New Direction

Website keeps tabs on companies' environmental practices

Does this Backpack Come in Green?: A New Semester Brings New Ways to Save (the Planet) From D Sharon Pruitt via Creative Commons By Amy Potthast.

via www.idealist.org

One of the cool things I found was that ClimateCounts.org scores companies according to their environmental practices. There's also a little bit about textbook renting.

Hire a journalist

This open letter from Jill Geisler from the Poynter Institute made me feel really upbeat after reading it. The letter talks about all the positive attributes a journalist brings to potential employers. Maybe I could get her to mail me a signed copy of that letter so I can send it out with my resume and cover letter. Also check out the archived chat at the right from recruiting guru Joe Grimm about how to explain why you left your last job. I scrolled through the archive and there are some good book suggestions.

Senate Holds 2 AHP Hearings

Associated Builders and Contractors Members Testify in Both

From USAE (U.S. Association Executive), a trade publication that covers the meetings industry. Published on April 26, 2005. Web site: www.usaenews.com

By Ben Ledbetter

On Capitol Hill April 21, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship gave an ear to Association Health Plans and at least one small business owner gave his thoughts on how the health plans would be beneficial.

Doug Newman, president of Newman Concrete Services, Inc., in Hallowell, Maine, a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors Maine Chapter asked the senate to support AHPs.

“Of the many challenges I have faced as a small business owner, providing health insurance to my employees has proven to be among the most difficult,” Newman said. “Looking ahead, I see the crisis worsening and not much relief on the horizon.”

In his testimony, Newman told committee members that he pays more than 70 percent of the health care premiums for his 50 employees, as well as half of the premium cost for his employees' families.

The small business committee is led by Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, who is also author of the Senate AHP bill.

Her bill would allow small businesses to pool together through their trade associations and negotiate health care coverage for their employees and families at possibly lower rates.

Newman said difficult financial times coupled with spiking health care costs have forced his company to an “inevitable day of reckoning.”

“Health insurance premiums have increased dramatically in the past four years,” Newman said. “In 2000, health insurance for an individual cost about $42 per week. In 2004, the same coverage cost over $70 per week for the same employee. Family coverage was $123 per week in 2000, but by 2004, it had risen to $211. This amounts to an increase of almost 70 percent in the last four years.”

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions also held a hearing on April 21 about the rising cost of health care and the availability of affordable health insurance for America's workers.

ABC's Vice President of Insurance Joe Rossman, who has managed ABC's health benefits for more than 17 years testified about the need for AHPs.

ABC's Director of Communications Scott Brown told USAE after the April 20 hearing that it looked like the committee could be preparing to move the legislation forward.

“It was a very positive step forward that the committee was holding the hearing,” Brown said. “It shows the Senate is gearing up to move the legislation forward. We feel very optimistic this association health plan legislation will be passed in congress and taken up in the senate.

“It is our understanding the majority leader wants to get this legislation up and voted on in this session. We're very optimistic. We think today's hearing is another step forward.”

The American Society of Association Executives was expected to submit testimony in support of AHP legislation for the Wednesday hearing.

Jobless rate reaches double digits in North Carolina

From The Yadkin Valley News:

RALEIGH — Area unemployment rates are now at their highest point since the last major recession more than 25 years ago with today's unveiling of double digit numbers throughout the Yadkin Valley region.

Unemployment increased in each of the state's 100 counties. Seventy-two of them had a rate of 10 percent or higher for January.

Below are other area county unemployment rates and jobless claims:

Alleghany County – 14.7 percent, 646 claims. January unemployment up 44 percent from 10. 2 percent.

Ashe County — 13.5 percent, 1,723 claims. January unemployment up 34 percent from 10.1 percent.

Davie County — 10.3 percent, 2,145 claims. January unemployment increased 24 percent from 8.3 percent.

Rowan County — 11.4 percent, 8,079 claims. January unemployment up 23 percent from 9.3 percent.

Forsyth County — 8.9 percent, 15,354 claims. January unemployment rose 20 percent from 7.4 percent.

Stokes County — 10.2 percent, 2,476 claims. January unemployment up 29 percent from 7.9 percent.

