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***Concord Monitor***

Officials in Vt., NH to discuss burglary ring

PUTNEY, Vt. (AP) -- State and local police in Vermont and New Hampshire are discussing the progress of their investigation into a burglary ring that has affected a number of communities....

Man accused of bilking NH synagogue out of $200

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Police say a man has been accused of scamming a New Hampshire synagogue out of $200, saying he needed money to go to his parents' funeral in Israel....

NH Penguin Plunge raises over $688,000

HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) -- Organizers say more than 1,100 people plunged into the Atlantic Ocean for the annual Penguin Plunge and raised more than $688,000 for Special Olympics New Hampshire....

Police in NH towns sued for gun seizure

CHICHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- A family has sued police in two New Hampshire towns, saying they were wrong to seize their guns while seeking to remove weapons belonging to a relative accused of domestic violence....

Former NH senator announcing for governor

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- A former Democratic state senator is planning to add her name to the growing list of candidates for New Hampshire governor....

New warden being sworn in for northern NH prison

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- The new warden of the state prison in northern New Hampshire is being sworn in....

Pillars could return to State House

Legislators are looking to liven up the State House grounds with a pair of granite pillars linked to the Marquis de Lafayette and the Revolutionary War hero's 1825 visit to Concord.

But a memorial to Great Depression-era governor John Gilbert Winant, they've decided, should probably go someplace else.

A resolution passed by the House last week requests that the granite posts that once formed a gate to the State House grounds be moved back from their current location on South Fruit Street. The Memorial Arch to soldiers and sailors, erected in 1892, stands on their former site.

They're known as the Lafayette posts after the French nobleman, who passed between them into the State House on June 22, 1825, during a 13-month grand tour of the young United States.

Police sued for gun seizure

While attempting to seize guns from a man accused of domestic violence, Chichester and Epsom police officers took away firearms belonging to his family members instead, in violation of their civil rights, according to allegations contained in a lawsuit.

Four members of Michael Martel Jr.'s family say he wasn't living in their Chichester home last August when officers stormed in, taking about a dozen guns, including one from his father's holster, according to their attorney, Richard Lehmann.

It took the family 10 weeks to retrieve their firearms, according to the suit, during which time the family members suffered "injuries including mental anguish, embarrassment, violation of their privacy and the sanctity of their home, (and) the fear of knowing that they were left exposed and unable to defend themselves."

Group seeks to preserve views

Anna Mae Twigg was leery when a large group of motorcyclists stopped next to her home on Route 107 in Gilmanton during Laconia Bike Week one year. That is, until she realized they were only there to take in the view of the Belknap Mountains.

"One of them came up and said, 'This has got to be the most beautiful view we've ever had,' " Twigg said.

Her husband, George Twigg III, has owned property in Gilmanton since 1968 and is now working with the Gilmanton Land Trust, a local group of volunteers, to preserve its popular views.

The conservation campaign is the trust's largest ever; it involves raising $1.18 million for four parcels of the Twigg's property, totaling 86 acres.

Fantasy job

The publishing world is a strange, scary place of late, beset with uncertainty and torn apart by the intrusion of new technology.

Kate Kaynak is perfectly at home in such a shadowy universe. The Yale-trained psychology professor and business leadership specialist is one of the founders of Spencer Hill Press, an independent publishing house devoted to science fiction, urban fantasy and paranormal romance books for young adult readers. The backbone of the Hopkinton company is Kaynak's own Ganzfield series, which follows a teenager's struggles to understand her special powers and stay a step ahead of deranged killers and government operatives.

Kaynak and her team of part-time editors and interns have published 21 books in less than two years and hope to grow the business through savvy marketing strategies and a wide welcome mat for talented new writers.

Tell us the story behind the Ganzfield series, and how that led to the creation of Spencer Hill Press.

***Union Leader***

***Nashua Telegraph****

Lawn Dawg acquires Connecticut lawn service company
NASHUA – Lawn Dawg Inc. has made its second east coast lawn service acquisition in two months. On Monday, Lawn Dawg, whose headquarters are in Nashua, announced the acquisition of Lush Lawn Service Inc. of Greater Hartford, Conn., which comes just five weeks after Lawn Dawg closed on the acquisition of Capital Green Lawn Care of Rochester, N.Y. Lush Lawn Care Inc. is owned and operated by Mark Kelbacher of Plainville, Conn.

With Platinum, Bud Light shoots for the high end
ST. LOUIS – The world’s biggest beer-maker is placing a big bet on a new brew. Anheuser-Busch InBev last week rolled out Bud Light Platinum, an upscale version of its best-selling label. It’s the brewer’s latest bid to pump up flagging sales of its flagship brand, and to counter liquor sales that are taking a bite out of beer industry-wide. Platinum has been in the works for four years, said Mike Sundet, A-B’s senior director for Bud Light marketing. Geared to be a higher-end version of its namesake, it is still a clear light lager, though one with considerably more punch than Bud Light – 6 percent alcohol by volume compared to 4.2.

