Deck the Faneuil Hall

The managers of Faneuil Hall Marketplace are seeking city approval to build a large deck off the south side of the Quincy Market building for an outside "lounge" — one of a series of changes in the works to attract new visitors.

The year-round, 61-foot by 31-foot wooden platform, which would be placed over the cobblestones, would provide a level surface for musical performances and more interactive programming, including yoga classes and an authors' series, according to general manager Kristin Keefe. It also would include an outdoor reading room with books, magazines and newspapers, a piano, a chess table, and moveable chairs and tables.

"It will be stuff for visitors to do instead of just watch," Keefe said. "Currently most of our programming is 'watch a street performer perform.'"

New historic tours of the retail center and tourist mecca's Quincy Market, South Market and North Market buildings also will be launched from the deck.

"We're just acknowledging that ... we're surrounded by amazing historical sites, but often (they're) overlooked," Keefe said. "They will focus on the history of our three buildings."

New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., which purchased the lease for the city-owned Faneuil Hall Marketplace in 2011, hired New York's Biederman Redevelopment Ventures last year to create outdoor programming for the center as part of larger revitalization plans to attract more locals. Those proposed changes are expected in the form of a master plan that Ashkenazy originally said it would release in the spring of 2012.

"We're continuing to work diligently on it and hope to have an unveiling soon," Keefe said. "We're trying to be extremely thoughtful on this process and make sure we come out with the best product."

A spokesman for the Boston Redevelopment Authority said it anticipates seeing a master plan this fall and looks forward to "working with the merchants of the marketplace and Ashkenazy on next steps."

Ashkenazy pitched plans last year to add a pair of two-story tenant additions encased in glass "sheds," along with two escalators, to the Quincy Market building, but the city's Landmark Commission panned the proposal. The real estate investment firm is not proceeding with the addition "in that form," according to Keefe, who declined further comment.

Ashkenazy also is seeking Landmarks Commission approval of the deck.

The Quincy Market building has historic landmark status, and the commission plans to study this year whether the South Market and North Market buildings also are worthy of the designation. The status affects proposed changes to buildings, plans for which are subject to the commission's review.

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Jaguar Coupe’s 
a sexy sportster

To say that the 2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe is a head-turner would be an understatement.

During our four-day trial, this sexy sportster was subjected to catcalls, oglers, hoots and hollers whether parked or rolling through town.

This coupe screams "look at me!" Sporting a gorgeous front grille, sleek profile, shapely sides and a well-rounded backside, this Jaguar is a tantalizing hot rod that fascinates anyone it passes.

Retractable door handles and a rear spoiler that automatically rises at speeds of over 70 mph add to its already aerodynamic body.

Beautiful 19-inch black centrifuge alloy wheels give the salsa red exterior a striking contrast that will get you noticed.

And if they don't see you coming, they'll hear you.

The roar of the F-Type's switchable active twin exhaust yowls with a loud throaty roar, which gives way to a barking burble when stepping off the accelerator.

If you prefer a bit more stealth, you can lower the volume of the exhaust with the flick of a switch. But seriously, who would want that?

Stimulating steering and a heart-pounding 340-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine make this two-seater exciting to drive. A punch of the gas pedal puts you well over the speed limit in a flash — the F-Type's speed combined with its bright red exterior will certainly attract law enforcement. Somewhere there are pin-up posters of this car in police departments.

This Jaguar's suspension keeps you glued to every bend in the road.

The F-Type's dynamic mode gives you all the thrills without having to manage the 8-speed Quickshift transmission. Manual override is also possible with both steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and drive selector control. The dynamic mode does seem to use more gas, so don't expect to get 28 miles per gallon on the highway with a lead foot.

With an MSRP of $77,375 as tested, the F-Type has 14-way adjustable bucket seats that are both supportive and comfortable. Seating is very low to the ground with a great feel for the car's center of gravity. Visibility was surprisingly good in spite of a small rear view mirror and window. One puzzling omission is the lack of a back-up camera. With such a beautiful car, you would want every chance to keep its exterior scratchless.

The stitched leather interior is also pretty. It has a smart look and good ergonomics, but a clumsy GPS/entertainment interface that is a real let down. A Meridian sound system pumps 380 watts into the cockpit and sounded great doing it, but quite frankly the exhaust sound is more fun to hear.

The bottom line is that the F-Type is the red-hot roadster that will make your friends jealous. Of course, you can share the experience with them — one at a time. Just tell them to leave the luggage home as this coupe has virtually no room for bags.

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The Ticker

Goldman Sachs in $1.2B settlement with feds

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has agreed to a settlement worth $1.2 billion to resolve a U.S. regulator's claims the bank sold Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac faulty mortgage bonds, the regulator announced yesterday.

Under the settlement with the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the conservator for the two government-controlled mortgage finance companies, Goldman Sachs said it agreed to pay $3.15 billion to repurchase mortgage-backed securities from Fannie and Freddie. The FHFA, which valued the settlement at $1.2 billion, said the accord "effectively makes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac whole on their investments in the securities at issue."

Fed review of report of cod decline in Gulf of Maine set to begin

Regulators are set to begin reviewing a report that says the amount of cod spawning in the Gulf of Maine is at an all-time low.

Scientists at the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service said the amount of cod spawning in the gulf is estimated to be only 3 percent to 4 percent of its target level. Their updated assessment of the Gulf of Maine cod fish stock could be used to create new regulatory measures for the fishery, but it must first be peer reviewed. An assessment oversight panel was to meet with peer reviewers and New England Fishery Management Council staff yesterday to begin that process. The peer review is set to take place next week, Aug. 28 and 29 in Portsmouth, N.H.

Google buys Gecko Design

Google has acquired Gecko Design, which will become part of the Internet company's unit developing cutting-edge products such as Glass and balloons for Internet access. Terms of the deal, announced yesterday, were not disclosed. Gecko President Jacques Gagne and its four other employees will join Google's "X" research division next month. In addition to Glass and Internet balloons, other projects at Google X include self-driving cars and contact lenses for measuring blood glucose levels.

Gecko, founded in 1996 and based in Los Gatos, Calif., could help Google in the physical design of these products as Google expands beyond software. Products designed with Gecko's services include the wearable Fitbit activity tracker, Hewlett-Packard computer towers and laptops, and low-cost computers for Third World countries from the One Laptop per Child project.

•  CBRE/New England has announced Meredith Christensen, left, has joined its Boston office as vice president with the urban brokerage team in New England. Christensen is a 13-plus-year veteran of the business, specializing in leasing laboratory, office, industrial and retail assets. Christensen was most recently a vice president of asset management, LEED A.P. at Jamestown L.P., an owner and operator of assets in core urban markets throughout North America. In this role, she directed a 1.4 million-square-foot redevelopment project in Boston's Seaport District.

