http://www.kentucky.com/101/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com Business 60 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:34:26 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/605/story/416587.html http://www.kentucky.com/605/story/416587.html Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:11 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/601/story/395920.html http://www.kentucky.com/601/story/395920.html Mon, 05 May 2008 10:00 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504068.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504068.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:00 EDT
Bardstown's Tom Moore Distillery, which makes 1792 Ridgemont Reserve bourbon, has been added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

The distillery was founded by Tom Moore in 1879, and it is now owned and operated by Constellation Spirits. Its super-premium 1792 brand bourbon is named for the year when Kentucky became a state.

Under its new membership in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Tom Moore Distillery will begin offering tours on Oct. 1, according to an announcement by the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

Tours will be offered on weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (502) 348-3774 at least a day in advance. Participants must be at least 21 years old. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504230.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504230.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:00 EDT
Gov. Steve Beshear's task force on horse racing will hold its first meeting next week in Lexington.

Beshear appointed the task force, headed by Thoroughbred horseman and political ally Tracy Farmer, in July to recommend how to put Kentucky racing on a more financially sound footing.

Farmer, like Beshear, is a proponent of expanded gambling, but casinos are not explicitly on the agenda.

The task force will meet 10 a.m. Sept. 3 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, on Newtown Pike. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503991.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503991.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:07 EDT
Royal Dutch Shell PLC said it's evacuating some 300 workers from offshore Gulf rigs, while BP PLC was also removing personnel from the region that's home to about a quarter of U.S. crude production and much of its natural gas.

Though it was too soon to know where the storm would hit, some models showed Gustav taking a path toward Louisiana and other Gulf states devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita three years ago.

One weather research firm predicted as much as 80 percent of the Gulf's oil and gas production could be shut down as a precaution if Gustav enters the region as a major storm.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery was up 79 cents at $118.94 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midafternoon in Singapore. Earlier, it rose as high as $119.25.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504001.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504001.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:02 EDT
Investors expect the Commerce Department to report that the economy strengthened slightly in the second quarter, boosted by robust U.S. exports and a bump at the retail level from government tax rebates. Gross domestic product, or GDP, was expected to rise at an annualized rate of 2.7 percent for the April-June period, according to economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR.

Investors closely watch GDP to determine whether the economy is picking up momentumm after being pounded by housing woes and a debilitating credit crisis. The economy grew at a weak rate of 0.9 percent in the first quarter. The Commerce Department report is due at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Investors are also watching for a report on U.S. jobless claims. The Labor Department is expected to show the number of newly laid off people seeking unemployment benefits fell for a third consecutive week as the impact of a federal outreach program wanes. New claims for the week ending Aug. 23 are expected to fall to 427,000 from a seasonally-adjusted level of 432,000 in the prior week.

That would be the third straight drop since claims jumped to a six-year high earlier this month. However, claims above 400,000 suggest the economy is slowing, according to economists. The report is scheduled to be released at 8:30 am EDT.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/505136.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/505136.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
If you've recently lost your job or are soon to be unemployed, you're going to want to know your health insurance options. One you might qualify for is COBRA, the federal law that allows you to temporarily continue your employer-sponsored health plan, usually in the event of some form of layoff.

COBRA might be the right choice for certain people, but the coverage can be expensive. Under COBRA you are responsible for the premium that was previously subsidized by your employer, in addition to a 2 percent administrative fee.

If you are relatively healthy, there might be cheaper alternatives. EHealthInsurance, an online seller of health insurance, offers these options:

Mix and match. If you have a pre-existing condition, choose COBRA coverage for yourself but look around for a less expensive individual plan for your spouse or child. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504206.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/504206.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:26 EDT
John A. Allison will retire as chief executive of BB.T Corp. on Dec. 31, but he will continue as chairman of the board of directors until Dec. 31, 2009.

Allison, 60, will be succeeded as CEO by chief operating officer Kelly S. King, the No. 2 executive at BB.T since 2004, the company said. King also has been elected to the board.

BB.T said Allison's decision to retire from the position that he has held since 1989 is the latest step in a five-year executive-transition plan at the North Carolina-based banking company that holds the fourth-largest share of Kentucky bank deposits.

Since 2003, six managers have joined the BB.T executive team, and four have retired or announced pending retirements. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503734.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503734.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
Delta Air Lines and its affiliates will be operating out of two instead of three concourses at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport by the end of January.

