Corpus Christi Caller-Times from Corpus Christi, Texas • 21

callercom nn Corpus Christ! Caller-Times 15 5 Thursday March 27 2003 Business Active duty means halt to payments Wal-Marfs global expansion Stowaf growth at homo has led WUMtart which grew up In emal-town America to become increasingly dependent on foreign expansion The rotator which owns Samis Club is now the biggest rataler In Mexico and is tacking the met of the Americas Asia and Europe Total International stores Canada United Kingdom 1 258 -r 'fi-8outh WAL-MART FROM B3 ble This is where I save said Enrique Flores a government worker shopping at the Mexico City store first foreign store was a Club opened in 1991 outside Mexico City Wal-Mart is now the biggest retailer in Mexico and is tackling the rest of the Americas Asia and Europe 597 stores in Mexico Although Wal-Mart built its business from scratch in the United States in overseas markets it starts out by purchasing already successful local chains It also differentiates its foreign stores from its US outlets buying at least 80 percent of its merchandise from nearby vendors to keep costs down and cater to customers going global we have an opportunity to understand who the local manufacturers said Ray Bracy vice president of international corporate affairs for the Bentonville Ark-based Wal-Mart we can explore whether they can support us In Mexico the company has 597 stores and restaurants in 58 cities In addition a union official said Wednesday POOD PRODUCTION Tyson Foods acquitted of hiring Illegal Immigrants CHATTANOOGA Twin A federal jury acquitted Tyson Foods and three managers Wednesday of hiring illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America as part of a nationwide conspiracy to boost production and profits HEALTH CARE IleallhSouth CFO pleads guilty to fraud conspiracy BIRMINGHAM Ala The suspended chief financial officer of health care giant HealthSouth Corp pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal fraud and conspiracy charges RETAIL credit-card division Is up for sale CHICAGO Sears Roebuck and Co put its profitable but troubled credit-card division up for sale Wednesday betting the future on its revamped retail business despite a lingering sales slump Bonilla hoped the matter would be laid to rest so port staff could continue to work on attracting business is no proof no evidence that any environmental permit shortcoming has stymied the he said Olivarez said she welcomed interest in the port and reiterated a point made in her letter a commissioner I believe important to reassure the community and of our public officials that the port has no problems with regards to environmental she said Shamsie could not be reached on Wednesday Contact Alison Zielenbach at 8863678 or zielenbacha9callercom The US Education Department today reminded student loan lenders and guaranty agencies that active duty military personnel are not required to make student loan payments while deployed Federal regulations require lenders to postpone the student loan payments of borrowers who are active duty military personnel The law also applies to members of the National Guard and the Ready Reserves of the Armed Forces who have been called to active duty US Education Secretary Rod Paige encouraged colleges universities and other post-secondary institutions to assist students and student loan borrowers Paige encouraged borrowers to contact their lenders schools or 1-800-433-3243 for more information ECONOMY New home (talcs fall to lowest level In 3 years WASHINGTON Bad weather and prewar jitters took a toll on the economy in February: New home sales plunged to the lowest level in nearly three years and manufacturers saw their demand drop Clauson said the port applied for the permit on April 1 1992 and requested an extension in July of 1994 the applicants never started construction the authority to do so Clauson said May reapply In future Clauson said the commission informed the port of the potential lapse on October 29 2002 LaRue said the port may reapply for a permit to upgrade the dock at a later date when it makes better business sense Port Commission Chairman Ruben Bonilla said the decision to hold off construction on Dock 3 was made within the last six months when the port received news of a lay- business BRIEFING The pair of reports released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday highlighted the latest batch of potholes the economy is hitting OIL Crude shipment from Iraq may resume soon UMM QASR Iraq As US and British troops consolidate their control of oil wells and facilities in southern Iraq crude oil shipments from the Persian Gulf export terminal could resume within a few weeks analysts said Wednesday However an international consensus about who should manage the funds generated from renewed sales of Iraqi oil appears to be a more elusive goal AIRLINES Airline negotiations slowed by plan to fire 1000 FORT WORTH -Negotiations between American Airlines and its pilots have become entangled over the financially troubled intention to fire nearly 