Local start-up wants to connect young athletes with pros through workouts
NASHUA – When Jared Antista and Joseph Lamoureux were playing soccer for Bentley University 10 years ago, they always wanted to know what the professional players were doing for workouts. Now they’re finding out the answer to that question – and then some. Antista, of Nashua, and Lamoureux, from Pelham, co-founded Go Pro Workouts, LLC, a startup that connects young athletes with sports stars by allowing customers to download and follow the workouts that professional athletes use. Antista, with a background in marketing, and Lamoureux, whose background is in finance, ditched their cubicle jobs to pursue the business they’ve always dreamed of starting. “We started this business for a lot of reasons, but really, to get away from corporate America,” Antista said. “Working for somebody else, making them money, seeing my bosses not do a thing. … Now the duo, both Bishop Guertin High School graduates, work from home. Their team of eight employees, scattered from San Diego to Boston, has been building the Go Pro Workouts brand and Web site for about a year and a half, using cloud technology to connect them across the country. Go Pro Workouts probes the exercise regimens of professional athletes and compiles their regimens into an eight-week workout, available for $99. So far, Go Pro Workouts has signed on 20 professional athletes, including Kelly Smith, a former member of the English national women’s soccer team, and Jamal Charles, an All-Pro NFL running back, to share their fitness strategies with high school to college-aged athletes. Antista said four player workout profiles are currently complete and live on the Web site, including tips, photos, and video demonstrating their fitness regimens. They expect to finish the other 16 profiles in six months, filling a list of basketball, football, hockey, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, ski, swim, martial arts, and dance professionals. Some of the sports on the site offer separate workouts for separate positions, such as the pro hockey workouts available from NHL winger Rene Bourque and NHL All-Star center Danny Briere. Once users pay for a workout online, they get an online access code to open it and to build a personal profile, complete with the user’s age, height, weight, a time line for when their sports season begins and an avatar. The workouts are designed around out-of-season training at the peak of a professional’s regimen, and include every exercise the pro athlete would do in a one- to two-hour routine. “The workouts are hard,” Antista said.

Nashua nonprofit looks to do energy upgrades for businesses
The recession and rock-bottom prices for natural gas have weakened the short-term financial case for switching to alternative energy, and an unusual Nashua program is finding that the two factors have had another effect: Making businesses reluctant to invest in energy efficiency, even when a large portion of the cost is covered. “It has been hard getting commercial products going, so we have upped the incentives,” said Bob Eldredge, Nashua community manager for BetterBuildings, a nonprofit created by federal stimulus to spur energy efficiency in specific cities around the country by providing expertise and guidance, partnering with local firms and banks to provide services. In New Hampshire, it operates in Nashua, Plymouth and Berlin. “Companies are looking to shed their debt, not looking for cash outlays or changing things, even if there is long-term savings. They get into survival mode,” said Eldredge.

Facebook could be the next Google
The most anticipated IPO since Google is in motion. Facebook is going public and its 27-year-old founder – Mark Zuckerberg – will enter the rarified air of the world’s wealthiest people. The $10 billion question is whether Facebook will follow in Google’s footsteps or mimic the more recent and less impressive Internet IPOs like Linkedin and Zynga. I’m reticent to weigh in because I thought investing in Google’s IPO was folly. It would be easy to jump on the bandwagon, but my gut tells me Facebook’s long-term financial prospects will fall short of Google’s. Then again, my gut is more AARP material then a prime Facebook demographic.

Facebook has become a financial giant, but not an invincible one
The numbers in Facebook’s IPO filing this week give us the picture of a titan, but not an unstoppable one. Such filings, as a matter of course, must recite a list of even the most unlikely risk factors. Many are just boilerplate, a legal covering of one’s butt, if you will. And that’s certainly the case with many of Facebook’s risk disclosures. But there are four areas where the company shows clear vulnerability. In fact, it’s not exaggerating to say that, in some cases, these issues could sabotage the company’s growth, if not derail it completely: Mobile For some, this subject was the most startling and revealing.

Reports link Taco Bells to 2011 multi-state salmonella outbreak
LOS ANGELES – For days, the speculation has been rampant: Which Mexican food chain – only identified as “Restaurant Chain A” by federal investigators last month – was linked to a large salmonella outbreak late last year? This week, Food Safety News named Taco Bell as the chain in question. In October and November, at least 68 diners were sickened across 10 states, including 16 in Oklahoma and 43 in Texas. The spate of illnesses eventually petered out and was reported by the Centers for Disease Control on Jan. 19. But the agency stayed mum on the origin of the salmonella bacteria, saying only that the majority of victims had reported eating at 18 separate locations of “a Mexican-style fast-food restaurant chain” in the Midwest. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and other symptoms. The CDC said that investigators were unable to narrow down which ingredient was problematic, saying that 94 percent of victims reported eating ground beef, 90 percent said they ate lettuce and 77 percent had consumed cheese. The agency concluded that the salmonella contamination likely happened before the food reached the restaurants and that the meat probably was not the culprit. But the blogosphere remained eager to identify the restaurant at the center of the outbreak, whose name the CDC still refuses to disclose. “It’s been a longstanding CDC policy that if it is not beneficial toward public health, we don’t release the name of the restaurant or the entity,” said spokeswoman Lola Russell. “The outbreak is over and has been over.” Nevertheless, Food Safety News obtained a document from the Oklahoma State Department of Health showing that many of the interviewed victims had eaten at a Taco Bell during the exposure period. In a statement, Taco Bell said it takes food quality and safety very seriously and emphasized that public health is not at risk now that the incident is over. “The CDC indicated that some of the people who were ill ate at Taco Bell, while others did not,” the company said.

Social media give customers new ways to bite back
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When Albert Hirschman published his landmark treatise “Exit, Voice and Loyalty” more than 40 years ago, he unwittingly helped to predict what Twitter might do to capitalism. In Hirschman’s framework, consumers had essentially two ways to deal with dissatisfaction. They could take their business elsewhere – exit – and if enough others fled, a business might shape up. Or they could gripe – Hirschman used “voice” as a verb – to management. The problem with exiting has always been that there’s probably a reason you went to Acme Co.

