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Jobless rate climbs past 15 percent

In this photo made Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, Sonja Jackson, of Detroit, holds a Employment Guide while attending a job fair in Livonia, Mich. Unemployment likely will remain high for the next several years because the economic recovery won't be strong enough to spur robust hiring, Federal Reserve officials warned Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009. AP Photo, Paul Sancya

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. More

GE, Vivendi talks over NBC continue

People walk in front of the NBC Studios in Burbank on September 2003. 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. associated press file photo

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. More

Valley business briefs for Nov. 21

Architecture lecture series begins, ‘Journeys to the Past' storytelling today ... More

Americans save more but earn less as rates fall

The U.S. is finally becoming a nation of savers. Now if only we could get something for our money. More

Microsoft helps with Win 7 choice

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? More

Pair plead guilty to mortgage fraud

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. More

New tourism event promotes city's spas

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. More

Unemployment rates indicate slow recovery

A construction worker cleans up after a rain storm as he works on a new home in Los Altos. A private forecast of economic activity over the next six months edged up less than expected in October, signaling slow growth next year. Paul Sakuma The Associated Press

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. More

Jobless struggle to pay mortgage

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. More

AOL to shed 2,500 jobs, offers employees buyouts

In this May 12, 2008 file photo, the AOL Running Man logo decorates a coffee mug in AOL's New York office. AOL Inc., the struggling Internet company, said Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, plans to cut about a third of its workers if its planned spinoff from Time Warner Inc. goes through. AP Photo, Mark Lennihan, File

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. More

Sports bar caters to valley locals

Jorge Salas (right) and <b>Barbara Jackson</b> share a laugh at Cicchi's Sports Shack Bar & Grill on Ramon Road. Victor Morales cathedral city sun

On a recent Thursday afternoon Jorge Salas entered Cicchi's Sports Shack Bar & Grill and settled into his routine. More

High-desert company leaving for more 'business-friendly' state

Bar-Sto Precision Machine, a maker of auto pistol barrels, is moving its operations from Twentynine Palms to South Dakota. More

Restaurant to award meals for a year to most generous in food drive

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. More

AOL offers buyouts to 2,500, a third of work force

In this May 12, 2008 file photo, the AOL Running Man logo decorates a coffee mug in AOL's New York office. AOL Inc., the struggling Internet company, said Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, plans to cut about a third of its workers if its planned spinoff from Time Warner Inc. goes through. Mark Lennihan, Associated Press file photo

AOL LLC, an Internet company struggling to adapt to an advertising-driven economy, is looking to shed more than a third of its work force as it prepares to spin off from Time Warner Inc. next month. More

Story with video: State panel adopts tighter energy standards for TVs

Derrick Onsted checks the prices of large, flat-screen televisions while shopping Wednesday at a Best Buy Store in Sacramento,. The California Energy Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt a first-in-the-nation mandate to require all new televisions up to 58 inches to be more energy-efficient, beginning in 2011. Rich Pedroncelli TThe Associated Press

State regulators adopted the nation's first energy-efficiency standards for televisions Wednesday in hopes of reducing electricity use at a time when millions of American households are switching to power-hungry, wide-view, flat-screen, high-definition sets. More

New jobless claims unchanged, foreclosures rise

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, remaining above the level that would indicate the economy is adding jobs. More

Home-building slows recovery

The budding economic recovery isn't getting much help from the home-building industry, which normally creates jobs and drives growth when a recession ends. More

Harold Matzner to speak at hospitality luncheon

Harold Matzner of the Palm Springs International Film Festival will be the featured speaker at this week's Palm Springs Hospitality Association luncheon. More

Training movements, not muscles

<b>Laura Keenan</b> and <b>Cheryl Cohen</b> opened their gym in July. The gym uses free weights, strength training and cardio to get clients into good shape. Gina Tenorio Palm Desert Sun

Fitness is important, say Cheryl Cohen and Laura Keenan, owners of Desert Crossfit in Palm Desert. More

From Del Taco to deli

<b>Ed Hackbarth</b>, franchise owner of Schlotzsky's Deli on Highway 111 in La Quinta, displays a handmade pepperoni pizza, one of the deli's specialties, on Nov. 12 at the restaurant. Denise Goolsby La Quinta Sun

Ed Hackbarth, co-owner of Schlotzsky's sandwich shop in La Quinta — and founder of Del Taco — has been involved in the food services industry since 1954 when he became manager of Taco Tia, a taco stand in Barstow. More

Restaurant begins anew after fire

A La Quinta Resort and Club restaurant damaged by fire more than a year ago will officially reopen in January with a new look. More

Video Depot owner closing 4 valley stores

Steve Hernandez, assistant manager at Video Depot in Cathedral City, prepares inventory on Tuesday to be liquidated in the next few weeks after the owners decided to close the store. Omar Ornelas The Desert Sun

Video Depot ownership has decided to close four locations in the Coachella Valley, with some stores in the process of liquidating their movies and games. More

Home sales down for first time in over a year

Coachella Valley home sales fell 3 percent in September, a new report from San Diego-based MDA DataQuick shows. Sales had been rising steadily since June 2008 — after sales fell 12 percent and the median sales price stood at $300,000 — mostly because of dropping prices. More

Decline in factory production shows caution lingers

A decline in factory production in October signals that consumers and businesses remain cautious in their spending, with the economic recovery likely to be sluggish. More

Reporter departs KMIR post to lead minority foundation

Local television news reporter and weekend anchor Gloria Margarita is leaving KMIR 6 to head up a local nonprofit group that benefits minority high school students. More

Business Improvement District discovers funds

The beleaguered Palm Springs Business Improvement District may not have mandatory dues flowing into its coffers these days, but it does have about $13,000 more to work with this fiscal year than was previously anticipated, officials said Tuesday. More

GM says improved quarter indicates signs of stability

A sale flag waves Monday from a used car at Herb Chambers in Danvers, Mass. General Motors Co. says it lost $1.2 billion from the time it left bankruptcy protection through Sept. 30, far better than it has reported in previous quarters and a sign that the auto giant is starting to turn around its business. Lisa Poole The Associated Press

General Motors, its river of red ink stemmed by a trip through bankruptcy court, reported a narrower quarterly loss and said it would start repaying billions of dollars in government loans that helped keep it alive. More

Ho, ho, no: Subdued holidays ahead

Improved retail sales gave Wall Street a boost Monday but provided little hope for a robust holiday shopping season that might invigorate the economic recovery. More

Job services group stays in mall location, for now

The Institute for Sales and Service Excellence center will stay in its current location at Westfield Palm Desert for the time being, officials said. More

Valley stores open doors to track holiday sales activity

Just Boni at Home owner Boni Wall with Ben (left) and Jerry. Wall says she's seen an increase in traffic and consumer spending lately. Sales were down 45 percent two months ago, but are down 22 percent now, and she is hopeful the trajectory will continue toward the black this holiday season. Denise Goolsby, The Desert Sun

The holiday shopping season is the most important time of the year for some businesses. More

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