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Massachusetts seeks new tech ideas

After a series of botched technology projects, the state has announced a $50,000 competition to attract new ideas and technologies to help Massachusetts government become more efficient, save money and engage with the public in innovative ways.

Although the MassIT Government Innovation Competition is open to any startup and is expected to have its own panel of judges, the one or more winners will be announced in October at the awards ceremony for MassChallenge, the world's largest startup accelerator and competition, and will have access to the mentorship it offers, said Bill Oates, the state's chief information officer.

"Our partnership with MassChallenge allows us to leverage one of the most highly regarded organizations around with a focus on innovation and take advantage of the companies it's vetted," Oates added. "But we've left (who applies) purposely wide open."

The deadline for applications, which can be found at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1772448/MassIT-Sidecar-Application, is Wednesday.

The competition comes on the heels of a string of costly technology disasters for the state. Only last week, officials announced they would seek another $80 million in federal funding for a new, state-based Obamacare website, bringing the total cost of the problem-plagued project to a whopping $254 million.

And in April, the Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee released a report on the state's botched launch of a new computer system for unemployment claims, as well as a Department of Revenue technology project so problematic that the agency fired its vendor after spending three years and $55 million.

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Obama urges renewal of US Export-Import Bank

EDGARTOWN, Mass. — President Barack Obama is trying to rally support for a taxpayer-subsidized bank that he says creates jobs.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama urges business owners to lobby Congress to renew the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

The bank provides loans, loan guarantees and credit insurance to foreign buyers of U.S. products. But it will cease functioning unless Congress renews its charter before October. Some Republican lawmakers who supported the bank in past years now want to put it out of business.

In the Republican address, party chairman Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus) says there will be less government spending, flexible health care and better education under complete GOP control of Congress. The party needs to pick up six seats in the November elections to win back the Senate.

___

Obama's address: http://www.whitehouse.gov

Republican address: https://www.youtube.com/user/gopweeklyaddress

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The Ticker

State auditor reviews workers' comp system

A new state audit has made recommendations to improve accountability and efficiency in the workers' compensation system.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump said yesterday that her office's review found that the Department of Industrial Accidents, which oversees the system, does not ensure that assessments paid out by insurance companies are accurate.

Bump said the audit has already led to a number of improvements at the department, including the hiring two internal auditors to review insurance assessments. The audit examined fee collections, claims payments, and internal procedures from July 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2012.

All private employers in Massachusetts are required to carry workers' compensation insurance and pay claims by individuals through a commercial insurance policy, self-insurance, or membership in a self-insurance group.

Consumers save $25.9M in sales taxes

Consumers saved an estimated $25.9 million in foregone sales tax during last weekend's sales tax holiday, according to the state Department of Revenue, which will issue a report on the impacts as part of a December certification process. The foregone sales tax revenue was greater last weekend than the $24.6 million in 2013 or any year prior, according to data provided by spokeswoman Maryann Merrigan. Some form of tax free holiday has occurred every year since 2004, except 2009.

DOR is also planning a tax amnesty program in December. The program was ordered in the annual budget, and proponents say they hope it will bring an influx of revenues without the need to raises taxes. Eligible individual or business taxpayers will receive a notice in the mail and will have a window from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 to pay back taxes with interest, while avoiding penalties.

Porter Airlines to increase service
between Boston and Toronto

Porter Airlines will increase service between Logan International Airport and Canada's Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on Sept. 20. The Toronto carrier will add a sixth roundtrip flight on Sundays between the two cities and a fourth Toronto-to-Boston flight on Saturdays, for four full round-trips on that day. The low-cost carrier started flying out of Logan in 2009.

•  Rodman & Rodman, P.C., an independent accounting and tax firm located in Newton, has promoted Leah Shanahan, left, to manager. A certified public accountant, Shanahan previously held the position of supervisor for seven years. In her new role as manager of the business services team, she will provide audit and tax services to a diverse client base and help lead the firm's software advisory and support team.

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Market Basket deal could extend beyond today’s 5 p.m. deadline

The parties negotiating the sale of Market Basket — facing a self-imposed deadline of 5 p.m. today — are signaling talks may spill into the weekend, with sources on both sides saying they're close to an agreement, but are wading through a series of complex deal points.

Ousted former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas and his rival cousin Arthur S. Demoulas, Market Basket's controlling shareholder, maintained their weeklong silence yesterday, but sources briefed on the negotiations told the Herald that the passing of today's deadline won't necessarily mean talks are dead.

One source said the parties are still working toward today's deadline — agreed to after a five-hour session with Gov. Deval Patrick and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan on Sunday — but that if the sides remain close, it's "very possible" talks would extend into the weekend.

Kevin Griffin, publisher of the Griffin Report of Food Marketing, said he continues to hear the sides are "trying to finalize the bid and work out the details.

"But again, this is just weeks and weeks on end," Griffin said. "I believe it's happening, that's what I understand. I think that the past week has been probably more movement than there's been in the past four."

Speaking to reports Wednesday, Patrick said the parties left Sunday's conversation "feeling hopeful that a resolution was within reach" and that he asked them to consider an internal deadline because "there are a number of issues that could be debated endlessly."

Griffin said there have been few indicators two read into this week "except for the fact that we don't have the board coming out and talking about shutting stores and firing people, which leads me to believe that all the indicators are in place that they're getting close."

Sources have told the Herald talks have focused partly on how much Arthur T. and his backers are willing to put down up front, and the schedule on which future payments would be made. The unknown backers, sources told the Herald, would want assurances store revenue can return to where it was prior to when protests began more than a month ago.

The 71-store Market Basket chain has been hemorrhaging millions a day since managers and workers walked out in protest of Arthur T.'s ouster more than a month ago. Some vendors have stopped doing business with the company and are saying they won't come back unless Arthur T. returns.

The nearly five-week impasse has raised questions about whether Arthur T. will be able to quickly generate enough revenue to satisfy creditors while keeping all stores open and their 25,000 employees on the payroll — all while maintaining the chain's signature low prices that drive customers' fierce loyalty.

"I don't know, but if I were a betting man, I'd say that there will be no layoffs," Griffin said. "My guess is he will forgo short-term profits ... because it would be instrumental to the momentum that he needs to get the place in order."

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MassBio: Seed-stage funds slow

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council is sounding a warning over seed-stage funding — the earliest form of investment in startups — saying recent dips could hurt innovation in the long run, according to its latest report on the health of the state's biotech industry.

The Bay State leads in research and development jobs, in addition to federal research funding and venture capital invested per capita, but seed-stage funding needs to approach
$200 million this year to ensure a strong startup environment into the next decade, according to the 2014 MassBio Industry Snapshot.

"Massachusetts' strength in the life sciences depends on its vibrant startup and early-stage research activities, but funding for those activities — the fuel for industry growth here — is getting more difficult to come by," Robert K. Coughlin, MassBio's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We must find new avenues for companies seeking seed funding to ensure life-changing treatments make it ... into the hands of patients in need."

