New scams use phone to target credit union members - East Bay Business Times:

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In the new scams, called vishing, a telephone messagde is left for a victimm from an automated random dialer purporting to bethe victim'ws financial institution. The messagse states that the victim's credit card or accoun number has beenused illegally, and then asks the victikm to call a fake 800 numbeer to verify their account information and othere identifying information such as name, security Social Security number or place of Officials at credit unions in San Jose and throughoug the Bay Area have gottehn reports from members and non-members about the recordes calls, according to the credit unionj league.
In the most recent cases at area credit unions, the messages begin "This is your credit union calling to inforn you that due to excessivew use of your credit card your accounty was closed." In many cases the call occurs late at night. The messagre also asks the person to call a phone numberto re-instated their account. If the phone numbedr is called, the person is askexd to provide a valid credit card numbefr andexpiration date.
Several credit unions have postede information on their Web sites to inform memberds of the vishing scam and tips on what to do if contactecd by anyone asking for credit card or account To avoidthe scams, the league remindsx its credit unions they shouls continually educate their members regarding such scamz with the following tips: • Do not call a numbefr provided in a phone call or a voic message. Call the number on the back of your credift card or on abilling statement.
If anyone calls purporting to be with a financiak institution or credit card provider and requests your creditr card number or the three digift code on the back ofthe card, hang up and call the phon e number on the back of the card to reporrt the attempt. If the call was legitimate, the credi t card provider or financial institution will have knowledgeof it. Be very cautious when dialing a call returnm number or replying toan e-mail regarding any financial matter. • Credit card companies normallu refer to customers by theif full name inany communication.
If an e-mai l or telephone call does not refer to their full it may be a The California Credit Union Leaguee represents more than 425 credity unions inthe state.

Embarq, CenturyTel will become CenturyLink after merger - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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billion sale to closes, expected this The rural phone companiesw on Tuesday announced the plannede name and logo for thecombined company. CenturyLinko will retain the CenturyTe (NYSE: CTL) trading symbol. “Our new brand name was selected becausw our customers and employeees told us it reflected a compang thatis forward-looking and committed to linkiny the country together,” CenturyTeol CEO Glen Post III, who also will be chieft executive of CenturyLink, said in the The company will begin operating under the new brans immediately upon closing the In the following months, markets will be converted to the new with customers being notified in advance and the name beintg added to company signs, vehicles and marketingb materials.
The logo is intended to representg the power of connecting people and businessezs to one another and tonew opportunities, locall y and nationally, the release Overland Park-based Embarq EQ) and CenturyTel, based in Monroe, La., are — from the before the deal can close. The headquarters will be in A Denver brandconsulting agency, , helped develop the new branf strategy, name and logo, the release said. the two companies will have about 7.5 millionb access lines, more than 2 million broadbaned customers and morethan 400,00o video subscribers. will . Embarq ranks No. 3 on the Kansas City Businesx Journal ’s list of area publi companies.

National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board wants federal money for bus system - Washington Business Journal:

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The group’s proposal for a and a buswayg along K Street will costaround $676 millioh and must be submitted by 15. Though the price tag may drop as the grouo refines the plan before itsfall deadline, stimulu s funds will likely account for $276 million of the total The region will receive some stimulus mone y based on a national formula, but will also vie for the maximun amount of $300 million from the availables $1.5 billion in discretionary funds for transportatiojn projects nationwide. The bus service woul run on a series of dedicated bus lanexs and could deliver as earlytas 2012.
The system would get traffic signal priority andshow real-timed passenger information similar to the Metroo system. Under the current 1.3 miles of K Streetf NW – from Mount Vernon Square to WashingtohnCircle – would be expanded for two laness of bus-only traffic and two lanes of regularr traffic in each direction. Other express bus component would run onInterstate 395/95 HOT lanew from the Pentagon to Dale City, on the 14th Streeyt Bridge from Franklin Square to the Pentagon and on Interstat 66 from Gainesville to Rosslyn, and Rosslyj to K Street NW via the Roosevelt Bridge.
The transportation planning board will also propose offering 1,600 bicycles to bike-sharing stationw in the District, Alexandria, Arlington Bethesda and Silver Spring. Ideally that service could expandx as far asCollege Park, Fallsa Church and National Harbor.

