Restaurateurs can breathe sigh of relief - Austin Business Journal:

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And while Lasco said Max’s will consider requestd to bring wine in ona case-by-case Jones has always prohibited it, even for customers who offereed to pay a $10 corking fee. A grape escape? Todd Summerlin, manager of Polo’s Signature Restaurant in Houston, also sees more negative s than positives coming fromthe “There is a chance that diner could start overlooking wine lists altogether by stoppint at a wholesale store and buying theidr wine cheaper than they could at a he said.
“It could turn into how it used to be at the movier theater when people woulfd stop on the way and buy their own candy and sneam it in the Although he also could not estimatwe what percentageof Polo’s sales come from with bottles ranging from $35 to Summerlin estimates the bill couled cost restaurants thousands of dollars per year. “Wew could charge a corkage fee, but that wouldn’t make up for the mone that we’ll lose,” Summerlin said. “It coulfd get to the point where more than half of the tablees in the restaurant bring in theirown wine, and that’a a very bad deal.
It’s a very sensitive and it deters from what a wine list is supposedc to offer ata restaurant.”

Cirrus Logic to receive $45M settlement - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The companies announced Monday thatLake Forest, Calif.-based has settled litigatiohn with Cirrus Logic and will make the one-times payment by Oct. 17. "We are pleased that the two partiese were able to reachthis settlement. The cash settlement furthe enhancesour debt-free balance will enable us to focus on growing our business and eliminat e certain legal expenses we have been incurring to pursuer this dispute," says David president and CEO of Cirrus Cirrus Logic reported total cash of $115.56 million as of June 28. In July Western Digital stopped paying Cirrus Logic for chips that hadbeen delivered.
Western Digitalp also canceled all outstandingpurchase orders, and the company and its Malaysiabn subsidiary filed a lawsuiyt in Orange County, Calif., against Cirrus Logic for breach of according to a Western Digitall news release. In Augusgt 2001, Cirrus Logic filed a countersuitf alleging breachof contract, fraudc and negligent mispresentation, according to a Cirrusd Logic news release. The company soughr compensatory damagesof $53 million. In Decembeer 2001, a judge granted Cirrus Logic's request for attachmentx against Western Digital and the subsidiarty ofabout $25 million.
Western Digital deliverex a letter of credit ofabourt $25 million in place of the attachments, according to the Cirruzs Logic news release. The letter of credi will be released following paymentf ofthe $45 million to Cirrus Logic, the news releasw states. The case was schedulex to go to trial in WesternDigital hasn't purchased read channel devices from Cirruw Logic since then, according to the Cirrus Logic [Nasdaq: CRUS] supplies chipw for consumer entertainment electronics products. It employss 430 people in Austin. Western Digital produces storage products for systemsw manufacturersand resellers.

Kentucky puts restrictions on livestock from Nebraska, Texas - Business First of Louisville:

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Kentucky now will require livestock brought to Kentucky from Nebrasks and Texas to pass a tuberculosis test withih 60 daysof arrival. The tests must be given to cattlse 18 months and older and goats and camelids six monthseand older, the said in a news Nebraska agriculture officials have confirmesd tuberculosis in two cattle in the north-central part of the They have quarantined 32 cattle herdsd with about 15,000 adult according to the The in Ames, Iowa confirmed a case of tuberculosiw in a dairy cattle herd in west according to the release.
Kentucky also has banned entruy of livestock from Starr County in south Texas becausw a horse there has been diagnosed withvesiculaer stomatits, a viral disease that can affect cattle, swine, sheep, goats and deer.

