Economy, Business
The Herald recognized for general excellence
SEATTLE -- The Herald earned first place for General Excellence for newspapers with circulation between 25,001 and 65,000 at the Society of Professional Journalists awards banquet held Saturday in Seattle. Among the individual awards presented to Herald staff were:
Date: 05/19/2013 | Local News
Cybersecurity education starts in high school
WASHINGTON -- Five dozen teenagers hunched over computers in a hotel conference room near Washington, decrypting codes, cleaning malware and fending off network intrusions to score points in the finals of a national cybersecurity contest.Just hours later, the high-school...
Date: 05/19/2013 | Nation & World
Military rules jam China's crowded skies
China's skies don't have enough space.The country's air force controls airspace and allots only 20 percent to civil aviation. With China's three biggest airlines planning to add at least 273 planes in the next three years, traffic congestion that already delays 25 percent of...
Date: 05/19/2013 | Nation & World
Air museum raises cash to fly 'Connie' again
The National Airline History Museum is trying to raise $3.2 million to restore its Lockheed Constellation propeller-driven aircraft and recreate multimillionaire aviator Howard Hughes' record-setting cross-country flight in the plane that...
Date: 05/19/2013 | Nation & World
Local hospital billing compared
Recently, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released an enormous spreadsheet of billing data...
Date: 05/19/2013 | Need to Know
Ski to Sea, carbon free
Racers tackle 93-mile relay without the support of cars
Date: 05/19/2013 | Life
An easier way to get away
That dream vacation that seems financially unreachable can now be had through an age-old payment method: layaway.For as little as $100, you can book and start a payment plan for trips almost anywhere in the world.
Date: 05/19/2013 | Business
Ready to retire? Avoid refinance
Q: I have five years left until I pay off my 30-year mortgage. I received an offer to refinance, which certainly is tempting, but I'm getting pretty close to retirement. Should I lighten my burden now or try to hold on for five more years?
Date: 05/19/2013 | Business
Five reasons that small businesses fail
Starting a small business is risky. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, approximately 50 percent of new businesses last five years or more, and only about 33 percent last 10 years or more. To find out why, the News & Observer reached out to David Grant, chairman of the Raleigh,...
Date: 05/19/2013 | Business
These sites can help in your job search
Although the employment picture is looking a bit brighter, finding the right job for you can remain a challenge. Websites that specialize in employment listings however, can greatly enhance a person's hunt for a new job.
Date: 05/19/2013 | Business
Oregon timber country ponders future with fewer logs
O'BRIEN, Ore. -- Jennifer Phillippi's grandparents started producing lumber in this corner of Oregon timber country in 1922, when a man could set up a mill, log the trees within range of a team of horses and move the mill to a new stand when those trees ran out.
Date: 05/18/2013 | Northwest
737 catches fire landing in Moscow
MOSCOW — Part of an airliner carrying more than 130 people caught fire as it was landing in Moscow, and passengers evacuated the plane by jumping off one of its wings and shooting down an evacuation slide.The Emergencies Ministry says none...
Date: 05/18/2013 | Nation & World
60 hurt as Connecticut trains collide
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening rush hour, sending 60 people to the hospital, including five with critical injuries, Gov. Dannel Malloy said.About 700 people were...
Date: 05/17/2013 | Nation & World
Paine Field's smallest runway closed for work
EVERETT -- Snohomish County plans a two-month closure of Paine Field's general aviation runway starting Monday.It's part of the more than $8 million in upgrades for the county-run airport this construction season. Other projects will rebuild two Paine Field side roads.
Date: 05/18/2013 | Local News
Hackers can scan info from a distance
At some point between the time she disembarked from a recent cruise in Miami and returned to Carmel, Ind., someone decided to go shopping with Jody Tzucker's credit card. She suspects that the criminals may have skimmed her Visa account information while she was filling up...
Date: 05/18/2013 | Life
State scales back start of health insurance exchange
SEATTLE -- A new health insurance marketplace being set up in Washington state to help small businesses find insurance for their employees will not be fully operational this fall, as planned.
Date: 05/16/2013 | Northwest
Boeing webcast seeks to boost 787 image
As 787s return to the sky, the Boeing Co. and Dreamliner operators are trying to reassure the public that the aircraft is safe to fly after a three-month grounding by aviation officials.Boeing held a public online chat Thursday with 787 chief...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Business
Tensions between White House, media hit boiling point
WASHINGTON — It was an article of faith among conservatives before Senator Barack Obama became President Barack Obama, and it has persisted through his re-election: When it comes to the supposedly liberal mainstream media and the first African American Democratic president, it's a...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Nation & World
Lake Stevens schools get quicker Internet
Schools in the Lake Stevens School District are receiving faster connection to the Internet after the nonprofit Northwest Open Access Network helped the district upgrade to broadband over telephone cable lines.
