“DATCP to close EC consumer protection office - Eau Claire Leader-Telegram” plus 4 more

DATCP to close EC consumer protection office - Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
Person who overheard plans to rob Kearny jewelry store led to alleged ... - Bridgeton News
Harrisburg men looking for work seek help from new city task force - Patriot-News
Pep Boys to Attend Investor Conferences - Earthtimes
Wisconsin DATCP closing Tosa office - MSN Money

DATCP to close EC consumer protection office - Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 01:02 PM PDT

MADISON - The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced today the closing of three regional consumer protection offices - including one in Eau Claire - as part of restructuring the operations of the agency.

The services currently provided at three regional offices in Eau Claire, Green Bay, and Wauwatosa will be consolidated into the main office in Madison.

"During these tough economic times, it is necessary for the Bureau of Consumer Protection to streamline services and save money over the long-term, maximizing our resources to best serve our customers," said Randy Romanski, Deputy Secretary DATCP.

Regional consumer protection offices, which handle consumer issues ranging from landlord-tenant disagreements to auto repair complaints, will close by early December, affecting 20 staff, most of whom will be offered positions in the Madison consumer protection office.

Overall, the Bureau has to reduce its staff by 5.8 full time equivalent positions, a 15 percent decrease of general consumer protection staff. It must also reduce general purpose revenue spending by approximately $1 million during the current biennium.

The Bureau plans to make better use of modern technology to communicate with and provide information to consumers. Restructuring the Bureau will also provide for an increase in the number of staff dedicated to the office of privacy protection which has seen a growing demand for services to businesses, law enforcement agencies, and victims of identity theft.

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Person who overheard plans to rob Kearny jewelry store led to alleged ... - Bridgeton News

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 01:31 PM PDT

Information given to police by someone present during the planning of the robber of Rachel Jewelers in Kearny last month led to yesterday's arrest of two men charged with killing the store owner during the crime, officials said.

"Probable cause is based on the sworn, electrically recorded statement of a witness who was present during the planning and aftermath of the armed robbery of Rachel Jewelers," said Central Judicial Processing Court Judge Richard Nieto during the first court appearance of John DeRosa and Edmir Sokoli today.

DeRosa, 51, and Sokoli, 23, both of Bloomfield, were arrested yesterday and on Sept. 3, police arrested the suspected getaway driver, Elvis Feratovic, 24, also of Bloomfield.

Nieto went on to say that probable cause for the arrest of Sokoli and DeRosa was also based on "admission by John DeRosa to the witness that he, Elvis Feratovic and Edmir Sokoli committed the robbery."

All three men are charged with felony murder and robbery, officials said, adding that DeRosa is additionally charged with weapons offenses.

Investigators allege that when Sokoli and DeRosa entered the jewelry store and announced the robbery on Aug. 18, Egoavil scuffled with DeRosa who opened fire, officials said.

Egoavil was shot in the head, back, thigh, and chest before the robbers stole the jewelry and ran out of the store and around the corner to the getaway car allegedly driven by Feratovic.

This morning DeRosa grimaced and then became sarcastic after Nieto informed him his bail has been set at $2 million cash only.

"Yeah that's really reasonable," DeRosa said during the hearing at which he and Sokoli appeared via video link form Hudson Count jail I Kearny. "I sure should be a able to make that your honor. Come on."

But the judge countered saying, "Do you understand what you are being charged with here?"

DeRosa persisted, saying "I have nothing to do with this...I told them, I'm willing to take a polygraph test, whatever they want me to do."

The robbery was captured on the jewelry store's security video system, and other security cameras also captured aspects of the crime and the suspected getaway car.

The case against the three men began to unravel when Kearny police received a tip that the alleged getaway car was being worked on in a Passaic County auto repair shop to alter its appearance, officials said. Homicide detectives determined the car's owner was Feratovic, who was interviewed and arrested, DeFazio said.

DeRosa was in prison from Feb. 26, 1987 to May 2, 2001 for the Essex County manslaughter he committed in 1980, officials said.

Sokoli's bail is set at $750,000 cash only, and Feratovic's at $750,000 cash or bond, officials said.