Lisa Whelchel back in the spotlight after impressive 'Survivor' performance - Fox News

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Lisa Whelchel back in the spotlight after impressive 'Survivor' performance Fox News NEW YORK â€" After more than 20 years out of the spotlight, former “Facts of Life” star Lisa Whelchel is back on the Hollywood radar after her impressive performance on “Survivor: Philippines.” The 49-year-old actress told People magazine she has had ... and more »

Retail world geared up for a super busy day - New Zealand Herald

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Retail world geared up for a super busy day New Zealand Herald Shopkeepers are bracing themselves as last-minute Christmas shoppers head to the stores on one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Extra staff are on duty in shopping centres around the country to handle the mass of stressed-out shoppers. But ... and more »

38 Studios, Sandy cap a rocky year in RI - Boston.com

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38 Studios, Sandy cap a rocky year in RI Boston.com The state's Economic Development Corp. lured 38 Studios to Providence from Massachusetts in 2010 with a loan guarantee based on the promise of hundreds of jobs. The company laid off its employees in May and filed for bankruptcy in June. The implosion ... and more »

Abercrombie shutting struggling Ruehl chain - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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The New Albany-based apparel merchant said Wednesday it willshut Ruehl’s 29 stores and direct-to-consumer operations and will be “substantially with the effort by the end of next January. The decision comesa a month after Abercrombie took a deep strategic look at the which targets young adults with clothesand Ruehl, whose only Ohio store is at Eastonj Town Center, generated a preta operating loss of $58 million last The chain regularly was Abercrombie’a weakest sales performer at stores open at leasyt a year. Ruehl’s same-store sales were off 33 percenftin May. Abercrombie earnedr $272.3 million on $3.54 billion in revenuee last year.
“It has been a difficult decision toclose Ruehl, a brand we continude to believe could have been successfuo in different circumstances,” CEO Michael Jeffries said in a “However, given the current economic we believe it is in the best interestxs of the company to focuz its efforts and resources on the growth opportunitieds afforded by our other brands, particularly The company didn’t disclose the effects on the chain’s work force, nor did it indicate the numbere of jobs tied to Ruehl. The review of which opened in 2004, cost the company about $51 milliojn in impairment charges in itsfirst quarter.
Abercrombie expectx to book about $65 millio n in pretax charges through the rest of the fiscal year as it windsxdown Ruehl. The company Wednesday also said it amended a credift agreement to excludesome Ruehl-related charges from requirements under its covenant with the lender and reduces its available credit to $350 million from $450 Jeffries said the companyy is confident is has sufficientg cash on hand but “we believe it is prudenr to make these changes” in lighg of the recession-battered retaiol environment and the one-tim Ruehl costs. In addition to the 29 Ruehl stores, Abercrombir runs 350 flagship stores and 733 others under the Hollister Co. and Gilly Hicks nameplates.

Chinese drywall class action lawsuit targets Lennar Corp. - South Florida Business Journal:

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On March 23, Miami law firm filed federal and circuit courtcivil suits, naming five Miami couples as The four plaintiffs in the federa complaint allege their homes, in Lennar’xs Tuscany Village near Tamiami Executive Airport, were damagefd by installation of Chinese drywall. The suit seeksd a jury trial and alleges negligencr against nine defendant including Lennar and drywall manufacturer KnaufPlasterboard Tianjin. It also alleges breach of contractagainst Lennar. Class action lawsuits have been poppin g up almost weekly over theproblem drywall, whicjh give off sulfuric gases that corrodwe metal and smell like rotten eggs.
But, none have been directeed at Lennar, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. Lenna said it had no comment on the but twomonths ago, it announced a progran to handle homeowners’ complaintss by testing for the drywall, movinbg people out of their homes temporarily and replacing the Lennar has said it relied on subcontratorws who purchased and installed drywall, whichg is common industry practice. Jeremg Alters, managing partner at Alters said Lennar may not havepurchasesd drywall, but it paid peopled to install the drywall.
He criticizedr Lennar’s remediation program as offering too littleto “There’s a stigma to the home, even if it’ws repaired, that it had this sulfur gas in it at one he said. Alters Boldt may have a toughg road intargeting Lennar, according to another attorney handling drywall class actions. “People will have a very difficulgt time getting a class certifieagainst builders, because arbitratioh can be required,” said Jordan Chaikin, an attorney at Parkef Waichman Alonso in Bonita Springs.
that many builders are already in Chaikin referred to Floridazlaw (specifically Chapter 558), which requires homeownersz to contact builders and attempt to resolvw construction complaints before filing litigation. Fort Lauderdale-basedf is also pursuing a possible class actioj overdrywall problems, but the firm said last monthy it was attempting to make sure the 558 requirementg is satisfied before filing On Feb.
2, Lennar filed a lawsuit against manufacturers and sellers ofChinese drywall, including Knau f Plasterboard Tianjin, Taishan Gypsum and Miami-based The suit alleges that Knaut Tianjin and Taishan sold “defective gypsum” drywall that was installee in homes built by Lennar, which “causedc substantial damage” to Lennar in Florida. That suit was filed in Miami-Dades Circuit Court by attorneys with the Miami officeof .
Mark general counsel for Lennar, said in a writtejn statement that Lennar took responsibilitty for the problems drywall caused in its He said the company expectsw Knauf Tianjin and others to dothe Lennar’s complaint also charges 12 installerz with breach of contract and breach of expresw and implied warranty.