Seed-stage deals have grown from 20 deals totalling $52 million from 1999 to 2003 — when Massachusetts companies received 13.1 percent of all biotech seed funding in the U.S. — to 95 deals totalling 
$761.91 million from 2009 to 2013, when Bay State startups received 33.4 percent.

While that's good news, seed-stage funding has dropped since the 2008-to-2010 highs — when they totaled $275.89 million, $265.54 million and 
$177.92 million, respectively — to $148.10 million last year.

Still, other industry statistics look positive. Although research in the Impact 2020 report shows biotech venture investment overall is decreasing, last year Bay State venture investment increased to $984 million, with the state receiving more than 21 percent of all VC investment in biotechnology in the U.S.

The industry's economic impact as measured by Massachusetts-based payroll also topped $7.2 billion, with biopharma employment reaching 57,642 in 2013, an increase of almost 1,200 jobs over the previous year, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Employment in the industry has grown nine to 10 times faster than state and national employment growth rates.

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State probe: No price-gouging at other local supermarkets

Customers avoiding Market Basket are complaining about the prices at other grocery stores, but a state investigation found no evidence of price-gouging at the Tewksbury chain's competitors.

"We did send inspectors out to look and see if there was anything funky with the prices," said Amie O'Hearn, spokeswoman for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. "Prices are naturally higher at other chains, but we didn't find anything out of the ordinary."

This month's survey, which looked at a selection of food and grocery items in several areas where stores compete with Market Basket, did not reveal any wide price discrepancies, O'Hearn said.

Market Basket shoppers have been boycotting or otherwise steering clear of its 71 stores amid employee protests that started July 18 in support of fired CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Market Basket's stores — known for their low prices — now are largely empty of customers and perishables.

Although the state hasn't received complaints alleging price-gouging, shoppers are venting their frustrations about higher prices on social media.

But "limited assortment supermarkets" are lower-priced alternatives to Market Basket, according to a survey by Somerville consumer advocate Edgar Dworksy. He checked prices of almost 24 common store-brand items on Aug. 6 at Market Basket, Stop & Shop and Save-a-Lot stores in Chelsea, Star Market in Somerville, Aldi in Medford and Price Rite in Revere. Aldi had the lowest prices, with the items costing 17 percent less than
Market Basket. Price Rite and Save-A-Lot were about 10 percent cheaper than Market Basket.

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Biotech $ barometer

Total Massachusetts seed-stage funding 
by year:

1999: $11,395,000

2000: $5,040,000

2001:$3,019,900

2002: $27,600,000

2003: $5,000,000

2004: $6,750,000

2005: $15,799,800

2006: $48,201,000

2007: $90,334,100

2008:$275,896,900

2009:$265,548,900

2010:$177,925,000

2011:$117,126,000

2012: $53,707,500

2013:$148,105,000

Source: PWC MoneyTree

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Target cuts annual profit outlook

NEW YORK — Target slashed its annual profit outlook as the retailer continues to reel from a massive data breach, a disappointing expansion in Canada and sluggish sales in the U.S.

The nation's third-largest retailer also said Wednesday that its second-quarter earnings dropped 61.7 percent.

Shares of Target fell more than 2 percent in premarket trading.

The Minneapolis-based company said it earned $234 million, or 37 cents per share, in the quarter ended Aug. 2, compared with earnings of $611 million, or 95 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 1.7 percent to $17.4 billion, slightly above the $17.38 billion estimate from FactSet. Revenue at stores open at least a year was unchanged from a year ago.

Excluding expenses related to the data breach, the company earned 78 cents per share, which was in line with Target's reduced estimate issued earlier in the month

Analysts expected 79 cents per share, according to FactSet.

Still, there were encouraging signs in the report. Target said that customer traffic is recovering and monthly sales are improving, with revenue at stores opened at least a year up more than 1 percent in July. That figure is considered a key measurement of a retailer's operating performance.

The results come three weeks after Target named PepsiCo executive Brian Cornell as its new CEO as the retailer fights to redefine itself to American shoppers.

Cornell, who started his job Aug. 12, marks the first outsider to take the helm at Target. He replaces Chief Financial Officer John Mulligan, who was named interim CEO when Gregg Steinhafel resigned in early May in the wake of the data breach that compromised the credit card and personal information of millions of customers and exposed big security flaws.

But Steinhafel was dealing with other challenges, including a botched expansion in Canada and criticism that Target had lost its magic as a purveyor of trendy affordable fashions and home decor.

The latest results highlight the challenges that Cornell faces. He must wrestle not only with specific problems at Target but also with broader challenges that are facing the economy and the retail industry in general.

Retailers, particularly those who cater to low-income shoppers, are still navigating a slowly recovering economy that hasn't yet benefited all Americans equally. Stores also face a shifting landscape where mobile shoppers want more flexibility in where and how they buy.

But Target's problems run deeper. For one, analysts say that Target needs to play catch-up to cater to mobile savvy shoppers by offering more services that fuse its online experience with its physical stores. It's now testing $10 rush delivery in the Minneapolis, Boston and Miami markets, offering customers the ability to order as late as 1:30 p.m. and receive a delivery of qualifying items between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. the same day.

Moreover, Target, which created a niche for collaborating with designers for affordable merchandise, also needs to reclaim its status as a purveyor of cheap chic at a time when other stores are copying its formula. At the same time, it still hasn't been able to ditch the perception that its prices on staples are much higher than other discounters like Wal-Mart.

Target also faces the lingering effects of the breach. The company has responded to the breach by overhauling security and technology. The company has been accelerating its $100 million plan to roll out chip-based credit card technology, which is considered secure, in all of its nearly 1,800 stores.

The company said Wednesday that it incurred gross breach-related expenses of $148 million, partially offset by the recognition of a $38 million insurance receivable in the quarter.

As for Canada, the company is working to revamp its business under its new CEO of Canadian operations Mark Schindele, who replaced Tony Fisher in May. Last week, it outlined key initiatives such as a price-matching program and announced a merchandising partnership with celebrity designer Sarah Richardson.

The company said that gross profit margin in its Canadian operations fell to 18.4 percent from 31.6 percent a year earlier as the company has had to slash prices to get rid of merchandise.

The company said it now expects full-year adjusted earnings to be in the range of $3.10 to $3.30 per share, compared with prior guidance of $3.60 to $3.90. Analysts had expected $3.50 per share.

Target's shares fell $1.35 to $57.90 in premarket trading Wednesday.

The shares, excluding Wednesday's performance, have been down 6.3 percent since the beginning of the year and have lost nearly 13 percent of their value over the past 12 months.

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McDonald’s to sell packaged McCafe coffee in grocery stores

Move over, Starbucks. McDonald's is putting its packaged McCafe coffee in grocery stores next year.

