Mass. promotes locally-grown Christmas trees

BOSTON — State officials are urging residents to buy locally-grown Christmas trees this season.

State agriculture commissioner Greg Watson joined other state and local officials for Friday's annual tree-cutting ceremony at Crane Neck Christmas Tree Farm in Groveland.

Watson said locally-grown trees and renewable and recyclable, and an important part of the state's economy.

According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture figures, there are 284 Christmas tree farms in Massachusetts, producing more than 75,000 trees each year.

The vast majority of Christmas trees are grown on farms, limiting damage to forests.

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Stores eye green in black

Retailers are hoping to capitalize on the Black Friday frenzy and defy analysts' predictions of a lackluster holiday shopping season, despite fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

Stores were buzzing yesterday as shoppers hunted for deals, and some retailers were offering aggressive discounts.

"It looked like a very promising Black Friday," said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. "I think the season's off to a good start."

Retailers will release official numbers beginning today, but analysts were forecasting only modest gains over last year's Black Friday sales.

"For some chain stores, this is make or break," said Chris Christopher, a retail analyst with Lexington-based IHS Global Insight.

IHS is expecting the weakest holiday season growth — 3.2 percent — since 2009. The National Retail Federation has pegged growth at 3.9 percent, while the Bay State retailers' group is predicting 3.5 percent.

And a calendar quirk also could hurt retailers — a late Thanksgiving means six fewer shopping days before Christmas.

"We're expecting store business to be down 10 percent, but we're expecting sales to be up 2.4 percent," said Bill Martin, founder of shoppertrak, thanks to online sales.

He said Black Friday and the remainder of this weekend will likely be a larger portion of the total holiday sales than usual because of the shorter time frame.

"The calendar's challenging," said Hurst.

Those timing difficulties are on top of shaky consumer confidence, largely due to the government shutdown in October.

Fourth-quarter same-store sales — a key benchmark because they measure sales at stores open at least a year — are forecast to climb a "lackluster" 1.1 percent, according to Swampscott-based Retail Metrics' SSS Index, and 1.5 percent when Walmart is factored in.

Still, Martin said yesterday was expected to be the largest shopping day for the 10th straight year, with a cool $10 billion in sales.

Many shoppers had no trouble finding what they were looking for.

Somerville resident Margot Hanson came to Legacy Place specifically to take advantage of the 50 percent off sale at the Loft.

"Then we impulse-bought at three other stores," she said.

Alex and Gabrielle Jean-Jacques of Hyde Park visited the Walpole Walmart twice yesterday — once early in the morning to watch the Black Friday crowds and again in the afternoon for shopping. "We figured there might have been deals left over," Gabrielle said. "Surprisingly, there was a lot on the shelves. I thought it would be wiped out."

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Small Business Saturday puts focus on independent retailers

Mom-and-pop stores today are gearing up for a Small Business Saturday that they hope will top the bustle of Black Friday.

"(Today) for us is usually bigger — by double," said Philip Celeste, owner of On Centre, a specialty gift and accessory store in Jamaica Plain. "We're expecting to have a very good holiday season. Looking at November, we're already way ahead of last year."

On Centre opted not to have a sale yesterday or today, instead relying on their unique products and the know-you-by-name customer service that most big box stores and online retailers simply can't provide.

Down the street, at Boing! Toy Shop, Kim Mitchell and her staff gift wrap every purchase for free and have a loyalty program to reward frequent customers. "I'm also here, and I'm active, and if people have a question or a complaint, they know who I am," she said.

Still, many small business owners are acutely aware that their competition increasingly is not only big box stores but the Internet. So at Fire Opal in Coolidge Corner, Sue Stein has heightened her Web presence and advertises on social media. Stein also has the benefit of being located in a neighborhood that has a strong shop-local ethic.

"People should keep in mind that more than half of the money they spend in a small business stays in their town," said Jack Mozloom, a spokesman for the National Federation of Independent Business. "You're helping your neighbors, you're helping to create jobs in your community."

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Monday the deals shift to the Web

Black Friday shoppers have collapsed on their couches and finally gotten a chance to digest that turkey after a hectic day of deal-hunting, but it all starts again Monday on the Internet.

"Online shopping has been very, very strong," said Chris Christopher, a retail analyst with IHS Global Insight. "Right now, a little over $1 of every $20 spent is spent online."

Online shopping is the only retail sector growing at a double- digit pace, with online sales expected to generate $78 billion this holiday season, a
15 percent increase over last year.

