| Chambers Of Commerce Endorse New Health Insurance Plan To Help Small ...
VISALIA, Calif. - (Business Wire) California chambers of commerce are increasingly taking a leadership role to help small businesses cope with rising healthcare costs and improve access to quality health insurance for their employees, according to BEN-E-LECT, a leading third party administrator (TPA) and innovator of Employer Driven Health Plans. "We’ve seen a rise in interest from chamber executives, particularly those who are taking a more active role as advocates for the small business members they represent," says Mark Reynolds, president and CEO of BEN-E-LECT. "Just this month, five new chambers have joined our Chamber Affinity Program and are now introducing their members to our health insurance plan that has proven to be successful and is being used by more than 2,000 businesses throughout California." Among the chambers that have most recently partnered with BEN-E-LECT are the Stockton, Chino Valley, Santa Barbara, Irvine, and Escondido Chambers of Commerce, representing approximately 6,500 businesses.
Butler County 2008 budget stands, but belts will tighten
Although Butler County commissioners agreed last week to let stand a 2.5-mill property tax increase for 2008, the board directed all county departments and row offices to make small but immediate spending cuts. Additionally, commissioners said they will ask representatives of about two dozen local nonprofit groups to justify why they should receive allocations this year totaling about $95,000. Meetings with those representatives will be followed by a commissioners' decision within three months as to whether the groups will receive any funding in 2008. Also, the long-time practice of paying medical benefits for the dozen or so solicitors who work for county row offices will be evaluated, as well as the practice of employing outside solicitors. The moves are among a series of short- and long-term recommendations from a volunteer budget review committee that was asked last month by the county commissioners to go over the $185 million spending plan with a fine-toothed comb.
February 2008
And for all the talk about anti-Americanism, I think we can judge Kosovo a likely ally in the years ahead--at least that's what all the flag waving would indicate. Still, It will be interesting to see how the Democratic candidates respond to this--given that it was a Democratic president that began our commitment in Kosovo (How would Ned Lamont have responded for that matter, given that the only mention I can find at the Daily Kos is "Serbia is not thrilled.") Will they summon the courage to acknowledge that the Bush administration--maybe, just maybe--did something right? Don't hold your breath. Posted by Michael Goldfarb at 02:06 PM | Permalink | E-mail the author | E-mail article .
Deadline approaches for quarry appeal responses
Ian Southcott, UK community affairs manager for Cemex, said as well as lodging the appeal the company had also submitted a revised application, seeking permission to operate the coating plant round the clock on no more than 60 days a year. He said: "Although this will reduce flexibility, the company believes it represents a reasonable compromise. It should be remembered that the original application never envisaged round the clock operations throughout the year but was so presented to provide the flexibility to meet demand when it arose." Mr Southcott also said if the revised application was successful, the appeals would be withdrawn. A fourth application by Cemex to extend the existing limestone quarry towards Charfield is yet to be discussed by the council's planning committee.
Africa quake toll rises as homeless add to aid crisis
The death toll from a series of earthquakes that hit central Africa rose Monday to 44 as a major aid operation for hundreds of injured and thousands of homeless gathered pace amid new aftershocks. At least 38 people were killed in Rwanda's Western Province and six around the Democratic Republic of Congo city of Bukavu, which was near one epicentre, authorities said, while more than 450 were hurt. Rwandan police spokesman Willy Marcel Higiro said latest reports gave 30 dead and 112 hospitalised in Rusizi district and eight killed and 180 in hospital in Nyamasheke. "Many have been left homeless," he said. "We are still counting them." Sunday's quakes, the biggest of which measured 6.0 on the open-ended Richter scale, caused huge communications problems after they struck close together along the western Rift Valley fault, cracking open the walls of houses and buildings.
MMH board members announced
Jagiello is currently the director of health promotion and community outreach for Mesa County Health Department. Prior, she was the nurse family partnership supervisor for Mesa County Health Department. She has experience with Rocky Mountain Health Plans and was care center manager at MMH from 1997 to 2002, according to a news release. .
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