Plein Air seeks resort status in Taylor

TAYLOR, Miss. -- With its budding residential spaces and a new wedding venue, the Plein Air development wants to attract more restaurants as well as more wedding parties to the area by getting the resort status designation it needs to sell alcohol on premises.

"Resort status would help Plein Air to become what we've always envisioned," said Campbell McCool, developer of the Plein Air project. "It would become a true town square with restaurants and shops. This would be a big step forward."

Since Plein Air was first established in Taylor in 2007, it has developed 21 houses and has plans for dozens more. The project has had two restaurants within its town square building, but one was recently converted into a wedding venue called The Mill.

"Most of our residents at Plein Air that I've spoken with are very supportive," McCool said of his efforts to get the project resort status. "We wouldn't allow anything that is detrimental to the neighborhood."

The effort to get the project a resort status designation has been in the works since the beginning, McCool said. Plans call for the Plein Air area to have more residential units, restaurants, a grocery store, art galleries and other attractive elements.

However, for the commercial district to survive and thrive, McCool said business operators need to have the option to sell alcohol.

"We've had several restaurants interested in coming here in our eight-year history," McCool said. "The first question they ask is if we can sell alcohol. Right now, anyone in Taylor could apply for a liquor license, but a resort license allows for liquor, wine and beer to be sold. We have lost several restaurants in the past and one of the primary reasons is their inability to serve alcohol. That is one of their key sources of revenue."

When the Taylor Board of Aldermen held a discussion two years ago on whether Plein Air should get resort status, the initiative was met with a mixed response; some residents were for it and some were against it.

The idea of granting resort status to Plein Air still has some who favor the idea, and others who don't.

"Lafayette County has two (resort status businesses) already, so why do we need another, especially when one isn't but 10 minutes away?" Taylor resident Mark Stone said. "How will this impact the community and how will they police the alcohol?"

Plein Air resident Risa Darby said she supports the initiative.

"I think it will really help the town and give not only residents in Plein Air but in all of Taylor more places to go to eat because it will bring restaurants," Darby said. "It would also be good tax-wise for the town. I know it's not going to bring in any wild, all-night bars. Several people who I've talked to are for it."

Alice Hammell, the owner of Tin Pan Alley, also sees the advantages of Plein Air getting resort status.

"We ate at the restaurants in Plein Air all the time when they were here," said Hammell, who noted that customers can already bring their own wine to established restaurants in the area, such as Taylor Grocery.

"This could bring more restaurants and business to Taylor. I don't think it would be obtrusive to the neighbors at all."

The ability to serve alcohol in Taylor would essentially mark a return to the days when the small town was wet decades ago. At one point in 1878, Taylor had three saloons along with numerous other shops when it was a bustling railroad town.

After the end of prohibition, alcohol sales in Taylor were never deemed legal, but possessing alcohol is.

Right now, wedding parties may bring their own alcohol to The Mill, but the venue can't provide them with a cash bar or include any alcohol in its various packages to its customers.

Although resort status allows for alcohol sales at all times and on all days, McCool said restrictions would limit alcohol sales between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight, and no sales would be allowed on Sundays.

"It's important to me to let people know that we're not interested in opening juke joints or having boisterous activity," McCool said. "This is to enhance our wedding facilities and to bring restaurants to the town square. We are very family oriented."

While McCool has applied for resort status, McCool said the process for gaining resort status is a lengthy one. The required legal notice has been published, but several more approvals are needed.

For instance, he must acquire a resolution from the Taylor Board of Aldermen as well as get assurance from local law enforcement agencies that the Local Option Beverage Control Laws of Mississippi and its rules and regulations will be enforced. Resort status also has to be approved by the state.

Making downtown the place to live, again

GREENVILLE, Miss. -- Cleveland's vibrant downtown renewal began a decade or so ago when a hometown contractor turned developer set his sights on renovating a vacant, multi-floor building and converting it to housing.

That project spurred a renaissance in the Bolivar County seat's downtown, which has become a vibrant tourist attraction.

Today, a hometown contractor turned developer similarly has his sights set on renovating a vacant, multi-floor building in Greenville's downtown and converting it to housing.

"In the past three or four years, I've seen more and more momentum developing downtown," said Bengy Nelken, a Greenville native and relator who created and curates the Greenville History Museum downtown.

"It's exciting not only for downtown but for Greenville itself. Greenville is the heart and soul of the Delta and downtown is the heart and soul of Greenville."

Once vibrant and subsequently forlorn, Washington Avenue has become the nexus of the downtown renaissance. Last year alone, several businesses — including The Pantry, a catering and fine linens retailer; Delta Brewery Supply Co., which caters to the burgeoning needs of home beer brewers; and Delta Arts Gallery and Craftorium, which in addition to arts shows, hosts a wine bar and musical acts — have opened along Washington Avenue.

Now, Bill Boykin, a longtime heating and air conditioning contractor, is hoping to build on that momentum by creating high-end apartments and a boutique hotel in a three-story downtown building that once housed a Sears Roebuck & Co. emporium.

Boykin took ownership of the nearly 51,840-square-foot building from the city in June 2012 after submitting a bid of $51,100, the highest among five seeking the property.

Now, he said he is nearly ready to move on to the construction phase of a $4 million project to convert the space into 20 handsomely appointed, two-bedroom apartments — the Sears Lofts, if he gains the retail giant's permission — and 11 boutique hotel rooms, the latter of which would be a first for the downtown area.

"This is a large, costly renovation project," he told.

He hopes to have financing by late spring.

To date, the interior has been gutted and the exterior buttoned up, but little in the way of actual construction has occurred.

For now, he said, "we're trying to get a roof on it," for which he has contracted with Greenwood Sheet Metal and Roofing Inc. He said he expects that aspect of the project to be completed by April 1, weather permitting.

The structurally sound brick and concrete building opened in 1947, said Tom Shields, vice president of May's Wholesale Dry Goods Co., whose original owner, Robert May, built the three-story structure and leased it to Sears Roebuck & Co. under a 15-year deal.

Sears, in May 1962, renewed the lease for an additional 10 years, at the end of which, in 1972, the retailer moved out of downtown in favor of the recently opened Greenville Mall.

The downtown building later housed a jeans factory called Fine Vines Inc., which was operated by the Delta Foundation, which was founded in 1970 with a mission to provide industrial employment for African-Americans economically displayed by the rapid mechanization of agriculture that took place in the past century.

Fine Vines had begun as a contract supplier for Sears and moved its operations into the former Sears building downtown after the retailer moved from downtown.

The City of Greenville subsequently assumed ownership of the building and in May 2012 put it up for sale.

Two months later, Boykin purchased it with the condition that building renovations begin within 12 months.

Boykin said he has contracted with Chris Chain, the founder of Columbus-based Renovations of Mississippi Inc., for interior design work and that has been completed.

Chain, whose company has been involved in numerous historic restoration projects, beginning in Columbus, did not immediately return phone calls requesting comment.

As for the former Sears building's facade, Boykin said, "we're putting it back just like it used to look, including the awnings. One thing the Historical Society is adamant about is that I put the pink stone back. They have a bible they go by, and you're going to follow their rules."

Boykin said construction will begin shortly after financing is in place and be completed "in about 12 months."

Marketing the lofts will be handled by Hammons and Associates of Greenwood, Boykin said: "They'll do all the marketing and come up with our website, everything that's needed."

