In down economy, pawn shops strike gold - Denver Business Journal:

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For one woman, a longtime customer, the visit to this East Side pawn shop was precipitatedr by a recenttraffidc ticket. She handed over two rings in exchangedfor $150, with a promise she’dr be back to pick up her jewelry when she couls repay the loan and 3 percent monthly Others just found themselves shorr between paychecks. “Between working and needing to getquicik cash, this is the best way – legally,” says Patrick who admitted he had spent beyonde his means and came in to pick up a bracelert he had previously pawned. Merriweather’s necklace remainerd locked upin Prudential’s as he continues to pay on that separat e loan.
“The economy right now sucks in Buffalo,” he “This helps a lot.” Pawn shops have filled a needfor short-termn funds at low interest rates for centuries. A handful of shopxs can be found in Western New with at least two in business forseverakl generations. Nationwide, these shops are experiencing a surge in business from both repeat customersand first-timers sufferinv in a tight economy. The has nearly 2,40o0 members nationwide, serving “middle class, working families who periodicallyu experience an unexpected needfor short-termk funds.” The average customer, according to the association, is 36 years old and has a househols income of $29,000.
The average loan is $75 offeredf at 20 percent for 30 to 60 InNew York, the maximum allowabl e interest on a pawn is 4 percent. Why would someone visit a pawn broker? The association says it is convenienced and fast turnaround that appeal tomost There’s also no credit check or legal consequences if a loan is not repaid just the forfeiture of the collateral item. Nathaniekl Barker, a longtime customer at recalls bringing jewelry back and forth from the Broadwayh shop repeatedly over the past30 Barker, who sells clothes for a living, says he doesn’gt buy jewelry from anyone but Prudentialk – partly because he knowa he is guaranteed a 50 percent loan on thosde items, or at leasr his purchase price back on a trade.
“It’sd a quick and easy way to get cash when you need he says. Brian Schmid, the fifth generation of his famil y torun Prudential, works at the storw with his father, Bill. The he says, has been buying and selling gold and othee jewelry for decades long before the current fad of gold partiesa and selling goldfor cash. Pawning offers an alternativesto selling. Schmid assesses the piece first for conditiomnand value, then makes an offer, with a highere value offered on buys. If the customer choosesd a loan, she has six months to repayg the collateral loanwith interest. “Things have been steadilyg increasing,” he says.
“We’ve always had a good flow every day, regardless of the economy – whethee it be pawning or selling,” Schmif says. “But everything has been ampefd up with the state of the economyh and the state of gold priced over thelast six, seven months.” Located inside a formetr bank building, Prudential has the look of an upscale though a thick wall of glas s separates customers from employees. Everythint is computerized, allowing for faster tracking of interesrt owed and background infoon customers.
“Aw lot of people have the perceptionj that pawn shops are ashaduy business, but short-term it’s a better deal than a credirt card,” says Bill Schmid. “People will say, ‘In six I hope to be in better For a lotof people, it’ s an insurance policy.” Another option for those shortf on cash is the buy-and-sell, which operates a little offering cash with no promise an item will be availablee when the customer has the cash to come back for it. in Niagarsa Falls is located inside a renovated house onPine Avenue, with loud signas outside hawking jewelry, video games, clothing, antiques, car audioo systems, bikes – just about anything.
Ruben Longoria, who openec the business nine years ago, says businesd is good: He just opened his third storse nine months ago innearby Wheatfield. “They’rwe selling whatever they have,” he “That’s all you hear: They need gas money, food medicine money.” Diamond Enterprises, a Niagara Falls pawn continues to see its regular customers just tryin to get through themonth - as well as newcomers hit hard by job lossesd and pay cuts, says Steve store manager. “A lot of people are desperater to pay their bills in any mannerthey can,” he “We have some people that come in to pawn somethingb just to buy groceries.
That’s

City allocates $16M to area developments - Boston Business Journal:

