Times staff
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Countywide

Grants available for business staffing, training

Does your business need money for staff development and training? Pinellas County Economic Development and WorkNet Pinellas might be able to help. There are $1 million in grants available through the state of Florida. The Pinellas County Economic Development staffers can help determine whether your company could benefit. WorkNet Pinellas also offers reimbursement grants to businesses to pay for preapproved, direct, training-related costs. Employers must provide matching funds of at least 50 percent of the total program budget. For information, visit pced.org or call (727) 464-7332.

Pinellas Park

Orthopedic practice adds two surgeons

Tampa Bay Orthopaedic Specialists, 6500 66th St., Pinellas Park, has added two orthopedic surgeons to its practice. John B. Pope, M.D., specializes in minimally invasive total hip and knee replacements, total joint revision surgery, computer-navigated arthroplasty techniques, hip resurfacing, and partial knee replacements. Pope, a Tampa native, is a graduate of Williams College and the Indiana University School of Medicine. Craig C. Newland, M.D., specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Newland is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine.

News of businesses and business people can be faxed to (727) 893-8675, e-mailed to neighborhood@sptimes.com or mailed to Neighborhood Times, 490 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Photos can be mailed as jpegs.

By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Model Corinne Bach shows off a pearl necklace Sunday while executive producer Mark Brown and chief merchandising officer Rebecca Moore sell it on the new home shopping satellite television channel EmVee TV at its studio in Clearwater.

After a 9-month warmup, a new TV shopping channel thinks it's ready for prime time.

"We're trying to be a boutique TV channel, not another HSN," said Mark Brown, executive producer of tiny EmVee TV. "But we do want to capture some of the feel of the old HSN" that aired in the 1980s in front of live operators from an old Levitz furniture store in Clearwater.

Broadcast from rented Clearwater studios with operators standing by, EmVee appeared without fanfare in January in 35 million homes in the satellite TV shopping tiers, Channel 225 on DirecTV and 224 on Dish Network.

"We really didn't expect anyone to watch, but our first call came in five minutes, and she bought some pearls," said Dave Ulgenalp, 51, a former Checkers Drive-In Restaurants and Panera Bread executive who leads the investment group that put up $2 million to put EmVee on the air.

Brown, 50, is one of five veteran show hosts from HSN, or its smaller rivals, on EmVee, which just expanded its two-day a week broadcast by three hours, 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It also can be live streamed at emveetv.com.

EmVee is trying to crack a tough market. The field of bankrupt startups and the five CEOs and chief merchants HSN ran through in the past 15 years all would caution that live TV shopping is much harder than it looks.

But EmVee is a different model run on a comparative shoestring.

Vendors bankroll the inventory and fill orders. For a cut of sales, the channel provides an audience, takes orders and offers customers a money-back guarantee. Like HSN or infomercials, one of the biggest costs is paying for cable/satellite airtime.

The new network hedges its risks by sticking to high profit margin jewelry, handbags, art auctions, collectible coins and sports memorabilia.

Among the vendors are Brown's pearl wholesale business and a handbag company run by Ulgenalp's wife, Lisa.

Prices so far range from $10 freshwater pearls to a $19,000 ruby ring. The average sale has been $604, but shows get free-wheeling enough that hosts sometimes ask callers to "make an offer and we'll talk."

After a touch-and-go June, EmVee TV is breaking even financially and halfway to a goal of $8 million in first year sales.

Hard times

As one in six Americans relied on some form of government help to get by this summer, some food-buying habits changed.

At Winn-Dixie, sales tailed off the last week of each month.

"You could see people were running out of cash," said Peter Lynch, chief executive of the Jacksonville supermarket chain.

Prime turns Premium

Mall giant Simon Property Group, owner of two regional malls in the bay area, has completed its $2.3 billion purchase of Prime Outlets shopping centers.

That triggered a new name locally for Prime Outlets Ellenton, which is now called Ellenton Premium Outlets.

Simon added 21 outlet centers to its portfolio of 39 Premium Outlets. The company had to give up only three Prime projects, including what would have been its second in St. Augustine, to satisfy antitrust regulators.