Hammons and Associates will be seeking tenants for "beautiful, luxury upscale apartments," Boykin said. "These will be something never before seen in Greenville at an affordable price."

The two-bedroom apartments will comprise roughly 1,200 square feet each, he said, and boast washer and dryer units, stainless steel refrigerators, dishwashers and stoves.

He expects they will rent for around $1,000, "maybe $950."

Boykin last year bought the two buildings to the east of the former Sears building and hopes to secure a retail tenant for the front of the one adjacent to the apartments with a roughly 6,000-square-foot greenspace behind that, replete with grills and lawn furniture for use by tenants and hotel guests alike.

The apartment building's first floor will house retail tenants and indoor parking and tenant storage units to the rear.

"Tenants and hotel guests will enter the interior parking from the back with a radio-frequency emblem on their car," he said. "When they pull in, a rapid-rise door will open and then close right behind them.

"Let's face it we still have a lot of crime in Greenville. From a life-safety standpoint, I wouldn't do this if it wasn't for indoor parking. This is one reason it will be a success."

The hotel will have no front desk, rather, "it will be self-check-in and self-check-out, all of it done over the Internet. Guests will receive a passcode for their room."

The project, and its promise of furthering downtown Greenville's resurgence, has gained support.

"The first thing people do when they come to a city is come downtown and see if you're proud of your community," said Al Brock, the recently retired chairman of the Greater Greenville Housing Authority. "We couldn't always say we were. Now, we can say we are."

The ongoing downtown revival "has been years in the making," he said. "Everyone can ride down Main Street now and be proud of what it looks like, which wasn't the case four or five years ago.

"Until you create a good feel about driving downtown, creating that energy, people are not going to feel strongly about making a financial commitment. This is how we are going to rebuild our economy."

8 finalists picked for planning post

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Eight finalists have been selected for interviews as East Baton Rouge Parish seeks a new planning director.

The City-Parish Planning Commission agreed on the list Tuesday after lengthy discussion about the field of applicants.

Interview dates haven't been set, The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1fZ77yS).

City-parish staff is reviewing options for in-person or video conference interviews. Bringing all finalists to Baton Rouge could cost as much as $7,000, staffers say.

The finalists include certified planners from smaller cities in Louisiana, including Monroe and Central, as well as from Cincinnati, San Antonio and Fairfax, Va.

About 90 people applied for the job. A committee has spent several weeks reviewing résumés.

Offline hub puts RI HealthSource sign-ups on hold

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island's health insurance exchange won't be able to complete new enrollments for a few days because the federal data hub it uses to do so will be offline.

HealthSource RI says it won't be able to complete enrollments or determine eligibility for federal subsidies from Saturday afternoon through midmorning Tuesday. Officials say the federal data hub they need to access will be unavailable during that time because of planned maintenance.

People may still begin the enrollment process either online or by visiting the Providence call center.

The deadline to enroll and pay for coverage that begins on March 1 is Feb. 23. Open enrollment for individual and family coverage runs through the end of March. Medicaid enrollment is rolling.

Celebrities pack front row at London Fashion Week

LONDON -- Celebrities, starlets and fashion's elite packed the front row at London Fashion Week on Saturday, as the style event swung into its second day.

London's weather cleared up to everyone's relief, though at least two shows made the wet outdoors their theme. Hunter, the maker of the fashionable set's preferred rubber rain boots, pulled out all the stops with an impressively staged debut show that drew singer Jessie J, Anna Wintour and Stella McCartney to its front row. Across town, "Les Miserables" actress Samantha Barks joined singer Eliza Doolittle and other starlets at Julien Macdonald's glamorous showcase.

Here are the highlights from Saturday:

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HUNTER MAKES A SPLASH WITH DEBUT SHOW

Watch out: The humble rubber rain boot has arrived with a big splash at the London fashion scene.

Hunter, best known for those sturdy, no-nonsense wellies seen on trendy young attendees of music festivals like Glastonbury, debuted its clothing range in a basement space set up to look like a dark forest, complete with a watery runway and realistic looking birch trees.

Models - both male and female - splashed down the catwalk in colorful raincoats and capes, shorts and miniskirts, belted trench coats and puffy winter jackets. Everyone, of course, sported Hunter boots that came in a range of colors and styles, including a heeled ankle-length version.

Hunter had drummed up considerable publicity for the event, and its front row VIPs included Vogue editor Anna Wintour, singer Jessie J, as well as designer Stella McCartney. McCartney's husband, Alasdhair Willis, was creative director of the show.

Just to make sure it leaves an impression on guests, the brand closed with a little magic performance and a shower of playing cards. It was a cool touch, and entertaining to boot.

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JULIEN MACDONALD: SEQUINS, FEATHERS, SHEER FISHTAILS

Is there such a thing as too many sequins? Julien Macdonald will tell you: Never.

The flamboyant designer's creations are almost always sparkly and ultra glamorous, and Saturday's collection, staged at London's imposing Royal Courts of Justice, was no different.

Models wore skintight cocktail dresses and floor-length fishtail gowns in silver foil, gold lame, iridescent peacock and snake skin, all heavily encrusted in beading and sequins or intricately embroidered. The sparkly bits were often strategically placed, leaving swathes of flesh down the back and on the sides of the body covered only in the sheerest nude mesh.

Starlets Samantha Barks, best known as Eponine in the movie "Les Miserables," joined singer Eliza Doolittle and British model Abbey Clancy at the show's front row.

Mcdonald's designs can be a little aging and a bit Las Vegas, especially the barely-there feathered numbers. But he knows his target client, and no one else at London Fashion Week can be counted on to deliver such show-stopping gowns.

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ORLA KIELY SHOW RAINS CATS AND DOGS

The wet weather at London Fashion Week may be driving fashionistas crazy, but Orla Kiely is here to remind us that a little indoor rain effect can be cute and romantic. Especially when it comes with a few cats and dogs.

The Dublin-born designer, best known for her popular 60s-ish prints of leaves and vines, ditched a traditional runway and went for a square show space set up to look like a corner in the park for her Saturday show at London Fashion Week.

That set the scene for a show inspired by "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," the classic musical and movie starring Catherine Deneuve. Models wearing sweet polka dot dresses, retro floral print tunics, preppy trouser suits and clunky mary-jane shoes wandered dreamily around as if in a living storybook, at times looking up at imagination rainclouds in the distance or daydreaming on the bench.

Clear plastic umbrellas came out as the soundtrack and light effects simulated a rainstorm, interspersed whimsically with meows and barks. It was irresistibly fun, and the pet animal theme continued on printed sweaters and little cat and dog clutch bags. One model even hugged a sleepy black pooch.

The show wrapped up as models paraded in shiny PVC printed trench coats to a closing song. What else? "Singin' in the Rain," of course.

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RUFFLES AND ROMANCE AT JOHN ROCHA

As romantic destinations go, Iceland probably ranks pretty low down most lists.

But John Rocha said his experiences of the North Atlantic island nation's ever-changing light and natural wonders were the inspiration behind his latest womenswear collection,

"There's a certain part of the year when it's all dark, and then it's all bright. I love the transition and all the different textures there," he said after the show.

Rocha opened his showcase with a series of all-black outfits adorned with huge billowing clouds of ruffles, both worn as sculptural hats and as collars. The collection had many of Rocha's trademarks: oversized ruffle flowers, voluminous layers of light chiffon and tulle, and lace or crochet fabrics so intricate they are more works of art than wardrobe items.

