Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News articles from May 29 2004

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News archives from May 29 2004

Bank of America, FleetBoston Primed to Combine Operations.
May 29, 2004... By Rick Rothacker, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--From October to April, Marc Oken and his staff plotted the integration of Bank of America Corp. and FleetBoston Financial Corp. Now it's time to...

Cement Shortage Slows Some Construction in U.S.
May 29, 2004... By Charles Lunan, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--China's booming economy, already credited with causing some steel prices to double in the last year, now is blamed for a cement shortage in parts...

Duke Power's Decision to Change How It Reports Profits at Center of Debate.
May 29, 2004... By Stan Choe, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A group of Duke Power's big industrial customers on Friday accused the Charlotte utility of trying to wriggle out of a possible rate cut for...

Lowe's Top 2 Executives See No Barriers to Growth.
May 29, 2004... By Charles Lunan, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Lowe's Companies Inc.'s top two executives said rising interest rates won't slow the retailer's rapid growth, thanks in part to a new wave of...

Workers' Compensation Rates to Drop in California.
May 29, 2004... By George Avalos, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Workers' compensation rates could nose-dive about 21 percent during the second half of this year -- if insurance companies adopt the...

Drug Benefit's Intricacies Baffle Walnut Creek, Calif.-Area Seniors.
May 29, 2004... By James Temple, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--About 25 East Bay seniors assembled Thursday evening in John Muir Medical Center's Ball Auditorium in Walnut Creek, but the occasion was...

KILL: Some Baltimore, State Leaders Want to See Separate Local Wireless Taxes.
May 29, 2004... By Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Baltimore Sun Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--The story slugged BZ-WIRELESS filed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News for May 29 should be killed. The story has not been published. This is a...

Workers at 3 Baltimore-Area Hospitals Plan 2-Day Strike.
May 29, 2004... By Stacey Hirsh, The Baltimore Sun Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--About 2,700 maintenance, housekeeping and other workers at three of the region's largest hospitals -- Johns Hopkins, Sinai and Greater Baltimore Medical...

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Posts Quarterly Net Earnings of $49.3 Million.
May 29, 2004... By M. William Salganik, The Baltimore Sun Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Continuing a year-long run of improved margins, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield had net earnings of $49.3 million in the first quarter of this year -- up...

Mexican Candies Safe to Eat, Texas Health Department Tests Reveal.
May 29, 2004... By J. Noel Espinoza, The Brownsville Herald, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--BROWNSVILLE, Texas -- The Texas Department of Health announced this week that tests conducted on more than a dozen Mexican candies revealed...

Manatee Chamber Membership Biggest in Tampa Bay, Fla., Region.
May 29, 2004... The Bradenton Herald, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--BRADENTON, Fla. -- This ain't your daddy's chamber of commerce. The nonstop influx of new residents and businesses to Manatee County, combined with local economic...

Fairview Heights, Ill., Theater Slashes Prices to Draw More Moviegoers.
May 29, 2004... By Patrick J. Powers, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. -- Moviegoers at the newly renovated St. Clair 10 Cine are now paying less to see their favorite films and to refill...

Belleville, Ill.-Based Firm to Sell Pest Remover Products Internationally.
May 29, 2004... By Will Buss, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--BELLEVILLE, Ill. --The maker of Lice B Gone is going international with his lice, flea and tick sprays. Jim Rompel's Safe Effective Alternatives...

Great Plains Airlines Balks at Returning Parts.
May 29, 2004... By David van den Berg, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Great Plains Airlines, seeking to reorganization under Chapter 11, does not want to return airplane parts and equipment sought by St. Clair...

UMB Bank to Close Belleville, Ill., Branch.
May 29, 2004... By David van den Berg, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--BELLEVILLE, Ill. -- UMB Bank will close its branch at 5110 W.Main St. in Belleville on July 7, a company official said. "It was a...

Bakersfield, Calif.-Area Cotton Farmers Marvel at Start of Growing Season.
May 29, 2004... By Marylee Shrider, The Bakersfield Californian Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Most valley farmers say they can't recall a growing season with a better start than this year's, but Tulare cotton farmer Dick Shannon says...