Wilkes County — 12.3 percent, 3,644 claims. January unemployment increased 34 percent from 9.2 percent.

Orange County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate, at 5.8 percent, in January. Dare County had the highest unemployment rate, at 17.3 percent, the ESC said.

The five counties receiving the highest amount in unemployment insurance benefits in January were: Mecklenburg, $17.7 million; Wake, $12.9 million; Guilford, $9.7 million; Gaston, $6.1 million; and Forsyth, $5.5 million.

10 tips for suddenly unemployed journalists

An awesome entry by Mark Potts at Recovering Journalist about how to survive when you're suddenly laid off. I was also laid off and am still looking for that first post-newspaper job where I can use the skills I gained when I was in newspapers. I am working, however, so I count myself fortunate.

Galax furniture plant to expand

From The Yadkin Valley News:

By Andy Matthews
Editor
www.yadkinvalleynews.com

Amatthews2007@yahoo.com

GALAX, Va. — In December, Vaughan-Bassett Furniture announced plans to close a 700,000-square-foot plant, laying off 400 workers, or roughly 10 percent of Elkin's population. At the time, the company said the closing might only be temporary and left open the possibility that it could reopen when the economy improves.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the company's Galax plant is operating at full throttle. Last week, Vaughan-Bassett announced plans to invest $2.2 million to expand its manufacturing facility here. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said that the project will create 100 jobs and save 500 existing ones.

The Galax-based company manufactures bedroom and dining room furniture. More than 95 percent of its products are made in the United States.

Kaine approved a $75,000 grant from the Governor's Opportunity Fund for the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $200,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project.

"We have the best group of people making furniture anywhere in the world," said Wyatt P.E. Bassett, the president and chief executive of Vaughan-Bassett. "They've risen to the challenge. We haven't accepted as an alternative shutting down the plant and shifting that production to China or Vietnam."

The Elkin plant was operating on a three-day work week since Labor Day. The company attributed the closing to the slow economy and tight credit conditions affecting the furniture industry.

Vaughan-Bassett said it has no plans to sell the Elkin plant or its equipment, in hopes of reopening it later.

How to keep motivated when you have a high story count

I've suffered burnout during my time in newspapers and it is not a pretty thing. Here's a good way to deal with it from Poynter's Joe Grimm. He's answering a question from someone that works for a small group of weekly newspapers. Grimm says hoard one story each week or every other week and make that extra call or go on one more interview.
I wish I heard it put that way, it sounds like something that's doable. Taking a story that's already there and making it better.
I always heard editors and managers at different places saying they wanted enterprise and investigations, and to me, this would be a good way to go down that road.

Career conference got me thinking

A partnership called Re-Branding You has been formed by Pat Ahaesy and Ny Whitaker out of a growing concern about job losses and the financial crisis in the New York metropolitan area.
The result of their joint endeavor, the Re-Branding You Conference NYC 2009, is a full-day program created for unemployed or transitioning New York City professionals.
The conference will be held on Tuesday, March 31 at the Lighthouse Executive Conference Center at 111 East 59th Street.
It will feature speakers from the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, NYC Business Solutions, Five O'Clock Club, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Freelancers Union, various authors, journalists and thought-leaders.
The event will include valuable information on emerging local and national industries, the newest methods to network your way into a job, professional coaching, innovative ideas for starting a small business in today's economy, access to local resources and opportunities to engage with conference sponsors.
"As small business owners, educators, and entrepreneurs, Pat and I wanted to create a vehicle that gives people the relevant tools they need to re-gain employment now," said Whitaker.

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This sounds like a career conference, which is good. It seems like its something that gets people thinking about what they want to do, not just about finding a job.
Finding a job to have a job is good and sometimes it has to be done to get through a rough patch, but doing what one gains the most satisfaction from is certainly the best.
Too often around the Triad and other parts of North Carolina, you hear a lot about job fairs. You hear about job fairs, but nothing about a good honest career conference.
Too often people here and in a lot of other places have to seek out career advice. Job fairs are plentiful, I guess, because it's low hanging fruit -- it can be done easily.
But what do you do when you want to find the position that gives you the most satisfaction, something more than a paycheck and benefits?