The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 19

i it I I I usiness to: antepep!) Classifieds inside Tuesday, October 12, 1999 The Pantagraph Country Companies facing lawsuit Daily Briefing prevent wholesale misuse of seals meant to separate quality parts from substandard ones. "The idea of CAPA is wonderful, to have a check in the system," Littleton said. "But this check was a phony check in the system. It was a scheme devised by the insurance companies so they could get by with the practice (of using substandard parts)." Littleton said Friday that an additional lawsuit was planned for policyholders who had claims after the Feb. 23, 1998, cutoff for See LAWSUIT, Page C4 the company committed consumer fraud.

Country Companies spokeswoman Melin-da Zehr said, "We have not yet been notified about the lawsuit and therefore are not able to comment." The Bloomington-based company said after the judge's ruling that any verdict that prohibited the use of non-OEM parts was not good for consumers. State Farm plans to appeal what is believed to be the largest monetary award ever against an insurance company. Littleton said she also expects a lawsuit accusing the Certified Automotive Parts Association, CAPA, and its insurance-company By Associated Press with Pantagraph reports Country Companies is the target of a lawsuit that could be filed as early as today over its use of aftermarket auto body parts, said Trish Littleton, a lawyer for policyholders in the $1.2 billion lawsuit against State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. A Williamson County jury awarded $456 million to as many as 4.7 million policyholders last week in the case that involved use of auto body parts not made by the original equipment manufacturer. A judge followed with an additional $730 million, finding that board of conspiring to commit fraud.

State Farm and other insurers say CAPA testing of parts assures that the parts are at least as good as those made for automakers. CAPA certification includes basically sheet metal parts such as fenders and hoods, and does not certify bumpers. Aftermarket parts are modeled on the originals but are made without original factory specifications. But Littleton told the Associated Press that CAPA, which State Farm was instrumental is setting up, was designed to fool consumers into thinking the parts are good, citing testimony that the organization did nothing to DOW INDUSTRIALS 10,648.18 500 1,335.21 -082 RUSSELL 2000 A. 430.19 2.48 NASDAQ A 2,915.95 29.38 tzzusmczzD I nkv V' 2L rrr Fashionably zen Whether it's mind over matter or wishful the latest New Age craze, are finding wrists of the masses.

The bracelets, modeled after Buddhist prayer beads, are thought to have healing powers based on rnlor Ms jy 1 An unidentified woman, right, shopped for powerbeads at a street vendor's table in New York. Powerbeads are the latest craze for millions of Americans and are being sold by giant department stores and local street vendors alike. Health, wealth and happiness? It's all supposedly on the wrist for powerbead wearers Happiness 7 Love lllinova merger nearer By KATHY McKINNEY Pantagraph business writer The merger of Hlinova parent company of Illinois Power, and Dynegy Inc. moved a step closer with shareholders' approval of the action Monday. Their vote came quickly in the merger that was announced in mid-June, said Larry Al-tenbaumer, president of IP.

"We believe it is a record of any kind of shareholder approval in the utility industry." Dynegy shareholders also approved the union at a separate meeting in Houston later Monday. The merger will leave IP a wholly owned subsidiary of the new Dynegy, but IP will retain its name and Decatur headquarters. "We're very, very thrilled about how it's coming together," said Al-tenbaumer. The merger, he said, will put the new company as one of the "top tier of energy players in this country." With deregulation, the electrical power industry is going through See ILLINOVA, Page C4 State Farm Bank adds checking By KATHY McKINNEY Pantagraph business writer State Farm Bank will begin offering checking accounts to its customers and the general public this month. Checking accounts have been available to State Farm Insurance Cos.

employees, agents and agents' staffs since the bank opened four months ago, but at that time no decision had been made whether that service would be extended to the public. "We believe it is something our customers want," spokesman Dick Luedke said Monday. "We started the bank to better serve our customers, and one of the things people want is a personal touch. We can provide that through our agents or through the call center." The bank, a financial institution without branch offices, offers its products through agents and the Bloomington-based insurer's call center. Customers can sign up for a checking account through a State Farm agent or through the call center's toll-free number, 1-877-SF4-BANK, said Luedke.

State Farm Bank will become In-See CHECKING, Page C4 The PantagraphLLOYD YOUNG Closet, Monday. The business conducting a donation drive today. are very skilled and willing to work very hard but do not have the resources they need to get the attire for the job they want," Laning said. (rosequart2) Strength A (rock crystal) Courage Tj (tiger's eye) VVjf fi Organization (amber) -JrisSX (Lv) AJSy Willpower 9JSJ ff pearl) quartz) NORMAL Hastert invited for All Industry Day U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois has been invited to be the keynote luncheon speaker as part of the 38th Annual All Industry Day Nov.

5. The event is sponsored by the Central Illinois Chapter of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters and will be in Braden Auditorium at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center. Organizers said that should Hastert not be able to speak, the alternate will be Tim East, manager of risk management business process for Walt Disney Co. Also scheduled is a panel discussion entitled "Protecting the Confidentiality of Private Information." Participants in the panel discussion will be Dr. J.

Alexander Lowden, senior vice president and medical director of LabOne Janlori Goldman, director of the Health Privacy Project at the Institute for Health Care Research and Policy, Georgetown University; Mark Rothstein, director of the University of Houston Law Center's Health Law Policy Institute; and David Leifer, counsel, American Council of Life Insurance. Tickets are $22 and must be purchased by Oct. 22. For more information, call Kim Novacek at 821-5288. Emma PHILADELPHIA Vanguard to disclose after-tax figures In a move aimed at helping investors better evaluate the performance of their mutual funds, the Vanguard Group is starting to publish the after-tax returns for 47 of its stock and balanced funds.

