 Region out of housing cellar
 K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune
San Diego's housing market, including a Chula Vista neighborhood photographed in 2005, is seeing a rise in affordability.
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Military seen as stabilizing economic force in county
Despite S.D. downturn, defense impact grows
Aug. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
As San Diego County slumps into its worst downturn since the end of the Cold War, the military and the defense industry remain a $24.6 billion economic powerhouse that could provide needed economic stability, according to a report released yesterday by the San Diego Military Advisory Council.
The report, based on data from the Defense Department as well as local military contractors, found that the military's contribution to the economy has been growing at a rate of roughly 7 percent a year at a time when a number of key civilian industries have been falling into stagnancy or decline.
WASHINGTON, 7:26 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
Labor Dept: Fewer workers killed on job in 2007: The number of U.S. workers killed on the job has dropped to a historic low. A government report released Wednesday shows there were 5,488 fatal work injuries last year. That's the lowest number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began keeping track in 1992.
Aug. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SDG&E says it didn't lie to PUC over Powerlink: San Diego Gas & Electric Co. has denied misleading the California Public Utilities Commission about its Sunrise Powerlink proposal and asked the commission to dismiss a sanctions proceeding before it gets started.
Aug. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
NuVasive to fight patent lawsuit: NuVasive, a San Diego-based company that makes products for minimally invasive spine surgery, said it plans to defend itself against a patent infringement lawsuit filed against it by competitor Medtronic Sofamor Danek.
Aug. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Amylin shares keep declining: Shares of Amylin Pharmaceuticals continued to drop yesterday following the Food and Drug Administration report on Monday that six people taking the company's diabetes drug developed severe pancreatitis and two of them died.
PORTLAND, Ore., 7:47 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
BJ's posts higher 2Q profit, raises outlook: BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. posted a slightly higher second-quarter profit on Wednesday and raised its full-year earnings forecast as frugal shoppers look for deals at discounters.
LONDON, 7:43 a.m. Aug. 20 (REUTERS)
Banks' returns come back to earth, maybe for good: A slump in lucrative structured finance business and regulators' demanding bigger capital reserves mean stratospheric profitability at banks is gone, possibly forever.
LONDON, 7:38 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
Michael Page shares rise on possibility of sale: Shares in British recruitment company Michael Page International PLC rose almost 11 percent on Wednesday, after its CEO said that a sale of the company to Switzerland's Adecco SA could be possible at the right price.
WASHINGTON, 7:36 a.m. Aug. 20 (REUTERS)
U.S. commercial real estate market weakens: Activity in the U.S. commercial real estate market is slowing more dramatically as jobs disappear and the economy weakens, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, 7:32 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
FDIC has mortgage plan for IndyMac borrowers: Federal regulators have worked out a plan to modify mortgage terms for troubled home borrowers holding loans from IndyMac Federal Bank, which the government seized last month after it became the largest regulated thrift to fail.
WASHINGTON, 7:31 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares plummet: Shares of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continued their plunge Wednesday as investors are increasingly convinced that the stocks will drop to zero if the government bails out the troubled companies.
MOSCOW, 7:27 a.m. Aug. 20 (REUTERS)
Russia will not dump Fannie, Freddie debt – FinMin: Russia is not planning to raise its exposure to debt issued by U.S. agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but will not cut it rapidly, Russia's deputy finance minister said on Wednesday.
NEW YORK, 7:23 a.m. Aug. 20 (REUTERS)
Air Transport warns of 6,000 layoffs: Air Transport Services Group Inc said Wednesday its main air cargo operator ABX Air could shed 6,000 or more jobs, about 75 percent of the unit's total staff, if German parcel carrier DHL stops using its services, as it plans to do.
NEW YORK, 7:04 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
NYC mayor wants to tap wind for power in the city: New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing putting windmills on city bridges and rooftops as part of an ambitious push for renewable energy.
NEW YORK, 7:01 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
Some eBay sellers frustrated with rule changes: Some people who sell things on eBay are fed up with new rules the company has been imposing in hopes of making the auction site more attractive to online shoppers. Now even more changes are coming in the next few weeks, but this time eBay Inc. hopes it can cool tempers.