With the help of Kraft Foods, the hamburger giant will roll out bags of ground and whole-bean coffee, as well as single-cup pods, to compete with fast-food chains including Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks that sell packaged coffee at retail locations.

Hoping to tap into the $11-billion-plus U.S. retail coffee market, McDonald's and Kraft started testing the bagged coffee at a few supermarkets earlier this year.

"We understand there is huge demand for at-home options, and we've built great success with our McCafe coffee in restaurants," said Greg Watson, senior vice president, McDonald's U.S. Menu Innovation.

McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Ill., has been amping up its coffee offerings since introducing its McCafe brand in 2009. The fast-food chain introduced popular specialty drinks such as Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Frappes and Caramel Mochas.

McDonald's said last year that its coffee sales had risen 70 percent since the McCafe launch.

Packaged in 12-ounce bags, McCafe will be offered ground in premium roast, breakfast blend, French roast, Colombian, premium roast decaf and French vanilla and hazelnut plus a French roast whole bean. The chain did not disclose pricing.

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©2014 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

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Massachusetts cutlery maker files for bankruptcy

BUCKLAND, Mass. — The nation's oldest cutlery manufacturer has filed for bankruptcy after 177 years of making knives and other kitchen tools.

The Recorder of Greenfield (http://bit.ly/1n9sVuo ) reports that Lamson & Goodnow Manufacturing Co. of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, which protects the company from creditors as it reorganizes.

The business has also put its 18-acre factory complex up for sale.

According to federal bankruptcy court in Springfield, the company filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of two multimillion dollar loans it could not repay. The company owes $1 million on a U.S. Small Business Administration loan and more than $2 million to the small business corporation in New York.

Founded in 1837, the company has been owned by James Ross Anderson since 1998.

___

Information from: The (Greenfield, Mass.) Recorder, http://www.recorder.com

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Tesla answers critics with new 8-year warranty

Tesla Motors Inc., perhaps responding to less than stellar reviews of its Model S electric car, is offering a new eight-year, unlimited-mileage warranty for its drive unit and battery pack.

The generous warranty will cover all Model S cars already on the road, and will extend to new owners when the cars change hands.

It extends the previous warranty, which was for four years or 50,000 miles.

The company may have issued the warranty announcement in response to mixed long-term-use reviews from the online car website Edmunds.com and by Consumer Reports. Both publications drove the Model S for extended periods — Edmunds for 18 months, Consumer Reports for 15,000 miles — and both experienced multiple difficulties with the car, including roadside breakdowns.

Tesla chief executive and co-founder Elon Musk, making the announcement on the company's website, said the new warranty would extend retroactively to "all Model S vehicles ever produced," and admitted that the company should have offered a better warranty from the start.

"If we truly believe that electric motors are fundamentally more reliable than gasoline engines, with far fewer moving parts and no oily residue or combustion byproducts to gum up the works, then our warranty policy should reflect that," Musk wrote.

He also told Tesla investors that the new policy would have "a moderately negative effect on Tesla earnings in the short term, as our warranty reserves will necessarily have to increase above current levels."

———

©2014 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

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Argentina seeks to end default through bond change

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina's government plans to change the way it pays holders of the country's debt as a way to end the default triggered by a legal battle with U.S. investors.

President Cristina Fernandez says she will send a bill to Congress that would set up a system to pay bondholders in Argentina instead of channeling them through the Bank of New York.

The change is intended as a way around a U.S. court order that blocked Argentina from making $539 million in interest payments on July 30, triggering the country's second default in 13 years. It would affect creditors who accepted lower-value bonds following the country's 2001 default and could further complicate the battle with holdout creditors.

Fernandez proposed the change late Tuesday and it's expected to pass in Congress.

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Recaro recalls over 39,000 child safety seats

DETROIT — Recaro is recalling more than 39,000 child safety seats because they can let a child's head move too far in a crash.

The recall covers ProSport model 385 seats made from June 16, 2010, to Jan. 31, 2013. The problem happens when the seats are installed with the lower latch anchors and without the top tether.

Recaro will notify owners and provide set of new instructions telling owners not to use the lower latch system with a child weighing 40 or more pounds. The company also will send a new instruction label for the seat.

The problem was discovered in testing by Recaro. The company says in documents sent to U.S. safety regulators that it cannot determine if the problem caused any injuries.

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Golf partners charged with insider trading

BOSTON — Federal securities regulators have charged a former Eastern Bank executive with insider trading for allegedly telling a golfing partner about an impending acquisition.

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged John Patrick O'Neill, a former executive at Eastern Bank, with telling his friend and golfing buddy Robert Bray, about Eastern's planned acquisition of Wainwright Bank & Trust Co. in 2010. The men were members of the same Watertown country club.

Authorities say Bray bought 31,000 shares of Wainwright, and then sold them once the acquisition became public for twice the price, making a profit of nearly $300,000.

O'Neill also faces separate criminal charges. He was arrested Monday and released on $200,000 bond.

Lawyers for the men did not return messages.

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Consumer prices edge up 0.1 percent in July

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices rose in July at the slowest pace in five months, held back by a drop in gasoline prices.

Consumer prices edged up a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent last month, after larger gains of 0.3 percent in June and 0.4 percent in May, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. It was the smallest increase since a similar 0.1 percent rise in February.

The July price restraint came from falling gasoline prices, which had surged in June. All energy prices were down 0.3 percent and this helped offset a 0.4 percent rise in food costs, which have been pushed up by adverse weather including a drought in California.

Over the past 12 months, consumer inflation is up 2 percent while inflation excluding food and energy is up 1.9 percent. Price gains around 2 percent are considered moderate and meet the 2 percent inflation target set by the Federal Reserve.

Analysts believe overall prices will moderate further in coming months, helped by moderation in energy costs. AAA reports that the nationwide average for a gallon of regular gasoline dipped to $3.45 on Monday, down 13 cents in the past month.

Gas prices are also lower than a year ago, when a gallon of regular cost $3.54. That fall in gasoline prices is one reason for the optimism of economists that consumer spending will show solid gains in coming months. A drop in gasoline prices means consumers will have more to spend on other items.

For July, the 0.4 percent rise in food costs was the fifth increase of that size or higher in the last six months. Food prices have been pushed higher by adverse weather conditions including a severe drought in California.

The drop in energy costs also helped to push down airline ticket prices, which fell 5.9 percent in July after rising 10.9 percent over the previous five months. The price of used cars was down 0.3 percent last month, the third consecutive drop. New car prices rose 0.3 percent after having fallen in June.

The Labor Department reported last week that its producer price index rose just 0.1 percent in July following a 0.4 percent gain in June. This index measures the cost of goods and services before they reach consumers.