That means two huge centers within a few miles of each other on Orlando's Interstate 4 theme park corridor are now both called Orlando Premium Outlets. To avoid confusion, one gets "Vineland" added to its monicker, the other "International Drive."

Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.

By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

What's to like about those annoying airline fees?

You might get nicked for a blanket or buying your ticket online. The main reason to pay a new fee on American — $19 to $39 sit in the front rows of coach and board early — is to make sure you can find space for your carry-on bag.

That, of course, is a problem caused by passengers lugging larger carry-ons to avoid checked-luggage fees. So now, they are creating fees to protect yourself from consequences of their other fees. Where will it end?

Groups representing corporate travel buyers, traditional travel agents and consumers launched a campaign this week aimed at turning the public's anger over airline fees into political action.

This isn't about the government forcing airlines to eliminate even the worst fees. That won't and shouldn't happen. Uncle Sam deregulated the business more than three decades ago. Service has slipped in some cases, but airfares in general remain a bargain.

The Business Travel Coalition, American Society of Travel Agents and Consumer Travel Alliance say too many travelers don't find out about fees until they check in at the airport.

They want the federal government to make airlines improve disclosure of fees to consumers, brick-and-mortar travel agencies and online travel agencies like Travelocity and Expedia. The Department of Transportation has proposed new disclosure rules for public comment.

The DOT could require airlines to post a ''prominent" link on website home pages to a complete list of service fees. Fees now appear on various pages throughout airlines sites.

The agency also could force carriers to provide up-to-date fee information to online travel agencies and reservation systems used by traditional travel agents and corporate travel buyers. The groups hope to deliver thousands of traveler petitions supporting the changes on Sept. 23, which they dubbed "Mad as Hell Day.'' Their website is MadAsHellAbout HiddenFees.com.

Joe Sharkey, the New York Times travel columnist, wrote Monday that the real disclosure problem is for corporate travel managers, not consumers. They need to budget for their business travelers, and the current reservations systems they use give little data on fees, he wrote.

• • •

Some good news for Tampa International Airport travelers, especially Delta Air Lines frequent fliers.

Delta will begin the only nonstop flights from TIA to Cancun on Feb. 19, but only on Saturdays. JetBlue Airways flew the route daily for eight months last year. Passenger traffic tanked during Mexico's swine flu outbreak, and JetBlue discontinued the service Sept. 8.

Delta also will start flying twice daily between TIA and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, starting Oct. 31. US Airways, with four daily departures, has long been the only carrier flying nonstop from TIA to the airport across the Potomac River from the nation's capital.

Steve Huettel can be reached at shuettel@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3384.

By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

TAMPA — Publix Super Markets Inc. on Tuesday kicked off its latest test in online shopping — for those willing to pony up $7.99 per order for the convenience.

After officials decided their new 10-person Publix Curbside crew had enough practice, the Lakeland grocery chain launched the service at a lone Citrus Park store one month ahead of schedule. The chain's other test in a single Atlanta store opened last month.

Both are designed for the time-stressed willing to pay a premium to have someone shop for them.

It's the Lakeland chain's second swing at e-commerce since giving up on Publix Direct, which offered online ordering and home delivery for $7.99 across South Florida. That service, which required its own warehouse and truck fleet for home delivery, was scuttled in 2003 after losing $30 million in two years. Trucks averaged only 10 deliveries a day.

The new version, which uses a third party contractor to handle online orders, is similar to one Albertsons and several other supermarket chains have offered in selected big city markets for years.

Called click-and-collect in the industry because shoppers do all the driving, here's how the Publix version works.

• Shoppers register online at publix.com/curbside and place their orders. There is space to key in notes such as preferences for green bananas or thin slice lunch meat at the deli. The site keeps your shopping list for repeat trips. For now, the first shopping trip is free.

• Choose a 30-minute time window to pick up the order between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week. Normally Publix wants a four-hour head start. Publix clerks shop the store to fill orders in specially marked carts. They use handheld computers to confirm with a bar code scan that they picked the right items.