Delta and its affiliates now use Concourses A, B and C. The airport has a total of five concourses. Delta is moving out of Concourse C, which currently is used primarily by Delta affiliate Comair.

The change stems from high fuel prices, according to Delta and the airport.

"A lot of flights have been cut ... because of the fuel (price) problem," airport spokesman Ted Bushelman said, adding that Comair has not been using all of the gates at Concourse C in recent months. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/502686.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/502686.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:38 EDT
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders for durable goods rose 1.3 percent last month, far above the slight 0.1 percent increase economists had been expecting.

The July increase matched a 1.3 percent rise in June, which was revised up from an earlier reading of 0.8 percent. Both months turned in the strongest gains since a 4.1 percent surge last December.

Economists had been expecting a far weaker showing in July reflecting their views that the manufacturing sector is being battered by the slowdown facing the overall economy. Instead, the report showed surprising strength in a number of areas.

Demand for commercial aircraft shot up 28 percent, a rebound following a 21.3 percent drop in June.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503733.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503733.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
WASHINGTON . The number of troubled U.S. banks leaped to the highest level in about five years and bank profits plunged by 86 percent in the second quarter, as slumps in the housing and credit markets continued.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data released Tuesday show 117 banks and thrifts were considered to be in trouble in the second quarter, up from 90 in the prior quarter and the biggest tally since mid-2003.

The FDIC also said that federally insured banks and savings institutions earned $5 billion in the April-June period, down from $36.8 billion a year earlier. The roughly 8,500 banks and thrifts also set aside a record $50.2 billion to cover losses from soured mortgages and other loans in the second quarter.

"Quite frankly, the results were pretty dismal," FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said at a news conference, but they were not surprising given the housing slump and disruptions in financial and credit markets. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503083.html http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/503083.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:55 EDT
A former vice president of Lexington-based Clark Material Handling Co. pleaded guilty Tuesday to lying to federal agents investigating alleged violations of the U.S. trade embargo with Iran.

Robert E. Quinn accepted a plea deal and was released until sentencing Nov. 6 in Washington, D.C.

Quinn is expected to receive probation or less than six months in prison, according to documents filed with the court.

Quinn's former boss at Clark, David Tatum, also pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and was placed on probation for 12 months. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/486267.html http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/486267.html Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:56 EDT
Education

Campbellsville University: Kyle Davis of Greensburg has been named director of campus safety and security. He worked for four years as a deputy of the Warren County Jail, where he was a member of the special emergency-response team tactical unit. John Ellis has been named an admissions counselor. He will be serving and recruiting from the Louisville area.

Finance

Central Bank: Cameron Abney has been named senior vice president and senior lender in Madison County. He will develop and maintain loan portfolios while managing the commercial lending department. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/479502.html http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/479502.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:54 EDT
Education

Georgetown College: H.K. Kingkade has been named director of the college's newly created office of religious life.



Health care ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/473272.html http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/473272.html Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:29 EDT
Education

Campbellsville University: Kristin Rucker has been named an admissions counselor serving and recruiting from the Western Kentucky region.



Law ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/466809.html http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/466809.html Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:04 EDT
Architecture

GBBN Architects: Britney .Groneck has joined the firm's architectural support core group. The Vine Grove native is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned her bachelor of architecture degree. Her areas of expertise include urban residential development and adaptive reuse projects.

Education

Berea College: David E. Shelton, a retired senior vice president of real estate, engineering and construction for the Lowe's companies, has been named chair of the college's board of trustees. He succeeds, M. Elizabeth Culbreth, board chair since 2002. James R. Lewis, Somerset native and president and chief executive officer for worldwide property and casualty operations with Chicago-based CNA, has been elected to a six-year term on the college's board of trustees. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/454230.html http://www.kentucky.com/642/story/454230.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:15 EDT
Architecture

GBBN Architects: Todd R. Dunaway has joined the firm's Louisville and health care teams.

Ricci Greene Associates: Jared Altobello has joined the justice design and planning firm as a designer.

Engineering ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/504230.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/504230.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:00 EDT
Gov. Steve Beshear's task force on horse racing will hold its first meeting next week in Lexington.

Beshear appointed the task force, headed by Thoroughbred horseman and political ally Tracy Farmer, in July to recommend how to put Kentucky racing on a more financially sound footing.

