New National Guide for Donors Recognizes CCCS of Greater Atlanta as Foreclosure Prevention Leader

/PRNewswire/ -- In a newly-released national guide that identifies nonprofit organizations making the greatest difference helping people suffering in the current economic crisis, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Atlanta has been cited as a nationally recognized leader in effective housing counseling.

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania recently published the guide, called "High Impact Philanthropy in the Downturn." The guide targets nonprofits that are preventing foreclosures, sustaining primary and preventive health programs and ensuring access to food. It provides descriptions of high-impact models for donors to fund, "cost per impact" estimates for each philanthropic opportunity, tips on finding and assessing local agencies and contact information for leading nonprofits.

CCCS of Greater Atlanta was cited as a "Model in Practice" for effective foreclosure prevention counseling in the investment guide. The guide says the nonprofit agency's low "cost per impact" is a major reason it is a model in foreclosure prevention counseling.

"The purpose of the guide was to identify where philanthropic capital could make a meaningful difference addressing the suffering caused by the current economic downturn," explained Katherina Rosqueta, executive director, Center for High Impact Philanthropy. "For donors focused on maximizing the social impact of their gifts, CCCS of Greater Atlanta's work represents great bang for the philanthropic buck."

In recognizing the Atlanta-based nonprofit, the guide says: "We estimate that it costs CCCS of Atlanta approximately $300 to keep one client in his or her home and avoid foreclosure activity for a year. By comparison, industry wide, the cost ranges from $500 to $3,800, based on the complexity of the issue."

The guide attributes several factors to CCCS of Greater Atlanta's strong "cost-per-impact" profile, such as its 45 years of experience working with people in financial distress; its strong commitment to data-driven decisions and investments in data management systems and its strong, professional culture that is reflected in its working relationships with mortgage servicers.

Suzanne Boas, president of CCCS of Greater Atlanta, said the agency is honored to be recognized by The Center for High Impact Philanthropy and hopes more homeowners will contact the agency to receive help to avoid foreclosure.

"We hope homeowners falling behind on their mortgage payments will not hesitate to call us to receive professional counseling at no cost," said Boas. "We realize that each and every homeowner is going through a difficult economic period and one of our housing counselors can help them understand all of their options, including how to avoid foreclosure."

In 2008, CCCS of Greater Atlanta answered more than 175,000 telephone calls from homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure and provided foreclosure prevention counseling to more than 73,000 homeowners. This year, the agency anticipates that it will be provide foreclosure prevention counseling to more than 90,000 homeowners across the nation.

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Comcast-NBC deal finds donors converging with administration

The proposed merger of Comcast and NBC Universal will be the first big test of the Obama administration's stance on the hot-button issue of media consolidation.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/70769-comcast-nbc-deal-finds-campaign-cash-converging-with-obamas-principles

By Kim Hart

Coca-Cola Commits to Climate-Friendly Refrigeration Through Engagement with Greenpeace

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Days before the United Nations summit on climate change begins in Copenhagen, The Coca-Cola Company and its bottling partners today announced that 100 percent of their new vending machines and coolers will be hydrofluorocarbon-free (HFC-free) by 2015. Coca-Cola is committing to use its scale to aggregate demand and encourage supply as a means of accelerating the transition to HFC-free refrigeration equipment. This announcement is a direct result of work with Greenpeace that began in 2000, and a demonstration that phasing out the use of HFCs is a tangible and near-term action corporations can take to protect the climate.

The transition to HFC-free refrigeration will reduce the equipment’s direct greenhouse gas emissions by 99 percent. A recent peer-reviewed report by top scientists shows that HFCs will be responsible for between 28 percent and 45 percent of carbon-equivalent emissions by 2050 if society reduces carbon dioxide while leaving HFCs unchecked. Eliminating HFCs in the commercial refrigeration industry would be equivalent to eliminating the annual greenhouse gas emissions of Germany or Japan.

“Climate change is real and the time to act on solutions is now,” said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Greenpeace has played a critical role in raising our awareness about the need for natural refrigeration. Our announcement today demonstrates a commitment to use our influence in the marketplace to drive innovation and help shape a low-carbon future.”