Still, Christopher said, Cyber Monday may have lost some of its exclusivity this year because online retailers such as Amazon have been offering deals to compete with brick-and-mortar stores opening on Thanksgiving.

"A lot of them had to up their game because they didn't have the luxury of people staying at home," he said.

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said online retailers can take a chunk out of local sales, but the Internet also opens up possibilities for small stores.

"There's a lot of smaller companies that are finding it as a growth opportunity," he said.

Jasmine Raines, a 24-year-old Dorchester resident, hit Legacy Place in Dedham on Black Friday, planned on shopping again today, and then finish off her spree with some online shopping. "Then I'll wait for Cyber Monday," she said.

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Bill would ban "fracking" in Mass. for 10 years

BOSTON — A bill aimed at temporarily banning the natural gas drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — is making its way through the Massachusetts Statehouse.

The Legislature's Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has approved a bill that would create a 10-year moratorium on the technique in Massachusetts.

Environmental activists argue that fracking can lead to water contamination, illness, and damaged rural landscapes.

Supporters say the technique is safe and is a way to extract natural shale gas that would otherwise remain trapped underground, helping keep energy prices down.

There could be limited shale gas deposits in western Massachusetts.

The bill must still be approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Deval Patrick before becoming law.

Vermont last year became the first state to ban hydraulic fracturing.

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Some Black Friday deals are duds

Black Friday is where good technology goes to die. Doorbuster deals are dubious and an "exclusive" is code for an untested product made specifically to get you in the door on this day.

Exhibit A is every too-good-to-be true deal on an HDTV. On Black Friday, the big box stores are full of television brands you've never heard of before. There's a 32-inch LED TV listed for $98 that I would not pick up for free. To play it safe, stick with Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Vizio and Sharp. And if there's no listing for a brightness or contrast ratio, the number of HDMI inputs and the resolution, you're likely dealing with a sea of motion blur and muted color.

This year features a special level of laptop mediocrity. The worst offenders are those laptops running the Windows 8 operating system without a touchscreen. Those may look tempting, with the lowest prices south of $200. But under no circumstances should you purchase a Windows 8 PC without the touchscreen. The system wasn't designed to be used with a static screen and mouse.

An array of Android tablets with impossibly low prices is another pitfall to avoid. No tablet should be priced below $150, which is the lowest it costs the manufacturer to produce a semi-respectable tablet. If you're looking for a value tablet, check out Amazon for sales on its excellent line of Kindles.

There is one notable exception to today's bleak tech outlook: Black Friday could be your last chance to purchase the universally sold-out Xbox One system before Christmas. If you're headed to the stores today in search of Microsoft's newest gaming system, expect long lines and possibly even waiting lists.

There are some deals worth noting. Though retailers can't slash prices on most Apple products, Target is offering generous gift cards, like $100 when you buy the new iPad Air. Another heartening Target deal is $99 for a Nikon L320 digital 16 MP camera, regularly priced at $229.99. And, Walmart's 70-inch Vizio E701i-A3E television, for $998 instead of $1,698, is worth a shout-out.

And I'll give props to Best Buy for slashing $200 off the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, on sale for $1,100.

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Black Friday discounts vary widely

Shoppers beware — not all discounts are equal on the always-chaotic Black Friday.

The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, is being noticeably more aggressive on price cuts this year, while Sears' average discounts are less aggressive compared to last holiday season, according to an analysis of Black Friday ads by Jefferies & Co. retail analyst Daniel Binder.

"Wal-Mart stepped up the depth of promotions this year, with about 15 percent higher average discounts than last year," Binder said in his report. "(It) stands to gain the most improvement year-to-year on a day where a certain breed of super value-seekers are shopping based heavily on price."

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts expects Bay State holiday sales to increase 3.5 percent from last year, to approximately $15 billion, after a 2.8 percent jump in 2012. That's slightly below the 3.9 percent rise forecast by the National Retail Federation for nationwide sales in November and December totaling an estimated $602.1 billion.

RAM's member retailers are apprehensive about six fewer days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, although they're hoping very good retail sales since August's state sales tax holiday will continue and offset the short calendar, according to the association's president Jon Hurst.

"A good third of all purchases are impulse buys," Hurst said. "That's where, hopefully, you're going to pick up some of your profit margin. With a short window, you have less days for the opportunity for those trips to the store."