The atmosphere was dark and dramatic, but there were lighter pieces too. A few of the see-through black organza ballgowns were embroidered with a sprinkling with colorful 3D flowers, as if the model had just rolled around in a flower bed and the petals had stuck to her dress.

Utility says it is ready for winter storm in Mass.

BOSTON -- NStar says it has laid the groundwork to deal with the impact of a winter storm that meteorologists forecast will unleash wet, heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions in eastern Massachusetts.

The National Weather Service said on Saturday that the storm's center is over southeastern Massachusetts. The region is expected to see snowfalls of 10 to 14 inches through Sunday.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said the heaviest snowfalls will occur between 6 p.m. and midnight, with snowfall rates that may be as high as 4 inches per hour.

The storm will spawn blizzard and blizzard-like conditions along the Massachusetts coastline.

NStar said the heavy, wet snow and strong winds threaten trees and electrical equipment, increasing the likelihood of power outages.

NStar says it is pre-positioning its new mobile command centers in the region stretching south and east from Boston toward Cape Cod.

The Boston-based utility says the measure will facilitate a more localized coordination of storm response and dispatching of crews in hard-hit areas.

"NStar is also prepared to quickly relocate additional crews if necessary," the utility said in a statement. "Arrangements are also underway to call on crews from sister company Western Mass. Electric, if needed, to assist in the restoration effort."

Union Pacific chairman dies at age 61

OMAHA, Neb. -- Union Pacific Corp. has announced its chairman, Jim Young, has died at his home in Omaha. He was 61.

Young led the Omaha, Neb., based railroad for seven years until 2012, when he announced he was battling pancreatic cancer. The then served as non-executive chairman.

A lifelong Omaha resident and the oldest of six children, Young was elected Union Pacific Corporation chairman in January 2007, and served as president and chief executive officer from November 2005 until March 2012.

Young began his railroad career with Union Pacific in 1978 when he was hired for an entry-level finance position.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Young married his college sweetheart, Shirley, who survives him. He is also survived by three children and two grandchildren.

Obama signs debt ceiling measure into law

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- President Barack Obama on Saturday signed separate measures into law to lift the federal debt limit and restore benefits that had been cut for younger military retirees.

Obama signed the bills during a weekend golf vacation in Southern California.

The debt limit measure allows the government to borrow money to pay its bills, such as Social Security benefits and federal salaries. Failure to pass the measure, which the Senate passed 67-31 earlier this week and sent to Obama for his signature, most likely would have sent the stock market into a nosedive.

The Treasury Department is now free to borrow regularly through March 15, 2015, meaning lawmakers won't have to revisit the issue until a new Congress is sworn in after the November elections.

Separate legislation passed in December would have held annual cost-of-living increases for veterans age 62 and younger to 1 percentage point below the rate of inflation, beginning in 2015. The measure was designed to hold the line on the soaring cost of government benefit programs, which have largely escaped trillions of dollars in deficit cuts over the past three years.

The cuts were enacted less than two months ago, with a projected savings to the government of $7 billion over a decade. Veterans groups and some lawmakers said the cut was a mistake, and they began campaigning to have the benefits restored.

The pensions go to veterans who retire after 20 years of service, regardless of their age. Nearly 2 million retirees currently are eligible, including about 840,000 under age 62, according to the Pentagon.

For a sergeant first class who leaves the service at age 42 after two decades, the bill passed in December would have meant an estimated $72,000 in reduced pension payments.

Quick action by lawmakers on this year's debt limit bill stands in contrast to lengthy showdowns in 2012 and last fall, when Republicans sought to use the must-pass bill as leverage to win concessions from Obama. They succeeded in 2011, winning about $2 trillion in spending cuts. But Obama has been unwilling to negotiate over the debt limit since his re-election in 2012.

The bill he signed Saturday is the third consecutive debt measure to pass Congress without concessions from the White House.

Republicans also have been less confrontational since a 16-day partial government shutdown last October sent the party's poll numbers skidding.

Both bills were flown out to Obama in California late Friday night, a White House aide said.

Ex-Toyota contractor found guilty of hacking

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A computer programmer from central Kentucky who once did contract work for Toyota remains in federal custody after being convicted of hacking into and damaging computers used by the automobile maker.

A federal jury this week found Ibrahimshah Shahulhameed guilty of intentionally sabotaging and crashing Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky's supplier computer network.

The five-day trial concluded Tuesday in federal court in Lexington.

Prosecutors say Shahulhameed, a citizen of India, did more than $5,000 in damage to the company's computers on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, 2012 at the Scott County Camry plant. Prosecutors say Shahulhameed rendered the system in operable in some cases and, in others, prevented other Toyota employees from accessing the system.

Shahulhameed is scheduled for sentencing May 8.

NM House OKs cutting utility rates for businesses

SANTA FE, N.M. -- The state House passed a bill Friday that gives large businesses a discount on electricity rates, a move that would lead to higher costs for families and small businesses but that supporters say would draw investment to New Mexico.

Lawmakers passed the bill in a 47-17 vote, The Santa Fe New Mexican reported (http://bit.ly/M2QBoe ).

House Bill 296 would allow utility companies to make back lost costs by increasing rates for households and small businesses. Twenty-nine other states offer similar discounts for larger businesses.

Supporters say rate reductions will draw more companies to the state and boost hiring.

"We just want to attract businesses that we think are best for our economy, that hire in state and sell out of state," said Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, an Albuquerque Democrat sponsoring the bill.

Other lawmakers, utility regulators and advocates say the bill unfairly burdens consumers with higher electricity costs.

Rep. Brian Egolf, a Democrat, said utilities should find another way to offer discounts, such as charging more when a contract with a company is renewed.

"Why is rate recovery necessary?" Egolf said during a floor debate. "Shouldn't the utility bear the risk, instead of passing it to other customers?"

Under the bill, only Public Service Company of New Mexico, the largest power utility in the state, and El Paso Electric would be able to offer the discounted rate. Both utilities would be able to negotiate separate contracts with large companies with no limit to the rate discount. The bill mandates a cap for the amount of power they can sell at a discounted rate to 5 percent of the total retail power sold.

There would be no limit to the amount residential and small-business customers would be asked to pay to help subsidize the discounts.

To qualify, a business must meet several criteria. They include hiring at least 20 people at a salary of at least $40,000 each, committing to staying in New Mexico for at least 10 years and investing at least $5 million in fixed assets.

Companies would only have the discount for seven years.

Similar legislation has been approved in the Senate by two committees and now awaits consideration from the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

LA crews aim for largest continuous concrete pour

LOS ANGELES -- Crews are set to pour concrete to lay the foundation for the tallest building to be built west of the Mississippi — and they're hoping it's one for the history books.

The marathon concrete pour begins Saturday evening and is expected to last 20 hours without interruption. The attempt will be verified by an official from Guinness World Records.

About 2,000 truckloads of concrete will be driven throughout the weekend to the construction site in downtown LA where a skyscraper called the New Wilshire Grand will be built.

"There has been a great deal of construction to get us here," Michael Marchesano, general superintendent with Turner Construction Co., which is building the New Wilshire Grand, told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1jmZnJ7 ).

Once finished, the skyscraper will soar 1,100 feet, making it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi. It will boast a 900-room hotel, convention space and offices. There also will be an outdoor terrace and a swimming pool on the 73rd floor.

The project, estimated to cost more than $1 billion, has been a huge undertaking.