Ownership of tablets, e-readers jumps during holiday season
LOS ANGELES – Remember when seeing an Apple iPad on a bus, an airplane or the subway was a startling new experience? Now you might be startled not to see one. Over the holiday season, so many people bought tablets for each other (and, presumably, themselves), that U.S. tablet ownership nearly doubled among adults, to 19 percent in January from 10 percent a month earlier. The rate is growing quickly: In May 2010, shortly after the debut of the iPad, only about 3 percent of consumers over age 16 owned tablets, according to survey information from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The survey found a similar jump in e-reader ownership as prices dropped below $100 for electronic book readers from Amazon.com Inc. and Barnes & Noble Inc.

Facebook files long-awaited IPO, seeks at least $5 billion
SAN JOSE, Calif. – In a milestone for one of Silicon Valley’s hottest companies, Facebook on Wednesday filed papers announcing a $5 billion initial public offering of stock in the world’s biggest social networking business. The stated size is smaller than expected, after weeks of speculation by analysts and industry observers who predicted Facebook might seek up to $10 billion. But documents indicated the figure is preliminary; the company could revise the numbers as it prepares to begin selling stock this spring. With the filing of its initial prospectus, stating it intends to trade under the symbol “FB,” Facebook is launching Silicon Valley’s most widely anticipated stock offering in recent years.

Aging U-2s may be used longer still
LOS ANGELES – Wars have come and gone. But for more than half a century, the CIA and U.S. military have relied on a skinny sinister-looking black jet to go deep behind enemy lines for vital intelligence-gathering missions. The high-flying U-2 spy plane was first designed during the Eisenhower administration to breach the iron curtain and, as engineers said, snap “picture postcards for Ike” of hidden military strongholds in the Soviet Union. And although the plane is perhaps best known for being shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 and the subsequent capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 continues to play a critical role in national security today, hunting al-Qaida forces in the Middle East. The aging cold warrior once slated for retirement in 2015 may fight on into the next decade.

Private sector jobs on the rise
WASHINGTON – Employment in the nation’s private sector is improving at a moderate pace, with two years of job gains now on the books, according to a monthly labor-market report released Wednesday by payrolls-processor Automatic Data Processing Inc. Nonfarm private employment rose 170,000 in January, marking the 24th consecutive month of gains, led by small businesses and the service-providing sector, according to ADP. In December, the report said, private employment rose 292,000, compared with a prior estimate of 325,000. Markets look to ADP’s private-sector figures to provide some guidance on the U.S. Labor Department’s figures, which include private and public payrolls. But ADP is known for diverging from the government’s data, which indicated that private-sector employment rose only by 212,000 in December. The Labor Department’s jobs estimate will be released Friday.

Presstek CEO moves on to Xerox
HUDSON – Jeffrey Jacobson, former chief executive officer of Presstek, has been appointed president of Xerox Global Graphic Communications, officials announced Wednesday. Jacobson, 52, had served Presstek as the company’s president and CEO since 2007, and added the title of chairman in 2009. Presstek is a supplier of digital offset printing solutions to the printing and communications industries. The company’s board of directors has hired Stanley E. Freimuth to replace Jacobson as chairman, president and CEO effective Feb. 13. Freimuth, 65, spent nearly 25 years with Fujifilm, where he ran the company’s U.S. graphic systems business for 17 years and went on to serve as chief operating officer, senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer.

Investors clamor for Facebook’s IPO
MENLO PARK, Calif. – Wall Street is about to get Facebook fever. The social networking giant with nearly 1 billion users is expected to file papers any day now to sell stock to the public. The timing stems partly from federal rules that would require Facebook Inc. to begin disclosing its financial information in April because of its phenomenal growth. Beyond minting an estimated 1,000 new millionaires at the company, Facebook’s initial public stock offering could provide a huge boost to Wall Street investment banks sorely in need of a hot stock to excite investors.

Apple at No. 1 among most valuable companies
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Apple stock, still feeling the effects of one of the most successful quarters in history, set new record highs Tuesday and the tech giant increased its lead over Exxon for the title of most valuable company in the United States. Apple shares hit a new high of $458.24 in intraday trading Tuesday and set a record for highest closing price for a second consecutive day. Apple closed at $456.48, an increase of 0.8 percent from Monday’s then-record closing price of $453.01, helped by the announcement of a new retail chief and two European victories in its battle against rival Samsung. The positive end to 2012’s first month allowed the Cupertino, Calif., company to wrestle away the crown for highest market capitalization – the total worth of all stock in circulation – from oil giant Exxon and build a big lead in the competition. Apple originally took the title from Exxon in August, becoming just the second technology company to reach that peak, after Microsoft.

Business People: Jennifer Cusato; Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce; Robin Violette; Mark Levesque; Ross LeBlanc; Tina-marie Legere and K. Brian McLaughlin
Jennifer Cusato NASHUA – Jennifer Cusato has been named community relations director for the YMCA of Greater Nashua organization, which includes the new Nashua Y, Merrimack Y and Camp Sargent. In this newly created position, she will provide leadership to the marketing and financial development staff to collectively accomplish the goals of the organization including maximizing the Y’s image and building more connections within the community. In her most recent position with The PLUS Co., Cusato developed and executed a strategic marketing campaign as well as coordinated and oversaw Project SEARCH at St. Joseph Hospital. Prior to that, she was employed at New England College and Franklin Pierce Law Center. Cusato holds a master’s degree in management and strategic leadership. Ross LeBlanc Ross LeBlanc has joined CCS New England as sales representative and account manager. LeBlanc brings 15 years of industry experience to the team at CCS New England’s Nashua headquarters.

