| Albany Int'l Corp. official announces retirement; replacement named
The principal accounting officer for Menands manufacturer Albany International Corp. announced he is retiring. Richard Carlstrom, vice president-controller, told the company's board of directors on Nov. 16 that he intends to leave the company on March 31, 2008. At that meeting, the board unanimously promoted David Pawlick from his director of corporate accounting position. The developments were reported in a Nov. 21 filing with the Securities and Exchance Commission. Albany International makes fabrics and other materials used in the paper-making and pulp industries. .
'Tis the season to be thrifty
With a wedding planned for August and a new mortgage to pay, Laura Capp and her fiance don't have a lot of money to spend on Christmas this year. So Capp and Fred Rihn will limit their gift list, try to make rather than buy some of the items they do give and eliminate some holiday travel. "Luckily, my extensive extended family is also cutting back this year," Capp said. For the first time, her wing of the family in Pittsburgh probably won't travel to visit the Baltimore clan. "The high cost of gas is a factor," Capp said. "And some of us don't have time off of work -- or need to save up the time for other things." Many Americans like Capp and Rihn are cutting their spending this holiday season, scaling back plans for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, or looking for gifts that don't break their budgets.
Intuit to Buy Homestead Technologies
Software developer Intuit Inc. said Monday it will buy Homestead Technologies Inc., a privately held maker of Web site development software, in a deal it valued at $170 million. Intuit, which makes Quicken, TurboTax and small business accounting software QuickBooks, said the deal will add Web site creation and e-commerce software to its product mix. "This acquisition supports our growth strategy in small business by addressing an underserved need, and continues Intuit's move beyond financial management solutions into helping small businesses solve other important problems," Brad Smith, senior vice president of Intuit's small business group, said in a statement. Homestead will become part of the small business group following the acquisition. Justin Kitch, the company's founder and chief executive, will manage the Homestead staff.
Justice in 'a true people's court'
Forget lawyers. In small claims court, people get to represent themselves. "This is a true people's court," said Kathy Patton, an Onslow County magistrate who oversees small claims cases. "I give people a chance to tell me their story in their own way." Small claims court provides litigants an opportunity to recover relatively small amounts of money they feel are owed. The most money a plaintiff can recover in a North Carolina small claims court is $5,000. Patton said about 70 percent of the small claims cases she handles are evictions. Cases on Patton's docket Tuesday dealt with recovery of back rent and returning the property to the owners. Gail Ferguson, property manager of Barnett Enterprises, which has rental properties in the Southwest area, brought a case to recover back rent and the property.
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Funding formula may hit tidal power
Power generated by the tides is likely to be in commercial operation in the next five years, according to the Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association - but several projects may not be ready to bid for money from a new $8 million government fund. A key criterion for funding is that the project be no more than three months away from making an application for resource consent. Another is that the project may seek only 40 per cent of the necessary capital and must demonstrate it has the other 60 per cent. John Huckerby, of the association, said he knew of 18 projects in various stages of development, but most would not be able to meet the criteria. Applications for funding close at the end of February. Yesterday, Dr Huckerby said the Government was trying to encourage marine power but was not prepared to bankroll the projects, some which were no more than an idea by a farmer tested in a stream in a back paddock.
Oswego County launches $25K business-plan competition
OSWEGO — “Tom Golisano started Paychex with just $3,000 and a great idea — to make payroll outsourcing easy and affordable for small business," quips Austin Wheelock, economic-development specialist for Operation Oswego County (OOC). “He [Golisano] launched Paychex with just one employee in 1971. Today, Paychex employs 11,000 and had net revenues in 2006 of more than $1.9 billion. We want to create the next ‘Paychex' in Oswego County," declares Wheelock. The “we" in this case is OOC and the Small Business Development Center at SUNY Oswego (SBDC), which created an organizing committee of community and business leaders. Their purpose is to organize, fund, and draft rules for a $25,000 business-plan contest. The timetable calls for entrants to submit an executive summary by May 1, 2008, winnow the submissions to 15 semi-finalists, and begin judging the business plans by Sept.
Geva Offers Broadway Discount
Many local people with plans for Broadway impacted by the strikes in New York City have an alternative. Geva Theatre is offering a discount to those who had already bought their tickets. Geva is offering $10 off adult tickets and $5 off children's tickets for the annual production of “A Christmas Carol." You just have to show them your tickets, receipts or e-mail confirmations. It's Geva's way of encouraging traditional entertainment during a strike that's affected thousands. It's also a way for Geva to support many it considers extended family. "These are the same actors who are performing in those Broadway shows who come here and perform at Geva. There is a brethren of people and we know a lot of artists who are affected in NYC right now," said Mark Cuddy, Geva Theatre artistic director.
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