1000 additional pilots berth contract A lay-berth contact is when a ship is berthed at a port for a long period The port applied to berth three Navy vessels and on Feb 4 received word that been awarded the contract for one of the ships The contract is worth $10 to $12 ihillion and the ship will be docked in the port for three years at a berth across the channel from Dock 3 Bonilla said Competition not related still hope to attract two other ships and those would most likely berth at Dock he said Bonilla said the decision not to upgrade Dock 3 did not relate to potential competition from Berry Dock West now owned by Texas Docks Rail 0 10 Wal-Mart stores 10 Clubs AP lators over selling staple foods below wholesale prices In Puerto Rico the government tried to block its purchase of a local supermarket chain arguing that it violated antitrust laws Even in Mexico the federal antitrust agency ordered the retailer to subscribe to a code of conduct for its dealings with suppliers But the international operations grew 114 percent during the fiscal year that ended in January and generated $41 billion in sales or 17 percent of the total income PORT FROM B3 was for construction at Dock 3 he said Dock 3 is smaller than the port's other two docks used for bulk cargo but it is regularly used by barges according to the office LaRue said the port allowed the permit to lapse by choice ready to upgrade the dock and did not have the customer base to justify the he said LaRue was unsure of the cost of the proposed construction project However the ermit cost would have been 64500 and was calculated based on a percentage of the cost of the project Clauson said Mexico Numbamuof March 20 2003 fl-Argentina Source: Wit-Mart Store Inc to the discount chain Wal-Mart and its bulk cousins Club and Bodega Wal-Mart owns VIPS diners that serve everything from cheeseburgers to chicken enchiladas It also owns the supermarket chain Superama and the clothing and home 'goods store Suburbia Challenges overseas Forty percent of 1270 foreign stores areln Mexico Overseas growth been trouble-free In Germany Wal-Mart lost a long court battle with regu- million in the nine months ending in September 2002 compared with a loss of $18 million the year before In February American Medical fired its accountant Ernst Young American Medical did not give a reason But it said the accountants had substantial about the ability to continue Ron Kitchens the chief executive officer of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corp said the company made greatest dental and was trying to recover He estimated the company had about 60 employees The Web site says it makes high-tech dental equipment such as lasers air abrasive systems (a way to avoid the drill) and intra-oral video cameras Pediatric dentist Eugene Nolfi said his office has two American Medical machines of these products are just exclusive to that company" he said stuff has been around for a couple of years" Contact Naomi Snyder at 886-4316 or snydem9callercom two-horse race he said The 6 pm figures were: A 29 share174 rating for Kill a 27 share164 rating for KRIS and a two share14 rating for KZTV The figures for the same slot a year ago were: A 29 share160 rating for Kill a 22 share123 rating for KRIS and a 2 share11 rating for KZTV KZTV general manager Dale Remy could not be reached immediately for-comment Wednesday Contact Jeremy Brown at 886-3763 or browiy9callercom ii fijjp DELISTED FROM B3 cer Ben Gallant resigned last year He had designed many of the products and had helped the company grow-to $20 million in sales in 1996 The chief operating officer and chief financial officer also resigned The board of directors appointed as the new chief executive officer Roger Dartt the former president of Mediatrix 'International a company specializing in financial turnarounds American Medical also laid off 49 people and closed its sales and service centers last year according to a Securities and Exchange document Sandi Hollinger was one of those laid off The customer- service representative remembers the1 office was called into an afternoon meeting in June and about 26 people were laid off that day was a she said said things got back on track they would be bringing people now working through various temp agencies and still is looking for a permanent job The company had lost $42 RATINGS FROM BS have to do well over a long period of time and I think been doing In the same period last year Kill had a 34 share206 rating compared with a 29 share175 rating for KRIS Kill general manager Dick Drilling said his station was still the overall news leader but that KRIS benefited from the fact that NBC has more popular programs leading into its 10 pm newscasts than ABC got a pretty good (ffiTOfrortmranrTninnngn Jorcflll cThe Seasons OfyourXjfe Spacious apartment homes In itytWi terms controlled access New fltneMsocW ctntsr SwtMiifcif pool ftwavandad baric citlo FlrepUc Mgnod emend parttnf WUMnCloaats All bills paid Apartments and tomrihomtt fnm49tqfttoW3tqft 523 Airline Corpus Christ! 992-6431 5.