Farmer, like Beshear, is a proponent of expanded gambling, but casinos are not explicitly on the agenda.

The task force will meet 10 a.m. Sept. 3 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, on Newtown Pike. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/504068.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/504068.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:00 EDT
Bardstown's Tom Moore Distillery, which makes 1792 Ridgemont Reserve bourbon, has been added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

The distillery was founded by Tom Moore in 1879, and it is now owned and operated by Constellation Spirits. Its super-premium 1792 brand bourbon is named for the year when Kentucky became a state.

Under its new membership in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Tom Moore Distillery will begin offering tours on Oct. 1, according to an announcement by the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

Tours will be offered on weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (502) 348-3774 at least a day in advance. Participants must be at least 21 years old. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505138.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505138.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
MALVERN, Pa. . Ikon Office Solutions, which sells and leases copiers, printers and other office machines, has agreed to a $1.62 billion buyout offer from one of its suppliers, Ricoh Co. of Japan.

The deal will combine Ikon's sales and service capabilities with Ricoh's engineering and manufacturing expertise, Ikon said. It follows an "extensive review of our strategic opportunities," said Matthew Espe, Ikon chairman and chief executive.

The cash offer of $17.25 a share disclosed Wednesday represents a 33 percent premium to Ikon's average stock price for the last two months, the companies said.

Ikon also sells and leases equipment from other companies, including Canon Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. It was not immediately clear whether Ikon will maintain its relationship with those companies. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505136.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505136.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
If you've recently lost your job or are soon to be unemployed, you're going to want to know your health insurance options. One you might qualify for is COBRA, the federal law that allows you to temporarily continue your employer-sponsored health plan, usually in the event of some form of layoff.

COBRA might be the right choice for certain people, but the coverage can be expensive. Under COBRA you are responsible for the premium that was previously subsidized by your employer, in addition to a 2 percent administrative fee.

If you are relatively healthy, there might be cheaper alternatives. EHealthInsurance, an online seller of health insurance, offers these options:

Mix and match. If you have a pre-existing condition, choose COBRA coverage for yourself but look around for a less expensive individual plan for your spouse or child. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505135.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505135.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:32 EDT
Kentucky

McDonald, Rankin named to Churchill Downs board

Churchill Downs Inc. named two new board members on Wednesday. James McDonald, chairman, president and CEO of cable system provider Scientific Atlanta Inc., and insurance broker and horseman Alex Rankin were named to a new position and to one vacated by the June resignation of Claiborne Farm's Seth Hancock. McDonald is also senior vice president of Cisco Systems, a University of Kentucky graduate and a former UK basketball player. Rankin is president of Sterling G. Thompson in Louisville, as well as Upson Downs Farm in Goshen. "Jim is an experienced telecommunications expert who brings a vast amount of experience and knowledge to CDI's leadership team. Alex is a highly respected Thoroughbred owner and breeder whose expertise will be a tremendous asset to the board of directors," said Carl Pollard, chairman of Churchill Downs Inc.

Clark names VP of finance, technology ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503734.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503734.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
Delta Air Lines and its affiliates will be operating out of two instead of three concourses at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport by the end of January.

Delta and its affiliates now use Concourses A, B and C. The airport has a total of five concourses. Delta is moving out of Concourse C, which currently is used primarily by Delta affiliate Comair.

The change stems from high fuel prices, according to Delta and the airport.

"A lot of flights have been cut ... because of the fuel (price) problem," airport spokesman Ted Bushelman said, adding that Comair has not been using all of the gates at Concourse C in recent months. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503083.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503083.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:55 EDT
A former vice president of Lexington-based Clark Material Handling Co. pleaded guilty Tuesday to lying to federal agents investigating alleged violations of the U.S. trade embargo with Iran.

Robert E. Quinn accepted a plea deal and was released until sentencing Nov. 6 in Washington, D.C.

Quinn is expected to receive probation or less than six months in prison, according to documents filed with the court.

Quinn's former boss at Clark, David Tatum, also pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and was placed on probation for 12 months. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503733.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503733.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
WASHINGTON . The number of troubled U.S. banks leaped to the highest level in about five years and bank profits plunged by 86 percent in the second quarter, as slumps in the housing and credit markets continued.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data released Tuesday show 117 banks and thrifts were considered to be in trouble in the second quarter, up from 90 in the prior quarter and the biggest tally since mid-2003.

