Early Briefing: Cleaner Carts And A Tysons B-Day

Jason Kirsch puts some carts through the newly installed washing machine for carts.(Katherine Frey -- The Washington Post) *Jason and Kevin Kirsch know how common it is for the youngest customers at Chevy Chase Supermarket on Connecticut Avenue to treat cart handles like lollipops. Worse, they know how unnerved...

By Terri Rupar | July 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Washington's Mad Men & Women

Washington's mad men and women (By Kevin Clark - The Washington Post) *Ah, early 1960s corporate America. Sharp suits with pocket squares. Brylcreem. Smoking in the office, a decanter of good Scotch on every executive's sideboard and multi-martini lunches. A great time to be alive. Assuming you were a...

By Terri Rupar | July 21, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Capital One Warns of More Defaults

*Capital One said profit in the second quarter fell by 40 percent and warned that more customers are defaulting on their loans. The McLean financial giant, which in recent years has diversified operations by adding retail banking and auto lending services, blamed the economic downturn for the rise in defaults...

By Terri Rupar | July 18, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Can't We All Just Get A Latte?

Murky Coffee owner Nicholas Cho, left, defended barista David Flynn in a letter on the store's Web site after a customer blasted Flynn, in person and in a blog, for balking at an order for a triple espresso on ice. The request violated company policy. (By Joe Heim --...

By Terri Rupar | July 17, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Skepticism on Aid for Fannie, Freddie

*Some lawmakers expressed doubts about the wisdom of the federal government's plan to prop up mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with one Republican senator complaining it was tantamount to writing a "blank check" to save the troubled companies. The often-outspoken Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) railed against the...

By Terri Rupar | July 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Unprecedented Plan for Fannie, Freddie

*The federal government unveiled a broad program Sunday evening to bolster Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, extending unprecedented support to the companies and proposing new authority to lend them money and even buy their stock. Scrambling to announce the initiative before the trading week began, federal officials said they would...

By Terri Rupar | July 14, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Fannie and Freddie Continue Their Fall

*Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continued to plummet Thursday as investors and federal officials contemplated the possibility that the giants of the mortgage business could require a federal bailout. On Capitol Hill, the Treasury secretary offered reassurance that they are still on firm footing, and the Senate moved...

By Terri Rupar | July 11, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Chevy Chase Closes Mini-Branches

*Chevy Chase Bank is closing 54 mini-branches in Giant Food stores across the Washington region, ending a decade-long initiative to add banking to grocery shoppers' "to do" lists. The closings coincide with the expiration of a 10-year contract that Chevy Chase Bank signed with Giant. The shutdowns will begin next...

By Terri Rupar | July 10, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: An Accidental Breach

*Sometime late last year, an employee of a McLean investment firm decided to trade some music, or maybe a movie, with like-minded users of the online file-sharing network LimeWire while using a company computer. In doing so, he inadvertently exposed the private files of his firm, Wagner Resource Group, to...

By Terri Rupar | July 9, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Jared Lost With Subway. Larry Feldman Won.

It's Monday, so we're all local. Larry Feldman (By Marvin Joseph - The Washington Post) *The cost of food is increasing. A slumping economy is forcing Americans to eat out less frequently. Home values are dropping. Gasoline is rising. Starbucks is shuttering stores. And Larry Feldman -- the Subway King...

By Terri Rupar | July 7, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Another Biotech Departure

*Edward M. Rudnic, MiddleBrook Pharmaceuticals' chief executive, plans to leave the company he founded in exchange for an outside investment of $100 million. MiddleBrook has been openly searching for a buyer over the past year. In the meantime, it agreed to the investment from Equity Group Investments, founded by Chicago...

By Terri Rupar | July 3, 2008; 09:24 AM ET | Comments (0)

Early Briefing: Blockbuster Drops Circuit City Bid

Circuit City has been under pressure from Mark Wattles, who owns a 6.5 percent stake in the company, to put itself on the auction block. (Marv Bondarowicz - Associated Press) *Blockbuster abandoned its efforts to acquire Richmond-based Circuit City less than two months after the electronics retailer reluctantly agreed...

By Terri Rupar | July 2, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Up and Down: Beyond Financial Stocks

It was a tough week for stocks last week, with the S&P 500 index and our Post-Bloomberg index both falling about 3 percent. Tom Heath covered the falls in some of the area's financial stocks; here are a few more movers. *GSE Systems (GVP) of Baltimore gained 12 percent last...