• Drive to the Citrus Park Publix at 7835 Gunn Highway in Northwest Hillsborough County where three parking spaces are reserved for curbside pickup and summon the clerk on the intercom.

• At curbside one clerk accepts coupons and takes payments while a second loads the vehicle. Payment by PIN debit card requires a trip inside unless it can be processed as a credit card.

Publix plans to expand the test to more stores if it connects with enough customers.

Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.

By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Fresh Market, the Greensboro, N.C.,-based gourmet grocery chain, has started hiring about 90 people to run what will be its third Tampa Bay location. The new store at 2900 Fourth St. N in St. Petersburg is scheduled to open Oct. 13. Applicants for jobs ranging from meat cutter and baker to assistant department managers can apply at www.thefreshmarket.com/careers for invitations to interview at a Sept. 14 job fair in a local hotel.

By Jeff Harrington, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Citizens Property Insurance made its pitch at a public hearing in Tallahassee on Tuesday to raise homeowners rates an average of 6 percent to 11 percent, depending on the line of business.

The state-run carrier, the largest property insurer in Florida with about 1.2 million policies, writes policies for those who cannot find coverage in the open market.

Despite the lack of extensive hurricane damage in recent years, Citizens maintains its premiums are still playing catch-up to its costs and that it is facing bigger payouts for non-hurricane damage and sinkhole claims.

Those unable to attend Tuesday's hearing are urged to send comments to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation at ratehearings@floir.com. The e-mail subject line should include "Citizens" and the words "rate hearings".

At issue are a half-dozen separate Citizens' filings in August and early September, including those covering homeowners, mobile homeowners, and high-risk accounts for both homes and mobile homes. State regulators have 45 days after the date of each filing to make a ruling, so the initial decisions are expected by late September.

By Troy Wolverton, San Jose Mercury News
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Who knew that electric cars could be fun to drive and practical at the same time? Those were my impressions recently after test-driving the all-electric Nissan Leaf and the plug-in Chevrolet Volt, two new cars that will reach showroom floors later this year.

The Leaf

• Zippy and feels spacious and fun.

• All-electric, which means you never have to worry about burning gasoline or having to deal with the maintenance issues of a combustion engine, such as changing the oil or replacing the spark plugs or timing belts.

• A range of only 100 miles — less if you drive fast or run the heater or air conditioner.

• Recharging it is not easy: eight hours to 20 hours for the batteries to recharge. This can be much quicker — as little as 30 minutes or so to get an 80 percent charge — at one of the relatively few fast-charging stations.

• Leaf is small. The Leaf is about the same as a Honda Fit. It's a four-door with a small, vertical storage area behind the back seat. That kind of vehicle is great if you're single and without kids, but it's too small to meet the needs of many drivers.

The Volt

• It feels like a standard family car updated for the 21st century with high-tech features you can control through a smart phone.

• Considered an extended-range electric vehicle. It has a gasoline engine that kicks in after you drain its batteries.

• Greater range than the Leaf and requires much less time to recharge — as little as three hours with a high-power outlet.

• Volt's electric battery will power the car for only the first 40 miles, requiring many drivers to buy and burn gasoline.

• On longer trips, the benefit of the electric engine will be largely negated because the car will be using the gas engine most of the time.

• Neither Chevrolet nor the Environmental Protection Agency has said yet what kind of mileage owners should expect from Volt's gasoline engine.

• Expect many of the same maintenance schedules and costs that come with a regular gas-powered car.

• Whereas few people could depend on the Leaf as their only car because of its limited range, the Volt could easily be a primary vehicle, thanks to its backup engine.

• The car is also fully integrated with GM's OnStar system. The company is developing a smart-phone application tied into OnStar that will allow users to remotely start and lock the Volt, schedule recharging times and check things like oil and tire pressure.

