Apartment complexes and businesses would have to provide recycling for tenants, customers and employees under a law the Athens-Clarke Commission will vote on next month.
Mandatory recycling comes to apartment complexes
May 19th, 2012Posted in Information | No Comments »
Could Glass-Steagall Have Stopped JPMorgan Loss?
May 19th, 2012The banking giant's $2 billion loss has many lawmakers and economists wondering what happened to the 2010 financial overhaul, which was supposed to prevent risky hedging. Many are also looking back further — to a Depression-era law, repealed in 1999, that separated commercial and investment bank activities.
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Atlanta GA Business Law Attorney Fayetteville Commercial Collections Lawyer Georgia
May 17th, 2012www.isenberg-hewitt.com 770-351-4400 At Isenberg & Hewitt, PC in Atlanta, GA, Attorney Ryan Isenberg has 10 years of experience handling various business law matters dealing with both transactions and litigation.
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Conducts Bus Safety Inspection Sweeps in 13 States and the District of …
May 17th, 2012FMCSA 11-12
Thursday, May 17, 2012
WASHINGTON – This week the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state and local law enforcement partners are conducting safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The sweeps are part of FMCSA’s year-round effort to raise the bar for bus safety and protect bus passengers by taking unsafe operators off the road. Beginning May 11 and running through May 20, inspections are being held in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
“Safety is our highest priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Especially during the peak spring and summer travel seasons, we are working hard to remove any bus or driver that places passengers and other motorists at risk on the road.”
As part of the inspection process, law enforcement officers are thoroughly checking buses for any mechanical problem, such as brakes, lights and engine defects. Bus drivers are also inspected to ensure they are operating in full compliance with hours-of-service, medical fitness, commercial driver’s license and other federal safety rules.
“Rain or shine, at any given location, federal, state and local police are on the ground conducting bus safety inspections that ultimately help save lives,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Our goal is to make bus travel as safe as possible – every trip, every time.”
Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of bus inspections and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation’s estimated 4,000 commercial passenger bus companies. Roadside motorcoach inspections have increased nearly 100 percent, from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,705 in 2010, while compliance reviews are up 128 percent, from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010. By significantly increasing bus safety inspections, FMCSA placed 54 unsafe companies out of service in 2011 alone.
As part of FMCSA’s ongoing efforts to improve commercial bus safety, the agency recently unveiled SaferBus, a first-of-its-kind, multilingual app that gives bus riders a quick and free way to review a bus company’s safety record before buying a ticket or booking group travel. Designed for the Apple iPhone and iPad, the SaferBus app can be downloaded for free by visiting the Apple iTunes App Store or going to FMCSA’s “Look Before You Book” webpage at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/saferbus.
Before buying a bus ticket or booking a bus company, FMCSA also encourages consumers to review the Department of Transportation’s “Think Safety: Every Trip, Every Time” pre-trip safety checklist available online at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/pcs/Index.aspx. Consumers should report any unsafe bus company, vehicle or driver to the FMCSA through a toll-free hotline 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) or FMCSA’s National Consumer Complaint Database.
In addition, over the last two years DOT has taken action to reduce distracted driving by commercial truck and bus drivers. In January 2010, FMCSA banned texting by commercial drivers, and in November 2011, the agency prohibited commercial drivers from reaching for, holding or dialing a cell phone while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
To learn more about FMCSA’s robust passenger bus safety initiatives, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Today’s announcement is just one way the Department of Transportation is marking National Transportation Week. Over the next seven days, the Department is highlighting its commitment to ensuring the safety of America’s transportation systems this week and all 52 weeks of the year. Investment in our nation’s infrastructure is critical for maintaining and improving safety. Through TIGER grants, discretionary funds and other programs, DOT is working to enhance, expand and modernize American infrastructure, but Congress needs to act. A bipartisan long-term transportation bill is necessary to move our country into the future.
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Contact: Shashunga Clayton • Tel: 202-366-9999
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FMCSA, partners conduct bus inspections
May 17th, 2012The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state and local law enforcement partners are conducting safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The sweeps are part of FMCSA’s year-round effort to raise the bar for bus safety and protect bus passengers by taking unsafe operators off the road. Beginning May 11 and running through May 20, inspections are being held in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
As part of the inspection process, law enforcement officers are thoroughly checking buses for any mechanical problem, such as brakes, lights and engine defects. Bus drivers are also inspected to ensure they are operating in full compliance with hours-of-service, medical fitness, commercial driver’s license and other federal safety rules.