By Terri Rupar | June 30, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Preparing for Guests

*Since opening her European-style Chez Hareg bakery in the District's Shaw neighborhood last year, Haregewine Messert, an immigrant from Ethiopia, had neglected the backyard lot behind her shop, allowing it to become overrun with weeds. But this week new gravel is on the ground. Patio tables have been arranged. And...

By Terri Rupar | June 30, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: A Biotech Pioneer Moves On

David Mott had agreed to stay at MedImmune for a year after its acquisition. (Photo Credit: Timothy Jacobsen) * MedImmune chief executive David M. Mott, who led the Gaithersburg biotech through years of rapid expansion and its sale to the British drug giant AstraZeneca, will leave the company at...

By Dan Beyers | June 27, 2008; 07:05 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Making the World Safe for Chocolate Lovers

*To save chocolate lovers from the agony of a candy bar shortage, McLean candy giant Mars is investing $10 million in a five-year project to develop cacao trees that fight drought, disease and poor harvests. Mars is to announce today that it is partnering with IBM and the Department of...

By Terri Rupar | June 26, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Suing CareFirst

*The D.C. government launched a subpoena-powered investigation of CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield and a lawsuit that asserts the nonprofit organization is obligated to donate millions to the community. For a decade, authorities in the District and Maryland have criticized CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield for hoarding its annual surpluses despite its federal...

By Terri Rupar | June 25, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Surviving Near Wal-Mart

*Wal-Mart opened its store in Landover Hills in Prince George's County -- the first inside the Beltway -- in a storm of controversy last year bred in part by its reputation for running small businesses out of the rural towns and suburbs that for decades were the retailer's breeding ground....

By Terri Rupar | June 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: XM Shares Fall on Analyst Report

*Even though a merger between XM and Sirius satellite radio would help reduce costs, investors should sell their stocks because of increased competition from MP3 players and technologies like the iPhone, wrote Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Wienkes. The report sent the companies' shares down - XM fell 17 percent and...

By Terri Rupar | June 20, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Foreclosure Rate

*The Washington region now has one of the fastest-growing foreclosure rates in the nation, as 15,613 homes went into foreclosure in the one-year period ending in February, an analysis to be released today has found. Although communities have felt the effects of the housing crisis for months, the report reveals...

By Terri Rupar | June 19, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: A Manufacturing Plant Leaves DC

Williams Industries worker William Bland helps a crane operator to lift a steel girder. As steel prices rise and demand slows, Williams is relocating a major manufacturing plant to help trim costs. (Williams Industries) * Williams Industries, a Manassas construction firm and steel girder manufacturer, plans to move a...

By Dan Beyers | June 18, 2008; 08:13 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Investing in Biotech

*Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley outlined a strategy to invest $1.1 billion in the state's bioscience industry over the next decade or so, expanding tax credits, bolstering stem cell research and providing new support for start-ups. Several elements of the plan would require legislative approval. The plan includes increasing its biotech...

By Terri Rupar | June 17, 2008; 08:06 AM ET | Comments (10)

Early Briefing: Struggling Eateries And XM News

Today's Monday, the day the Business section goes all local. Luigino owner Carmine Marzano (By Susan Biddle -- The Washington Post) *Food costs are high and diners are staying home or ordering less, shaking up menus and causing chefs to consider, among other things, the merits of foie gras. Carmine...

By Terri Rupar | June 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Pearlstein on Power Brokers

* Are Washington power brokers good or bad for the system? Apparently, we can't seem to decide, writes columnist Steven Pearlstein. He calls on the examples of Vernon Jordan and Jim Johnson. *Federal authorities charged a Prince George's couple with running a $35 million mortgage rescue operation that duped lenders...

By Terri Rupar | June 13, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Google Founder in Space?

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, center, trains in zero gravity above Northern California. (By Steve Boxall -- Associated Press) *Sergey Brin, the 34-year-old president of technology for Google, has put down a $5 million deposit for a seat aboard a Russian spacecraft, tourism company Space Adventures of Vienna said. With...

By Terri Rupar | June 12, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Ex-Fannie CEO and the Veepstakes

*Last month, Sen. Barack Obama turned to James A. Johnson, a former Fannie Mae chief executive and Washington insider since the Carter administration, to lead the vetting of potential running mates for the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee. But four years before, as Johnson was angling for a job if...

By Terri Rupar | June 11, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: The Ocean Is Evaporating!

