – 2.1 percent in the state and 0.5 of percent nationwid – of the total homes delivered. The company said it has put asidsenearly $40 million in warranty reserves to pay for the and that, as of May 31, thosd reserves, net of was $34.4 million. The company said it has $20.
67 million receivable to pay for damages under its insuranc coverage and it is seeking reimbursementffrom subcontractors, insurers and others for cost it expects to incur to investigatew and repair any damage, according to the In addition, as of July 10, the company said it was awarde of 41 Florida state court lawsuits and two federa l class actions that had been filed againsft it by those impacted by the defective drywall. The federal casees have been consolidated toa multi-district court in Louisiana. Lennaf said it has filed suit in Miami-Dadre Circuit Court against the entire supply chain, including the Chinese and German manufacturersd of the defective drywall.
It also has moved to stop all 41 state court actions, allowing builders to make the repairs. Sharesa were down 23 cents to $8.09 in morninb trading. The 52-week high was $16.90 on 19. The 52-week low was $3.42 on Nov. 21.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Ex-federal building project moves along - Business First of Buffalo:
vittitowmehigyk1238.blogspot.com
So can a high-profile 15-story office buildingt in downtown Buffalo be reincarnated asa mixed-use facility?? That was the unusual challenge facing when chosde the firm to coordinate the renovation of the Thaddeus J. Dulski Federal Office Building. Now calledr Avant – that’s French for “forward” – the buildingv at the corner of Delaware and Huron in the centralk business district required acompleted reconstruction. As the metamorphosis is taking shape, Avant’s firs t seven floors will house an EmbasshSuites Hotel, including a two-storyh lobby, a fitness room, restaurant and meetinvg facility; floors eight through 12 are Clas s A office space.
In May, the law firm of will occuphy floors 11-12. The top three floors offer 30 luxurycondominiun residences, ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet. Jess Wendell, an electrical engineer and associate partner at IBC said the project involved hundreds of people andan $80 millio budget. “Uniland asked us to do an analysies ofthe building, looking at what we couldr reuse and where we could save money,” said who worked with on the design. “Wed did all of the heating, air electrical lighting, plumbing and sprinkler he said.
The core and shell phase involvexd getting thebuilding ready, including design for the condozs and LEED certification, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, developeed by the ). We worked closely with the architects and construction Michael Montante, vice president at added: “This was not an easy project. As an existingf building, the systems and infrastructursare imbedded. We wanted to retain as much as possible. It was a real challengwe to identify what could be salvaged and then design new It was much more difficult than startinhg a brandnew project. As the projecf evolved there were many Jesse did an excellent job of respondingg and keeping the jobmoving forward.
” IBC designerx said a specific challenge on the Avang building was designing an extensive lighting package that wouldd meet the stringent energ y consumption requirements of LEED. “The core and shelll of the building includedr the exterior site and building lighting,” said Don IBC lighting designer. “A majority of the lighting fixtures that we selected utilized Lighr Emitting Diodesor (LEDs) as a source of lightr to illuminate the design elements of the building.
”
So can a high-profile 15-story office buildingt in downtown Buffalo be reincarnated asa mixed-use facility?? That was the unusual challenge facing when chosde the firm to coordinate the renovation of the Thaddeus J. Dulski Federal Office Building. Now calledr Avant – that’s French for “forward” – the buildingv at the corner of Delaware and Huron in the centralk business district required acompleted reconstruction. As the metamorphosis is taking shape, Avant’s firs t seven floors will house an EmbasshSuites Hotel, including a two-storyh lobby, a fitness room, restaurant and meetinvg facility; floors eight through 12 are Clas s A office space.
In May, the law firm of will occuphy floors 11-12. The top three floors offer 30 luxurycondominiun residences, ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet. Jess Wendell, an electrical engineer and associate partner at IBC said the project involved hundreds of people andan $80 millio budget. “Uniland asked us to do an analysies ofthe building, looking at what we couldr reuse and where we could save money,” said who worked with on the design. “Wed did all of the heating, air electrical lighting, plumbing and sprinkler he said.
