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While campaigning, President-Elect Barack Obama named several issues as priorities for his first months in the White House. A few of those items also happen to be on the green industry’s list of priorities for the new commander-in-chief’s agenda. Here are some of the industry’s top action items for Obama come Jan. 20. No. 1: The Economy As everyone knows, when the presidency changes hands it also will change parties, and the already Democratic Congress gained even more seats in the ...

Ball Horticultural Co. was awarded the 2008 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award. This award is sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness, which recognizes park districts, municipalities and corporations that make extensive and creative use of native landscaping. The award ceremony will be held Nov. 13 as part of the Chicago Wilderness Congress. “This is the fourth award Ball Horticultural Company has been presented with for the Ball ...

Bexley, Ohio, City Council members passed an amended ordinance Oct. 28 requiring landscape contractors to obtain a permit to operate in the city. The ordinance, which will take effect Jan. 1, mandates that landscape contractors register with the city and front an application fee of $25 to operate on commercial or private property. City Auditor Larry Heiser told council members that the ordinance functions as a way to force contractors to file income tax returns. The ordinance mirrors an ...

We can finally stop debating Joe the Plumber, and start looking ahead to what’s to come. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign offered several proposals with significant implications for small businesses. Here’s a look at some of those measures: TAXES: Sen. Obama pledged to keep taxes at current levels for Americans with income of $250,000 or less – which includes the vast majority of entrepreneurs, tax experts say. Those earning more than $250,000 annually, however, would see their tax bills rise ...

New claims for unemployment benefits dropped slightly last week, while the number of people continuing to receive benefits reached its highest level in more than 25 years, the government said Thursday. The Labor Department reported that initial claims for jobless benefits dropped 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 481,000 for the week ending Nov. 1. That's just above analysts' estimates of 480,000, according to Thomson Reuters. But the number of people continuing to receive unemployment ...

If Columbia, S.C., adopted more stringent water conservation measures, it could save up to $100 million and reduce consumption by as much as 30 percent. That’s the consensus of a report released Oct. 22 by American Rivers, a national river conservation group that studied the potential effects of aggressive water-conservation efforts on four Southeastern U.S. cities: Columbia, S.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Atlanta and Raleigh, N.C. In addition to Columbia’s possible savings of up to 27 million ...

Sylvia Salazar has one foot in the United States and one in Columbia. “My culture, my ideas, everything that I learned from my parents and my family will always be with me, but this country is home to me now,” said the wife and mother, who will be eligible for citizenship next year. She was lucky enough to have parents with the resources to send her to college in Kansas on a student visa 14 years ago. Unlike the undocumented immigrants highlighted early in the presidential primary, Salazar ...

It's not just big business in the U.S. that is requiring a bailout. There are more than 30 million small businesses across America being negatively impacted by current economic conditions. Access to credit is drying up. Loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have decreased by 30 percent. Declining home values are contributing to declining collateral values, which mean that entrepreneurs have less to offer banks as backup for a loan. Compounding the problem is that ...

Here's some helpful advice to your readers and viewers struggling right now. 1. Find a law firm which focuses on entrepreneurs looking to help you grow 2. Hire an accountant who works with entrepreneurs and who understands the economic realities of a start up. 3. Consider forming a Limited Liability Company or Corporation; discuss with your lawyer and accountant which entity is the best for you. 4. Visit a commercial bank and discuss the requirements of establishing a small line of ...

A problem that takes many small businesses by surprise is also the second major cause of companies going out of business. Without the proper planning, businesses take on cash flow problems from which many can’t recover. Companies find they can open a line of credit and use it as a safety net when there are cash flow problems. But a line of credit can also be destructive to business – especially the way they’re taking shape in the current state of the economy. Ideally, a company would use a ...