“Rain or shine, at any given location, federal, state and local police are on the ground conducting bus safety inspections that ultimately help save lives,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Our goal is to make bus travel as safe as possible — every trip, every time.”
Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of bus inspections and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation’s estimated 4,000 commercial passenger bus companies. Roadside motorcoach inspections have increased nearly 100%, from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,705 in 2010, while compliance reviews are up 128%t, from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010. By significantly increasing bus safety inspections, FMCSA placed 54 unsafe companies out of service in 2011 alone.
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EU says India, China violate carbon law
May 15th, 2012BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A total of 10 Chinese and Indian commercial airlines have broken EU law requiring them to offset their carbon emissions, while all other international carriers flying to or from Europe have complied, the European Union’s climate chief said on Tuesday.
The EU law demanding all airlines participate in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has prompted outcry and threats of a trade war.
But only eight Chinese and two Indian airlines have delivered on threats not to comply, while more than 1,200 airlines have met the EU’s requirements.
“We have given them (India and China) until mid-June to report back their data,” EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard told a news briefing.
The Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has the option of fining airlines that break its law, or even banning repeat offenders from flying to Europe, although this would be a last resort.
To reduce tension, the Commission has looked to the U.N.’s International Civil Aviation Administration (ICAO) to come up with a global approach to curbing emissions from airlines.
The body is expected to meet next month to review progress.
“We are using a lot of time and energy in trying to ensure a global solution through ICAO,” Hedegaard said. “Nobody would be happier than the EU if it could achieve (that).”
The Commission has said it only decided on its plan after more than a decade of talks at the ICAO failed to agree on a global scheme to combat rising carbon emissions. It has also said it would modify its law if ICAO can deliver a deal.
FINES FOR OFFENDERS
Penalties for breaking the EU law start at 100 euros ($130) per tonne of carbon airlines fail to pay for, while the cost of compliance is estimated at about 2 euros per passenger for a flight from Shanghai to Frankfurt.
Opponents of the law accuse the European Union of imposing an extra-territorial tax and say it sets a dangerous precedent.
More than 20 nations opposed to the scheme grouped together in a “coalition of the unwilling”. They last met in Moscow, when they agreed possible retaliatory measures and said they would meet again in Saudi Arabia, although a date has not been confirmed.
“You cannot enforce laws outside your sovereign area. Its implications are huge,” Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told Reuters last week.
“Now you are talking about aviation, tomorrow you will talk about shipping. ICAO is there, these things will have be done in a multilateral basis.”
The EU’s highest court, the EU Court of Justice, ruled in December last year that the law was valid and did not breach international treaties. It also agreed with the Commission that the ETS was a market-based mechanism, not a tax.
WEAK CARBON MARKET
The cost of carbon allowances on the EU ETS has fallen to record lows, pressured by oversupply following economic recession.
On Tuesday, carbon prices were trading at below 7 euros a tonne – far below levels needed to spur low carbon investment.
Hedegaard said in April that the Commission was reviewing its carbon auctioning timetable to try to reduce oversupply in the market.
She expected news on the review before the Commission breaks for its August recess, with a legal decision expected before the end of the year.
Changing the auctioning timetable to limit supply in the nearer term – or “backloading” – was a relatively quick solution, but other options under discussion, including setting aside allowances, could take longer.
“We should not expect backloading will do the whole trick. That’s a first step, which does not take a lot of time. The more structural things are a more complicated process,” Hedegaard said.
(Additional reporting by Anurag Kotoky in New Delhi; editing by Rex Merrifield)
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India, China airlines violate EU carbon law
May 15th, 2012BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A total of 10 Chinese and Indian commercial airlines have broken EU law requiring them to offset their carbon emissions, while all other international carriers flying to or from Europe have complied, the European Union’s climate chief said on Tuesday.
The EU law demanding all airlines participate in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has prompted outcry and threats of a trade war.