The FDIC also said that federally insured banks and savings institutions earned $5 billion in the April-June period, down from $36.8 billion a year earlier. The roughly 8,500 banks and thrifts also set aside a record $50.2 billion to cover losses from soured mortgages and other loans in the second quarter.

"Quite frankly, the results were pretty dismal," FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said at a news conference, but they were not surprising given the housing slump and disruptions in financial and credit markets. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503732.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503732.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
WAYNE, Mich. . Demand for Ford Motor Co.'s Focus and other small cars has been superheated ever since gas prices headed toward $4 per gallon in May, and since then, Ford hasn't been able to build the Focus quickly enough.

On Tuesday, though, the automaker took two steps toward further cranking up Focus production, announcing that it would sink $75 million into the body-making part of an SUV factory next door to the Wayne Assembly Plant, where the Focus is built.

If demand stays strong, the SUV plant will quickly start producing Focus bodies, eliminating what is now a bottleneck that is slowing production and sending SUV production to the Kentucky truck plant in Louisville.

The struggling automaker also is sending the SUV factory's 1,000 workers to the Focus plant in January to add a third crew to production lines, also helping to boost production. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503731.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503731.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
Thinking about going back to graduate school? On top of tuition, you might have to sacrifice some income.

From Kiplinger.com, .Elizabeth Kountze offers these tips on how to reducing your graduate school costs:

Use some foresight. Most decisions for fellowships, scholarships and assistantships are made near the application deadline in December or January. Apply early. If you want to bolster your financial-aid case, let the school know in advance how much salary you'll be sacrificing. If the school wants you, it might be willing to give out more aid.

Introduce yourself to faculty. If you can strike up a .relationship with some faculty members, even if it is by e-mail, you might be able to set yourself up with a part-time graduate student job once you're in. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503730.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/503730.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55 EDT
national

Consumer confidence gains, but economists still cautious

Americans felt better about the economy in August, as a barometer of sentiment posted the biggest boost in two years amid falling gas prices. Two reports suggested that a bottom could be nearing for the housing market, but economists caution it's too early to proclaim that the worst is over. The Conference Board, a private research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 56.9, up from a revised 51.9 in July. That's the largest gain since August 2006, and is ahead of the 53 expected by economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR. It's also the second month in a row that sentiment improved, after a six-month slide since January . but it remains about half what it was a year ago.

Fannie, Freddie shares climb second day ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501498.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501498.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:57 EDT
Free wireless Internet service is now available at the Lexington Center food court.

Subway, Arby's, Mr. Kan's Chinese Food, A.W and Mo' Joe's Caf. are in the food court.

Wireless Internet has been available in Rupp Arena and a media interview area since 2003, and in the convention facilities since 2004. Now all of the Lexington Center space has wireless Internet. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502355.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502355.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:13 EDT
One dollar out of every five in the U.S. economy will be spent on health care by 2012, Steven Aldana predicted Monday.

At the current rate of growth, 100 percent of the economy will go to health care by 2226, Aldana said.

At that point . he calls it Doctor Day . "we can all become doctors and just bill each other."

The joke wasn't all that funny to about 100 Kentucky Chamber of Commerce members at a work site wellness conference at the Marriott Griffin Gate in Lexington. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502356.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502356.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
An 18-page report released Monday by a Berea-based economic development group says state economic development programs will be more successful if they are geared toward Kentucky entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The report was written by the Rural Policy Research Institute's Center for Rural Entrepreneurship for the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development.

"For too long, Kentucky has neglected the important role of entrepreneurs of all kinds in building a stronger and more resilient economy," said Justin Maxson, president of MACED, which released the report.

"It's increasingly evident that Kentucky must turn more of its attention to building our economy from within," Maxson said. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502354.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502354.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
WASHINGTON . Sales of existing homes rose in July, surpassing expectations, as buyers snapped up deeply discounted properties in parts of the country hit hardest by the housing bust.

However, the number of unsold properties hit an all-time high. Prices nationwide are not expected to hit bottom until early next year.

The National Association of Realtors reported Monday that sales rose 3.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5 million units, down from June's downwardly revised rate of 4.85 million units. Sales had been expected to rise by only 1.6 percent, according to economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR.