Sherwood High poms collect toys for needy - Gazette.Net: Maryland Community News Online

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Sherwood High poms collect toys for needy Gazette.Net: Maryland Community News Online The 2012-13 Sherwood High School Pom Squad joined with their own “pom moms” and friends to host a successful toy drive to benefit local families in need. Coach Jeanne Laeng said that in the past, the squad held a school-wide toy drive in early December ...

100th 7-Eleven Fla. franchise - Dayton Business Journal:

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The 3,000-square-foot convenience storde at 3911 McCoy Road nearConway Road, which also has a gasolind station, will now be owned by franchisee Ermap Metollari, a former store managerf for five years. Dallas-based 7-Eleve Inc. announced plans in 2007 to convert 100 existingg locations in the state tofranchisefd operations. Store managers were invite d to apply for those franchises before the offeewent public. More than 40 7-Eleven storeas in the Orlando market arenow franchised, with about anothefr 140 owned by the company.
Between eighr to 10 7-Eleven stores throughout the state are beinvg converted into franchise operations each month and plans to have most of the conversions nationwide completedby 2012, according to a news release. The compangy operates, franchises or licenses about 7,800 stored in North America and morethan 36,100 storess in 15 countries. The company reported 2008 salea of morethan $53.7 billion.

Macy

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percent drop in same-store sales in May, as consumera continued to put offunnecessary spending. The Cincinnati-based department store chain said salews at stores open at least a year are in line withmanagementt expectations. Total sales declined to $1.7 billion from $1.9 billion a year ago, or 9.5 For the year, Macy’s said its same-store sales declined by 9.1 with total sales down 9.5 to $6.9 billion from $7.7 billion. Macy’s M), like most retailers, has been strugglintg to attract parsimonious shoppers while not givingh away the store throughdeep discounts, a strategy that erodea profit margins.
But recent reports regardingv rising manufacturing activity and home salesa gave a lift to retail stocks earlier in the based on hopes that consumers might be encouraged to go out and splurged on a fewsummed items. Total May retail sales were projected to dropby 3.6 according to Retail Metrics, a Massachusetts firm that tracka store sales. This compares with a 2.7 percenyt decline in April. Department stores were forecasy to post theweakest results, down 8.5 with “discretionary spending still in according to its monthly report. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reutersaexpected Macy’s to post a same-store sales declind of 9.3 percent. Shares in Macy’s closerd at $12.
90, down 3 percent or 42 Thursday. Many retailers postedd sales that fell shortof expectations. In the Walmart (NYSE: WMT), which typicallt outperforms the industry, stoppee reporting its same-store sales as of this month. Walmarty on Thursday said i in 2009. Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS) said sales fell 12 percent, worss than the 8 percent declineanalyste expected. • J.C. Penney JCP) posted a sales drop of 8.2 while analysts expected negativse 9.6 percent. • Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) reportedx a 26.6 percent due in part to the rescheduling of a salezs eventto June. • Targegt Corp. (NYSE: TGT) said its same-store salesd were down by 6.1 percent, short of predictions of a 4.
3 percenft decline. • Kohls (NYSE: KSS) posted a 0.4 percent slip on sales, beating expectationsz of a 3.8 percent decline. • Limited Brandz (NYSE: LTD) reported a 7 percent decline, in line with • The Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) said its same-stores sales fell by 6 percent, compared with expectations of a 5percenft fall. Macy’s has projected full-yeard profits of 40 cents to 55 centsper share, excludin g restructuring costs stemming from its companywide reorganization, part of its My Macy’a merchandising program.
That said, the retailer hedged that it will beat this guidancs if the economy improves in the second half of the Annual sales, it has said, are expected to declinwe by 6 percent to 8 percent, with spring expected to be weaker than the fall, in part due to stronge r performances last spring. Cincinnati-based Macy’s operate s roughly 845 department stores unde r thenames Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