NEW YORK, 6:51 a.m. Aug. 20 (REUTERS)
Ross Stores posts higher profit, raises outlook: Ross Stores Inc on Wednesday said quarterly profit rose 40 percent as cash-strapped customers shifted to the off-price retailer from department stores, and it raised its outlook for the rest of the year.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 6:50 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
Ericsson, STMicroelectronics form joint venture: Swedish wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson AB and Swiss chip-maker STMicroelectronics NV unveiled plans Wednesday to create a 50-50 joint venture that will make a key component known as chipsets for mobile phones.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 6:28 a.m. Aug. 20 (AP)
European regulators approve Kenwood-JVC deal: European Union regulators Wednesday approved a deal between Japanese electronics companies JVC and Kenwood, saying the combination will not impede competition in European markets.
LAS VEGAS, 6:57 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)Business leaders: Make renewable energy cheaper: Representatives from corporate giants Google Inc. and General Electric Co. said Tuesday that transitioning the United States to renewable energy on a large scale would be possible – if renewable energy were cheaper. NEW YORK, 2:27 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Stocks fall on inflation data, financial worries: Wall Street fell sharply for a second straight session Tuesday after a hefty jump in wholesale inflation and a drop in new home construction gave investors more reason to believe an economic recovery is far off. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 130 points.
Aug. 19 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Bank has pact with regulators for fixes: Imperial Capital Bank has entered into a written agreement with federal and state banking regulators to fix several potential trouble spots found in a recent examination, including reducing its exposure to some types of loans.
WASHINGTON, 2:37 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)Wholesale prices rising at fastest pace since 1981: Wholesale inflation soared in July, leaving prices rising at the fastest pace in nearly three decades. While recent declines in oil and other commodity prices raise hopes inflation may have peaked, some economists worry about the widespread nature of the July price surge and caution it will take more time for that pressure to ease on Wall Street and Main Street. MILWAUKEE, 2:37 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Miller Lite revives 'Great Taste, Less Filling' ad: The debate lives on. For years, Miller Lite drinkers, including notables like comic Rodney Dangerfield and football coach John Madden, bickered back and forth. Some said the drink tasted great. Others said it was less filling. 2:14 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Consumers feel fallout from Fannie, Freddie: Jeff Jaye, a mortgage broker in Northern California, used to rely on homeowners looking to refinance their loans for more than two-thirds of his business. Today, he rarely bothers with those applications because he knows most homeowners can't qualify for a new loan. RICHMOND, Va., 1:29 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Circuit City still considering sale: Circuit City Stores Inc. said Tuesday it's still considering a sale of the company four months after the consumer electronics retailer first announced it was reviewing its options to improve shareholder value. MODESTO, 1:31 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Modesto Bee offers buyouts to all full-timers: The Modesto Bee is offering all its full-time employees buyouts, the newspaper's second round of buyout offers this year. KANSAS CITY, Mo., 1:33 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Union: Lenders delay Twinkie-maker's reorg: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says lenders are holding up a potential plan for helping Interstate Bakeries Corp. exit almost four years of bankruptcy protection, endangering thousands of jobs. WASHINGTON, 1:33 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
47 companies bid on Gulf offshore oil leases: Dozens of energy companies bid Tuesday to explore nearly two million acres of the western Gulf of Mexico for oil and natural gas, but no offers were made for 90 percent of the acreage on the auction block. NEW YORK, 1:49 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Dollar slides on higher U.S. inflation, oil gain: The dollar dropped against the euro for the second day in a row as the U.S. government said wholesale inflation shot higher in July. Crude oil futures, meanwhile, jumped back above $114 a barrel, while the Dow Jones industrial average dropped about 130 points and bank stocks took more hits. SAN FRANCISCO, 2:06 p.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Hewlett-Packard 3Q profit jumps 14%: Hewlett-Packard Co.'s fiscal third-quarter profit jumped 14 percent, beating Wall Street's expectations, as strong laptop sales and a robust international presence continued to lift the technology bellwether.