Kohl's, which leads in discounts on regular prices among chain stores, is averaging 4.8 percent higher average discounts for Black Friday compared to last year to lure in some of those shoppers, according to the Jefferies report. Sears' average Black Friday discount, meanwhile, is about 21.5 percent less than last year, when it sharply reduced prices.

"We're expecting a great weekend," said Laurel Sibert, vice president of corporate marketing for WS Development, whose shopping centers include Legacy Place in Dedham, The Street in Chestnut Hill, MarketStreet in Lynnfield and the South Shore's Derby Street Shoppes.

But if you plan to stay away from the stores today, you won't be alone. Fifty-six percent of Americans plan to skip Black Friday shopping this year, according to a Consumer Reports poll, and the top three reasons are too many crowds, over-hyped deals and the desire to do something else.

"There's a very large misconception that Black Friday is the biggest sales day of the season," Hurst said. "The Saturday right before Christmas is by far the biggest."

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Boots inspired by Boston weather and craft brews

Boston's known for tough winters and good breweries — a combination that proved inspiring to a local footwear startup.

"Craft brew" boots, anyone?

"Before craft brews, people just bought generic beer or imports," said Boston Boot Co. co-founder and Reading resident Joe Lyons. "With just a little more ­effort, you can have a better product."

Calling their creation Boston's first Micro-Shoery, Lyons and his co-founder/neighbor Joe Prew and designer Chad Gombes set out earlier this year to make a classically crafted, impeccably made line of men's boots.

"We want to make good shoes that we can feel proud of," Lyons said.

To get their project off the ground, the team turned to Kickstarter for funding. They werwe seeking $25,000, but now have more than $178,000 banked.

"We're very excited by our success with Kickstarter," Lyons said. "Like a lot of success, it was a lot of little things and a little bit of luck. And maybe good timing — we launched (the campaign) right after the World Series win.

"I don't know whether that played a role," he said with a laugh.

While Prew has a background in footwear design, Lyons came to the shoe world from investment banking, and the Kickstarter project provided a much-needed contrast to his former career.

"(For Kickstarter) you need a plan and a product and a prototype to raise money and to see if there's a demand. It's refreshing — you can hold up a product in front of people and say, 'Do you like it?' It's just been great," he said.

The shoes, retailing between $179 and $225, are made from high-quality leather with an athletic-shoe backbone, inspired by Boston life.

"We view Boston people as stylish, smart and practical," Lyons said. "You can have very nice shoes, but there's only so many days you can wear them here. They're sensible for guys who have to brave the elements six or seven months of the year."

While Boston is right there in the name, Kickstarter gave the trio major visibility: "Boston weather is definitely a factor, but it's really any Northeast city or anywhere where the weather is tougher. We have people interested from all over the world."

The site, BostonBootCo.com, will start selling shoes in December, Lyons said.

"We are going to be a smaller company for the foreseeable future — we would like to get into boutiques and smaller shoe stores, but that's something that will come over time," he said.

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Reclaimed lumber can be a renovator’s best friend

There's nothing more eye-popping than shimmering wood flooring.

It gives you that wonderful feeling of warmth and the natural beauty of the outdoors into your home or workspace. It's something homeowners and businesses are trying to capture when refining their surroundings while also using eco-friendly products.

One way to magnify the look is to use reclaimed wood - or wood that was used for another purpose.

Using reclaimed wood for renovation projects is an option that gives the old boards new life. It's a piece of the past woven into the present.

One Massachusetts company in particular has been providing premium quality reclaimed lumber to New England's top building professionals for more than 15 years. Based in Chelsea, the Jarmak Corporation has been catering to architects, designers and homeowners for years.

Founder Arnold Jarmak launched his company in 1998 while working with the Amish in Pennsylvania. He got into the trade first working for a demolition company before running a business that purchased lumber. In 2001 he opened an antique lumber sawmill in Lancaster, Pa., on an Amish farm.

With the Amish, he observed how they saved all they tore down. They didn't believe in a crushed-earth policy. They saved everything, the company notes on its website. "Saving building materials meant saving time and money," the company states. Since then, the Jarmak Corporation has been at the forefront of the reclamation industry.

They recenlty opened a wood shop and lumberyard in Oxford, which allows the company to service the entire Northeast providing reclaimed wood products for commercial, retail, dining, home, office spaces and more. It also gives consumers the ability to actually see the products they will use on their own projects first hand.

Their products include Antique Heart Pine, Antique Fir Timbers, Recovered Redwood, Boston Harbor Oak, Vermont Maple Flooring, and Antique Pine Timbers among others.

