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| December 09, 2008 |
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Whittlesey heads Larimer County Medical Society
FORT COLLINS - Cathy Whittlesey has been named the new executive director of the Larimer County Medical Society replacing Clint Skutchan, who is now serving as the executive vice president of the Fort Collins Board of Realtors.
Whittlesey, who formerly served as the executive vice president of medical societies in Rock Island County, Ill., and Scott County, Iowa, began her duties in Larimer County on Dec. 1.
She is a graduate of the University of Denver and began her career as an in-flight purser with Pan American Airlines. She was the first development director for the Quad City Symphony Orchestra Association and also served as development director for WQPT, Quad Cities Public Television in Iowa. |
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Survey shows modest first-quarter hiring plans
MILWAUKEE - The latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey shows employers in Northern Colorado expect to hire at a very modest pace during the first quarter of 2009.
The Milwaukee-based company said its survey of Fort Collins-Loveland employers indicated 12 percent of the companies interviewed planned to hire more employees in the first quarter, while 11 percent expected to reduce their payrolls. Another 71 percent said they expected to maintain their current staffing levels and 6 percent were unsure.
Job prospects appeared best in durable goods, manufacturing, information and financial activities, while employers in nondurable goods manufacturing said they planned to reduce staffing in the Fort Collins-Loveland area.
In the Greeley area, 10 percent of employers said they planned to increase their employee numbers in the first quarter and 10 percent said they intended to reduce their staffs, resulting in a flat employment picture. Another 77 percent said they expected to maintain their staff levels and 3 percent said they were uncertain.
Greeley area job prospects appeared best in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and government, while employers in construction and durable goods manufacturing planned to reduce their employee numbers, according to the survey.
Of 31,800 employers interviewed across the nation, 16 percent said they anticipated increasing their staff numbers in the first quarter of 2009 while 13 percent said they expected to reduce their payrolls. |
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Green Ride Colorado to seek PUC approval
FORT COLLINS - Authority will be sought from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to operate a second taxi and airport shuttle service out of Northern Colorado.
Green Ride Colorado is preparing to submit applications to the PUC to provide taxi and shuttle service to and from Northern Colorado, according to Bob Flynn, owner of the new company.
Flynn is the former general manager of Shamrock Taxi and Shamrock Airport Express, which was purchased by Veolia Transportation and is now operating under the names Yellow Cab Fort Collins and SuperShuttle Northern Colorado.
Pending PUC approval, Flynn said Green Ride Colorado intends to operate green and high-mpg vehicles, including an all-hybrid taxi fleet.
Yellow Cab Fort Collins is also promoting a fleet of green vehicles, but Flynn said he believes there is plenty of business for two companies in Northern Colorado.
"I think even without any additional growth there's enough need for another company," he said. "It's amazing to me in talking to people that there's a need for more transportation options in this area."
Flynn said increasing the number of taxis in the region will cut fuel consumption, reduce pollution, provide more jobs and likely reduce fares through competition and increased use of public transportation.
Flynn noted that Denver has an average of one taxi per 1,000 residents while Northern Colorado has one cab per 13,000 to 15,000 residents. He said by making more taxis available and increasing their visibility, people will be more likely to use them.
"There's a perception that you can't get a cab when you want one," he said. "I think people want to make the right choice and we want to give them that option."
Flynn said he's seeking letters of public support for his service to accompany his application to the PUC, which he expects to submit by Dec. 15. He said a favorable ruling by the PUC could result in Green Ride Colorado beginning service by March. |
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Kefalas readies comprehensive health-care bill
FORT COLLINS - State Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, said he plans to introduce a bill in the next session of the Colorado General Assembly aimed at creating a single-payer health-care system for the state.
Kefalas, a member of the House Health Care Committee who was reelected to a second term in November, said the bill -- called the Colorado Guaranteed Healthcare Act -- would "provide medical coverage to every Coloradan."
"The bill would essentially create a statewide comprehensive health-care system where people can choose their own doctor and get high-quality care," he said. "It's essentially a single-payer model using existing public dollars for public insurance with employers and individuals paying into the system."
The bill would create a nonprofit agency separate from the state budget and the state legislature that would be responsible for administration, governance, delivery of services, quality of care and payment for services delivered.
Kefalas said unlike a plan put forward by President-elect Barack Obama that advocates a blending of private and public health-care coverage, his plan would drastically reduce the role of private insurance companies in the state. "This model would clearly limit the role of private insurance companies," he said.
But Kefalas noted that a more radical approach at the state level may be needed to stimulate reform on the national level. "I do believe it's important to put pressure on the federal government and the Obama administration to get something moving."
Kefalas said the bill, which is being written for the legislative session that begins Jan. 7, builds on a single-payer proposal studied last year by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform sometimes known as the 208 Commission.
"I think it has merit because the 208 Commission studied all this and a proposal similar to this was the only one that decreased costs," he said.
Kefalas said he knows passing a single-payer bill will be a tough challenge in an economic downturn but said reducing health-care costs for state residents and small business would be a good thing for the state's economy.
"If we can contain these costs, it's going to have a significant impact on our economy," he said. "It's clearly an economic development issue." |
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national news
Wal-Mart to pay up to $54 million to settle wage suit
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Tuesday that it will pay up to $54.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused the world's largest retailer of failing to grant workers their full rest breaks and requiring hourly employees to work off-the-clock in Minnesota.
Former GSE chiefs scolded for careless lending
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four men who led mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were called before a U.S. House of Representatives panel on Tuesday and chided for making irresponsible loans that fueled a housing crisis and helped push the economy into recession.
Market loses ground; biotech hurt Nasdaq
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow and the S&P 500 lost ground on Tuesday as doubts about whether the market would be able to sustain its recent recovery bid surfaced and companies like FedEx Corp offered outlooks pointing to more trouble in the economy.
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