Census: ND population grows, highest since 2000
1:22
North Dakota is ending the decade with its highest population since 2000, according to Census Bureau figures released Wednesday. The state's population grew by 5,423 people from July 2008 to July 2009, keeping it the...
Religious discrimination against Mesaba settled
1:18
Mesaba Airlines, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines Inc., has to pay $130,000 in a settlement involving a religious discrimination lawsuit. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit in September...
Bisciotti partner to purchase retirement community
1:14
The longtime business partner of Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti (bih-SHAH-tee) has struck a deal to purchase Erickson Retirement Communities after a marathon bankruptcy auction. Erickson filed for Chapter 11...
Carter's to restate some of its financials
1:12
Children's apparel maker Carter's Inc. said Wednesday that an independent investigation has determined that the company must restate some of its financials. The investigation found that Carter's sales staff did not...
Piedmont Natural Gas posts fiscal year profit gain
12:54
Natural gas distributor Piedmont Natural Gas on Wednesday said its fiscal year profit rose 12 percent despite a slowdown in adding new customers. For the 12 months ended Oct. 31, the company posted profit of $122.8...
A look at economic developments around the globe
12:46
A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Wednesday: ___ BEIJING _ China's central bank warned that the country's economic recovery is still weak despite improving conditions...
Correction: Bluefly investment story
12:42
In a Dec. 21 headline about Bluefly Inc., The Associated Press reported erroneously that Rho Ventures agreed to take a majority stake in the online retailer. Rho Ventures agreed to take a 33 percent stake in Bluefly,...
Calendar of business events scheduled for Thursday
12:28
Major business events and economic events scheduled for Thursday: WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m. WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases durable goods for November, 8:30 a.m....
Atlas Mining's former boss settles SEC allegations
11:25
A northern Idaho mining company's former chief executive must pay $50,000 to settle allegations he financed his company's struggling operations by illegally distributing millions of dollars worth of stock to investors. ...
Wine kiosks to be added at 100 Pa. supermarkets
11:22
More than 100 Pennsylvania grocery stores are expected to be getting vending machines that sell wine. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board says the kiosks could be operating at all the stores by the middle of 2010. ...
Del. gov signs order meant to help small companies
11:21
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell wants to make it easier for small and mid-sized businesses to bid on state contracts. Markell signed an executive order Tuesday that aims to promote supplier diversity. It directs the state...
USDA report: Nebraska harvest still slow going
11:16
Wintry weather continues to hamper progress across the state as farmers look to finish their harvests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's weekly crop report issued Tuesday said there were just three days suitable for...
S. Texas rancher sets aside 1,300 acres for ocelot
11:15
Few things would venture into the dense thorny scrub favored by the endangered ocelot. But with little of south Texas considered suitable habitat for the remaining 50 or fewer rare cats, the ocelots remain vulnerable. ...
Many mine Bible for money wisdom during downturn
11:13
A Hummer, a 1957 hot rod, a comfortable house in a gated community _ if Bob Vigliotti wanted something, he bought it. Cash or credit didn't matter. As a successful commercial real estate developer from Naples, Fla., he...
Changes could be on horizon for Pa.'s records law
11:12
The five-page Right-to-Know Law request that arrived in March at the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare was so broad that officials worried how much it would cost to fulfill it. A Philadelphia lawyer was looking...
Immediate response ordered in Barnett Shale cases
11:03
Texas environmental regulators want an immediate response to complaints about oil and gas drilling in the Barnett Shale. The directive by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to its Dallas-Fort Worth regional...
Hawaii univ. president's letter slammed by union
11:01
A letter from the president of the University of Hawaii declaring that labor negotiations are at an "impasse" prompted the union that represents faculty to declare it is ready to go to court. M.R.C. Greenwood, who took...
Colorado Ski Train fight heads to federal court
10:58
Whether Colorado's Ski Train returns to service this weekend could be determined by a federal judge. A company hoping to revive the Denver-to-Winter Park train service is suing Amtrak for making "unforeseen demands"...
Recall news
10:58
The following recalls have been announced: _ About 200 Cressi Ellipse Black MC5 regulators, manufactured in Italy and distributed by Cressi-sub USA of Westwood, N.J., because partial obstruction of the high pressure...
Minn.-based Hobbit Travel temporarily shuts down
10:55
Minneapolis-based Hobbit Travel said it's temporarily shutting down. In a news release Tuesday night, the discount leisure travel agency cited "financial difficulties and the present economy." The company said it's...
Cintas shares fall as profit drops, outlook gloomy
10:53
Shares of Cintas Corp. fell Wednesday after the uniform maker said its quarterly profit slid amid high unemployment, and CEO Scott Farmer warned analysts' expectations for fiscal 2010 were "too optimistic." Cintas...
Social services survive Conn. budget axe _ for now
10:53
School-based health clinics, daycare programs for the needy and stem cell research programs are all getting a reprieve in the deficit-cutting plan passed by Connecticut's legislative Democrats. But given the state's...
Pentagon spending bill includes Inouye earmarks
10:50
A new defense appropriations bill includes several targeted spending provisions championed by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye that will benefit companies whose officers have contributed to his re-election campaigns. The 2010...
Piedmont Natural Gas declares dividend of 27 cents
10:49
Piedmont Natural Gas on Wednesday said its board declared a quarterly dividend of 27 cents. The natural gas distributor said the dividend is payable Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 28. ...
Magazine says Hawaii is best state destination
10:47
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has announced Hawaii has been chosen by Travel Weekly as the winner in the Best U.S. State Destination category for its seventh annual Readers Choice Awards. HTA President and Chief...