Think of this company as a junk yard for wood that takes something that's old, dirty and worn and repurposes it into something that's new, clean, warm and bursting with character and charm.

Whether it's wood from a century-old New England farmhouse or the pilings found sitting in the Boston Harbor beneath the old Jimmy's Harborside Restaurant, these guys will transform the product into something magnificent.

It's truly an amazing process that everyone should consider when designing their new home or business as it combines a new thing of beauty with the historical richness of the past in a product that is not only durable but eco-friendly and sustainable.

Charlie Abrahams is a licensed real estate agent in Boston who works with buyers and sellers and can be reached for any additional information at: Bostonrealestate@ charlieabrahams.com

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Holiday shopping season begins on Thanksgiving

NEW YORK — Shoppers gobbled turkey, but saved the pumpkin pie for later on Thanksgiving Day.

As more than a dozen major retailers from Target to Toys R Us opened on Thanksgiving, shoppers across the country got a jump start on holiday shopping. The Thanksgiving openings come despite planned protests across the country from workers' groups that are against employees missing Thanksgiving meals at home.

More than 200 people stood in line at the Toys R Us store in Manhattan before its 5 p.m. opening.

Green Bryant was first in line at 10 a.m. The restaurant manager ended up buying a dollhouse for $129 — $30 off — a Barbie doll and a LeapFrog learning system. Bryant, 28, said she didn't miss Thanksgiving festivities but was going home to cook a Thanksgiving meal for her two children.

"It was worth it," she said. "Now I gotta go home and cook."

At a Target store in Brooklyn about 25 people were waiting in line at 2:50 p.m. for the 8 p.m. opening, an hour earlier than a year ago.

Theresa Alcantaro, 35, a crossing guard, was waiting with her 12-year-old son to buy an Xbox One. It wasn't on sale, but supplies have been scarce. She was missing a gathering of 40 family members but said she would meet up after shopping. She hoped to be in and out by 9 p.m.

"Honestly if I can get a good deal, I do not mind," she said about Thanksgiving shopping. "I see my family every day. They understand."

The holiday openings are a break with tradition. The day after Thanksgiving, called Black Friday, for a decade had been considered the official start to the holiday buying season. It's also typically the biggest shopping day of the year.

But in the past few years, retailers have pushed opening times into Thanksgiving night. They've also pushed up discounting that used to be reserved for Black Friday into early November, which has led retail experts to question whether the Thanksgiving openings will steal some of Black Friday's thunder.

In fact, Thanksgiving openings took a bite out of Black Friday sales last year: Sales on turkey day were $810 million last year, an increase of 55 percent from the previous year as more stores opened on the holiday, according to Chicago research firm ShopperTrak. But sales dropped 1.8 percent to $11.2 billion on Black Friday, though it still was the biggest shopping day last year.

"Black Friday is now Gray Friday," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy. "It's been pulled all the way to the beginning of November."

Stores are trying to get shoppers to buy in an economy that's still challenging. While the job and housing markets are improving, that hasn't yet translated into sustained spending increases among most shoppers. Overall, the National Retail Federation expects retail sales to be up 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion during the last two months of the year. That's higher than last year's 3.5 percent growth, but below the 6 percent pace seen before the recession.

Shoppers' financial stress was apparent at the stores on Thursday. "I struggle a lot," said Adriana Tavaraz, 51, of the Bronx, who had spent $100 buying holiday decor on Thanksgiving at a Kmart. "Nowadays, you have to think about what you spend. You have to think about tomorrow."

The Thanksgiving openings are part of retailers' holiday strategy of trying to lure shoppers in early and often during the holiday shopping season. But the stores face challenges in doing that.

Some workers have petitions on change.org to protest against Target and Best Buy. The Retail Action Project, a labor-backed group of retail workers, also is planning to have members visiting customers at stores including Gap and Victoria's Secret in Manhattan to educate them about the demands on workers.

Wal-Mart has been the biggest target for protests against holiday hours. Most of the company's stores are open 24 hours, but the retailer is starting its sales events at 6 p.m. on Thursday, two hours earlier than last year.

The issue is part of a broader campaign against the company's treatment of workers that's being waged by a union-backed group called OUR Walmart, which includes former and current workers. The group is staging demonstrations and walkouts at hundreds of stores around the country on Black Friday.

Brooke Buchanan, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the discounter has received "really good feedback" from employees about working the holiday.