Washington Post
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

iStockphoto.com

Feeling overwhelmed, overworked, overloaded and stressed is all too common nowadays. The problem is that these feelings are actually compromising our effectiveness, productivity and efficiency. We get things done but at a cost to both the quality and quantity of work we produce, and at a cost to our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. There are some things you can do to help restore balance in your life. Here are a few places to start. Joyce E.A. Russell, Special to the Washington Post

SET GOALS

Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, also wrote a book called First Things First. In this book, he points out that you need to set goals for yourself first based on what is most important to you. For example, if your family is on top on your list and you want to make sure you have time for several vacations with family members next year, then block those times first on your calendar and keep those times sacred.

Similarly, if being physically fit is important to you, then schedule time for your exercise plan. I know many busy executives who work out several mornings a week (no matter how early it is) to make sure this doesn't get bumped off of their calendar for the day.

MANAGE THE CLUTTER

We all have clutter — at our homes, our offices, in our closets. Having clutter around us can make us feel like we are never progressing in completing our "in box" since it looks like none of the piles ever goes down.

Schedule some time to eliminate some of the clutter in your life. Being in a clean, clutter-free zone will give you some sense of peace that you have control over at least part of your environment. And try to keep it clean — that is, don't let newspapers, magazines, letters and more accumulate.

DISCONNECT

Give yourself some time each day and each week when you disconnect from the demands of work. Quit checking your e-mail and turn off your BlackBerry or iPhone for a while.

Researchers tell us that a vacation with constant connections back to work does not serve as a restful break, and we come back to work even more stressed.

SAY NO

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your own future health and well-being is to say no to demands placed upon you. Remember, when you say no, you're turning down a request, not a person.

ASK FOR HELP

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't suffer in silence. Often, your co-workers, family members and friends would be happy to help if they only knew that you needed it. Ask for their help before it gets to the point at which you have a meltdown.

Dr. Joyce E.A. Russell is the director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. She is a licensed industrial and organizational psychologist.

By Liz Reyer, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

iStockphoto.com

Q: I work with someone who is a bit of a hothead. She blows up easily, and even though she gets over it and apologizes quickly, the damage is done to my day. How can I handle this?

A: Distance yourself when possible, and, in a quiet moment, let her know the effects of her temper.

It's hard to deal with a different style of anger. Some people are slow to anger, but once pushed, it's a significant issue. Thus, they may take others' anger very seriously. Others flare easily, but it quickly dissipates and isn't serious, even to them. Taking time to understand each of your styles may help. I'm not saying that her outbursts are acceptable; it's all about helping you cope using the aspects you control.

So, what damages your day? Perhaps you get nervous and your adrenaline rushes. Or you keep thinking about it, breaking your concentration. Make a factual list of your responses. Then, item by item, plan a way to deal with them. For example, if you're unnerved, take deep breaths to get regrounded. If you replay the scene, consciously choose to focus on the task at hand.

Take a broader look, too. Is this an issue for others in your area, or just a personality clash between the two of you? If it's widespread, it may be easier to deal with, reminding yourself that it isn't personal.

Let her know the effects of her behavior so she can try to change. "It's just the way I am" doesn't cut it if she's creating emotional mayhem.

Before talking with her, know what you want to say and the outcomes you want to achieve. Anticipate reactions she might have, and consider how you'll reply. Take care to use "I" statements that define the situation, your reactions and the outcomes rather than accusatory-sounding words.

For example, "When you raise your voice, I get upset and then I have a hard time concentrating for the next few hours." She really may not know it affects you, so this may be enough to make a difference. Also, she may have certain triggers that you unwittingly set off; if she shares these, you may be able to make changes that help the situation.

On the other hand, she may see this as your problem alone. If so, you need to determine whether it's significant enough to bring to management's attention. In this case, be prepared with specifics.

Getting yelled at isn't in the job description. Let your colleague know the effects, but build your inner resources in case she doesn't change.

Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of experience. Reyer Coaching & Consulting offers services for organizations of all sizes.

By Ivan Penn, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

How do I go about picking a charity, if I want to make a donation?

While we often talk about how to avoid getting scammed during charitable giving, this is an important question.

The Charities Aid Foundation America offers these tips for identifying a charity for a donation:

• Focus on a charity that makes sense for you. Charities have an obligation to provide detailed information to interested donors. Never give to a charity you know nothing about.

