The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 39

i 'j mr jih FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1997 The Palm Beach Post SECTION ABU Codes for 24-hour stock quotes Page 2D TIM Adelphia becomes first S. Fla. cable firm to offer Internet hookup wagon train. "People will really appreciate this speed," said Jorge Salinger, Adelphia's director of digital services. "Anyone who has tried to connect to other services like AOL (America Online) knows the frustration of not being able to get on or waiting for downloads." Comcast Vice President Len Rozek said his company plans to make an announcement in 60 days on when it will begin offering Internet cable service.

EmiNet Domain Chief Tech times as fast as the typical computer modem. The actual difference depends on the processing power of the computer and the telephone connection. The average computer modem transmits at 28,800 bits per second. An ISDN phone line will increase that speed by more than four times. Still it pales by comparison.

Even at the slower end of the range, the difference is tantamount to flying the Millenium Falcon at warp speed and traveling by It is only available in the northern half of Palm Beach County and where Adelphia offers cable service. It costs almost twice as much for unlimited monthly Internet access $34.95 for Adelphia, compared with $17.95 to $19.95 for Internet service providers. Installation will cost $99.95, although Adelphia is charging only $54.95 as an introductory offer through March 31. Please see ADELPHIA7D nology Officer Tim Wertheimer agreed that some customers of internet service providers might switch. Adelphia's service, called Power Link, works off of a circuit board that connects your computer to the cable.

The cable carries the incoming Internet transmission. Outgoing data from your computer goes through your regular modem and over telephone lines. Adelphia reasons that most taxing actions will be downloading of high-graphical content. "Going out from the PC will be mainly key-stroke commands and mouse clicks," said Larry Brett, Adelphia director of Florida operations. But Wertheimer disagreed.

"That's true for the casual user. But as you become more active, the data becomes more equal on both ends," he said. There are other caveats: It only works on computers with a 486 Intel processor or better and a Windows 95 operating system. iv.r.i Paxson selling WTVX-TV; shows staying As Untitlen 1 it 'Hawa i 4 By STEPHEN POUNDS Palm Beach Post Staff Writer RIVIERA BEACH Adelphia became the first cable company in South Florida Thursday to offer a cable connection to the Internet for your personal computer. It's also the fastest connection from cable or otherwise, Adelphia says.

You might be thinking that you've heard this before. But Adelphia's super-fast connection is the real thing. The connection is 50 to 100 Job promise may hinder thrift deal Great Western chief calls Ahmanson vow 'highly Bloomberg News IRWINDALE, Calif. H.F. Ahmanson Co.

told employees that takeover target Great Western Financial Corp. would absorb all job losses in a merger, which analysts said may hurt negotiations. Ahmanson Chairman Charles Rinehart reassured employees this week in a voice mail message and in a letter that "no current Ahmanson employee will cease to have a job" if their company's hostile takeover bid for Great Western is successful. The reassurance "is good news for Great Western shareholders," said Smith Barney analyst Thomas O'Donnell. The "tactical mistake" makes it more likely "a White Knight will appear or that Ahmanson will have to improve" its unwelcome offer.

Ahmansom, the largest U.S. thrift, made the unsolicited offer to acquire Great Western, the nation's No. 2 thrift, on Monday for about $6.3 billion in stock. Analysts and investors lauded Ahman-son's promise to chop expenses by $400 million and create a $93 billion thrift with 600 branches, the third-largest share of California deposits and the fifth-largest share in Florida. Great Western President and Chief Executive John Maher criti -v.

By JULIE WARESH Palm Beach Post Staff Writer WEST PALM BEACH Pax-son Communications Corp. said Thursday it is selling its interest in WTVX-Channel 34 to Paramount Stations Group Inc. for $34.3 million in cash. Paxson has a 10-year agree rr Connected 00:00.32 Paxson, which owns ABC affil-. iate WPBF-Channel 25, was prevented from purchasing WTVX by a federal rule that allows only one station per owner in a market That rule, which is under review, was a factor in the collapse of a deal to sell both local stations to one buyer in October.