New Business Bio: Talk It Up Tees
Type of Business: We specialize in expressive specialty T-shirts that are fun, colorful, with whimsical sayings on the back. Our motto is “Wear your passion” Main Location: Litchfield. Web Address: www.talkituptees.com. Date began business in southern New Hampshire: April 2011. Is this a franchise? No. Owners: Julie Crema, Beth Damphousse and Laurie Scafidi. Days/Hours: Online retail. Highlights of products and services: Talk it up Tees creates fun tees to express your passion, hobby or favorite activity.

Law firm among New Hampshire’s oldest to shut down soon
MANCHESTER – The confluence of an unstable economy, a tightly competitive legal market and an ongoing exodus of more than half its lawyers since 2010 all contributed to the decision to close down Wiggin & Nourie, one of New Hampshire’s oldest law firms, its president said. The law firm, which was established in 1870 under the name Burnham and Brown, informed employees Thursday that it would close its Manchester and Portsmouth offices. Clients are still in the process of being notified of the closing. The firm’s dissolution date is set for April 1, but L. Jonathan Ross, president of Wiggin & Nourie, said he expects most clients and attorneys will have already moved on by the end of February.

Hollis Line Machine Co. keeps turning out parts
HOLLIS – Although the machining company started by his father has expanded even in this tough economy, Joe Siergiewicz Jr. doesn’t have any delusions of grandeur about his business. “We’re a job shop. We don’t have our own products, and we never invent things.

Agency puts liens on airline’s property
DALLAS – The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. has filed liens against American Airlines property to cover about $91 million that AMR failed to contribute its four pension plans on Jan. 15, agency director Josh Gotbaum said Tuesday. American was supposed to make a quarterly payment of about $100 million on Jan. 15, but only put in $6.5 million. While American has said it couldn’t contribute any pension obligation incurred before its Nov.

Nashua Bank to support energy improvements to local buildings
NASHUA – Up to $5.5 million is available for home and business owners to make affordable energy upgrades to their buildings, thanks to a partnership between Nashua Bank and BetterBuildingsNH. The Nashua Bank announced its partnership with BetterBuildingsNH on Friday to provide low-cost financing for energy improvements to commercial and residential buildings in Nashua. BetterBuildingsNH has partnered with other programs to maximize the financial incentives to include grants and rebates toward energy analysis and improvements. The program couples greener, more efficient energy operations with low interest financing to help businesses and homeowners make affordable improvements. For commercial properties, grants are available to cover up to 40 percent of the cost of a project, with additional rebates available for National Grid customers and low-cost financing to cover the remainder of a project’s cost. BetterBuildingsNH is part of a U.S. Department of Energy program that helps homeowners and businesses save energy and lower their energy costs, while improving air quality and the comfort of homes and offices. The program is limited to Nashua, Plymouth and Berlin residential and commercial building owners with no income restrictions. For more information on the Nashua Bank or the BetterBuildingsNH program, visit www.thenashuabank.com. – MARYALICE GILL

Free AARP Tax-Aide program to help Greater Nashua taxpayers
NASHUA – The AARP Tax-Aide program to help Greater Nashua taxpayers with preparing and e-filing taxes kicks off Wednesday . Tax-Aide’s IRS-certified counselors will assist any low- to moderate income taxpayer regardless of age and gives special attention to those age 60 and older. Participants do not need to be AARP members to take advantage of the free service. Social Security cards, official documentation for the filer and their dependents, a copy of last year’s returns, W-2s, 1099s, and interest forms are required. The program ends April 16. Here’s a list of local AARP Tax-Aide sites: Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St.; Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nashua Senior Center, 70 Temple St.; Thursday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Merrimack YMCA, 6 Henry Clay Drive; Monday 9:30 a.m.-noon. The John O’Leary Adult Community Center, Merrimack, 5 Church St.; Wednesday 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. by appointment. Rodgers Memorial Library, Hudson, 194 Derry Road; Wednesday from 1-6 p.m. Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, 49 Nashua St.; Tuesday 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Thursday 3:30-6:30 p.m. To learn the location of other Tax-Aide sites in New Hampshire, call 211 or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxaide. – MARYALICE GILL

Pep Boys agrees to purchase
PHILADELPHIA – Pep Boys – Manny Moe & Jack, the Philadelphia-based, 729-store auto-parts and car-repair chain, said it has agreed to be bought by Los Angeles-based Gores Group for $15 a share, if shareholders approve. “We’ll be making further investments in the business, and there’s going to be more stores,” said Ryan Wald, mergers and acquisitions director at Gores. The price beats Pep Boys’ Friday value of about $12 a share, but is only about half its peak price from the mid-2000s. The sale price is little changed from Pep Boys’ value 10 years ago.

McDonald’s pushes ahead new design
CHICAGO – With half-moon shaped booths, low stools, wooden blinds and flat-screen TVs, most patrons might expect to pay $8 for a burger, or $4 for a smoothie. But the decor isn’t a harbinger of price. This is the new look of a remodeled McDonald’s, purveyor of Happy Meals and value deals as well as upscale coffee drinks. The Oak Brook, Ill.-based burger chain is reaching critical mass on a nearly decade-long, multi-billion-dollar global renovation and rebuilding project it’s betting will boost sales, traffic and brand perception. Restaurants undergoing simultaneous interior and exterior remodels are expected to see a 6 percent to 7 percent increase in same-store sales upon reopening, no matter where they are located.

