Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) articles from December 2006

Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) archives from December 2006

State agency may pull plug on Buzz Telecom.
December 1, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 1--The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which is considering whether to suspend or permanently end Buzz Telecom's operations in the state because of consumer complaints, is overdue to receive a response from the...

Dayton firm uses computers, imagination to connect.
December 3, 2006... Byline: Lisa A. Bernard Dec. 3--DAYTON -- From scrawling on sidewalks with chalk to producing on-line videos using the latest high-speed technology, BGH Studios is no stranger to innovation. A marketing and communications firm...

Air Force, Australia team up to create hypersonic missiles, space launchers.
December 3, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 3--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Air Force researchers here are leading a new international program to develop key technologies for superfast cruise missiles and reusable space launchers. Air Force...

Per-vehicle ad spending by automakers continues climb.
December 3, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 3--Spending by U.S. auto manufacturers on advertising is projected to nearly double by 2007 from the per-vehicle ad spending of 1995, according to new research released Friday by Merrill Lynch & Co. Auto...

New Cincy stores not expected to hurt local retailers.
December 3, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 3--Local retailers say they aren't worried about losing shoppers to the Cincinnati market despite recent announcements that Nordstrom Inc. and Crate & Barrel are coming to two Kenwood shopping centers. ...

Welding jobs' availability hot, in a way.
December 3, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 3--TROY -- As a welder for the Navy, Richard Smith was advised by friends that if he wanted to pursue the same career as a civilian, he should consider sharpening his skills by attending the Hobart Institute of...

Lawmakers push to keep jobs due at base.
December 5, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 5--DAYTON -- At the urging of the Dayton Development Coalition, three Ohio members of Congress are pressing the Air Force to follow through with plans to transfer hundreds of jobs to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base....

WSU effort raises $123M, three times goal.
December 5, 2006... Byline: Scott Elliott Dec. 5--DAYTON -- In its first major fundraising campaign, Wright State University raised $123 million -- three times its goal. More than 300 individuals and representatives from corporations, organizations or...

Village hit by financial shortfall of $500,000.
December 5, 2006... Byline: Lawrence Budd Dec. 5--WAYNESVILLE -- Unless it can overcome nearly $500,000 in deficits, this Warren County village will likely go into fiscal emergency at the end of the year. "Chances are the village will be put in a fiscal...

Selke Design moving to Webster Street from Kettering.
December 6, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 6--DAYTON -- The former Kettering-based Selke Design art studio has decided to move into the Firefly Building on Webster Street. "Sure, rent was a part of it, but really, it's because we are an art...

Falling TV line, competition hurt Rex Stores' third-quarter sales.
December 6, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 6--DAYTON -- Citing big-box competition and falling sales of big-screen televisions and other in-stock items that are quickly becoming outdated, Rex Stores Corp. Tuesday reported a $6.6 million drop in...

Smokers get their last puffs in indoor setting before ban.
December 6, 2006... Byline: Steve Bennish Dec. 6--DAYTON -- Amid a blue haze of smoke, Summer Brading rolls a perfect set of cigars. While not serving drinks at a club at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, she shows off her expertise with fresh leaf tobacco...

Ex-Delphi workers ruled eligible for retraining funds.
December 6, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 6--DAYTON -- Employees of Delphi Corp.'s Needmore Road brake plant who accepted buyouts to leave the company during its work force reduction are eligible to apply for federal job retraining money, the U.S....

Standard Register names F. David Clarke III as new board chairman.
December 6, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 6--DAYTON -- Standard Register is hoping to build its digital documents management business, as well as expand its trade in labeling and print services management, the company's new board chairman said Tuesday. ...

$19 million plan proposed for Arcade.
December 7, 2006... Byline: Joanne Huist Smith Dec. 7--DAYTON -- A local special effects designer and amusement industry consultant is proposing to transform Dayton's downtown Arcade into a multi-faceted entertainment and attraction center. Terry Collins...

Race is on to create fuel cell-powered cars.
December 9, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 9--General Motors, Honda and other automakers are competing to be first on the mass-appeal market with fuel cell-powered cars that will use energy more efficiently than gasoline-powered vehicles and won't pollute....