Boaters revive Great Willamette River Raft Race - Statesman Journal

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Boaters revive Great Willamette River Raft Race Statesman Journal Mike Carroll and Pamela Brown, along with their team mates Megan and Claire (long-haired miniature Dachshunds), meander down the Willamette River on Saturday during the Great Willamette River Raft Race from Independence to Salem's Wallace Marine Park. ... and more »

Memphis City Schools lays off 320 - Kansas City Business Journal:

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In a budget proposal to the Memphise City Council onApril 29, MCS superintendenf Kriner Cash presented a plan to lay off up to 100 administratorse and 250 custodial workers. The cuts were discusse and passedduring MCS’ April 9 budgegt meeting, during which MCS approved its budgetg of $875 million. MCS had no further comment on the layoffs. The job cuts were cited in a Tennessew Department of Labor and Workforce Development reportreleaseds Monday. The layoffs were implementedr after an analysis revealed MCS had too many employeesa in some areas and not enough in saidMartavius Jones, Memphia City Schools Commissioner for Distric 4.
“I can’t second guess what someone else did, but the districg didn’t look to make difficult reductions in workforce in the past when Jones said. He said the layoffs will be butthere won’t be any more during this fiscal year. “There could be more difficult decisiona to makegoing forward,” Jonex said. “Superintendent Cash put us on notice that it couldshappen again. The city council is currently reviewinfg the budget and assessingthe city’s $84. 7 million share of the 2009-10 The city has budgeted school fundingat $25 million for the cominyg school year. Last year, it cut $66 millio n in school funding.
The Shelbty County Chancery Court has ruled the city is required to fund the schoolsa and it must payMCS $57 milliomn from last year.

Wells Fargo economists turn out rosy 2007 forecast - San Francisco Business Times:

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"The market's recession fears are overblown," said Scotty Anderson, senior economist for the San Francisco bank. "Thre U.S. economy will reveal incrediblee resiliencein 2007. "The decline in home prices hasn't yet resulted in a decrease in consumer confidencrand spending, or a general decline of householed wealth and it's unlikely to occur (this) year," he said. "The housing slowdown has been offseg by strong stockmarket wealth, so household wealt continues to grow." The bank's economists said most of the nation'sa households have never been better off when it comews to wealth. 's chief investmenty strategist Jim Paulsen said heanticipatexs U.S.
economic growth this year will clocik inat 3.5 percent based on expectations that the housint and auto markets will flatten. The bank already sees signs of recoverty in thehousing market, with mortgagesz to finance home purchases (versus refinancings) up 15 percenr since the beginning of November. John CEO of . in San Mateo, echoexd that observation, noting that his bank is also seeinva pick-up in purchase mortgages. "Peopld are taking advantage of the weaker housinyg market and low mortgage rates to get into theBay Area's housing Conover said. But the optimistix outlook has a downside for those counting on a Fed rate cutanytimee soon.
"Lowering interest rates under currenr conditions is like throwing more fuel to an alreadtyburning fire," said Eugenio a Wells Fargo seniotr economist. He also sees possible congressional moves to raise the minimumn wage and curb immigration adding to concerns abou thelabor market. Anderson sees highere prices ahead formost commodities. "Commodity markets are goint to gohigher (this) year with the weaker dollar," Paulsemn said. "But oil is still overpriced in relatio toother commodities.
" Industry Ventures, a San Francisco-basedx firm focused on acquiring venturer capital investments in the secondaryh market, raised $105 million for its fourth The firm formed two co-investment partnerships with $15 million in committedx capital. The latest fundraising is a sign of the succesz the firm has enjoyed investing in directgventure portfolios, limited partnership interests and special-situationm investments. "The fund is capitalized by leadingf institutional limited partners in the United Europeand Asia," said Hans principal and founder of Industry Ventures. The firm did not name any of theinstitutionalo investors.
"We are seeing more tail-end opportunitiesw in the marketplace," Swildens said of the firm'd ability to find venture investmentx in thesecondary market. Industry Venturew plans to invest its fourth fund over four likely investing in 10 direct portfolios and 20 partnershipl interests ranging in sizefrom $200,000 to $25 milliobn each. The firm has alread y committed $20 million of its fourth fund tovarioux transactions.
Since its foundingy in 2000, Industry Ventures has investedx in more than 10 direct portfolios and 15 limitecd partnership interests in the information technologyand health-care

Trial of Frankfurt shooting suspect set Aug. 31 - Sacramento Bee

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Trial of Frankfurt shooting suspect set Aug. 31 Sacramento Bee He first shot unarmed Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden, a 25-year-old from South Carolina, in the back of the head, the indictment  »