_____

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio at www.Twitter.com/adinnocenzio

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World of differences

With Hainan Airlines due to connect Boston and Beijing as never before, the Freedom Trail and the Great Wall of China — as well as Kendall Square and China's factories — have never been closer. Here's a look at the soon-to-be linked economic and cultural powerhouses:

• Distance: Boston and Beijing are 6740 miles apart.

• Time Difference: The sun comes up 13 hours earlier there.

• Latitude: Boston, 42 degrees; Beijing 39.9 degrees

• Population: Boston, 636,479; Beijing- 20,693,000

• Founded: Boston, 1630 A.D. Beijing, as the city of Ji, 1045 B.C.

• Known for: Boston — the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution, the Big Dig, two centuries of American literature, leading educational institutions, top-notch medical research and high tech innovation; Beijing — several millenia of Chinese art and literature, the Boxer rebellion, the Cultural revolution, booming financial and hi-tech manufacturing industries

• Attractions: Boston — The Freedom Trail, Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, Fenway Park, Swan Boats, the Old North Church, the Museum of Fine Arts, autumn foliage; Beijing — Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Ming tombs

• Weather: Boston — hot, rainy, humid summers, cold, snowy winters; Beijing — dry and humid summers, cold and windy winters, dust storms

• Delicacies: Boston — clam chowder, lobster, North End cuisine. Beijing — Peking Duck, noodles, hot and sour soup

• Sports: Boston — Three World Series, three Superbowls, one NBA title and one Stanley cup in the last decade. Beijing — 2008 Summer Olympics, several professional soccer and basketball teams.

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Safety first for Black Friday frenzy

Massachusetts stores will be beefing up security, staggering lines and handing out first-come, first-served tickets for hot Black Friday sale items to avoid the kind of stampede that killed a Wal-Mart employee five years ago in New York.

"The busy shopping season should not put retail workers at risk of being injured or killed," said David Michaels, the nation's assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health.

In response to letters the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent out last week, many retailers plan to follow OSHA guidelines, including having trained security or police on hand, placing barricades away from the front of the store's entrance and not allowing more customers to enter once the store reaches its maximum occupancy.

"We continually look for ways to raise the bar on safety for our customers and our employees; their safety is and always has been our highest priority," said Alyssa Peera, a spokeswoman for Toys "R" Us, whose seven Bay State stores will be opening at 1 a.m. "Each year, we evaluate and strengthen our crowd control policies, procedures and store operations right up to Black Friday."

Senior members of the chain's store management teams, including security, will be monitoring crowds waiting outside to identify potential problems before they happen, Peera said.

The chain has tried to ensure it has enough inventory of the most popular toys, she said, But in cases where the demand exceeds the supply, staff will issue tickets to customers for the product on a first-come, first-served basis.

Wal-Mart, whose 47 Massachusetts stores will open on Friday at 1 a.m., will allow customers to line up to get wristbands reserving the item they want, then leave the line to do the rest of their shopping and pick up the item within a two-four period before they leave the store, said Alex Serra, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman.

Best Buy, which will be opening at 1 a.m., also will be giving out tickets reserving items for people in line, as well as distributing store maps so that people will know in advance where to find them, said John Garrasi, who manages the chain's Watertown store.

Wrentham police will have as many as 46 officers working "midnight madness" at Wrentham Village Premium Outlets and a dedicated frequency they'll be able to communicate over, Chief James Anderson said.

There also will be message boards posted on Interstate 495 and Route 1A, telling motorists how much of a wait they can expect to reach the mall.

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Japan leads Asian markets higher on yen weakness

HONG KONG — Japanese stocks jumped Thursday as the yen lingered near a six-month low, leading a broader advance by Asian markets after U.S. benchmarks rose to record levels.

The Nikkei 225 advanced 1.2 percent to 15,631.35, driven by the Japanese currency's slump as traders bet on more monetary easing from the central bank as it tries to revive the world's third biggest economy.

Japan's powerhouse exporters will be the biggest beneficiaries of the yen's weakness, as buyers with dollars will find it cheaper to purchase cars and electronics made by export manufacturers such as Toyota and Sony.

South Korea's Kospi rose 0.7 percent to 2,043.51 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 0.5 percent to 23,929.42.

China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.7 percent to 2,217.31. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2 percent to 5,342.90. Markets in Southeast Asia also gained.

Asian stocks took their lead from U.S. indexes, which hit record highs again Wednesday thanks to some positive economic and earnings reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.2 percent to a record 16,097.33 in its longest winning streak since March. The Standard & Poor's 500 climbed 0.3 percent to an all-time high of 1,807.23. The Nasdaq composite was up 0.7 percent to 4,044.75.