Date: 05/16/2013 | Local News
Meet The Herald’s new publisher at reception Tuesday
EVERETT -- New Herald publisher Josh O'Connor plans to introduce himself to the community at a public reception next week.The event is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Waterfront Center Blue Heron Room, Port of Everett, 1205 Craftsman Way, Everett.Sound...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Local News
Sole survivor of MD-80 crash speaks out
DETROIT -- Cecelia Crocker's body provides her with a constant reminder of the most traumatic event of her life -- one that she doesn't otherwise remember.At only 4 years old, Crocker was the lone survivor of a 1987 plane crash that killed 154 people aboard and two on the...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Nation & World
Plane's construction could be a lifesaver
Part of what gives the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt much of its "Jug-like" shape is the fighter's maze of tubes and pipes running through its belly—from the big R-2800 engine to the turbo supercharger and back. The design had one unintended consequence that made pilots and mechanics...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Flight Paths
How to increase your home's curb appeal
It is said "first impressions are lasting impressions." And when selling a home, curb appeal can make the difference between a quick sale and a passing glimpse. More importantly, when all of the homes in a neighborhood look great all their values increase. Whether you are...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Home and Garden
Gear up expo coming to Everett
An expo for outdoors enthusiasts is coming to Everett on June 1-2.Gear Up will feature, of course, lots of outdoors gear for sale. But there will also be speakers, photography workshops, movies, a climbing wall and a beer and wine garden. You can...
Date: 05/16/2013 | Explore NW
Southwest to save by delaying delivery of planes
DALLAS -- Southwest Airlines Co. is delaying delivery of new airplanes and filling the gap with used planes to reduce spending over the next five years.It's also raising its dividend and could soon buy back more of its own shares.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
Macy's 1Q profit rises 20% on solid sales
NEW YORK -- Macy's Inc. reported a 20 percent increase in first-quarter profit even though cool temperatures and economic worries dampened some of its shoppers' spending on spring clothes.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
Deere cuts 2013 sales growth guidance
MOLINE, Ill. -- Deere & Co. said on Wednesday that bad weather and weak economies will hinder sales growth this year for lawnmowers and construction equipment.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
U.S. homebuilder confidence rises in May from April
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders rebounded this month, reflecting improved sales trends during the spring home-selling season and the strongest outlook for sales over the next six months in more than six years.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
U.S. wholesale prices fall 0.7 pct., most in 3 years
WASHINGTON -- Sharp drops in fuel and food costs reduced a measure of U.S. wholesale prices in April by the most in three years. Outside those volatile categories, inflation stayed tame.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
April jobless rate drops to 7% in Wash. state
OLYMPIA -- Washington state's unemployment rate dropped to 7 percent in April, and the state added an estimated 3,800 jobs last month, according to numbers released Wednesday.
Date: 05/15/2013 | Business
Drinks with local flavor
Snohomish distillery uses ingredients from close to home
Date: 05/15/2013 | Life
Columbia River ethanol plant now exports crude oil
PORTLAND, Ore. -- An ethanol plant on the Columbia River that was built with the help of $36 million in Oregon state loans and tax credits is now being used to store and ship crude oil.The Oregonian reported that the plant's switch came with little public notice.
Date: 05/14/2013 | Northwest
Passenger goes berserk on ferry
SEATTLE -- A Seattle police officer was bitten while arresting a man who threatened passengers with a knife on a state ferry from Bremerton.The ferry terminal in Seattle was locked down Monday night while officers went aboard to arrest the man who had locked himself in the galley.
Date: 05/14/2013 | Northwest
Inslee signs bills on alcohol at theaters, markets
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a handful of measures making it easier for certain businesses to serve alcohol.
Date: 05/14/2013 | Northwest
Will Washington become a right-to-work state to win Boeing's 777X?
Will Washington become a right-to-work state in order to secure design and manufacturing of Boeing's 777X here?The answer: Not likely.
Date: 05/14/2013 | Aerospace Blog
Boeing resumes 787 deliveries
Boeing resumed 787 deliveries Tuesday with a delivery to Japan's All Nippon Airways.The resumption of Dreamliner deliveries is an indication Boeing's 787...
