Americans’ Top Financial Priority is Keeping Up with Bills

Nov 26, 2013 No Comments

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Americans’ top financial priority is staying current or getting caught up on bills, according to a new Bankrate.com (NYSE: RATE) report. That was cited nearly twice as often as the second-most common response (paying down debt). More than one in three Americans (36%) say they are most concerned with bills, followed [...]

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Americans Express Overwhelming Confidence in Their Own Financial Decision-Making Ability

Nov 25, 2013 No Comments

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Most Americans feel well-equipped to make important financial decisions, but significant numbers worry they are making less progress than they should toward reaching financial goals, according to poll results announced today by The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) and National Journal. In the wake of challenging financial times, new data from the quarterlyAllstate/National Journal Heartland [...]

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Preview of Visalia Christmas Trees for Auction Takes Place Dec. 6

Nov 25, 2013 No Comments

VISALIA – Get your free sneak peek at the beautiful trees on display at the 33rd Annual Christmas Tree Auction, The Giving Tree. The free preview will take place between 2 p.m.– 4:30 p.m. at the Visalia Convention Center Friday, Dec. 6. Bring your family and friends to see the elaborately decorated trees that volunteers have spent countless hours decorating. [...]

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Clovis Chamber Holds Small Business Treasure Hunt

Nov 22, 2013 No Comments

CLOVIS – The Clovis Chamber of Commerce will be bringing more potential customers inside Clovis and Fresno businesses with its Small Business Treasure Hunt, taking place from Nov. 30, which is Small Business Saturday, through Dec. 15. Treasure hunters throughout Clovis and Fresno will be walking into the event sponsors’ stores and offices to get [...]

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What are Americans Thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Nov 22, 2013 No Comments

NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Thanksgiving means different things to different people. For some it’s all about the parade. For others, it’s a chance to see family and friends. For a few, it’s become about the sales and strategizing on how to hit the best ones. But for many it’s about giving thanks, and more than [...]

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Mobile Consumer Survey: Speed’s Hot, Apps Not, Price Matters – Sometimes

Nov 21, 2013 No Comments

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – United States consumers, who are “addicted to speed” and often willing to pay more to get it, toggle between Wi-Fi and fourth-generation (4G) wireless technologies to get the fastest possible connection for their mobile devices. Released today, Deloitte’s third edition “Global Mobile Consumer Survey” (GMCS) offers insight into consumer purchasing habits, wants [...]

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Fresno Convention Center Reaches Agreement with West Coast Bible Conference

Nov 21, 2013 No Comments

FRESNO – The Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center has announced a new five-year agreement keeping the annual West Coast Bible Conference, which recently celebrated its 31st year, at the Fresno Convention Center for 2015-2019. Center officials worked hand-in-hand with the Fresno/Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau to make sure the annual four-day conference, bringing an average [...]

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SBA Urges to Make a Difference on Small Business Saturday

Nov 20, 2013 No Comments

FRESNO – During this holiday season, the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging every American to shop small and make a big impact in their local community. SBA is a proud supporter of Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. [...]

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Poll Finds Recent Political Storms Have Not Dampened Americans’ Holiday Spirit

Nov 20, 2013 No Comments

YONKERS, N.Y. , Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A new Consumer Reports poll revealed that recent political crises like last month’s 16-day-long partial U.S. government shutdown did little to sour most Americans’ mood headed into the holiday shopping season. When asked to take those events into consideration, 8 in 10 said they expect this year’s holiday season to [...]

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Monster City Studios and Amusement Electronics Partner to Bring Electronic Shooting Games to IAAPA Expo

Nov 19, 2013 No Comments

ORLANDO, Fla. – Monster City Studios, a full service themed environment design and fabrication company based in Central California, and Amusement Electronics, which specializes in custom electronic shooting galleries, have teamed up to develop new interactive games and themed shooting galleries to be rolled out at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) [...]