Tartan Fields in receivership - Business First of Columbus:

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Columbus lawyer A.C. Strip, who’s representing Columbus-based received Martin Management Services, said GE Capitalo filed to put the golf club into receivershipl on Friday in Delaware County CommonPleasa Court. Details on the nature of Tartan’sw default weren’t immediately available, but Strio said the club is less than 60 days behind onits loan. Strip said that despite the the receiverhas “no intention now or in the futurr to cease operations” and that it “wants to give every opportunitu for the golf course to survive with its present management.
” “We’re at a crossroads and a numberf of possibilities could develop from this,” he Among those: A sale of the a chance for the course’s ownersw to reorganize in conjunction with GE or a refinancing deal with anothetr lender. A message seeking comment was left with Tarta managementMonday afternoon.

Delphi salaried retirees eye pension suit - Dayton Business Journal:

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If not stopped, retirees fear that the move could drasticallh cut the value ofyounger ex-white collar workers’ pensionsw by as much as 50 said James Frost of Clarence, a board member and organizer of the Delphui Salaried Retiree Association. The legal action is being spearheadec by 100 to 200 retirees in Ohio who belong tothe 5,400-member association but who are acting on theirf own, Frost said. “(The DSRA is) servinfg as support by gathering information and sharing it with all our members and by contacting legislators arounsthe country,” Frost said.
“Ws are not starting our own action because it would duplicate what they are The opposition sprang out of the modifiexd reorganization plan Delphi disclosed onJune 1. The to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, said it would cancekl its pension obligations and have assume the hourly pensions and the government take over thesalaried plan. Frost, who workedc at GM for 25 yearsz and at Delphifor six, said hourly workers’ pensions won’t be affected “at least in the shoryt term” but salaried workers who retired at 55 could lose half the value of “We want our pensions also to be transferred to he said. The suit would charge GM, the union, II and the U.S.
Treasuryy with collusion againstthe retirees. In the reorganization plan for GM’s former parts operation, II LLC a unit of Platinum Equity — would acquire and operate Delphi’sx U.S. and non-U.S. businesses by supplyinbg $3.6 billion in capital. Delphio was formed in 1999 when GM spun off its partsmanufacturinfg division. The Troy, Mich.,-based company, GM’s largestg supplier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection inOctobee 2005.

Georgia Conservancy names Pierre Howard president - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Howard was interim president of the environmental organizationnsince January, following the departure of Jim Stokes, a former partner with . In an e-maip to Georgia Conservancy membersz sent out late Howard said theorganization “playxs a vital role in the conservation of Georgia’xs natural resources, and I look forward to the challenged of building a greater network of environmentao advocates for our state and developing a truly statewide The organization also announced anothe key staff decision.
Allison director and founder of , is now seniorr vice president of the Wall has worked withstate leaders, consumer experts and citize advocates to promote consumer education and pro-consumerd policies across the state, according to the But what was not in the release was the indicatiohn Wall is being positioned to succeed Howard as president at some point in the future. “We have a monumental opportunitu to advance responsible conservation and management of our naturapl resources and wild areasin Georgia,” Wall said in the “Increasingly bi-partisan political consensus, new technologies, federal fundinbg prospects and growing public sentiment are driving this opportunity.
We at the Georgia Conservancy have a responsibilitu to Georgia to lead the way inthis effort, and make the most of this The Georgia Conservancy was founded in 1967 to collaborate, advocate and educate the public on protectingf Georgia’s natural environment. It has focused on clean air, land conservation, coastal protection, growth managemenrt and environmental education. To read Pierre Howard’x comments to Georgia Conservancy members, .