Date: 05/14/2013 | Aerospace Blog
Retail space, 350 apartments planned for Lakewood
LAKEWOOD -- A small city is coming.Shops on the ground floor, apartments above. It's the way the downtown areas of major American cities used to be built, and now it's a popular design feature of many new developments across the country.
Date: 05/14/2013 | Local News
Fire destroys grain elevators in Idaho
CRAIGMONT, Idaho -- A large fire that destroyed an elevator and three grain bins in the tiny northern Idaho town of Craigmont was declared contained even as piles of twisted metal and grain continued to smolder Monday morning.
Date: 05/13/2013 | Northwest
Online contributors save Shelton drive-in
SHELTON -- A drive-in theater at Shelton has been saved by $40,000 in online donations through the Kickstarter website.The owner-operator of the Skyline Drive-In, Christopher Mayes, said the money will pay for a digital projector that will allow the drive-in to continue to show first-run films.
Date: 05/13/2013 | Northwest
Airbus shows off first painted A350 XWB
Airbus unveiled the first painted A350 XWB jet Monday at its factory in Toulouse, France.The European company's latest jet, the first A350 Extra Wide Body aircraft emerged from the paint hangar with an Airbus livery.
Date: 05/13/2013 | Aerospace Blog
Website funds UW Bothell researcher’s coal-train dust study
BOTHELL -- Ask just about any scientist. They have far more ideas for things they want to investigate than they can ever get the funding to explore.That's the conundrum that Dan Jaffe, a researcher at the University of...
Date: 05/13/2013 | Local News
Answers in bee deaths
County beekeepers respond to findings of new study
Date: 05/13/2013 | Local News
How Stanwood landed a factory and 62 jobs
STANWOOD -- When you think of electrical panel and control systems manufacturing, you probably wouldn't put Stanwood very high on a list of likely contenders. But the city is home to Washington's largest such business, Process Solutions.Why Stanwood? It doesn't...
Date: 05/13/2013 | Business
House prices increase in 89 percent of cities as recovery expands
BOSTON -- Prices for single-family homes increased in 89 percent of U.S. cities in the first quarter as the housing market extends a recovery from a five-year slump.
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Average on 30-year U.S. mortgage rises to 3.42%
WASHINGTON -- Average U.S. mortgage rates rose last week but remained near historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have encouraged more home buying and refinancing.
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Surveys look at Mom’s (and Dad’s) financial side
Here's a no-brainer: Mothers and fathers have different styles of communication when it comes to talking about money.
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Need financial advice? Ask Mom
BOSTON -- Who's better at getting a family to talk about money matters, mom or dad? Taking sides probably won't make for a harmonious Mother's Day celebration on Sunday.
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Indian leader urges tribes to push native tourism
CARSON CITY, Nev. — A Native American leader from Nevada recently appointed to the U.S. Commerce Department's national tourism advisory board says tribes need to learn more about how to tap into the interest travelers have shown in American Indian heritage and the culture and...
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Boeing plans to shed 1,500 IT jobs in Wash.
The Boeing Co. plans to shed 1,500 information-technology jobs in Washington over the next three years.The Seattle Times reports that the cuts will affect nearly a third of 4,700 Boeing IT...
Date: 05/12/2013 | Business
Recession cut birth rates for less-educated women
LOS ANGELES -- Birthrates were dramatically reduced during the recession among women who did not finish high school, a development that far outpaced the drop among women with higher levels of education, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
Date: 05/12/2013 | Nation & World
Four new outdoors books
"Granny's Clan: A Tale of Wild Orcas" ($9, for ages 4 to 10). A 7,000-pound great-grandmother leads her clan through good times and bad. Author Sally Hodson conveys the biology and relationships: the clicks of communication and songs, the close family ties, the danger...
Date: 05/12/2013 | Life
Facebook graffiti photos send tagger to jail
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah tagger who was so proud of his graffiti that he posted photos of his artwork on Facebook has been arrested after police sent him a friend request through a fake online profile.Police say 20-year-old Matthew...
Date: 05/11/2013 | Off the Wire
Reservation for nonsmoking room should have been honored
Question: I have a concern that I tried addressing with a specific Days Inn and with Wyndham, which owns Days Inn, but have not received a response. I recently stayed at the Days Inn in Fernandina Beach, Fla. I made a reservation for a nonsmoking room and was given a smoking room when I...