The nation's second-largest mutual fund firm is the first fund company to disclose after-tax returns on a broad range of mutual funds. The information debuts in Vanguard's U.S. Growth Fund and its International Growth Fund's 1999 annual reports being mailed to shareholders this week, Joel Dickson, Vanguard principal and tax specialist said Monday. According to Vanguard, taxes have deducted about 2.5 percentage points per year off the return of its U.S. stock mutual funds over the past 10 years.

Investors in the company's largest portfolio, Vanguard Index 500 Fund, saw taxes take away 1.2 points per year. On the high end, taxes erased 3.5 points per year from the return of actively managed Vanguard Windsor Fund. Vanguard's step may lead other fund groups to start providing similar disclosures, but investors should keep in mind that the return information is not customized and will vary from person to person, said Geoff Bobroff, a fund consultant in East Greenwich, R.I. HARTFORD, Conn. Colt will stop making most handguns Colt's Manufacturing Co.

inventor of the six-shooter, "the gun that won the West" is all but getting out of the everyday handgun business because of lawsuits against the industry. Colt's which also makes the famous automatic that was the U.S. military sidearm of choice for most of this century is discontinuing seven lines of consumer handguns. Sales to everyday consumers make up about 30 percent of the company's business, The New York Times reported Monday. The company will continue to make its classic handguns: the automatic and the Model a replica of Samuel Colt's famous six-shot revolver.

Both will continue to be available to the general public. Handguns for the military, law enforcement agencies and collectors, which already make up the bulk of its business, will also a while turquoise may bring healing and mother of pearl may attract money. Each bracelet, which is strung on an elastic band, is typically made up of one type of stone and the beads don't change colors like mood rings. The powerbeads' allure has made itself felt in the Twin Cities. The Von Maur store in College Hills Mall in Normal has been selling powerbeads for about a month, according to Molly Maroon, jewelry department sales associate.

"The beads we carry are semiprecious stones with a sterling silver bead that holds them together," said Maroon. "They're selling well, it's the hottest item. The last big fad was the fishing line look in jewelry. This is the latest," said Maroon of the bracelets which sell for around $15. "It's just catching on in the Midwest." In addition to bracelets in stones such as black onyx and supply attire through referrals, Laning said, she is eager to help anyone who needs assistance.

"If a person calls on their own, they will get help and we will get them affiliated with one of the agencies that is training and helping prepare individuals for the work force," she said. Career Closet depends entirely on donations to provide the service, Laning said. And, while donations have been steady up to this point, so have referrals. This means the organization is in need of more items especially shoes she noted. "We could really use the clothing," Laning said.

"We want to make sure that when people leave us, they have everything they need." Aside from tonight's donation drive, Laning will also pick up items and accept clothing at her home or the office. "We're trying to make it as convenient as possible because the donations are so important to us," she explained. Volunteers are also important, she added, as more people are needed to size and sort clothing, pick up donations and work with customers. Laning said anyone in- (rose Determination (smoky quartz) SOURCE: AP research rose quartz, Von Maur also offers anklets and necklaces, Maroon said. The customers "are a broad L)j Determination (smoky quartz) h.

Intelligence (amethyst) ijl Healing (turquoise) rtV Balance II Ml (blue onyx) OHfJ Confidence XLJ1) (green onyx) Monev SZZZfaSj. (mother of thinking, powerbeads, their way onto the range of people, teen-agers through people in their 40s and 50s," she added. See WEALTH, Page C4 thermore, a Career Closet worker can be instrumental in putting another productive person into the work force. "There are a lot of people who IWiW -if By Associated Press with Pantagraph staff NEW YORK Imagine if you could find happiness, wealth and willpower just by wearing a bracelet. Sound far-fetched? Not for the millions of Americans who are buying into the latest New Age craze powerbead bracelets, which promise to do everything from boost intelligence to offer relief from PMS.

From the giant department stores to local street vendors, merchants can't keep enough of these brightly colored bracelets in stock. And everyone is buying them: the young and old, men and women. Modeled after Buddhist prayer beads, powerbeads were originally marketed last year by Zoe Metro, a New York designer, and soon copied by numerous others. The beads are semi-precious stones that are thought to have certain powers depending on color. If you wear a rose quartz bead, love may come your way, Business to job-seeking By KELLY LANTAU Pantagraph business writer Most people have at least one article of clothing that remains stuffed in their closet for eternity the thoughtful gift that just isn't their style, the skirt that doesn't fit anymore or the shoes that don't match any outfits.

These items can do more than take up space they can help someone else in Bloomington-Nor-malgetajob. Kimberly Laning, who started the charitable business Surprise Someone in May with her husband, James, introduced the Career Closet Monday at 501 N. Main Unit in Bloomington. Career Closet, which is holding a donation drive from 5 to 8 p.m. today, provides professional clothing to job seekers who aren't able to afford business attire.

Laning gets client referrals from several service agencies also dedicated to getting people into the workplace including Job Partners and Catholic Social Services. Anyone referred to Career Closet by a cooperating agency can choose three complete outfits per visit four times each year. While most of the work is done Krf -el nh" tut ir 'i I a Kimberly Laning sorted clothing at her new charitable venture, Career will provide professional attire for people who can't afford it. Laning is terested can call her at 827-9792. Overall, she said, volunteers can take pride in the fact that they helped someone raise their self esteem and fit in at the office.

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