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15 Million American Households Have Damaged a Device During the Holidays

Nov 19, 2013 No Comments

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – SquareTrade ®, the #1-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today released the results of a consumer survey about holiday device damage. American households are particularly accident-prone with their devices during the holiday season. According to SquareTrade’s Holiday Survey[1]: 1 in 8 households in America have damaged a laptop, phone, [...]

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Fresno State Winery Celebrates French Wine Tradition Le Vin Nouveau

Nov 18, 2013 No Comments

FRESNO — Le Vin Nouveau, the university’s annual tribute to a French fall wine tradition, will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Fresno State Winery. “According to tradition, at one minute after midnight on the third Thursday of each November, winemakers in France release their first vintage of the year, Beaujolais Nouveau, with much [...]

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More U.S. Travelers Cooking Up Thanksgiving Trips In 2013

Nov 18, 2013 No Comments

NEWTON, Mass., Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – TripAdvisor® , the world’s largest travel site*, today announced the results of its annual Thanksgiving travel survey of more than 1,200 U.S. respondents, revealing that 39 percent plan to travel for Thanksgiving this year, up seven percent from those that did in 2012 (32 percent). Of those traveling, 37 percent will flock to the skies, while [...]

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U.S. Homes Selling 30 Days Faster Than A Year Ago

Nov 15, 2013 No Comments

SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Nationwide, homes listed for sale on real estate marketplace Zillow® were selling a month faster in September than a year ago, according to a new analysis. In the United States as a whole, homes sold in September spent a median of 86 days on Zillow, down 30 days from 116 days in September 2012. Among [...]

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City of Fresno to Hold Waste Tire Amnesty Event Saturday

Nov 15, 2013 No Comments

FRESNO - The City of Fresno Community Revitalization Division, using grant funding available from CalRecycle, will hold a Waste Tire Amnesty Day event on Saturday to allow City of Fresno citizens to part with their unwanted waste tires. Some event restrictions include: Participants must be City of Fresno residents, no tractor or diesel tires, no business-generated [...]

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City of Clovis Police Chief Appointed

Nov 14, 2013 No Comments

CLOVIS – Clovis City Manager Rob Woolley has announced the appointment of Capt. Matt Basgall as the new police chief, following the retirement of Chief Janet Davis, to become effective Dec. 31, 2013 upon confirmation by the City Council.  Capt. Basgall has served in nearly every division in the Clovis Police Department over the last [...]

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American Consumers’ Financial Stress Grows In Spite Of Recovery

Nov 14, 2013 No Comments

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Americans across age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds experienced sharp declines in satisfaction with their personal finances in the second half of 2013, according to CEB, (NYSE: CEB) the leading member-based advisory company. Its bi-annualConsumer Financial Monitor survey of 1,000 American consumers found that the gradual economic recovery has not impacted most consumers’ perceptions [...]

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Survey: OPEC Pumps 29.9 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Per Day in October

Nov 13, 2013 No Comments

LONDON, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Crude oil production from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) remained broadly unchanged at 29.93 million barrels per day (b/d) in October following production of 29.91 million b/d in September, a just-released Platts survey of OPEC and oil industry officials and analysts showed Tuesday. Increased output from Iraq and Libya of 360,000 b/d was [...]

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UC Merced SBDC Regional Network Clients Obtained More than $56 Million in Financing

Nov 13, 2013 No Comments

FRESNO – The University of California, Merced, Small Business Development Center Regional Network (UCM-SBDC) clients obtained $56.4 million in financing for small businesses during the FY 2012-13 federal fiscal year. The funding, in the form of loans and equity, is another example of how the network fosters entrepreneurship that helps grow and diversify Central California’s [...]

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Survey: Americans Spend $72 Billion on Obligatory Holiday Travel

Nov 12, 2013 No Comments

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – According to the third annual Hotwire.com® American Travel Behavior Survey, conducted online in October 2013 on behalf of Hotwire by Harris Interactive among over 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, American adults will spend a total of $72 billion 1 on obligatory holiday season travel2 in the past year ($14 billion 3 on Thanksgiving travel and $58 billion 4 on Christmas travel). To help [...]

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