NEW YORK, 11:55 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Hedge fund founder to pay nearly $300 million: A federal court ordered the former president and founder of hedge fund to pay nearly $300 million for defrauding clients.
NEW YORK, 11:45 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
ALL BUSINESS: Foreclosures distort housing data: As if the housing market wasn't scary enough, the record-setting surge in foreclosures could be distorting some of the closely watched housing data used to gauge the market's health.
WASHINGTON, 11:32 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
States fight to shield docs from drug data mining: When most patients go to the pharmacy to fill a new prescription, they don't think twice about turning over the note from their doctor.
TEMPE, Ariz., 11:29 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
U.S. Airways plans Philadelphia-Tel Aviv service: US Airways announced Tuesday plans to operate nonstop service between its Philadelphia hub and Tel Aviv, Israel, as the carrier moves to expand its international service.
WASHINGTON, 11:26 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
FDA warns General Electric over lax record keeping: Federal regulators have warned General Electric Co. over lax quality control standards at a plant that makes computer software for medical imaging.
BOSTON, 11:21 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Judge lifts gag on students over transit security: A federal judge has lifted a gag order on three MIT students who were barred from talking publicly about security flaws they discovered in the Boston transit system's automated fare network.
WASHINGTON, 11:17 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Paulson previews agenda for next China talks: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Tuesday the next round of high-level talks with China will focus on energy and environmental issues, and efforts to agree on an investment treaty.
CARACAS, Venezuela, 10:58 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Venezuela seizes control of Mexican Cemex plants: Venezuela's government seized control of cement plants owned by Mexico's Cemex SAB after failing to reach a deal on compensation terms, marking President Hugo Chavez's latest move to nationalize key sectors of the economy.
NEW YORK, 10:52 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
GM offers employee discount to all on 2008 models: General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it will extend employee discounts to everyone on almost all of its 2008 and some of its 2009 models as it seeks to clear its remaining inventory of 2008 vehicles.
WASHINGTON, 10:52 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Air Force: disputed $15B helicopter deal nears end: The Air Force is on track to select a winner this fall on a disputed $15 billion helicopter deal originally won by Boeing, despite an ongoing review by Pentagon investigators, a senior service official said Tuesday.
NEW YORK, 10:45 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Clueless about trading? Start networking online: Erin O'Brien and her friends are do-it-yourself investors. As part of an online community at the brokerage Zecco, they consult each other on terminology, tax law and investment philosophy. Having tagged each other as “friends,” they can see each other's trades. Together, they're learning the ropes by watching and interacting with fellow users.
NEW YORK, 10:31 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Treasurys mixed after jump in producer prices: Treasury prices traded mixed Tuesday after government data suggested inflation at the wholesale level is rising, even as the economy continues to weaken.
SYDNEY, Australia, 10:17 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Virgin Blue sees profit plunge 55 percent: Australian airline Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd. reported Tuesday a nearly 55 percent drop in annual net profit, hurt by record jet fuel costs.
NEW YORK, 10:16 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Target's 2Q profit declines 7.6 percent: Target Corp. posted a 7.6 percent drop in second-quarter profit Tuesday and offered a cautious outlook for the third quarter as its customers focused on necessities like milk and paper towels and had trouble making their monthly credit card payments.
LOS ANGELES, 10:16 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Home prices in San Francisco Bay area plunge: Home prices in the San Francisco Bay area plunged 29.3 percent in July to a 53-month low, a research firm said Tuesday.
NEW ORLEANS, 10:15 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Carnival putting bigger ship in New Orleans: Carnival Cruise Lines will move the Carnival Triumph to New Orleans when the smaller Carnival Fantasy moves to Mobile, Ala., in 2009, officials announced Tuesday.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., 10:09 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
TVA directors to consider big rate increase: Tennessee Valley Authority directors are considering budget proposals that could hike electric rates sharply for millions of consumers across the agency's seven-state region.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., 10:02 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
NovaStar Financial warns of revenue concerns: Former mortgage lender NovaStar Financial Inc.'s sole remaining source of revenue is drying up.
