Columbus CEO Archives

February 2014 Edition

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'Ride Along' No. 1 for third week

LOS ANGELES (AP) - With Super Bowl XLVII weekend in full swing, "Ride Along" remained strong, steering Universal Pictures into the No. 1 slot in a surprising three-week takeover at the box office.

California farmers brace for drought, unemployment

MENDOTA, Calif. (AP) - Amid California's driest year on record, the nation's leading agricultural region is locked in drought and bracing for unemployment to soar, sending farm workers to food lines in a place famous for its abundance.

Companies back fast Internet-in-schools initiative

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says it's lined up private support for President Barack Obama's pledge to connect 15,000 schools and 20 million students with high-speed Internet service over the next few years.

'Ride Along' No. 1 for third week

LOS ANGELES (AP) - "Ride Along" has topped the box office for the third week in a row with $12.3 million as it nears a $100 million domestic total, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Paul Ryan: Immigration legislation unlikely in '14

WASHINGTON (AP) - Days after House Republicans unveiled a roadmap for an overhaul of the nation's broken immigration system, one of its backers said legislation is unlikely to pass during this election year.

Super Bowl Ads: Anything Could Happen

NEW YORK (AP) - Super Bowl advertisers are finally about to see their efforts play out on the industry's biggest stage Sunday night. But as they've learned in the past, anything can happen.

California farmers brace for drought, unemployment

MENDOTA, Calif. (AP) - Amid California's driest year on record, the nation's leading agricultural region is locked in drought and bracing for unemployment to soar, sending farm workers to food lines in a place famous for its abundance.

Correction: Super Bowl Ads-Top 10 story

NEW YORK (AP) - In a story on Jan. 31 about Super Bowl ads, The Associated Press reported erroneously that SodaStream operates in Israeli settlements in the West Bank of Palestine. The story should have said the company operates a factory in an Israeli West Bank settlement.

Americans grapple with income inequality

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - The wealthiest county in America is settled deep in 4 a.m. slumber when Neal Breen threads the mini-mansion subdivisions and snow-blanketed fairways on his way to open shop.

Cincinnati's Dinsmore law firm adds smaller firm

CINCINNATI - Dinsmore & Shohl, a large Cincinnati-based law firm with a presence in Columbus, is combining with Peck Shaffer & Williams, which became a division of Dinsmore as of Saturday. Peck Shaffer also is based in Cincinnati and has an office in Columbus.

US economic growth revised sharply downward

WASHINGTON - The recovery appeared to be reaching escape velocity at the end of December, but it turns out the economy wasn't expanding quite as fast as initially thought - and that doesn't bode well for hopes of a breakout this year.

Casper restaurants compete in small worker pool

Texas Roadhouse is coming to Evansville and planning to hire 170 people. Starbucks just dropped a new shop out of the sky into its fourth Casper location, getting ready to serve coffee in a month. Shogun restaurant and City Brew Coffee are under construction.

NYC Domino's settles wages suit for $1.3 million

NEW YORK (AP) - Delivery workers at a Domino's pizza shop in New York City have accepted nearly $1.3 million to settle a lawsuit in which they claimed they were routinely stiffed out of overtime pay.

Keystone XL foes undaunted by State Dept. report

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - With another hurdle removed for the Keystone XL pipeline, opponents are pressing lawsuits challenging the project, plus public protests and campaigns to inject the issue into the 2014 elections.

Keystone XL foes undaunted by State Dept. report

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - With yet another obstacle removed for the Keystone XL pipeline, opponents were pressing forward with a lawsuit to challenge the project, public protests and an effort to inject the issue into the November elections.

Farm bill plows under direct payments

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A five-year federal farm that could become law in the coming week does away with farm subsidies that have guided agriculture through record profits in recent years.

Farm bill plows under direct payments

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Farm subsidies that have guided agriculture through record profits in recent years are going away in the five-year farm bill that could become law in the coming week. But new subsidies in the legislation could be just as generous, and farmers aren't complaining.

Turkmen president announces new gas prices

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP) - Turkmenistan's president has announced new prices for natural gas, ending the longstanding free supply to citizens in the energy-rich Central Asian nation.

Ohio attorney general monitors propane complaints

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio attorney general says his office is monitoring complaints about propane prices and shortages and will work with other states to look for possible anti-competitive actions related to propane sales.

Cold weather prompts spike in travel agency calls

MIAMI COUNTY - Since winter began, AAA's Roadside Rescue Team has received nearly 18,000 calls locally from stranded motorists, including thousands with dead batteries and flat tires caused by the frigid weather. The bone-chilling cold also has caused an influx of requests to AAA Travel, from people wanting to escape the freezing temperatures in the Miami Valley area for a warm-weather destination.