For the past several months, crews have prepared the site by digging an 18-foot-deep pit and lining it with 7 million pounds of reinforcing steel. They will then add 84 million pounds of concrete.

Because the concrete must be poured within 90 minutes of being mixed, trucks must arrive on time. In case of freeway jams, alternate routes have been mapped.

After the last truck leaves, it'll take about two weeks for the concrete to fully harden. Because concrete heats as it cures, crews will pump water to keep it cool. Backup equipment is on site in case anything fails.

Gerard Nieblas, president of Brandow and Johnston, the engineering firm that designed the building, said there are many variables at play.

"You try to minimize them as much as possible. We're lucky if we get 99 percent of them. But with the foundation, we want to hit 100 percent," Nieblas told the newspaper.

All-Stars Paul, James keep roots in ex-NBA homes

NEW ORLEANS -- Chris Paul's All-Star weekend in New Orleans could have been awkward.

Much like LeBron James, Paul left his first NBA team in his prime, disappointing fans in the city where he rose to stardom.

Yet the gracious welcomes Paul has received around town this week show that franchise players can change teams, even under less-than-ideal circumstances, without severing ties to the communities they leave behind.

Paul says his family developed tight bonds in New Orleans while trying to help with the recovery from Hurricane Katrina, and that New Orleans will always be part of his life.

Likewise, James maintains ties to northern Ohio. James says professional decisions shouldn't undermine personal relationships and charitable work, because the effect of helping people lasts long after one's playing days end.

UAW drive falls short amid culture clash in Tenn.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The failure of the United Auto Workers to unionize employees at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee underscores a cultural disconnect between a labor-friendly German company and anti-union sentiment in the South.

The multiyear effort to organize Volkswagen's only U.S. plant was defeated on a 712-626 vote Friday night amid heavy campaigning on both sides.

Workers voting against the union said while they remain open to the creation of a German-style "works council" at the plant, they were unwilling to risk the future of the Volkswagen factory that opened to great fanfare on the site of a former Army ammunition plant in 2011.

"Come on, this is Chattanooga, Tennessee," said worker Mike Jarvis, who was among the group in the plant that organized to fight the UAW. "It's the greatest thing that's ever happened to us."

Jarvis, who hangs doors, trunk lids and hoods on cars said workers also were worried about the union's historical impact on Detroit automakers and the many plants that have been closed in the North, he said.

"Look at every company that's went bankrupt or shut down or had an issue," he said. "What is the one common denominator with all those companies? UAW. We don't need it."

Pocketbook issues were also on opponents' minds, Jarvis said. Workers were suspicious that Volkswagen and the union might have already reached "cost containment" agreements that could have led to a cut in their hourly pay rate to that made by entry-level employees with the Detroit Three automakers, he said.

The concern, he said, was that the UAW "was going to take the salaries in a backward motion, not in a forward motion," said Jarvis, who makes around $20 per hour as he approaches his three-year anniversary at the plant.

Southern Republicans were horrified when Volkswagen announced it was engaging in talks with the UAW last year. Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, who has been among the UAW's most vocal critics, said at the time that Volkswagen would become a "laughingstock" in the business world if it welcomed the union to its plant.

Volkswagen wants to create works council at the plant, which represents both blue collar and salaried workers. But to do so under U.S. law requires the establishment of an independent union. Several workers who cast votes against the union said they still support the idea of a works council — they just don't want to have to work through the UAW.

Volkswagen's German management is accustomed to unions and works councils, which have been ingrained in its operations since the end of World War II. And labor interests that make up half of the company's supervisory board have raised concerns that the Chattanooga plant is alone among the automaker's major factories worldwide without formal worker representation.

But in Tennessee there's little recent history of prominent manufacturing unions, and people are suspicious of them.

"This is an area of the country where union density is low," said Harley Shaiken, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in labor issues.

Still, because of the close margin, Shaiken believes the union would have won without statements from Corker and other Republican politicians that played to anti-union sentiment and cast doubt on the plant's future with union representation. Those statements, he said, influenced spouses, relatives and neighbors of as well as workers at the plant.

"You've got wives, husbands, family members. They hear these threats and they say, 'What are you doing here? This is a risk,'" Shaiken said.

UAW opponent Sean Moss, who works in the plant's assembly shop as a quality inspector, said he began hearing more from colleagues with concerns about the union in the last days before the vote.

"I'm sure they probably had influence at home, from other members of the family that work, other people that have been through unions who did not have a good experience," he said.

He said the UAW's negative reputation resonated with workers at the plant.

"I think their history was probably the biggest part," he said. "People sat back and looked at what they've done with regard to the last 30 years."

"The thought was we're doing fine without the unions here, so why start now?" he said.

As for the UAW's next step, leaders said they're still evaluating their next steps. Bob King, the union president, wasn't prepared to say after the vote whether the union would try to take legal action due to what he called unprecedented outside interference.

Devin Gore, an assembly line worker who favored the union, said he was too upset to talk about the loss Saturday. He's not giving up on one day being represented by the UAW.

"I'm going to be walking into the plant with a UAW shirt on come Monday," he said. "I don't think we'll stop trying until we get it."

Krisher reported from Detroit.

Triplett, Langer share ACE Group Classic lead

NAPLES, Fla. -- Kirk Triplett shot a 5-under 67 in windy conditions Saturday for a share of the second-round lead with defending champion Bernard Langer in the ACE Group Classic.

Triplett matched Langer at 10-under 134 on TwinEagles' Talon Course.

Langer, also the 2011 winner and 2012 runner-up, followed his opening 64 with a 70. He won the season-opening event in Hawaii last month for his 19th Champions Tour title.

Triplett has two Champions Tour victories after winning three times on the PGA Tour.

Duffy Waldorf and Olin Browne were 9 under. Waldorf, coming off a playoff loss to Michael Allen last week in Boca Raton in the Allianz Championship, shot 68. Browne had a 71.

Colin Montgomerie, playing in his 12th Champions Tour event, was 7 under along with Bob Tway.

Montgomerie had a 67, and Tway shot 72.

Bank, Wis. man file class-action suit vs. Target

MADISON, Wis. -- A Wausau bank and a Fitchburg man have filed a class-action lawsuit against Target Corp. over last year's massive security breach.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states, but this is the first of its kind to be filed in Wisconsin, The Wisconsin State Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1dU7ND0 ). The lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Madison.

The plaintiffs are seeking restitution for customers and compensation for credit- and identity-theft monitoring, as well as compensation for banks that are re-issuing cards and monitoring bank accounts for fraud.

Target has said it believes hackers broke into its vast network in December by first infiltrating the computers of one of its vendors. Then the hackers installed malicious software in Target's checkout system for its estimated 1,800 U.S. stores.

Experts believe the thieves gained access during the busy holiday season to about 40 million credit and debit card numbers and the personal information — including names, email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses — of as many as 70 million customers.

Fitchburg resident Kas Schafer is representing the customer class in the lawsuit, which says he had to wait weeks for a replacement debit card. Wausau-based Integrity First Bank is representing the banking class, and says in the suit that it had to cancel and reissue cards to customers who shopped at Target between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.

The suit also accuses Target of negligence in failing to properly safeguard data and not disclosing the breach in a timely manner.

Attorney Eric Haag, who is representing one of the plaintiffs, told the newspaper that the case is one of 80 pending in the U.S., but is the first to also seek to certify a class of banks.

Target did not immediately respond to the newspaper's request for comment.