Poland getting jets through base program.
December 9, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 9--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Four more of NATO's most advanced fighter aircraft are set to arrive in Poland on Thursday as part of a $3.8 billion program by the Aeronautical Systems and Air Force...

Siemens plant closings will cost 720 jobs.
December 9, 2006... Byline: LaToya Thompson Dec. 9--Siemens Energy and Automation announced Friday it will close manufacturing plants in Bellefontaine and Urbana, a decision that will cost the area about 720 jobs. Siemens spokesman Michael Krampe of the...

Liberty University's accreditation reaffirmed for 10 years.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Ron Brown Dec. 12--Liberty University's accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has been reaffirmed for another 10 years. The executive committee of the SACS' Commission of Colleges reaffirmed LU's...

Small Business Expo coming.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 12--DAYTON -- It's the area's first Small Business Expo and Christmas Showcase and the ideal opportunity for minority-owned businesses to reach a broader audience, organizers said. The Monday expo is...

Jaffe Jewelers reopens in Kettering.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Lisa A. Bernard Dec. 12--DAYTON -- Jaffe Jewelers is up and running at its new Kettering location, having recently relocated from downtown Dayton's Kettering Tower. At the corner of Far Hills Avenue and Stroop Road, the...

Celina tent company expanding after $3.3 million military order.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 12--CELINA -- A small, family-owned tent-making company is expanding after its bid to enter the military market resulted in a $3.3 million order. Celina Tent is ramping up to fill a Defense Logistics...

Jefferson Twp. gets trash deal.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Lou Grieco Dec. 12--JEFFERSON TWP., Montgomery County -- Township officials have entered an agreement with the city of Dayton for trash hauling, which will cost residents $180 annually. "It's really going to be a savings for...

BWC head to urge rate equalization for employers.
December 12, 2006... Byline: Laura A. Bischoff Dec. 12--COLUMBUS -- The head of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation will pitch a plan this week to correct long-standing rate inequities that results in some employers subsidizing the premiums of others. ...

Aetna clients' personal data stolen.
December 13, 2006... Byline: Anthony Gottschlich Dec. 13--A "lockbox" housing personal information on approximately 130,000 Aetna health insurance members, including 19,000 Ohioans, was stolen Oct. 26 when thieves broke into an office building occupied by an...

California Pizza Kitchen to close.
December 13, 2006... Byline: Mark Fisher Dec. 13--BEAVERCREEK -- The California Pizza Kitchen in the Mall at Fairfield Commons will close on Dec. 24, company officials said Tuesday. The restaurant, which opened in April 2003, suffered from a poor location...

State asked to put Duke rate boost on hold.
December 13, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 13--Electric rate increases Duke Energy plans to impose on its Ohio customers should be put on hold while state regulators reassess Duke's plan setting billing rates through 2008, the state consumer advocate said...

Buzz Telecom may be barred over complaints.
December 13, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 13--The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio was asked Monday to suspend Buzz Telecom's license to operate in Ohio because of a pattern of complaints by customers that the company switched their long-distance...

Effort under way to revive original energy agreement.
December 13, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 13--The Ohio Consumers' Counsel is trying to revive an agreement under which Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio would have paid $970,000 over two years into a $4.6 million program to help customers conserve natural gas...

PSC Crane & Rigging carries companies' heavy loads.
December 14, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 14--PIQUA -- PSC Crane & Rigging can move 500-ton equipment and relocate an entire factory, or help reorganize a small tool and die shop. The family-run company has been able to double its work force in the...

Day acquires Duco, print supply firm.
December 14, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 14--Day International says it has completed its acquisition of Duco International in England. Day is a 101-year-old local company that supplies products for the printing industry. Duco manufactures...

Buzz Telecom under scrutiny in phone switches.
December 14, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 14--The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio opened an investigation Wednesday of allegations that Buzz Telecom misrepresented itself in telemarketing calls and misled customers in switching them to its long-distance...

Air Force breaks ground on systems engineering center.
December 15, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 15--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Air Force Institute of Technology officials Thursday broke ground on a facility intended to help the Air Force advance the art of designing complex weapon systems. ...

