Mike's Desk 1/27/11: No interest rate hikes, theater bond vote, & U.S. economy gains steam
Mike's Desk: January 27, 2012
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REAL ESTATE NEWS:
The Federal Reserve went further than ever Wednesday to assure consumers and businesses that they'll be able to borrow cheaply well into the future. The Fed pushed back the date for any likely increase in its benchmark interest rate by at least a year and a half, until late 2014 at the earliest. READ MORE.
LOCAL NEWS:
The City Council agreed Tuesday to pursue a November bond referendum for a performing arts center -- ideally built downtown -- but stopped short of putting it on the ballot. Council members said they want Greensboro Coliseum Complex Director Matt Brown to manage the theater and help with the design, even if it ends up downtown. READ MORE.
Miller won't try to keep seat in house
U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said Wednesday he will not seek another term in the U.S. House because he does not want to face another Democratic veteran in spring's primary. Miller, 58, a Democrat first elected to Congress in 2002, lives in Raleigh but has represented a district that runs along the Virginia border to Rockingham County and then dips into Greensboro. READ MORE.
DENR agency disputes criticism
The speed of the state's environmental permitting process is hard to calculate because the department in charge lacks data or its information is inacurate, but even so, regulators appear to be missing their completion goals, according to an audit released Tuesday. READ MORE.
BUSINESS NEWS:
Economy gains steam as businesses stock up
Businesses are growing more confident in the economy, investing in more equipment and laying off fewer workers. Government figures on manufacturing and unemployment claims released Thursday raised hopes on the eve of a report on how much the economy grew in the October-December quarter. READ MORE.