The Federal Reserve strives to achieve a 2 percent target for inflation. Until recently, price increases by its favorite inflation gauge were rising around 1 percent, well below the Fed's target. While this inflation gauge showed a 12-month gain of 1.6 percent in June, that remains comfortably below the Fed's target and is giving the central bank the leeway to keep interest rates at record lows to boost the economy.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen has continued to stress that while there have been improvements in the unemployment rate, many indicators of the labor market remain weak. She has cited still-high levels of people out of work six months or longer, large numbers of people being forced to work part-time who would like full-time work and persistent weak wage growth.

Yellen will deliver the keynote address at an annual conference sponsored by the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday.

Financial markets will watch those comments closely for any hints that Yellen is considering moving up the timing for the Fed's first rate hike since the recession. Many economists still believe that the Fed will not start boosting its key short-term interest rate, which has been at a record low near zero since late 2008, until the middle of next year.

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US home construction jumps 15.7 percent in July

WASHINGTON — U.S. home construction rebounded in July, rising to the fastest pace in eight months and offering hope that housing has regained momentum after two months of declines.

Construction increased 15.7 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million homes, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. That was the fastest pace since November and followed declines of 4 percent in June and 7.4 percent in May.

Applications for building permits, considered a good sign of future activity, also showed strength in July, advancing 8.1 percent to an annual rate of 1.05 million, after declines of 3.1 percent in June and 5.1 percent in May.

The July rebound reflected strength in single-family home construction, which rose 8.3 percent, and in apartment construction, which was up 33 percent.

The strength in July was led by a 44 percent rise in construction starts in the Northeast. Housing construction was up 29 percent in the South, recovering from a 26.8 percent plunge the month before blamed in part on heavy rains in that part of the country.

A report Monday indicated homebuilders are feeling more confident about their sales prospects, a hopeful sign that home construction and sales of newly built homes could pick up after stalling in recent months.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rose in August to 55, up two points from a revised 53 for July. That is the third straight monthly increase and put the index at its highest reading since January, when it was 56. Readings above 50 indicate more builders view sales conditions as good rather than poor.

Builders' views of current sales conditions for single-family homes, their outlook for sales over the next six months and traffic by prospective buyers all increased in August, brightening the outlook.

Sales of new homes are running behind last year's pace. They fell 8.1 percent in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 406,000.

A mix of rising home prices, higher mortgage rates and weak wage growth have made it more difficult for potential buyers to buy a newly built home. These factors have particularly depressed demand by first-time buyers.

But economists are still looking for a rebound, given the fact that the U.S. economy has been adding jobs at a healthy clip with gains topping 200,000 jobs for six straight months through July.

Housing, while still a long way from the boom of the last decade, has been recovering over the past two years. Though new homes represent only a fraction of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to data from the Home Builders.

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Fox Sports taps YouTube Space LA for social-focused @TheBuzzer web show

Fox Sports, looking to deepen its reach with younger audiences on social platforms, has partnered with YouTube Space LA to produce a daily web-video series explicitly focused on fast-breaking stories that will be shared online.

The videos, each about one minute long, are posted to Fox Sports' YouTube channel as well as FoxSports.com. The goal is to produce four to 10 videos per day, centered on quick, snarky commentary to harness social buzz immediately as it hits the sports world.

"Until now, we haven't had a video-based program designed to be quick and active on social media to promote stories," said Pete Vlastelica, EVP of digital for Fox Sports.

The @TheBuzzer series, produced from the YouTube Space LA facility in Playa Vista, Calif., soft-launched earlier this summer. Last week, leading up to the official launch in time for the NFL's 2014-15 season, Fox Sports installed a full-time host for the show: Nicole Dabeau, previously a correspondent for "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider," who is repped by Creative Management Entertainment Group.

Currently, @TheBuzzer videos collectively average about 500,000 views per week -- relatively modest, by YouTube standards. But according to Fox Sports, more than 40% of the traffic for the series comes from social-media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Google+.

Two examples of recent @TheBuzzer clips: "Byron Scott: No Laker Can Beat Me In Horse" and "13-Year-Old Pitcher Mo'Ne Davis Wins Weekend."

"The program is designed to anticipate what will trend socially," said Vlastelica, adding that Fox Sports' 50-member online and social editorial team is on the lookout for trends and stories to produce for @TheBuzzer. "That's a skill in and of itself, understanding what gets shared on Twitter and Facebook," he said.

Over all, the idea is to more closely align the programming on Fox Sports 1 -- 21st Century Fox's 24-hour cable channel launched a year ago -- with the programmer's digital properties, according to Vlastelica. ""We're not a TV company," he said. "We're a media company designed to reach viewers wherever they are."

Fox Sports has previously dabbled in digital-native video content with Digital VideoFest, a contest in which a dozen YouTube creators vied for a development deal with the programmer. The winner was AVByte, a YouTube channel run by brothers Vijay and Antonius Nazareth, for their "This Week in Sports" recap show set to music.

Fox Sports' @TheBuzzer series is sponsored by Ford Motor Co., which also backed the series with AVByte.

Even with revenue behind it, the program will continue to be a digital sandbox of sorts. With @TheBuzzer, Fox Sports has been able to discover in a "fast-fail model" what works for digital-video publishing -- and what doesn't, said Liam Collins, head of YouTube Space LA.

"If you are in an environment where there is not a big cost to experimenting, that's a good thing," Collins said. "If you're Fox Sports and want to build even more audience, that audience is going to tell you what they want to see."

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Report: Cost to raise today's child tops $245,000

WASHINGTON — A child born in 2013 will cost a middle-income American family an average of $245,340 until he or she becomes an adult, with families living in the Northeast taking on a greater burden, according to a report out Monday.

Those costs — food, housing, childcare and education — rose 1.8 percent over the previous year, the Agriculture Department's new "Expenditures on Children and Families" report said. As in the past, families in the urban Northeast will spend more than families in the urban South and rural parts of the U.S., or roughly $282,480.

When adjusting for projected inflation, the report found that a child born last year could cost a middle-income family an average of about $304,480.

The USDA's annual report, based on the government's Consumer Expenditure Survey, found families were consistent in how they spent their money across all categories from 2012 to 2013. The costs associated with pregnancy or expenses accumulated after a child becomes an adult, such as college tuition, were not included.

In 1960, the first year the report was issued, a middle-income family could spend about $25,230, equivalent to $198,560 in 2013 dollars, to raise a child until the age of 18. Housing costs remain the greatest child-rearing expense, as they did in the 1960s, although current-day costs like childcare were negligible back then.

For middle-income families, the USDA found, housing expenses made up roughly 30 percent of the total cost of raising a child. Child care and education were the second-largest expenses, at 18 percent, followed by food at 16 percent.

Expenses per child decrease as a family has more children, the report found, as families with three or more children spend 22 percent less per child than families with two children. That's because more children share bedrooms, clothing and toys, and food can be purchased in larger, bulk quantities.