Trading volumes were lower than average ahead of Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday, when U.S. financial markets will be closed. The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will also close early on Friday.

In currencies, the dollar slipped to 102.04 Japanese yen, but not far off its earlier six-month high of 102.17 yen. The euro rose to $1.3574 from $1.3572 in late trading Wednesday.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery was down 12 cents to $92.18 in electronic trading on the on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.38 to close at $92.30 a barrel on Wednesday.

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Casino gambles on Revere

Mohegan Sun and its New York-based investor would be the sole owners of a $1 billion Revere casino — not Suffolk Downs — under a new eleventh-hour agreement finalized just days before the two sides could learn whether they're legally free to build a gaming palace just over the East Boston line.

The deal, announced yesterday after a week of whirlwind negotiations, could breathe new life into two battered gaming partners, whose prospects appeared dead just weeks ago after voters in Palmer spiked a Mohegan Sun proposal and Eastie voters shot down Suffolk Downs' pitch.

But in a major shift from Suffolk Downs' last gaming agreement, the struggling racetrack would lease 42 of its 52 acres of land in Revere to Mohegan Sun and $15 billion-backer Brigade Capital Management, which together would own the casino.

Caesars Entertainment, the track's first partner, bounced amid questions over debt and purported mob ties, would have held just a 4.2 percent stake in the original proposal as the developer and operator.

Mohegan Sun has already passed its Gaming Commission background check.

"It's more akin to our agreement with Palmer," said Mitchell Etess, CEO of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, referring to the 99-year lease Mohegan Sun had signed to build in the western Massachusetts town, though he declined to detail the Revere terms.

"I think in this case, given the extremely short time frame we needed to get this done, this probably was more executable if our existing arrangements with Brigade and the structure were maintained," Etess said. But he disputed the notion that Suffolk Downs would be simply a "landlord."

"We're really partnering with them," he said.

A Suffolk Downs spokesman declined to comment, referring comment on the deal's structure to Mohegan Sun.

It remains uncertain whether the new partners will be allowed to compete with Wynn Resorts and Everett for the eastern region casino license.

The Gaming Commission is due to meet Tuesday, when its legal team will brief members on whether Suffolk Downs can legally operate a Revere-only casino without another referendum vote. When Revere voters approved a casino on Nov. 5, it was part of the city-line-crossing plan that East Boston rejected.

Celeste Myers of No Eastie Casino, an East Boston-based group that is considering suing to stop the Revere-only deal, immediately blasted Mohegan Sun for "shopping wherever they can."

Mohegan Sun, Myers noted, has faced layoffs of more than 300 workers last year, the refinancing of $715 million in debt and a two-thirds plunge in its fourth-quarter profits just this month.

"They have had all kinds of financial issues," she said. "And now they're joining in the last-ditch cash grab in the commonwealth."

But Etess countered that Mohegan Sun's refinancing will save $16 million in interest costs a year. He touted Brigade's backing "as the strongest platform of any participant in the entire process."

Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo said, "I think it would be unrealistic to think because Mohegan Sun fell on some hard times, that should be indicative of any casino never being built (by them) again."

And Rizzo added, "We can definitely use the jobs."

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Nonstop flights connect Boston, China

The first nonstop air service between Boston and Beijing will be announced next week, the Herald has learned — and it promises to dramatically boost business between a leading world technology and research zone here in the Hub and China's massive emerging market.

Massport, after years of pushing for the globe-shrinking flights, is due to announce next week that China's Hainan Airlines will launch nonstop service in June, initially four times per week, according to sources briefed on the plans. The airline filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation on Nov. 12 that's expected to be approved early next week, the sources told the Herald.

"China is a huge market opportunity," said Christopher Anderson, president of the Massachusetts High Technology Council. "This is obviously very welcome. It not only helps our economy gain easier access to another market — direct service to anywhere opens up access for that location to our innovation assets."

While Anderson acknowledged that U.S. business has ongoing intellectual property protection concerns in China — the world's second largest economy — he cited huge opportunities for Massachusetts-developed technologies unrelated to security concerns, including health care and energy.

"China is increasing energy consumption as their economy expands rapidly, and as they (do), they also need to increase their energy generation capa­city," Anderson said. "They have a focus on clean energy technologies. A number of those technologies are served by innovations that are located here."

