March 24 at 11:19 a.m.
Filed under:
Pharmaceuticals
By Reuters
CHICAGO — It has been called a lot of things over the years: grass, Mary Jane, wacky weed. Now, researchers are suggesting a new moniker for marijuana: alternative investment.
A report out this week on the U.S. medical marijuana market estimates the unconventional business already generates $1.7 billion in economic activity a year. But that market could grow fivefold in short order, researchers say, as the list of states that legalize pot for treating a variety of illnesses grows and as more patients try it — and switch. Get the full story »
March 24 at 10:41 a.m.
Filed under:
Autos
By Reuters
Workers walk between newly-assembled Prius vehicles near Toyota's plant in central Japan, Feb. 9, 2010. (Reuters/Yuriko Nakao/Files)
Toyota said Thursday it would restart production of three hybrid models Monday after a massive earthquake this month disrupted output across the industry.
Production will resume for the Prius, Lexus HS250h and CT200h at the Tsutsumi factory in central Japan and Toyota Motor Kyushu in the south, spokeswoman Shiori Hashimoto said. Get the full story »
March 24 at 10:03 a.m.
Filed under:
Mortgages,
Real estate
By Associated Press
Fixed mortgage rates edged up this week, but even 30-year rates below 5 percent have done little to boost home sales. Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 4.81 percent from 4.76 percent the previous week. It hit a 40-year low of 4.17 percent in November. Get the full story »
By Reuters
Media veterans Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz sold their company Journalism Online that helps publishers charge for content to printing services firm R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. R.R. Donnelley did not disclose terms of the acquisition Thursday. Get the full story »
March 24 at 8:37 a.m.
Filed under:
Energy
By Associated Press
American Transmission Co. wants to build a $20 million power line from Pleasant Prairie and Zion, Ill. Get the full story »
March 24 at 8:12 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Packaged foods
By Tribune staff report
The maker of Laughing Cow cheese wedges, Bel Brands USA, is moving its corporate headquarters to downtown Chicago later this month from Elk Grove Village. About 80 workers will make the move to 30 S. Wacker Drive, where Bel Brands is leasing 27,000 square feet. Get the full story »
March 24 at 7:05 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
Napkins are shrinking at upscale and casual restaurants. (Bill Hogan/Tribune)
The dinner napkin today is a fraction of its former self.
The 30-inch square, which was considered suitable as lately as 25 years ago, is now likely to be 20 to 22 inches square in a restaurant, and 18 to 22 inches at home. In a reverse trend, lunch napkins, which used to stay a respectful step behind, at 14 to 20 inches, are getting larger — even on the best laps — so that you don’t have to own more than one set of napkins to get through the day. Get the full story »
March 24 at 6:21 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airports
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
The air traffic tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington. (Karen Bleier/Getty)
Federal air-safety officials are looking into why the lone air-traffic controller on duty at Washington’s Reagan National Airport early Wednesday repeatedly failed to respond to pilots of two approaching aircraft, forcing both jetliners to land without clearance.
Pilots of an American Airlines jet on final approach tried in vain to contact the tower. A few minutes later, a United Airlines jet, en route from Chicago, experienced the same problem, according to federal air-safety officials. Get the full story »
March 24 at 5:58 a.m.
Filed under:
Recalls
By Associated Press
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall Thursday of about 4.8 million box fans made by Pennsylvania-based Lasko Products Inc. The commission says an electrical failure in the fan’s motor can pose a fire hazard. Get the full story »
March 24 at 5:46 a.m.
Filed under:
Jobs/employment,
Labor
By CNN
After suffering through several years of dismal summer job markets, not only will there be more hourly positions this year, but they will pay better.
More than half of hiring managers, or 55 percent, said they plan to hire seasonal workers this summer, according to the survey released Thursday from hourly job site SnagAJob.com. That’s the highest percentage since SnagAJob started the survey four years ago. Get the full story »
March 23 at 6:05 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Media,
Personnel moves
By Phil Rosenthal
The investors in Sun-Times Media Holdings have elected Jeremy Halbreich successor to the late James Tyree as chairman.
March 23 at 6:01 p.m.
Filed under:
Law firms,
Litigation
By Ameet Sachdev
The federal court of appeals in Chicago took the unusual step of reprimanding a Chicago lawyer for unprofessional behavior and fined him $5,000.
The court cited Michael Greco, 47, for repeatedly missing deadlines and ignoring phone calls from court officials, in an opinion released Tuesday. Judge Frank Easterbrook, who wrote the opinion, described Greco’s conduct in harsh terms. Get the full story »
March 23 at 5:59 p.m.
Filed under:
Investing
From Bloomberg News | Exelon Corp. said today in a regulatory filing that it refinanced revolving credit lines with $6.4 billion of new loans.
March 23 at 5:55 p.m.
Filed under:
Pharmaceuticals
By Reuters
Abbott Laboratories has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by CVS Caremark Corp., Rite Aid Corp. and other retailers who accused it of unfairly boosting the price of HIV drugs, a company spokeswoman said. Get the full story »
