General Business

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With Thanksgiving two days away, California's health secretary on Tuesday urged people to say “no” to family and friends who want to gather, joining other officials in issuing dire warnings about the spread of the coronavirus.

Dr. Mark Ghaly said it's not too late to cancel or change plans to limit celebrations of the holiday.

“It’s as important to say no even when it comes to the closest people in our family,” said Ghaly, who has barred his mother from his family's dinner table this year. "Game time decisions happen all the time. ... Call that audible, make a decision to do something a little different.”

The warning came as the pandemic forced four more counties with surging cases to be placed under the most restrictive rules for business operations and as Los Angeles was poised to issue the first stay-home order since spring.

“Our metrics are the most alarming metrics that we’ve ever seen,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “Inaction in the face of this devastating acceleration of cases will cause irreparable harm.”

Los Angeles has issued an order closing restaurants Wednesday night for three weeks. City officials were expected to tell residents to stay home as much as possible after cresting the threshold for issuing a stay-home order Monday. But the Department of Public Health did not immediately issue that order.

Like all states across the country, California is experiencing a rapid rise of cases that threaten to overwhelm hospitals.

The state has set records on several recent days for total infections detected. Hospitalizations statewide have increased 81% in the past two weeks and by nearly 400 patients in a day.

“Statewide, I don’t believe we’ve ever seen as many hospital admissions...

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The head of one of the largest regional health systems in the Midwest was replaced Tuesday, less than a week after telling employees that he had recovered from COVID-19 and was not wearing a mask around the office.

Sanford Health said in a release that it has “mutually agreed to part ways” with longtime CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft, who took over in 1996 and helped expand the organization from a community hospital into what is billed as the largest rural nonprofit health system in the country.

Krabbenhoft left the executive position after telling employees in an email that he believes he’s now immune to COVID-19 for “at least seven months and perhaps years to come” and that he isn’t a threat to transmit it to anyone. He said wearing a mask would be merely for show. Other Sanford executives tried to distance themselves from the comments.

Dr. Kathy Anderson, president of the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said it was “an especially dangerous message to be sending right now in North Dakota.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to wear masks because they help prevent people who are infected — whether they know it or not — from spreading the coronavirus. It also says masks can also protect wearers who are not infected, though to a lesser degree.

Krabbenhoft said in a statement that the timing of his departure was right for him and his family.

“We decided that today was a good time to retire,” he said. “Sanford is in a good place, strongest ever.”

The company's Board of Trustees have named Bill Gassen to take over for Krabbenhoft. Gassen has been with Sanford since 2012, most recently serving as chief administrative officer. His appointment is effective immediately.

..

BEIJING (AP) — China has stirred controversy with claims it has detected the coronavirus on packages of imported frozen food.

Frozen shrimp imported from an Ecuadorian company was banned for one week on Tuesday in a continuing series of such temporary bans.

While experts say the virus can survive for a time on cardboard and plastic containers, it remains unclear how serious a risk that poses. Like so many issues surrounding the pandemic, the matter has swiftly become politicized.

China has rejected complaints from the U.S. and others, saying it is putting people’s lives first. Experts say they generally don’t consider the presence of the virus on packaging to be a significant health risk.

A look at the issue and some of the conclusions so far:

CHINA’S CRACKDOWN

Packaging first became a major issue with outbreaks in China linked to wholesale food markets, including one in June on the outskirts of Beijing. That prompted the removal of smoked salmon from supermarket shelves and has snowballed into multiple cases nationwide involving chicken, beef and seafood from nearly two dozen countries. At some supermarkets, imported meat now comes with a sticker declaring it to be virus-free.

Infections among freight handlers have also placed suspicion on packaging. Person-to-person transmission hasn’t been ruled out, however, and China has yet to release evidence that packaging was indeed the route of infection.

OVERSEAS COMPLAINTS

Trading partners, including the U.S., New Zealand, Canada and the EU, say they’re unclear on China’s methodology and have seen no solid evidence that their products carried the virus. The U.S. has questioned whether China’s crackdown is scientifically based and suggested the bans may amount to an unfair trade barrier.