This step by Coca-Cola will help accelerate a market shift in commercial refrigeration away from HFCs. The Coca-Cola Company has invested more than $50 million in research and development to advance the use of climate-friendly cooling technologies. In 2010, The Coca-Cola Company and its bottling partners will purchase a minimum of 150,000 units of HFC-free equipment, effectively doubling the current rate of purchase to enable alignment with an interim goal to purchase 50 percent of all new coolers and vending machines without HFCs by 2012.

The Company and its bottling partners have approximately 10 million coolers and vending machines in place today around the world, comprising the largest element of the Coca-Cola system’s total climate impact. As a result of the commitment to eliminate the use of HFCs in this equipment, carbon emission reductions will exceed 52.5 million metric tons over the life of the equipment – the equivalent of taking more than 11 million cars off the road for one year.

“We welcome Coca-Cola’s commitment to help tackle climate change; large enterprises have both an opportunity and responsibility to change the game and Coca-Cola’s action leaves no excuse for other companies not to follow,” said Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director, Greenpeace International.

Coca-Cola currently utilizes two HFC-free solutions. Hydrocarbon refrigeration is used in smaller refrigeration equipment and carbon dioxide (CO2) is used in larger equipment. CO2 is a safe, reliable and energy efficient alternative with positive characteristics as a refrigerant. It does not deplete the ozone layer and it is 1,430 times less damaging to the climate than a typical HFC.

Already, as a direct result of Coca-Cola’s supply chain engagement, a major supplier has communicated its intention to build a dedicated CO2 compressor production facility, helping to meet the growing demand for HFC-free refrigeration options throughout the industry.

“Addressing climate change requires leadership and collaboration,” said Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Just days away from the negotiations in Copenhagen, this announcement by Coca-Cola and Greenpeace demonstrates that investments in low-carbon technologies can make business sense.”

This announcement is a direct result of discussions with Greenpeace that began in the run-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Greenpeace challenged Coca-Cola to go HFC-free in all of the equipment it supplied to the Games. By the Torino Games in 2006 and the Beijing Games in 2008, the Company was using all HFC-free technology at Olympic venues. For the past five years, the relationship between Greenpeace and Coca-Cola has become increasingly cooperative as both sought a cost-effective alternative to HFCs.

“At Coca-Cola, we are deploying our scale and working with suppliers to deliver cost effective alternatives to HFC, for us and for others,” said Rick Frazier, Vice President, Supply Chain, The Coca-Cola Company.

“Greenpeace increasingly works with businesses to make fundamental manufacturing and sourcing changes by connecting regulation, economies of scale and supply chain security,” said Amy Larkin, Director of Greenpeace Solutions. “Coca-Cola’s commitment today runs ahead of regulation and takes some fear out of rapid change.”

Coolers and vending machines impact the climate in three ways: through direct energy use (operating the machine), through chemicals used in the machine's insulation foam, and by leakage or improper end-of-life disposal of the refrigerant gas used in the cooling system. In addition to its refrigerant gas commitment, Coca-Cola developed a proprietary energy management system (EMS) that delivers energy savings of up to 35 percent and has placed over 1.7 million of these units around the world. In 2006, the Company completed the transition to HFC-free insulation foam for all new purchases of refrigeration equipment. Together, HFC-free insulation and HFC-free refrigerant will generate 99 percent fewer direct greenhouse emissions than traditional equipment.

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Old Time Pottery to Hold Liquidation Sale in 8 Store Locations

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Old Time Pottery, a leading home decorations discount retailer, will conduct a liquidation sale in eight of its store locations as part of the Company’s strategic reorganization plan, following its bankruptcy filing in August 2009. The sale, which is just in time for the holiday season, will begin on December 3, 2009 and will be managed by Hudson Capital Partners, LLC. Old Time Pottery’s additional 29 locations will remain opened and will continue to operate as usual.

In a sale that is expected to last around 8 weeks, inventory valued at approximately $15.5 million will be completely liquidated at below-market prices. Customers can expect to find a wide range of housewares, including glassware, dinnerware, framed art, linens, rugs and craft supplies, seasonal decorations, mirrors, wall décor, lamps, candles, silk plants and other home accents. The liquidation sale will take place at eight Old Time Pottery stores located in Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina.

“For nearly 25 years, consumers continue to look to Old Time Pottery for its exceptional selection of discounted home accessories and decorations,” said Jim Schaye, president and CEO of Hudson Capital Partners. “We are anticipating the merchandise to move quickly, as the sale offers consumers an excellent opportunity to buy great holiday gifts at discounts on already great prices.”

