Lawmakers prod feds to heed plan for stopping carp

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Thirty-one members of Congress prodded the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday to consider a multi-billion-dollar plan released this week for cutting a Chicago-area link between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds to stop migration of Asian carp …

Micron CEO dies in plane crash in Idaho

Steve Appleton, the chief executive and chairman of Micron, died Friday morning in a small, experimental fixed-wing plane crash, the company said. He was 51.

Stocks jump on strong jobs report for January

NEW YORK - A drop in the unemployment rate to its lowest level in three years propelled stocks higher Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 140 points, drawing the average to its highest mark since before the financial crisis hit in 2008. …

Tourism gives boost to Lake County

HAMMOND — The tourism and travel industry has pumped a total contribution of $1.62 billion into the Lake County economy in 2010 — the bulk of which comes from out-of-area dollars. “This is the big headline number,” Speros Batistatos, president and CEO of the South …

Fewer seek unemployment aid as job market improves

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to a level that signaled a steadily improving job market. The figures came one day before the government is expected to report that January marked another solid month for hiring. Unemployment applications …

American Airlines aims to cut 13,000 jobs, add Chicago flights

The parent of American Airlines wants to eliminate about 13,000 jobs — 15 percent of its workforce — and add Chicago flights as the nation’s third-biggest airline remakes itself under bankruptcy protection.

American targets 13,000 job cuts

The parent of American Airlines wants to eliminate about 13,000 jobs — 15 percent of its workforce — and add Chicago flights as the nation’s third-biggest airline remakes itself under bankruptcy protection.

Status update: Facebook to go public, raise $5 billion

Facebook made a much-anticipated status update Wednesday: The Internet social network is going public eight years after its computer-hacking CEO Mark Zuckerberg started the service at Harvard University.

Dow and S&P have best January since 1997

It’s the best start for stocks in 15 years. In what was mostly a slow and steady climb, the Dow rose 3.4 percent in January, but Tuesday closed down 20.81 points or 0.2 percent, at 12,632.91. The S&P gained 4.4 percent for the month.

Beef prices, already near record highs, going up again this year

Beef prices, already at near-record-high prices, are expected to be driven up for the second year in a row this year because of a limited supply of cattle. There were about 91 million head of cattle in the United States as of Jan. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s down 2 percent from a year ago — and the lowest level since 1952.

Higher costs leave many shoppers with ‘decision fatigue’

Feeling overwhelmed in dealing with higher prices on a range of products and services, while your pay has dropped or flatlined? You’re not alone. Many consumers are suffering from “decision fatigue” in dealing with higher prices.

First comes love, but before marriage, a financial heart-to-heart

TERRY SAVAGE: Of course a marriage proposal is supposed to be romantic. But don’t close your eyes to reality — especially when it comes to money. And don’t get so caught up in the romantic season of hearts and flowers that you pop the question before you know you’re financially compatible.

Tellabs to cut staff by 530

A restructuring by Naperville-based Tellabs means that 530 employees will be let go, including some in Naperville.

The company held a meeting with employees Monday night about the situation.

On Tuesday, Tellabs indicated total revenue fell to $317 million in the fourth quarter of last …

Portage Kmart closing in April

PORTAGE — The Super Kmart at U.S. 6 and Willowcreek Road is slated to closed in April after its liquidation sale winds down. Kmart corporate officials told the Indiana Department of Workforce Development last week that the store will close permanently on April 8. The …