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If stay-at-home Moms were paid for all the incredible work they do — raising children, doing laundry, shuttling kids to sports and activities, offering counseling — they'd make $116,805 annually.
A lot of that pay is driven by overtime, says the study released by Salary.com and...
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Do you know the person to the left?
Find out what she accomplished in this week's People in Business column.
Want to be in next week's list? It's best to submit to bakersfield.com/yourwords.
You can also mail contributions to The Bakersfield Californian, business editor, P.O. Bin 440,...
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Sometimes you just can't tell why large companies do the things they do, as we witnessed in Linens 'n Things' big announcement Friday.
That's the day the home furnishings and bedding retailer said it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (that's the one where the company gets to...
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What did they used to say about movies during the Great Depression? Can't remember just now (we weren't there), but maybe it was something about how people spend their money on forms of escapism when times get tough.
Ready for a little escapism? And world domination?
Kern's got you covered....
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Fed officials are considering tighter restrictions on credit card companies.
Namely, according to several wire service reports, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration (now there's a mouthful) seek to prevent the companies from boosting interest rates...
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Do you know the person to the left?
Find out what she achieved in our weekly People in Business column.
It's the place to announce promotions, new jobs and professional achievements.
Want to be in next week's? It's best to submit to bakersfield.com/yourwords.
You can also mail contributions...
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Two museums will receive grant money Friday in an effort to boost the number of out-of-county visitors, according to Dave Hook, marketing coordinator at the Kern County Board of Trade.
Bakersfield Museum of Art will receive $22,500 for two efforts — a regional marketing campaign, and to...
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So today we in the newsroom received what we call a budget line, which basically is a preview of a story we haven't seen yet. It read like this:
"In a sign that the economic downturn is hitting hard among Latino immigrants, more than 3 million of them (sic) stopped sending money to families...
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Mexicana Airlines is suspending its flights to Guadalajara for 30 days to re-evaluate its service, reporter John Cox writes.
Read the full story.
The culprit? High fuel costs.
And ever since the flights began, the airline has struggled to fill seats, an airport spokeswoman told John.
...
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A new shop called Tilly's — meant to appeal to the surfer and skater crowd — is set to open at Valley Plaza this May.
Read reporter Courtenay Edelhart's story for all the details.
Are you going?
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Our latest home sales map is ready for a peek.
No need to grab a map and figure out where to find Pebble Beach Drive and Anchor Island Court. (Homes on those streets recently sold.)
We’ve done the work for you here.
This map is updated with homes that sold in Bakersfield from March 10 to...
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A business consultant named Mark Hovind thinks it is, along with Prescott, Ariz.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Bend, Ore.; Valdosta, Ga.; and Morgantown, W.Va.
According to a report from the Associated Press, Hovind, who is the president of JobBait.com, came up with a formula with...
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Yesterday I was at a department store to buy some shoes for summer. Specifically, I have been planning to buy some decent sandals to wear with skirts or shorts.
The ad in the Sunday paper had what I wanted — quality sandals for good prices — $19.99 or $29.99 or $49.99, depending on...
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In a tough economy, what do you say to kids? How do you explain to them that there won't be a fancy vacation this summer, or the cheap shoes rather than name-brand will have to do this summer?
Reporter Courtenay Edelhart delves into the topic in this story.
And she has plenty of tips for...
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Before I gave up on Los Angeles and its obscene cost of living, money was really tight. More than half of my take home pay went to rent (buying a house was out of the question) and I had an hour and a half commute every day, fueled by gas that cost nearly $4 a gallon. Almost every penny of what...
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Did you catch Jenny Shearer's report on a proposal to revitalize Oildale?
See it here.
Officials are exploring the creation of a redevelopment agency that could work on economic development issues in the area.
County Supervisor Mike Maggard, who is spearheading the effort, told Jenny,...
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Food prices are going up, up and up while people are trying to keep their hard-earned money in their pockets for as long as possible.
Reporter Courtenay Edelhart found that schools are trying to control costs while keeping their commitment to healthy meals. Read more here.
