The growing national battle to curb unlicensed and unregulated taxi providers took a new direction today when a group of Chicago taxi owners, drivers and the Illinois Transportation Trade Association (ITTA) filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Chicago. The lawsuit, the first in the nation against a city, claims that by failing to… Keep reading →
White House/Federal Government
The National Retail Federation released its 2014 economic forecast today, projecting retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will increase 4.1 percent*, up from the preliminary 3.7 percent growth seen in 2013. NRF also announced today it expects online sales in 2014 to grow between 9 and 12 percent. “Measured improvements in… Keep reading →
Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will host a summit on how technology can be used to minimize distracted driving. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® will contribute to a panel discussion on “The State of Distracted Driving.” The panel will examine what government and industry stakeholders are currently doing to address… Keep reading →
The Weather Channel to Promote Preparedness Efforts by the White House, FEMA and Department of Energy to Raise Severe Weather Awareness
By businesswireThe Weather Channel© will continue its efforts to keep the public safe during severe weather by promoting new standardized hashtags developed by the White House, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Department of Energy (DOE). These hashtags – #GotFuel #NoFuel and #PowerLineDown – will enable local citizens to report important emergency information, such… Keep reading →
The National Retail Federation today issued the following statements from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz on the December jobs report: “The nation’s retailers continued to add to their payrolls in December even in the midst of the condensed holiday shopping season,” Shay said. “Retailers and merchants, especially those operating… Keep reading →
Study: Consumers Active in Their Own Health Care but Face Financial Pressures and Are Unprepared for Health Care Costs in Retirement
By businesswireThe nation appears to be shifting away from the traditional model of health care, in which doctors have most of the decisionmaking authority. According to a newly released study, 9 out of 10 people want to have a say in important decisions regarding their health care. One-third would like to make a shared decision with… Keep reading →
Optimism for the nation’s economic outlook among U.S. business leaders plummeted 16 percentage points in fourth quarter 2013 to a net balance of 36 percent according to the latest data from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), a survey of 3,300 business leaders in 45 countries. Hiring expectations in the United States declined for… Keep reading →
Retailers Disappointed by Approval of ‘Deeply Flawed’ Credit Card Swipe Fee Settlement
By businesswireThe National Retail Federation issued the following statement from Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mallory Duncan in response to U.S. District Court Judge John Gleeson’s approval of a controversial antitrust lawsuit over credit card swipe fees. “We are very disappointed that this deeply flawed settlement has been approved. It is not supported by the… Keep reading →
Congressional Budget Office Warns Congress of $2 Billion Impact of Extending RAC Program Moratorium
By businesswireThe American Coalition for Healthcare Claims Integrity (ACHCI) today issued the following statement regarding the decision by House lawmakers to refrain from extending the moratorium on the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, which the Congressional Budget Office estimated would cost over $2 billion. Based on the CBO’s feedback, lawmakers removed a proposal from the Sustainable… Keep reading →
Leaders from Renewable Energy Group® (NASDAQ: REGI) joined more than two dozen biodiesel advocates in providing testimony at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing on the proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes. Gary Haer, REG Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Bruce Lutes, General Manager of the company’s biodiesel refineries in Danville, Illinois and Newton, Iowa… Keep reading →