AT&T names president of New England region
BOSTON – A Rhode Island native has been named president of AT&T New England, which covers New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island. AT&T on Monday that Patricia Jacobs, formerly regional vice president for international affairs, will take the job, overseeing AT&T’s legislative and regulatory objectives as well as guide AT&T’s public and external affairs strategies in the five states. Jacobs replaces William Leahy, who now leads AT&T’s legislative strategy for all 50 states. As regional vice president for international affairs, Jacobs managed policy initiatives and other corporate campaigns for AT&T across the globe. She also possesses significant federal policy experience having served as regional vice president for federal affairs, where she worked on a wide range of federal regulatory and legislative matters. Prior to joining AT&T, Jacobs served as an aide to congressman Edward J.

Free seminar to help first-time homebuyers in Nashua
NASHUA – The New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority will offer a free educational seminar in Nashua to demystify the home purchase process for first-time buyers. The two-part series, designed to inform attendees about all aspects of the home buying process, is supported by the Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, the New Hampshire Bar Association and local community partners. The seminars take place Tuesday, Feb. 7, and Thursday, Feb. 9, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Nashua’s Harbor Homes, at 45 High St. The seminars are free and open to the public, but seating is limited and preregistration is requested. To register, or to find out more, visit www.GoNewHampshireHousing.com or call 1-800-640-7239, ext.

What a state DC is in
More discouraging than the president’s campaign speech – I mean State of the Union address – was the Republican response. Though greatly flawed, the president offered some sound policy proposals. And his call for cooperation was spot on – despite falling on deaf ears. Such is the state of politics. There are areas of ripe for political compromise, but with a major election nearing, the majority of slugs who hold public office will put politics ahead of the country’s interests.

NH lumber industry hopeful
The United States and Canada have announced a two-year extension of the Softwood Lumber Agreement, which those in New Hampshire’s lumber industry say is good news. “Most everybody that I know that’s producing softwood lumber right now would think it’s positive,” said B. Manning, sales manager at Durgin & Crowell, which has manufactured eastern white pine lumber in Springfield since 1976. Under the deal, the Softwood Lumber Agreement, which was due to expire in 2013, will remain in effect through October 2015. It was originally enacted in 2006 to put an end to a divisive and ongoing trade dispute between the two countries. The dispute stemmed from the claim by those in the American logging industry that the Canadian government was unfairly subsidizing its timber.

‘Flexible workspace’ company Regus comes to Nashua, its first N.H. expansion
The big term for business in this recession-wracked and globalized world is flexibility. If new technology or a financing crunch don’t change your world next week, the Chinese might, and you’d better be ready. A global firm called Regus has made a business catering to that desire by leasing “flexible workspaces” to companies and individuals in 1,200 cities around the globe, including Nashua. The Belgium-based firm just opened a 12,000-square-foot “business center” in an office park at Tara Boulevard, off Exit 1 of the F.E. Turnpike. The center opened Jan.

Construction deals for future fell $500m in ’11
The total value of future construction contracts in New Hampshire in 2011 lagged more than $500 million behind 2010. And in December 2011, future construction contracts totaled 13 percent less than they did in the same month the previous year. That’s according to industry information service McGraw Hill Construction, which collects and releases the figures monthly. Total future contracts across all construction sectors totaled $1.42 billion in the state in 2011, down from the $1.98 billion recorded in 2010. Some of the discrepancy may be attributable to the drying up of federal stimulus funds, some of which could still have been funding projects in 2010. Year over year, the total value of future construction contracts was down in all construction sectors. Nonbuilding contracts – which include projects like bridges, highways and dams -- took the biggest hit, down 55 percent from $660.1 million in 2010 to $299.6 million in 2011. Future residential construction was down 17 percent year over year, from $529.7 million in 2010 to $440.7 million in 2011, and nonresidential contracts were down 14 percent during the same period, from $792.6 million to $683 million. In December 2011, total future construction contracts totaled $56.4 million, which was down from the $64.6 million in December 2010 and the $94.9 million in November 2011.

Netflix regains its footing, beating fourth-quarter forecasts
LOS ANGELES – Netflix Inc. is headed back up again. The Los Gatos, Calif., subscription video company on Wednesday reported better-than-expected earnings and a return to subscriber growth in the fourth quarter, beginning a promised turnaround after a dreadful third quarter, during which it lost subscribers and its stock price plummeted. Investors were pleasantly surprised by the company’s latest results, driving Netflix’s stock up 14 percent in after-hours trading. Since the end of 2011, Netflix stock has been on an upswing, rising 37 percent to a closing price of $95.04 on Wednesday. That’s still far below its high of $295.14 in July. Net income was $41 million, down 13 percent from a year earlier.

US builders scale down homes to appeal to first-time buyers
ST. LOUIS – Last summer, Marie Davis was living in an 800-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment and not liking it. A single woman of 27, she wanted bigger and better. “I thought, ‘I’m handing money away in rent, and I’ll never see a return on it,’ ” she said. One day, Davis was passing by a new subdivision, Greystone Estates, in Shiloh, Ill. “I saw the price range on the sign, and that caught my attention,” she said.