Previous coverage:

• Hudson authorities release sketch of gunman in Kearny jewelry store killing

• Man killed at Kearny jewelry store was shot four times, once to the forehead: autopsy

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Harrisburg men looking for work seek help from new city task force - Patriot-News

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 01:53 PM PDT

By DAN MILLER, The Patriot-News

September 30, 2009, 4:33PM

Joe Hermitt, The Patriot-NewsTerrence Webb and Keith Lawson have been named by Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed to head a task force to train and provide jobs for the unemployed. Wednesday featured a mass intake where many came and filled out applications. Webb, right, talks to applicants. About 70 residents, mostly young men with criminal records, came to a building on South 17th St. Wednesday for a second chance. Terrance Webb and Keith Lawson hope to provide these men with jobs paying well enough for the men to support themselves and their families without returning to criminal activity .

Webb and Lawson lead a new Inner-City Employment Task Force which Mayor Stephen R. Reed created this summer. Webb and Lawson plan to use the building for a school for city residents to learn trades like auto repair and construction. Lawson, a licensed plumber and electrician who owns Mariah Group, a Harrisburg construction firm, will lead the education part helped by other minority construction firms in the city.

The task force also will work with programs run by Harrisburg School District and Harrisburg Area Community College.

The task force is funded from Lawson's business, but Webb said that is not sustainable for the long term. He said the task force hopes to raise $2.5 million from public and private sources over the next five years.

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Pep Boys to Attend Investor Conferences - Earthtimes

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 01:24 PM PDT

PHILADELPHIA - (Business Wire) The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack (NYSE:PBY), the nation's leading automotive aftermarket service and retail chain, today announced that it plans to attend several investor conferences and hold investor and analyst meetings over the next few months.

During these meetings, CEO Mike Odell and CFO Ray Arthur will present an overview of the Company's vision – to be the automotive solutions provider of choice for the value-oriented customer – and the strategy for achieving this vision. The four-pronged strategy includes:

● Earning the trust of our customers every day

● Leading with our service business and growing through service and tire centers

● Establishing a differentiated retail experience by creating the automotive superstore

● Leveraging our automotive superstore to provide the most complete offering for our commercial customers

The slides to be presented at these meetings will be available on the Company's Web site at www.pepboys.com.

About Pep Boys

Pep Boys has approximately 6,000 service bays within over 570 locations in 35 states and Puerto Rico. Along with its full-service vehicle maintenance and repair capabilities, the Company also serves the commercial auto parts delivery market and is one of the leading sellers of replacement tires in the United States. Customers can find the nearest location by calling 1-800-PEP-BOYS or by visiting www.pepboys.com.

Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The word "guidance," "expect," "anticipate," "estimates," "forecasts" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include management's expectations regarding implementation of its long-term strategic plan, future financial performance, automotive aftermarket trends, levels of competition, business development activities, future capital expenditures, financing sources and availability and the effects of regulation and litigation. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. The Company's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements due to factors beyond the control of the Company, including the strength of the national and regional economies, retail and commercial consumers' ability to spend, the health of the various sectors of the automotive aftermarket, the weather in geographical regions with a high concentration of the Company's stores, competitive pricing, the location and number of competitors' stores, product and labor costs and the additional factors described in the Company's filings with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.

Pep Boys
Investor Contact: Ray Arthur, 215-430-9720
Media Contact: Alex Spooner, 215-430-9588
Internet: http://www.pepboys.com

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Wisconsin DATCP closing Tosa office - MSN Money

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 01:02 PM PDT

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said it will close three regional Consumer Protection offices, including one in Wauwatosa, as part of restructuring the operations of the agency.

The services provided at three regional offices in Eau Claire, Green Bay, and Wauwatosa, which include consumer issues ranging from landlord-tenant disagreements to auto repair complaints, will be consolidated into the main office in Madison. The offices will close by early December, affecting about 20 staff, most of whom will be offered positions in the Madison consumer protection office.

The agency said it has to reduce its staff by 5.8 full time equivalent positions, a 15 percent decrease of general consumer protection staff. It must also reduce general purpose revenue spending by approximately $1 million during the current biennium.

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