Baltimore Checkbook

University of Maryland launches $75M philanthropy...

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The University of Maryland, College Park on Thursday unveiled a $75 million “Do Good” Initiative and Institute, a program promoting student work in philanthropy, nonprofit management, public policy, social change and leadership. To date, the school has raised $30 million through private donors for the program, university spokeswoman Crystal Brown said. The remaining funding is expected to come from additional donors, the state, corporate and foundation grants, and university resources. The campus-wide…

7-Eleven plans to more than double U.S. footprint,...

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The Japanese owner of convenience store giant 7-Eleven believes it can expand the brand to 20,000 stores in the U.S. As first reported by The Japan Times, Kazuki Furuya, president of Seven-Eleven Japan Co., said Wednesday that after introducing Japanese-style product development and services to 7-Eleven’s 8,500 U.S. stores, he believes the company can accelerate its growth and appeal to new demographics. He did not give a timeline on when he expects the company to reach 20,000 American locations. Furuya…

Eight finalists announced for Beta City pitch...

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Eight early-stage companies — from app developers to an online consignment shop — will vie for $75,000 in prizes at Beta City’s Venture Capital Pitch Day competition on Sep. 29 at City Garage. The eight pitch finalists were selected after several rounds of analysis and scrutiny. To advance beyond the first stage, each company’s application had to demonstrate a minimum viable product that is currently live with customers and generating revenue. The company must also be able to demonstrate…

City to negotiate management of Pier Six with Live...

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The Pier Six Pavilion along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is closer to being under new management come 2017 with the hopes of revitalizing the downtown concert venue. The Baltimore Development Corp. announced Thursday it has entered into an exclusive negotiating privilege on behalf of the city with Live Nation and SMG to oversee management, promotion, production and presentation of entertainment at Pier Six. The agreement comes eight months after the BDC put out a request for proposals on the venue.…

Here are the BBJ's 2016 Best Places to Work...

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Our winners for the 2016 Best Places to Work competition is finally here. Three winners are in four business categories: micro, small, midsize and large. The winners come from a group of finalists, which we announced in July. Our finalists and winning companies were selected through a months-long nomination process, and survey conducted by our partner Quantum Workplace. Quantum gave each company a numerical score based on their survey results. The winners were then profiled by our editorial staff…

Maryland Science Center receives $1.5 million gift...

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The Maryland Science Center received a $1.5 million gift from Baltimore philanthropist Mary Catherine Bunting to fund and expand a community outreach initiative serving Baltimore City pre-schoolers. Baltimore City Head Start is a federally funded early-development program for low-income children and families. Through the Ready, Set, Go program, science center staff visit Head Start classrooms to develop science-based kindergarten readiness in children ages 3 to 5. The program provides hands-on science…

Rare conflict within the Fed's ranks

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Opposition is brewing within America’s central bank. The Fed didn’t raise key interest rates on Wednesday. But the vote wasn’t unanimous. Three Fed presidents voted the opposite way – a rare amount of opposition, and the most in nearly two years. Typ…



from http://www.wbaltv.com/money/rare-conflict-within-the-feds-ranks/41778976

Israeli defense firm tripling size of space in...

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The North American arm of an Israeli defense firm is moving its headquarters from Maple Lawn to Annapolis Junction, and plans to add 50 jobs in the process. ELTA North America, a defense electronics company that manufactures radar systems to protect countries from missile attacks, is moving from its 7,500-square-foot office at 11840 W. Market Place in Maple Lawn to 21,500 square feet at 8955 Henkels Lane in Annapolis Junction. As part of the move, ELTA plans to add at least 50 jobs in the next two…

Diamond Comic expands, upgrades distribution hub

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Diamond Comic Distributor Inc. is increasing the capacity of what is already its largest distribution facility. The Hunt Valley-based comic book distributor is adding on to its 600,000-square-foot warehouse in Olive Branch, Mo., including installing an additional mile of conveyor belt and a second floor to the building that will hold 21,000 more storage bins for products. Diamond opened the Missouri distribution facility in 2009, believing the facility would be able to meet the company’s distribution…

U.S. government stages massive crackdown on global...

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Editor’s Note: CNNMoney has spent months digging into a little-known Canadian company named PacNet, which is now one of the targets of this unprecedented government crackdown on international mail frail fraud. Through our reporting, we expose PacNet’…



from http://www.wbaltv.com/money/massive-crackdown-on-global-mail-fraud-empire/41778604