The core and shell phase involvexd getting thebuilding ready, including design for the condozs and LEED certification, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, developeed by the ). We worked closely with the architects and construction Michael Montante, vice president at added: “This was not an easy project. As an existingf building, the systems and infrastructursare imbedded. We wanted to retain as much as possible. It was a real challengwe to identify what could be salvaged and then design new It was much more difficult than startinhg a brandnew project. As the projecf evolved there were many Jesse did an excellent job of respondingg and keeping the jobmoving forward.
” IBC designerx said a specific challenge on the Avang building was designing an extensive lighting package that wouldd meet the stringent energ y consumption requirements of LEED. “The core and shelll of the building includedr the exterior site and building lighting,” said Don IBC lighting designer. “A majority of the lighting fixtures that we selected utilized Lighr Emitting Diodesor (LEDs) as a source of lightr to illuminate the design elements of the building.
”
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Infrastructure task force: Focus on big view - Business First of Columbus:
wood shingle siding
The Ohio 21st Century Transportatiomn PrioritiesTask Force, convenes in May, submitted the 23-page draft documen t to Gov. Ted Strickland’s office this montuh and expects to produce a final version earlyt in the new Chester Jourdan, executive director of the and a task forcwe member, said the report represents a long-overdue attempt to move the stats beyond its traditional role as builder and fixer of highwayas to one as a strategif creator of interconnected public transit, road and water routes that can boostr economic development.
“Not everything in the report will be putinto law, implementedc or passed tomorrow,” he “But there are some tremendoues opportunities for Ohio to do some things that are bold and innovative.” The titled Moving Ohio Into a Prosperous New World, includex a mix of aspirations that may take year s to achieve. It also proffers more tactical objectives that couldf be taken up in coming saidScott Varner, a spokesman for the , which played a role in the task forcw and will use the recommendations when composing its budget in The report also may help guidd how the state uses billions of dollars it stands to receivse under a infrastructure stimulus package proposed by the incomin Obama administration to counteract the he said.
“This is not a documenf meant to be projectby project,” Varnet said. “But what it does is help us definee what our bigger priorities Creating affordable choices for travelersx and shippers by investinf in an interconnectedtransportation network. Makinfg Ohio’s transportation system more user-friendly by streamlining policy-making and Developing and using technology to differentiate Ohio as a leade r intransportation infrastructure.
Expanding investment in a systemj that preserves infrastructure and adds capacityt that can boost the Within those core priorities are14 recommendations, largelyh calls to action that would require significant additional planning and detail before they couldr yield results. The task force’s final repory is likely to include firmer proposals that can be takej up quickly by policy makersand legislators, Varner Part of that, which wasn’t included in the will focus on how the statd Transportation Department can raise the money it needs to reacj goals spelled out in the report, he ODOT faces a budget shortfall of approximately $3.5 billionj through 2015.
The department’s budget for the year endingv June 30is $3 billion. One likely fundinf proposal is to indexthe state’d motor fuel tax to infrastructure construction Another may suggest raising the state’ s motor fuel tax of 28 centx a gallon by 10 cents a gallon and usingv the added revenue to secure bonds to pay for all mode of infrastructure construction – not just building highways. Such and the public debate they’re likelty to inspire, offer a glimpse of the hurdlesd transportation planners must surmount just to raise money to meet what they see asthe state’sx transportation needs, said Larry Davis, presidentf of the and a task forcse member.
“We agree that there needs to be more formzof transportation, but we don’t agrer with the fact that they want motor fuel to pay for all of he said. “It’s all up in the air, and all debatablee in the legislature.” Strickland hasn’t read the draft report and is awaitingy thefinal version, said spokesman Keith “Obviously, the governor will take a look at all of the recommendationsx and take them into consideration as he and ODOT lay out a visiohn for the coming years,” he said.