3Com posts 55 percent jump in fiscal 2Q profit
10:47
Computer networking systems maker 3Com Corp. on Wednesday said its fiscal second-quarter profit jumped 55 percent despite falling revenue, as the company trimmed expenses and benefited from a tax adjustment. For the...
Coal plant delay means lower hike in Colo. rates
10:45
Xcel Energy Inc.'s electric rates won't increase as much as expected in January because of a delay in the start of the utility's new coal-fired plant. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission said Tuesday that it...
Feds release new plan to revive California delta
10:40
Senior Obama administration officials released a new action plan Tuesday aimed at bolstering the federal government's role in solving California's water crisis and restoring the vast freshwater estuary that provides...
Crude oil stockpiles tumble by 4.9 million barrels
10:38
Crude inventories and gasoline supplies fell last week, the government said Wednesday. Crude inventories decreased by 4.9 million barrels, or 1.5 percent, to 327.5 million barrels, which is 1.1 percent above year-ago...
NJ gov trims budget as gov-elect plans more cuts
10:37
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has whacked more than $800 million from the current state budget less than a month before leaving office, he said Tuesday as his successor announced preparations for steep reductions for the...
Nortel agrees to sell unit to Genband for $282M
10:35
Nortel Networks Corp. said Wednesday it has agreed to sell nearly all the assets of its Carrier Voice over Internet Protocol and Application Solutions business globally to Genband Inc. for $282 million. Nortel, based...
Missouri judge orders new home care union election
10:34
A Missouri judge ordered a new election for in-home care providers seeking union representation after a home-care company alleged that the initial vote was predicated on procedural flaws and violations of...
Vermont gardening company sold to employees
10:01
Burlington-based Gardener's Supply Co. has been sold to its employees. The owner of the 26-year-old garden products retailer started selling shares of the company to its employees in 1987. The company says it could...
RI shows 1st gain in home prices in 3 years
9:59
Home prices in Rhode Island have risen slightly for the first time in more than three years. A survey released Tuesday by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors showed the median home price in the state climbed just...
Bond commission vote may spur Ala. hospital sale
9:55
A state commission headed by the governor took action Tuesday that could clear the way for the state to sell the almost 150-year-old Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa to the University of Alabama. The Amendment 666 Bond...
W.Va. rejects proposed sale of natural gas utility
9:52
West Virginia has rejected the sale of natural gas utility Dominion Hope to a San Francisco investment company. The state Public Service Commission said Tuesday the sale to SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners was...
Ga. urged to embrace 'no regret' water standards
9:48
Georgia must embrace a series of "no regret" water conservation standards regardless of the outcome of a looming 2012 deadline that could leave Atlanta with a drastically reduced water supply, a key state water panel...
NM PRC makes decision in renewable energy case
9:45
New Mexico regulators have issued an order that clears the way for customers to take advantage of third-party power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers, potentially opening the door for more investment...
Lawsuit seeks to allow Nevada convention smoking
9:42
The American Cancer Society in Nevada has filed suit against the state, health officials and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, seeking to invalidate a recently enacted state law allowing smoking at some...
Mich. hopes to reuse 2 recently shuttered prisons
9:39
Michigan is still looking for federal or out-of-state inmates to fill a pair of recently shuttered prisons after reaching a deal with Pennsylvania to house 1,000 of that state's prisoners, an official said. The...
NY fund manager settles 4 of 18 underage sex suits
9:25
A New York billionaire jailed for soliciting underage prostitutes in Florida has settled four out of 18 abuse lawsuits by young women. Jeffrey Epstein's most recent settlement was approved Sunday by a U.S. District...
Wisconsin regulators approve energy rate changes
9:23
Natural gas customers in northeastern Wisconsin will have to pay more next year. State regulators have formally approved a $12.9 million rate increase for Wisconsin Public Service Corp. That translates to about $2.75...
Nebraska's bovine TB scare nearly over
9:20
Nebraska agriculture officials expect that by spring, no more cattle herds in the state will be quarantined because no new cases of bovine tuberculosis were found in the monthslong investigation that's nearly done. ...
Suit seeks to overturn Tongass roadless exemption
9:18
An Alaska Native village joined in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that aims to protect some of the Tongass National Forest's remaining stands of old growth trees. The Organized Village of Kake and other plaintiffs are seeking...
Oklahoma board certifies lower revenue estimate
9:16
The Oklahoma Board of Equalization certified a revenue estimate for next year that is $1.3 billion less than the current one, the result of a sluggish economy and low oil and natural gas prices that have reduced tax...
Answering casino question may prevent Pa. layoffs
9:14
If Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell follows through on his threat, the jobs of more than 1,000 state employees are riding on the timely resolution of a dispute among legislators over where a potentially lucrative casino...
Stocking stuffer: Card good for eye, dental visit
8:52
Health care providers are rolling out a different sort of stocking stuffer: Gift cards that can be used to pay bills and insurance premiums or for specific services at eye doctors and dentist offices. Blue Cross Blue...
World markets up again on US economic hopes
8:48
World stock markets rose Wednesday amid mounting optimism about the speed of the U.S. economic recovery after further solid economic data. In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 49.51 points, or...
Management buys $5M in ChinaCast Education shares
8:24
For-profit business school operator ChinaCast Education Corp. on Wednesday said its senior management team will buy $5 million in company shares. In a deal dated Monday, Chairman and CEO Ron Chan Tze Ngon, Chief...
Compugen signs development deal with Pfizer
8:24
Israeli drug developer Compugen Ltd. said Wednesday it signed a collaboration deal with Pfizer Inc. on three potential drug targets for an undisclosed amount. Compugen said the collaboration involves its therapeutic...