Latest News

Check back often for the latest news.
  • Lender blames escrow shortage for $400 increase in monthly mortgage payment
    Mar 13, 2010 — Washington Post
    Usually, lenders do not pay interest on escrowed funds. In September, the lender will need six months escrow payments to cover the real-estate tax. Some lenders try to increase the mortgage rate when the borrower opts to avoid escrow.
  • Marilyn Gittell, 78, Advocate for Local School Decisions, Dies
    Mar 13, 2010 — New York Times
    The cause was cancer, her son, Ross Gittell, said. Professor Gittell’s husband, Irwin Gittell, whom she married in 1950, died in 2005. This did not sit very well with Professor Gittell.
  • A frustrated caucus keeps complaints quiet
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    Michael LeahyA year ago, members of the Congressional Black Caucus openly wept at Barack Obama's inauguration. Many caucus members say they feel largely ignored by key White House advisers. But several members said they have few African American contacts with substantial sway in the White House.
  • Ad Watch
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Sacramento Bee
    Steve Poizner gave $10,000 to help Al Gore try to win the 2000 presidential election. And you thought Poizner was a Republican. ANALYSIS: Poizner did contribute $21,000 to Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and the Democratic National Committee in 2000. He has been registered as a Republican since 1981. Whitman was registered as a Republican voter in San Francisco in 1982.
  • Alexandria's T.C. Williams High called poor performer
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    In 2009, 78 percent of students graduated from T.C. Williams in four years, compared with 83 percent across the state. In 2009, the pass rate was 84 percent in reading and 77 percent in math. Officials have since backed down.Earlier this year, T.C. Williams Principal William Clendaniel announced his intention to retire.
  • Attorney and Chicago civic leader
    Mar 12, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    Wilcox had a hand in completing reports that examined the 1968 riots that followed the assassination of the Rev. Wilcox to be the state's director of insurance. Wilcox grew up in Winnetka and graduated from North Shore Country Day School.
  • Bankruptcy agreement could aid Kenosha plant
    Mar 12, 2010 — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
    Kenosha licenses were included in the filing to aid the Chrysler estate "in bolstering the recoverable value, and promoting the efficient liquidation" of the factory, equipment and fixtures in the Kenosha plant. Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said she could not comment on the estate's plans for the disposition of the plant. "Our plans for Kenosha have not changed," she said. "We still plan to close the plant at the end of the year." Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman said in a...
  • Bill Clarifies 3rd-Party Generation Law
    Mar 12, 2010 — Albuquerque Journal
    ...services. The legislation was broadly supported by utility companies -- including PNM, which argued the Utility Act did not allow such arrangements -- electric co-ops and environmental and renewable energy groups. With the bill's signing, PNM will withdraw its appeal of the PRC ruling, PNM spokesman Don Brown said. "We're glad it passed," he said. "It resolves an issue that was fairly contentious." El Paso Electric (NYSE:EE) is also expected to withdraw its appeal....
  • Calling shots in the Senate
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    No wonder Frumin is keeping a low profile. Senators from both sides are already marching into Frumin's tiny office to turn up the heat. If the Democrats want to force them to stop, they will need Frumin on their side.
  • Chachas files to run for Senate
    Mar 12, 2010 — Las Vegas Review-Journal
    ...mosh pit. Republican John Chachas filed Thursday to run for Democrat Harry Reid's Senate seat, and Assemblyman Chad Christensen, R-Las Vegas, announced his late-hour entry in the race, making for a record primary field of at least 10 Republican candidates. The packed GOP ballot adds an "anything can happen" air to the June 8 primary contest, in which the...
  • Christie's to auction off Michael Crichton's art collection
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    The money will go to Crichton's widow, children and other heirs and to pay estate taxes. In 2006, Crichton joined the board of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and even lent the museum artwork for the inaugural 2008 display in the Broad Contemporary Art Museum. A LACMA spokeswoman said the museum will not be participating in the auction for Crichton's collection.
  • Companies to bring large wind turbine plant to valley
    Mar 12, 2010 — Las Vegas Review-Journal
    And it's great to see someone like American Nevada, as a reputable local company, participate. The companies said most of the key turbine components would be made by other U.S. manufacturers. The plant would have a substantial effect on the economy, Cooper said. The assembly plant employed 25 workers when it opened, and had plans to employ 50 full-timers when it reached its full production capacity of 700 megawatts' worth of equipment a year.
  • Connecticut Calls New U.S. Education Standards 'A Good Match'
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Hartford Courant
    ...countries, and right now we have 50 different sets of standards. Countries across the world do not compete with 50 different assessment standards." Brenda Welburn, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education, said the proposed standards made sense in an age of global competition. "The notion of local standards is a 20th century concept and fine when the states are competing with each other," she said, "but in the 21st century we are competing in a...