It takes a bold resort town to build an ad campaign around the inevitable fiery end of all life on earth. Ocean City is that town. Staff writer David A. Fahrenthold reports that the Eastern Shore tourist mecca has rolled out "Lost"-like TV, print and Internet spots that appear to...

By Dan Beyers | June 10, 2008; 07:18 AM ET | Comments (2)

Early Briefing: Man In The Middle

On Mondays we turn the Business section over to coverage of the local business community: Long a champion for minority-owned businesses, Ron Adolph is stung by accusations that he hasn't done enough to diversify the contractor base. (By James M. Thresher -- The Washington Post * Ron Adolph's firm, the...

By Dan Beyers | June 9, 2008; 08:02 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Raising Our Tech IQ

* Columnist Steve Pearlstein lists several projects in the works that could unlock Washington's tech potential. The University of Maryland has snagged an important anchor tenant for its new research campus at College Park: IARPA, which will do for intelligence research what DARPA did for basic research in the defense...

By Dan Beyers | June 6, 2008; 07:32 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Snyder Buys WTEM

Snyder *Redskins owner Dan Snyder reached a deal to buy three local AM radio stations from Clear Channel Communications, including the area's leading sports-talk station, WTEM. The price wasn't disclosed. Snyder's purchase of WTEM (980), WTNT (570) and WWRC (1260) means his Red Zebra Broadcasting arm will own six...

By Terri Rupar | June 5, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Celebrating A Triple A

* Unfurling 40-foot-long banners from a high balcony of the County Administration Building and accompanied by a high school marching band, Prince George's officials announced Tuesday that the county has been awarded a AAA rating by a Wall Street bond house, an achievement they described as historic for a county...

By Terri Rupar | June 4, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Want to Buy a Lawsuit?

Adam Shapiro, left, president; John Ryan, president of structured settlements; and David Lewis, general counsel, at Stone Street's Bethesda headquarters. (By Sarah L. Voisin -- The Washington Post) *A Bethesda-based firm is entering a high-stakes business in which it buys a portion of the rights to civil lawsuits before...

By Terri Rupar | June 2, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: What Separates Legg Mason and T. Rowe Price

* The headquarters of two leading asset management firms, Legg Mason and T. Rowe Price, stand a block apart on Baltimore's Inner Harbor, but more than a city street divides them. In the most recent quarter, T. Rowe's earnings rose 6 percent as investors, undeterred by falling markets and the...

By Terri Rupar | May 30, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Transforming Tysons

What could Tysons look like? (Davis, Carter, Scott Ltd.) *Remaking Tysons Corner from a car-dominated tangle of offices, malls and auto dealers into a livable city will start moving ahead in the coming weeks. County leaders and landowners are unveiling sweeping proposals to build densely packed high-rises, miles of...

By Terri Rupar | May 29, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Emergent Makes a Buy

*Emergent BioSolutions said it wanted to diversify beyond biodefense, and to that end it is buying Protein Sciences of Meriden, Conn. Protein Sciences makes a next-generation flu vaccine called FluBlok that federal regulators have put on a fast track to approval. Under the terms of the deal, which includes assumption...

By Terri Rupar | May 27, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Liggins Wants Focus on Web

(By Katherine Frey -- The Washington Post) *Radio One CEO Alfred Liggins doesn't want shareholders to focus on the company's stock price or his recent raise at the company's meeting this week. He wants them to look at Web ventures - the key, he thinks, to his media empire's...

By Terri Rupar | May 26, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Booz and Carlyle

*Columnist Steven Pearlstein praises the split-up of Booz Allen Hamilton and the involvement of Carlyle Group. "In Booz, Carlyle has picked up a jewel of a company that offers proven management, steady cash flow and a valuable brand name," the columnist writes. And Booz has found an owner that will...

By Terri Rupar | May 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Moving Forward In A Downturn

* The economy may be slogging through a credit crisis, housing prices may be falling, but some folks are still making plans for the future. Catholic University has chosen a developer to turn nearly nine acres across from its Northeast Washington campus into a dense mix of restaurants, shops and...

By Dan Beyers | May 21, 2008; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Vending in Schools

It's Monday, the day the Business section goes all local. As part of the series on obesity in children, we take a look at the vending-machine business. (By Carol Guzy - The Washington Post) *Stephanie McMahan stockpiled Clif Bars, baked pita chips, and rice and corn puffs. With items like...

By Terri Rupar | May 19, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Pain for the Pump Owner

*Like a lot of small-scale entrepreneurs, Cathy Osborne worries that she'll go out of business if fuel prices rise above $4 a gallon. Not because she won't be able to buy gas at that price, but because she won't be able to sell it. The old mechanical gas pumps with...

