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Beazer Homes CEO McCarthy may face civil charges
Headline Topics |
2009/11/16 02:43
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pFederal regulators have notified Beazer Homes USA Inc. that its top executive could face civil charges over incentive compensation./ppThe notification comes more than a year after the Atlanta-based homebuilder settled a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into its financial statements./ppBeazer Homes said in a regulatory filing Monday that SEC staff issued a so-called Wells notice to CEO Ian McCarthy. That means the staff intends to recommend civil charges against McCarthy for possible securities violations. Recipients of the notices can respond to the allegations before the commission decides on any enforcement action./ppBeazer said McCarthy intends to respond to the notice, which is not a formal allegation nor a finding of wrongdoing./ppBeazer said the SEC staff recommended action against McCarthy to collect certain incentive compensation and other amounts allegedly due under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The company's filing did not disclose how much compensation is involved, or other details about the disputed pay.
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Dolton police officers beat up innocent man, lawsuit claims
Headline Topics |
2009/10/12 10:10
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A federal lawsuit filed Friday accuses Dolton police officers of beating up an innocent man and lying about it.
The suit also alleges the Village of Dolton and its police department tried to cover up the crime.
David Smith's nose was broken and he had a concussion when he went to Ingalls Hospital after being released by Dolton police.
Smith, 29, was acquitted of disorderly conduct charges after prosecutors admitted an officer changed his story on the eve of trial, the suit says.
Among village and police officials named in the suit is Dolton Inspector General Bob Shaw, a candidate for Cook County assessor who said Friday he was not familiar with Smith's case. The lawsuit says Shaw turned a blind eye to repeated instances of police misconduct.
Smith was arguing with a friend in the parking lot of Shark's restaurant on July 26 when officers slammed him on the hood of a squad car, punched him and threw him to the pavement, the lawsuit says.
Police handcuffed him and beat him, telling his friends to look away as they beat him, the lawsuit says. Someone called 911 to report police beating him, the lawsuit says. Police took a small bag of marijuana from a girl in Smith's group, the lawsuit says.
At the police station, Smith was thrown on a cell floor and lost consciousness, and his requests for medical attention were ignored, according to the lawsuit. Police ultimately charged him with possession of marijuana -- the bag taken from his friend, he said.
I kept asking to be taken to the hospital, my nose was broken, and they didn't do anything, Smith said.
Police said Smith had struck himself on the cell door during processing. But doctors said his injuries could not have been caused by that.
Dolton police reportedly resisted turning over 911 tapes, videotapes of the lockup or police reports until they were ordered to release the items by a judge.
a href=http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1819714,CST-NWS-dolton12.articleRead more.../a |
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Conn. bishop says abuse is in church's past
Headline Topics |
2009/10/05 14:29
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pThe Supreme Court refused on Monday to block the release of documents generated by lawsuits against priests in Connecticut for alleged sexual abuse./ppThe justices turned down a request by the Roman Catholic diocese in Bridgeport, Conn./ppSeveral newspapers are seeking the release of more than 12,000 pages from 23 lawsuits against six priests./ppThe records have been under seal since the diocese settled the cases in 2001. Courts in Connecticut have ruled that the papers should be made public./ppThe decision ends a legal battle that dragged on for years and could shed light on how recently retired New York Cardinal Edward Egan handled the allegations when he was Bridgeport bishop./ppIt's unclear when the documents will be released./ppWaterbury Superior Court clerk Philip Groth said he needs to consult a judge to determine whether a hearing is necessary before the records are released. He said Monday morning it was unlikely the documents would be released Monday./ppThe Bridgeport diocese, which had argued unsuccessfully that the documents were subject to religious privileges under the First Amendment, said it was disappointed in the decision./p |
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Obama begins to overhaul key US appeals court
Headline Topics |
2009/10/02 15:45
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pk Obama is moving to reshape the Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, known as the nation's most conservative federal appeals court./ppThe court supported anti-terrorism initiatives of the Bush administration and has issued many conservative rulings on abortion, death penalty and criminal rights cases./ppFive of the nation's 20 open circuit judgeships belong to the court that hears cases from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland./ppObama has nominated U.S. District Judge Andre Davis of Maryland and Virginia Supreme Court Justice Barbara Keenan. If they win Senate confirmation, Democratic appointees will outnumber Republicans 7-5 on the court./p |
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Intel legal chief swaps chips for bite of Apple
Headline Topics |
2009/09/15 09:42
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Intel's general counsel Bruce Sewell has beaten a hasty retreat from Chipzilla in favour of a new job over at Apple.
Sewell hung up his Intel boots yesterday on the same day that the company’s long-serving senior digital veep Pat Gelsinger was poached by storage giant EMC.
Apple spun out a statement today confirming Sewell’s move.
Intel’s chief lawyer joined the firm in 1995, during which time he has battled with competition watchdogs in Asia, the US and Europe, where he has fervently defended Intel against antitrust claims.
Apple said Sewell would replace its current general counsel, Daniel Cooperman, who will retire from the Cupertino-based firm at the end of September.
a href=http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/09/15/intel_bruce_sewell_apple/Read more.../a |
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Higher Standards for Vending Machines
Headline Topics |
2009/09/08 09:05
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Courthouse News reports that cold beverages dispensed from refrigerated vending machines will cost less to cool according to new standards proposed by the Department of Energy that will increase the electrical efficiency of new machines.
The 2.5 million such machines in use in the United States consume approximately 7.5 billion kWh per year. This equipment costs American businesses nearly $600 million annually to power. The DOE believes that number will go down as the new standards are applied to new machines. By 2042, DOE expects energy savings from the standards to save about $489 million a year.
These energy savings will result in cumulative greenhouse gas emission reductions of approximately 9.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide an amount equal to that produced by 2 million cars every year. |
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'Robocalls' To Stop Today
Headline Topics |
2009/09/01 09:06
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According to Courthouse News, prerecorded telemarketing calls to consumers - commonly known as robocalls - are supposed to stop Sept. 1. The calls will be prohibited whether or not the consumer previously has done business with the seller, and a only a telemarketer with the consumers' written permission to call can get around the rule.
In announcing the prohibition, the Federal Trade Commission Chairman, Jon Leibowitz, said, American consumers have made it crystal clear that few things annoy them more than the billions of commercial telemarketing robocalls they receive every year. He added, If consumers think they're being harassed by robocallers, they need to let us know, and we will go after them. Penalties for violating the rule are up to $16,000 per call.
The new requirement is part of amendments to the agency's Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) that were announced a year ago. |
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