WASHINGTON, 9:55 a.m. Aug. 19 (REUTERS)
U.S. bans prerecorded sales calls without permission: The agency which brought you the “do not call” registry – thus bringing a measure of peace to American dinner tables – has now decided to tighten rules restricting prerecorded telephone sales calls.
WASHINGTON, 9:55 a.m. Aug. 19 (REUTERS)
Out with EDGAR, in with IDEA: EDGAR, the computer database for filing documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is giving way to a new system that aims to let investors more easily analyze corporate reports and other financial information.
NEW YORK, 9:49 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
AP settles online copyright lawsuit with VeriSign: The Associated Press has settled a copyright lawsuit against a company that aggregates and redistributes news online.
LONDON, 9:39 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
U.S. tourist numbers down in UK: The number of American tourists visiting Britain dropped by 120,000 in a year, British government figures showed, amid a general slowdown in the U.S. economy and a weaker dollar.
NEW YORK, 9:38 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Oil jumps above $115 after dollar weakens vs euro: Oil prices rebounded Tuesday, jumping back above $115 barrel after the dollar weakened against the euro and a rally in heating oil attracted new buyers into energy markets.
WASHINGTON, 9:32 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
General Dynamics to buy Jet Aviation for 2.25B: General Dynamics Corp. said Tuesday it will buy Jet Aviation for about $2.25 billion in cash, part of the defense contractor's push to expand its private civilian jet business and tap into robust demand for luxury planes overseas.
PHILADELPHIA, 9:24 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
U.S. Airways seeks Philadelphia-Tel Aviv route: US Airways wants to offer year-round service between Philadelphia and Tel Aviv, Israel. The Tempe, Ariz.-based airline announced Tuesday it is applying to start service in July 2009, subject to approval by the U.S. and Israeli officials.
CRAWFORD, Texas, 9:16 a.m. Aug. 19 (REUTERS)
White House: not time for second stimulus package: The White House Tuesday said it was not considering a second economic stimulus package at the moment.
Aug. 19 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Interest rates fall on various Treasury bills: Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills fell in the government's auction to the lowest levels in two weeks.
WASHINGTON, 8:54 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Housing starts dip to lowest level since March '91: Construction of homes and apartments fell in July to the lowest level in more than 17 years, but some economists said the drop could aid the slumping housing sector by helping reduce a glut of unsold properties.
NEW YORK, 7:27 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Analysts: U.S. consumers buying fewer cell phones: U.S. consumers have been buying significantly fewer cell phones but paying higher prices for them, according to a research firm.
NEW YORK, 7:19 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Car buyers' satisfaction with U.S. brands stumbles: U.S. car buyers are growing less satisfied with their purchases from domestic automakers while their Asian and European competitors continue to improve, according to a recent survey.
NEW YORK, 6:30 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Home Depot's 2Q profit drops 24 percent: The Home Depot Inc., the nation's largest home improvement retailer, reported a 24 percent drop in second-quarter profit on Tuesday and reiterated its downbeat outlook for the year amid a weak housing market that shows no signs of recovery.
LONDON, 5:29 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Demand for UK rental homes grows: Demand for rental homes in Britain grew in the second quarter at the fastest rate in at least a decade as falling property prices and disappearing mortgage deals deterred potential home buyers, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said Tuesday.
TOKYO, 2:33 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Bank of Japan keeps key interest rate steady: Japan's central bank chief said Tuesday he expects the world's second-largest economy to stay stagnant for the time being but denied it was headed toward the sort of deep slump that crippled the country in the 1990s.