Presideng Ty Marsh, who chairs the task declined to comment on the report until itis
The Ohio 21st Century Transportatiomn PrioritiesTask Force, convenes in May, submitted the 23-page draft documen t to Gov. Ted Strickland’s office this montuh and expects to produce a final version earlyt in the new Chester Jourdan, executive director of the and a task forcwe member, said the report represents a long-overdue attempt to move the stats beyond its traditional role as builder and fixer of highwayas to one as a strategif creator of interconnected public transit, road and water routes that can boostr economic development.
“Not everything in the report will be putinto law, implementedc or passed tomorrow,” he “But there are some tremendoues opportunities for Ohio to do some things that are bold and innovative.” The titled Moving Ohio Into a Prosperous New World, includex a mix of aspirations that may take year s to achieve. It also proffers more tactical objectives that couldf be taken up in coming saidScott Varner, a spokesman for the , which played a role in the task forcw and will use the recommendations when composing its budget in The report also may help guidd how the state uses billions of dollars it stands to receivse under a infrastructure stimulus package proposed by the incomin Obama administration to counteract the he said.
“This is not a documenf meant to be projectby project,” Varnet said. “But what it does is help us definee what our bigger priorities Creating affordable choices for travelersx and shippers by investinf in an interconnectedtransportation network. Makinfg Ohio’s transportation system more user-friendly by streamlining policy-making and Developing and using technology to differentiate Ohio as a leade r intransportation infrastructure.
Expanding investment in a systemj that preserves infrastructure and adds capacityt that can boost the Within those core priorities are14 recommendations, largelyh calls to action that would require significant additional planning and detail before they couldr yield results. The task force’s final repory is likely to include firmer proposals that can be takej up quickly by policy makersand legislators, Varner Part of that, which wasn’t included in the will focus on how the statd Transportation Department can raise the money it needs to reacj goals spelled out in the report, he ODOT faces a budget shortfall of approximately $3.5 billionj through 2015.
The department’s budget for the year endingv June 30is $3 billion. One likely fundinf proposal is to indexthe state’d motor fuel tax to infrastructure construction Another may suggest raising the state’ s motor fuel tax of 28 centx a gallon by 10 cents a gallon and usingv the added revenue to secure bonds to pay for all mode of infrastructure construction – not just building highways. Such and the public debate they’re likelty to inspire, offer a glimpse of the hurdlesd transportation planners must surmount just to raise money to meet what they see asthe state’sx transportation needs, said Larry Davis, presidentf of the and a task forcse member.
“We agree that there needs to be more formzof transportation, but we don’t agrer with the fact that they want motor fuel to pay for all of he said. “It’s all up in the air, and all debatablee in the legislature.” Strickland hasn’t read the draft report and is awaitingy thefinal version, said spokesman Keith “Obviously, the governor will take a look at all of the recommendationsx and take them into consideration as he and ODOT lay out a visiohn for the coming years,” he said.
Presideng Ty Marsh, who chairs the task declined to comment on the report until itis
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Banks get creative catering to consumer demand for savings - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):
cement siding installation
The products include savings accountsw and CDs thatoffer incentives, perks and upgrades designecd to assist customers with their short- and long-termn savings goals. There’s also a groundswell of new financial literacy classew that take banking lessons into the workplace or Classes cover everything from avoiding foreclosure to strategies for thesophisticated They’re usually free and don’t involvee hard-core selling. But they do allow banks to get their branxd in front of thousandsof people. Response to ’s workplacew banking classes hasbeen “overwhelming,” says Melanie Regions’ consumer banking executive for Middlr Tennessee.
“We became an automated industry in the spirit of quick communicatiohand speed,” Blank says. “But now peoples are getting back to the They are in a cashoptimization mode.” Regionss also has introduced its Second Chanced CD, which allows customers a 1 percent markey rate increase if they meet their savings goal s for a year. The bank also has a no-penaltyy option that lets participants take one withdrawal during the term ofthe CD. The bank also recentlgy introduced a customer assistance progran for familiesin distress. This program helps participantds reduce or restructureproblematic loans.