And read her story on...
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With rising food, gas and everything else prices, our Money Talks blog wonders what you're doing to save on expenses during these tough times.
And if that economic news isn't dampening your spirits enough, how about this fact: If 99 people read this blog post, three of them will be in...
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Here's a "raw report" press release from The Pew Charitable Trusts. Read it and weep.
Want more? Click here for the full report and fact sheets on every state.
Or click on the funky blue rectangle to the left for the PDF sheet on California.
Washington, D.C. — One in...
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Reporter Courtenay Edelhart is working on a story today about the rising cost of food, and how that's hitting people in the pocketbook.
What are you doing to save money on food? Are you going to restaurants less? Shopping at discounters rather than the grocery store you used to visit?
If...
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So says the Fed this morning.
I found this description from Associated Press reporter Jeannine Aversa, who regularly covers the national economy.
"Even Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke recently acknowledged for the first time that a recession was possible. That was a rare utterance of the...
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Eric Turner, a 43-year-old Bakersfield man, recently won $1 million in the California lottery, $750,000 after taxes. He and his wife won't be making any extravagant lifestyle changes, though. They're going to pay off debt and invest the rest after buying a new car and maybe a fifth-wheel camper....
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No excuses! The Franchise Tax Board has extended phone service hours for procrastinators. (My word, not that of the FTB!)
Call (800) 852-5711 for help in English and Spanish.
The hours:
• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12
• 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday, April 14
• 7 a.m. to...
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The big R word — recession.
It's looming large, many economists say, and it's hitting college students hard. Many lenders are tightening standards, raising rates and making it otherwise difficult for students (or their parents) to get their hands on money to pay for school.
Some lenders...
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Gas prices up, food prices up, Ultities price up so why isnt this reported as inflation? Or would it be stagflation..since salaries are not keeping pace w/ the rise of costs?
The great inflation cover-up
If the price of dinner is pinching us, why don't the CPI numbers acknowledge it?
By...
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It's a fortuitous time for pawn brokers. Gold prices are hovering at or near record highs at the same time that the economy is softening and gas prices are soaring. All retailers have their regulars, but pawn brokers say a surge in first-time customers is a telling reflection of the economy.
And...
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Okay, real estate and econ junkies.
On Tuesday, I interviewed Los Angeles economist Christopher Thornberg, who spoke at yesterday's county economic summit. Excerpts of our conversation were printed in the Californian.
But if you're interested in hearing everything from our interview —...
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The Bakersfield business big shots were out in force this morning for the annual Kern County Economic Summit, held at the Doubletree Hotel near Rosedale Highway and Highway 99.
Recession was much-talked about, which I cover in a piece for tomorrow's paper.
Some other tidbits from the event:
...
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America will work three days less to pay taxes in 2008 than in 2007.
That day will be April 23 this year.
But Californians will have to work longer — until April 30 — for their Tax Freedom Day.
That's according to the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has monitored...
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Today's Kern County Economic Summit was packed with info.
Check out the blue bar to the left, which is a copy of the State of the Economy report Cal State Bakersfield economics professor Abbas Grammy put together. It was part of the information packet given to attendees at today's summit at the...
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Are you ready for a rocket ride?
Here's the top of reporter Jenny Shearer's story:
The space-tourism race has a new contestant: XCOR Aerospace, based at the Mojave Air and Space Port. Its rocket-powered Lynx may be ready to ferry a pilot and a passenger up and back to the Earth’s...
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Tomorrow I'm scheduled to do a Q & A with Dr. Christopher Thornberg, a UCLA Anderson Forecast alumni and expert on market forces and regional economies.
He's coming to town on Wednesday to speak at the Kern County Economic Summit. His talk is titled "Peering Over the Edge: Real Estate...
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Sunbelt Business Advisors and Brokers of Kern County is hosting a free dinner seminar on how to buy or sell a business. It's presented by John W. Willingham, president, and professionals from several local businesses.