Chinese foreign...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s governor says that once coronavirus vaccines become available, they will be optional in the state’s K-12 public schools.

Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday that vaccines will be very important for Tennessee to “ultimately really be able to handle” the pandemic. But he says he doesn’t foresee vaccine mandates for school districts in Tennessee.

In his words, “Vaccines are a choice and people have the choice and will have the choice in this state as to whether or not they should take that vaccine.”

The state’s health commissioner says the first doses could arrive in Tennessee around Dec. 15. The first wave will be reserved for frontline health care workers and first responders. She says widespread availability would likely be in late spring or early summer.

___

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Tokyo governor: Japan can host Olympics despite virus spike.

— Millions in US stick to Thanksgiving travel plans despite CDC warnings.

— Keep the mask: A vaccine won’t end the US crisis right away.

— Just in time for December holidays, England to cut its mandatory 14-day quarantines for travelers from unsafe virus countries to as little as five days with testing regimen.

— Los Angeles on the brink of a stay-home order as coronavirus cases rise.

— Drones to the rescue: Berlin lab seeks quicker virus tests.

___

Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

___

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

EL PASO, Texas — Officials in El Paso...

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Enbridge filed a legal challenge Tuesday to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's recent demand that the company shut down its oil pipeline that crosses the waterway connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

The Canadian company accused the state of overstepping its bounds, arguing that Enbridge's Line 5 was under the sole regulatory jurisdiction of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

“This is the latest attempt by the state of Michigan to interfere with the operation of this critical infrastructure by assuming authority it does not possess,” the company said in a statement.

In her Nov. 13 order to halt the flow of oil within 180 days, Whitmer said Enbridge had violated an easement granted 67 years ago to run a section of the pipeline along state-owned land below the Straits of Mackinac. Attorney General Dana Nessel sued in state court to enforce the Democratic governor's requirement.

Enbridge filed its case in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, underscoring its contention that the pipeline is a federal matter. It also submitted a notice seeking to transfer the state's suit to the federal court.

Vern Yu, the company's president for liquids pipelines, said the state should “stop playing politics with the energy needs and anxieties of U.S. and Canadian consumers and businesses that depend on Line 5."

Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said Enbridge's suit “brazenly defies the people of Michigan and their right to protect the Great Lakes from a catastrophic oil spill."

“In short, Enbridge claims it can continue to pump oil through the Straits of Mackinac indefinitely, posing enormous risk to our economy and way of life — and that the people of Michigan have no say in the matter," Brown said.

..

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota regulatory panel on Tuesday signed off on Enbridge Energy’s planned Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota, leaving only one minor state permit to go before construction can begin.

The independent Public Utilities Commission notified Enbridge in a filing that the company has complied with its pre-construction requirements. Enbridge said in a statement that the authorization to begin construction means only a final construction storm water permit is needed from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency before construction can begin.

The approval came one day after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the final federal permit for the project. The PUC had approved the project several times before.

MPCA spokesman Darin Broton said his agency has 30 days from Monday to decide.

Line 3 begins in Alberta, Canada, and clips a corner of North Dakota before crossing Minnesota on its way to Enbridge’s terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. Enbridge wants to replace the Minnesota section because it was built in the 1960s, and its increasing maintenance needs mean the company can run it at only half its original capacity. Replacement segments in Canada, North Dakota and Wisconsin are already complete.

Opponents say the project threatens spills in pristine waters where Native Americans harvest wild rice and that the Canadian tar sands oil it would carry would aggravate climate change.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News has reached a settlement with slain Democratic National Committee employee Seth Rich's parents, who alleged in a lawsuit that the cable news company exploited their son's death in stories and commentary.

Both sides confirmed the settlement on Tuesday.

Rich was shot and killed in 2016 in Washington, D.C., in what authorities described as a botched robbery attempt. His parents, Joel and Mary Rich, had objected to a Fox article and commentary falsely suggesting their son had leaked DNC emails to WikiLeaks during the presidential campaign.