• Do your homework and donate safely. There is no substitute for due diligence when it comes to charitable giving. Ask the charity about its achievements, what has failed, and how it is financed. Many charities provide some of this information online or you can e-mail them. If they are being transparent they will tell you.

• Focus on sustainability – not "one shot" giving. If you are considering a larger donation, it's important to think about what happens after your money is spent by a charity. Do the services offered decline? Do programs get dismantled?

For these and other tips as well as a searchable database on 1,500 nonprofits, visit the foundation's web site at: www.cafamerica.org/cafa/SearchModule/NpPublicProfileSearch.aspx.

By Marty Clear, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

RIVERVIEW — A lot of people who want to get in shape feel uncomfortable going to a gym. Those are some of the people Deb Peters hopes to reach.

Peters, who worked in area gyms for more than three years, opened DP Fitness and Wellness in July. Her focus is on one-on-one training in her clients' homes.

"A lot of people don't do anything at all," Peters said, "so if I can just get them up and moving, it can make a big change in their bodies."

In most cases, she said, clients don't need complicated or expensive equipment. They need motivation, guidance and encouragement. That's what she offers.

"There was one woman who said she couldn't do even one pushup," Peters said. "I told her if she could do one, she could do 10. She said, 'No way.' But I got her to try one, and what do you know? She did 10."

Peters also designs meal plans for her clients. She tailors the plans to each client's tastes, needs and fitness goals and posts them on a website that only Peters and the client can see. The client can suggest changes, and Peters can provide feedback.

Before starting, Peters meets with prospective clients to determine fitness goals and nutritional needs.

She said she accepts clients at all fitness levels, from people with sedentary lifestyles to active people who want to get more toned. She also hopes to offer exercise classes at area companies that have fitness facilities.

Peters serves clients all over the Tampa Bay area. A onetime hourlong session costs $70. The more sessions a client buys, the lower the price.

For information, visit online at dpfitness.org or call (813) 731-8767.

Accessories shop is for mercurial fashionistas

RIVERVIEW — Lynn Wise ran a successful business out of a kiosk at the Westfield Brandon mall for years when she struck upon a natural way to expand.

She had been selling Miche Bags, purses that have dozens of interchangeable covers. The purses allow women to match their bags to their outfits without transferring all the contents.

One day, Wise said, she realized that if women liked customizable purses, they'd like all sorts of customizable accessories.

She opened Lady Chameleon Accessories Boutique, next to the Starbucks in the Winthrop Town Centre at Bloomingdale Avenue and Providence Road, in August.

"Everything we have is reversible or interchangeable," Wise said. "We have reversible jackets and jewelry and watchbands."

The prices are generally moderate, Wise said. But because virtually everything in the store does double duty, she said, everything is a bargain.

Lady Chameleon Accessories Boutique is open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday. For information visit ladychameleonllc.com or call (813) 421-3220.

If you know of something that should be Everybody's Business, please contact Marty Clear at mclear@tampabay.rr.com.

By Dolly Brosan, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Janet Jackson Beckerman

Real estate

Homes by WestBay has named Janet Jackson Beckerman, Kim Hodgskin and Debra J. Shoenfled to its sales team for the four communities where it will build. Beckerman will sell from the Garden District of FishHawk Ranch, and comes to WestBay from Taylor Woodrow's Tower Division, where she sold luxury condominiums in Clearwater. She also represented the eight builders at MiraBay, the private master-planned community in Hillsborough County's Southshore area, where WestBay is building. Beckerman is a Florida licensed real estate sales agent, and earned platinum and gold circle awards from the Sales and Marketing Council of the Tampa Bay Builders Association. Shoenfled will handle WestBay's sales at Watermark in Seven Oaks. Previously, she was with D.R. Horton Homes, and was a sales leader. Before that, she had sales positions with Ryland Homes and Centex. Hodgskin brings more than a decade of sales experience with builders and developers in the Tampa Bay area, and will be selling at Starling in FishHawk Ranch. Before joining Homes by WestBay, she was with Sabal Homes, Brandon, and before that, she was with Newland Communities at MiraBay.