Vehicle Armor Comes Together in McHenry, Miss.
May 29, 2004... By Patrick Peterson, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--McHENRY, Miss. -- Vehicle armor protecting U.S. troops in Iraq is being assembled in South Mississippi. Since March, explosive armor...

Technology Park Takes Shape in Hancock County, Miss.
May 29, 2004... By Reggie Beehner, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. -- Developers, state and local government officials and other business leaders on Friday celebrated the groundbreaking of...

Elderly, Poor in Mississippi Ponder Medicaid, Medicare Options.
May 29, 2004... By Tom Wilemon, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--GULFPORT, Miss. -- Marilyn Rogers, a retired bookkeeper, did not enroll in Medicaid until she had depleted her retirement funds, paying $480 in...

Outrageous Casino Entertainer Attracts Loyal Following in Mississippi.
May 29, 2004... By Timothy Boone, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--GULFPORT, Miss. -- In the past 10 years, Anthony Cools has used hypnosis to go from performing in small clubs in Calgary, Alberta, to packing...

Bridgeport, Conn.-Area Factories Had Key Role in War Efforts, Workers Recall.
May 29, 2004... By Rob Varnon, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--On Aug. 14, 1945, the Japanese surrender ended World War II. While 15 million Americans served in the military during the four years America fought...

MidSouth Bancorp of Lafayette, La., to Absorb Beaumont, Texas' Lamar Bank.
May 29, 2004... By Dan Wallach, The Beaumont Enterprise, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Lamar Bank, Beaumont's last locally headquartered and independent financial institution outside of credit unions, will merge with MidSouth Bancorp...

Santa Barbara, Calif.-Based Health Care Firm Sells Final Foreign Hospital.
May 29, 2004... By Frank Nelson, Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A subsidiary of Tenet Healthcare Corp. has sold Centro Medico Teknon, its 257-bed acute care hospital in Barcelona, Spain, and the company's...

Santa Barbara, Calif.-Based Health Products Maker Names New CEO.
May 29, 2004... By Frank Nelson, Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Santa Barbara-based Mentor Corp. announced Friday that Joshua Levine, president and chief operating officer, has been promoted to chief...

Santa Barbara, Calif., Site Will Feature Agriculture.
May 29, 2004... By Frank Nelson, Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Work has just started on a $6 million mixed-use development in the 5500 block of Calle Real where three separate buildings will offer between...

New Mexico Council Approves $55 Million Investment in 3 Venture Capital Firms.
May 29, 2004... By Andrew Webb, Albuquerque Journal, N.M. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--SANTA FE, N.M. -- The State Investment Council on Friday approved $55 million in investments to three venture capital firms. Flywheel Ventures,...

New Mexico Gas Prices Rose More Slowly This Week, Survey Shows.
May 29, 2004... By Rosalie Rayburn, Albuquerque Journal, N.M. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The breakneck pace of gasoline price increases eased this week, leaving the statewide average just one cent higher, at $1.97,...

Hecla, S.D., to Receive State Help to Build Wastewater Treatment Facility.
May 29, 2004... American News, Aberdeen, S.D. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--The city of Hecla is receiving $910,000 in state grant assistance for its wastewater treatment plant project. Of that, $300,000 is coming from the Department of...

Millions of Mexicans Are Distrustful of Banks, Unwilling to Pay High Fees.
May 29, 2004... By Ricardo Sandoval, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--MEXICO CITY -- Jaqueline Acevedo has a hard-working husband, three children and a modest job cleaning houses. She has some money put away for an...

Pittsburg, Texas-Based Company Kills, Buries 24,000 Chickens Due to Flu.
May 29, 2004... By Katie Fairbank, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Pilgrim's Pride Corp. said Friday that it has destroyed and buried about 24,000 chickens at one of its grower's farms because of an outbreak of avian...

Equity Firm to Purchase Dallas Computer Services Company.
May 29, 2004... By Crayton Harrison, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--CompuCom Systems Inc. shares dropped more than 7 percent Friday after a private equity firm agreed to buy the computer services company for $254...

Low-Calorie, Fortified Soda Could Be Aimed at Health-Conscious Types.
May 29, 2004... By Roger Yu, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--In a bid to attract health-conscious consumers, Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. may soon launch a new low-calorie version of 7 Up that's fortified with calcium and...