Internet theories that Rich had been assassinated for leaking emails were contradicted by U.S. intelligence reports.

A lower court had thrown out the lawsuit, but the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan last year reinstated it. The court said that the family had plausibly alleged what amounted to a campaign of emotional torture.

Rich's parents, in a statement, said the settlement closed another chapter in their efforts to mourn their son, who was 27 when he was killed.

“We are pleased with the settlement of this matter and sincerely hope that the media will take genuine caution in the future,” the Riches, of Omaha, Nebraska, said.

Neither side disclosed financial terms of the deal.

“We are pleased with the resolution of the claims and hope this enables Mr. and Mrs. Rich to find a small degree of peace and solace moving forward,” Fox said in a statement.

Waiters and bartenders are being thrown out of work — again — as governors and local officials shut down indoor dining and drinking establishments to combat the nationwide surge in coronavirus infections that is overwhelming hospitals and dashing hopes for a quick economic recovery.

And the timing, just before the holidays, couldn't be worse.

Restaurant owner Greg Morena in Los Angeles County was trying to figure out his next step after officials in the nation's largest county banned in-person dining for at least three weeks, beginning Wednesday. But he was mainly dreading having to notify his employees.

“To tell you, ‘I can’t employ you during the holidays,’ to staff that has family and kids, I haven’t figured that part out yet. It’s the heaviest weight that I carry,” said Morena, who had to close one restaurant earlier in the year and has two operating at the Santa Monica Pier.

Randine Karnitz, a server in Elk River, Minnesota, said her boss laid her off last week after Gov. Tim Walz announced that bars, restaurants and gyms would close for four weeks as infections spiked to an all-time high and pushed hospitals to the breaking point.

“‘Well, your last day is tomorrow. You don’t have a job. You can thank your governor for that,'" Karnitz said her boss told her.

She said her husband's hours also have been cut at his manufacturing job, forcing the family to postpone house repairs.

Karnitz, though, said that she supports a shutdown and that people who didn't take the virus seriously bear much of the blame.

“I just think that if we all would’ve done our part to begin with, we wouldn’t be in this predicament," she said. “Things are only going to get worse for the service industry before it gets better, unfortunately.”

Louisiana Gov....

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — RadioShack, a fixture at the mall for decades, has been pulled from brink of death, again.

It's the most prized name in the basket of brands that entrepreneur investors Alex Mehr and Tai Lopez have scooped up since the coronavirus pandemic bowled over the U.S. retail sector and sent a number of chains into bankruptcy protection. Those brands so far include Pier1, Dressbarn and Modell’s.

Mehr and Lopez plan to make RadioShack competitive again, this time online, rather than on street corners or in malls. However, unlike RadioShack's glory years, it's Amazon's world now.

The big question is: How much value does the RadioShack brand have when the prized target audience of younger consumers may have never owned a radio, let alone stepped inside a RadioShack store?

“It’s a very thin line between being iconic and being dead,” said Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys Inc., a marketing and research consultancy. “Being iconic a lot of the time just means people have a memory of it. I’m not sure that just remembering something is leverageable enough to be able to convert something into success.”

Success is something that's been in RadioShack's rear-view mirror for quite some time. The company, which would celebrate its 100th birthday in 2021, appeared to be on top of the tech world in the pre-personal computer days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the place kids and hobbyist would go to buy radios, walkie-talkies and all the parts to fix them, or even build them themselves.

Somewhere along the way, “The Shack” got lost. Unable to capitalize on the PC boom that began in the mid-eighties, it also found itself largely on the outside of the portable device revolution of the aughts and drifting toward irrelevancy. It booked its last profit in 2011. After store...

NEW YORK (AP) — In a bizarre video retweeted Tuesday by President Donald Trump, a sinister-looking Randy Quaid is seen in a closeup with flashing lights illuminating his bearded face as he intones, “Fox News daytime ratings have completely collapsed.”

Did the actor, who posted his proclamation nearly two weeks ago, know what he was talking about?

Fox's daytime viewership dropped 32 percent from the two weeks prior to Election Day to the two weeks after, the Nielsen company said.