Worried about seeing the Super Bowl? Don’t forget an old-fashioned idea: ‘Rabbit ears’
To all those satellite-television customers worried they might not be able to watch the Super Bowl because of a dispute between DirecTV and WHDH-TV, Larry Artz, of Nashua, has some advice: Take a blast from the past and try some do-it-yourself technology. “You can take a set of rabbit ears, shorten it down and stick it in the back of the TV. Even a coat hanger. … Crude antennas sometimes work pretty well,” he said in a telephone interview. The Super Bowl will be broadcast by WHDH from its transmitter in Newton, Mass., and there’s no reason you can’t snag the signal yourself, even if DirecTV doesn’t carry it.

Tech warriors unplug for yoga respite
SAN JOSE, Calif. – As one of the nation’s largest yoga conferences got underway earlier this month in San Francisco, many of the tech warriors driving our tweet-bombarded, app-devouring, Facebook-frenzied culture were firmly ensconced not in their cubicles but in the downward-facing dog pose. In the heart of the Valley of Digital Distractions, mindfulness is the latest coin of the realm. “The speed at which information is coming at us can get overwhelming,” says Google’s Gopi Kallayil, a marketing manager for Google+ who also teaches a popular weekly yoga class for stressed-out Googlers. “I’m seeing more and more people in Silicon Valley moving to yoga as a centering, anchoring ritual because it gives them a respite from that relentless onslaught.” From Google’s “Optimize Your Life” program that helps employees unplug from the digital grind, to the valley darling Asana, a Web-based productivity-services firm that lists “Mindfulness” at the top of its corporate-values list, everyone’s getting into the awareness-raising act. Deborah Burkman, who leads yoga retreats and “urban-wellness” programs for companies, has been teaching meditation at Twitter, the microblogging behemoth that practically embodies the frenetic digital drill so many people are caught up in. “Twitter’s really into this,” she says. “There’s a whole mindfulness program they’re trying to build there.

Will a tiny Square change the way you shop?
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Wallets may soon be going the way of typewriters, pay phones and videocassette recorders. Oh, they’ll still be a great place to carry photos, receipts and odd slips of paper, but technology forecasters say we’ll soon be reaching for cellphones when it’s time to pay or be paid. It’s a dream that Kevin Stock is ready to live. For nearly a year, Stock, of St. Louis, has been carrying around a small white plastic device he can attach to his phone at a moment’s notice, creating his own credit card terminal.

Resorts try to entice NFL fans
New Hampshire’s ski resorts are hoping you won’t skip a trip to the slopes just because of Super Bowl XLVI. Many resorts are offering discounts for the weekend of the big game. Reduced cost lift tickets are being offered to avoid the thinner-than-usual crowds that show up on most Super Bowl weekends, according to Ski NH, a statewide industry association. Special deals for the weekend of Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants on Feb. 5 include a two-for-one deal at Ragged Mountain and a two-person $68 ticket at Cannon Mountain. Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain will offer all-day tickets for $46 on Sunday.

Somersworth shop creates shirts
While New England erupted in cheers for the Patriots’ AFC Championship win Sunday night, Dover resident Glenwood Rabideau jumped to work creating T-shirts that Seacoast fans would hit stores to buy the next day. Rabideau, 25, decked in a Tedi Bruschi jersey and black paint under his eyes, was one of about 20 workers at Blue Dolphin Screenprint and Embroidery, on Canal Street in Somersworth. They worked through the night Sunday creating the Patriots’ AFC Championship shirts for Reebok, loading shirts onto large printing machines before sending them out to local stores. Though missing some of the game was no fun, Rabideau said Sunday that there’s no place he’d rather be after a big New England win. “I absolutely love it,” he said of his work. “Not many people can say that they’re part of this process.” Blue Dolphin co-owner Peter Meyer said his employees are used to working after big games. From Red Sox World Series wins to the Bruins’ Stanley Cup win last year and Patriots victories of recent years, Blue Dolphin makes T-shirts for just about every major sporting event. Meyer said Sunday night’s work load, in fact, was relatively small compared to AFC championship games of the past. “I guess it’s just getting to be old hat, us winning,” he said. The Blue Dolphin team pumped out about 7,000 shirts Sunday night, a number Meyer said is nothing compared to the 20,000 shirts they made for the Bruins’ championship.

Business People: Jack Penkala; Anitha Kuchipudi; Patty Ebbs; Lynn Marcou; and Dennis Parker
Jack Penkala HALO Branded Solutions, the country’s largest exclusive distributor of promotional products, honored the sales achievements of their top 200 national account executives in a ceremony at the Four Seasons Las Vegas Hotel. Jack Penkala, of Nashua, received an award at the event for consecutive years of company-leading sales growth, and membership in the coveted President’s Club – a sales achievement group comprising the top 10 percent of the company’s 800-member sales force. Anitha Kuchipudi Anitha Kuchipudi, MD, has joined Foundation Medical Partners as a primary care physician and is on the active staff at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. She is seeing patients in Salem, but her practice will move to Pelham this spring . Kuchipudi earned her bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degrees from Siddhartha Medical College’s University of Health Sciences in India. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Rush-Westlake Community Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill.