Boston-Beijing flights also will be a boon for New England tourism. Chinese visitors to Boston were second only to those from the United Kingdom last year, and they've jumped 287 percent to 147,000 annually since 2008. Those numbers could as much as double in the next five years once nonstop service is added, said Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau chief Pat Moscaritolo.

"It's going to mean hundreds of millions of dollars in new visitor spending for Boston, Massachusetts and New England," Moscaritolo said.

Retail is among the sectors that will benefit most significantly, said Moscaritolo, who also expects to see new tourism-­related businesses catering to Chinese visitors.

Massport wouldn't confirm the pending announcement yesterday.

"We talk to airlines all the time," spokesman Richard Walsh said. "When and if there's an announcement, we'll make it."

The DOT did not return Herald calls, and Joel Chusid, Hainan's U.S. executive director, said he "can't confirm anything yet."

By August, the 20-year-old Hainan Airlines plans to average 30 to 31 flights between Boston and Beijing per month, and carry 5,200 to 6,200 passengers on Boeing 787s, according to its DOT application. It launched its first nonstop U.S. service to Beijing from Seattle in 2008 and started Chicago flights on Sept. 3.

"We have a very kind of upscale business class," Chusid said, noting the airline offers flat-bed seats and amenities such as pajamas and slippers in first class. In economy class, Hainan "doesn't charge for all the extras that other guys do," he said.

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Biz: Tie wage hike to jobless pay

Business groups indicated they are willing to back a more modest minimum wage hike than the state Senate wants, but insist on tying any increase to unemployment insurance reform.

"Neither one of these are going to go through on their own," Massachusetts High Technology Council President Christopher Anderson said yesterday after meeting with House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop), who also wants one bill that links the two.

Anderson said he expects a House bill reflecting that "balanced" strategy after last week's Senate vote to hike the minimum wage to $11 an hour, from $8, by July 2016 and link future increases to inflation.

State Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) wants unemployment insurance reform handled in a separate bill next year.

MHTC survey respondents last week opposed the Senate's standalone proposal by 78 percent, Anderson told lawmakers in a letter yesterday.
More than 67 percent support up to a $10 minimum wage if the inflation trigger is eliminated and the nation's "second costliest" unemployment insurance is reformed by reducing the maximum benefit level to 26 weeks from 30 weeks and requiring a minimum of 20 weeks of employment in order to collect.

"Unemployment insurance is really a matter of persistent uncertainty and irritation for employers," said Chris Geehern, spokesman for Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which has 5,000 member employers. "Linking … reform to the minimum wage effectively balances the needs of workers and employers."

AIM also wants a new system that would require employers who more frequently put workers into the unemployment system to pay higher rates.

The Senate's proposed minimum wage hike "pushed by big labor" would halt small business hiring and put more teens out of work, Retailers Association of Massachusetts president Jon Hurst said.

"We're already eighth-highest in the country," Hurst said.

"The $9 range certainly wouldn't put us out of step with Connecticut and New York — two major competitor states."

The retailers group also wants a "discriminatory" law requiring retailers to pay time-and-a-half on Sundays repealed and new rules letting employers who hire teens for fewer than three months pay them 
50 cents below the minimum wage.

"The problem is when you bump up the minimum wage a certain amount ... that will bump increases all the way up the ladder," said Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association, a supermarket and grocery trade group.

State House News Service contributed to this report.

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Palmer recount on, Revere heats up

The Bay State's roller coaster casino ride shows no signs of leveling off, with a recount of Palmer's narrow rejection of Mohegan Sun set for today, even as the casino operator says it is moving on in talks with Suffolk Downs as it tries to cobble together a last-minute casino deal in Revere.

On Sunday, Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo told the Herald an agreement "may be imminent." But yesterday, both Suffolk Downs and Mohegan Sun said they had no agreement to report.

"As we have said before, we have received strong interest in potential partnerships from a number of top-class gaming companies," Chip Tuttle, the track's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We are aiming to enter an agreement with a new gaming partner soon."

Other casino operators who made failed bids in Massachusetts also could be in the running to replace Caesars Entertainment, which bowed out as Suffolk Downs' partner over concerns about debt and purported mob links.

Yesterday, Scott Butera of Foxwoods, which last week lost a referendum to build a casino in Milford, said: "We're looking for opportunities at this point." But he would not say whether he was talking to Suffolk Downs.

Even if the track cuts a casino deal before the Dec. 31 deadline, its chances of Gaming Commission approval are far from assured. Last week, commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said he wanted to consult with lawyers about the switch to a Revere-only project after voters in East Boston rejected it.