APNewsBreak: WNBA and players agree on new CBA

The WNBA is assured of labor peace for the next few years.

The league and its players' union reached a labor agreement Saturday on a six-year deal. It replaces the agreement that expired Sept. 30, a few weeks before the Minnesota Lynx won their second WNBA title in three seasons.

The maximum team roster size will increase by one to 12 under the deal, which must be drafted into a formal collective bargaining agreement in the next few weeks.

"The WNBA and WNBPA are pleased to announce an agreement in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement," WNBA President Laurel Richie told The Associated Press. "Over the next week to 10 days, we will be working together to complete the written agreement."

The players ratified the deal in a vote over the past few days. The union constitution required approval from a majority of the voting members was needed.

"This is an important step in the process and we will now focus on completing a fully drafted Collective Bargaining Agreement," WNBPA director of operations Pam Wheeler said.

Among the changes:

—Owners will be able to increase fines and penalties associated with overseas play when players can't fulfill WNBA obligations.

—Smaller annual increases in the salary cap than called for in the previous deal.

—An improved revenue sharing program for the players.

Roster size was the biggest issue for the players. Teams were severely hampered after rosters were cut from 13 to 11 in 2009 to save money and keep labor peace. Some teams suited up just eight players for games last season due to injuries.

The agreement follows a deal by a Magic Johnson-led group to buy the Los Angeles Sparks, whose previous owner bowed out in mid-December.

The WNBA season starts May 16, a few weeks after training camps open.

Lebanon announces unity government

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam Saturday formed a 24-member unity government, ending months of political deadlock in Lebanon.

A presidential decree appointing Salam and his Cabinet was issued after talks between the president, prime minister-designate and Parliament speaker.

The government brings together Lebanon’s rival March 14 and March 8 coalitions as well as so-called centrist figures loyal to the president, prime minister and Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblatt. Hezbollah has two ministers in the government.

Salam was appointed on April 6, 2013, after a fall out among ministers led to the resignation of his predecessor’s government.

Salam named Samir Moqbel as deputy prime minister and defense minister. Nuhad Mashnouq was named interior minister, Gebran Bassil foreign minister and Ali Hasan Khalil finance minister.

Retired police chief Ashraf Rifi, seen as a controversial figure by the March 8 coalition, was appointed justice minister.

The Energy portfolio was handed to Tashnag MP Arthur Nazarian.

The government line-up includes only one female minister – Judge Alice Shabtini for the Ministry for the Displaced.

More to follow ...

Neb. Farm Bureau to host estate-planning workshops

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska Farm Bureau is hosting a series of free estate-planning workshops.

Participants will learn ways to maximize the value of their estates, eliminate unnecessary taxes, reduce risks and keep their farms and businesses in place for the next generation.

Two Feb. 25 workshops will take place at 12 p.m. at the Best Western Hotel in York and at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Southwest in Lincoln. Two workshops on Feb. 26 are scheduled for the Tiburon Golf Club in Omaha at 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Participants can register at the Nebraska Farm Bureau's website.

Field day focuses on farmers and schools

GOODMAN, Miss. -- Fruit and vegetable growers can learn how to supply local schools with produce during a Feb. 21 field day at the Alliance for Sustainable Agricultural Production Demonstration Farm in Holmes County.

Experts from the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and partner organizations will walk farmers through the process required to sell their produce to schools.

University of Mississippi Law School faculty and staff will offer confidential session with farmers on business advice.

The field day will run from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. There is no charge to participate, but preregistration is required.

Lunch and program materials will be provided.

To register or for more information, contact Keith Benson at 601-988-4999 or keithmdp@yahoo.com.

The Alliance site is at 1184 Coleman Road, between Goodman and Durant.

Olympics a test for ambitious developing countries

BEIJING -- Playing host to the Olympics or World Cup can showcase an ambitious country's rise and cast a harsh light on its weaknesses.

This week in Sochi, the eye-popping cost of Russia's Winter Games and logistical fumbles got as much attention as figure skaters and snowboarders. But organizers say the problems will be forgotten quickly, while the infrastructure improvements, international attention to the region and new winter resort built for the games will be a legacy benefiting Russia for decades.

Russia is hardly alone. Brazil, South Africa, India and other rising star economies that shoot for an image boost by hosting sports mega-events can be forced to contend with accusations of mismanagement, graft and misplaced priorities.

This has been going on for half a century. The 1964 Tokyo Games helped post-war Japan show off its postwar revival and technical prowess, as viewers around the world marveled at rebuilt cities and the new bullet train. In 1988, South Korea used the Seoul Games to highlight a modern industrial economy. And just four years ago, South Africa used a successful World Cup to show how the nation had emerged from apartheid.

Brazil, eager to raise its global profile and attract investors, is taking on the daunting challenge of holding the World Cup this year and, just two years later, the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

That has aggravated simmering complaints Brazilian politicians squander money on status symbols and skimp on public services. Residents of poor Rio neighborhoods say thousands have been evicted to make way for sports facilities.

"It is money that should be spent on education, health, public safety, transportation and housing," said Ana Maria Lopes Cruz, a 35-year-old manicurist in Sao Paulo, the country's business capital. "We spend most of the year paying high taxes, and for what? To pay for the World Cup, so that we could look pretty before the world?"

Claims of long-term economic benefits from the Olympics or World Cup have been largely debunked by researchers. But a headline-grabbing event can put a city on the global tourist map. The 1992 Summer Games did that for Barcelona, Spain's business center.

Sports can attract investor attention and provide insights — at times disturbing ones — into a host's decision-making process and business conditions.

"Countries host them largely as a very costly publicity exercise," said Jorge Mariscal, chief investment officer for emerging markets at UBS. "It's a double-edged sword. They show the good stuff, but also the bad stuff."

The Beijing Olympics in 2008 was seen as a success and showed off the Communist Party's skills at planning and coordination. It also displayed the party's thuggish streak.

To build facilities, neighborhoods in the Chinese capital were bulldozed over residents' objections. Under pressure to respect human rights, authorities set aside areas for protests — and then detained people who tried to use them.

Spending on the 2008 Games was estimated at $41 billion, though Chinese authorities never disclosed the total.

—RITE OF PASSAGE

Global events have become a rite of passage for the BRICS — the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. By the end of this year, each will have held at least one Olympics, World Cup or Commonwealth Games since 2008.

"If it's done well, then you've made a good impression on millions of people," said Greg Gilligan, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. "And if it's done poorly, then everybody is talking about, hey, they screwed this one up."

Potential investors can learn about a host's business climate by watching how well it honors commitments to sponsors and others, said Gilligan.

"Whether those promises bear fruit should absolutely reflect on the investment environment of the country beyond the Olympics," he said.

Of course, potential pitfalls aren't limited to developing countries.

The 1976 Summer Olympics left Montreal burdened with debt that took 30 years to pay off. In 1996, the Summer Games in Atlanta were marred by a bombing and snarled traffic.

—REWARDS

Promoters often court trouble by promising a boost in investment and tourism. That can backfire by making a government look unreliable if such hopes are disappointed.

"Most nations have received little or no economic benefit from hosting such mega-sporting events," wrote Bob von Rekowsky, a vice president of Fidelity Investments, in a report in August.

Worse, economic growth in Olympics host nations including South Korea, China and Greece declined after the Games. Italy basked in praise for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Two years later, it plunged into a debt crisis.

The payoff is largely intangible national pride and image-building. But missteps in execution raise the risk of reinforcing stereotypes of host countries as badly run or a risky investment.