Fraud Allegations against Government E-Rate Program to Be Probed.
May 29, 2004... By Vikas Bajaj, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Investigators are looking into dozens of cases of alleged fraud against a government program that helps schools and libraries purchase computers and...

OPEC Meeting May Produce Policy Shift.
May 29, 2004... By Sudeep Reddy, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Conventional wisdom holds that OPEC can wield its influence over the global oil market at will. Lately, however, that doesn't appear to be quite...

Honda Makes Move to Pass Toyota in Indy Racing League.
May 29, 2004... The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--If this were the age of the Samurai, Honda officials might have fallen on their swords last year. It's one thing to lose, but Honda was flat-out humiliated by Toyota...

Renaming of TXU's Oncor Unit Is Protested.
May 29, 2004... By Sudeep Reddy, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A group of electricity providers petitioned regulators Friday to block a name change for TXU Corp.'s Oncor unit, arguing that it would give the region's...

Both Free, For-Profit Web Sites List Gas Prices by Location.
May 29, 2004... By Sarah A. Webster, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--As drivers take off for the first holiday weekend of the summer, they can turn to a growing number of Web sites ready to help them find the best -- and...

Homebuyers Discover Detroit Has Livable Spaces on Waterfront.
May 29, 2004... By John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Developer Jamie Murray figured he was on to something good when he and his partners bought the Harbortown retail, marina and apartment complex on Detroit's...

Daily Mail, London, Business Briefs.
May 29, 2004... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--PAUL REICHMANN, founder of Docklands developer Canary Wharf Group, resigned from its board with immediate effect after the Brascan group he backed failed in its bid for the...

Erie, Pa.-Area Fuel Gauge Failures Resonate in Florida, Louisiana.
May 29, 2004... By Jim Carroll, Erie Times-News, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Yet another part of the country is dealing with fuel gauge problems. Parts of Florida and Louisiana have fallen victim to the malady that has persisted...

Fredericksburg, Va., Officials Hope Office Space Will Lure Northern Businesses.
May 29, 2004... By Cathy Jett, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Washington is inching ever faster toward the Fredericksburg area. Just ask Gene Bailey. As president of the Fredericksburg...

Fredericksburg, Va.-Area Weight-Loss Firms Buck Low-Carb Trend.
May 29, 2004... By Kim Anderson, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Colleen Strom has heard all about the low-carb and no-carb diets. For practitioners of these diets, meat's the thing. They can eat...

High Sulfur Levels Halt Gasoline Sales in South Florida.
May 29, 2004... By Joseph Mann, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Gasoline supplies in South Florida became tighter Friday at the start of Memorial Day weekend after about 400 Shell and Texaco gasoline vendors here...

California Officials Try to End Sales of Contraband Cigarettes.
May 29, 2004... By Lisa Aleman-Padilla, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--State officials are increasing retail inspections to curb sales of contraband cigarettes and restore millions in lost tax revenue. The...

Onslow County, N.C., School System's Job Fair Garners Recent College Grads.
May 29, 2004... By Christopher De Nittis, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--When recruiters for the Onslow County Schools System began planning for the annual job fair, they changed the strategy a little. ...

The Kansas City Star, Mo., Commodities Column.
May 29, 2004... By Victoria Sizemore Long, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- MIXED RESULTS FOR FUTURES: Kansas City and Chicago wheat futures prices closed lower Friday on active harvesting and slow...

Kansas Tax Scofflaws Face Possibility of Their Names Being Listed on Web Site.
May 29, 2004... By John L. Petterson, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--TOPEKA, Kan. -- Kansas tax officials are hoping deadbeat taxpayers will rather pay up than face the embarrassment of seeing their names plastered...

High Prices, Problems Plague Oil Industry.
May 29, 2004... By Chris Flores, Daily Press, Newport News, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- As holiday travelers sweat over the way that gasoline prices are adding to the cost of a vacation, many will curse whoever...

Union Remains Unhappy with Newport News, Va., Shipyard.
May 29, 2004... By Peter Dujardin, Daily Press, Newport News, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Management at the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard needs to show more movement if it wants to come to terms with its...

High Street Project Hits a Pothole in Williamsburg, Va.
May 29, 2004... By April Taylor, Daily Press, Newport News, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Two years ago, Washington, D.C.-area developer Lerner Enterprises came aboard Williamsburg's $63 million High Street project,...