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Online:

The USDA's full report: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/CRC/crc2013.pdf

USDA's "Cost of Raising a Child" calculator: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/tools/CRC_Calculator/default.aspx

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ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas returns to rehab

ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas is continuing her battle against alcohol addiction and has headed back to rehab, she confirmed to several outlets on Sunday.

The "20/20" co-anchor has been open with the public about her struggle in the past. While on vacation in California this weekend, she checked into a treatment facility.

"As so many other recovering alcoholics know, overcoming the disease can be a long and incredibly difficult process. I feel I have let myself, my co-workers and most importantly my family down and for that I am ashamed and sorry," Vargas said in a statement.

The 51-year-old was in a treatment facility for several weeks last fall. She opened up about her addiction in January during an interview with "Good Morning America" co-anchor George Stephanopoulos, admitting that she had reached out for help.

"I am. I am an alcoholic," she said. "It took me a long time to admit that to myself. It took me a long time to admit it to my family, but I am."

She went into detail about her addiction, and revealed that she was in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Vargas has been with 1996. There's been no word on when she will return to work.

© 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Maine woman sues GM after suffering burn

YARMOUTH, Maine — A woman who says she suffered a third-degree burn from a heated seat in Chevrolet Suburban has sued General Motors.

Emma Verrill says in her suit filed in U.S. District Court in Portland that GM failed to adequately test the rear seat heaters to prevent them from reaching "dangerously high temperatures that would burn human flesh."

Verrill is paralyzed from the waist down and can't feel hot and cold in her lower body.

She tells the Portland Press Herald her burn was so serious it required surgery and months in bed.

She's seeking unspecified damages.

Verrill grew up in Yarmouth and now lives in Texas.

GM denied the seat heater was defective or dangerous, denied causing Verrill's injury, and denied knowledge of a defect or failure to fix a defect.

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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com

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Dollar General enters bidding for Family Dollar

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — There's now a bidding war for Family Dollar, with Dollar General offering about $9.7 billion for the discounter in an effort to trump Dollar Tree's bid.

Dollar General Corp. said Monday that it would pay $78.50 per share in cash, 3 percent higher than Family Dollar Stores Inc.'s Friday closing price of $76.06.

Last month Dollar Tree Inc. made an $8.5 billion bid for Family Dollar. It offered to pay $59.60 in cash and the equivalent of $14.90 in shares of Dollar Tree for each share they own. The companies put the value of the transaction at $74.50 per share at the time. Including debt and other costs, the companies estimated the transaction to be worth more than $9 billion.

Dollar General said that its offer would create a business with almost 20,000 stores in 46 states and sales of more than $28 billion. The Goodlettsville, Tennessee, company anticipates annual savings of $550 million to $600 million three years after the transaction closes.

Representatives for Dollar Tree and Family Dollar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The jockeying to secure Family Dollar comes as discounters look to fend off competition from companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which has been stepping up its courtship of lower-income customers.

Dollar stores grew during the recession as people across income groups searched for cheaper options. To attract a broader array of customers, they also expanded their offerings to include more groceries and brand-name products, instead of just the party favors and other knickknacks people often associated with them.

More recently, however, sales at dollar stores have been suffering because the lower-income customers who go to them are facing persistent job instability and slow wage growth in the aftermath of the recession. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Kroger Co. also have been opening smaller store formats to directly compete with dollar stores.

Dollar General and Family Dollar sell products are various prices. At Dollar Tree, everything at its stores costs just a buck.

Family Dollar has come into play because of its business struggles. The Charlotte, North Carolina company has been shuttering stores and cutting prices in hopes of boosting its financial performance. In June investor Carl Icahn urged the company to put itself up for sale.

Dollar General said that it believes it can quickly and effectively address any antitrust issues and is willing to divest up to 700 of its stores in order to get the necessary approvals for the transaction. Dollar Tree had agreed to divest 500 of its U.S. stores for its proposed deal.

If a deal goes through, Dollar General said that Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling has agreed to postpone his retirement until May 2016 in order to help with the integration of the two companies. Dreiling has also agreed to remain as a director — and would be willing to serve as chairman — if asked by the board and elected by shareholders.

Dollar General said that Goldman Sachs and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. have agreed to provide committed financing, which would include the $305 million termination fee due to Dollar Tree if Family Dollar chooses a deal with Dollar General instead.

Dollar General's board unanimously approved the Dollar Tree deal. Its stock rose $5.04, or 8.8 percent, to $62.50 in premarket trading.

Shares of Dollar Tree, which is based in Chesapeake, Virginia, fell 60 cents to $55 before the market open.

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Forensic nursing has challenges, rewards

If you watch "CSI" shows, you know what forensic nurses do.

In addition to dealing with the emotional trauma of patients who are crime victims, they collect evidence.

"I define forensic nursing as anything where medical and legal intersect," said forensic nurse Katie Davis, who works in the emergency room at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Needham.

Nurses such as Davis are specially trained to work with crime victims, and know how to preserve evidence for crime lab testing. They are experts in working with traumatized patients — victims of gunshot or stab wounds, sexual assaults, domestic violence and elder or child abuse — and are able to put them at ease in order to take detailed statements that will be used as part of police investigations.

Davis also serves on a state panel that investigates child fatalities.

"Forensic nursing is not for everyone," Davis said. "It's a really tough job. You see the worst of the worst — rape, child sexual assaults and fatalities. You have to be able to see the silver lining in all the trauma."

Like most forensic nurses, Davis is a designated Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, doing forensic exams and administering the state-
approved evidence collection kit. These forensic nurses from around the state are on-call and respond within an hour to sexual assault cases. Examinations can take three to six hours, and the nurses often testify in court.

A sex assault nurse examiner takes a 40-hour certificate training program, although some complete master's programs in the specialty.

Liz Henderson, a clinical nurse specialist in forensics at Massachusetts General Hospital, has worked in the hospital's ER and burn unit for the past 14 years.

Henderson's interest in forensics was sparked in her previous career as a firefighter and emergency medical technician, which until recently she did part time in addition to working as a nurse.

"Working as a paramedic I saw that a lot of things were not saved and that evidence was ruined," Henderson said. "That made me want to go into forensic nursing, to teach others how to properly and objectively collect evidence while also offering compassionate care to victims."

In the MGH burn unit, Henderson has done forensic work on burns caused by arson fires as well as assaults with scalding water.

Her work in Mass General's ER has exposed her to many situations in which she had to preserve evidence of a crime, from bar fights to domestic assaults, as well as all manner of wounds.

"Forensic nurses bring a special skill set," Henderson said. "They know how to measure and document a wound before it is altered, and how to cut clothing around wounds carefully, how to preserve gunshot residue. They know what kind of body, hair and fluid samples are needed for testing by crime labs and the importance of the preservation of the chain of evidence for legal proceedings."