"Russia launched this megalomaniac project, highlighting its grandiosity, and Brazil wanted to show that it's a new player in the world," said Erich Beting, a sports business specialist in Brazil.

"What seems to be missing for Russia and Brazil is to properly explain to the population what this goal is," said Beting. "They didn't do a good job explaining the benefits, especially the intangible benefits."

Sochi illustrates Moscow's fondness for massive building projects and willingness to spend freely. At the same time, it has highlighted complaints about President Vladimir Putin's domineering style and allegations of corruption by his inner circle.

—COSTS, COMPLAINTS

The price of Olympic and World Cup glamor has skyrocketed and the swollen budgets are fertile ground for corruption.

Sydney spent $4.8 billion in 2000 on its Summer Games. Four years later, Athens is estimated to have spent as much as $32 billion and was battered by complaints about chaotic organization.

Russia estimated in 2007 that Sochi would cost $12 billion. As spending spiraled, a former deputy prime minister, Boris Nemtsov, said corruption was to blame. He said Putin's associates stole up to $30 billion.

India's 2010 Commonwealth Games, seen as a trial run for a possible Olympics bid, drew 6,000 athletes from 71 nations and left a glow of national pride and modern infrastructure. But that was only after a rocky start marred by construction delays.

The initial budget was $412 million but spending soared to an estimated $15 billion. The chief organizer was detained for nine months on corruption charges but has not been convicted.

One of India's leading businessmen, Azim Premji, founder of software giant Wipro, said there were more urgent priorities such as health and education.

Officials of the International Olympic Committee stress the cost of facilities required for the Games is a relatively modest $2 to $3 billion, which can be recouped from sponsorships, tickets and TV rights. Additional spending is accounted for by roads and other facilities countries need.

"The real Games cost is a very manageable number," said Michael Payne, a former IOC marketing director. Pointing to Brazil, he said the country "needs the capital infrastructure that the Olympics is forcing them to provide."

The $5.3 billion spent by South Africa on the World Cup included a new airport for its eastern city of Durban, improvements to two others and expanded road, rail and bus links.

Four years later, a $600 million stadium in Cape Town has barely been used but authorities declared the event a success. They point to an additional 300,000 foreign visitors during the month of the Cup and rising tourism numbers since.

While many in South Africa say it is too poor to hold such an event again, sports boosters want a Commonwealth Games or even the Summer Olympics in 2024 or 2028.

"It is time now to bid for bigger things," said South Africa's sports minister, Fikile Mbalula.

Contributors to this report: AP writers Nataliya Vasilyeva and Angela Charlton in Sochi and Stan Lehman and Tales Azzoni in Sao Paulo; AP sports writers Stephen Wilson in Sochi, Stephen Wade in Rio de Janeiro and Gerald Imray in Johannesburg; AP Business Writer Steve Rothwell in New York.

Violet Canal to close while lock is repaired

VIOLET, La. -- The Army Corps of Engineers says the Violet Canal will be closed to shipping beginning Feb. 17 for up to 75 days.

The waterway connects St. Bernard Parish with the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet.

The Times-Picayune reports (http://bit.ly/1kw6RwP ) the closure is necessary so the Army Corps, the New Orleans Levee District and the Lake Borgne Levee District can repair the Bayou Dupre sector gate, also known as the Violet Lock.

Army Corps project manager Chris Gilmore says the gate was replaced after Hurricane Katrina to provide additional protection against storm surge.

Belding firm works to fight ice dam damage

BELDING, Mich. -- Workers at a small company in Belding are working long hours in an effort to meet the demand of homeowners who want to keep ice dams from damaging their roofs.

KMI Inc.'s 65 employees manufacture patented 3-inch calcium chloride tablets called Roofmelt. They can be tossed on a roof to melt ice dams before water backups can seep into an attic or walls, according to The Grand Rapids Press ( http://bit.ly/1iVDFN0 ).

"We just basically have the optimal conditions for ice dams right now," KMI vice president Tom O'Malley said. He estimated that his company has shipped 12 million tablets to stores in the U.S. and Canada this winter.

And the ice dam situation could worsen with expected above-freezing temperatures across the Upper Midwest next week.

"As the snow on the roof starts to melt, the water is going to hit the ice dams and run horizontally across the roof," Lew Stein, vice president of Modern Roofing Inc. of Grand Rapids, told the newspaper. "It goes inside because it cannot get off the roof."

KMI owner Van Kassouni developed the Roofmelt tablets 12 years ago. The company produces the tablets from September through March, when it switches to making other products such as urinal tablets, O'Malley said.

Stein said ice dams are a symptom of other problems that should be addressed.

"You need to get inside the attic and see the cause of the problem," he said. "Normally, it's poorly insulated or there's a lack of ventilation."

Body of Lebanese missing man found

BEIRUT: The body of a Lebanese man who had gone missing nearly two years ago was found Saturday in the Chouf region of Mount Lebanon, a security source said.

Zaher Zeineddine was reported missing on June 25, 2012.

His mostly decomposed body was found along with a briefcase containing medication in the village of Batma al-Shoufeyi, the source added.

Salam to announce Cabinet formation shortly: source

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam headed Saturday to Baabda Palace where he will meet President Michel Sleiman and most likely announce the formation of a new government, political sources told The Daily Star.

Friday's Sports In Brief

PRO FOOTBALL

An investigation into the racially charged Miami Dolphins bullying scandal detailed widespread harassment in the team's locker room that extended beyond the two players at the center of the probe.

The NFL-ordered report stated there was a "pattern of harassment" committed by at least three players and extended to two lineman and an assistant trainer, all targets of vicious taunts and racist insults.

Lawyer Ted Wells released the report Friday, saying guard John Jerry and center Mike Pouncey followed Richie Incognito's lead in harassing Jonathan Martin, who left the team in October. They threatened to rape his sister, called him a long list of slurs and bullied him for not being "black enough."

In a statement emailed by a league spokesman, the NFL did not make any mention of possible punishment stemming from the case.

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made $44.2 million in 2012, according to tax returns the league has submitted.

Goodell earned $35.1 million in salary, bonus and pension compensation. Based on IRS reporting guidelines, his total 2012 compensation includes a $5 million incentive payment and a $4.1 million pension payment from the 2011 lockout year that was paid in 2012.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors charged former NFL safety Darren Sharper with raping and drugging two women in California and disclosed he is under investigation in connection with five more drug-related rapes in three other states.

Sharper briefly appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court, where his arraignment was postponed until Feb. 20 at the request of his lawyers. They issued a statement saying he would be exonerated.

Prosecutors then filed a motion to increase Sharper's bail to $10 million and outlined details of investigations involving him in Las Vegas, Tempe, Ariz., and New Orleans.

Sharper has not been charged in the other jurisdictions.

---

PRO BASKETBALL

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Carmelo Anthony said he knows "for a fact" the Knicks won't trade him, and said he would be open to staying in New York for less than a maximum contract.

Anthony has said he plans to become a free agent this summer. The NBA's trade deadline is Thursday, but Anthony ruled out any chance the Knicks would move him to avoid the possibility they could lose him for nothing in July.

"I know for a fact I'm not being traded," Anthony said at the NBA's All-Star weekend. "There's two things: I know for a fact I'm not being traded and I'm not going in there and saying I want to be traded."

New York can pay him around $30 million more than any team, but Anthony said he wouldn't insist on making the Knicks do it.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — David Stern is going from the NBA commissioner's office to the Hall of Fame.