TOKYO, 12:12 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Japan to start overseas cell phone technology push: Japan will start an aggressive push to market abroad its mobile technology, especially the nation's popular “wallet phone,” a government official said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, 8:07 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Wholesale prices rising at fastest pace since 1981: Wholesale inflation surged in July, leaving prices for the past year rising at the fastest pace in 27 years, according to government data released Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, 2:32 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)Fannie, Freddie fall on renewed bailout fears: Whether or not the government is actually on the verge of taking over mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, investor fears that a bailout is imminent could turn such a worst-case scenario into reality. CHICAGO, 2:27 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Lowe's beats 2Q estimates, despite profit drop: Repairs to drought-stricken flower beds and sales of freezers designed to hold bought-in-bulk food helped Lowe's Cos. Inc. post a better-than-expected second-quarter profit. DENVER, 2:32 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Qwest, unions agree on new contracts: Qwest Communications International Inc. and negotiators for its largest union have tentatively agreed on a contract about a day after the previous one expired, both sides said Monday. TRENTON, N.J., 2:53 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Researchers: Merck Vioxx study was for marketing: A 1999 Merck & Co. study of its since-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, touted to participating doctors and patients as meant to show whether Vioxx caused fewer stomach problems than another drug, was primarily a stealth marketing strategy, researchers report. HOUSTON, 1:52 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Ocean platform could take 20% of U.S. oil imports: An oil terminal and pipeline network expected to be built off the Texas Gulf Coast and open in about two years would be capable of handling nearly 20 percent of the nation's daily imported oil.
KERMIT, Texas, 11:34 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
West Texas oil patch towns reap benefits of boom: Around the country, Americans are tightening their belts, scrapping vacation plans, eating more dinners at home, getting rid of their SUVs and watching “For Sale” signs linger on front lawns. But in oil-and-gas rich West Texas, folks are living large – again.
LA MERCED, Peru, 10:34 a.m. Aug. 18 (REUTERS)
Peru expanding role as specialty coffee leader: Coffee production in Peru, the world's largest exporter of organic coffee, is booming as growers focus on quality, develop niche markets and find ways around walls that can block growth.
PHILADELPHIA/CHICAGO, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 18 (REUTERS)
Longs recommends CVS bid after Walgreen talks fail: Longs Drug Stores CorpMonday recommended its shareholders accept a $2.54 billion takeover offer from CVS Caremark Corp, while a source familiar with the situation said the Western pharmacy chain had held unsuccessful merger talks with Walgreen Co.
WASHINGTON, 10:02 a.m. Aug. 18 (REUTERS)
U.S. home builders stay grim in August: U.S. home builder sentiment was stuck at a record low in August, as stringent lending and a flood of foreclosed homes dragged on the real estate market, according to data from the National Association of Home Builders released Monday.
NEW YORK, 10:00 a.m. Aug. 18 (REUTERS)
Airlines predict passenger decline over Labor Day: Major U.S. airlines will see a 6 percent drop in passengers during the eight-day Labor Day holiday period as high oil prices continue to roil the industry, the airlines' trade organization predicted on Monday.
LOS ANGELES, 10:22 a.m. Aug. 18 (REUTERS)
Restaurants risk margins to keep prices in check: Many big restaurant chains plan to keep on eating the bulk of rising food costs, risking a further hit to their margins in order to keep attracting customers.
WASHINGTON, 3:01 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Back to school: Shaky economy hits kids: Hard times and higher fuel prices will follow kids back to school this fall. Children will walk farther to the bus stop, pay more for lunch, study from old textbooks and wear last year's clothes. Field trips? Forget about it.
10:52 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
'Liar loans' threaten to prolong mortgage crisis: In the mortgage industry, they are called “liar loans” – mortgages approved without requiring proof of the borrower's income or assets. The worst of them earn the nickname “ninja loans,” short for “no income, no job, and (no) assets.”
SAN DIEGO, 10:48 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
SoCal home prices fall in July, sales up: Southern California home prices fell 31.1 percent in July from last year, with bargain hunters snapping up foreclosed properties and sending overall sales to a 16-month high, a research firm said Monday.
WASHINGTON, 10:26 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Washington offers no relief for savers: Two giant mortgage companies get into hot water over risky investments. The government steps in to throw them a lifeline should they need it.
Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
On the move: Union Bank of California named James F. Elko priority banking manager for its Golden Triangle branch. Elko joined the bank in 1984 as a financial services specialist.