But only eight Chinese and two Indian airlines have delivered on threats not to comply, while more than 1,200 airlines have met the EU’s requirements.
“We have given them (India and China) until mid-June to report back their data,” EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard told a news briefing.
She did not identify the Indian and Chinese airlines that failed to meet a March 31 deadline to report their emissions.
The Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has the option of fining airlines that break its law, or even, as a last resort, banning repeat offenders from flying to Europe.
To reduce tension, the Commission has looked to the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Administration (ICAO) to come up with a global approach to curbing emissions from airlines.
The body is expected to meet next month to review progress.
“We are using a lot of time and energy in trying to ensure a global solution through ICAO,” Hedegaard said. “Nobody would be happier than the EU if it could achieve (that).”
The Commission has said it only decided on its plan after more than a decade of talks at the ICAO failed to agree on a global scheme to combat rising carbon emissions. It has also said it would modify its law if ICAO can deliver a deal.
FINES FOR OFFENDERS
Penalties for breaking the EU law start at 100 euros ($130) per tonne of carbon airlines fail to pay for, while the cost of compliance is estimated at about 2 euros per passenger for a flight from Shanghai to Frankfurt.
Opponents of the law accuse the European Union of imposing an extra-territorial tax and say it sets a dangerous precedent.
More than 20 nations opposed to the scheme grouped together in a “coalition of the unwilling”. They last met in Moscow in February, when they agreed possible retaliatory measures and said they would meet again in Saudi Arabia, although a date has not been confirmed.
“You cannot enforce laws outside your sovereign area. Its implications are huge,” Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told Reuters last week.
“Now you are talking about aviation, tomorrow you will talk about shipping. ICAO is there, these things will have be done in a multilateral basis.”
The EU’s highest court, the EU Court of Justice, ruled in December last year that the law was valid and did not breach international treaties. It also agreed with the Commission that the ETS was a market-based mechanism, not a tax.
(Additional reporting by Anurag Kotoky in New Delhi; editing by Rex Merrifield)
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CHIANG – SHIN YU.
May 13th, 2012CHIANG – SHIN YU. Beloved wife of late
Maining, loving mother of Kuo Pao, late Y.S. Koong, Kuo Fung and C.U.
Chang, Dr Kuo Pieng, Ching Hwa, late Kuo Win and of Kuo Sein & Lan
Cheng, loving grandmother of Chean Shan (Canada), Chi Shan, Chi Schwan
(USA) and Chi Shing (Singapore), Kristen, Terng Fu and Terng Shing (all
of Singapore), Tai Sean (UK), Aun Shan, Hwei Shan. Cortege leaves A.F.
Raymond’s Funeral Parlour at 3.45 p.m. on Sunday 13th May. Burial at
General Cemetery, Borella (Buddhist Section). 122800
DHARMARATNE – RITA CONCY - Beloved wife of late
Lloyd Alexander Dharmaratne, loving mother of Loretta, Trevor (Sharjah),
Yolande, Shyamalie and Ayesha, mother-in-law of Vasantha (Biwater), Shyamalie,
late Vianey, Savith (Dubai) and Shiral (Commercial Bank), expired. Cortege
leaves residence at 3.30 p.m. on 13th Sunday for Interment at St. Sebastians
Church, Moratuwa. Savistella, 4, Fraser Avenue, Moratuwa.
122675
GOONERATNE – MR. RUSSEL (retired Commissioner
General of Examinations). Much loved husband of Ranjani and loving father of
Padmin, Ravi and Sanjeeve, father-in-law of Champika, Janice and Shamila, passed
away peacefully on the 3rd of May and was cremated the same day at a private
funeral ceremony according to his last wishes. 0777351254 / 0777347126.
122176
NATHANIELSZ PRINCE ROHAN. Loving husband of
Suneetha Paominee, father of Dunil Roshan Nathanielsz, (Rickmers) Amil, Hashan
Nathanielsz (Ceyline), father-in-law of Waruni Prabhasha Rathnayaka, loving son
of late Freddie & Matilda Nathanielsz, brother of Jean, Felitia, Shadwell,
Dudley, Florence, Grace, Shervin, brother-in-law of Champa, Saman, Sudath,
Susantha, Chaminda passed away in Saudi Arabia. Funeral arrangement will be
notified later. Contact 0773105883, 0812212252, 0777172771 for details.