  • Democrats pare differences on health bill
    Mar 12, 2010 — USA Today
    But the White House seems to have back off that as Democratic leaders scurried to round up votes. The health care bill appeared on the cusp of passage in early January, but was derailed when Senate Republicans gained the strength needed to sustain a filibuster and prevent final approval. We're getting toward the end," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told reporters as he left the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
  • DWP ratepayers facing a bigger possible surcharge
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    DWP's existing surcharge has been used primarily to pay for coal and natural gas, renewable energy is "the single most important factor" driving the need for the new increase, according to the report prepared by PA Consulting. Between 2009 and 2011, the DWP's renewable energy costs will increase by $250 million, the report said. The consultant also raised questions about the DWP's handling of its renewable energy program. When renewable projects came up for a council vote, DWP officials...
  • EDITORIAL: Break up ESandS
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Miami Herald
    Remember Palm Beach County's confusing butterfly ballots in the 2000 presidential election fiasco? Florida still smarts over that debacle. After the merger, response out of Tallahassee was disappointingly muted, however. Florida's top election official, Secretary of State Kurt Browning, took the near-monopoly with sanguinity.
  • Electricity-storage effort gets funds
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Buffalo News
    ...batteries for storing electricity has won more than $550,000 in funding from the New York State Research and Development Authority. The partnership with Binghamton University and the Brookhaven National Laboratory is working on three projects to develop improved batteries that can be used in stationary, power grid-scale energy storage applications. The researchers are working on lithium-air, lithium- ion and lithium-titanate batteries. One issue with renewable energy projects,...
  • Exotic dancer suing D.C. strip club for wages
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    Thompson is suing the House in U.S. District Court, alleging that the club pays dancers no wages, but ought to under the law. If a dancer was late to the stage, Thompson said, the club charged a $10 penalty. To hire dancers as employees, he said, would require record-keeping and check-writing.
  • Fedor rules out plans for House seat for now
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Blade
    Peter Ujvagi (D., Toledo) resigns Wednesday to become the new Lucas County administrator. It is presumed that his fellow House Democrats would pick Ms. Fedor, the only Democratic name on the November ballot in the 47th, to replace him. Edna Brown (D., Toledo) and Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara. Ms.
  • Five days in May
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    John Tanner (D), Democrats quickly rallied around state Sen. Virginia's 5th district (D): Much of Rep. John Carney (D) is a solid favorite to win the open seat race created by Rep.
  • Frustrated caucus keeps quiet
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    Michael LeahyA year ago, members of the Congressional Black Caucus openly wept at Barack Obama's inauguration. Many caucus members say they feel largely ignored by key White House advisers. But several members said they have few African American contacts with substantial sway in the White House.
  • Green Path North transmission line is officially off the table
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Press-Enterprise
    The news was given a standing ovation. He also said DWP will recommend that the Los Angeles City Council and mayor endorse legislation proposed by Sen.
  • How helping hands could hurt Haiti
    Mar 12, 2010 — CNN
    Ongoing political instability adds to Haiti's misery. Profiting from Haiti's misery Helping hands have hurt Haiti in the past, some Haitians say. Agenor, the Haitian-American tennis player, recommends an even more subtle change for improving his country's prospects: teach more English to Haitian youth.
  • Imports, exports dip; crude oil plunges
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Washington Times
    Exports of autos and parts fell by $544 million. On the other hand, it's up nearly 90 percent from a year ago, when imported crude cost less than $40. As a result, gasoline prices have been rising. But rising import levels of refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, meant that the monthly cost of America's imported energy-related petroleum dipped just $900 million to $24.7 billion in January.
  • Judges review language of state ballot measures
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    On Proposition 14, the open primary measure, Gov. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) intervened to stave off the changes. Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner ruled Friday that voters should see the measure very much as it was originally written.
  • Justices and politicians should boycott the State of the Union
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    But the third president, Thomas Jefferson, put his thoughts in writing and dispatched them to Congress. Wilson's watery Caesarism preached that presidents should spur that dangerous stallion. For that matter, the 535 legislators should boycott these undignified events.
Take Action

It's impossible for lawmakers to know how every bill they consider will affect your company, and they want and need to understand how a legislative proposal will impact your business and employees.

Ohio Business Votes provides you easy to use tools for quickly and effectively communicating with your elected officials. Make your voice heard!

Take Action Now!
Voter Resources