Ohio wind turbine project stopped near Lake Erie

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - A group of birding enthusiasts hopes a decision to halt plans for a wind turbine at an Ohio National Guard base will send a message to developers proposing other wind power projects along Lake Erie.

Software firm finds 'niche' managing print documents

Plus Technologies, a Dayton-area software company, has found a successful "niche market" managing the delivery of printed business documents, as well as printer fleets for large corporations that include Dell, Kaiser Permanente and Wells Fargo, said Mike Visser, the firm's president.

China faces obstacles on road to consumer society

BEIJING (AP) - Business should be picking up for Zhao Guoping, a Beijing shopkeeper, as Chinese leaders try to build a consumer society to replace a worn-out economic model based on trade and investment. But his financial struggle highlights the hurdles that ambitious effort faces.

McColley to appear on ballot

On Friday, Henry County Community Improvement Corp. Executive Director Robert McColley filed petitions to run as a Republican for state representative of Ohio's 81st House District.

Propane situation monitored

Henry County Sheriff Michael Bodenbender is urging any county resident who suspects they may have been a victim of price gouging on propane to contact the Ohio Attorney General's office.

Improper EITC payments cost $132B

Editor's note: U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, recently released the following example highlighting Washington's wasteful spending during a time of record debt and deficits:

PreCheck gets fliers screened faster

For a fee - or with a little luck - selected air travelers are sidestepping the security line in which they must remove their shoes, belt and pocket change while pulling their toiletries and laptops from carry-on bags.

Farm bill might help bio-based companies

Manufacturers that use a significant amount of corn, soybeans or other agricultural ingredients to make their products may get a boost from the emerging farm bill.

Cooper to end or mend partnership

By LOU WILIN
STAFF WRITER
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will end or mend its fractured partnership in a Chinese factory, which helped thwart completion of Cooper’s attempted sale to Apollo Tyres of India.
Cooper and Chengshan Group announced an agreement Friday that will allow each company to buy the other’s interest in the factory, or keep the current structure in which Cooper owns 65 percent.
In any event, Cooper will keep earning profits in the world’s...

Mayor: Weather woes biggest surprise so far

By JOY BROWN
STAFF WRITER
Few would argue that it has been a challenging two years for Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik.
Halfway through her first term, the Republican has had to make controversial cutbacks; steered the city through several floods, record-setting cold snaps, and a destructive windstorm; dealt with a large downtown fire; and faced frequent criticism from more-conservative members within her own party.
But, things appear to be looking up, with the city...

Plans advancing for study of Ohio 53 in four counties

By JIM MAURER
STAFF WRITER
TIFFIN — A draft report of an Ohio 53 study is expected to be presented in July, project managers reported Friday to members of a four-county group seeking safety improvements for nearly 55 miles of the state highway.
A final report is likely in September.
The study will cover Ohio 53 from the U.S. 30/U.S. 23 interchange near Upper Sandusky in Wyandot County to Ohio 2 in Ottawa County.
The four counties — Seneca, Wyandot,...

Attorney General monitoring propane price complaints

COLUMBUS - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today said that his office is actively monitoring complaints regarding propane prices and shortages. The Attorney General also will work with other states to look for possible anti-competitive activities related to the sale of propane.

YMCA board meets

Members of the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA Board of Directors discussed the upcoming fund raising campaigns during their meeting Jan. 23.

Drug task force gets $112K grant

By BRIAN BOHNERT STAFF WRITER The Ohio Department of Public Safety's Office of Criminal Justice Services will award the METRICH Enforcement Unit more than $100,000 in grant money Monday for the 2014 calendar year. A check for $112,500 in Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program funding will be presented to representatives of the task force at 11 a.m. Monday at the Mansfield Police Department in Mansfield. Kristen Castle, public information officer for the Office of Criminal...

Drug task force gets $112K grant

By BRIAN BOHNERT STAFF WRITER The Ohio Department of Public Safety's Office of Criminal Justice Services will award the METRICH Enforcement Unit more than $100,000 in grant money Monday for the 2014 calendar year. A check for $112,500 in Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program funding will be presented to representatives of the task force at 11 a.m. Monday at the Mansfield Police Department in Mansfield. Kristen Castle, public information officer for the Office of Criminal...

Ohio 53 study picks up speed

By JIM MAURER FOR THE REVIEW TIMES TIFFIN - A draft report of the Ohio 53 study is expected to be presented in July before a final report is done in September, project managers reported Friday to members of the four-county group seeking safety improvements for the nearly 55 miles of state highway. The study will cover the road from U.S. 30/U.S. 23 interchange near Upper Sandusky in Wyandot County to Ohio 2 in Ottawa County. Mike Stormer is project manager with state Department of Transportation...