By Kenneth R. Harney, Special to the Times
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Falling credit scores give rise to scams offering to fix problems

WASHINGTON — Recession-hammered home-owners' credit scores are on the decline across the country, say scoring industry experts, and that makes more consumers vulnerable to scams that purport to erase delinquencies, judgments, foreclosures and other problems from files at the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

What sort of scams? A Federal Trade Commission settlement in early September with a Florida "credit repair" company provides a fresh example. The FTC's complaint against Clean Credit Report Services Inc. of North Miami alleged that the firm promised clients it could boost their credit scores dramatically and quickly — even if the derogatory information in their files was accurate and current.

In national radio ads, plus Internet and TV pitches, Clean Credit said it could make records of "late payments, collection accounts, charge-offs, repossessions and bankruptcies" disappear from credit files, according to the FTC's complaint.

The firm used testimonials from people identified as clients. The FTC cited a testimonial from one woman who said that she needed a minimum 600 credit score to obtain a loan but had only a 480 when she contacted Clean Credit.

"I got into the CCRS club," the woman recounted in the testimonial, "and did what they told me to do. Two months later I got responses from Equifax that said a bunch of stuff was deleted. When I pulled my (credit) report online I realized that I had a 621. I couldn't believe this really works."

The FTC complaint said that Clean Credit went beyond mere promises of short-term "repair," but in telephone sales talks with prospective clients, the company held out the prospect of "permanently and legally" eliminating negative information in credit bureau files. The firm allegedly claimed that the target for clients was a 650 to 700 FICO score at the end of the file-scrubbing process.

Customers were charged up-front fees averaging $400, said the FTC, but once customers paid the money, the company did "little, if anything, to fulfill the promises made" about boosting scores and purging negative files. Clean Credit's disgruntled customers filed complaints with state and local authorities, and the FTC — which oversees the Credit Repair Organizations Act — then took on the case.

Under that law, companies and individuals who claim to be able to fix consumers' credit files are prohibited from making "untrue statements" about what they can achieve, and may not charge or collect money in advance of rendering their services.

Credit repair services are frequently pitched to homeowners. According to both Fair Isaac Inc., whose FICO score is widely used in the mortgage industry, and VantageScore, a joint venture among the three national credit bureaus, scores have sagged in recent years because millions of consumers have fallen behind on credit cards, mortgages and other debts.

Lower scores, in turn, are preventing many homeowners from qualifying for new or refinanced mortgages under toughened underwriting standards imposed by lenders and investors such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In the FTC settlement, Clean Credit and its officers agreed to forfeit substantial assets, including a $165,000 bank account balance, six commercial and three residential real estate properties in South Florida, another commercial property in Bogota, Colombia, along with a 1992 Mercedes S300. The proceeds from the sales of these and other assets are expected to be deposited by the FTC into a special restitution fund for Clean Credit clients. The agreement also requires the firm and its principals to pay $14.4 million for restitution should the financial statements they submitted for settlement purposes prove to be inaccurate.

Robin Rock, an FTC attorney in Atlanta, said the $14.4 million represents an estimate of what consumers were charged for credit repair services they never received. An attorney representing Clean Credit, Andres Montejo of Miami, declined to comment on the allegations in the FTC complaint or the settlement terms.

The takeaway here for anyone with depressed credit scores who nonetheless is seeking a mortgage: Don't believe claims of credit repair operators who say they can boost your scores overnight and keep them that way permanently. They can't. If the derogatory information in your files is accurate and current, the only way to boost your scores is to reverse your credit behavior and make responsible use of your credit accounts over time.

Finally, never pay up front. Not only are demands for advance fees for credit repair red flags, they're a violation of federal law.

Ken Harney can be reached at kenharney@earthlink.net.

By Jeff Harrington, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

After improving most of the year, home values were flat in July, according to a report being released Thursday by housing tracker Zillow. Homes nationally depreciated by 0.2 percent between June and July and were down 3.2 percent over the year.

"Considering home sales fell 27 percent between June and July, sideways really doesn't seem that bad," Zillow chief economist Stan Humphries said.

