| Jiffy Lube franchise owner declares Chapt. 11 bankruptcy
Heartland Automotive Services Inc. of Omaha, Neb. -- which operates three Jiffy Lube locations in Vermont -- declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Jan. 7, allowing the company to fend off creditors as it reorganizes.
Heartland operates a Jiffy Lube franchise in Essex Junction, Rutland and South Burlington. Each location employs about 10 people, and no layoffs are expected, said Ralph Tschantz, Heartland's senior vice president of marketing.
All of the company's 438 stores are expected to remain open throughout the bankruptcy, he said Tuesday.
The bankruptcy filing is a result of a disagreement between Heartland and Houston-based Jiffy Lube International Inc. on a variety of issues, including how advertising funds should be spent, Heartland said in a written statement.
Dulles-Based MAXjet Goes Bankrupt
MAXjet Airways suspended operations today after filing bankruptcy.In a notice posted on the Dulles-based airlines Web site, president and CEO William D. Stockbridge blamed increasing fuel prices and the tightening credit market for the failure of the two-year old business-class carrier.The airline operated flights from London to New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.Trading of the airline's stock was suspended last month while executives sought to assemble new capital financing."It is with deep regret that I must inform you that MAXjet filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 24 December 2007. With today's fuel prices and the resulting impact on the credit climate for airlines, we are forced to take this drastic measure. Our top priority is to assist our customers, particularly those who already have begun their travel with us, in securing alternative flight accommodations," Stockbridge wrote.
SCL debts remain a hot button issue
The South Coast League of Professional Baseball finished its inaugural season in the red, which is not uncommon for most first-year businesses. Some former SCL employees, players, coaches and vendors are seeing red, however, because they still haven't been paid. According to SCL chief executive officer Jamie Toole the SCL is roughly $500,000 in debt, and the local franchise, the Anderson Joes, owe more than $110,000 for goods and services. “We have a few additional investors coming on board who'll help clear up the (financial) issues," Toole said last week. “We had a rough first year and I'm the first to admit it. I know that Anderson has a $114,000 debt to clear up and actually, that's better than some of our other franchises. We have a lot of issues to rectify and we're working on a detailed plan to do that." Today the SCL is expected to announce an expansion franchise in Jackson, Miss., to join the existing clubs in Anderson, Macon (Music), Albany (South Georgia Peanuts), Port Charlotte, Fla.
Missouri Boy’s Captivity Highlights the Power of Fear
New tidbits of information paint a frightening picture of what life must have been like for Shawn Hornbeck, 15, during the four and a half years of his captivity under the watch of his kidnapper. But they also highlight how fear, including irrational fear, can manipulate the human psychology and paralyze our ability to act in accord with truth. It is this unique window into the power of fear that makes this story of even broader interest and importance. Let me explain. Irrational Fear… Shawn's alleged kidnapper, Michael Devlin, worked hard to maintain a public profile of normality. He worked two part-time jobs, one as a manager at a pizza parlor and the other as a night receptionist at a funeral home. His co-workers referred to him as "hardworking" and "sometimes very caring." Neighbors noticed nothing out of the ordinary with the "father and son" pair.
Holy Land trial ends in mistrial
There is a gag order of everyone involved. Byron Harris, WFAA-TV, Federal Courthouse, downtown Dallas 12:02 p.m. You can see a huge celebration on the part of the Muslim community who see this as a victory. This is because the mistrial was pronounced. It will have to be tried again but if you look at how the jurors spoke to the judge and what they said, they had a resounding not guilty verdict on two of the defendants and on two more they couldn't make up their minds. There have been months of trial and years of preparation for this case. We don't know when the case will go back to a jury or how long it will take. In essence, everyone is on a gag order right now. We are waiting to take to the one person found not guilty, Mohammed El-Mezain. Byron Harris, WFAA-TV, Federal Courthouse, downtown Dallas 11:35 a.m.
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