"The process of a recovery has begun," said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. "It's not going to be short and swift, but it's begun nonetheless." ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501534.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501534.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:51 EDT
Lexington is among 28 cities eligible for loans to help preserve historic buildings and develop affordable housing through a program announced by the National Trust Loan Fund.

The National Trust Loan Fund, a not-for-profit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, on Monday announced the creation of a $5 million loan pool for the program.

The loan fund was made possible through a $1.3 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The grant targets communities in the 26 cities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers plus Gulfport, Miss., and Pontiac, Mich.

The housing projects should include property designated as national, state or local historic structures, a contributing resource in a designated historic district or be eligible for such designation. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502351.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502351.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:32 EDT
Kentucky

Lexington among 28 cities eligible for preservation loans

Lexington is among 28 cities eligible for loans to help preserve historic buildings and develop affordable housing through a program announced by the National Trust Loan Fund. The fund, a not-for-profit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, on Monday announced the creation of a $5 million loan pool for the program.

The loan fund was made possible through a $1.3 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The grant targets communities in the 26 cities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers plus Gulfport, Miss., and Pontiac, Mich. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502353.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/502353.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
Amid all the back-to-school activities and tasks that college students face, one of the most important is to protect their identities.

College students should take these precautions:

Keep it private: Don't post or share personal identifying information online and don't leave sensitive data exposed in your dorm room. Don't store personal information on your computer. Be careful what you carry in your backpack. Make sure your wallet, checkbook and bills are secure.

Bank on it: Don't fill out credit card applications at displays set up on campus because that exposes your information to a large mass of people. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/500342.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/500342.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:40 EDT
When the new University of Kentucky hospital opens in 2011, all the patients. rooms will be private. They will each have a flat screen TV, a bathroom with a shower and, just outside the door, a place for nurses and doctors to record their notes. The large rooms . more than 300 square feet, including the bathroom . will have space for family members to spend the night.

These amenities aren.t meant only to make patients more comfortable. In many cases, research has shown that they improve patients. care.

Patients prefer having their own rooms. But studies have also shown that private rooms decrease the number of hospital-acquired infections, reduce medical errors and reduce patient stress.

UK is not alone in this effort. The hospital is part of a national trend toward evidence-based design. The idea is to use the physical environment to improve patients. care, and study the results to make sure they work. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501102.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/501102.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:54 EDT
NEW YORK . When Wall Street gets a whiff of recovery in small-capitalization stocks, hopeful questions often pop up about whether a nascent rebound for the overall market is taking hold.

Bear market rallies often begin with bigger companies that investors see as less likely to falter in a bad economy, so many on Wall Street look to more fractious small-cap companies to confirm that gains represent more than a short-term blip up. Smaller companies, which often don.t have the cash reserves and array of products that larger names do, are seen as riskier by many investors, so it.s thought their recovery can signal that a market downturn is ending.

The benchmark Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rallied about 14 percent from mid-July to mid-August, double the gain logged by the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard . Poor.s 500 index, which track bigger companies. Yet in spite of the strong showing by small-caps, some observers say questions remain.

Skeptics note that the advances haven.t been consistent. Small-cap growth funds aren.t faring much better than the broader market, noted Marta Norton, lead analyst on small value funds at investment research provider Morningstar Inc. Growth funds invest in companies likely to increase earnings and revenue but often don.t pay big dividends like the funds known as value funds. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/495617.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/495617.html Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
A $500,000 master plan for downtown Lexington was labeled a failure Tuesday for its lack of influence on the CentrePointe high-rise project.

Harold Tate, president of the Downtown Development Authority, was scheduled to make a routine report at the Urban County Council's planning committee meeting Tuesday on progress on recommendations in city's downtown master plan. Instead, Tate spent most of his time in defense mode.

He was peppered with questions from council members on why the master plan did not prevent a block of historic buildings from being demolished and did allow the 35-story CentrePointe hotel-condo project to be approved.

Councilman Tom Blues asked Tate why the master plan did not have significant influence on the height and design of the proposed 35-story CentrePointe hotel and condominium project. Blues said CentrePointe developer Dudley Webb said on television recently that he was not aware of the master plan and had never read it. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/490399.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/490399.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:01 EDT
Friday is Joe Rosenberg's last day at Joe Rosenberg Jewelers on South Upper Street. Monday will be his first day at Joe Rosenberg Jewelers on East Main Street.

The new store will be one block down and two over, on the ground floor of Barrister Hall, 163 East Main Street.