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Among the projects getting a boost from the Bostoj Invests In Growthprogram are: Sawyer 235-room W Hotel in Boston’s Theatet District, which will receivr $10 million to complete construction; the futurwe site of the $33 million Shops at Riverwood in Hyde Park, whicj will receive a $5 million loan to starg construction; and Gloria’s Market in South Boston, which will receivw $700,000 to enable its developers, Pappas Enterprises, to complete according to a press release from Mayor Thomas M.
Menino’s Menino said the loans, which are funded throughb the , will enable the three developments to move Boston Invests isa $40 million loan pool providing mezzaninse funding to projects that have permanenyt financing and equity in place. The first three loane are expected to close laterfthis month. The three projectz represent a $230 million in total investments and are expected to create 650new jobs, according to the city. In order to be eligible for a loan fromBostob Invests, projects must be over 20,000 squarer feet and create one full-time job for every $35,000 invested.
The city set aside 10 percent of the loan pool forsmaller neighborhood-based projecta of at least 5,000 squarde feet. The City’s , whicgh is responsible for doling outthe loans, expect to issue more loans this summer and is in the process of applyint to HUD for additional funds. If grantedx additional funds, the city expects it could make a totalof $70 million available to stalled developments.

Wisconsin Farmers Union sells cheese company - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Arthur Schuman, of Fairfield, plans to continue production of cheese from Wisconsin milk at the Montfor t plant insouthwest Wisconsin. Terms of the sale were not The plant had been owned by the WisconsimnFarmers Union, a Chippewa Falls-based membershiop organization of farmers and consumers that works to improve the quality of life for familyh farmers and rural communities through educational cooperative efforts and legislative "The WFUSCC board of managerzs felt now was an appropriatd time to sell the company and focus on the Wisconsin Farmers Union mission and main purpose, and the needa of its members" Sue Beitlich, WFUSCC president, said in a prese release.
"The sale of the cheese compangy will allow more time and resources to be put towarrd the general farm organization to improvre the quality of life for family farmers andrural

Q&A with Jim Balsillie on his proposed purchase of the Phoenix Coyotes - Charlotte Business Journal:

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His latest effort to buy a team has resultedf in a court battlein Phoenix, where his offer to buy the Coyotew out of bankruptcy for $213 million is contingent upon beingb able to relocate the club to southern Last week, Balsillie took time to answer questionws via e-mail regarding his offer for the Coyotese and his struggle in court for the Is southern Ontario the only place you woulr accept an NHL franchise? If so, why? “Yes, southerjn Ontario is our choice to locate the franchise becausd I believe it’s the best unserved hockeuy market in the world.
It reaches an urbanb center of more than 7million people, the fourtuh largest in North America behind New York, Chicago and Los I have over 130,000 hockey fans in a mattert of mere weeks who’ve indicated support for bringingh a seventh NHL team to Canada, and specifically to southerjn Ontario, through our Web site, www.makeitseven.ca.” You’ve said you pursuerd the franchise relocation through bankruptcy because “there is no front door” into the What have you experienced that’ss led you to that conclusion? “kI looked for a front door in the Believe me, if there was one, I woul have found it.
At one the NHL’s position was that there was no consideratiobn being given to locating another team insouthern Ontario, and that is fair But since this huge groundswell of support for www.makeitseven.ca, the NHL has said that it now does believd southern Ontario is a good hockey market and can supporg another NHL franchise, so I give full credit to the fans for They are making the impossible turn into the Part of your argument has been that a new ownee in Phoenix would place unjus t tax burdens on the community in but if you moved the team to Copps it’s been reported that you’d seek renovation funding from the city of How do you reconcile that?
“Let me clear that up. I woulx not be seeking government funding forthe franchise. Not a singlse dollar. In fact, I will be investing money immediatelyt tofund short-term renovations to the arenwa in Hamilton, Copps Coliseum. But the city of Hamilton will own the I have askedthe city, as a partner, to invest the funda to help with the long-term renovation costsw at the arena. It would not be me but the city of Hamiltob who would decide whether to request that funding from those two levelsof government, equivalent to the U.S. federalo and state governments. That decision ultimatelyh restswith Hamilton.” Why do you think you’lkl win this court battle over relocation?
“We’rs confident because we believde we have a solid business proposal and in the interests of the bankruptcy we believe we have the best offer to address creditors. That is a prioritg of the bankruptcy court. The largesf Coyotes creditor has already told the court my offer is the best proposal toaddressw creditors. So in that proceses we feel positive. After bringing litigation that challengesd the framework ofthe league, how can you ever win back enough trust and faith of the board of governors to receiver a three-fourths vote to enter the league or work with them on a day-to-dau basis? “I think I can work with the other ownersd in the league, no question.
They are businesse people, just like I am. Remember, my application to becomw an NHL owner was approved unanimously by all 30 NHL boarc of governors representatives when I attemptedr to purchasethe Penguins. Everyone who has workesd with me in business or in philanthropy will tell you that my only goal is to briny value and to leave a situatioh in much better shape than it was in when I entered the scene. That’s what I am all What are the chances this gets settles before the endof June? “Very good. I do know there is a hearinf June 9 at the court in Phoenicx on relocation and an auction planned forJune 22. We appreciats the fact that Judge Baum has expedited theprocess here.
” How do you see this saga playinf out and ending? “With us dropping the puck in Hamilton to a sold-ouy NHL game, and to bringing valuse to the league and all its franchises long