122085
PERERA – KUSUMA – Beloved wife of Mr M.B.S. Perera
(Retired Marketing Manager) & beloved mother of Sudharma (England), Kapila (Asia
Tea Packaging – Malabe), Athula (Lucky) – U.S.A., & beloved mother-in-law of Raj
(England), Chitra, Dayani (U.S.A.) & beloved grandmother of Manik, Alister,
Janu, Anishka, Malan, Chaya, Menaka, expired. Cremation will take place on 14th
May at 4.00 p.m. at Borella Kanatte. Remains will lie at Jayaratne Funeral
Parlour, Borella. 122291
RABIA RISHARD (Galle Fort) – Daughter of late Mr &
Mrs S.L.M. Haniffa, wife of late A.R.M. Rishard, beloved mother of Rizwan,
Rizani (U.S.A.), Rizly, mother-in-law of Ajward Ismail (U.S.A.), Niroza and
Zahara, sister of Sithy Haleema & Sithy Ayesha, expired. Janaza took place on
12th Saturday at Dehiwala Muslim Burial Ground from No. 52, Samudrasanna
Road, Mt.Lavinia. 122787
THEIVANAYAGI RATNASABAPATHY (THANGAM) – Formerly of
28, Marys Road, Colombo 4 – Beloved wife of late V. Ratnasabapathy
(Attorney-at-law & former Principal Sri Lanka Law College), loving mother of
late Ravikumar, Sumangali Suriar (UK), Siva Kumar (Australia) and Udayakumar,
mother-in-law of Suriar (UK) and Nilmini, much loved grandmother of Murali and
Dhakshi (UK) and of Kritaanjali and Shankarshana, daughter of the late Dr. &
Mrs. S Ramanathan of Mylani Chunnakam, daughter-in-law of late Mr and Mrs S.
Velupillai of Kopai, beloved sister of late Sithamparanathan, late Srinivasan,
late Yogambikai, late Nadesan and Rajarajeswari, sister-in-law of Parameswari
Sithamparanathan, late Maheswari Thambiraja, Parameswari Sivakumaran
(Australia), Buvaneswari (Australia) and Dr Sara V. Pavan (Australia), passed
away peacefully in the United Kingdom on 12th February 2012. Cremation took
place in Surrey, UK on 18th February 2012. Family extends its sincere thanks to
all the relatives and friends who attended the funeral, sent condolence messages
and helped in various ways. suma@suriar.com;
SKumar@ppg.com;
udaya17@sltnet.lk 122216
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Commercial transactions: Retail bulding on S. Tamiami Trail sold for investment
May 13th, 2012<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 6
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JSMM41 Center, LLC purchased a retail building with 56,955 square feet of rentable area at 14181 S. Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers, from HSBC Bank USA for $2,300,000. The site has 4.82 acres and fronts U.S. 41. The property was purchased for investment purposes. Chuck Smith, CCIM, and Carlos Acosta of Lee & Associates |Naples-Fort Myers represented the seller and Steve Wood of Colonial Square Realty of Fort Myers represented the buyer.
Rare Hospitality Management purchased 1.76 acres from Lee County Real Estate Holdings LLC for $1,195,000.00. The property will house a new Longhorn Steakhouse in University Plaza, at the southwest corner of Alico Road and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway in Fort Myers. John Mounce, principal with LandQwest Commercial, represented the buyer, Rare Hospitality Management (Longhorn Steakhouse). Tom Strauss and Matt Yaniglos, also with LandQwest Commercial, represented the seller.
Dr. Jeffrey Zimm purchased 4,100 square feet of medical office space at 6150 Diamond Center Court, Unit 900, Fort Myers, from John V. and Jacqueline S. ODonnell for $550,000. The space will be the future home and the fifth Southwest Florida location of All Saints Eye Center. The practice currently has two other locations in Fort Myers and two in Naples. Gary Tasman and Michael Ciccarello of Cushman and Wakefield, Commercial Property Southwest Florida LLC, negotiated the sale.
