Monday, April 27, 2009

Swine flu as pork: Congress cut flu money from stimulus bill | csmonitor.com

On Wednesday, the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on “Swine Flu: Coordinating the federal response.” The panel is chaired by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I) of Connecticut; Collins is the ranking Republican.

The Omnibus appropriations bill signed into law in March contains $156 million for pandemic influenza research

Swine flu as pork: Congress cut flu money from stimulus bill | csmonitor.com

Bracing for swine flu :: The Courier News :: Local News

 

less a matter of "if" than a question of "when," says John Cicero, executive director of the Will County Health Department.

Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin, said the hospital already has taken inventory to make sure it has adequate medications and supplies in case of an outbreak.

the good thing about the swine flu is that doctors can treat it with two antivirals, Tamiflu and Relenza, whereas the regular flu this year was resistant to these antivirals.

Dallas-based El Conejo Bus Line, which also delivers passengers from Mexico to Elgin daily, said that firm has begun to sanitize buses with disinfectant three to four times a day instead of the usual once. The bus line provides masks to passengers in Mexico, and passengers in the United States are able to choose to wear masks. He said that the company probably will refrain from making any route adjustments unless something further happens locally.

Bracing for swine flu :: The Courier News :: Local News

Economy has Latinos downsizing quinceañeras

 

the Las Vegas-based publisher of the Quinceañeras  chain, estimated that the industry nationwide has shrunk by about 15 percent since last year

Economy has Latinos downsizing quinceañeras

AMCORE lets go of 2 top execs - - BusinessRockford.com

 

The bank’s loan weakness has since spread as the general economy, especially in its core Rockford market, went into drastic decline. The jobless rate in Boone and Winnebago counties was at 13.5 percent at the end of March.

AMCORE lets go of 2 top execs - - BusinessRockford.com

Belvidere to address $300K deficit - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

 

Belvidere to address $300K deficit - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

GM might be 89 percent-owned by the U.S. government and the United Auto Workers| Reuters

 

The new GM that would emerge from the restructuring would be 89 percent-owned by the U.S. government and the United Auto Workers unions

“The bond exchange needs to be successful for us to avoid bankruptcy," Henderson[CEO of GMC] said. "It's not impossible, but bankruptcy is now more probable."

GM to slash costs, drop Pontiac | U.S. | Reuters

Swine Flu: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Outbreak

 

Hong Kong, New Zealand and Spain reported potential new cases in which people had been infected with swine flu and Canada confirmed several new cases

only one American has been infected so far who had not recently traveled to Mexico - a woman in Kansas got sick after her husband returned from a business trip in that country,

Swine Flu: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Outbreak

GM to cut 21,000 US factory jobs, shed Pontiac

pontiac

GM said in a news release that it will ask the government to take 50 percent of its common stock in exchange for canceling half the government loans to the company as of June 1.

GM to cut 21,000 US factory jobs, shed Pontiac

Chrysler and Union Agree to Deal Before Federal Deadline - NYTimes.com

But many still expect Chrysler to go into Chapter 11   but “My sense is that it’s not liquidation, that it would be a reorganization,”

A new company would be set up with the best assets of Chrysler, these people said. Fiat of Italy would own 20 percent to 35 percent of the new Chrysler, they said, with the government also holding a stake. Some of the equity in the new company would also be given to Chrysler’s creditors as repayment.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Chrysler and Union Agree to Deal Before Federal Deadline - NYTimes.com

Shortage of Doctors Proves Obstacle to Obama Goals - NYTimes.com

 

To cope with the growing shortage, federal officials are considering several proposals. One would increase enrollment in medical schools and residency training programs. Another would encourage greater use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. A third would expand the National Health Service Corps, which deploys doctors and nurses in rural areas and poor neighborhoods

Shortage of Doctors Proves Obstacle to Obama Goals - NYTimes.com