Austin American-Statesman (Austin, TX) articles from August 2000

Austin American-Statesman (Austin, TX) archives from August 2000

Management of Austin, Texas-Based drkoop.com Fire 42 Employees.
August 31, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 31--Just a week after taking over, the new management at Austin's drkoop.com Inc. has pulled the plug on 42 full-time and part-time employees, thinning the company's already skinny ranks. The move -- that...

Scientists Recommend Protection for Texas Shrimp Populations.
August 31, 2000... Byline: Mike Leggett Aug. 31--Texas shrimp populations are under too much fishing pressure and need to be protected to ensure the future of the half-billion dollar industry, scientists told Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials...

Austin, Texas, Venture Capitalist Decries Poor Judgment by Investors.
August 31, 2000... Byline: Jerry Mahoney Aug. 31--In a frank assessment of the impact that his industry is having on U.S. technology companies, a leading Austin venture capitalist said Wednesday that venture firms are backing some companies that don't...

Dell's New Storage Devices Aimed at Small Businesses.
August 30, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 30--Dell Computer Corp. plans to roll out two new products next week aimed at giving the personal-computer maker a bigger share of the burgeoning storage business. Dell will announce two entry-level devices...

Austin, Texas-Based Living.com Files for Chapter 11.
August 30, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 30--Austin Internet retailer living.com Inc. changed directions and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday, two weeks after shutting its doors and saying it would go for outright liquidation. Joe Martinec,...

Construction Begins on First Apartment Complex in Pflugerville, Texas.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Samantha Sommer Aug. 29--PFLUGERVILLE, Texas--Developers and city officials broke ground Friday on Pflugerville's first apartment complex, hoping to give commuters and residents a more affordable housing choice. The $22...

Intel Recalls Fastest Pentium III Chip from Limited Release.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Kirk Ladendorf Aug. 29--Intel Corp. suffered another embarrassment Monday when it recalled the fastest version of its Pentium III microprocessor, but analysts said the problem will have little financial impact on the world's...

Companies with Downturns in Stock Price Ripe for Shareholder Lawsuits.
August 29, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 29--A funny thing happened on the way home from the initial public offering: The stock tanked and investors sued. The honeymoon for Crossroads Systems Inc., which went public last fall with amazing success,...

Austin, Texas-Based Software Company to Help Ford Sell Cars Online.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Jerry Mahoney Aug. 29--Austin's Trilogy Software Corp. and Ford Motor Co. will expand their efforts to make Ford a leader in Internet auto sales with an online program that allows consumers to select, price and order a car...

Austin, Texas-Based Internet Device Firm Lowers Price to Stave Off Competition.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 29--Faced with the first tangible competition for its i-opener Internet device, Austin-based Netpliance Inc. dropped the machine's price to $299 Monday and offered refunds to customers who paid higher rates....

Austin, Texas-Based drkoop.com Given $27.5 Million by Venture Capitalists.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 29--The venture capitalists who stepped in to save Austin's drkoop.com Inc. have upped their investment to $27.5 million, which they estimate gives the battered Internet health company another 18 months of life....

Real Estate Market in Central Texas Slows to More 'Normal' Pace.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Sheryll Poe Aug. 29--Central Texas' residential real estate market may be losing a bit of its luster. Sales of existing homes in the traditionally busy summer months were slower this year than last year. But it's too soon for...

Stock Options Can Benefit Employees If Exercised Intelligently.
August 29, 2000... Byline: Amy Schatz Aug. 29--In many ways, Michael Vestal is living the dream. Every morning, he weaves through traffic on Loop 360 in a new BMW 328 before gingerly parking it among the BMWs, Mercedes and Range Rovers in the garage at...

Austin, Texas-Based Data Storage Router Provider Reports $17.8 Million Loss.
August 25, 2000... Byline: Jerry Mahoney Aug. 25--Crossroads Systems Inc. said Thursday it lost 67 cents a share, or $17.8 million, during its troubled third quarter, as revenue slid 6 percent to $4.8 million. The company warned Wall Street in late...

Video-Conferencing Equipment Maker Starts Layoffs, Some in Austin, Texas.
August 24, 2000... Byline: Jerry Mahoney Aug. 24--VTEL Corp., a leading maker of videoconferencing equipment that has been beset with several quarters of declining sales, launched what it called a "radical" shift in strategy Wednesday, including layoffs of...

Austin, Texas-Based Drkoop.com Gets $20 Million Infusion, Management Shake Up.
August 23, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 23--Ailing Austin Internet company drkoop.com Inc. has negotiated a $20 million cash infusion from venture capitalists that will keep it alive for perhaps another year, but comes at a steep price. The...