FPR LLC purchased a 4,050-square-foot industrial building at 1470 Rail Head Blvd. in Naples for $325,000 from Seagrape Ventures, LLC. Paul Kalka of Boback Commercial Group negotiated the transaction.
William Rosencrans purchased a 1,683-square-foot car wash at 1934 Del Prado Blvd. S., Cape Coral, for $250,000 from Fifth Third Bank. Paul Kalka of Boback Commercial Group negotiated the transaction.
Mattsal LLC purchased a 1,750-square-foot office condo at 1044 Castello Drive, Suites 210/211, in Naples, for $195,000 from RBC Bank USA. Theresa Blauch-Mitchell of Boback Commercial Group negotiated the transaction.
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Illinois law allows sale of home baked goods, jams, jellies at farmers markets
May 11th, 2012Though it opened three years ago, something has always been missing from the Melting Pot Market in Granite City.
“Jams, jellies, pies, cookies, breads,” rattled off Brenda Whitaker, the market master, as she excitedly explained new products able to be sold at the market, and farmers markets across the state, thanks to the Cottage Food Law that went into effect this year. The law allows non-potentially hazardous foods, like apple pie, dried oregano or peach preserves, to be produced in a home kitchen and sold at open-air farmers markets like the Melting Pot Market and Edwardsville’s Land of Goshen Community Market. Until this year, that was illegal in Illinois.
About five years ago, the state department of health clarified that it was illegal to sell home produced goods at farmers markets because home baking was not compliant with state standards for food safety and handling.
Crusty breads and fruit butters were removed from farmers markets, unless they were produced in a state-inspected commercial kitchen.
“We’ve had a number of people over the years that were not allowed to continue participating because of health department actions, people who have switched to health inspected kitchen who will probably switch back to cottage food,” said Sherry Chase, market master Goshen Community Market, which opens May 12.
The cost to build or rent a commercial kitchen is out of the question for cottage food producers, who are often home cooks looking to make a little extra cash or farmers trying to supplement their income during the off-season.
The Cottage Food Law makes it easier and cheaper to sell homemade foods at farmers markets. Cottage Food producers must register with their county health department, which costs $50, and pass a 15-hour food sanitation course, also at a cost. But that’s far cheaper than renting or building a commercial kitchen, which costs tens of thousands of dollars. The Cottage Food bill was drafted with the goal of creating scale-appropriate regulations to encourage entrepreneurship, said Wes King, policy coordinator for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a nonprofit organization that promotes local food systems and sustainability.
“Ideally we’d hope to see the baker who got a great recipe for a baked good testing it out and being so successful using the Cottage Food Law they will want to expand,” King said. “It creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs.”
For 222 Artisan Bakery in Edwardsville that was the case, said Chase.
“They started selling coffee at the market and that evolved into a storefront and bakery,” she said. “Cottage foods allow you to experiment and test products, talk to customers directly, and develop a business plan.”
Word of the law is slowly spreading in Madison County. Whitaker said 15 people have contacted her about becoming cottage food vendors. Some producers have expressed reservations, Chase said, because of a section on the Madison County Health Department’s registration application states the county can investigate a home kitchen “in the event of a consumer complain or food-borne illness outbreak.”
“They understand the law says the health department is required to inspect,” Chase said. “Their concern is about how much latitude is given to that inspection. It feels like an invasion of privacy.”
“We will not be inspecting the cottage food vendors. Only if it comes to our attention that someone is violating,” said Mary Cooper, Madison County Health Department environmental health services manager. She added that inspections could come in the form of random compliance checks at markets.
There are strict regulations on what cottage food producers can sell: jams, jellies and preserves; fruit butters; breads, cookies, cakes, pastries and high-acid fruit pies; and dried herbs and teas. Products with pumpkin, banana and dairy are among those prohibited for sale. Additionally, all cottage foods have to sport a label with several requirements including the statement “This product was produced in a home kitchen not subject to public health inspection that may also process common food allergens.”
The required food sanitation course covers everything from cross contamination to microbiology.
“This is the same class that the restaurants, schools, hospitals and delivery men in the state of Illinois have to take,” Cooper said. She said she thinks the class is comprehensive enough to ensure cottage food producers keep a sanitary environment and make safe food.
Contact reporter Sarah Baraba at 618-344-0264, ext. 133
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