The post-election, weekday average daytime viewership of 1.63 million was roughly equivalent to that of CNN (1.68 million) and MSNBC (1.71 million). CNN was up 33% and MSNBC up 9% during that time period, Nielsen said.

It's not unusual for a cable news network popular with fans of a certain candidate to see its audience to drop off when that candidate loses; MSNBC's ratings briefly collapsed four years ago when Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The difference here is that Trump has been actively encouraging his followers to abandon Fox and hasn't actually conceded. Newsmax, the conservative network that Trump has been touting, saw its daytime average viewership jump from 88,000 the two weeks prior to the election to 474,000 the two weeks after, Nielsen said.

For the year to date, Fox has been averaging 2.06 million viewers in daytime, compared to MSNBC’s 1.41 million, CNN’s 1.17 million and Newsmax’s 85,000, Nielsen said.

It's important to emphasize that the decline is only a two-week slice of time. Fox's prime-time viewership, while down 38% in the two weeks post-election, is still well ahead of its rivals.

Fox News was the top-rated cable network in prime time last week, averaging 2.98 million viewers. ESPN averaged 2.58 million, MSNBC had 2.18 million, CNN had 2.05...

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street busted through its latest milestone Tuesday, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 30,000 for the first time.

The Dow rose 454.97 points, or 1.5%, to close at 30,046.24. Investors were encouraged by progress in the development of coronavirus vaccines and news that the transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden is finally beginning. Traders also welcomed word that Biden has selected Janet Yellen, a widely respected former Federal Reserve chair, as treasury secretary.

The milestone is an attention-grabbing psychological threshold, and it’s an encouraging signal that the market’s rally is broadening beyond the handful of stocks that carried Wall Street through the pandemic. But the Dow at 30,000 means less to most investors’ 401(k) accounts than the fact that broader market indexes are also at record highs.

Here’s a look at how the Dow has rallied to its latest multiple of 10,000, the first time that’s happened since January 2017, and what it means for investors.

WHAT IS THE DOW, EXACTLY?

It’s a measure of 30 companies, mostly blue-chip stocks spread across a range of industries. They include tech stars like Apple and Microsoft, as well as more traditional industrial companies like Boeing and Caterpillar. Other behemoths in the Dow include Nike and The Walt Disney Co.

Unlike many other measures of the market, the most important thing for the Dow is how big a stock’s price is, not how much a company is worth in total. That means a 1% move for UnitedHealth Group has a bigger effect on the Dow than the same movement for Apple, even though Apple is worth more than six times the insurer. That’s because UnitedHealth Group’s stock price is $336.01 versus $115.17 for Apple, due to having a smaller number of total...

With coronavirus cases spiking in the U.S. and Europe, the financial outlook of the world’s airlines is getting worse.

Airlines will lose more than $157 billion over this year and next because of the pandemic, their main trade group said on Tuesday,

The forecast from the International Air Transport Association was worse than the group's June estimate of $100 billion in losses for the two years.

The latest estimate breaks down to airlines losing $66 for every passenger carried this year.

The trade group’s chief, Alexandre de Juniac, said that without $173 billion in aid from governments, the airline industry would have suffered “massive” bankruptcies.

However, the trade group now sees a quicker recovery. It said airlines will begin taking in more cash than they spend in the fourth quarter of 2021, earlier than it had previously forecast, on the belief that travel will increase as COVID-19 vaccines become available.

U.S. airline stocks rose Tuesday on further encouraging news about vaccines. But industry officials are pressuring governments around the world to move more quickly by lifting travel restrictions for passengers who test negative for the new coronavirus.

“We cannot wait for the vaccine that will not be fully available before mid-2021,” de Juniac said. “We need testing in the meantime.”

Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr called passenger testing “a bridge toward the vaccination of travelers.”

Airlines and airports have launched trial testing programs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and elsewhere. It is unclear, however, whether test results will ever replace quarantines and other restrictions.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that once vaccines are widely available, the Australian carrier will likely require cross-border...

Stocks closed broadly higher on Wall Street Tuesday, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 30,000 points for the first time.

