NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Executives in the food and beverage industry expect continued growth in 2013 with revenue increases largely driven by product innovations and the ability to add new customers, according to the 2013 Food and Beverage Outlook Survey by KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm. At the same time, rapidly advancing technology [...]

FRESNO – A special play house outside of Whole Foods Market Fresno has been getting a lot of attention from people passing by. Those who are curious enough have even entered the store and learned that the play house will be raffled off at the end of August, with all of the proceeds from the [...]

FRESNO – The new owner of the historic JC Penney Building on downtown Fresno’s Fulton Mall addressed media and the general public Thursday morning inside the nearly 90-year old structure, outlining plans for its future. Shay Maghame is referring to the building as “The Diamanti,” which is Greek for “diamond.”  He says the building’s top [...]

SELMA – Selma City leaders will open the first new cultural arts facility in Fresno County in recent years when the new Selma Arts Center is dedicated.  The official ribbon cutting, and reception will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 5 p.m.  The new Arts Center is located at 1935 High St. in Selma. [...]

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Global investor confidence increased in the United Statesthe past year but declined in China, Brazil, India and other emerging markets, according to the 2013 Global Venture Capital Confidence Survey from Deloitte and the National Venture Capital Association. Moreover, investor confidence in domestic capital markets declined despite substantial gains in stock indexes, and investors also lack [...]

FRESNO – Windsong Productions, a creative video production studio, is celebrating its second year in business by throwing a Vaudeville-themed party this evening. Windsong Productions has gained considerable attention over the past two years for producing some of the most creative and attention-grabbing advertisements both locally and nationally. The company has worked with a variety [...]

FRESNO – Craig Scharton, business development director with the City of Fresno, is opening the doors of his new business venture, called Peeve’s Public House & Local Market, on Sept. 5 on the Fulton Mall in downtown Fresno. “It’s where Fresno Brewing Co. is,” Scharton said.  ”Fresno Brewing Co. is closing, and I’ll re-open as [...]

FRESNO —Starting in September, SCORE and SBA will launch the five class “Simple Steps” program in Spanish to teach aspiring Hispanic entrepreneurs how to start a business.  Bilingual SCORE counselors will train the Valley’s Spanish speaking future business owners how to write business plans, develop a cash flow strategy, market and finance their ventures. “After [...]

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Experian Automotive today announced that quarterly vehicle repossessions dropped by 14.8 percent to achieve the lowest rate since it began tracking the data seven years ago. According to its latest State of the Automotive Finance Market report, 0.36 percent of all vehicle loans ended in a repossession, down from 0.43 percent in Q2 2012. [...]

NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – New construction starts are forecast to rise 6% this year to$506 billion, according to the Midyear Update to the 2013 Construction Outlook from McGraw Hill Construction (http://construction.com/), a division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI).  This is the same rate of increase for total construction starts that was predicted last October, [...]

MADERA – The Madera Chamber of Commerce has announced its distinguished slate of recipients for the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’ outstanding list of honorees to be recognized are: Ronn Dominici (Retired – Madera County Board of Supervisor & CHP), Steve Frazier (Papa Murphy’s Pizza), Aftab A. Naz, M.D., Marilyn Wibbenhorst (Retired owner, – [...]

FRESNO – For a fifth consecutive year, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital has received Healthgrades Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award and a five-star rating, placing it among the top 5 percent nationwide for metabolic and bariatric surgery. “A recognition like this and the numerous others bestowed upon the hospital over the past few years does not [...]

LONDON, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Prices in the $3-trillion-plus global petrochemicals market rose slightly in July to $1,319 per metric ton (/mt), according to the just-released monthly Platts Global Petrochemical Index (PGPI). The PGPI is a benchmark basket of seven widely used petrochemicals and is published by Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider and a top source of benchmark [...]

SEATTLE, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — More than 100 forecasters said they expect the Zillow® Home Value Index [i] to end 2013 up an average of 6.7 percent year-over-year, according to the latest Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, a significant jump from the 5.4 percent annual increase predicted the last time the survey was conducted. Additionally, while relatively few [...]

FRESNO – Tickets for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway will be available beginning Thursday at all Fresno County Federal Credit Union branches, Fresno Coin Gallery and De Young Model Home Centers or by calling (800) 543-5887. For more information visit www.dreamhome.org. This year’s home will be located in the CountryCourt community in Clovis and [...]

FRESNO – The Big Fresno Fair will hold its third Annual Job Fair next Thursday, Aug. 15, during which time it will hire hundreds of people for different positions during the 2013 Big Fresno Fair. The event will take place at the Commerce Building on the Fresno Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Department [...]

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — It’s that time of year again already: back-to-school season is upon us and with it comes a list of items necessary to prepare and equip your children. According to Deloitte’s annual “Back-To-School” and “Back-To-College” surveys, parents expect to pay an average of $428 on items for children in K-12, and $907 on items [...]

TULARE – California Hospital Engagement Network (CalHEN) has announced that Tulare Regional Medical Center achieved project goals well ahead of schedule. 174 hospitals statewide have united in a federal initiative known as the Hospital Engagement Network.  As part of the Partnership for Patients program, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has established 26 [...]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The National Small Business Association (NSBA) today released the 2013 Mid-Year Economic Report which shows an improved overall economic outlook for America’s small-business owners.  When compared with five years ago, 40 percent of small-business owners said today’s economy is better off—the highest it’s been in five years. “Unfortunately, small-business owners didn’t express that same positive [...]

FRESNO – United Cerebral Palsy of Central California has started a movement known as UCP Day, an internal employee-based awareness and fundraising program for businesses, and is currently signing up businesses and organizations across the Central Valley to participate. About 25 of them have already made a commitment to be involved in the fundraiser.  The [...]