By Terri Rupar | May 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Early Briefing: Foreclosures and Freddie Mac

Real estate agents Beth Doman and her son, Joe, show a foreclosed home in Ashburn that originally sold for $1.2 million. It is on the market for $850,000. (By Michael Temchine For The Washington Post) *Once-popular and riskier mortgages, such as adjustable-rate and interest-only, are beginning to take their...

By Terri Rupar | May 15, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Post 200

It's Monday, the day that we turn the Business section over to local news. And this Monday, the section is joined by The Post 200, a look at the public and private companies, banks, nonprofits, and law and lobby firms that drive the region's economy. Real estate industry analysts predict...

By Terri Rupar | May 12, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Radio One's Struggles

Getty Images Photo *Radio One said it lost $18.3 million in the first quarter, compared with a profit of $744,000 in the first three months of 2007, hurt by a slump in national advertising. Chief executive Alfred C. Liggins III, left, sought to explain stock sales by him and...

By Terri Rupar | May 9, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: New Chief for General Dynamics

Nicholas Chabraja (Stephen Morton -- Bloomberg News) *Nicholas Chabraja was a somewhat unconventional choice to lead General Dynamics when he assumed the roles of chairman and chief executive in 1997 - he was the company's longtime lawyer, in an industry where engineers and program managers usually rise to become...

By Terri Rupar | May 8, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Sprint-Clearwire

*Sprint Nextel, formerly based in Reston, is expected to announce as early as today a joint venture with Clearwire to build a WiMax network that would cover the country, staff writer Cecilia Kang reports. The venture, expected to be valued around $12 billion, will be backed by a total of...

By Terri Rupar | May 7, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Emergent Buying Anthrax Vaccine

It's Monday, which means the Business section is all local. A worker at Vaxgen (Photos By Thor Swift For The Washington Post) *Emergent BioSolutions of Rockville is spending $2 million on an anthrax vaccine that federal health officials dropped in 2006. It is buying the vaccine from VaxGen of South...

By Terri Rupar | May 5, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: On the Joint Strike Fighter

(By Eric A. Clement -- U.S. Navy) *Lockheed Martin of Bethesda is the lead contractor on the Pentagon's $300 billion Joint Strike Fighter program. A report from the Pentagon's inspector general yesterday said that the technology going into that fighter plane may have been compromised by unauthorized access to...

By Terri Rupar | May 2, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Celebration Over Dulles Extension

Dinegar *News that the federal government had decided to let the Dulles rail go through pleased business and transportation leaders. "We're all celebrating today," said Eileen Curtis, president of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Jim Dinegar, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Washington Board of Trade,...

By Terri Rupar | May 1, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: What United-US Airways Could Mean Here

(Elaine Thompson - Associated Press) *Northwest and Delta are merging, and Continental spurned United last weekend. So now United and US Airways are talking, a tieup that has been rejected before. A combined United-US Airways would be smaller than Delta-Northwest, but it would handle more than half of departures...

By Terri Rupar | April 30, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: How to Keep Building Homes

It's Monday, which means the Business section is all local. (By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post) *NVR of Reston is still posting profits in the current housing downturn. It learned its lesson in the last one, when it filed for bankruptcy protection. Now its business plan is based...

By Terri Rupar | April 28, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Private-Federal Competition

*President Bush proposed an initiative in 2001 to force federal employees to compete for their jobs against private contractors. The goal was to decrease costs, even if the work stayed in the government. But critics say this "competitive sourcing" initiative had disappointing results, with morale shaken among civil servants and...

By Terri Rupar | April 25, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: A Different Kind of Bet on Gold

*CytImmune, a Rockville biotech, is betting on nanoparticles of gold to target cancer tumors like a smart bomb, delivering a drug so strong that it has been known to either cause more cancer or shut down the cardiovascular system. Says Lawrence Tamarkin, the company's founder: "No company that I know...

By Terri Rupar | April 24, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Tougher Regulation For Fannie, Freddie?

*Tougher regulation seems to be in the cards for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, after a closed-door meeting last week between senior Treasury officials, the top two members of the Senate Banking Committee and the heads of both mortgage finance companies. It was part of a renewed effort by Treasury...

By Terri Rupar | April 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Brokering Power

It's Monday, which means the Business section focuses on what's local. Fred Malek, chairman of Thayer Capital Partners, at his wall of prized photos from years as a power broker. He's known as a man with a gift for winning trust. (By Bill O'Leary -- The Washington Post) *Fred Malek,...