Date: 05/11/2013 | Life
Small airports' towers won't close
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration will keep open for now the 149 control towers at small airports that were slated to close as the result of governmentwide automatic spending cuts imposed by Congress, the Transportation Department said Friday.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Air India to resume flying Dreamliners soon
NEW DELHI -- State-run Air India says it has started test flights of its Dreamliner fleet with new battery packs and is likely to put them back into service by the end of this month.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Auto review: Mini Paceman a small object moving at high speed
Linguistically, the Paceman is a Britishism wrapped in an Anglicism. It's a term from the decidedly English sport of cricket for a person who rolls a ball with lightning speed -- a term that, when transposed to the newest car from Mini, describes a small object careening down the pavement.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Bangladesh collapse survivor rescued after 17 days
SAVAR, Bangladesh -- A seamstress buried for 17 days in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building in Bangladesh was rescued Friday, a miraculous moment set against the unimaginable horror of the more than 1,000 bodies recovered so far.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Nation & World
Bangladesh collapse death toll hits 1,038
DHAKA, Bangladesh — The death toll from a garment factory building that collapsed more than two weeks ago near the Bangladeshi capital soared past 1,000 on Friday, with no end in sight to the stream of bodies being pulled from the wreckage of the worst-ever garment industry...
Date: 05/10/2013 | Nation & World
Discredited research doesn’t discredit need for cuts
You can appreciate, respect and value politics -- and still find it difficult to live with sometimes. One of those "sometimes" occurred recently when an error was discovered in an academic paper published three years ago in the American Economic Review.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
YouTube launches subscription service
YouTube unveiled its much-anticipated subscription service Thursday with such recognizable entertainment brands as "Sesame Street," "Jim Henson Family TV" and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Tesla Model S gets Consumer Reports' top score
DETROIT -- The Tesla Motors Inc. Model S electric car has tied an older Lexus for the highest score ever recorded in Consumer Reports magazine's automotive testing.
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Key Costco revenue metric misses estimate
ISSAQUAH -- Costco's revenue at stores open at least a year climbed 4 percent in April, but fell just shy of analysts' expectations.Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters predicted a 4.5 percent increase.This figure is a key gauge of a retailer's health because it...
Date: 05/10/2013 | Business
Inslee’s aerospace plan: Land the 777X
MUKILTEO -- Gov. Jay Inslee announced an aerospace strategy on Thursday that aims to convince the Boeing Co. to design and build the
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Swifter 787 assembly
How Boeing is building Dreamliners faster (photo gallery)
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Microsoft execs compete in hunt for new CFO
SEATTLE -- Microsoft's search for a new chief financial officer is pitting Tami Reller and Amy Hood -- the top finance executives at the company's two most profitable divisions -- against each other, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Ferrari to limit sales to boost brand exclusivity
Ferrari will limit sales of its high-performance street cars this year to protect the brand's aura of exclusivity, Chairman Luca Montezemolo said Wednesday.
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
ANA to resume Boeing 787 service on June 1
The launch customer for Boeing's Dreamliner will return the 787 to passenger service on June 1, the airline said Thursday.Japan's All Nippon Airways...
Date: 05/09/2013 | Aerospace Blog
Group protests Koch brother interest in newspapers
CHICAGO -- A small group of protesters rallied outside Tribune Tower on Wednesday, demonstrating against the potential sale of the Chicago Tribune and other Tribune Co. newspapers to conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch.
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Target partners with Facebook to draw shoppers
Target just friended Facebook, big time.
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Subaru invests $400 million in Indiana plant
TOKYO -- Subaru said Wednesday it is investing $400 million to expand its Indiana factory and will add 900 workers to build the Impreza small car there in 2016.
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
Diamond Knot to expand to Mountlake Terrace
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE -- Diamond Knot Craft Brewing will expand operations to Mountlake Terrace with an 8,900-square-foot brewpub scheduled to open this fall.Located in West Plaza next to Double DD Meats, the new Diamond Knot Brewpub @ MLT will include restaurant seating for 250...
Date: 05/09/2013 | Business
F-84 traces its lineage to a Thunderbolt
It's that nagging question that you have always been afraid to ask: Did the F-84 start life as simply a jet-powered P-47?Well, sort of. When the Army Air Force asked for a new jet design in 1944, Republic toyed with what it would take to throw a...
Date: 05/09/2013 | Flight Paths
Air China to buy 100 Airbus jets
HONG KONG -- Air China is planning to buy 100 Airbus jets to expand its fleet as it seeks to keep up with growing demand from Chinese travelers.
