Black Friday bout: Anxious consumers vs. nifty deals

BLOOMINGTON -- With money a bit tight last year after the purchase of a home, Amy Mullady of Chenoa decided to join the full-contact sport of Black Friday shopping, hoping to save a few bucks on gifts for her large extended family.

Nov 20, 2009 | 2:10 pm | Loading…

• Related: Wal-Mart confirms some Black Friday deals

Goldman Sachs to take out the garbage at Thanksgiving

NEW YORK -- The Salvation Army plans to serve 10,000 free dinners across the city this Thanksgiving -- meals planned by a star chef, cooked by one of New York's ritziest caterers and cleaned up by employees of one of Wall Street's most vilified financial firms.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 11:55 am | Loading…

Sony hopes new online service will build brand loyalty

TOKYO -- Sony's new online service connecting the whole range of its gadgets to downloadable content like movies and games should help build brand loyalty, a top executive said Friday.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 9:30 am | Loading…

Rain may put pumpkin pie in peril, Nestle says

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The holidays may not be so sweet this year.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 7:20 am | Loading…

Wal-Mart confirms some Black Friday deals

NEW YORK -- The official kickoff for the holiday shopping season is more than a week away. But the nation's retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., are already starting to let shoppers know about their fat discounts in hopes of attracting big crowds.

Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…

One-of-a-kind creations come from Ellsworth alpaca farm

ELLSWORTH — You don’t have to be royalty to buy one of der Bauernhof Farms’ alpaca scarves, but the fiber, once reserved for Incan rulers, might make you feel that way.

Nov 19, 2009 | 5:40 pm | Loading…

Statewide unemployment rate hits 11 percent

CHICAGO -- Illinois' unemployment rate has hit its highest level since August 1983.

New Nov 19, 2009 | 12:45 pm | Loading…

• Related: Interactive: U.S. unemployment map

Many parents inaccurately claim college tax credit

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More than 314,000 taxpayers made inaccurate claims for a popular tax credit that helps pay college expenses, getting $532 million they weren't entitled to receive, a government report said Thursday.

Nov 19, 2009 | 12:10 pm | Loading…

• Related: Millions will have to repay part of stimulus tax credit
• Related: IRS looking for Central Illinois taxpayers missing their refund

Judge rejects AT&T's bid to pull Verizon map ads

ATLANTA, Ga. -- A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by AT&T Inc. to force competitor Verizon Wireless to pull its "There's a Map for That" commercials.

New Nov 19, 2009 | 11:50 am | Loading…

Mortgage delinquencies hit record-high in third quarter

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More than 14 percent of American homeowners with a mortgage were either behind on their payments or in foreclosure at the end of September, a record-high for the ninth straight quarter and a problem that could threaten the economic recovery.

New Nov 19, 2009 | 9:15 am | Loading…

Details emerge on company considering Gibson City plant

GIBSON CITY — Gibson City is one of two sites in the running for a proposed plant that would convert waste into building materials and a synthetic alternative to natural gas.

Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…

• Related: MyPantagraph: Ford County Neighborhood
• Related: Energy plant might locate in Gibson City

Sloppy harvest taking its toll on area's fields

NORMAL -- Central Illinois farmers typically wrap up their harvest with an eye toward next year's crop, completing some key fall soil preparations and trying hard to avoid leaving deep ruts in their fields.

Nov 18, 2009 | 2:30 pm | Loading…

• Related: Watch out for tired farmers, distracted deer
• Related: Harvest picks up, weather gives farmers an opening

'Call of Duty' video game setting entertainment records

NEW YORK -- The video game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" is blasting its way into entertainment history.

Nov 18, 2009 | 2:00 pm | Loading…

AAA: Thanksgiving travel to go up, air travel down

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A leading auto organization is projecting a 1.4 percent increase in Thanksgiving travel this year, although fewer people will travel by air due to budget concerns, reduced airline capacity and added charges.

Nov 18, 2009 | 1:25 pm | Loading…

New restaurant serves Chinese-Japanese food

BLOOMINGTON -- Lucky Garden has opened in the former China Buffet location.

