News

Harley-Davidson Posts 4Q Loss, First In 16 Years

January 22, 2010 3:15 am | Comments

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Harley-Davidson Inc. on Friday reported a fourth-quarter loss, its first quarterly deficit in 16 years, as restructuring costs and the sluggish economy wore on the motorcycle maker. Harley-Davidson has spent the last year reorganizing its business to cope with falling demand of its high-end bikes.

Union: Opel Closure, Job Cuts A 'Declaration Of War'

January 22, 2010 3:09 am | Comments

BERLIN (AP) — Employee representatives at General Motors Co.'s Opel unit on Friday slammed the automaker's announcement it would cut 8,300 jobs and close its plant in Belgium as a "declaration of war" on European workers. Armin Schild, head of the IG Metall union in Frankfurt and a member of Opel's board, criticized GM for lacking a clear and thoroughly financed restructuring concept, the DAPD news agency reported.

EnerDel To Bring 500 Jobs To Indianapolis Region

January 22, 2010 3:06 am | Comments

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Lithium battery maker EnerDel says it will locate its newest manufacturing operation in Hancock County, bringing 500 jobs to the area. Gov. Mitch Daniels joined EnerDel executives Thursday to announce the new operation near Mount Comfort just east of Indianapolis. He says he hopes EnerDel can help make Indiana the capital of the electric vehicle industry.

Obama Pushes Populist Message For Clean-Energy Jobs

January 22, 2010 3:03 am | by Philip Elliott, Associated Press Writer | Comments

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is telling voters in Ohio, already wracked by high unemployment, that investments in clean-energy technologies will help boost the nation's economy. Obama planned to use his visit Friday to test-drive an aggressive populist push on jobs, a top concern for voters across the country as the White House begins a message shift heading into fall elections expected to be difficult for Democrats.

Toyota Recalls 2.3 Million Cars For Sticky Accelerators

January 22, 2010 2:58 am | Comments

NEW YORK (AP) — Toyota is recalling 2.3 million U.S. vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals, the latest in a string of quality problems that have bedeviled the Japanese automaker. The recall includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequioia.

InBev Worker-Exec Standoff Causes Massive Beer Shortage

January 20, 2010 3:54 am | Comments

LEUVEN, Belgium (AP) — The world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, shut down production in its home country Wednesday in an escalation of a standoff with workers at its Belgian breweries over job cuts. Workers began blockading three AB InBev breweries two weeks ago to protest against cutting up to 263 jobs in Belgium as part of plan to reduce the company's European work force by 10 percent.

Miss. Plant Explosion Injures Three

January 20, 2010 3:42 am | Comments

GUNTOWN, Miss. (AP) — Authorities say a plant explosion in Lee County has injured three workers. Lee County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Hall says the explosion happened about 2:26 p.m. Tuesday as workers were cleaning a machine at Columbian Rope Co. in Guntown. Hall says one person was airlifted from the scene to the North Mississippi Medical Center, and another had extensive injuries.

Chinese Exec Escapes To U.S., Plans 4,000-Job Hybrid Plant

January 20, 2010 3:39 am | by Phillip Rawls, Associated Press Writer | Comments

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A former Chinese carmaker planning a hybrid car assembly plant in Alabama has lined up a veteran engineering and design firm while still trying to put together $1.5 billion in financing for the project. Benjamin Yeung, chairman of Hybrid Kinetic Motors Corp.

Sioux City Meatpacker To Close, Sheds 1,500 Jobs

January 20, 2010 3:33 am | Comments

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City officials say the John Morrell & Co. meatpacking plant, one of the city's largest employers, will close this spring. The plant has about 1,500 workers. Sioux City Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty says Mayor Mike Hobart received the news on Tuesday from plant manager Dan Pacquin, who said the plant would close April 20.

Food Maker Boosts N.C. Community With 500 New Jobs

January 20, 2010 3:27 am | Comments

HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) — A national producer of prepared foods is expanding a North Carolina plant and plans to create 500 jobs, providing a boost to an Interstate 95 corridor that has for years struggled to lower its jobless rate. Reser's Fine Foods Inc. will create the jobs over the next five years at the Halifax Industrial Center in Halifax County.

Chrysler Recalls 2010 Models For Faulty Brakes

January 20, 2010 3:26 am | Comments

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler Group LLC is recalling 24,177 vehicles because of a defect that could result in brake failure. the recall includes 2010 models of the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty and 2009 and 2010 models of the Dodge Ram pickup.

Finnish Shipbuilder Wartsila To Lay Off 1,400 Worldwide

January 19, 2010 6:44 am | Comments

HELSINKI (AP) — Wartsila Corp., a leading maker of ship turbines, said Tuesday it would lay off 1,400 workers worldwide and cut production to save costs and increase competitiveness. The Finnish company said it plans to slash 570 jobs at its propellor and components manufacturing units in Netherlands, where it employs more than 1,500 people.

Always-Secretive Apple Ready To Unveil 'Latest Creation'

January 19, 2010 3:51 am | Comments

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple Inc. is inviting reporters to an event next week to see what it calls "our latest creation." The company e-mail Monday offered no specifics about what it would display at the invitation-only Jan. 27 event in San Francisco. But it comes amid speculation that Apple is close to unveiling a tablet-style touch-screen computer that is bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a standard laptop.

Calif. Meatpacker Recalls Swaths Of E-Coli Tainted Beef

January 19, 2010 3:42 am | Comments

MONTEBELLO, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California meat-packing firm has recalled some 864,000 pounds of ground-beef that might be contaminated with E. coli. The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Monday that no illnesses have been reported from the products sold by Montebello-based Huntington Meat Packing Inc.

Immigration Officials Prepare For Haitian Influx

January 19, 2010 3:38 am | by Curt Anderson, AP Legal Affairs Writer | Comments

MIAMI (AP) — U.S. authorities are readying for a potential influx of Haitians seeking to escape their earthquake-wracked nation, even though the policy for migrants remains the same: with few exceptions, they will go back. So far, fears of a mass migration have yet to materialize. However, conditions in Haiti become more dire each day and U.