Government may go after much of former MCSi chief's property.
December 15, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 15--DAYTON -- In addition to attempting to convict businessman Michael E. Peppel on charges he led a multimillion-dollar fraud, the government served notice it could seek to confiscate real estate and bank accounts...

Dayton, Ohio, teachers approve pact with 1.25 percent raise.
December 15, 2006... Byline: Scott Elliott Dec. 15--Dayton teachers Thursday approved a contract with the school board, averting any danger of a strike before an expected May tax levy. The deal includes a 1.25 percent raise this year. Teachers union...

Firms can take advantage of low-interest financing sooner.
December 16, 2006... Byline: Lisa A. Bernard Dec. 16--DAYTON -- A low-interest financing tool will soon be an option for more small and medium-sized companies considering large expenses or expansions. That's because a change in federal rules governing...

'It's a stressful time for everyone'.
December 17, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 17--DAYTON -- Alice Sanders is repainting a rental house she owns, handling bookkeeping for a muffler shop she co-owns, doing upholstery work and trying to land a full-time job in a manufacturing plant. Angela...

Bogus MCSi buildup began with faked order and blossomed, indictment charges.
December 17, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 17--DAYTON -- After years of impressive earnings and revenue growth, the wheels began to come off for MCSi Inc. and its chief executive, Michael E. Peppel, beginning in mid-2000, federal investigators charge. ...

Ohio deal would shield 21,000 acres from development.
December 18, 2006... Byline: Steve Bennish Dec. 18--COLUMBUS -- Ohio's Department of Natural Resources is on the cusp of the largest real estate transaction for conservation in the past 50 years in Ohio. After more than a year of negotiations, ODNR has...

Area may land slew of talent in BRAC deal.
December 18, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 18--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Some 700 military and 550 civilian positions are heading this way as the Air Force realigns missions under the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005, base officials...

Area resources prompt scientists to move here.
December 18, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 18--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Three scientists who have decided to relocate to the Dayton region to follow their jobs say the scientific resources here and community efforts to ease their move...

$3.4B boost may help Delphi out of bankruptcy.
December 19, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 19--Delphi Corp. said Monday that private equity firms will invest up to $3.4 billion in the auto parts maker -- a key in its bid to emerge from court-supervised bankruptcy reorganization by mid-2007. Delphi...

Air Force flight tests new blend of jet fuel.
December 19, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 19--It's a burning issue: How can the military break its dependence on foreign oil for the vast amounts of fuel its jets, ships and land vehicles burn? The Air Force hopes it has the answer in a process...

Trotwood OKs second phase of Salem Mall development.
December 19, 2006... Byline: Ryan Justin Fox Dec. 19--TROTWOOD -- City officials formally entered Monday night the next phase in a new development on the site of the former Salem Mall, and inched closer to lease agreements with national retailers. During...

Coldwell Banker opens new Beavercreek office.
December 20, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 20--BEAVERCREEK -- Coldwell Banker Heritage Realtors has opened a new office in Beavercreek. Fifty-four employees who worked at the former Beavercreek building on North Fairfield Road and at the Fairborn...

Poll: Holiday bills won't be paid until spring, later.
December 20, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 20--There's no doubt about it during this hectic time of year: It feels great crossing off all those names on that long, holiday gift list. Then comes the start of a new year when reality hits in the...

More schools become eligible for voucher program under new bill.
December 20, 2006... Byline: Anthony Gottschlich Dec. 20--COLUMBUS -- -- State lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that more than doubles the number of school buildings eligible for state-funded vouchers, the system that pays for students in troubled public...

Ohio lawmakers putting last approvals on $1.8 billion capital budget.
December 20, 2006... Byline: William Hershey Dec. 20--COLUMBUS -- The legislature on Tuesday was working toward final approval of a two-year $1.8 billion capital improvements budget that Gov. Bob Taft is expected to sign when it reaches his desk. The...

Bill would limit minimum wage boost.
December 21, 2006... Byline: William Hershey Dec. 21--COLUMBUS -- --The Republican-controlled state legislature on Wednesday defied Democratic Gov.-elect Ted Strickland's wishes on a campaign finance bill and set the stage for a possible lawsuit over the...