New Nov 18, 2009 | 9:25 am | Loading…

Heartland trustees hear pitch for training center near stadium

NORMAL -- Heartland Community College trustees gave lukewarm responses to a business proposal linked to a new baseball field being built on the West Raab Road campus.

Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…

Bakery products, fundraising company opens at Crossroads

NORMAL -- A wholesale bakery products and fundraising company has purchased space at the Crossroads Center.

Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…

Ford Fusion named Motor Trend car of the year

DETROIT -- The Ford Fusion midsize car has been selected as Motor Trend magazine's 2010 Car of the Year, beating a field of nearly two dozen contenders.

Nov 17, 2009 | 2:20 pm | Loading…

Picasso drawings may fetch big money at upcoming B-N auction

Among the 380 lots at the Bloomington Auction Gallery's annual day-after-Thanksgiving estate auction is Lot 94: three free-hand ink drawings by Pablo Picasso on an old book's dust jacket, signed by the artist himself.

Nov 17, 2009 | 1:40 pm | Loading…

• Related: Bloomington Auction Gallery Web site

Costco nixes Coke products over pricing dispute

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Costco customers may have to look elsewhere for Coca-Cola products now that the retailer has stopped carrying them because the pair are fighting over prices.

New Nov 17, 2009 | 11:45 am | Loading…

Job prospects drawing students to ag schools

CHAMPAIGN -- Tristesse Jones will probably never drive a tractor or guide a combine through rows of soybeans at harvest time.

Nov 17, 2009 | 11:40 am | Loading…

• Related: Harvest picks up, weather gives farmers an opening
• Related: MyPantagraph: Central IL Farmers Group

Target profit climbs 18 percent on lower costs

CHICAGO -- Target Corp.'s third-quarter profit climbed 18 percent, the cheap chic retailer said Tuesday, as it cut costs and did better in its credit-card business. Still, it offered a conservative outlook for the holidays.

New Nov 17, 2009 | 9:15 am | Loading…

Watchdog: Gov't may have overpaid to bail out AIG

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Officials handling the multibillion dollar bailout of insurance giant American International Group Inc. mismanaged an initial rescue attempt and may have overpaid other banks to wind down AIG's business relationships, a government watchdog says.

Nov 17, 2009 | 6:45 am | Loading…

Twitter to scrap controversial suggested user list

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia -- Social-media site Twitter plans to scrap its hand-picked list of "suggested users" to follow after controversy erupted over the selection of people on the list, a company executive said Monday.

Nov 16, 2009 | 3:30 pm | Loading…

George W. Bush, Bill Clinton to share Chicago stage

CHICAGO -- Their reported Radio City Music Hall showdown in New York may be off, but former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are scheduled for a joint appearance to talk biotechnology next May in the more low-key environs of the Second City.

Nov 16, 2009 | 2:25 pm | Loading…

• Related: Clinton: No binding climate deal at Denmark talks
• Related: George W. Bush visits Fort Hood, wounded soldiers

Rebound in B-N housing market continues in October stats

BLOOMINGTON -- Twin City home sales are up for the second straight month compared to a year ago, with a recently extended first-time homebuyers' tax credit again driving the resale market.

Nov 16, 2009 | 12:50 pm | Loading…

KBL plans relocation, expansion to old Leath site

NORMAL -- KBL Design Center plans to relocate next year to a larger property adjacent to the Shoppes of College Hills, expanding its kitchen and bath selections and its staff, KBL's president said Monday.

Nov 16, 2009 | 10:50 am | Loading…

Millions will have to repay part of stimulus tax credit

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More than 15 million taxpayers could unexpectedly owe taxes when they file their federal returns next spring because the government was too generous with their new Making Work Pay tax credit.

Nov 16, 2009 | 9:50 am | Loading…

• Related: IRS looking for Central Illinois taxpayers missing their refund
• Related: Congress votes for more aid to jobless, homebuyers

Auto industry leads way in October's retail sales boost

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Retail sales rose more than expected in October due largely to a big rebound in auto sales. But broader consumer spending remains under pressure, raising questions about the durability of the recovery.

Nov 16, 2009 | 9:00 am | Loading…