By Terri Rupar | April 21, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Taxi Meters? Not So Fast.

*The District has said all taxis have to have meters by May 1, but thousands of cabs haven't installed them yet. The Fenty administration says drivers face a $1,000 fine every time they're caught picking up rides without meters after the deadline, but the drivers have avoided putting them in...

By Terri Rupar | April 19, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Deal With Ex-Fannie Executives Near

*The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight was preparing to announce a settlement today with former Fannie Mae chairman and chief executive Franklin D. Raines and two other former executives over administrative charges stemming from the company's misstatement of earnings, according to a source familiar with matter. Raines, former chief...

By Terri Rupar | April 18, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Stand Clear of the Doors

(Metro Photo By Larry Levine) *News for your commute: Metro train operators have been told to manually open car doors after a malfunction made doors open on the wrong side four times in the past 100 days, officials said. There were no injuries to passengers. Separately, area transportation officials...

By Terri Rupar | April 17, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Concerns About Freddie

*The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight said it has "significant supervisory concerns" about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While both mortgage finance companies have been hurt by the problems in the housing market, Freddie's problems run deeper, OFHEO said. Freddie Mac still has some ineffective internal controls, has invested...

By Terri Rupar | April 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Outlook Bright for Solar, Wind Energy Firms

It's Monday, so that means we turn the Business section over to local news: *Last week the Senate agreed to approve tax breaks for solar and wind energy as part of a housing bill that's likely to get the House's okay as well. That's good news for firms like Standard...

By Terri Rupar | April 14, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Changes From Sallie

*Sallie Mae of Reston said it would start charging students who apply for federally backed loans and stop offering loans to consolidate student debt, citing the credit markets as a reason for the change. Starting next month, Sallie will charge fees of $35 to a few hundred dollars to apply...

By Terri Rupar | April 12, 2008; 10:43 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Newseum Opening Today

* For many on the local urban planning scene, the Newseum -- which opens today -- represents a finishing touch on the two-decade transformation of the Penn Quarter neighborhood from a vacant corridor to a thriving downtown hub, featuring blocks of trendy restaurants, galleries and condos. "This is one of...

By Mike Shepard | April 11, 2008; 05:32 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Norovirus, Then Mice

*First, visitors to and employees of Gaylord's National Harbor development got sick with the norovirus. Now, some visitors say they've seen mice in the rooms. Sheldon Suga, general manager of Gaylord National, said that the hotel has hired an "aggressive extermination" company to rid the hotel of mice, which he...

By Terri Rupar | April 10, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Another Deal for HealthExtras

*HealthExtras of Rockville announced a $100 million deal to by HospiScript Services of Alabama, which handles pharmacy services for hospices in 46 states. The deal is the the sixth in eight years for the administrator of prescription benefit-programs. HealthExtras expects the acquisition to push its revenue to about $2.5 billion...

By Terri Rupar | April 9, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Settlement For WR Grace

* Specialty chemical company W.R. Grace agreed to settle outstanding asbestos-related claims with cash, future payments to a victims' trust and 10 million warrants that would allow claimants to buy company stock at a favorable price. The deal, worth about $1.8 billion, would allow W.R. Grace to move forward with...

By Dan Beyers | April 8, 2008; 06:20 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Pope, Local Banks and Hemp

It's Monday, which means we turn the Business section over to local news. A sampling of what's in the section: *There's Pope on a Rope soap, a bobblehead and cologne, as well as T-shirts, commemorative coins and miniature papal flags. These are just some of the souvenirs available in the...

By Terri Rupar | April 7, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Bookstore Troubles

*It used to be the big bookstores vs. the independent bookstores. Now it's all bookstores vs. Amazon.com, Costco and other big-box stores, which offer big discounts on books. "It's only a matter of time before the independents and chains realize they are actually in the battle with them as opposed...

By Terri Rupar | April 5, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Iomai Takes a Step Forward

*Iomai of Gaithersburg got a boost from Merck, which said it would test the drug company's patch that is designed to stimulate a stronger immune-system response to vaccines. The companies didn't say what vaccine they'd use in the testing, to be conducted on animals. See story. * Legislation that would...

By Terri Rupar | April 4, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Second-Best Address Gets Way More Popular

Baseball caps sporting Truman's quip about the hotel are hot sellers. (Photo by Marvin Joseph - The Washington Post *Since the scandal related to then-New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer broke, sales at the Mayflower gift shop - where he supposedly met with a prostitute - have been way...