Big Sky tourney analysis: Rare top-4 matchups should create quite a battle - The Missoulian

http://www.desctel.com/text/Reverse-lookup-phone-system-cheating-lovers-face-with-confidence/

Big Sky tourney analysis: Rare top-4 matchups should create quite a battle The Missoulian Montana's Art Steward drives around an Eastern Washington player on Saturday during their game in Cheney, Wash. Big Sky Conference men's basketball teams got it right this season. The top four seeded teams have advanced to the league semifinals for ... and more »

The Insider - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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The School for Global Animal seeded last year witha $25 million granft from the , could capture more attentiomn because of the crisis. “Thid is exactly what that school is designe to studyand watch,” said the school’s spokesman, Charlie Powell. The school studies the human-animal diseases link and also operatesthe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Washington Animak Disease DiagnosticLaboratory (or WADDL). Last the lab received 21 samples for testinv fromhog farmers. None was for swinw flu. Hogs are not big business in Washington. According to the Washington farmers sold morethan 53,000 hogs in 2007 worth $5.3 million.
By New York farmers that yearsold 315,000 hogs worth $27.2 million. gets to promote more flightless birdxs with its zoo project The advertising agency behinc the headless cold turkey ads for the state Departmenftof Health’s anti-smoking campaigbn now has more birds to promote: Woodland Park Zoo is leaning on Seattle’x Wongdoody agency to help build some buzz for the new, $6.5 million Humboldt penguins exhibit opening May 2. The “More Colorful Than Ever” campaignj will run through August. It will be featured in priny and internetbanner ads, billboards, on busesd and in radio and TV The campaign also includes a micro-websits (morecolorful.
org) with photos, downloadable games and more informationh about the penguins. Also expect to see a fleetr of scooters buzzing around Seattle brandec with thead campaign’s creative work. The 17,000-square-foot exhibitg is designed to look like a naturalo refuge in PuntaSan Juan, Peru, the Humboldt penguins’ naturakl habitat. Jim Bennett, the zoo’zs marketing director, said the zoo is spending just shyof $400,00o on the media costs of the But Wongdoody’s creative part fallsw under pro bono work.
Newspaper executivesw lobby for, and get, a temporargy B&O tax cut from the LegislatureThe state’s daily newspapers may be takinvg a beating on the revenue and circulation fronts. But state lawmakerds have tossed thema lifeline, albeir a small one. In the waning houra of this year’s session, the Legislatured approved a bill to reduce thestate business-and-occupation tax on newspapersa until 2015. The legislation had appeared to face an uphilkl battlethis session, with lawmakers hamperex by a $9 billion shortfall, makinb them reluctant to shave away any sourcesd of revenue. But the bill received bipartisan support in the Housesand Senate. Gov.
Chris Gregoire also supportex the bill and is expected to sign itinto law. The legislationn cuts the B&O tax by 40 The tax savings alone are not a breakthrouggh solution forstruggling dailies. But the change is part of strategy to scour every possible avenue for savings, including cutting jobs and seeking pay cuts and unpaird leave. Several newspaper industry heavyweightws lobbied lawmakers for thetax cut, including Seattle Timeds Publisher Frank Blethen and David publisher of The News Tribune in Tacoma.