Old Time Pottery Store Locations to Hold Liquidation Sale:

3682 Ridgeway Road Memphis TN
3625 Sweetwater Road Duluth GA
7400 Douglas Blvd Douglasville GA
3601 S Elm Place Broken Arrow OK
10785 Lincoln Dr Fairview Heights IL
5880 E State St Rockford IL
651 Lyons Rd Dayton OH
3700 S. Holden Rd Greensboro NC

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Peanut Industry Weathers Storms as Consumers Return to the All-American Staple

/PRNewswire/ -- According to U.S. Department of Agriculture's November crop report, U.S. peanut farmers continue to face challenges as persistent rains and flooding throughout the Southeast have made this year's harvest a challenging one. With rain accumulations in the majority of these regions totaling 200 percent of normal or more, harvest in 3 of the 4 largest peanut-producing states has been delayed and crop forecasts are down 30 percent from last year. But despite the wet field conditions, America's peanut farmers and their families have something to be thankful for this holiday season as retail data shows a dramatic increase in peanut butter sales as consumers move past January's product recall.

In January, farmers watched recalled peanut products being pulled from shelves while unaffected peanut products, such as peanut butter, sat unpurchased. Through the National Peanut Board's (NPB) integrated marketing campaign - incorporating public relations, advertising and special events - farmers were front and center before the consumers who buy their products to allay concerns and remind consumers of the great taste of peanuts and peanut butter and its role in a healthy diet.

"We were brokenhearted to see a crop we raised and relied upon for our family's success involved in such a large food recall due to negligence of one food manufacturer," said Roger Neitsch, a Texas peanut farmer and Chairman of the NPB. "Although we weren't responsible for the manufacturing problem, we knew we had to do something."

Their efforts are achieving dramatic results; peanut butter sales continue to recover from a devastating 19.42 percent drop in volume during the January recall to positive volume growth for peanut butter in all outlets as early as March 2009. Back-to-school season in August was an important test of confidence for the American consumer and data showed an 18.6 percent increase in volume over the same period in 2008.

"Peanut farmers are passionate about what they do and the food they grow," said Raffaela Marie Fenn, NPB's president and managing director. "When the research pointed to a high degree of confusion and misperception among consumers, our farmers jumped at the opportunity to speak directly with consumers to ease their concerns."

With increases in peanut butter volume sales recorded every month since March the efforts of the industry have paid off and are proving to be a sunny spot in an otherwise rainy harvest season. Before October, many peanut producers were expecting an especially productive harvest but uncommon and heavy rains have proven to be the next challenge to hit America's peanut farmers.

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AirTran Airways Agents Reject Representation by International Association of Machinists

/PRNewswire/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI) , today announced that its customer service, ramp and Reservations agents have rejected representation by the International Association of Machinists (IAM).

The National Mediation Board (NMB) notified AirTran Airways today that they have dismissed the IAM's petition for a representation election because the group failed to garner the required 35 percent of eligible agents to sign representation cards requesting an election. The Board cited an "insufficient showing of interest" in its dismissal notification to both parties.

This is the fifth time since 1998 that this work group has elected to forgo representation. The company has ramp and customer service agents located in airports around the country while the Reservations agents are located in three cities -- Atlanta, Carrollton, and Savannah, Ga.

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TIO Networks to Launch Self-Service Bill Payment Program in Georgia

(BUSINESS WIRE)--TIO Networks Corp., (TSX.V:TNC), North America’s leading multi-channel expedited bill payment processor, and electric utility Georgia Power today announced the launch of a self-service automated bill payment program in select retail stores in metropolitan Atlanta. The self-service, cash-accepting automated kiosks will enable Georgia Power customers to make bill payments via TIO’s expedited bill payment processing system.

The kiosks are expected to be fully operational this winter. Using the touchscreen interface, customers will navigate through bill-pay applications in either English or Spanish, and insert cash directly into self-serve automated kiosks to securely complete transactions. All payments will be posted immediately to the customers’ account. The customers will have the option to either print or forward receipts to an email address of their choice. Users will pay a $2 convenience fee per transaction.

“We are thrilled to team up with Georgia Power in offering customers the convenience of real-time bill payment services,” said Hamed Shahbazi Chairman & CEO of TIO Networks Corp. “Our bill payment service has proven to be a hit with Utilites throughout the United States in providing their customers with last minute bill payment options to avoid late-fees and disruption of essential services.”