AT&T gets approval to increase basic, ID rates on its own.
December 21, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 21--The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has given AT&T Ohio approval to increase rates for basic local telephone service and basic Caller ID without having to return to the PUCO for permission to raise those...

Sinclair Community College cuts spending as state support falters.
December 21, 2006... Byline: Stephanie Irwin Dec. 21--DAYTON -- Sinclair Community College is tightening its belt as it deals with decreased state funding, President Steven Lee Johnson said Wednesday. State funds for Ohio's colleges and universities have...

Dayton commission urges Wal-Mart to value workers.
December 21, 2006... Byline: Joanne Huist Smith Dec. 21--DAYTON -- The Dayton City Commission sent a message to Wal-Mart on Wednesday, calling on the nation's biggest discount chain to treat its employees fairly and with dignity. Supporters claim the...

Second suitor offers new plan for Delphi.
December 22, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 22--Highland Capital Management, a Dallas-based private equity firm, made an attempt on Thursday to outbid a refinancing plan that Delphi said it had accepted Monday in its effort to emerge from bankruptcy...

Company must pay for charging consumers after free trial program.
December 22, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 22--Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro this week reached a $12.5 million, 16-state settlement with a Connecticut-based company that failed to inform consumers of free trial programs of automatic charges and...

Ohio ranks fifth for mass layoff claims.
December 22, 2006... Byline: Kristin McAllister Dec. 22--Ohio ranked fifth in the nation for having the most mass layoff claims from January to November, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. The bureau categorizes a mass layoff claim as...

DPL says it will sell Darke County station.
December 22, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 22--DAYTON -- DPL said Thursday it will sell a natural gas-fueled electricity generating station in Darke County for $49.2 million in cash and report a fourth-quarter, pretax loss of $17 million to $19 million on...

Duke Energy bills to rise 10 percent in January.
December 22, 2006... Byline: John Nolan Dec. 22--Duke Energy customers' electricity bills will increase 10 percent in January from this month's rate. But it is less than the 12 percent increase the utility had planned to impose because of a decision Wednesday...

Wider North Main Street project raises ire in Montgomery County, Ohio.
December 24, 2006... Byline: James Cummings Dec. 24--HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County -- A center turn lane on North Main Street, designed for safety and to help local businesses, might put some of those establishments out of business. The Ohio Department...

Businesses' lots cross line on right of way, state says.
December 24, 2006... Byline: James Cummings Dec. 24--HARRISON TWP. -- Mike Crook bought the North Main Street building a few years ago for his printing business. Now Crook fears actions by the Ohio Department of Transportation to enforce right of ways from...

Wright-Pat area has fountain of youth, says Census.
December 26, 2006... Dec. 26--Every afternoon outside the after-school program center at the Prairies housing area of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, you're apt to find dozens of young parents in fatigues arriving to pick up their children. In the...

Mall crowded as shoppers seek post-holiday bargains.
December 26, 2006... Byline: Lisa Bernard Dec. 26--BEAVERCREEK -- Lackluster holiday sales figures for the nation's retailers could mean an extended season of savers for shoppers. At the Mall at Fairfield Commons during the noon hour Tuesday, few parking...

Fairborn company working to keep satellites secure.
December 26, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 26--A small Fairborn company has become a key player in the Air Force's growing concern about the security of its high-flying space satellites. The Design Knowledge Co. is developing an automated satellite...

Shoppers may soon see even bigger discounts.
December 27, 2006... Byline: Lisa A. Bernard Dec. 27--DAYTON -- After-Christmas sales delivered deep discounts for local shoppers Tuesday, with major retailers like Macy's and Elder-Beerman offering up to 60 percent off some merchandise. The discounts,...

Air Force retiring fleet of jets used for 'general delivery'.
December 30, 2006... Byline: Timothy R. Gaffney Dec. 30--WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- Expect to see top officers of the world's mightiest air force slipping off their shoes and submitting to metal detectors as they queue up to board airliners: The Air...