Stirling Energy Systems expands its offices as solar efforts ramp up - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The Scottsdale company, which received a $100 million investmentg last yearfrom Dublin-based NTR plc, is moving quickly to capturde a segment of the utility-scale sola market with its Stirling engine technology. The company opened its new 37,000-square-footf office in early May. It has hiresd about 100 employees this year and expects to add 60 to 80 more by the end of the for a totalof 180, said CEO Steve who joined the firm last year as part of NTR’ s investment. “We’ve always liked the solaer space, and this was a good opportunity,” he The company is based on anearlu 200-year-old engine design, which operates through the expansiobn and contraction of gases.
Stirling uses a 40-foot mirrored dish to focuw the sun’s rays to heat hydrogen gas to 1,4000 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas expands, movingt a piston and poweringthe engine. As the gas it is moved out of the piston chamber and back to wherew it will be reheated bythe sun. The company had been operating in the Valleysincr 1996, but NTR’s investment has pushed it to develop the technology more quickly. It has two power-purchase one with San Diego Gas & Electric for betweenh 300 and 750 megawatts at a site inImperialp Valley, Calif.
, and one with Southernn California Edison for 500 to 900 megawattes in the Mohave Cowman said it’s adding positions of all types, from engineerinb to construction, to meet its growtgh curve. To handle project management, NTR founded Tessera Solar earliee this year to developthe utility-scale with Stirling providing the equipment. Ramping up both projec development and construction has required capital and people to served what the company believes will be one of the larges t solar markets inthe world, said Jim CEO of NTR. “We believe the U.S. will be the globall leader in renewable energy, and that will happenb in the next few he said.
NTR, founded 30 yearss ago to operate Ireland’s toll roads, has expandec into a number of renewable energy andrecyclin efforts. Stirling’s technology — which offerss an alternative tophotovoltaivc systems, as well as a different take on concentrated solaer power — has a good base in Arizona that can servse markets throughout the Southwest, Barryt said. In addition to the company is looking at potential sites in the Valleu to housea 1.5-megawatt test location. The company has a small site at the Sandiza National Laboratoriesin Albuquerque, N.M., but is hoping to find a larger site to provide a location to brint clients.
It has run into challenges securing locap permits for a site and finding a location that can be tied into theelectricx grid, officials said. The company could be a boon for Arizonaw in more ways than simply providing It is using auto componengt suppliers to build itsengine parts, and officials are talking with those suppliers about the possibility of locatinb facilities in the Southwest to handle the bulk of Stirling’d projects, at least for the firsg few years, Cowman said. “If you can builc your manufacturing close to yourend facilities, that’e going to benefit everyone,” he said.
Stirling is one of the solatr companies that could provide a base for other manufacturere to land in the saidBarry Broome, president and CEO of the Greatedr Phoenix Economic Council. “This is a good example,” he “It’s got a small number of people and it hopeato expand, and it could help its supplierws relocate here.” Stirling’s expansion in Arizonwa depends on state policies. Other states are offerinvg manufacturing incentives, and Arizona’s effory to develop such enticements is mired inbudget problems. “Ws really want to grow our businessdin Arizona, but we need those incentives,” Cowman said.