Austin, Texas-Based Dr.koop.com Rescue Plan is Outlined.
August 22, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 22--Austin-based drkoop.com Inc. revealed details Monday of secret negotiations that could soon lead to its rescue. In a quarterly financial report , the company also acknowledged that it is the subject of an...

Austin, Texas, Internet Car Sales Company Fires 100, Plans to Refocus.
August 21, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 21--Business at carOrder.com Inc. temporarily screeched to a halt Friday afternoon as the Austin company fired 100 people and abruptly closed down its car-sales Web site. The moves mark struggling...

Creditors of Failed Austin, Texas-Based Furniture E-Tailer Wait for Payback.
August 17, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 17--Tuesday morning, Kimberly Coleman received a call at her San Antonio home from Shaw Furniture Galleries, a North Carolina retailer from whom she had bought furniture several times during the past 10 years....

Austin, Texas-Based Deli Chain to Get out of Restaurant Real Estate Business.
August 16, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 16--Schlotzsky's is finally getting out of the restaurant real estate business, but it's not a cheap exit. The Austin-based restaurant chain took a one-time charge of $5.3 million to get out of developing...

Austin, Texas, Furniture E-Commerce Startup Closes Doors, Files for Bankruptcy.
August 16, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 16--Living.com Inc., one of the richest and most promising startups to emerge from Austin's high-tech community in the past few years, closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy Tuesday, the first major failure...

Austin, Texas, Software Firm Considers Joining Downtown Digital Corridor.
August 16, 2000... Aug. 16--Austin-based Vignette Inc. is considering joining a growing downtown digital corridor, moving its headquarters to the north shore of Town Lake across from the Austin Convention Center. The 5-year-old software company is...

Austin, Texas-Based Web Furniture Retailer Living on the Edge of Insolvency.
August 16, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 16--Living.com is still alive, but for how long is anyone's guess. Rumors swirling around the Austin online furniture retailer over the weekend had it closing up shop, filing for bankruptcy, being acquired...

Troubled Austin, Texas-Based Web Mall Announces Layoffs.
August 16, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 16--Cash-strapped Mall.com Inc., an Austin-based online shopping center, said Monday it has laid off 20 people in an effort to revamp the company and secure venture funding. The job cuts halve Mall.com's...

Austin, Texas, Muslims Struggle to Invest, Adhere to Religion.
August 15, 2000... Byline: Nushin Huq Aug. 15--When Sencer Ecer a 28-year-old economics doctorate student at the University of Texas, moved to Austin from Turkey three years ago, he faced an unusual problem. He couldn't find a place to invest his money...

Dell Computer Stock Takes Another Blow.
August 14, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 14--Dell Computer Corp. stock took another hit Friday as Wall Street expressed renewed concern about whether the company will meet its revenue goal this year. The world's No. 2 personal-computer maker's stock...

Austin, Texas, Non-Profit Group Offers Class for First-Time Home Buyers.
August 14, 2000... Byline: Linnea K. Anderson Aug. 14--First-time home buyers Melissa Richardson and Greg Ellis -- confident they made the right choice -- are moving happily into their new $100,000 home in Georgetown this month. They are confident...

California Firm Offers Money-Saving Options for Austin, Texas, DSL Customers.
August 14, 2000... Byline: Kirk Ladendorf Aug. 14--In the speed-happy world of Internet access, a faster connection to the Net typically means a higher usage bill every month. Speed doesn't kill, but it does cost. Yet a California company wants to...

Austin Startups Reap Record Amount of Venture Capital in Second Quarter.
August 14, 2000... Byline: Jerry Mahoney Aug. 14--From his third-floor corner office, Glenn Lovelace looks out on the traffic clogging MoPac Boulevard and sees daily affirmation that his plans to capitalize on the growing appeal of telecommuting are on...

'Little Fish' at Austin Design Firm Drown Merger Sorrows at Company Party.
August 10, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 10--As the late-afternoon Human Code Inc. party got noisier, Wiley Akins stared into his beer glass and contemplated the future of the Austin company. On Wednesday, 7 -year-old Human Code said it will be...

Austin, Texas-Based Alternative Power Firm Bucks IPO Trend with Explosion.
August 9, 2000... Byline: Andrew Park Aug. 9--The valuations are not as obscene as they once were, and no one dares say how long investors will stay interested. But make no mistake: IPOs are back. Austin-based Active Power Inc. proved it Tuesday,...