The S&P 500 also climbed to an all-time high, fueled by optimism about the development of coronavirus vaccines and news that the transition of power in the U.S. to President-elect Joe Biden has begun.

Traders were also encouraged to see that Biden had selected Janet Yellen, a widely respected former Federal Reserve chair, as treasury secretary.

On Tuesday:

The S&P 500 index rose 57.82 points, or 1.6%, to 3,635.41.

The Dow gained 454.97 points, or 1.5%, to 30,046.24.

The Nasdaq composite picked up 156.15 points, or 1.3%, to 12,036.79.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks picked up 35.23 points, or 1.9%, to 1,853.53.

For the week:

The S&P 500 is up 77.87 points, or 2.2%.

The Dow is up 782.76 points, or 2.7%.

The Nasdaq is up 181.82 points, or 1.5%.

The Russell 2000 is up 68.19 points, or 3.8%.

For the year:

The S&P 500 is up 404.63 points, or 12.5%.

The Dow is up 1,507.80 points, or 5.3%.

The Nasdaq is up 3,064.18 points, or 34.2%.

The Russell 2000 is up 185.06 points, or 11.1%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 30,000 points for the first time Tuesday as progress in the development of coronavirus vaccines and news that the transition of power in the U.S. to President-elect Joe Biden will finally begin kept investors in a buying mood.

Traders were also encouraged to see that Biden had selected Janet Yellen, a widely respected former Federal Reserve chair, as treasury secretary. The Dow rose more than 450 points, or 1.5%, to cross the milestone. The S&P 500 index, which has a far greater impact on 401(k) accounts than the Dow, rose 1.6%, climbing to its own all-time high.

The gains extend a monthlong market rally driven by growing optimism that development of coronavirus vaccines and treatments will loosen the pandemic's stranglehold on the economy. They also mark a rapid climb for the Dow from its March 23 low of just under 18,600 during the worst of its early pandemic nosedive.

“We are one step closer to moving past the election uncertainty,” said Lindsey Bell, chief investment strategist at Ally Invest. “People are still optimistic about what 2021 has to bring, from an economic perspective and an earnings perspective.”

The S&P 500 rose 57.82 points to 3,635.41. The Dow gained 454.97 points to 30,046.24. Both indexes eclipsed record highs set early last week. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite picked up 156.15 points, or 1.3%, to 12,036.79.

Traders continued to favor stocks that stand to gain the most from a gradual reopening of the economy, such as banks and industrial companies. Technology and communication stocks, which have been investor favorites through the pandemic, also helped lift the market.

In another signal that investors were feeling confident, the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks outpaced the...

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that moved heavily or traded substantially Tuesday:

BlackRock, up $16.43 to $699.30

The investment management firm is buying Aperio for just over $1 billion in cash.

Nutanix, down 26 cents to $28.21

The enterprise cloud platform services provider beat analysts’ fiscal first-quarter earnings forecasts.

Dycom Industries, down $12.52 to $65.71

The provider of specialty contracting services reported weak third-quarter revenue.

Cabot, up 74 cents to $44.85

The chemical company gave investors an encouraging profit forecast for its fiscal first quarter.

Ambarella, up $10.14 to $76.51

The video-compression chipmaker's third-quarter earnings beat analysts' forecasts.

Best Buy, down $8.50 to $113.54

The electronics retailer refrained from giving investors a financial forecast because of the uncertainty surrounding the virus pandemic.

Anaplan, up $4.97 to $67.22

The software developer gave investors an encouraging forecast after beating analyst's third-quarter financial expectations.

Dollar Tree, up $13.74 to $111.35

The discount retailer handily beat Wall Street's third-quarter profit forecasts.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Surveillance video showing an Ohio judge being shot and wounded at a courthouse before the assailant was himself shot and killed is a public record that should be released, the Ohio Supreme Court said Tuesday in a case brought by The Associated Press.

The court rejected a prosecutor’s arguments that releasing the video could endanger court personnel by revealing details of security protocol.