Anyone who is in contact with children—be they a teacher or a parent—knows one of the most successful ways to create social change is to start with the youth. Of the many efforts conducted throughout the US to create “greener” schools, water efficiency is one of the pivotal factors. Three of the 10 largest school districts are in Florida, which has been under water conservation measures for months. The fifth-largest school district is in Clark County, NV, another focus of water use concerns.  ...

I’ve often joked about how most entrepreneurs have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). And it’s no wonder. With the proliferation of instant communication and entertainment gadgets, addicting e-mail, YouTube and video games, TV, billboard and banner advertising, it’s amazing that anyone has time to focus on the families we need to raise, clients we need satisfy, learning we need to undertake, news to keep up with, exercise and diet programs we’re trying to maintain, a business we need to run and ...

Getting paid in a down economy can be quite challenging, particularly for those businesses that have to extend credit to their customers. Maybe you, for instance? Even your best customers may find it difficult now to pay up in a timely manner, which means it's even more important for you to stay on top of your accounts receivable so you don't end up with a cash-flow crunch. "It's critical at these times to get a handle on accounts receivable," says Sean P. Melvin, an attorney, author and ...

The current upheaval in the financial sector has many of us longing for the days when we were worrying only about an impending recession. As the U.S. economy continues its spiral to rock bottom and as the stock market remains highly unstable despite the passing of the $700 billion "rescue" plan, our situation is drawing comparisons to the Great Depression. If you're a small business owner, you are likely wondering if you'll become a casualty of these economic end times. Ed Hess and Charles ...

Bobcat announced a new line of heavy-duty snow blades that provides snow-removal operators with a long-lasting tool that helps increase productivity. Primary features of these attachments include blade oscillation, a trip edge and a box-style mainframe. Bobcat heavy-duty snow blades are available in 86-, 96- and 108-inch models. These snow blades are approved for use on Bobcat S130 to S330 skid-steer loaders, T140 to T320 compact track loaders, V417 VersaHandler telescopic tool ...

DENVER ¯ A group of 300 city workers will be trained to operate residential snow plows this winter. "It pretty much changes your whole dynamic of driving," said David Huntsinger, Supervisor with Denver Public Works. Residential snow plows are simply four-wheel drive pick-ups with a plow mounted on the front. There are 108 of the white, diesel-powered Chevy trucks that will be deployed for duty in neighborhoods of Denver during major snow events. "We don't want people ...

AKRON, Ohio, -- Blame it on Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. Road salt is in short supply, industry officials say, and flooding caused by those storms is part of the reason. Barges that transport salt were delayed, shortening the delivery season. 'Salt supplies usually stockpiled on the Mississippi River are depleted,' said Paula Putnam, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation District 4, which covers Summit, Portage and Stark counties. The ODOT district rolled out ...

FREMONT, Ohio -- Scott Leighton merged two businesses into one to better serve his customers. He is the owner of a snow removal business and more recently a lawn care business. However, he has been in the snow removal business for 15 years. "Most of our accounts are commercial, so they get lawn care and snow removal from the same business," Leighton said. As for the lawn care portion of the business, Leighton offers lawn mowing, sprinkling, edging, small landscaping jobs and fall clean ...

Curtis Industries has introduced the Sno-Pro Fast-Cast 2000 series tailgate spreader for efficient, reliable snow and ice control. The Sno-Pro 2000 features a 5.0 Cu. ft. / 350 lbs. capacity, a spreading width of 4 to 40 feet, variable speed control, and is easily mountable on a Class III receiver hitch. The 12-volt DC direct drive motor mounted in a weather tight enclosure and a maximum torque transmission insures less maintenance and superior material application. Made with a ...

Lead threats from synthetic turf are not just from sport fields – testing finds lead in artificial grass from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, OSH and residential installers. Oakland, CA- Independent testing commissioned by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has found high levels of lead in artificial turf, including turf and indoor/outdoor grass carpet purchased from Home Depot, Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), Ace Hardware and Lowe’s, as well as from carpet retailers, online ...