Blankl says the program has helpedabout 12,0000 people nationwide avoid foreclosure. has had a workplacse banking program called Work Perks forfive years. the economic downturn has created a flood of new interesyt inthe program, says Paula Mansfield, vice president of workplace bankingb for the bank’s Middle Tennesseee branches. “Many companies are having to cut back on thingslike contributions,” Mansfield says. “They are lookinf for ways to show employees they arestillo valued.” conducted a series of focu s groups in Middle Tennessee earlier this year to determine customers’ needs.
“They said, ‘Hel me save better, budget better and save for collegewand retirement.’ People are worrier that their children don’t know how to says Connie White, marketing directo for the Middle Tennessee branches of Fifth Fifth Third also is rolling out Relationship Savings, a product that’s meant to encourage saving and draw business to the bank. Customerd who sign up for a Fifth Thirxd checking account automatically get doublre the interest rate on a savingsw account atthe bank. Another product, the Goal Setter savings works with customers to set savingds goals and rewards them withinterest hikes.
White says the bank is lookinfg ata double-digit increase in deposits this Information from Fifth Third’s market research inspired loca l branches to plan a series of “Health and festivals. The grassroots events will be held at bank branchess and willfeature mini-seminaras on saving and budgeting, credit repair and affordable home Along with the financial classes will be diabetes screenings, a personal fitness trainer giving fitness tips, healthu food booths and activities for children and “Our research showed us that focuses shouled be placed on programas that reach youth as well as White says.
“It showed that to gain relevance, banks shoulxd extend community outreach and White says Fifth Third also is seeing an increase in requestw forworkplace banking, particularly from / reports a 10 percenrt increase in users of its 5-year-olcd Way2Save savings account. It encourages customerzs to save bytransferring $1 from theire checking account into a special savings account each time they make a check card purchase or an electronidc payment. Customers earn 5 percent interestg and a 5 percent annuakl bonus in thefirst year, and a 2 percenyt annual yield and 2 percent annualo bonus in the second and thirdf years.
Way2Save has had about 2 million participants, says Wendy Lawrence, Wachovia’ s banking executive in chargw ofthe mid-South. “Consumers wante d to save, but didn’t know how,” Lawrence “Now we are seeing a wide even from highschoolp students.”
The products include savings accountsw and CDs thatoffer incentives, perks and upgrades designecd to assist customers with their short- and long-termn savings goals. There’s also a groundswell of new financial literacy classew that take banking lessons into the workplace or Classes cover everything from avoiding foreclosure to strategies for thesophisticated They’re usually free and don’t involvee hard-core selling. But they do allow banks to get their branxd in front of thousandsof people. Response to ’s workplacew banking classes hasbeen “overwhelming,” says Melanie Regions’ consumer banking executive for Middlr Tennessee.
“We became an automated industry in the spirit of quick communicatiohand speed,” Blank says. “But now peoples are getting back to the They are in a cashoptimization mode.” Regionss also has introduced its Second Chanced CD, which allows customers a 1 percent markey rate increase if they meet their savings goal s for a year. The bank also has a no-penaltyy option that lets participants take one withdrawal during the term ofthe CD. The bank also recentlgy introduced a customer assistance progran for familiesin distress. This program helps participantds reduce or restructureproblematic loans.
Blankl says the program has helpedabout 12,0000 people nationwide avoid foreclosure. has had a workplacse banking program called Work Perks forfive years. the economic downturn has created a flood of new interesyt inthe program, says Paula Mansfield, vice president of workplace bankingb for the bank’s Middle Tennesseee branches. “Many companies are having to cut back on thingslike contributions,” Mansfield says. “They are lookinf for ways to show employees they arestillo valued.” conducted a series of focu s groups in Middle Tennessee earlier this year to determine customers’ needs.
“They said, ‘Hel me save better, budget better and save for collegewand retirement.’ People are worrier that their children don’t know how to says Connie White, marketing directo for the Middle Tennessee branches of Fifth Fifth Third also is rolling out Relationship Savings, a product that’s meant to encourage saving and draw business to the bank. Customerd who sign up for a Fifth Thirxd checking account automatically get doublre the interest rate on a savingsw account atthe bank. Another product, the Goal Setter savings works with customers to set savingds goals and rewards them withinterest hikes.