Wal-Mart to Invest in $28.5 Million Expansion.
May 29, 2004... By April Taylor, Daily Press, Newport News, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. -- Wal-Mart Stores' expansion of its distribution center in the GreenMount Industrial Park will bring an estimated 125...

Summer Movie Season Off to Slow Start.
May 29, 2004... By Phyllis Furman, Daily News, New York Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Climate disaster flick "The Day After Tomorrow" had better flood the box office with cash this weekend. Hollywood is banking on the Fox release to...

Long Beach, Calif., May Cut Housing Subsidies.
May 29, 2004... By Don Jergler, Press-Telegram, Long Beach, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The city may be forced to reduce rental assistance to low-income residents to deal with a $700,000 shortfall in Housing...

Gas Prices Eat into Lexington, Ky., Businesses' Profits.
May 29, 2004... By Joseph Lord, Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Ken Couch isn't thrilled about gasoline prices these days. The fuel costs for his company, B&B Courier, which transports luggage to and from...

Some Kentucky Utilities Customers Remain Without Power since May 27 Outage.
May 29, 2004... By Janet Patton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--By this morning, most of the 15,650 Kentucky Utilities customers who lost power on Thursday night should have electricity, company officials said....

Reports Suggest Trouble for Brown & Williamson Merger.
May 29, 2004... By Andy Peters and Linda S. Morris, The Macon Telegraph, Ga. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A Friday report in The Wall Street Journal suggests the pending Brown & Williamson merger is in trouble with federal regulators. ...

U.S. Signs Free Trade Accord with 5 Central American Countries.
May 29, 2004... By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--President Bush's chief trade emissary inked a free trade accord with five Central American countries Friday. The Central American Free Trade Agreement, which...

Both Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing Claim Victory in Federal Judge's Ruling.
May 29, 2004... By Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. must remove point-of-purchase advertising that falsely asserts Miller Brewing Co. is owned by South African Breweries, a...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wheels Column.
May 29, 2004... By Mark Savage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--If anyone doubted Cadillac could make a comeback, its two-seat XLR roadster will turn those doubts into road kill. The car's edgy look is both a...

Milwaukee Law Firm to Separate.
May 29, 2004... Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Long formally organized as two distinct corporations operating under one name, the lawyers who make up the firm of Murphy, Gillick, Wicht and Prachthauser have agreed...

Mexican Chain Restaurant to Come to Scottsdale, Ariz., Area.
May 29, 2004... By Donna Hogan, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A Seattle chain famous in its hometown for fish tacos and giant burritos is planning to invade the East Valley this summer. Arizona's first Taco Del...

Restaurant Chain to Close Phoenix Location.
May 29, 2004... By Edward Gately, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--A California-based restaurant chain has closed its sole Arizona location in Ahwatukee Foothills, but most likely will return in the future with...

Artist Supply Store in Nashua, N.H., to Close.
May 29, 2004... By Karen Spiller, The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--NASHUA, N.H. -- Foster Graphics, the discount artist supply shop that's been a fixture on French Hill for 45 years, is closing up shop. "At our...

Sovereign Bancorp Recalls Debit Cards of about 10 Percent of Customers.
May 29, 2004... By Michael L. Diamond, Asbury Park Press, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Sovereign Bancorp is recalling the debit cards of about 110,000 of its customers out of concern that the customers were the victims of identity...

Hardware Store to Anchor Fresno, Calif., Shopping Center.
May 29, 2004... By Robert Rodriguez, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Orchard Supply Hardware will anchor a 12-acre shopping center at the northeast corner of Champlain Drive and Shepherd Avenue. The Villa Montana...

Many Fort Worth, Texas-Area Hotels Offer Discounts to Lure Motorists.
May 29, 2004... By David Wethe, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--When it comes to vacations, Jerry Forster of Arlington, Texas, won't be deterred. He wants to take a road trip to Colorado this year, no...

European, Latin American Leaders Rebuke Unilateral Action.
May 29, 2004... By Karen Brooks, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Leaders from 58 countries denounced the prison-abuse scandals in Iraq but spared the United States direct criticism for...