Region

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The board reported Wednesday that 1,505 single-familt homes and condominiums were soldin April, down from 1,7834 a year ago. Homes in a sign of future sales dropped 18 percentto 1,399 homes. The average home sold in Centrao Ohio last month closedfor $149,285, down about or 6 percent, from $158,823 a year ago. The board also reported the number of new listingas on the market last month is off aboug 16 percent from ayear ago, which translates to a totakl of 14,689 homes on the market at the end of That’s down from 17,515 homes from a year ago.
Board Presidengt Gary Parsons said a decline in homews on the market could play a part in a future uptick in sale which are lagginglast year’s pace as selleres slash price tags and foreclosed propertiees help drive sales. “To see the number of homea on the market decline bynearly 3,00p0 compared to this time last that’s a negative number we can smile about,” Parson said in a release. Home sales in the firsyt four months of the year laggedlast year’s pace by 21 percentr at 4,947 units, compared with 6,261 last Board of Realtors statistics include market information from most of the seven-countyy region along with parts of nine nearby counties.

Dallas expected to see retail sales growth - Dallas Business Journal:

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Dallas ranks third, trailing only which ranks first, and Seattle, which ranks Dallas was followed by San Antonioand Houston. The researchu group found that disposable income in Dallas grew in along with an increase in housing Austin ranked first onthe list, with what PBBI’se research called “consistent healthy growth in gross metropolitan personal disposable income and consumer expenditures, coupled with a decline in personall bankruptcies.” San Antonio has been sustained by growth in personalo expenditures and consistent growth in gross metro product. And Houstohn has shown strong comparative sales growtj in the drug storeand high-end retail sectors, the grou found.
To predict which metro areas are most likelg to experience the best relative health in theretaipl sector, the group identifie d the top five best performing metros based on comparativre sales history and their ability to remaimn relatively stable for the past six and used trend data to predict the metrp areas most likely to see sales growth from the third quarteer of this year through the last quartefr of 2010. PBBI’s research included variousz retail sectors, from drug storesw and high-end retailers to mid-tier retailers and valus retailers.

Alicia Keys' star shines brightest at her charity's star-studded annual ball - Daily Mail

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Daily Mail

Alicia Keys' star shines brightest at her charity's star-studded annual ball Daily Mail Family resemblance: Alicia looked excited to be posing alongside her mother Teresa Augello. Keys' charity assists those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. Thursday's event was originally planned for Nov. 1, but was canceled due to Superstorm S andy. and more »