As he stood behind the counter of the emptying Upper Street store Thursday, the 54-year-old Rosenberg was not melancholy about leaving the only family business location he has known.

.This was an interim stop on our way to the next stop,. he said Thursday. .The institution is the business, not the building.. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/481135.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/481135.html Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:10 EDT
Developers of the downtown CentrePointe project declined Tuesday to publicly identify the project's financial backers, a stance that led to some tense moments in front of a city task force.

Vice Mayor Jim Gray wanted a letter from the investors saying the money has been pledged to build CentrePointe. Previously, developers have said the project would cost $250 million, but a financial impact analysis released Tuesday put the cost at $205 million.

.We want to guarantee this project goes forward,. Gray said.

In answer to Gray's question about revealing the investors, attorney Darby Turner, representing developer The Webb Companies, said, .No, we won't do that.. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/473269.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/473269.html Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:29 EDT
In five years, if you come downtown on a Saturday morning you might be able to park in an underground parking structure in Phoenix Park, then pass public art as you walk to the permanent facility for the Farmers Market.

These and other public improvements might come to pass if Lexington succeeds in getting tax increment financing in a partnership with developers of the $250 million downtown CentrePointe hotel complex.

How much money the city will get isn't known at this point, but it announced a wish list last week of six projects with a total price tag of $32 million. Any money available depends on the sale of the TIF bonds. With the city's prospects hinging on the tax increment financing plan, here are a few main points of just how TIF works:

Question: What's a TIF? ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/472319.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/472319.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:39 EDT
.At this point, it.s a done deal,. said Hayward Wilkirson, leader of Preserve Lexington, on Saturday.

Last week, the group.s legal efforts stalled when a circuit judge declined to issue a temporary injunction halting the destruction of some of the buildings on the block.

A day later, a demolition crew destroyed the building once occupied by Rite Aid and has now begun stripping away portions of the exterior of the buildings that once held The Dame nightclub and Buster.s bar.

Preserve Lexington.s last option would have been a tentative Sept. 18 hearing before the city.s Planning Commission. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/469722.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/469722.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:01 EDT
Developers of the controversial CentrePointe hotel project in downtown Lexington continued demolition of the block on Wednesday, one day after a circuit judge declined to halt the destruction despite the pleas of preservationists.

Dozens of spectators gathered around 6:30 p.m. as crews began tearing down the three-story building that was once a Rite Aid pharmacy on the corner of Main and Limestone streets.

John Conley, the contractor in charge of the demolition, said all the buildings will be razed in the near future but he wouldn't offer a date.

Those fighting the development must wait until a tentative Sept. 18 hearing before the Planning Commission after Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine declined their request for a temporary injunction. The group was fighting to save buildings inside the Courthouse Area Design Review Zone, including the Rite Aid building. The city's Design Review Board had approved the demolition, but a city ordinance allows an appeal to the Planning Commission. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505384.html http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505384.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:07 EDT
Consumers will likely face higher prices at the pump during the busy holiday period as Tropical Storm Gustav swirls toward the Gulf of Mexico on a path that could disrupt energy production. Any damage to oil and gas facilities - especially along the vulnerable Gulf Coast - could send retail gas prices spiking back above $4 a gallon, analysts say.

Fears about the storm pushed crude oil above $120 a barrel Thursday, but prices later fell into negative territory as traders bet the government will tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve if supplies are threatened.

Regardless of where the storm hits though, gas prices look to be headed higher.

"Prices are going to go up pretty soon. You're going to see increases by 5, 10, 15 cents a gallon," said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief analyst at the Oil Price Information Service in Wall, N.J.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505404.html http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505404.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:17 EDT
A decline in oil prices also appeared to add force to the rally in stocks. But volume was again light heading toward the Labor Day weekend, helping to exaggerate price moves.

The Commerce Department's report that gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 3.3 percent for the April-June period helped punctuate a week of generally upbeat economic readings that have left guarded investors somewhat optimistic. The weaker dollar that helped boost U.S. exports pushed GDP growth beyond the government's initial estimate of a 1.9 percent as well as economists' forecast of 2.7 percent.

The increase came as the government handed out rebate checks to taxpayers. It marked the economy's best performance since the third quarter of last year, when GDP rose at a 4.8 percent pace.