By Terri Rupar | April 3, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Destination DC

*Washington, D.C. Convention & Tourism Corp. is getting a shorter name, Destination D.C., a new ad campaign and a new Web site. washington.org. The $3 million campaign is the District's biggest ever, and ads will run in magazines such as Gourmet and Conde Nast Traveler and in the Washington area,...

By Terri Rupar | April 2, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Grocery Talks Yield Agreement

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. Here's a sampling of what you'll find in today's Washington Business: * Workers at Giant and Safeway reached a tentative labor agreement with the two grocery store chains over the weekend. Rank-and-file employees are scheduled to vote on the...

By Mike Shepard | March 31, 2008; 07:02 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Grocery Talks Continue

*Giant and Safeway are still in talks with the United Food and Commercial Workers over a new contract; the old one expires at midnight tonight. The union has been rallying public support, and talks are expected to continue through the weekend. *The D.C. rent administrator has rejected a deal between...

By Terri Rupar | March 29, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Lerners and The City

*The Lerners drew on their experience in developing successful malls and office centers in working with the new Nationals stadium. Mark Lerner, son of Bethesda real estate magnate Theodore N. Lerner, who heads the ownership group, said the family's goal was to bring personality to the stadium - and bring...

By Terri Rupar | March 28, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Latinos in Prince William

*The Latino subculture in Prince William County appears to be coming undonet, hurt by the crackdown on illegal immigration and construction downturn. It's hurting the business of local Latino stores and restaurants, as well as other shops such as the 99 Cent Plus in Woodbridge. See story *Maryland Gov. Martin...

By Terri Rupar | March 27, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (4)

Early Briefing: After XM-Sirius, What's Next?

*Columnist Steven Pearlstein is not happy with the Justice Department's approval of the merger between XM and Sirius. He writes: For the past several years, these two companies have been competing so hard for talent, distribution channels and customers that neither has been able to turn a profit, and probably...

By Terri Rupar | March 26, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Region's Venture Capital Growth Lags

On Mondays, we turn the Business pages over to local news. Here's a sample of what you'll find in this morning's Washington Business. *The Washington region has slipped as a destination for venture capital over the past several years, losing ground in the national rankings to faster-growing regions of the...

By Mike Shepard | March 24, 2008; 06:44 AM ET | Email a Comment

Saturday Briefing: Balancing Act

Fruehwirth is one of several consultants in the area who work one-on-one with clients who seek a balance between the demands of career and parenting. (Photo: Sarah L. Voisin -- The Washington Post) *What does Suzanne Cole call the "best money I ever spent"? The $500 she paid Christine...

By Terri Rupar | March 22, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Sandra and Tony Brewer cheer for Georgia, where their son, Troy Brewer, is a freshman guard. (Photo: Kevin Clark -- The Washington Post) *That's my kind of ballgame, anyway: college basketball. Troy Brewer of Georgia got to play, and his father, an executive of Sodexho in Gaithersburg, was there...

By Terri Rupar | March 21, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Lower Bar for Fannie, Freddie

*As expected, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac received permission to decrease the amount of capital they have to hold as a reserve against losses, a step that could help the troubled mortgage market. The two federally chartered finance companies could increase their investment in mortgages by a combined $200 billion,...

By Terri Rupar | March 20, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: A New Day at Sunrise

*Sunrise Senior Living chief executive Paul J. Klaassen is stepping down as chairman, one of several governance changes announced yesterday, two years after the company disclosed accounting irregularities and came under fire for management practices. Sunrise also said Klaassen agreed to pay back his bonuses from 2003 to 2005. He...

By Terri Rupar | March 19, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Goodbye, Produce Galore

Margaret Pendleton, left, says goodbye to longtime customer Evelyn Tanner, who was fond of Produce Galore's soups. The store had offered 400 varieties over the years. (Marvin Joseph/twp - The Washington Post) *The Columbia grocery store was started in 1976 with $1,000 won on a lottery ticket. It sold...

By Terri Rupar | March 15, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Early Briefing: Anatomy Of A Collapse

Carlyle Group founders, from left, Daniel D'Aniello, David Rubenstein and William Conway, saw their $500 million deal to save Carlyle Capital collapse. (By Julia Ewan -- The Washington Post) *Staff writer Tom Heath offers an inside glimpse of Carlyle Group's attempt to save Carlyle Capital before the European fund...

