|
Atlanta Mortgage News |
|
Business news | ajc.com
|
The latest headlines from AJC
|
|
-
Panasonic closing Peachtree City plant; 500 jobs lost
Panasonic's car stereo manufacturing plant in Peachtree City will close by the end of next year, resulting in the loss of 500 jobs, a company spokesman said Friday. Panasonic officials notified workers of the decision on Thursday. The downsizing is one of the largest announced in Georgia this year. The company plans to consolidate its manufacturing facilities at a plant in Reynosa, Mexico, said Jim Reilly, spokesman for Panasonic North America.
-
Unemployment rate hits 5-year high
The official unemployment rate leaped last month to a five-year high of 6.1 percent as the economy shed jobs for the eighth consecutive month, the government reported Friday. The unemployment rate, which does not include workers who have given up the job search, was 5.7 percent in July and 4.7 percent a year ago. Fewer people are working now than a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "It's hard to find bright spots," said Edmund T. Hyland, managing director at the Atlanta office of JP Morgan Private Bank. The economy has shed 605,000 this year, including the 84,000 lost in August. Yet that data clashes with continued — sometimes even healthy-looking — growth in the gross domestic product.
-
Rubbermaid unit gets parents talking online
Why? Next to "no," parents with speaking toddlers are likely to be hit with a verbal arsenal of "whys" as their little ones start exploring the world around them. So opined Lindsay Lebresco, social media manager and blogger for blog.gracobaby.com, a Web site where moms and dads get together and discuss parenting issues.
-
Former eBay exec joins Home Depot
Matt Carey, a former senior vice president and chief technology officer for San Jose, Calif.-based eBay, is joining The Home Depot as executive vice president and chief information officer on Sept. 8. He will report to CEO Frank Blake. Carey will be in charge of the company's information technology and communication systems, such as point-of-sale systems. Prior to eBay, Carey spent more than 20 years with Wal-Mart. His last job there was senior vice president and chief technology officer. He is succeeding Bob DeRodes, who announced in April he would leave Home Depot. DeRodes, who has been at the company for six years, will assist in the transition to Carey. This is the second executive shift in the last two weeks.
-
Georgia turf firms sued over lead-based coloring
Artificial turf may save water and reduce pesticides, but some brands from manufacturers in Georgia and Florida contain lead-based coloring that can harm consumers — especially children — according to lawsuits filed in California. California's attorney general is suing three of the artificial grass makers, while the nonprofit Center for Environmental Health is suing several others, claiming they violated California's strict environmental laws by failing to disclose that their products contain lead. The turf products at the center of the disputes are widely used for athletic fields, lawn replacements and for indoor/outdoor carpeting, not just in California but nationwide. They're sold by big retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe's as well as by specialty companies.
|
|