Forensic nursing has been recognized as a specialty by the American Nurses Association since 1995. Since then, various degree programs have sprung up.

Henderson and Davis both have master's degrees in forensic nursing from Boston College's Connell School of Nursing. The comprehensive program involves learning the science of forensics, as well as courses on victimology and the legal and court systems, and labs in evidence processing.

BC nursing school professor Ann Burgess, one of the pioneers in the teaching of forensic nursing, said forensic nurses primarily work in emergency rooms, but there are some in psychiatric hospitals, prisons, law offices and on cold case squads in police departments.

"Forensic nursing has come a long way in being recognized as an important specialty in nursing," said Burgess, who has an award by the International Association of Forensic Nurses named after her that's given annually to individuals who have made exceptional research contributions to forensic nursing. "Our goal is to have a forensic nurse in every hospital's emergency room."

Both Davis and Henderson have a new designation called "advance practice forensic nurse" from the International Association of Forensic Nurses. This designation requires an advanced forensics nursing degree and more than 2,000 hours of supervised practice.

"Forensic nurses can become like nurse practitioners and make an impact on problems like domestic violence," Davis said.

Henderson, who is now working toward a doctorate in forensic nursing, said a big part of her role is educating other nurses on the job. She has created a forensic cart for the Mass General ER that has information about safeguarding evidence as well as containers and bags to collect clothing and samples, and she produces a weekly newsletter that discusses forensic techniques and protocols.

Burgess said that the field is constantly changing due to new technology and protocols, and that forensic nurses are now called upon as expert witnesses.

"I am working on a case that links seven separate crimes to one individual through DNA," Burgess said. "With all the advanced evidence collection techniques out there and the rise in crime, the need for forensic nurses is growing."

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Site lets job seekers ‘upskill’

When Iba Masood and Syed Ahmed graduated from college in 2010 and 2011, respectively, they initially had trouble finding jobs.

Like many of their classmates, they had the education, but not the specific skill sets that some companies were looking for.

So in 2012, they created Gradberry, a website that allows students and graduates to "upskill" through interactive, online courses and find jobs and internships, and allows employers to find new talent.

"Industries are currently in flux and constantly changing, and universities haven't been able to keep up with the new tools of the trade that graduating students need," said Masood, co-founder and CEO of Gradberry, now a finalist in the MassChallenge startup accelerator and competition.

Many business schools don't teach students how to use the software tool Salesforce, for example, a skill that many employers require for sales and customer relationship management positions.

"Gradberry aims to fill that gap," Masood said.

The website offers both free and paid courses taught by experts in areas such as technology entrepreneurship, social-media marketing, HTML5 and digital photography. Prices for paid courses generally range from $49 to $99. And once you've completed all the lessons in a course, you earn a certificate that you can add to your Gradberry talent profile.

You can also search for internships, freelancing opportunities and full-time jobs on the website, and employers can search for job candidates by browsing through their talent profiles.

Viveka Mishra, a fellow MassChallenge finalist, used Gradberry to post a job last week for a full-time marketing position at her company, PegaSense.

"The site was incredibly simple to use, and the posting itself was nestled in between Amazon job postings," Mishra said. "When I posted the job, Gradberry tweeted an energetic, 'PegaSense is looking for a marketing rockstar,' with a link to the posting to their massive amount (11,100) of Twitter followers."

"Using Gradberry has been great marketing for PegaSense," she said, "and we've since been in contact with high-caliber candidates from across the globe."

Worldwide, Gradberry has 38,000 users and will never charge people applying for jobs, Masood said, but the company will begin charging employers by next year for premium services such as training for 
employees or advanced filtering that will allow companies to search for prospective job applicants by their universities and majors.

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Tax holiday lures Massachusetts shoppers

Shoppers packed stores as the state's sales tax holiday kicked off yesterday, with retailers anticipating a blockbuster weekend at the registers in the doldrums of summer.

"We are expecting to see a pretty big weekend," said Bill Rennie, vice president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. "We're expecting big crowds this weekend, a lot of traffic in the stores."

A spokesman for the Northshore Mall in Peabody said stores were busy yesterday, and so were the parking lots.

"You can definitely see the influx of traffic compared to a typical Saturday in August," said Rich Balest. "Northshore is looking pretty good right now."

The big box stores and electronics retailers were seeing the most traffic, he said.

Rennie said the association's members expect to rack up close to $500,000 in sales this weekend.

"Interest is as high as it's been in years past," Rennie said.

The state department of revenue estimated the state missed out on roughly $24.6 million in uncollected sales tax last year. That was the fourth straight increase over the year before.

Many stores doubled their staffing levels and across the state malls rolled out the promotions and gimmicks. The Simon Malls, which include the Northshore Mall, Square One Mall and South Shore Plaza, had extended hours, and the Northshore Mall had puppies on hand so people could take a break from sales tax-free shopping and play with the dogs.

Antonio Duarte said his freezer broke a week ago and he waited for the tax holiday to take a trip to the Northshore Mall to replace it.

"It comes at the right time," Duarte said. "I saved a few bucks."

Stacey Stanley is building a new house, and needed some supplies from the plumbing supply store, she said.

"It just so happened to fall on the tax-free holiday, so we said might as well," she said. "I think it's great, maybe they should do it twice a year."

Still, not everyone was buying into the sales tax holiday, which suspends the sales tax for items up to $2,500 — a $150 savings on the maximum amount.

"If Macy's decided to have a storewide sale for 6.25 percent, no one would show up for that," said Edgar Dworsky, founder of Consumer World. "It's very big hype."

Still, he said the holiday can help people save on specific items.

"People are going to save the most on big-ticket items, stuff for which normally it hurts if you have to pay sales tax on it," he said. "Just because it's 6.25 percent less expensive, that's no reason to buy it if you don't need it."

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Fed suit on title insurance kickbacks should be wake-up call

WASHINGTON — A new federal court suit alleging kickback violations by one of the country's top-producing real estate sales teams raises an unsettling question for homebuyers: Could your agent or broker be pocketing under the table large chunks of what you pay for title insurance?

Some legal analysts say the litigation should be a wake-up call for realty brokers and their customers nationwide. It focuses fresh attention on the often murky financial relationships that exist between title insurance agencies and realty firms — relationships that have been drawing increasing scrutiny from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore earlier this month, alleges that the Creig Northrop Team P.C. — a real estate group ranked among the highest-grossing nationwide in recent years — received payments totaling $1.3 million between 2001 and 2014 from a title insurance company, which the complaint characterizes as illegal "kickbacks" that were never disclosed to buyers. The plaintiffs also allege that the defendants used "sham" employment and marketing agreements to disguise the true nature of the payments.

