AUSTIN, Texas, April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – The market for vacation home sales in 2012 showed continued signs of strength, with a 10 percent increase in sales from the prior year and a 24 percent increase in the median sales price, the first rise in three years, according to the 2013 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey by the National Association of [...]

FRESNO – Fresno State will observe National Autism Awareness Month with several events including the “Strike Out Autism” fundraiser and parade, 6 p.m. April 5 at Chukchansi Park during a Fresno Grizzlies game. In its sixth annual year, this event benefits the Central California Autism Center. The Grizzlies will donate half the proceeds from every [...]

NEW YORK, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Newtek Business Services, NASDAQ: NEWT, The Small Business Authority ®, with a portfolio of over 100,000 business accounts, announced today the findings of its SB Authority Market Sentiment Survey, a monthly window into the concerns of independent business owners. Based on a poll of over 1,800 respondents, one of the key findings from the [...]

KIRKLAND, Wash., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Gridlock in the U.S. has staged a dramatic comeback after two years of post-recession lows. Data from the most recent INRIX Gridlock Index (IGI) shows that traffic jumped by almost 10 percent during February – the largest year-over-year increase recorded by IGI in two years, and a healthy sign [...]

FRESNO  – The Fresno Grizzlies and Comcast have announced Comcast Hometown Network (Channel 104) to live broadcast 10 of the Grizzlies home games during the 2013 season. The broadcast schedule kicks off with the Grizzlies’ season opener on Thursday, April 4. The partnership between the two organizations allows more fans from across Northern and Central [...]

DALLAS, March 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly half of commuters self-reported texting while driving in a recent poll1, and 43% of those who did called it a “habit.” Commuters are texting and driving even more than teens – 49%1, compared to 43%2.  And the problem has gotten worse. Six in 10 commuters say they never texted while driving three years [...]

NEW YORK, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Almost one month into sequester and the stock market continues to hit new highs. Does this mean the American public hears the stories about cancelled White House tours and shuttered air traffic control towers and doesn’t believe anything worse will be coming? In looking at overall attitudes on some general economic [...]

FRESNO – Participants are now being sought for the upcoming session of the Mayor’s Fresno Citizens Academy, an initiative that allows Fresno residents to learn more about their government by hearing directly from top policymakers and decision makers at City Hall. The next session of the free, eight-week program begins at City Hall on Monday, [...]

FRESNO - Philanthropy Inspired by the Needs of our Community (PINC), a unique Fresno nonprofit founded in 2008 to benefit other local nonprofits in the community, has announced the beneficiary for its 5th annual fundraising event to be held on June 15, 2013. The beneficiary for the event, titled “PINC-A-Palooza,” will be Catholic Charities – Diocese [...]

BASS LAKE - There are some truly infallible signs of spring: wildflowers blooming, the return of some migratory birds, and The Forks Resort and Miller’s Landing opening for the season on Bass Lake. Located about 20 minutes from the southern gate to Yosemite National Park, Bass Lake is a popular destination for visitors looking for a [...]

NEW YORK, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – According to Deloitte’s Q1 CFO Signals survey, the current state of the North American economies is both the main driver of growth – and the topimpediment. Positive economic indicators appear to be boosting CFOs’ optimism, but fears of further stagnation are restraining their expectations for 2013 sales and domestic hiring. The quarterly survey, which tracks the thinking [...]

CHICAGO, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Today’s consumers have seemingly endless dining options, from hundreds of restaurants, to prepared foods purchased from stores, or even home-cooked meals. If restaurant operators want to successfully compete in this environment, they need an intimate understanding of the restaurant experience from a consumer perspective. To gain that understanding, Technomic developed its [...]

FRESNO – Moses Menchaca, a third-year senior political science major from Patterson,was elected Fresno State’s student body president for 2013-14 after three days of record voter participation. Online voting for Associate Students Inc. (ASI) elections began last Tuesday. This year 1,912 votes were cast, indicating 9.43% voter participation. The previous high was 1,783 ballots cast in [...]

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The percentage of U.S. households holding some form of debt declined from 74 percent to 69 percent between 2000 and 2011, according to new statistics released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. At the same time, the median amount of household debt increased over this period from $50,971 to $70,000 (in 2011 constant dollars). These [...]

FRESNO – The Do-It-Yourself (DIY), Maker Movement sweeping the nation will soon hit Fresno – and a professional sports team – for the first time ever. The Fresno Grizzlies have released a “Call for Makers” for the Fresno Ideaworks Mini Maker Faire at Chukchansi Park on Sunday, April 21. The “call” is to find makers [...]

FRESNO – The SBA Fresno District Office is seeking small business owners for its third round of the Emerging Leaders Initiative. “SBA has reauthorized this nationally acclaimed Jobs Growth curriculum in Fresno to take another group of Fresno small businesses to the next level of growth and success,” said Fresno SBA District Director Carlos Mendoza. [...]

FRESNO – The central California business community is gearing up for “40 Under 40″ The Ultimate Networking Event, coming to the Skyroom Lounge in the Holiday Inn Fresno Downtown this Thursday from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Momentum has been building for the event for months, and ticket sales have been solid.  There are a [...]

NEW YORK, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Seventy-two percent of America’s 50 largest credit unions offer free checking accounts with no strings attached, according to Bankrate.com’s (NYSE: RATE) 2013 Credit Union Checking Survey that was released today. This sharply contrasts with the 39% of banks that offer standalone free checking, as Bankrate reported in its latest survey of [...]

FRESNO – National Agriculture Week takes place this week. The week recognizes and celebrates the abundance provided by agriculture. “In Fresno County, the agriculture industry makes a significant contribution to our local economy. In 2011, agricultural production at the farm gate totaled $6.88 billion,” said Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen. “For every $1 [...]

TULARE – Shawn Bolouki, chief executive officer of Tulare Regional Medical Center, and Sherrie Bell, chairwoman and president of the governing board report on Turnaround Plan. “The Turnaround Plan is a commitment from all members of our Senior Management team,” Bolouki said. “The team conducted a comprehensive assessment of current productivity ratios, contracts and purchased [...]