The Jefferson County prosecutor never provided any evidence about how the county was using the video footage of the shooting for security purposes, said Justice Michael Donnelly, who wrote the court's unanimous opinion.

“That this incident and response were readily observable to the public would seemingly undermine the concern that the video might disclose something that an eyewitness would not have seen,” Donnelly wrote.

The video shows Jefferson County Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr. being shot outside a courthouse in Steubenville in eastern Ohio in August 2017 by Nathaniel Richmond, 51, and then Richmond being killed by a probation officer.

Richmond had a pending wrongful death lawsuit in front of Bruzzese at the time. The judge recovered and later returned to the bench.

The day of the shooting, the AP asked for a copy of the surveillance video recorded by a camera positioned in front of the courthouse. Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin denied that request, saying the video was a confidential law enforcement record and part of the courthouse’s infrastructure security system, among other arguments.

The state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case after the Ohio Court of Claims sided with the AP and appeals court later ruled against the AP.

In a separate opinion, state Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy said there is no doubt the court’s...

GENEVA (AP) — The European Union, the United States and other donors on Tuesday pledged billions in new funds for Afghanistan, hoping to salvage years of work aimed to foster peace and stability in the country and coax along uncertain peace talks between the government and Taliban rebels — at a time when Islamic State extremists have increasingly caused havoc and bloodshed.

A largely virtual pledging conference for Afghanistan, co-hosted by Finland and the United Nations in Geneva, drew representatives from nearly 100 countries and international groups in the first such event in four years. It comes as the COVID-19 crisis has commanded worldwide attention, and its outbreak in Afghanistan has compounded persistent ills like corruption and extremist violence.

Many countries set conditions for their future commitments, mostly on progress toward peace and demands for better governance to foster democracy and root out corruption.

“Donors pledged more than $3 billion for the first year of the upcoming quadrennial, with annual commitments expected to stay at the same level year on year,” said Ville Skinnari, Finland's minister for development, cooperation and foreign trade.

That $12 billion was a rough estimate extrapolated from the pledges for next year alone, officials said, adding that donors would review their commitments each year. Even at $12 billion, it marked a drop from the more than $15 billion drummed up at the last such conference in Brussels in 2016.

Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Afghanistan's foreign minister, hailed an “impressive figure” tallied on Tuesday, adding: “It's more important because it comes at a time when there is hardly any nation that has not been affected by COVID-19 in its economy and revenue.”

“That represents an enormous amount of generosity, when every nation has had its own...

CINCINNATI (AP) — A former Cincinnati city council member has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge resulting from corruption investigations that have left two other council members facing charges.

U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott ruled Tuesday that Tamaya Dennard will begin serving her sentence next year. Dlott called the case “a real tragedy,” saying Dennard, 41, had done a lot of good.

Dennard pleaded guilty earlier this year to a wire fraud-related count alleging vote-selling. Dennard had asked for home incarceration, writing to the court that she resigned from council and took responsibility for her actions. She is a Democrat.

Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld was arrested last week on separate allegations he solicited payments to “deliver the votes” for a proposed real estate development. He tweeted Friday that the allegations are “simply not true,” that he will not resign and that he will fight the charges. Republican Jeff Pastor was arrested this month on bribery and other counts and said he will fight the charges.

BOSTON (AP) — Home Depot has reached a $17.5 million settlement with the attorney generals of 46 states and the District of Columbia over a 2014 data breach that exposed the payment card information of some 40 million customers.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office detailed the settlement in a statement Tuesday, saying Home Depot agreed under its terms to employ a full-time chief information security officer among other measures.

Cybercriminals hacked into Home Depot’s self-checkout point-of-sale systems using a third-party vendor’s username and password and installed malware that harvested the customer data from April through September 2014.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California prosecutors: More than 35,000 unemployment claims filed in names of prison inmates, including Scott Peterson.

…

The post Tips for Launching a Health E-Commerce Business in 2021 appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

For more than a decade, content marketing has been one of the most popular online marketing strategies. It’s useful for its accessibility, its high return on investment (ROI), and its penchant for long-term development.