After that, Paxson decided to try to sell the properties separately. "It was easier to sell two in two pieces than to sell two in one piece," said John Reidy, an analyst with Smith Barney in New York. Paxson is selling the stations, its only network affiliates, to focus on its inTV infomercial network." Paxson built the network from 15 to 48 stations last year. Grossman said the money from the sale most likely will be used to buy more stations for inTV in the nation's top 30 markets and to add to Paxson's radio group, which consists of 43 stations, 39 of which are in Florida. Paxson stock (Amex: PXN) didn't move much, closing Thurs- Please see PAXS0N6D ment with owner Whitehead Media to operate WTVX and has an option to buy the station, both of which will be transferred to Paramount once the sale closes.

4 til' 'Mill i Paxson Picture Phone Is Talk Of Show PALM BEACH GARDENS Vicki-Jo Rimer of Boca Research Inc. (above) talks with participants Thursday at the Palm Beach County Business Development Board's technology trade show. She was demonstrating the company's picture phone software. Tom Ciancia (left) shows Boca Research's picture phone software to Robert Sacco of Quarles and Brady. Twelve companies were showing their wares at the Marriott hotel.

Paramount is expected to then buy WTVX, an affiliate of its United Paramount Network, ensuring the station remains a UPN affiliate. "This keeps Paramount programming in the West Palm Beach market," said Seth Grossman, Paxson's vice president of corporate development. Photos by ALLEN EYESTONEStaff Photographer New Brazilian Court ads say staying not required Pi i A A. cized Ahmanson in a memo to employees Wednesday. "I find these statements, on a personal level, highly repugnant," he said.

Ahmanson hasn't rescinded the statement. Added Mark Brennan, an analyst at Lord Abbot which holds about 1.2 million Ahmanson shares, "It was a bad comment. I don't know why he said that." Ahmanson shares fell $1.13 to close at $42. Great Western rose 38 cents to $45.38 after surging about 34 percent this week. "This gives Great Western a social issue to focus on.

You couldn't attack this deal on price," O'Donnell said. A spokesman for Irwindale, Ahmanson said it suspended hiring to leave positions vacant to minimize firings. It has asked Great Western, based in Chatsworth, to do the same, he said. By THOMAS R. COLLINS Palm Beach Post Staff Writer PALM BEACH Don't want to stay at Palm Beach's Brazilian Court because you think you'd have to stay permanently? Then the hotel has a message for you: You're allowed to leave.

To fix what it thinks has been a misconception of the hotel, Brazilian Court has hired Creative Communications Advantage in Boca Raton. The ad agency will mount a two-pronged crusade to woo new residents but also keep the regular hotel business. "We've been trying in a lot of ways to kill two birds with one stone," said Anita Landis, CCA's president and owner. The campaign, meant to promote renovations the hotel has under way, consists of two brochures, each targeting a different kind of consumer. The first, with details of hotel amenities and local attractions, is sent to potential guests.

The second, with similar details but also with information on year-round living, targets potential residents. The designs of each are about the same, Landis said. The main push of the campaign, Landis says, is "to make it a residential hotel." And Brown is making no secret about that. "Eventually the majority of our hotel rooms will be year-round residents," he said. Of the 62 rooms completed so far, Please see HOTEL7 UT Almost There A new brochure highlights such amenities as the Brazilian Court's renovated lobby area.