Mayor-elect Martin J. Walsh said in a statement yesterday, "The voters of East Boston said no to a casino, and I respect their stance. It's my responsibility as mayor to ensure that the best interests of Boston residents are protected, and I'll do everything in my power to advocate for Boston during this process."

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The Ticker

Apple buys company that developed Kinect

Apple could be getting into the 3-D sensor game, as it has picked up a company used by rival Microsoft.

Apple confirmed that it has bought PrimeSense, the company behind Microsoft's Kinect sensor device.

PrimeSense also confirmed the sale, though the price has not been revealed.

Wal-Mart names new CEO

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said yesterday that Doug McMillon, head of its international business, will replace Mike Duke as chief executive officer when he retires as the world's largest retailer struggles to ignite growth at home and abroad.

McMillon, 47, will take over for Duke on Feb. 1, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company said. Duke, 63, will stay on as chairman of the board's executive committee, and McMillon will join the board immediately.

McMillon, who first worked at Wal-Mart as a summer employee in 1984, is grabbing the reins as the retailer tries to restore U.S. sales growth with Amazon.com Inc. and dollar stores luring away its customers.

Today

• Commerce Department releases housing starts for September and October.
• Commerce Department releases third-quarter gross domestic product.
• Standard & Poor's releases S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for September and the third quarter.
• The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for November.

TOMORROW

• Commerce Department releases durable goods for October.
• Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for October.
• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates.

Kirkland Albrecht & Fredrickson LLC, one of the leading CPA firms in the Boston area, announces that Jennifer Frazier has joined the company as a staff accountant. In this role, she will assist with audit engagements, including bank reconciliations and the preparation of trial balances and financial statements.

L CVS Caremark announced that Helena Foulkes, recently chief of health care strategy and marketing officer, has been named president of CVS/Pharmacy effective Jan. 1.

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Approaching storm could cast a chill on holiday travel

Thanksgiving travelers may be in for a rough start to their holiday as an approaching storm is threatens travel plans, but Black Friday bargain shoppers can expect a clear but cold wait in line in below average temperatures.

For tomorrow, forecasters are predicting trouble for airlines as strong winds and heavy rain could ground flights

"If these wind gusts are realized, coupled with the rain, there will undoubtedly be travel problems," said meteorologist Randy Adkins with Accuweather.

Gusts could reach up to 60 mph, according to Adkins.

He said the strongest rain will happen tonight into tomorrow morning. Flurries are possible, but no snow accumulation is expected, he added.

Logan International Airport is expecting around 100,000 people traveling in and out of Boston today and tomorrow, a Massport spokesman said.

As the storm moves out, temperatures are expected to drop below average.

"Thursday into Friday will be in the low- to mid-30s with the average for this time of year being 44," said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said he doesn't expect the cold to deter shoppers.

"The consumer is kind of funny," Hurst said. "Sometimes cold weather and maybe even a little bit of snow can actually get them into a shopping mood. Getting them thinking about hats, gloves, coats and that type of thing."

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World stocks slightly lower ahead of US holiday

AMSTERDAM — World stock markets were mostly lower Tuesday after a lull in Wall Street's record-breaking run ahead of a U.S. holiday.

U.S. stocks have enjoyed seven weeks of gains, driven by the Federal Reserve's easy monetary policy, signs of gradual improvement in the economy and rising company profits. But trading activity is thinning out this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday.

IG Markets analyst David Madden said markets are also still absorbing the implications of Iran's deal with western governments on nuclear development — including a lower, more stable oil price.

"Today traders are dealing with the fallout of the agreement and locking in their profits," he said. "Airlines are continuing to soar."

By mid-session in European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.4 percent at 6,694.85. Germany's DAX was down fractionally at 9,299.6 and France's CAC-40 was 0.2 percent lower at 4,291.08.

Wall Street was expected to open flat, with Dow and S&P 500 futures roughly unchanged.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 closed 0.7 percent lower at 15,515.24 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was nearly unchanged at 23,681.28. China's Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.1 percent to 2,183.07. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.1 percent to 5,357.

In energy markets, benchmark crude for January delivery recovered 46 cents to $94.55 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract had fallen 75 cents on Monday.

The euro rose slightly to $1.3547 from 1.3526 late Monday in New York. The dollar strengthened slightly to 101.44 yen from 101.40 yen.

_____

AP correspondent Teresa Cerojano in Manilla, Philippines contributed to this story.

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