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US Airways Pilots Ask Department of Justice to Investigate US Airways/Delta Transaction

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) announced November 30 that it is seeking a full investigation on the impact of a proposed slot, gate and facility transaction between US Airways (LCC) and Delta Airlines at New York’s LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National airports. In a letter to Christine Varney, assistant attorney general of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, USAPA stated that this transaction may have serious antitrust concerns.

“We are extremely concerned about the market concentration that this transaction would create if it is allowed to be consummated,” said USAPA President Mike Cleary. “Those conditions raise the prospect of much higher fares and, if history repeats itself, a reduction in service to smaller communities. It also places a great burden on many of US Airways’ New York-based employees whose jobs will be eliminated and will cause financial harm to the New York City and tri-state economy. With all that is at stake, the transaction warrants a thorough review of the consequences of a deal that creates this level of market domination.”

The proposed transaction calls for the transfer of 125 pairs of New York’s LaGuardia Airport slots from US Airways to Delta Airlines and 42 pairs of Washington’s Reagan National Airport slots from Delta Airlines to US Airways. A pair of slots is both a takeoff and a landing right. In addition, US Airways proposes to transfer what USAPA believes to be LaGuardia Airport’s most coveted real estate and gates to Delta Airlines.

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Yancey Bros. Co. Acquires International(R) Truck Dealerships

/PRNewswire/ -- Yancey Bros. Co., announces the acquisition of the operating assets of All Star International® Trucks and D&M International Sales. The four locations operated by these two dealerships in southern Georgia - Albany, Blackshear, Tifton, and Valdosta - will continue day to day operations under the new name of Yancey Truck Centers, a newly created division of Yancey Bros. Co. Yancey Truck Centers will be focused on serving customers in the on-highway industry in Georgia.

As part of this acquisition, Yancey Bros. Co. has also finalized a Sales and Service Agreement with Navistar®, Inc., to be the authorized International dealer for the southwestern/south central Georgia territory, ensuring continuous service to customers in these trade areas.

"The addition of these two highly regarded dealerships combined with a new partnership between Yancey and Navistar, Inc., provides us with a tremendous opportunity," said Jim Stephenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yancey Bros. Co. "We are excited about working with a world-class manufacturer like Navistar. We also look forward to building on the relationships that All Star and D&M have developed, and providing additional products and services to our existing Yancey trucking and construction customers."

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U.S. Labor Department releases updated Employment Law Guide

/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of an updated version of its popular Employment Law Guide, an online publication that describes the major employment laws administered by the department. The Guide helps the public -- workers and employers -- understand many of the laws affecting the workplace. For instance, it helps small businesses develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies. It also benefits employees and employee representatives who need information about worker rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws.

"Fair and safe practices in the workplace are a top priority for the Department of Labor, and we want to make it simple for both employers and workers to understand the federal policies that protect them," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Our new Employment Law Guide provides updated and user-friendly information and guidance. We encourage everyone to use it."

Following a topical format and written in plain language, the Employment Law Guide is especially helpful for employers without a dedicated legal or human resources staff. The updated version addresses recent and important changes in employment laws, including the increase in the federal minimum wage and an expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act that grants qualified relatives of veterans leave to care for ill or injured uniformed service members or to fulfill obligations that arise when a relative is called to active duty in the military. The Guide also now includes a chapter on child labor regulations in the agriculture industry and one on the Defense Base Act, which provides workers' compensation benefits to civilian employees working outside the United States on U.S. military bases or under certain contracts with the U.S.

The Employment Law Guide is a companion to the department's FirstStep overview advisor, an online system that allows employers to quickly and easily determine which federal employment laws apply to them by answering a few simple questions about relevant variables. Each chapter in the Employment Law Guide corresponds to the laws addressed in the FirstStep advisor, outlining coverage under the law; its basic requirements; employee rights; recordkeeping, reporting, notice and poster requirements; penalties and sanctions for non-compliance; relation to state, local and other federal laws; and contact information for further assistance.

Together, the updated Employment Law Guide and FirstStep overview advisor offer employers the information they need to ensure safe and fair workplace policies and practices. Both are available at http://www.dol.gov/elaws or http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov/. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

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