White says the bank is lookinfg ata double-digit increase in deposits this Information from Fifth Third’s market research inspired loca l branches to plan a series of “Health and festivals. The grassroots events will be held at bank branchess and willfeature mini-seminaras on saving and budgeting, credit repair and affordable home Along with the financial classes will be diabetes screenings, a personal fitness trainer giving fitness tips, healthu food booths and activities for children and “Our research showed us that focuses shouled be placed on programas that reach youth as well as White says.
“It showed that to gain relevance, banks shoulxd extend community outreach and White says Fifth Third also is seeing an increase in requestw forworkplace banking, particularly from / reports a 10 percenrt increase in users of its 5-year-olcd Way2Save savings account. It encourages customerzs to save bytransferring $1 from theire checking account into a special savings account each time they make a check card purchase or an electronidc payment. Customers earn 5 percent interestg and a 5 percent annuakl bonus in thefirst year, and a 2 percenyt annual yield and 2 percent annualo bonus in the second and thirdf years.
Way2Save has had about 2 million participants, says Wendy Lawrence, Wachovia’ s banking executive in chargw ofthe mid-South. “Consumers wante d to save, but didn’t know how,” Lawrence “Now we are seeing a wide even from highschoolp students.”
Friday, May 20, 2011
Garmin will sell nuvifone in Asia, plans U.S. launch later this year - Kansas City Business Journal:
http://executivetelephony.com/news/article.php?id=93
The Olathe-based navigation device-maker (Nasdaq: GRMN) will sell the which will specializein location-basesd services, on the open market in Asia later this monthy or early next month, President Cliff Pemble said at the company’xs annual shareholder meeting on Friday. Garmin is nearing the end of six months of fiel d testswith U.S. wireless carriers and expects to launcjh the phone witha U.S. carrier in the seconsd half of the The nuvifone, originally announced in January has been a long time comingh as Garmin built a customized operatin g system and shifted strategies from sellinv the phone on the open markeg to selling it throughy a wireless carrier.
In February, Garmin said it woulsd to leverage their navigation and mobile phone expertiseto design, manufactur e and distribute co-branded mobile phones that offer location-basex services. An Android-based phone created throughj that alliance is slated for releases earlynext year. Garmin ranks No. 7 on the Kansas City Businessw Journal’s list of area publix companies.
The Olathe-based navigation device-maker (Nasdaq: GRMN) will sell the which will specializein location-basesd services, on the open market in Asia later this monthy or early next month, President Cliff Pemble said at the company’xs annual shareholder meeting on Friday. Garmin is nearing the end of six months of fiel d testswith U.S. wireless carriers and expects to launcjh the phone witha U.S. carrier in the seconsd half of the The nuvifone, originally announced in January has been a long time comingh as Garmin built a customized operatin g system and shifted strategies from sellinv the phone on the open markeg to selling it throughy a wireless carrier.
In February, Garmin said it woulsd to leverage their navigation and mobile phone expertiseto design, manufactur e and distribute co-branded mobile phones that offer location-basex services. An Android-based phone created throughj that alliance is slated for releases earlynext year. Garmin ranks No. 7 on the Kansas City Businessw Journal’s list of area publix companies.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Music like 'interpretive dance' for rock pianist Ben Folds The Korea Herald “It's a bit like interpretive dance I suppose. The music interprets how I'm feeling and then I have to describe it in English. Often funny lines best compliment a serious melody and vice versa,†he said. Pianist and singer-songwriter Ben Folds. ... |
kypost.com | Covington assault ruled a hate crime Cincinnati.com A judge ruled Tuesday that Devlin Burke committed a hate crime by assaulting four people outside Yadda Club in Covington. / The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy Burke has numerous swastikas and white-supremacist designs tattooed on his body. ... Attacks Outside Gay-Friendly Bar Ruled Hate Crimes |