These days, content marketers are increasingly turning their attention to visual content, including photos, videos, and infographics. But what is it that makes visual content so powerful? And how can you harness the power of visual content marketing for your strategy?

What Is Visual Content?

What exactly is visual content? Visual content is any content that can be accessed and absorbed through a visual component. Rather than reading words on a screen or listening to audio, a consumer can simply look at a photo, illustration, or video.…

The post Why Visual Content Is So Important for Your Content Marketing Strategy appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Most entrepreneurs get into the game because they love the idea of running their own business. They like to be in charge. They love their team members. They even love the industry they’re in. But sooner or later, you’ll need to put together an exit strategy—and that often means selling your business.

If your business is thriving, you shouldn’t have a problem attracting a potential buyer. But the process of selling a business is complicated, and if you want to get the highest price and experience the smoothest transition, you’ll need to prepare for it proactively.

Get Your Marketing Strategy Together

First, you’ll need to think about marketing your business for sale.…

The post How to Sell a Business Effectively appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

If only getting out of debt was as quick and easy as getting into debt. Unfortunately, working your way out of debt requires patience, determination, and some hard work. The good news is that as you make progress on this journey, you may learn a lot of tricks that improve your financial situation above and beyond getting rid of your debt.

1. Write Down Your Debts

The first step is really understanding your debt. You need to know how much you owe, how long it will take you to pay off those debts by making the minimum payments, and how much interest you’re paying on those debts.…

The post Six Habits To Help You Overcome Debt appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Not every online sellers who starts on Amazon makes it out thriving. Unfortunately, online store owners don’t know the various factors that come into play when starting a business in one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms.

So many Amazon store owners start on the right foot but end up failing miserably, because they implement the wrong tactics. Many sellers do not realize this.

Here are a few of the “bogus strategies” that many Amazon store owners mistakenly follow:

Chose the wrong type of product

Choosing the wrong types of products to sell is the number one reason most sellers do not make it big at Fulfillment by Amazon (Amazon FBA).…

The post 4 Reasons People Don’t Succeed at Selling on Amazon appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Becoming a lawyer is truly a dream for many, but it’s also one that’s a little hard to achieve. There’s no easy path to success, but with the right guidance, this is something that you can do.

To ensure that they have a successful career in the legal field, there are certain guidelines that any prospective lawyer would want to follow in order. It’s not easy to become a personal injury lawyer because it requires you to have a certain amount of knowledge on the subject, which takes many years of study and comprehension of the law.

If you’re an aspiring personal injury lawyer, this article gives some insights that you need to learn so your goals will be within your reach.…

The post How to Become a Personal Injury Lawyer appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

An inquiry about extending sewer lines to boathouses at the Clover Island Yacht Club has prompted a strong response from the Port of Kennewick.  Boathouses are for boats, not people. Living on boats or in boathouses is not allowed by the port or the Army Corps of Engineers  The port leases the marina land, including submerged lands, from the Corps and in turn…

The post Sewer inquiry prompts stark reminder: No live-aboards at Clover Island  appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

A military-grade cyberattack seized the Port of Kennewick’s computer system on Nov. 16, cutting off email and other systems.   The port said it will not pay the $200,000 demanded to restore access to its servers, which were encrypted by sophisticated digital “military–grade” ransomware.  The attack is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington State Office of…

The post Port of Kennewick crippled by cyberattack  appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

The Port of Kennewick is in an awkward position after the death of a tenant who held a lifetime right to occupy port–owned property in east Kennewick. Audrey Bouton died Sept. 14 in San Tan Valley, Arizona, where she had moved to be cared for by a daughter. She was 90 and held the right to occupy a 4.5-acre site…

The post Tenant’s death leaves port in awkward position  appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Retirement investment often hits the headlines, but not always for the right reasons. With the average American living longer today than ever before, this article explores the benefits and pitfalls of IRAs, and why you may be better off with a Malta Pension Plan.