Aerospace Systems Maker to Cut Jobs at Windsor Locks, Conn., Plant.
May 29, 2004... The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Hamilton Sundstrand plans to cut between 20 and 30 union jobs at its Windsor Locks plant because of a decrease in workload, the company said Friday, although it hopes...

The Hartford Courant, Conn., Auto Answers Column.
May 29, 2004... By Duncan Haimerl, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--WEIGH REPAIR COST VS. USE: QUESTION: We own a 1989 Chevy Lumina four-cylinder sedan that has 82,000 miles. My mother purchased it new, and now my...

The Hartford Courant, Conn., Auto Review Column.
May 29, 2004... By Duncan Haimerl, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--LEXUS LS 430 -- ONE OF FINEST CARS FROM JAPAN: The 2004 Lexus LS 430 is one of the finest cars to come from a Japanese automaker, and the $55,000...

Bag Screening at Newark, N.J., Airport Gets a Cautious OK.
May 29, 2004... By Douglass Crouse, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Four U.S. lawmakers from New Jersey voiced satisfaction Friday that Newark Liberty International Airport finally has the proper staffing and...

Houston Chronicle Computing Column.
May 29, 2004... By Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--GOOGLE MAIL LOOKS PROMISING AS A LUCKY FEW TRY IT OUT: The quickest way to get people to want your product is to tell most of them they can't have it. Give...

El Paso Corp. Report Fails to Please Investors.
May 29, 2004... By Laura Goldberg, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Investors frowned Friday after El Paso Corp. offered a window into the performance of its exploration and production unit. During a conference call,...

Pfizer Divests Personal Care Products.
May 29, 2004... By Anthony Cronin, The Day, New London, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Pfizer Inc. has sold the rights to manufacture 60 European over-the-counter and personal care products to a Belgian-based healthcare products...

Groton, Conn., Yacht Club Receives Recognition for Environmental Practices.
May 29, 2004... By Anthony Cronin, The Day, New London, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--GROTON, Conn. -- The state Department of Environmental Protection is recognizing several boating facilities, including the Shennecossett Yacht...

Daily News, New York, Wall Street Column.
May 29, 2004... By Tom Van Riper, Daily News, New York Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Personal income and spending shot up faster than expected last month, laying the groundwork for further economic growth and more jobs. April incomes...

California Farm Aims for Sweet Success with Its Tiny 'PureHeart' Watermelon.
May 29, 2004... By Lisa Munoz, The Orange County Register, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--If we could lift watermelons without risking a hernia, or if we didn't have to worry about choking on their seeds, we all might eat more of the...

Orange County, Calif., Analysts Ranked at Top.
May 29, 2004... By James B. Kelleher, The Orange County Register, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--When Gordon McBean joined Roth Capital Partners as its head of research in January 2002, the Scottish-born analyst's marching orders were...

California SUV Sales Hit Brakes as Buyers Deal with Gas Crunch.
May 29, 2004... By Nancy Luna, The Orange County Register, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--IRVINE, Calif. -- Interest in buying gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles is shifting into a lower gear as the number of consumers attracted to...

Billionaire Invests in Columbus, Ohio-Based Auto Insurance Firm.
May 29, 2004... By Ken Stammen, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--What do State Auto Financial Corp. officials think about a famous corporate raider buying a stake in the company? If they have strong opinions,...

Ethnic Groceries Appeal to Many Columbus, Ohio, Residents.
May 29, 2004... By Sherri Williams, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--At La Costena Mexican grocery store, orange and silver pinatas hang from the ceiling and products with labels in Spanish line the shelves. ...

Errant Fuel Pumps Usually Cheat Retailers, Not Customers, Ohio Records Show.
May 29, 2004... By Chuck Strickler, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--Nearly four of every 100 gasoline pumps tested last year by the Franklin County auditor's office flunked inspection. The problem: At those...

The Orlando Sentinel, Fla., Technology Column.
May 29, 2004... By Chris Cobbs, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--To help me meet the needs of my job as a personal technology reviewer, my spouse tolerates more than her share of boxes, cables, remotes and assorted...

Norwich, Conn., Utilities Group to Move Natural Gas Station.
May 29, 2004... By Claire Bessette, The Day, New London, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 29--NORWICH, Conn. -- This summer, a new gas station will open on North Main Street, but don't expect to find regular, unleaded and super premium...