The hotel's ad campaign is aimed at 'active seniors' and invites them to visit or live there. In Brief PALM BEACH POST STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS 7.00 6.90 6.B0 6.70 6.60 6.50 6.40 6.30 yAUf ki 22 12-6 12-20 1-3 1-17 1-31 2-14 11 Trading Ylds: 6.65 5.44 5.21 5.07 Auction Dates Not scheduled Not scheduled Monday Monday 30-Year: i-Year: 6-Month: 3-Month: 1 Delray office project sold for $7.1 million DELRAY BEACH The NationsBank Linton Center on the southeast corner of Linton Boulevard and U.S. 1 sold this week for $7.1 million. The new owners are Linton Center Partners whose corporate name is similar but unrelated to the previous owners, Linton Center Partners. The partners were retiring, said Jim Knight of Knight Realty.

He will share a commission with the selling agent, Dick Reifschneider of Keller Williams Realty. "They made out very well. They bought it for $2.55 million in 1991. They probably had $4 million into it," Knight said. The center has four buildings: two foot buildings, a building and a bank building.

It is 98 percent leased, and major tenants are NationsBank, the state of Florida and J.W. Charles Securities. Knight, whose father William Knight developed the center, said the new owners plan major changes that will become apparent within about 60 days. Angie Francalancia Republic buys two more dealerships FORT LAUDERDALE Republic Industries (Nasdaq: RWIN: $32) Thursday said it had signed definitive agreements to buy Taylor Jeep-Eagle in Detroit and Champion Chevrolet in Los Angeles for stock worth $20 million. Taylor is being accounted for as a purchase, and Champion is being accounted for as a pooling of interests.

Republic received a blow Wednesday when a Broward County property was rejected Wednesday as another AutoNation location after neighbors told Miramar officials they fear increased traffic and crime if Republic builds on Interstate 75. The property was part of the Blockbuster Park sports-entertainment complex nixed by Viacom after the two companies merged. State upgrades nursing home rating Advantage Therapy and Nursing Center in Fort Pierce has corrected its deficiencies in meeting residents' needs and food service, the Agency for Health Care Administration said Thursday. As a result, the nursing home has been upgraded from conditional to standard rating by the agency. Advantage, owned by Beverly Gulf Coast Florida was the only Palm Beach County or Treasure Coast nursing home given conditional rating last year.

A total of 41 nursing homes in Florida received conditional ratings last fall. Great Southern sells for $22 million MONTGOMERY, Ala. Colonial BancGroup Inc. said Thursday it intends to buy privately held Great Southern Bancorp for about $22 million. Great Southern of West Palm Beach had assets of $120 million as of Dec.

31. Colonial BancGroup, a multi-bank holding company based in Montgomery, has assets of $6 billion. Extended Stay creates new line FORT LAUDERDALE Extended Stay America Inc. said Thursday it's developed a third inexpensive brand of hotels, Crossland Economy Suites. The lodging company headed by billionaire Chairman H.

Wayne Huizenga also said it expects to open 72 mid-priced Extended Stay (Nasdaq: STAY: $20.50) efficiency studio hotels this year, up 20 percent from its prior estimate of 60. Extended Stay said its new Crossland Economy Suites hotels, the least expensive of its accommodations at $159 to $189 a week, are part of a plan to gain market share. U.S., Japan dispute film market WASHINGTON The United States and Japan faced off Thursday in another trade dispute whether Eastman Kodak has been blocked from competing in the Japanese market. Acting Trade Representative Charlene Barshcfsky said the U.S. complaint was submitted Thursday to the World Trade Organization.

Japan has until early April to reply. The fight is considered a major test case for the WTO. Advocat up $1 to $9: The nursing home operator reported net income for the fourth quarter of 1 .5 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with net income of $81 7,000, or 15 cents per share, for the same period in 1995. Net income for the year ended Dec. 31 was $4.7 million, or 89 cents per share, compared with $4.4 million, or 83 cents per share, for the prior year.

Amerco, down $6.88 to $28.13: The owner of U-Haul International Inc. reported a much wider-than-expected loss for its third quarter. The Reno, -based company posted a loss of $9.9 million, or 74 cents a share, in the quarter ended in December, after turning a profit of $7.7 million, or 13 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue inched up to $31 1.5 million from $307.1 million a year earlier..