Investors are watching GDP, the best barometer of the economy's well-being, to look for signs that growth is picking up after being pounded by housing woes and a debilitating credit crisis. The economy grew at a weak rate of 0.9 percent in the first quarter and actually shrank in the last three months of 2007.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505718.html http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505718.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:32 EDT
Union spokeswoman Connie Kelliher said Thursday the company has given a 300-page document to negotiators and they're going over it line-by-line.

The airplane maker's latest offer comes as part of a week of round-the-clock negotiations at a Seattle airport hotel ahead of the current contract's expiration on Sept. 3. Three years ago, the machinists went on strike.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505197.html http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505197.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:32 EDT
"We have been going at top speed up to now," President Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters at a Tokyo hotel after announcing the numbers. "It is time to set more cautious targets."

Toyota Motor Corp had previously set a 2009 global sales goal of 10.4 million vehicles.

The lower target would still be a 2 percent increase from the company's 2008 sales goal of 9.5 million. But even that figure was reduced last month from an initial 9.85 million units.

Toyota has been on such a potent growth track in recent years it is getting closer to ending General Motors Corp.'s 77-year run as the world's top automaker by sales.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505383.html http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/505383.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:02 EDT
The company led by financier Edward Lampert also delivered a downbeat outlook, predicting sales and gross profit margins will feel continued pressure from the sluggish economy.

The performance - the latest in a string of dismal news for the Hoffman Estates-based operator of Sears and Kmart stores, left some analysts unimpressed.

"While they now have the excuse of a slower economy to hide behind and they used it as such in their release, results were weak," Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter told investors in a research note. "Despite the weakness, the company is clinging to the belief that its second half will be stronger, helped by massive expense cuts and by pulling inventory lower. ... We have seen this picture before and it is not a happy ending."

Sears said Thursday that it earned $65 million, or 50 cents per share, in the three months ended Aug. 2. That's down 62 percent from a year-ago profit of $173 million, or $1.15 per share. Excluding the effect of the reversal of a $62 million reserve item, earnings per share were 21 cents for the second quarter.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505137.html http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/505137.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT
HOUSTON . The brief respite for consumers at the gasoline pump could come to an abrupt end if Tropical Storm Gustav slams into the petroleum-rich Gulf Coast and its numerous refineries just as Americans begin packing up cars for the Labor Day weekend.

Gustav was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Wednesday after moving over Haiti, but forecasters expect it to regain strength and move into the Gulf of Mexico in a few days.

Oil companies with operations in the Gulf began removing non-essential workers from rigs, platforms and other facilities Wednesday morning, and refiners were preparing, too. There have been some minor production cuts, but so far, output has largely been unaffected. Still, oil prices rose more than $2 to above $118 a barrel for a third day as Gustav spun toward the Gulf. Its approach is just days before the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which along with Hurricane Rita devastated the region's energy infrastructure.

The U.S. Gulf Coast is home to nearly half the nation's refining capacity, while offshore, the Gulf accounts for about 25 percent of domestic oil production and 15 percent of natural gas output. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/499684.html http://www.kentucky.com/834/story/499684.html Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:57 EDT
I.ve been skeptical of using tax-increment financing for a project related to Dudley Webb.s proposed CentrePointe development.

The more I hear about it, the more .skeptical I become.

Here are my concerns: Is CentrePointe really an economically viable development? If the state approves a CentrePointe TIF project, will it be as good for Lexington as it is for Webb?

And, most of all, could a flawed .CentrePointe TIF proposal poison the well for future projects that work the way the law intended . as an up-front partnership, rather than a tag-along grab for goodies? ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/106/story/501096.html http://www.kentucky.com/106/story/501096.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:54 EDT
Like the old song says, .All the men will cheer and the boys will shout, the ladies they will all turn out. when the No. 66 Hunt Brothers Chevrolet rolls into Paris on Aug. 26 and Frankfort on Aug. 27.

Some will turn out to see a new addition to NASCAR racing while others will stop by for the prizes, like gasoline and Hunt Brothers Pizza .

Either way, the No. 66 Chevy represents more than just food and fuel to a company that calls Paris and Nashville its home bases.

No. 66 symbolizes the rise of a family company that began with the merger of four brothers. small town pizza businesses in 1990 and grew into 6,000 locations in 27 states in 2008. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/104/story/501098.html http://www.kentucky.com/104/story/501098.html Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:20 EDT