Topeka – State Democratic leaders are urging changes in state unemployment law.
The changes make the state eligible for $23 million of federal recovery funds.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley says last month’s unemployment rate of 6.4 percent was the highest in two decades. But he says three to four million jobs could be saved or created in Kansas by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, so lawmakers should work to get the money.
Categories: Business
TV and Internet ads promising fast cash for almost no work have been around forever. They also seem to be on the rise as the economy is on the decline. Are they scams or legitimate? Sean Cole reports.
BOB MOON: So, it’s way past midnight. You can’t sleep. I always raid the fridge first then pad out to the living room to see what’s on TV. But on so many channels at that hour, all of the regular programming has been replaced…by this:
CLIP OF INFOMERCIAL: So if you’re excited to learn how to make as much money as you want with ten free website businesses of your very own, then don’t touch that remote control.
Categories: Business
Looking for a way to heat up your springtime in Northern Michigan? Look no further than the Springtime Splendor Week at the 2nd Annual Chef’s Challenge at Shanty Creek. What could be more fun than a food fight? A little healthy competition in celebration of the greatest food and food talent that Michigan has to offer?
The finest Chef teams from Northern & Southern Michigan will again compete in the 2nd Annual event at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire on April 24-26. The event celebrates Springtime Splendor Week in Michigan, and highlights Michigan’s great Agricultural diversity and growing wine & micro-brew industries.
The North vs. South competition on Saturday will again feature fantastic entrée samplings by twelve Chef teams, complimented by fine Michigan wine and micro-brew tastings. North & South winning teams will be chosen by the public and several professional culinary judges, and face off in an “Iron Chef” competition dinner that evening. Chef Eric Villegas of “Fork in the Road” TV fame, and Chef Michelle Bommarito, frequent participant on Food Channel competitions, are among the judges at the Iron Chef show-down.
Categories: Business
BB&T (NYSE: BBT) closed yesterday at $23.34. So far the stock has hit a 52-week low of $12.90 and 52-week high of $45.31.
The proprietary Key Risk Ranking for BBT has declined from a 3 KEY Moderate Relative Risk to a 2 KEY Considerable Relative Risk. This Key Ranking is determined daily and is a measure of the relative risk for an optimal calendar spread trade on this underlying stock with a targeted 27.91% return (44.00% annualized for comparison purposes).
This ranking looks at many factors related to the stock and associated option contracts. The Key ranking is intended as a guide for investors researching this underlying stock.
Categories: Business
The White House just announced that the third largest American automaker, Chrysler, will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and enter an alliance with Fiat SpA (BIT:F). The bankruptcy case, which is expected to be quick and “surgical”, will take place in the United States Bankruptcy Court in New York, and the filing marks the first American automaker to try to restructure under Chapter 11 since 1933 when Studebaker filed. A senior White House official said the case would commence immediately and the government would provide Chrysler with $3 to $3.5 billion debtor-in-possession financing so it could continue with daily operations. After completion of its restructuring plans, Chrysler will receive $4.5 billion in financing to restart operations. The embattled member of the Detroit Three has already received $4.5 billion in aid from the federal government.
Following reports from late last night and early this morning that talks had broken down with lenders, Chrysler will officially announce its plan to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday. Negotiations between Chrysler and at least three lenders went on through the night, but no agreement was reached.
The news was revealed to Automotive News by an unnamed Obama administration official. The official said the Treasury Department upped its Chrysler debt-swap offer to $2.25 billion – up from $2 billion – but was unable to reach an agreement with the holdout creditors.
Categories: Business
Baskin-Robbins 31 Cent Scoop NightBaskin-Robbins, known for its “31 flavors,” is dropping per-scoop prices to 31 cents tonight in honor of future and current firefighters.
The scoop discount runs today only from 5 to 10 p.m. at select stores and proceeds from the 31 Cent Scoop Night sales will go toward a $100,000 donation to the National Volunteer Fire Council’s National Junior Firefighter Program.
The Junior Firefighter Program pairs youths with firefighters, rescue workers and emergency medical service workers to teach them about the various professions. Some Baskin-Robbins locations also will accept donations to local firehouses.
Categories: Business
Bank of America Shareholders Meeting Live-Blogging – Sadly we didn’t make the trip down to Charlotte but this guy is providing live updates, and of course anyone present (Lewis) is free to keep us abreast of the situation (same goes for those of you at the Morgan Stanley party). So far former BAC CEO Hugh McColl has offered that if asked to become chairman, in the event someone lost the job, he’d decline, and Evelyn Davis has proclaimed her support for Ken Lewis. Will there be any awkward flirtation between Davis and Lew like there was at last week’s Citi meeting with Dick Parsons? We’ll just have to wait and see (though it’s unlikely, as Lewis strikes us as lacking the same charm as Mr. P).
Update: Five minutes into his prepared remarks, Ken Lewis admits Merrill was a mistake. No, just f**king with ya. He defends both of his bright shining stars, Merrill Lynch and Countrywide.
Categories: Business
The Current by Discover Card is a prepaid credit card for teenagers that allows parents to set a budget and monitor their teenager’s spending.
Parents can easily add funds to the Current by Discover prepaid card for free, plus parents can set spending limits and restrict unwanted shopping categories from teenagers.
Teenagers get a safe way to spend money without carrying cash, including the option to withdraw money from ATMs, plus the Current prepaid card comes in 7 unique card designs that are some of the coolest credit cards around.
Categories: Business
In part one of the series “The Credit Card Cooldown,” we learn about how good credit card customers are getting some very bad customer service.
Holly found out a little too late that even though she paid her credit card bill on the right day, it now had to be in before 4 p.m.
“They charged me a late fee, I had finance fees, and then they charged me a $35 over the limit fee,” she said.
Categories: Business
For those of you who use Discover Card, just a quick reminder that Discover offers 5% back on home improvement purchases from April – July.
To sign up, just login to your discover account, browse to the my rewards section, and follow the instructions.
Note that you must sign up before you make home improvement purchases as the 5% cashback is not retroactive to April 1.
Categories: Business