Ohio 53 study picks up speed

By JIM MAURER FOR THE REVIEW TIMES TIFFIN - A draft report of the Ohio 53 study is expected to be presented in July before a final report is done in September, project managers reported Friday to members of the four-county group seeking safety improvements for the nearly 55 miles of state highway. The study will cover the road from U.S. 30/U.S. 23 interchange near Upper Sandusky in Wyandot County to Ohio 2 in Ottawa County. Mike Stormer is project manager with state Department of Transportation...

Diligence urged to prevent child sexual abuse in schools

Federal, state and local agencies aren't doing enough to monitor and prevent sexual abuse of children by school employees, resulting in a spotty reporting system that might underestimate the number of children who are sexually abused in schools, according to a new congressional report.

Ex-strip club owner sentenced

The former owner of a North Toledo strip club received a year's probation and 18 months suspended jail time for misdemeanor convictions related to a state investigation nearly two years ago at the Telegraph Road site.

Evolution Ag schedules appreciation event Feb. 7

Evolution Ag, the newly formed Case IH dealership in Delaware County announced its annual Open House and Customer Appreciation event for Friday, Feb. 7, at its location on State Route 37 East.

Finance degree

Companies work to help students determine what colleges offer the most fiscally sound degrees.

Cancer Cutbacks

Federal budget cuts have hit cancer researchers hard, threatening new treatments and the search for a cure

Holmes defense to take reporter to Supreme Court

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) - Lawyers for the man accused of killing 12 people at a Colorado movie theater say they'll ask the U.S. Supreme Court to require a Fox News reporter to reveal the confidential sources she used in a story about defendant James Holmes.

FDA reviews safety of testosterone therapy for men

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it is reviewing the safety of popular testosterone drugs for men in light of recent studies suggesting they can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

FDA reviews safety of testosterone therapy for men

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration says it is reviewing the safety of popular testosterone drugs for men in light of recent studies suggesting they can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

What's in State's Keystone XL oil pipeline report

WASHINGTON (AP) - A report issued by the State Department Friday raised no major environmental objections to the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. The 1,179-mile pipeline would travel through Montana and South Dakota to a hub in Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries in Texas.

Craft brewer's drone delivery hopes put on ice

MILWAUKEE (AP) - A craft brewer still has hopes of one day using drones to deliver its lager to ice fishing anglers on Minnesota lakes by air, despite being grounded by federal aviation officials after a recent test run.

Detroit's debt restructuring plan 'complicated'

DETROIT (AP) - A proposed plan to restructure Detroit's debt calls for retirees and pensioners to receive $4.3 billion in payments and bondholders about $1.1 billion over the next 40 years, leaving the bankrupt city with a surplus of nearly $336 million.

How the Dow Jones industrial average fared Friday

Disappointing results from Amazon.com, MasterCard and Chevron combined with more trouble in overseas markets to push U.S. stocks lower Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average ended the month with its worst January performance since 2009.

Recalls this week: strollers, pacifiers, beds

More than 200,000 strollers with a hinge capable of amputating a person's finger and pacifiers that pose a choking hazard are among this week's recalled consumer products. Other recalls include dehumidifiers and beds.

Congress looks at Navy contracting practices

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The House Oversight Committee is looking into Navy contracting practices amid a widening federal probe into a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving a Singapore-based defense contractor accused of offering prostitution services and pricey vacations to Navy officers.

Obama: I care deeply about 'net neutrality'

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says the government is exploring options for keeping the Internet free and open after a federal court set aside rules designed to do just that.

Citizenship for immigrants? Obama eases insistence

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's new declaration that he's open to legalizing many immigrants short of citizenship sounds a lot like House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders, an election-year compromise that numerous Republicans as well as Democrats crave.

Keystone XL oil pipeline clears significant hurdle

WASHINGTON (AP) - The long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada moved a significant step toward completion Friday as the State Department raised no major environmental objections to its construction. The finding is likely to be welcomed by Republicans and some oil- and gas-producing states but is sure to further rankle environmentalists already at odds with President Barack Obama over his energy policy.

US rig count up 8 to 1,785

HOUSTON (AP) - Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by eight this week to 1,785.

NY judge OKs $8.5B Bank of America settlement

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A New York judge has approved the $8.5 billion Bank of America settlement over investor losses from mortgage-backed securities, concluding that trustee Bank of New York Mellon acted reasonably in most regards.

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