Top business headlines from Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley http://www.mydesert.com en-us Copyright 2009, mydesert.com SaxoTech Online Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 00 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:31:16 00 15 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS01/911210356/1003/RSS02 The board that represents the tourism and hospitality business community is one vote away from an important milestone for the Palm Springs Desert Resort Communities Convention and Visitors Authority. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:13:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS01/911210356/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210360/1003/RSS02 Gloria Franz abandoned the corporate world three years ago to start her own financial planning business, Franz Wealth Management. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:53:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210360/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210359/1003/RSS02 COACHELLA -- Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez, D-Coachella, held a roundtable chat Tuesday on enterprise zone program reforms. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:25:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210359/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210361/1003/RSS02 Leif Soderlind has been named regional manager of Renova Plus, a subsidiary of Renova Energy & Solar. Renova Plus tends to the operations and maintenance needs of solar-energy systems. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:22:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210361/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS02/911210354/1003/RSS02 Unfortunately in this current economic environment, banks are very reluctant to loan money to new businesses, even with an SBA loan guarantee. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:18:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS02/911210354/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210358/1003/RSS02 In this weekly feature, The Desert Sun spotlights valley firms and organizations performing good deeds. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:14:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS/911210358/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS02/911210353/1003/RSS02 Hats in a hair salon? Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:06:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091122/BUSINESS02/911210353/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS05/911210325/1003/RSS02 Riverside County's unemployment rate rose to 15.1 percent in October, making it among the worst in the state. Included in the Labor Department statistics released Friday are 22,300 Coachella Valley residents. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:45:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS05/911210325/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200342/1003/RSS02 Question: I just ordered an upgrade copy of Windows 7. I heard that the disc contains both 32- and 64-bit versions of the software. Is this true? Which should I install on my computer? Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:44:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200342/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200343/1003/RSS02 The U.S. is finally becoming a nation of savers. Now if only we could get something for our money. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:43:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200343/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200344/1003/RSS02 Architecture lecture series begins, ‘Journeys to the Past' storytelling today ... Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:41:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200344/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200341/1003/RSS02 A deal for Comcast Corp. to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal and create one of the most powerful media companies in the world is taking longer than expected as the current owners tussle over price. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:39:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911200341/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS01/911200327/1003/RSS02 More than a dozen Desert Hot Springs spas will open their doors and give away more than $10,000 in prizes for a new tourism event, the Chamber of Commerce announced this week. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:32:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS01/911200327/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911200320/1003/RSS02 Two Coachella Valley businessmen, Christopher Oetting and Steven Kayden, agreed to plead guilty Thursday to their roles in a $150 million securities and mortgage fraud scheme led by a man who called himself “James the Cash King,” prosecutors said in Riverside. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911200320/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911190395/1003/RSS02 The foreclosure crisis likely will persist well into next year as high unemployment pushes more people out of homes, pulls down housing prices and raises concerns about the broader economic recovery. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:54:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911190395/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911190394/1003/RSS02 A gauge of future economic activity and a report on unemployment benefits signaled Thursday that the recovery likely will remain weak in the coming months. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:53:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS/911190394/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS05/911190393/1003/RSS02 The struggling Internet company AOL plans to shed up to 2,500 jobs — more than a third of its work force — as it prepares to separate from Time Warner and finally sever their ill-fated marriage. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:51:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS05/911190393/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS02/911190352/1003/RSS02 On a recent Thursday afternoon Jorge Salas entered Cicchi's Sports Shack Bar & Grill and settled into his routine. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:19:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091120/BUSINESS02/911190352/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091119/BUSINESS/91119015/1003/RSS02 Souplantation in La Quinta is offering a meal-a-week for free for one year to the person who donates the most to a food drive benefiting Martha's Village and Kitchen in Indio. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:26:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091119/BUSINESS/91119015/1003/RSS02 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091119/BUSINESS/91119014/1003/RSS02 Bar-Sto Precision Machine, a maker of auto pistol barrels, is moving its operations from Twentynine Palms to South Dakota. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:24:00 00 http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091119/BUSINESS/91119014/1003/RSS02