SBC Communications Still Struggles with High-Speed Internet Service.
August 9, 2000... Byline: Kirk Ladendorf Aug. 9--In its race to become a kingpin of high-speed Internet access, SBC Communications Inc. has stumbled over logistical and personnel hurdles this year, alienating some of its business partners. One of...

Austin, Texas-Based Computer Company Spins Off Chip Division.
August 8, 2000... Byline: Kirk Ladendorf Aug. 8--Employees of Austin's newest chip maker headed to Dell Diamond on Monday night to celebrate by taking in a ball game, but their infant company, Legerity Inc., already has a solid batting average. The...

Austin-Based Garden.com Increases Sales, Loses Profits.
August 8, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 8--Spending sprees by avid spring gardeners nearly tripled Garden.com Inc.'s sales in the fourth quarter, the Austin company said Monday. Despite record sales, Garden.com still lost millions and fell just...

Austin, Texas, Builders Offer Basement Alternative at Added Cost.
August 7, 2000... Aug. 7--"I want a basement," Kim Detmer told her husband when they bought their house in Austin a year and a half ago. "Nobody builds basements in Texas," responded Ty Detmer, a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and 1990 Heisman Trophy...

Founder of Dell Computer Buys Property along Austin, Texas-Area Lake.
August 7, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 7--Gov. George W. Bush has one, and now Michael Dell does, too. Michael and Susan Dell have closed on the purchase of a 1,751 acres of ranchland west of Austin, a Dell spokeswoman confirmed Friday. She said...

More Retired People Are Dipping Back into Austin, Texas, Labor Pool.
August 7, 2000... Byline: Sheryll Poe Aug. 7--Bob Dilley quickly tired of the retired life. "One of the things that you realize you miss when you retire is there is not a lot to think about in the mornings," said Dilley, 56, an avid golfer, traveler...

Developers to Turn Old Austin, Texas, Army Field into Office, Retail Complex.
August 4, 2000... Byline: Sheryll Poe Aug. 4--A group of developers is practicing Austin's version of the three R's -- recycle, reuse, restore -- with a historic property on South Congress Avenue. The partners envision turning the old barracks and...

Lower Losses of Austin, Texas, Internet Firm Tempered by Third Quarter Warning.
August 4, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 4--Netpliance Inc. pleased analysts Thursday with narrower-than-expected losses in its second quarter as a public company. But the Austin company tempered good news with a mild warning that the third...

Dell Sees Stock Continue to Slide as Analyst Lowers Rating.
August 3, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 3--Dell Computer Corp. stock continued to tumble Wednesday when one industry analyst downgraded the stock and fueled continued speculation about whether the computer maker's growth is slowing more than previously...

Texas Task Force Seeks to Update Definition of Lawyer.
August 3, 2000... Byline: Jamie Manfuso Aug. 3--It seems like everyone is practicing law these days. Web sites, books and computer software instruct people on how to file for divorce, write their wills or create a deed. And with the popularity of...

Lawmaker Proposes to Expand Texas' Tax Holiday, Include School Supplies.
August 3, 2000... Byline: Amy Schatz Aug. 3--Posing with a tub of Play-Doh, state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, waved at a table heaped with crayons, pencils and rulers and announced plans Wednesday to sponsor legislation to extend the state's sales tax...

Toys 'R' Us Online Privacy Policy Draws Two Lawsuits in Austin, Texas, Court.
August 3, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 3--Two separate class-action lawsuits filed in federal court in Austin Wednesday accuse online retailer toysrus.com of illegally passing shoppers' private information to a third-party company. A Hawaii...

Harvard University Sues Austin, Texas-Based Online Education Firm over Name.
August 2, 2000... Byline: Heather Cocks Aug. 2--Precisely because it isn't Harvard University, Austin-based notHarvard.com Inc. is being sued for $75,000 by the storied Ivy League institution. The lawsuit comes days after notHarvard.com fired the...

Lockhart, Texas, Prison Program Has Inmates Repairing Computers.
August 1, 2000... Byline: Tracie Powell Aug. 1--When a personal computer goes on the fritz and gets sent back to the manufacturer, it could end up in Juan Sandoval's hands. Sandoval, nicknamed "Chuckie," repairs computers. But he also uses his keen...

Earnings, Profits for Austin, Texas-Based Natural Foods Grocer Rise.
August 1, 2000... Byline: John Pletz Aug. 1--Whole Foods Markets Inc. reported strong fiscal third-quarter results Monday, with sales up 23 percent and profits 12 percent higher. The Austin-based, natural-foods grocer said revenue was $442.6 million...