ATLANTA, 7:28 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Delta allows flights changes because of storm: Delta Air Lines will allow customers booked on flights to, from or through certain Georgia and Florida cities to adjust travel without penalties or fees because of Tropical Storm Fay.
6:29 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Oil up slightly near $114 on Storm Fay worries: Oil prices rose slightly Monday on concerns Tropical Storm Fay could disrupt oil operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
LONDON, 3:22 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Industry group says UK facing recession: A recession is likely to descend on Britain within the next six to nine months, the British Chambers of Commerce warned on Monday.
3:01 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Back to school: Education by the numbers: Statistics on U.S. schools. Numbers with an “(x)” are projections.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Visionary idea: A new San Diego company wants to prevent people from looking and feeling like computer geeks.
WASHINGTON, 9:01 p.m. Aug. 17 (AP)
PBGC downplays investment plan risks, report says: The federal agency charged with backstopping pension benefits for 44 million Americans has understated the risks of its new investment policy, a congressional watchdog said Monday.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., 9:04 p.m. Aug. 17 (AP)
Real-estate appraiser regulation is a failure: As soaring home prices set the stage for America's great housing meltdown, a critical step in making sure those home sales were a fair deal – the real estate appraisal – was undermined from within.
NEW YORK, 9:01 p.m. Aug. 17 (AP)
Media coverage of the economy lags, study finds: Media coverage of the economic downturn in the U.S. has lagged behind both economic activity and public interest, according to a study being released Monday by a Washington, D.C.-based research group.
LOS ANGELES, 10:50 a.m. Aug. 17 (AP)'Thunder' rumbles past 'Dark Knight' with $26M: It took four of Hollywood's biggest stars to take down Batman. The DreamWorks-Paramount comedy “Tropic Thunder,” with Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and Tom Cruise, debuted at No. 1 with $26 million, bumping “The Dark Knight” to second-place after four weekends on top, according to studio estimates Sunday. DENVER, 9:49 a.m. Aug. 17 (AP)
Qwest, unions keep talking: Qwest Communications International Inc. and members of its largest union were working on scheduling time Sunday to sit down to continue negotiating after a labor contract expired.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Upcoming marriage changes financial picture: Steven Kinkead has diligently put money into his 401(k) over the course his 27-year career as an engineer in anticipation of enjoying a comfortable retirement someday.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Apartment complex: As the slumping housing market erodes equity for many San Diego County homeowners, analysts say condominium communities face additional challenges as sales slow and renter populations grow. A large influx of renters into these developments can raise concerns that include falling property values, difficulty in selling units and less favorable lending terms when the time comes to finance structural improvements.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
County BIA official sees the future in urban infill: Borre Winckel sees challenges ahead as he prepares to leave the top post at the Building Industry Association of Riverside County to become chief executive officer of the trade group's San Diego County chapter. When he arrives here Sept. 2, he will find an industry in the process of downsizing. Many residential developers have scaled back or closed local operations since the housing boom peaked in 2005.
SOLANA BEACH, Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Muttropolis stores find their niche catering to furry friends: Billed as “the ultimate shopping experience for dog and cat owners,” Muttropolis is making a name for itself as the retail experience for the “passionate pet parent” who wants to pamper furry friends.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
County jobless rate reaches 13-year high: Unemployment in San Diego County rose to its highest level in nearly 13 years last month, as job losses spread from construction firms and real estate brokerages into furniture stores and car lots.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Gas below $4, but consumer wariness high: The tyranny of $4 gas ended in San Diego yesterday, as the average retail price for regular gasoline slipped to $3.99 for the first time since May.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Patent lawsuit puts spotlight on a pair of heavyweights: Poway entrepreneur Cary Jardin – a co-founder of IPivot, an Internet hardware company that was sold to Intel for $500 million in 1999 – claims a more recent concept was stolen by a former employee.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Netflix says shipping back to normal:Online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. said it resumed normal shipping after a three-day disruption, the worst in the company's decade of operations. The company's earnings are not expected to take a big hit as a result of planned refunds.
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