Sessions for taxes in preparation, filing aid, planned in Nashua, Milford, Merrimack
NASHUA – Do you need help preparing your federal tax returns? The Greater Nashua Asset Building Coalition is offering free income tax preparation beginning Saturday, Jan. 28 to help working individuals and families attain financial stability. Volunteers trained and certified on IRS-approved software will help filers prepare their 2011 federal income tax returns and determine whether they qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits. Free tax returns prepared by coalition volunteers for tax year 2010 brought $2.74 million in refunds back to Nashua-area households; $6.5 million has been returned to the region over the past four years, officials said. To receive free tax filing assistance, total income per return cannot exceed $49,000 for tax year 2011, and must not include more than $3,150 in investment income. Volunteers file the returns electronically, which facilitates direct deposit of refunds into taxpayers’ bank accounts, usually within 10 days. Last year; 433 Greater Nashua filers claimed $622,000 in EITC, according to officials. No appointment is needed for the free tax preparation sessions, which run Saturday, Jan. 28 and every Saturday through March 24, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Triangle Credit Union, 33 Franklin Street, Nashua. Free tax filing help will also be available at the following locations and times: Nashua Public Library 2 Court Street, Nashua February 1-April 16 Mondays and Wednesdays: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. YMCA-Merrimack 6 Henry Clay Drive, Merrimack February 6-April 16 Mondays: 9:30 a.m.-noon Wadleigh Public Library 49 Nashua Street, Milford February 7-April 10 Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tax filers should bring all their relevant tax information, including: social security card(s) for themselves and their dependents; W-2 and 1099 income reporting forms; copy of their 2010 tax return; driver’s license or photo identification card; tax identification number of their child care provider; and any mortgage company statements received during 2011.

SkillSoft report finds increased spending on company’s learning and development in 2010
NASHUA – Organizations dramatically increased spending on learning and development in 2010, according to a SkillSoft-sponsored State of the Industry report by the American Society of Training and Development. SkillSoft, a Nashua-based provider of e-learning and performance support solutions, supports global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses. In its report, the society found that in 2010, businesses in the United States spent $171.5 billion on employee learning in 2010, up from $125.8 billion in 2009, officials said. The report also found a 13.5 percent increase in the amount organizations spent per employee on learning and development, officials said. While the expenditure per employee increased, learning hours per employee remained the same, revealing that organizations paid more for each hour of learning content used and that a highly skilled workforce is a strategic differentiator in spite of a difficult economy. The annual review of trends in workplace learning and performance includes data from more than 400 organizations, a source pulling from the 32 BEST award winning organizations, and data reflecting 22 Fortune Global 500 organizations. ASTD is offering a webinar to review the report Monday at 1 p.m. Mike Green, manager of ASTD Research and the report’s author, will detail the workplace learning and development trends discussed in the report. For more information, visit www.astd.org/membership/ProfDevWebcast.htm or www.skillsoft.com.

Nashuan eyes moose T-shirt success
NASHUA – Mike “Moose” McGuiness, 30, has lived in New Hampshire all his life, but he’s never seen in person the antlered bull for which he’s nicknamed. That doesn’t mean the Nashua native can’t draw one though. For about a year, McGuiness has been printing cartoon images of moose on T-shirts and selling them to friends, family and animal fans around the region. The character, sketched by McGuiness, is a wide-eyed, smiling moose wearing baggy jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers, and waves a simple sign that resonates well with New Englanders: “Brake for me.” “I just did it because of the whole ‘Brake for Moose’ bumper stickers you see or the ‘Brake for Moose’ movement that New Hampshire Fish and Game does,” McGuiness said. “I thought it would be a cute thing to throw in there.” The friendly animal – not to be confused with “Bullwinkle,” McGuiness says – has been his favorite character to pen. Inspired by other New England-based T-shirt successes, such as Life is good and The Mountain, McGuiness first stuck his design on a shirt to see where it would take him. “It just fascinated me that they came up with this idea and it grew into the companies they are now,” McGuiness said. He compares his grinning moose to famous smiley guy “Jake” of Life is good, and the howling wolves of The Mountain’s “Three Wolf Moon” shirts, hoping to bring some attention to his creation. “I think it’s a modern version of a moose, but it kind of has the character of me in it,” McGuiness said. “If I were a moose, I think that’s what it would look like – the baggy pants, the T-shirt and everything.” So far, McGuiness’ “fun,” “chill” mammal has sold well, simply through word of mouth, he said. The shirts have been a hit among friends who know McGuiness by his nickname. “Moose” was coined when McGuiness’ eighth grade gym teacher at Elm Street Junior High commented on his heavily moussed hairstyle, and it still sticks today, McGuiness said. With a new year ahead, McGuiness says he hopes to generate some buzz around his hobby to ultimately build his T-shirt brand into a sustaining business.

EU OKs oil embargo
WASHINGTON – Even as they tightened the financial screws on Iran with new sanctions on Monday, the United States and its European allies reiterated their readiness to resume talks with Tehran on curbing what they suspect is a secret nuclear weapons development program. European Union foreign ministers agreed to a phased ban on Iranian oil purchases by the bloc’s 27 states, and the Obama administration took action under which foreign institutions doing business with Iran’s third largest bank could be cut off from the U.S. financial system. The blacklisting of Bank Tejarat brought to 23 the number of Iranian financial institutions under U.S. sanctions for allegedly funding Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. By intensifying the pressure on Iran – but keeping the door open to talks – the United States and the EU underscored their goal of averting what many experts fear is a rising threat of a Persian Gulf military confrontation that could disrupt exports from the world’s main oil-producing region, dealing a fresh blow to the wobbly global economy.

House bill seeks to exempt NH food from federal safety rules
CONCORD – A bill that would exempt foods produced and sold in New Hampshire from federal food safety regulations is running into opposition from some of the groups that the bill says it would help. A hearing on House Bill 1650 was held Friday . Sponsored by Rep. Josh Davenport, R-Newmarket, the measure would establish a “Made in New Hampshire” brand for foods that are grown or produced in the state. Under the bill, so long as those foodstuffs were labeled as being “Made in New Hampshire” and sold only within the state, they would be subject only to state regulations and exempt from federal regulations. Bill sponsors say it would promote the state’s agricultural economy, help small farmers and expand access to fresh, healthy foods. But the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, which represents the interests of farmers in the state, has come out in opposition to the bill, which it said “goes too far.” “There does need to be some oversight, and we recognize that,” said Rob Johnson, executive director of the Farm Bureau. In writing the bill, he said, “they really haven’t talked to the farmers on this.” The bill comes on the heels of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law early last year.