The Tampa Bay area fared slightly better than the national average, with home values up 0.2 percent from June to July, Zillow said. The improvement was due mainly to continued stronger sales prices in Clearwater, with values up 0.7 percent for the month and 2 percent for the quarter.

One sign that a high level of distress sales continued to keep prices in check: Nearly 46 percent of homes sold for a loss in July.

Times staff
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

About 110 Florida newspaper advertising and retail marketing executives gather Thursday at the TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach for the annual Florida Newspaper Advertising and Marketing Executives Association conference. Speakers include top media buyers and executives from such marketers as Beall's, Best Buy, Dillard's, Macy's, SunTrust, Target and Visit Florida. Hosted by the St. Petersburg Times, the conference theme focuses on newspaper companies "bouncing back" as marketing vehicles.

Times staff
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

After countering an impending eviction for unpaid rent with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, Restaurant BT plans to close at Old Hyde Park Village in Tampa by the end of the month. Chef and owner B.T. Nguyen-Batley is downsizing from a large 200-seat room to a 16-table location at 2507 S MacDill Ave. that once housed Rita Carlino's Cafe and Catering. "This will be completely different," said Nguyen-Batley, "New menu, new design, new philosophy." But it will still reflect the classic French-Vietnamese cuisine she dished up at BT for 23 years. After her business plummeted during the recession, she feuded with landlord Vornado Realty Trust over her wish to move to a smaller storefront.

By Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

You'd think the Gilded Age and industrial revolution era of 100-plus years ago — which spawned super-wealthy names like Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Mellon, Carnegie and Morgan — would stand tall as the time when an elite group of the rich controlled a huge portion of the nation's income.

Their vast holdings proved so alarming that they prompted the start of the nation's modern income tax.

Back then the richest 1 percent controlled about 18 percent of the nation's income. Today, the richest 1 percent account for 24 percent.

What's causing America's growing income inequality?

That question is generating a lot of buzz and outrage in political and business circles for multiple reasons:

• President Barack Obama insisting this week that the Bush tax cuts not be extended for the wealthy.

• November elections coming up fast and generating plenty of populist talk, especially about the "middle class" being under financial attack.

• Compensation on Wall Street and corporate suites remaining stratospheric even after so-called financial reform legislation.

• High unemployment, the lack of rebound in quality jobs, the rise of low-paying work and more people taking two jobs to make ends meet.

One big contributor to the income inequality furor is the multiweek series called "The Great Divergence" by Timothy Noah under way in the online magazine Slate. It tries to explain how income inequality has gotten worse, not better.

Truth is, we let "executive compensation packages" — often composed of salary, stock options, big bonuses for performance, golden parachutes and plush retirement plans, along with perks like housing subsidies, cars, memberships to gyms and country clubs, free health coverage, tax advice services and "true-ups" to cover taxes, secretarial services for life, home security systems and travel on corporate jets — get grotesquely out of hand. They still are.

Meanwhile, the middle class got rudely introduced to such life-changing trends as outsourcing, permanent downsizing, pay cuts and this unusually severe recession.

How unbalanced has the nation's income growth been? From 1979 to 2007, nearly 40 percent of all income growth accrued to the upper 1 percent. That's more than the 36.3 percent share received by the entire bottom 90 percent of the population, says the Economic Policy Institute.

These trends won't change any time soon. The five fastest-growing jobs in America between May 2006 and May 2009 were mostly low-wage work. They include: food preparation and serving (paying $8.28 an hour); home health aide ($9.85 an hour); warehouse stock clerk ($10.08 an hour); medical assistant $13.77 an hour); and registered nurse ($30.65 an hour).

That RN wage, by the way, is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but nurses will mock me in e-mails when they read this inflated wage.

The prolonged recession may take a heavy toll on young people entering the work force who find their career choices taking ugly turns to contract or part-time work or, if a bit more lucky, full-time jobs that pay less than expected and lack benefits.

That's what can happen when so few are enjoying so much of the nation's paycheck. Let's reward great ideas and superior work. But how did we get so carried away?

Robert Trigaux can be reached at trigaux@sptimes.com.