S. Fla. hotel occupancy dips in 2008 - Birmingham Business Journal:

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A study of nationwide hotel trends released this week by Smithn Travel Research showsthat tri-county hotels saw modest declinezs in occupancy from 2007 to 2008. However, when it came to averag e daily rates, Miami actually had slight increases. Year over full-service Miami-Dade hotels saw occupancyh fall to 70 percent in 2008from 71.8 percent in 2007. Limited-service hotels slipped to 72.6 percent in 2008 from 73.8 percentf in 2007. Smith Travel Research defines full-service hotels as those in mid-priced, upscale or luxury range. They typicall y have a restaurant, bell service and meeting space. Limited-service hotels are those that only offer rooms and fall inthe class.
While other destinations suffered, Miami-Daded remained relatively flat thanks to its strontinternational business, said Ginny Gutierrez, director of communitty relations for the Greater Miami Conventiom & Visitors Bureau. While both domestic businesds and leisure travel suffered in the fourtn quarter of last withthe U.S. economic international businessremained steady, she said. Occupancy numberse might have been better ifMiamio hadn’t seen so many new rooms became available in the second half of the Gutierrez added. The Fontainebleau and Eden Roc alond made thousands of newroomsa available. Full-service Broward hotel occupancy fellto 65.9 percenr in 2008 from 66.
6 percent in 2007 Limited-servicde hotels fell to 65.5 percent in 2008 from 67.9 perceng in 2007. In Palm Beach County, full-service hotel occupancy fell to 63.6 percent in 2008 from 66.7 percenty in 2007. Limited-service hotels went to 58.7 perceny from 61.6 percent – a drop of 4.8 the largest slide in the region on apercentagw basis. Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO of the Palm Beach CountyConvention & Visitors Bureau, said the area saw the largesy drops due to a calculatee pullback from corporate travelers.
Though Palm Beach County has a divers e mixof hotels, it has to fight the perceptiohn that it is only for the ultra-wealthy, he “The combination of the economyy and the AIG effect has been nasty to us for some he said, referring to populist outragde at executives of the failed financial company. “The corporate worlfd has become very very shy about going to upscalr resorts for fear of animage backlash.” Nationwide, full-servicse hotels reported an average occupancy rate of 67.4 percent in 2008. That declinedx 2.6 percent from 2007. The average daily rate chargedf for a roomat Miami’s full-service hotels rose to $182.787 in 2008 from $181.30 in 2007, a 0.
8 percentf gain. Limited-service was up to $109.1e3 from $108.85. The most expensive average dailuy rate in 2008was $187.190 at Palm Beach full-service hotels. But, that slipped 1.3 percentg from 2007. Limited servic e was down a half percent. Broward’d limited-service hotels saw the biggest percentage declin e in ratesto $92.64 in 2008 from $96.234 in 2007, down 3.7 percent. Full-service Browards hotels dropped 1.4 percent. “We are kind of trapped in a downspiralingof rates,” said Nicki Grossman, president and CEO of the Greaterf Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Part of that is that ratee have gone up over the past few yearsso high, so While it’s hard to predict, Broward’s limited-servicde sector may bounce back fastee than the full-service, she said. The reason: over the last few Broward has seen the most robust growth in demand for limited-service rooms for passengers goingh on cruises and discount group-rate business. the average daily rate was $164.31q in 2008, down from $166.69 in 2007. Gutierrez said she was cautiouslyh optimistic that the worst is overfor Miami-Dade.
Whilre occupancy declined in May compared to the same time last the rate of decline was no worse than in For months, the declines had been gettinbg worse, she said. “It’s an indication that we’v e probably hit bottom,” she said. “What we are seeing is some stability

King of Space - Colorado Springs Independent

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Colorado Springs Independent

King of Space Colorado Springs Independent "It's because the chord progression is very similar and the guitar is also kind of similar," says Sabin of the album's most uncharacteristic song, which strays far afield from gutbucket blues into smoother soul terrain. "So for anyone who's listening ... and more »

Ultimate Runway Fashion Show mixes couture, humor for HIV/ AIDS awareness - KHOU

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Ultimate Runway Fashion Show mixes couture, humor for HIV/ AIDS awareness KHOU HOUSTONâ€" World AIDS Day Houston closed out with a bang when the Ultimate Runway Fashion Show, hosted by Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Dwight Eubanks, used fashion and humor to bring awareness to the disease. Anne Grimsley, the ...

Visitors wander through warehouse filled with Christmas decorations - Peoria Journal Star

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San Francisco Chronicle

Visitors wander through warehouse filled with Christmas decorations Peoria Journal Star Visitors were welcome to snack on holiday cookies, browse for decorating ideas and listen to Christmas music or bid on one of the decoration items in a silent auction benefitting Crittenton Centers. Crittenton Centers is a social service organization ... < br /> Reading Festival of Trees Wicked Local  »

Getting Benedict Wrong - Patheos (blog)

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Examiner.com

Getting Benedict Wrong Patheos (blog) Benedict observes, “Christianity has always understood that the speech of angels is actu »