The Northrop team is affiliated with Long and Foster Real Estate Inc., the largest independent brokerage in the country. Timothy Casey, an attorney representing both the Northrop team and Long and Foster, said he had no comment on the case, pending authorization from his clients to do so. Lakeview Title Insurance Co., which allegedly paid kickbacks in exchange for referrals of business by the Northrop team, did not respond to a request for comment. The defendants' answer has not yet been filed.

The filing seeks class action status, $11.2 million in "compensatory damages" for the plaintiffs, plus potentially millions more in other damages. A related suit sought and was granted class action status by the same federal court earlier this year. In that case, the Northrop team and Long and Foster denied any wrongdoing.

The court ultimately dropped Long and Foster from the class action, having found no evidence that Long and Foster had participated in the Northrop team's alleged actions.

The new suit, brought by Nancy Wade and Janice Rulli, who purchased a home in Ellicott City, Md., through the Northrop team, seeks to reinstate Long and Foster as a defendant with new allegations that an employee of the brokerage firm not only was aware of the allegedly illegal payments, but "admonished and disciplined" sales agents when they did not steer business to the title agency.

The complaint alleges that Carla Northrop, vice president of the team, received $775,000 from Lakeview Title over a six-year period under an "employment arrangement" that required little or no work — she had no office space, no set hours, no cellphone or business cards — yet was compensated with one-half of the title insurance premiums charged to home purchasers who were referred by the Northrop team.

No one can predict how the court system ultimately will rule on the allegations in the Northrop case. But real estate industry experts say it highlights an area of growing sensitivity for brokers and agents. Though federal prohibitions against kickbacks for business referrals have been in place for decades, regulators and consumer attorneys are becoming more aggressive in challenging "marketing" and employment compensation deals that can add significant amounts to brokers' incomes, but discourage their buyers from shopping for lower-cost or better settlement services.

Such arrangements are widespread, said New Orleans attorney Marx Sterbcow, and "a lot of them" are vulnerable to legal attack.

According to Sterbcow, payments for questionable "marketing services" can range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars a month in the case of large brokers or involve more modest payments to small brokerages or even to individual agents who have negotiated arrangements with title and other vendors.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has begun stepping up its own investigations and enforcement actions against brokers and title companies, especially on alleged referral-fee arrangements and inadequate disclosures provided to consumers.

It recently settled with one large realty broker for $500,000.

Under federal law you are free to shop for title and other services.

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The Ticker

Google buys Calif. photo co. Jetpac

Tech giant Google has purchased the startup Jetpac, creator of software that analyzes the pictures cybernauts post on the Internet and works up urban guides from the information it extracts from them, the Jetpac Web site said.

Founded in 2011 with headquarters in San Francisco, Jetpac compiles information from the photos that users post on social networks, for example on Instagram, the property of Facebook, and by means of an advanced system of artificial intelligence, creates guides with the information it extracts from them.

The usual pictures of food, buildings, people and decorative elements circulated by Instagram enrich the useful content of Jetpac's online guides to the habits, activities, curiosities and leisure-time possibilities that each city has to offer.

The monetary value of the acquisition has not been revealed.

TOMORROW

•  National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for August.

TUESDAY

• Commerce Department releases housing starts for July.
• Labor Department releases Consumer Price Index for July.

WEDNESDAY

• Federal Reserve releases minutes from its July interest rate meeting.

THURSDAY

• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates,
• National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for July.
• Conference Board releases leading indicators for July.
•  Ted Finnerty, left, joins the Boston office of JLL from the New York office, where he was a vice president and associate director. Prior to coming to Boston, Finnerty led the 12-person capital improvement team for the Empire State Building. His experience also includes a number of tenant fit out projects of varying sizes for a variety of clients. Finnerty is a LEED Accredited Professional and was named to Real Estate New York's "Top 30 Under 30" list in 2007.
•  Nick Herz has joined Boston Realty Advisors as a managing director and shareholder in the Capital Markets group. Herz will focus on expanding investment sales, debt finance, and equity placement activities. Prior to joining Boston Realty Advisors. Herz served as senior vice president in the Capital Markets groups at CB Richard Ellis/New England and Colliers International.

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Malibu fault code affected by which engine powers it

Code P0172 came up in my 2010 Chevy Malibu. The dealer charged me $100 to troubleshoot the code. I was told that all the sensors were good and to run the gas tank low and fill up with high-octane gas. Does going to high-octane gas make any sense to you? The "Check engine" light is still on and I'm concerned that if another code comes up I'll never know. What do you think?

If the engine in your vehicle is the 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder, the P0172 indicates a rich fuel/air mixture. The long-term fuel trim is beyond the range of adjustment based on the oxygen sensor feedback to the PCM. Look for a leaking fuel pressure regulator or fuel injector, or a restriction in the induction system like a clogged air cleaner or collapsed induction hose. Other possibilities include fuel contamination in the crankcase, a faulty PCV or evaporative emissions system, or contaminated fuel. If it is a fuel issue such as an excess amount of alcohol, the dealer's advice might help.

All bets are off if it's a V-6 engine because the P0172 code would indicate a rich mixture on cylinder bank 1 only. If this is the case, look for a mechanical issue with an injector or fuel pressure regulator.

By the way, you may be able to avoid the diagnostic charge in the future. A number of auto parts stores will plug a scanner into the diagnostic link on your vehicle and read any stored fault codes — at no charge. Taking advantage of this service not only can save you money, but arm you with accurate diagnostic information when you take the vehicle to the dealership or service agency.

I am having a problem with my 2000 Chrysler minivan that I bought new. It had 175K on it the first time it stalled on me. Since no one could figure it out I just let it go until now. The problem is after driving the car for at least 40 minutes in very hot weather with the A/C on, the car starts to lose power as if it is running out of gas. The accelerator doesn't respond and as I put my foot on it, the car sputters worse and worse and eventually dies. When I try to restart it and it starts it runs really rough and eventually dies. The first few times I had it towed, and of course by the time it got there [service agency], it fired right up. There were no error codes and no one could figure out what was wrong. I learned that if I just let the car cool down for about 45 minutes it would start and run fine for a long period.

In the rest of your letter you mentioned having the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors replaced, but I doubt this fixed the issue. From your description, the engine is suffering from a loss of fuel pressure. If it is heat-related — high underhood temperatures — it would be labeled "vapor lock," where the fuel boils in the fuel rail, generating air bubbles that disrupt fuel delivery. Try carrying a spray bottle of water with you, and when this happens again open the hood and cool the underhood components of the fuel system with water. If the car restarts and runs cleanly, it's vapor lock. Servicing the cooling system and ensuring good airflow through the A/C condenser and radiator can help lower underhood temperatures.

If the water doesn't help, it's possible that it's a failing fuel pump or that debris in the fuel tank is slowly clogging the fuel strainer surrounding the fuel pickup as you drive. This would also cause a loss of fuel pressure, but after sitting the debris can fall away from the strainer, allowing the car to run fine again — for a while.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paul brand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.

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