By Terri Rupar | March 14, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Mortgage Firm Employees Under Investigation

*The FBI is investigating whether employees of a now-defunct Northern Virginia mortgage company were involved in what several lawsuits allege was a scheme to steal vacant homes by forging deeds, according to people familiar with the probe. The employees worked for 1st American Mortgage of Vienna, which went out of...

By Terri Rupar | March 13, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Up and Down; Freddie, Ciena, USA Mobility

Freddie Mac (FRE) of McLean had made it off our list of top 10 losers for the year two weeks ago, only to get right back on it last week after losing 22 percent of its value. Shares have lost 44 percent over the past three months and 67...

By Terri Rupar | March 10, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Parenting Inc.

*Enjoy shopping for kids' stuff? Knowledgeable on potty training? Know how to get a baby on a sleep schedule? Maybe there's more in it than you think. Busy, anxious parents are increasingly hiring consultants and other professionals on lactation, childproofing and other topics or pick up products that they don't...

By Terri Rupar | March 8, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Troubles Spread

*One part of the mortgage market seemed okay: mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae of the District and Freddie Mac of McLean. But that doesn't seem to be holding up anymore, with supply growing and prices dropping. See story Those dropping prices may hit another local firm. Carlyle Group runs...

By Terri Rupar | March 7, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: NPR Is Staying

*Lured by tax abatements for the next two decades, NPR will stay in the District instead of moving to Silver Spring. It will build a newsroom in NoMa, on North Capitol Street, transforming a warehouse of the former Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co. The tax deal will save NPR...

By Terri Rupar | March 6, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Sick Leave for All, Except for Some

*Legislation passed in the District that would make employers give their workers paid sick leave. There were a couple of amendments added to the measure that made it more palatable for business. New workers have to wait 12 months before becoming eligible, most health-care workers and wait staff are exempt,...

By Terri Rupar | March 5, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Another Departure

*BioVeris, AstraZeneca and Digene were all bought in 2007. And now another change in Maryland's biotech industry: Celera, founded to map the human genome, said it will move its headquarters to Northern California. About 30 employees will remain in Rockville. See story *Maryland sued Constellation Energy in attempt to force...

By Terri Rupar | March 1, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Development at Metro

*Metro's board of directors approved new rules designed to spur development around Metrorail stations. The focus will be not just on raising cash but on increasing transit-oriented residential and commercial development to encourage Metro ridership and reduce automobile traffic. See story *We posted yesterday on earnings reports, but here is...

By Terri Rupar | February 29, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Mind the District's Gap

*The economic slowdown isn't missing the District; its chief financial officer said the city is facing a projected budget gap of $96 million next year and said more bad news could be on the way. Barbara Lang, president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said businesses would strongly oppose any...

By Terri Rupar | February 28, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Yelp!

*Yelp.com launched in the Washington area last year, and some local business owners are keeping an eye on users' reviews and responding to them. See story *Legislators and higher-education leaders proposed a $5 million state program to try to make Maryland a hub of biotechnology research through awarding research grants...

By Terri Rupar | February 27, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Last Dairy Farm

*Dogwood Farm is Loudoun County's last dairy farm, run by a family who has owned it for generations. In the 1950s, the county had more than 400 dairy farms, but as more people moved into the areas, they left. See story *Dominion Virginia Power said it plans to begin construction...

By Terri Rupar | February 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Liquor Licensing at the National Harbor

*A political struggle over a liquor license for the Gaylord resort at National Harbor could end if the Maryland legislature passes a bill that would impose the state's highest annual liquor licensing fee on a retail establishment there: $20,000. See story *Radio One of Lanham recorded a $404 million write-down...

By Terri Rupar | February 22, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Morning Briefing: Kosher In Potomac

Rabbi Joseph Pinto, center, discusses whether or not a condiment is kosher with Martin Chavez, left, and Richard Tassiello. (Katherine Frey/Post) *Pomegranate Bistro in Potomac opened as the region's newest fully certified kosher restaurant, with an in-house inspector recruited, trained and assigned by the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington.The...

By Terri Rupar | February 21, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Md's Climate Control Rules

*A bill in Maryland that would set up one of the nation's most ambitious sets of controls on carbon dixiode emissions got consideration from the state legislature and endorsement from Gov. Martin O'Malley. But executives worry that the rules would make electricity prices even higher and make the state less...

By Terri Rupar | February 20, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing:

*Mobile-home parks in the Washington area have been replaced by more expensive commercial development over recent years. But a bill in the Maryland legislature would require the county's mobile home park owners to notify residents if they plan to sell, giving residents a chance to make a collective offer to...