The recently retired Stern was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. 8 in Springfield, Mass.

Stern was on a ski trip to Colorado with his wife while the NBA was holding its first All-Star weekend without him in charge since 1983.

---

BASEBALL

ATLANTA (AP) — Jim Fregosi, a former All-Star who won more than 1,000 games as a manager for four teams, died Friday after an apparent stroke. He was 71.

The Atlanta Braves said they were notified by a family member that Fregosi died early Friday in Miami, where he was hospitalized after the apparent stroke while on a cruise with baseball alumni.

Fregosi ended more than 50 years in baseball as a special assistant to Braves general manager Frank Wren.

Fregosi managed the Philadelphia Phillies to the 1993 National League pennant and the 1979 California Angels to their first American League Western Division title. He also managed the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

Fregosi was an infielder in the majors from 1961 to 1978, hitting .265 with 151 homers and 706 RBIs. His best seasons came with the Angels, where he was six-time All-Star as a shortstop.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Joe Girardi found out about Derek Jeter's retirement announcement the same way almost everyone else did: when the New York Yankees captain posted a letter to the world on his Facebook page this week.

Girardi arrived at spring for his seventh season as Yankees manager, and Jeter's decision to retire after this season dominated the opening news conference.

"I think we were probably all a little bit taken aback by it," the manager said. "You're never sure how someone's going to do it, but I had no inkling that that's what he was thinking."

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia has reported to spring training at a slimmed-down 275 pounds, 40 below his high.

Sabathia decided to lose the weight after a cousin, Demetrius Davis, died of a heart attack at age 45 in December 2012.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Starter Mat Latos had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee while the rest of the Cincinnati Reds pitchers and catchers got physicals and worked out.

Latos is expected to be sidelined for about 10 days.

---

AUTO RACING

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg.

As far as he's concerned, those are the only major changes since he broke two bones in his leg in an August sprint-car crash. So when the green flag drops Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway for his first race since the accident, Stewart believes it will be the same old "Smoke" behind the wheel.

If he had any doubts — and he's insisted he didn't — they were alleviated by 24 smooth laps in the first of two Friday night practice sessions for the exhibition Sprint Unlimited.

All told, Stewart ran 50 laps — 125 miles — around Daytona.

---

GOLF

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bae Sang-moon is off to another great start at the Northern Trust Open. The next step is a better finish.

Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Sweden's Caroline Hedwall had a hole-in-one and finished with a 7-under 65 to take the second-round lead in the Women's Australian Open.

The Solheim Cup was one shot ahead of second-ranked Suzann Pettersen of Norway. Pettersen, the first-round leader after a 66, had a 68.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Defending champion Bernhard Langer shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the ACE Group Classic.

---

SWIMMING

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Olympian Chloe Sutton broke the meet record in the 400-meter freestyle in the Arena Grand Prix event at YMCA Aquatic Center.

Sutton, from Mission Viejo, Calif., finished in 4 minutes, 10.11 seconds to edge Hungary's Katinka Hosszu.

---

TENNIS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Top-seeded David Ferrer defeated fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the Copa Claro tournament in the Argentine capital.

Ferrer will play fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the fourth seed, who defeated Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6 (7), 6-3.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Michael Russell upset third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the quarterfinals of the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships.

UAW falls 87 votes short of major victory in South

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Just 87 votes at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee separated the United Auto Workers union from what would have been its first successful organization of workers at a foreign automaker in the South.

Instead of celebrating a potential watershed moment for labor politics in the region, UAW supporters were left crestfallen by the 712-626 vote against union representation in the election that ended Friday night.

The result stunned many labor experts who expected a UAW win because Volkswagen tacitly endorsed the union and even allowed organizers into the Chattanooga factory to make sales pitches.

The loss is a major setback for the UAW's effort to make inroads in the growing South, where foreign automakers have 14 assembly plants, eight built in the past decade, said Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor and industry group at the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Michigan.

"If this was going to work anywhere, this is where it was going to work," she said of the Volkswagen vote.

Organizing a Southern plant is so crucial to the union that UAW President Bob King told workers in a speech that the union has no long-term future without it. The loss means the union remains largely quarantined with the Detroit Three in the Midwest and Northeast.

Many viewed VW as the union's best chance to gain a crucial foothold in the South because other automakers have not been as welcoming as Volkswagen. Labor interests make up half of the supervisory board at VW in Germany, and they questioned why the Chattanooga plant is the company's only major factory worldwide without formal worker representation.

VW wanted a German-style "works council" in Chattanooga to give employees a say over working conditions. The company says U.S. law won't allow it without an independent union.

In Chattanooga, the union faced stern opposition from Republican politicians who warned that a UAW victory would chase away other automakers who might come to the region.

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee was the most vocal opponent, saying that he was told that VW would soon announce plans to build a new SUV in Chattanooga if workers rejected the union. That was later denied by a VW executive, who said the union vote had no bearing on expansion decisions. Other state politicians threatened to cut off state incentives for the plant to expand if the union was approved.

After 53 percent of the workers voted against his union, King said he was outraged at what he called "outside interference" in the election. He wouldn't rule out challenging the outcome with the National Labor Relations Board.

"It's never happened in this country before that the U.S. senator, the governor, the leader of the House, the legislature here, threatened the company with no incentives, threatened workers with a loss of product," King said. "We'll look at all our options in the next few days."

The union could contend that Corker and other local politicians were in collusion with VW and tried to frighten workers into thinking the SUV would be built in Mexico if they voted for the union, said Gary Chaison, a labor relations professor at Clark University in Worcester, Mass.

But Chaison said it will be difficult to tie the politicians to the company, which remained neutral throughout the voting process.

"It's the employer that has real power," he said.

The loss put a spotlight on the union's major difficulty in the South: signing up people who have no history with organized labor and are fearful of being the first in the area to join, Chaison said.

Dziczek said the union may have to change its tactics in future organizing efforts, because King's strategy of the union and company working together to help each other did not work.

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said through a spokesman that he was pleased with the vote and "looks forward to working with the company on future growth in Tennessee."

Corker echoed that sentiment in a release issued after the vote.

"Needless to say, I am thrilled for the employees at Volkswagen and for our community and its future," he said.

Krisher reported from Detroit.

5 siblings reconnect; 2 crossed paths at Wal-Mart

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The lives of five brothers and sisters born in North Dakota who were separately adopted at infancy took the twists and turns that 50 years bring. Some moved to different states; some married; some had children. But none of them ever knew the others existed.

Then, the obituary of their biological mother presented a clue. And when they finally met, one brother realized he wasn't so unfamiliar with one of his siblings. John Maixner had been greeted a half a dozen times or so by his sister at their local Walmart in Dickinson, N.D., where she has worked for 23 years.

Buddine Bullinger, 56, knew her biological's mother name but never attempted to contact her. Last January, a Wal-Mart co-worker — the only person she had ever told the name —told Bullinger the local paper had printed the mother's obituary. It mentioned a surviving daughter, Deidre Handtmann.

Bullinger at first resisted contacting Handtmann. But weeks later, Bullinger asked the funeral home to help her reach her sister.

"February 19 was the first time I heard her voice," Handtmann told The Associated Press Wednesday. "I will never forget that day."

They arranged to meet at Handtmann's home in Bismarck, N.D.

"It was unbelievable," Bullinger said. "We are in our 50s. I was so nervous to meet her, and when I opened that door, I didn't know what to say. You don't know what to do. It was so special."

