Last updated 12:26AM ET
November 21, 2009
Biz/Tech
Biz/Tech
Boeing Breaking Ground in South Carolina Boeing breaks ground tomorrow (Friday) on a new production line in South Carolina. It's a second location for final assembly of the 7-8-7 Dreamliner and the Machinists union here is still insisting they can do a better job building the planes in Everett. KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.
Could NY E-Waste Suit Ricochet on Washington? Washington and 18 other states have laws that require electronics manufacturers to take back their old, worn-out products for recycling. Now, the electronics industry is challenging an e-waste law in New York City they say is too burdensome. Could the suit in New York provide legal ammunition for an attack on Washington's e-waste law? KPLU environment reporter Liam Moriarty has more.
Safety Net Fraying, Say Those Who Keep Watch There have been recent signs the economy may be turning around. But the people who hold our social safety net together say the painful times are here for awhile, and demand for their services is only increasing. KPLU's Gary Davis checks in with some of them.
Foreclosure Intervention Workshop Tacoma and Pierce County are two of the state's hardest hit areas for foreclosures. The city is hosting a resource fair tomorrow (Sat) to help prevent people from losing their homes. KPLU's Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.
Swedish Breaks Ground on New Issaquah Hospital A new hospital is now under construction in the fast-growing town of Issaquah, east of Seattle. It'll be King County's first all-new hospital in a quarter century. More from KPLU health and science reporter Keith Seinfeld:
Massive WaMu Lawsuit Moving Forward It's been more than a year since the collapse of Washington Mutual Bank. It's the largest bank failure in U.S. history. And now a federal judge is allowing a potential class-action against WaMu to move forward on behalf of angry shareholders. KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.
Scam Alert: Buying a House for More Than It's Worth Just when it looked like bad home loans and foreclosures were under control, here comes another real estate scam: buying a house for more than it's worth. And as real estate appraiser Richard Hagar tells KPLU's John Maynard, Bellevue has been hit particularly hard.
Sick Leave and Swine Flu Concern about the swine flu epidemic has some tribal casinos reconsidering their sick leave policy. It tells workers they face firing if they call in sick on busy days. The news that the policy even existed has a lot of people asking, "Can an employer really do that?" KPLU's Paula Wissel went looking for answers.
Amazon-Kindle Suit Settlement Big Brother isn't watching you anymore. Amazon dot com has settled a lawsuit involving its electronic book reader, the Kindle. The suit was filed by a high school student who sued the Seattle company over the remote deletion of certain books from his device. More from KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp.
Sharing Work to Avoid Layoffs If you had a choice between losing your job or taking a small pay-cut and working fewer hours for a while, what would you do? The choice was obvious for workers at one Seattle company - once they found out it was possible. Their managers have enrolled in a program offered by the state Employment Security Department. KPLU's Bellamy Pailthorp explains.
Unemployment Expected to Keep Rising The stock market has rebounded a great deal since it bottomed out in March, and the index of leading economic indicators is on the rise. But more and more people are out of work. KPLU's Dave Meyer talks to financial commentator Greg Heberlein.
Mastro Transfers Illegal, Says Federal Trustee The federal trustee in one of the state's biggest bankruptcy cases has taken steps to get back a 27-carot diamond ring, a new Rolls Royce and a waterfront mansion in Medina. The items were moved offshore after Seattle developer Michael R. Mastro was forced into bankruptcy. KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp has more.
MIT Tracking Trash One of the world's largest garbage companies is airing its dirty laundry. Waste Management has provided seed money to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to find out where the trash goes after you toss it in the bin. Eager volunteers are a big part of the picture - including KPLU's very own Bellamy Pailthorp.
"Friends and Family" of Michael Mastro attend Bankruptcy Hearing A $10-million-dollar mansion in Medina, a new Rolls Royce and two diamond rings worth hundreds of thousands of dollars - those are among the assets that 84-year-old Michael R. Mastro and his wife still possess. But it's not clear to what extent they control them. Several dozen investors in Mastro's real estate empire attended a hearing at the federal courthouse in Seattle Tuesday. KPLU's Bellamy Pailthorp was there.
Seattle Developer Michael Mastro in Court It's one of the biggest bankruptcy filings in Washington State history. And it probably won't be fully resolved for five or six years. But today (Tuesday) in a federal courtroom, people who lent money to Seattle developer Michael R. Mastro will get to ask him questions for the first time. KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.
Stakes Rise in Kent Schools Walkout Negotiations continue in Kent to settle a teacher's strike. After a judge declared the week-old walkout illegal, union leaders requested a change in mediators. More from KPLU education reporter Gary Davis.
Home Emergencies: 911 Where there's flooding or fire, it's OK to call 911. As Real Estate Appraiser Richard Hagar tells KPLU's John Maynard, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it concerns your home.
Costly Delay for Boeing 787 Boeing is taking a two and a half billion-dollar ($2.5 B) write-off because of the problems it's had with the new 7-8-7 Dreamliner. When the company announced the new schedule for first flight of the aircraft, it added that the first three test jets cannot be sold to customers. KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp explains.
Tacoma Community Organizing to Fight Foreclosures Pierce County has become infamous as one of the state's hardest hit areas for foreclosures. People in Tacoma determined not to lose their homes are banding together. The national group ACORN has helped them form a Foreclosure Prevention Roundtable. They're hitting the streets to drum up more support. KPLU's Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.
Track Your Trash with MIT and the Seattle Library Have you ever wondered what happens to that candy-bar wrapper or paper cup after you toss it into the trash bin? You can soon find out. Seattle Public Library is collaborating with a lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to track local trash. KPLU's Bellamy Pailthorp has the story.

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