Nashua software company acquires compensation planning application
NASHUA – Cornerstone Software, Inc., a privately held software technology and consulting company, has announced it has acquired the Makana Motivator Software-as-a-Service compensation planning application. Makana Motivator automates the sales compensation planning and payment process for small- to mid-sized businesses to improve the way they plan, manage costs and motivate their sales force, officials said. The Makana Motivator sales compensation platform is a self-serve solution that automates incentive planning with practice advice, utilizes modeling to accurately predict the cost of incentives, delivers graphical charts that clearly communicate a sales person’s goals and rewards, automatically calculates incentive payments, and generates regular performance reports. For more information visit www.makanasolutions.com. – MARYALICE GILL

Nashua furniture store sponsors Grammy Awards ticket contest
NASHUA – Bernie & Phyl’s is offering a chance to watch the Grammys – away from the couch and in the thick of the awards show. In conjunction with CBS Boston’s WBZ-TV, the family-owned furniture store is sponsoring a contest that takes a winner and his or her guest on an expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to see the 54th annual Grammy Awards airing Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. The winner also will receive two tickets to the award show’s official after-party, admission to the Grammy Museum, hotel accommodations at the LA Live JW Marriott for two nights, a $300 gift card for spending money and round trip airfare from Boston to Los Angeles. The total prize is valued at more than $4,000. New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island residents ages 18 or older are eligible to enter by visiting Bernie & Phyl’s (no purchase necessary) or filling out an entry form at www.bernieandphyls.com or www.CBSBoston.com. The deadline to enter is Jan. 29, and the winner will be notified by WBZ-TV on Jan.

Edward Jones listed among top 5 ‘Best Companies to Work for 2012’
NASHUA – Financial-services firm Edward Jones was ranked No. 5 in Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For 2012” list in its 13th appearance on the list, according to Frank J. Vumbaco, an Edward Jones adviser in Nashua. Edward Jones, the highest ranking financial-services firm on the list, also ranked No. 3 for large-sized companies and No.

Business calendar for the week of Jan. 22
Thursday LONDONDERRY Local Economic Update The Greater Hudson and Greater Derry/Londonderry Chambers of Commerce are sponsoring a “Local Economic Update” breakfast featuring the town planners of Derry, Hudson, Litchfield and Londonderry, 7:30-9 a.m. Jan. 26 at the Londonderry Municipal Building, 268B Mammoth Road in Londonderry. $10 for Chamber members, $15 for guests includes a continental breakfast.

Credit card fee cap weighed
A bill that would limit credit and debit card fees has New Hampshire retailers and banks going head to head. The fee in question – the interchange fee – is the amount that a credit card user’s bank charges the retailer’s bank. The fee is usually passed on to the retailer as a deduction from the sale. House Bill 1319 would limit that fee to 1 percent for state-charted banks. The problem with such fees, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep.

Small Business Day planned at State House
CONCORD – Strategies for securing business financing, tips for how to do business with the state and a look at this year’s top policy issues as seen by the state’s top legislators will be on the agenda of the Business and Industry Association’s seventh annual Small Business Day at the State House event. The event, to be held from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Holiday Inn Concord, will be held in partnership with the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and local and regional chambers of commerce. Small Business Day is sponsored by Public Service of New Hampshire and media sponsor New Hampshire Business Review. The event will begin with a panel discussion featuring Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, Senate Democratic Leader Sylvia Larsen and House Minority Leader Terie Norelli (expected).

Women’s ‘Speed Schmoozing’ event slated
MANCHESTER – Learn the art of “schmoozing” and do it quickly, through an event sponsored by Women Inspiring Women and PSNH on Jan. 25. “Speed Schmoozing,” designed to allow a five-minute networking session among women, will take place at PSNH/Energy Park, 780 N. Commercial St., to promote interaction with business professionals in a fun and comfortable way. “Relationships are key to our success,” said Leslie Sturgeon, of Women Inspiring Women.

***Fosters****

Schedule change for Memorial Bridge float out event in Portsmouth

Just chillin and #8212; Over $600g raised for the Special Olympics N.H. at Penguin Plunge in Hampton

This is killing me : As rival teams battle, UNH stays calm

Area sports bars serve upbeat experience despite giant loss

Prom season afoot in Somersworth

Dover teen competes for state title, scholarship, and some glitz

Students strut their swagger Annual Mr. Somersworth competition kicked off at high school

Former NH senator, Jackie Cilley of Barrington announcing for governor

Patriots loss is Super disappointment for fans

Fire strikes Berwick porch, police extinguish it

NH broadband project advances

Tim Wilder of Somersworth lives a Super dream

Taking the plunge: Teens raise funds for Special Olympics in Hampton

Seacoast see influx of Snowy Owls

Jack the Snipper to be released in April: Man banned from Strafford, Rockingham counties

Frosty reception: Winterfest in Somersworth offers chance to spend day with famous snowman

Rollinsford residents say no to reducing grade school budget

UNH fair focuses on healthy living

Bank donation puts new South Berwick library project one third of the way toward fundraising goal