| Board draws scrutiny
Kwame was one of the four design and construction management firms sued by Metro. It blamed the companies — known collectively as the Cross County Collaborative — for most of the overruns and delays on the Forest Park-to-Shrewsbury MetroLink line. Metro wanted $81 million. It got nothing.
In the wake of the trial, Salci stepped down on Thursday and the agency's top lawyer resigned on Friday. St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley said Metro's high-profile legal loss was a major reason why regional leaders and Salci agreed he should leave, especially with a transit tax increase going before county voters on Feb. 5.
Frequent Metro critic Tom Sullivan said that commissioners "can't escape blame because ultimately they are the ones who have authority to hire or fire the president, and everything has to go through them."
Sullivan said it appeared that Salci was the one telling the Metro board what to do, instead of vice versa.
Toxics in Your Portfolio?: Companies Facing Shareholder Resolutions on ...
From Asthma to Teflon … From Cosmetics Safety to Pesticides … Concerns Mount About Chemical Risks; IEHN Unveils “Fiduciary Guide" as 2007 Proxy Season Heats Up.
(CSRwire) WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 4, 2007 - In the wake of costly litigation, product sales bans, and reputational damage arising from asbestos, toxic materials in cosmetics and toys, and Teflon-related chemicals, U.S. investors are becoming increasingly wary of toxic chemical risks – in products, in supply chains, and in their own portfolios. The number of shareholder resolutions dealing with toxic product risks jumped from three in 2004-2005 to 17 in 2006-2007, including 13 resolutions introduced for the ‘07 proxy season at such leading U.S. corporations as Apple, CVS, Dow, DuPont, Sears, and ServiceMaster.
In response, the Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN), which represents 20 investment organizations with $22 billion in assets under management, today released the 52-page "Fiduciary Guide to Toxic Chemical Risk." The guide for institutional investors examines the financial dimensions of toxic chemical risk, including how to quantify such risk, the theory behind the danger posed by toxic chemicals to the wealth of shareholders, and a comprehensive set of action steps that can be taken by investors to translate the long-term threats and opportunities associated with toxic chemical issues into prudent portfolio stewardship.
School district's asbestos legal battle expands
Asbestos contamination during a kitchen remodel at Grant Community School was more widespread than initially reported, a lawsuit about cleanup costs shows. Salem-Keizer School District is suing Woodburn Construction Co. for $209,000, the amount it says it spent cleaning up asbestos contamination at the northeast Salem school. It blames the company for twice releasing asbestos during the project, delaying the start of classes in September 2006. District officials made information about the contamination public on Sept. 1, 2006, when it became clear that school would be delayed. At the time, they said contamination from both releases was caused by drilling and was limited to the kitchen. But according to the lawsuit, filed in Marion County Circuit Court, air sampling found asbestos dust not only in the kitchen, but also in multi-purpose rooms, the lobby hall, the north-south hall, Room 7, and classrooms 1, 4 and 5.
Museum siting stirs controversy
Two years ago, the Montana Legislature approved spending money for what was envisioned to be a new Montana Historical Society museum at the current site of Helena's aging Capital Hill Mall.Lawmakers authorized the Historical Society to issue $7.5 million in bonds and raise $30 million from private donors. The proposal drew widespread support from current and former state elected officials, among others.Although the two 2005 laws never specifically mention the mall site, committee minutes and press coverage make it clear that legislators then had a single site in mind the 13.4-acre mall property, four blocks north of the current museum.Last month, however, the state has recommended against the mall location as a future museum site, with projected cost perhaps dooming that idea.Instead, state architects and consultants proposed erecting a new museum in a state-owned parking lot across the street to the north of the society's current building.
Keeping knees healthy not an impossible task
Many of my clients suffer pain in one or both knees. I know the frustration of enduring pain when it hurts to simply walk.
Often, Paul Jenkins, one of my loyal clients, and I limp around Sierra Athletic Club performing our usual post-rehab knee exercises. Single leg squats, leg press, balance board, all the fun stuff. He knows it takes more than simple swelling or limping to keep me down, so he brought me a knee brace for added security. I guess Paul wants to make sure I'm around to keep pushing him to his physical limits.
Your knee's tolerance for stressful activities will decrease with age and loss of conditioning. So, stresses that would not have caused injury last year could hurt your knee today. A decrease in your level of activity over a period of time also will contribute to the vulnerability of your knees.
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