Toyota doing damage control

In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can. More

Desert Sun adds reporter

The Desert Sun is expanding its coverage of the Coachella Valley's diverse business scene. More

Google expands its social circle

Google Inc. opened a new social hub in its e-mail service on Tuesday, leaving little doubt that the Internet search leader is girding for a face-off with Facebook. More

Greece rescue boosts stocks

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped back above 10,000 on hopes that a resolution was near for Greece's debt crisis. More

Chamber of Commerce spa tour tickets sold out

The Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce has sold out its tickets for an inaugural spa tour. More

Fresh & Easy to open more valley stores

Two more Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores are slated to open in the Coachella Valley in coming weeks. More

Firm recalls 437,000 Prius, other hybrids

Toyota says it is recalling about 437,000 Prius and other hybrid cars worldwide to fix brake problems — the latest in a string of embarrassing safety problems at the world's largest automaker. More

Small Business Snapshot: Adjustable Bed Mart

: Sales and service of state-of-the art adjustable beds and linens made especially for adjustable beds. More

HHS chief asks insurer to justify 39% rate increase

The Obama administration on Monday asked California's largest for-profit health insurer to justify plans to hike customers' premiums by as much as 39 percent, a move that could affect some 800,000 people. More

Monday morning quarterbacking for Super Bowl ads

As the Saints bested the Colts 31-17 in Sunday's Super Bowl, Betty White finished second to the Bud Light's beer-can house in the annual Super Bowl AdMeter. More Super Bowl coverage at mydesert.com/nfl More

• Saints defeat Colts in Super Bowl
• Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints top Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl
• Can the New Orleans Saints repeat?
• Sean Payton's gambles pay off with Saints win
• New Orleans Saints gamble their way to Super Bowl victory

Museum director Steven Nash motivated by art

Steven Nash still loves the smell of oil-based paints and turpentine, but he realized early on in life that he had no talent as an artist. More

Purple Palm takes bite out of prices

The Purple Palm Restaurant strived to be a destination for foodies when it opened at the Colony Palms Hotel. More

ESCADA going west to join high-enders in Shops on El Paseo

Fashion's moving forward along one Palm Desert retail corridor with an announcement last week that ESCADA is relocating to The Shops on El Paseo in 2012. More

Hotel Week in works for spring

A local online marketing company hopes to create a hotel week for the Coachella Valley that would promote discounted room rates during the shoulder season this spring. More

Ask SCORE: Experts can take guesswork out of small business technology

Nearly every small business relies in some way on computer technology. But it's not easy to keep up with the seemingly daily arrival of hardware, software, and Web application improvements, especially when you're trying to focus on growing your business. More

Valley bank, women's golf club find ways to give back

In this weekly feature, The Desert Sun spotlights valley firms and organizations performing good deeds. More

'Too big to fail' at core of economic apocalypse

It is populist fodder to stand on a soap box and say that Wall Street fat cats and bankers led the nation's economy to the edge of the abyss and grossly enriched themselves while doing it. More

Mother, daughter set out to warm homes with Caldi Caldi

Kelly Burt and her daughter Briana Burt DeAztlan opened Caldi Caldi, a fine home accessories store in Old Town La Quinta, at the end of November just as the cold air hit the valley. More

Valley business briefs for Sunday, Feb. 7

CALIFORNIA -- The California Travel Industry Association has endorsed a statewide initiative that would provide funding to state parks and wildlife conservation efforts. More

Your business, your news for Sunday, Feb. 7

Tom Gavigan of Palm Desert has been named district general agent for the San Diego district of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. More

Tribal alliance disputes revenue prediction

The California Tribal Business Alliance on Friday added firepower to its stance against the online poker initiative by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and California card rooms. More

Super Bowl ads go goofy again

Men march across a hillside without pants, toys joyride in Vegas and the miserly Mr. Burns from “The Simpsons” loses his fortune but finds happiness. It's a sign that people are feeling better — or at least want to feel better — about the economy, experts say. More

Facebook puts on a new face

Facebook is redesigning its site yet again, this time to better emphasize applications, games and search. More

Valley business briefs for Feb. 6

Salon celebrates expansion, MBA program outlined ... More

Small Business Snapshot: Leenie's Weenie's

The Desert Sun is taking snapshots of small businesses in the Coachella Valley. More

Get into 'GodMode' on your computer

Question: I heard you on your national radio show talking about Windows 7's GodMode. This sounds useful. Do you have more information about it? More

Free seminars feature estate planning help

A free seminar next week will provide the gay and lesbian community with information on financial and estate planning. More

Advertising seminar teaches copyright wrongs

A closer look at advertising mistakes will be taken at a luncheon Tuesday in Rancho Mirage. More

Prius not yet recalled

Toyota faced mounting pressure Thursday as the government opened a probe of brake problems with the Prius, a crown jewel of its lineup. The beleaguered automaker said it was “too soon” to decide whether to add the hybrid to the millions of cars it has recalled. More

• New car technology brings new worries

Small Business Snapshot: European Experience Day Spa

The Desert Sun is taking snapshots of small businesses in the Coachella Valley. More