By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wonder where those visitors to Florida's west coast went during the oil spill summer?

New hotel business statistics back up what local tourism officials have been hearing on the grapevine: many detoured to beach destinations on the east coast of Florida and nearby states.

Hotel occupancy in July was down or flat from a year earlier in four of five Florida west coast destinations, reported Smith Travel Research of Hendersonville, Tenn., which tracks lodging performance. Eight markets on Florida's east coast were all up, most by double-digit percentages.

"It was the first month where we saw such an increase in tourism on that coast … where it was so east-coast lopsided,'' said David Downing, deputy director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

St. Petersburg and Clearwater fared better than other Gulf Coast destinations in the Smith Travel survey for July, with hotel occupancy increasing 2.1 percent from a year earlier. But all of Pinellas didn't do so well, said a consultant hired by the county to track tourism.

Nearly 556,000 overnight visitors came to Pinellas in July, down 16,600, or 2.9 percent, from a year earlier, reported Research Data Services.

For the year through July, the county had nearly 3.4 million overnight visitors, an increase of 13,000, or 0.4 percent, from 2009.

Pinellas tourism officials used $1.1 million from BP this summer for ads to attract Floridians, who knew most of the state's west coast was oil-free. It worked: One-third of all domestic visitors in July came from the Sunshine State, the highest percentage in three years.

Many out-of-state and foreign visitors didn't know or just didn't want to take the chance. Tourism officials in places such as Daytona Beach and Hilton Head Island, S.C., didn't survey their bumper crop of visitors, but could tell many were first-timers steering clear of the oil spill.

"You'd see license plates and talk to people from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas — which are less of our traditional markets,'' Charlie Clark, spokeswoman for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, said.

Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3384.

By Jeff Harrington, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Seven Tampa Bay area banks are viewed as "troubled" and most vulnerable to failing based on a new analysis from BauerFinancial.

The Coral Gables financial firm rates banks every quarter on a five-star system that looks at loan losses and assets, among other financial criteria.

Receiving zero out of five-stars were: Cortez Community Bank in Brooksville; First Commercial Bank of Tampa Bay in Tampa; Old Harbor Bank; Progress Bank of Florida in Tampa; Southern Commerce Bank in Tampa; Southshore Community Bank in Apollo Beach; and Superior Bank in Tampa.

Superior Bank was the only new zero-star on the list.

All told, 43 banks Florida-based received zero stars, down from 51 last quarter. However, the list also cites eight other banks in the state that have failed and had their assets assumed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

So far this year, 22 Florida banks have failed.

In a separate breakdown on Florida credit unions, Keys Federal Credit Union in Key West and Score Federal Credit Union in Tallahassee were the only ones to receive zero stars.

By Shary Lyssy Marshall, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Now, perhaps more than ever, people need good advice about managing their money.

And the Hernando County United Way and the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service want to help. They are collaborating to promote financial literacy through a workshop series called the Master Money Mentor program.

The program will train mentors to help people figure out where their money goes, create and maintain a spending budget, and plan for future goals.

Partnering for this program made perfect sense, said Kathy Jones, executive director for the United Way of Hernando County, noting the United Way's core mission is to promote health, education and financial stability.

She sees far-reaching benefits of the mentoring program.

"People who are struggling with their personal finances can be very overwhelmed," Jones said. "Having a mentor can make a huge difference."

The Master Money Mentor program, being rolled out across Florida, was modeled after a similar program in Ohio, said county extension agent Scott Taylor.

Once mentors are trained, Taylor will match them with those seeking free one-on-one financial coaching and support.

Taylor has been conducting personal finance sessions for several years. He recommends what he calls the Ziploc bag challenge, in which receipts from each purchase are collected within a baggie for a two-week period.

"At the end of two weeks, you sit down and look at your receipts to see where the money goes," Taylor said. "Many people can't even remember where they spent it."

The exercise is simple but eye opening for most people, he said. And it paves the way for another personal finance challenge: communication.

"Talking about money is one of the most difficult things for people to do," Taylor said.

Shary Lyssy Marshall can be reached at slmarshall.sptimes@gmail.com.