IRAs are a tax advantageous investment vehicle for retirement savers

Investments held within an IRA may encompass a range of different financial products, such as stocks and shares, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. Both traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs may be self-directed, enabling the investor to make all of their own investment decisions and providing them with greater access to a broader range of investments.…

The post This is Why Malta Pension Plans May be a Better Option Than IRAs appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Map geeks rejoice! The city of Richland has launched a web page where it posts maps that detail how the community works. Curious about utility lines? There’s a map for that. What routes do snowplows use in winter? There’s a map for that. In fact, there’s a map for just about every conceivable community activity…

The post How does Richland work? The city has a map for that appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Knowing how to give a proper presentation is essential for the success of your business. At some point, your business will have to present information on a product, answer user questions, pitch new ideas, or showcase creative expertise. The easiest and most efficient way to do this is through a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation. In this case, PowerPoint is available for Mac and Windows, while Keynote is only available for Mac.

photo credit: Product School / Unsplash

A good PowerPoint presentation is like a lightbulb moment for your customers. PowerPoint presentation services can help your company or brand create professional pitch deck templates for multipurpose presentations and awesome slides.…

The post 8 Key Strategies for Utilizing PPT for Your Small Business appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

You’ll be undertaking something of a balancing act when creating your own business. Whether the funds involved are your own savings, you’ve been granted a bank loan or your capital comes from investors and shareholders, it’s up to you to make sure that a sensible amount goes to each vital area. But, of course, you only have a finite amount to work with – and no one wants to feel as if they’re cutting corners.

So, what steps can you take to ensure you always stay within your budget?

Calculate Carefully

It’s important to distribute funds across your business in a sensible manner.…

The post Sticking to a Tight Budget When Starting a Digital Marketing Business appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

A crucial aspect of entrepreneurial success is working with talented and driven people who are dedicated to your vision. When it’s time for hiring, you need to have a good idea about the skills your business needs to thrive. You should also have a clear image of the type of atmosphere you want to foster in the workplace.

With a cohesive team you can fully trust behind you, you can accomplish your business goals faster and easier. How to gauge compatibility when choosing people to work with? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you with the recruitment process.…

The post How to Choose the Right Employees and Form a Cohesive Team appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Port hires new economic development director Stephen McFadden, an economic development leader and an Adams County newspaper publisher, has joined the Port of Pasco as director of economic development and marketing. McFadden succeeds Gary Ballew, who left to join Greater Spokane Incorporated. McFadden comes to Pasco from Adams County, where he led economic development efforts…

The post Real Estate & Construction Briefs – November 2020 appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

When the city of West Richland bought the former Tri-City Raceway in 2019, it saw a spot to build its new police station and a place to steer commercial development. But a team of fans, including the raceway’s former operator, see something different. Instead of tearing out the raceway and what is left of its…

The post Could Tri-City Raceway be West Richland’s Carousel of Dreams? appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Marineland Village, the storied Kennewick shopping center known for its sea otter statue, marine theme and a landscape that once featured palm trees, has changed hands for the final time after 15 years. Vancouver-based Inland Ocean LLC, consisting of Jane Schmid-Cook and her partner and former husband, Rod Cook, promises to bring stable ownership to…

The post New owners buy Marineland Plaza for $7M as legacy investment appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

The Port of Benton is seeking a new operator for Prosser’s Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center after the nonprofit that established the wine industry showplace vacated the property because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The port, which owns the taxpayer-funded wine and event center, pledged to move quickly to find a new partner to continue…

The post Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center seeks new operator appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Horse Heaven wind, solar project seeks state approval Boulder, Colorado-based Scout Clean Energy will apply for approval to develop an 850MW wind and solar farm in the Horse Heaven Hills to the Washington Energy Facilities Siting Evaluation Council, bypassing Benton County. Scout initially said it would apply for land use approval from county. It shifted…

The post Business Briefs – November 2020 appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Tri-City area nonprofits forced to cancel popular fundraising events are banking on supporters joining their online campaigns. Donations play a powerful role in helping organizations that help people face challenges and the need does not go away because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some of the virtual fundraisers taking place in November. Submit your…

The post Tri-City nonprofits shift to online fundraising in pandemic appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.