Handtmann had reconnected with her mother 19 years before her passing. She said her mother never mentioned having given other children up for adoption.

The sisters signed release agreements at the adoption agency that handled their cases and asked to find out if they had other siblings.

"Oh, my goodness, they kept calling. 'Oh, a boy. Oh, a girl. Oh, a boy,'" said Handtmann, 50.

One brother lived in Tennessee. One sister lived in California. And the other brother was Maixner, who lived in Dickinson, where he shopped at Bullinger's Wal-Mart.

Handtmann and Maixner met at a local restaurant in June. She showed him a picture of Bullinger, and the "aha moment" happened.

"I about fell over because I'd seen her at the Wal-Mart," said Maixner, 57. "My mouth just dropped open. I just couldn't believe it."

Bullinger, who now trains other employees and works in the back of the store, for years worked as a customer service manager and greeted shoppers. Maixner said she greeted him at least six times in the last nine years since he moved to the town of 18,000 people, located about 60 miles from the Montana border line.

All five siblings reunited for the first time at Handtmann's home in October. John Blankendall, 53, drove from Tennessee and Sandy Watkins, 54, flew in from California.

"It gives me goose bumps," Bullinger said. "So many emotions — you cried and you laughed. It's just wonderful. I haven't quit smiling," she said.

They agreed to take a DNA test. The results showed they are full siblings, meaning they share the same biological father as well.

Maixner's adoptive father passed away shortly before he got a call from the adoption agency. He spent Christmas with Bullinger, her husband and her adoptive parents.

His unlimited-calls cellphone plan came in handy after meeting his siblings.

"We talk every couple of days," he said.

Obama: Water distribution not a zero-sum game

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- President Barack Obama says the U.S. has to stop thinking of water as a "zero-sum" game and must do a better job of figuring out how to make sure everyone's water needs are satisfied.

He toured central California on Friday and warned that weather-related disasters, like the drought, will only get worse.

Obama announced more than $160 million in federal aid to help the state cope with its worst drought in more than 100 years. He also says he'll ask Congress for $1 billion to create a fund to invest in research and pay for new technologies to help communities deal with climate change.

In California, Obama also held wide-ranging talks with Jordan's King Abdullah (ab-DUHL'-uh) II.

Obama is spending the weekend in California and returns to Washington on Monday.

House committee rejects KU basketball apartments

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The University of Kansas was 1-for-2 before state legislative committees considering bonding authority for two major projects, missing on a request to build apartments for the school's basketball players.

A House committee Thursday rejected the university's $17.5 million bonding authority to build 66-high end apartments — 32 for men's and women's basketball players — near Allen Fieldhouse.

University officials have said the living space is needed to compete with other universities in recruiting. Each apartment would have a full kitchen, living and dining rooms, with lounges on each floor, two team meeting rooms, tutoring space and a multipurpose room. The university has said between $9 million and $10 million would be raised through private funds, and the bonds would be paid back through rent on the apartments.

During Thursday's House Education Budget Committee meeting, State Rep. Amanda Grosserode, R-Lenexa, called the project "incredibly extravagant" and State Rep. Allan Rothlisberg, R-Grandview Plaza, said he thought the university's sports enterprises had enough money to build the project, The Lawrence Journal-World reported (http://bit.ly/1mg9KUh ).

The committee's recommendation against authorizing the bonds now goes to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

Also Thursday, a House-Senate committee approved the university's request for bonding authority for a $75 million health education building at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Before the vote, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little told the House-Senate Building Construction Committee that the Medical Center needs new facilities to address a doctor shortage in the state and retain accreditation. Nationally, Kansas ranks 39th in doctors per capita, she said.

"Our Kansas facilities are at capacity, but they are also antiquated and considered entirely unsuited for a modern medical curriculum," she said. "Our facilities just don't fit the way that medical education is delivered now."

The university has authority to issue $35 million in bonds for the project, and is asking the state to pay $15 million by issuing $1.4 million annually. The committee recommended approval of the $1.4 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The university also is requesting a $25 million federal refund in a long-running dispute over Social Security and Medicare withheld from paychecks of former medical residents. The remaining cost of the building would be funded through private funds and gifts.

Gray-Little said if all the financial pieces are approved, construction could start within a year and the facility would open in time for the 2017 school year.

Colorado director gets boost for Evel Knievel film

DENVER -- When a state like Colorado offers money to moviemakers, it's often to lure Hollywood. The latest grant from the Colorado film commission is to an Academy Award-winning director from Denver who's making a movie about Evel Knievel, showing incentives can help homegrown talent.

The Colorado Economic Commission granted Daniel Junge just over $94,000 for "Being Evel," the Denver Post reported Friday. State film commissioner Donald Zuckerman endorsed the incentives, and told The Associated Press on Friday that to get the money, Junge will have to show he has spent about $470,000 in Colorado to make the film. Nearly half of that will be to hire 25 crewmembers, Zuckerman said.

"What we get out of it is people work, people pay taxes," Zuckerman said. "We spend the people's money wisely and we get good return."

Junge told commissioners he'll film interviews in Denver for the movie about the daredevil who died in 2007. The Post reports that while making his pitch, he showed commissioners the 2011 Oscar he won for the short subject documentary "Saving Face," which he co-directed with Pakistani director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. That documentary is about acid attacks on women in Pakistan and a plastic surgeon dedicated to helping them.

Film incentives have sparked controversy across the United States, with some arguing taxpayers reap little benefit. Todd Haggerty of the National Conference of State Legislatures said that it can be tricky to put a dollar figure on what incentives produce for a state, and that spending in hopes of recouping taxes at some later date can be a particularly tough sell during a recession. But Haggerty said that for every state that tweaks or rolls back an incentive program, another state inaugurates or expands one.

Haggerty, a fiscal policy researcher, told AP that movie incentives draw attention because of Hollywood's celebrity cachet, but that the questions surrounding them are part of a broader debate on how states lure business in hopes of creating jobs and building industry.

Zuckerman described Colorado's incentives as a relatively modest 20 percent of what producers spend in the state. In many cases, producers end up getting less from the state than they had requested because they spent less than expected here, he said.

Colorado had seen little filmmaking before his office opened almost three years ago, Zuckerman said. Since then, he said, two projects that were granted incentives have been completed in Colorado, and two others are due to start production. The most prominent, the recently completed "Dear Eleanor," is about two teen girls on a road trip across America during the Cuban missile crisis. It, brought stars Jessica Alba and Luke Wilson to Boulder County and was granted $500,000 in incentives, Zuckerman said. He said officials are still waiting to see the producers' report to determine how much of that will be paid.

Thousands of Conn. bottle bill petitions delivered

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut lawmakers are receiving thousands of petitions from residents who want to expand the state's so-called "bottle bill" to include more beverage containers.

On Friday, the environmental advocacy group ConnPIRG delivered more than 4,000 petitions and Valentine's Day candy.

The General Assembly's Environment Committee is currently considering a bill that would add bottles and cans containing teas, sports drinks and juices to the list of returnable containers. Currently, the law requires cans and bottles of beer, soda and water to be returned for a 5-cent deposit.

ConnPIRG also wants lawmakers to consider adding wine, liquor bottles and nips to the law.

Additionally, ConnPIRG has called for increasing the handling fee paid to recyclers to 3.5 cents. It's currently 2 cents for soda and water and 1.5 cents for beer.