NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – Slightly more than one in four Americans (26%) spent less than they expected during the holiday shopping season, according to a new Bankrate.com (NYSE: RATE) report. Only 14% of Americans spent more than expected; more than half (57%) spent about what they expected. The tightfistedness was fairly universal: no age group [...]

FRESNO – The Fresno Chamber of Commerce has announced that its upcoming event, Eggs & Issues – “Crime is Toast” with City of Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer, has completely sold out. The highly anticipated breakfast will be held on Jan. 16, with the program scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. in University Square Hotel’s main conference [...]

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – Going out to the movies once was, and for many still can be, an exciting night out. However, a new Harris Poll finds that while roughly two-thirds (68%) of U.S. adults went to the movies at least once in 2013, just about the same percent (66%) say they’re going to the [...]

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — In November, inflation as measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) increased in 10 of 16 countries and areas compared. Japan and Germany experienced the largest increase in inflation (0.4 percentage points), followed by the U.S. (0.3 percentage points). Price growth remained stable in Denmark, Norway and Austria, and slowed in Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. After three [...]

TULARE – Three pieces of urban art, inspired by Pro Youth HEART, will be showcased at eleven Tulare County locations through April 2. Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Phil Cox will unveil the urban art during the “Urban Art Kick-Off Reception” at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at Tulare County’s Visalia Branch Library [...]

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The CFO Alliance – a global community of senior financial leaders and decision makers, promoting connectivity and knowledge sharing amongst leading financial executives – along with national partner and contributor Drinker Biddle & Reath, today released the 2014 CFO Sentiment and Planning Study. The annual study surveyed a broad sample of [...]

TULARE – Results are in for World Ag Expo’s Top-10 New Products competition. The winners will be showcased Feb. 11-13, 2014 during the 47th annual World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. A group of judges made up of farmers, ranchers and industry professionals selected the Top-10 New Products. AgVu by Advanced Reconnaissance Corporation A new [...]

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the appointment of Donna Davis as regional administrator for Region IX, which encompasses Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, and Nevada. Davis has over three decades of experience in working with small businesses and corporations, as well as public service with governments at the city, state and federal levels.  [...]

SEATTLE and LONDON, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –According to Colliers International, the global economy will grow slowly in 2014, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth remaining below five percent in most countries. This and other global insights are included in a report, 25 Predictions for 2014, which also forecasts expansion in second-tier markets as global investors look for new [...]

MADERA – Rebecca Martinez, Madera County clerk-recorder & registrar of voters has announced that voters in Madera County now have a choice in how they receive their sample ballots. In all elections, a sample ballot booklet is printed for each registered voter. In an effort to reduce costs in County budgets, state law now allows [...]

NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – As one year draws to a close and another begins anew, it’s time for Americans to plan out the year to come. What financial resolutions might they be making? And what sort of economic changes do they expect 2014 to bring for the nation as a whole? A recent Harris Poll [...]

SEATTLE, Jan. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – Redfin (www.redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage, today released its latest survey of real estate agents. Data was collected from December 12 through December 14, and reflects responses from 468 Redfin real estate agents in 22 major metropolitan markets across the U.S. Redfin real estate agents: Indicate that it is still a good [...]

FRESNO – Fresno State sophomore Shervin Zoghi was selected to represent Fresno State at the Clinton Global Initiative University, March 21-23 in Tempe, Ariz. Built on the model of the Clinton Global Initiative, which brings together world leaders to take action on global challenges, President Bill Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University in 2007 to engage [...]

MADERA – Applications for the 2014 Community Grant Program of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians and Madera County are now available and due on or before March 1, 2014 “Over the last seven years, the Community Grant Program has invested $7 million into our rural county,” said Tom Wheeler, 2014 chairman of the [...]

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Mortgage rates increased for a third consecutive week, with the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rate moving up to 4.69 percent, according to Bankrate.com’s weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.32 discount and origination points. The average 15-year fixed mortgage was up modestly to 3.73 [...]

FRESNO – The bridal expo known as Premier Bride Showplace will be held this Sunday at the Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Halls in downtown Fresno. This bridal show is a must for any Central Valley brides looking for great ideas and useful information for planning an amazing wedding.  Potential brides will have the opportunity to [...]

CHICAGO, Jan. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Caution remains a staple in recruitment plans.  CareerBuilder’s annual forecast shows that debt issues in Washington may continue to play a part in impeding a more accelerated jobs recovery.  Twenty-four percent of companies reported that they will add full-time, permanent employees in 2014, down two percentage points from 2013.  Nearly one [...]

TULARE – The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has appointed Lisa Bertolino as interim public defender following Michael Sheltzer’s appointment by Gov. Jerry Brown to serve a judgeship in Tulare County Superior Court. Bertolino, who has served as the county’s assistant public defender since 2003, has been with Tulare County since 1989. Prior to her [...]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As our nation prepares to begin the new year, the U.S. Census Bureau today projected that on Jan. 1, 2014, the United States population will be 317,297,938. This represents an increase of 2,218,622, or 0.7 percent, from New Year’s Day 2013. In January 2014, one birth is expected to occur every 8 seconds in the United States and one death [...]

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – 2013 was definitely a banner year for outrageous baby names. 2014 is shaping up to be the year that pushes the boundaries of what was previously considered “normal” though.   Gone are the vogue of names ending in –den, such as Brayden, Jayden, Aiden, and alike, as well as the ‘x’ madness of [...]