Date: 05/08/2013 | Business
United to resume 787 flying on May 20
CHICAGO -- United Airlines says it expects to start flying its Boeing 787s again on May 20.The 787s had been grounded because of concerns about smoldering batteries, but they have been returning to the skies. Ethiopian Airlines was the first to fly a 787 again, on April 27.
Date: 05/08/2013 | Business
Inslee to unveil strategy to win Boeing 777X on Thursday
Gov. Jay Inslee will reveal on Thursday his plan for keeping design and manufacturing work on Boeing's 777X in Washington state.The...
Date: 05/07/2013 | Aerospace Blog
Murkowski: Plan to have Alaska aid cleanup is dead
JUNEAU, Alaska -- A proposal to have the state help pay to clean up abandoned federal well sites in the Alaska arctic is "dead on arrival," U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Tuesday.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Northwest
Supply of homes for sale tightens in county
EVERETT -- It's 2007 all over again for the county real estate market as antsy buyers rush to buy what's available in a tight supply of homes for sale.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
Hiring slows, as employers post fewer jobs in March
WASHINGTON -- U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in March compared with February and slowed overall hiring, underscoring a weak month of job growth.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
U.S. home prices up 10.5% in past year
WASHINGTON -- A survey shows U.S. home prices rose 10.5 percent in March compared with a year ago, the biggest gain since March 2006.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
Microsoft touching up Windows 8 to address gripes
SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft is retooling the latest version of its Windows operating system to address complaints and confusion that have been blamed for deepening a slump in personal computer sales.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
Ethiopian Air wants compensation for 787 grounding
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- The chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines said Tuesday that his company will seek compensation from Boeing for the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner planes.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
County's craft alcohol producers get organized
It suddenly seems craft distillers are everywhere. If you enjoy a finely crafted alcoholic drink, you can find pretty much anything in Snohomish County. There's beer and wine, of course, and you can also find vodka, whiskey, gin, liqueurs and more.A new organization, the...
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
While you prepare for wealth, prepare for balance
With so many families still trying to recover from the Great Recession, the wealthy aren't feeling much love from the American public.
Date: 05/07/2013 | Business
Help for county's distillers
A tax break is proposed to aid small makers of spirits
Date: 05/07/2013 | Local News
Sun, snow and ice axes
Course teaches how to travel the mountains safely (gallery)
Date: 05/07/2013 | Explore NW
Pentagon: Chinese government, military behind cyberspying
WASHINGTON -- Cyber-espionage targeting U.S. government and business entities appears "to be attributable to the Chinese government and military," the Pentagon charged Monday in an annual report to Congress detailing the U.S. assessment of Beijing's military capabilities.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Nation & World
Adobe shifts to subscriptions for software package
NEW YORK -- Adobe says it is moving to a subscription-based model for the software package it sells to designers, Web developers, video editors and other creative professionals.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
YouTube set to launch pay channels within weeks
LOS ANGELES -- YouTube is set to announce within a few weeks a series of channels that will require payment, a person familiar with the matter said Monday.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
Bank of America agrees to pay MBIA $1.7 billion
NEW YORK -- Bank of America agreed to pay bond insurer MBIA $1.7 billion to settle a dispute over faulty mortgage securities issued during the U.S. housing boom.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
Buffett: Stocks still reasonable but bonds awful
OMAHA, Neb. -- Investor Warren Buffett said even though the stock market is soaring, prices appear reasonable, and stocks would be a better investment than bonds for most people.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
BMW recalls 3 Series for faulty air bags
DETROIT -- BMW is recalling 45,500 3 Series sedans in the U.S. and Canada because their passenger air bags may not inflate properly.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
FAA safety oversight of aircraft repairs faulted
WASHINGTON -- The government's oversight of hundreds of domestic and overseas repair stations that service U.S. airliners is ineffective and doesn't target the factors most likely to present safety risks, the Department of Transportation's inspector general said Monday.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
More on what you order
Health officials would like to see more nutrition data on menus
Date: 05/06/2013 | Local News
Biz Bits: People and businesses in the news
Snohomish County people and businesses in the news
Date: 05/06/2013 | Bizblog
Success: directing the future, not predicting it
When Sarri Gilman, executive director for Leadership Snohomish County, picked up a copy of Inc. magazine, she was struck by a cover story on the topic of how...
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
County unveils new tourism brand: ‘Open Up’
MUKILTEO -- The Snohomish County Tourism Bureau has unveiled a new destination brand and tourism website to create more awareness of the area and increase the number of visitors.
Date: 05/06/2013 | Business
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