It's from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 24 at Best Western Crystal Palace Inn...
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You're not alone.
The overall mood of Americans when it comes to the economy has taken a sharp turn for the worse, a new Reuters/Zogby poll out today says.
Confidence plummeted to a new low of 87.7 from 99.3 last month. The baseline rating is 100.
The poll also found that 74 percent of...
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The U.S. Department of Defense signed off Tuesday on a plan that will transfer Navy jobs to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station from other facilities near Ventura and as far away as Virginia and Maryland.
The move represents a significant step forward in a process that has seen several...
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New Standard Opposed by Staff
Bush appointee, Steven Johnson, has again ignored the recommendations of his staff and scientists. He sided with industry as he reluctantly lowered the 8 hour ozone standard by 9 parts per billion in the face of huge calls by scientists and health...
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The check's in the mail — sort of.
While you wait for your rebate check that's part of the economic stimulus plan, the Internal Revenue Service is sending out letters this month to let you know it's coming. (Hold tight!)
That letter, the Associated Pres reports, will go to about 130...
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The Bakersfield metropolitan market, which includes ZIP codes 93301 through 93314, had 1,946 single-family home foreclosures in 2007.
That's according to a report put together by the Kern County Recorder's office using data from First American Real Quest that reporter Gretchen Wenner got her...
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The Bakersfield Convention & Visitors Bureau is under the gun to bring more events here.
Read John Cox's full report on the challenges the bureau faces.
Sure, it's nice to bring conventions and events and people here to spend money. But what events would you like to see here?
What could...
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The governor is spending $10.5 million for training for construction workers and others who have been laid off because of the downturn in the housing market.
“The housing slump has put many skilled Californians out of work – such as carpenters, steel workers and cement...
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The $8 minimum wage has profound impacts on business, columnist Marylee Shrider writes this week.
She's seeing it in higher prices on menus around town. And the business owners and managers she talked with say it's making them adjust hours down and hold off on hiring.
So was the $8 minimum...
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A fellow editor pointed out this column by Glenn Beck, who is on Headline News nightly.
Beck considers whether the economy will fall into "The Greater Depression." He talks with Nouriel Roubini, chairman of RGE Monitor and professor of economics at New York University's Stern School of...
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The men and women of the Kern County Cattlemen’s Association Inc. will be having a grand time Saturday night as they honor their cattleman and woman of the year.
See who won in assistant editor John Cox's full report.
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More bad guys may be on the way to Wasco State Prison.
Reporter Jenny Shearer writes: The expansion at Wasco State Prison is part of Assembly Bill 900, which Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed in 2007. The idea is to replace nontraditional beds in areas such as gyms and dayrooms with beds in...
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.... then you can nominate it for Inc.com’s annual list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States.
The list is dubbed a "tenfold expansion of the 25-year-old Inc. 500, which has featured many companies before they became world-renowned, including Microsoft,...
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Vacant land — 128 acres of it — next to the Mojave Air & Space Port could become one of Kern County’s largest industrial complexes.
That's what assistant editor John Cox found out Tuesday.
John's story says: "Pending county approval and tenant negotiations, the 2.5...
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Just this morning President Bush urged Congress to do more to help people and businesses hurt by the housing market and credit crunch, according to the Associated Press.
The AP went on to report, "Bush said that other steps need to be taken to strengthen the economy, and he exhorted...
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Sinking, sinkng, sunk.
The Associated Press reported this morning that "People’s confidence in the economy sank even lower amid heightened fears about shrinking job opportunities and the possibility the country is falling into recession.
According to the RBC Cash Index, confidence...
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We like to focus on local news in this blog, but we figured you'd want the latest national housing news. This "urgent" post comes from the Associated Press:
By ALAN ZIBEL AP Business Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Industry data released Thursday show pending U.S. home sales...
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The eighth annual Kern County Economic Summit is coming up. It's from 7 a.m. to noon March 26 at the Doubletree Hotel.
Locals will talk about the economy.
It's put on by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Kern Economic Development Corp. and CSUB.
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