By Terri Rupar | February 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Georgetown's Bad Call

*Sometimes refs make bad calls, sometimes it's universities. For Georgetown, it was borrowing through auction-rate securities, says columnist Steven Pearlstein. While the school isn't in immediate financial danger, others who used the securities are. See his column here. *"Nanking," a project produced by Ted Leonsis of AOL and Caps fame,...

By Terri Rupar | February 15, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Sprint's Really Leaving

Part of the old Nextel headquarters in Reston. The campus will now shrink some as headquarters decamps for Kansas. (By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post) *There has been lots of speculation about the dual-headquarters setup of Sprint Nextel since the merger. Yesterday, that came to an end...

By Terri Rupar | February 14, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Dulles Rail "Body Blow"

*Columnist Steven Pearlstein sees the decision not to fund the Dulles rail project as an "economic body blow" to the entire region. He criticizes the decision-making criteria and calls for a Plan B. See column *Lockheed Martin of Bethesda won a 10-year, $1 billion contract to develop what is expected...

By Terri Rupar | February 13, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The 2008 Local Economy Challenge

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. Here's a sample of what's in today's Washington Business: Illustration by Mark Zingarelli for The Washington Post Making predictions about the region's economy during the past few years was a fairly straightforward exercise: count on steady growth across the...

By Mike Shepard | February 11, 2008; 01:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Va. Homestead Exemption May Not Happen

*After lobbying by Virginia's business community, a proposal in the state's legislature that would let local governments give homeowners a break of as much as 20 percent on their real estate assessments may not happen. The homestead exemption would shift the tax buden from homeowners to owners of commercial and...

By Terri Rupar | February 9, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Change at The Post

Katharine Weymouth, niece of Post Co. Chairman Donald E. Graham, has been vice president of advertising. Photo Credit: The Washington Post Photo *The Washington Post Co. is creating a new division that oversees both the newspaper and washingtonpost.com and appointed Katharine Weymouth - granddaughter of Katharine Graham, niece of...

By Terri Rupar | February 8, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Morning Briefing: What's Next for Circuit City?

A sharp drop in the price of flat-panel televisions caused Circuit City to plan sweeping changes. (By Mario Tama -- Getty Images) *Circuit City has cut staff and expenses, and investors are getting antsy. But the Richmond-based chain hopes it can turn it all around with its new, smaller...

By Terri Rupar | February 7, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Gathering Steam For Dulles Rail

*The region's chambers of commerce are mobilizing behind the Dulles rail project, trying to convince federal officials that it's key to the region's economic future. Companies say that too much time is wasted on the road and that it's difficult to attract younger employees. See story Separately, a Federal Transit...

By Terri Rupar | February 6, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Booz Allen Ponders a Split

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. Here's a sampling of what you'll find in today's Washington Business. *Booz Allen Hamilton is considering whether it should split its government and commercial consulting practices. The McLean firm, which pioneered the concept of Organizational DNA, has been in...

By Mike Shepard | February 4, 2008; 06:33 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Under Armour Ad Blitz

*Investors are worried that Under Armour isn't protecting its profit as the company prepares to launch an ad blitz during the Super Bowl. See story *A law that would change the rules of the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund was introduced. Lawmakers say the rules on the fund, which insures vehicles...

By Terri Rupar | February 2, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Rah-Rah! The Gaylord Pep Rally

Would your company do this? At the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Vice President Emily Ellis, center, leads the parade of hotel Stars. (Courtesy Of Gaylord) * Have you chest-bumped your boss today? "Dennis Miller once said, 'If you're 35 years old and you're wearing a plastic tag with your...

By Terri Rupar | February 1, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: CSC Moving Here

*It seems like we've had to talk about companies moving away lately. But yesterday Computer Sciences Corp. said it's officially moving its headquarters from the L.A. area to the D.C. area. Along with that are probably a few hundred employees to add to the 11,000 who are already here. See...

By Terri Rupar | January 31, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: A Look at the Area's Economy

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. In today's Washington Business, we start by taking a closer look at what might lie ahead for the economy, both locally and nationally. * Different visions of the region's economic outlook could be found in the financial results filed...

By Mike Shepard | January 28, 2008; 05:53 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Richard Darman

*Richard G. Darman, the budget director under President George H.W. Bush who persuaded him to go back on "no new taxes," died at the age of 64. He was an adviser at the Carlyle Group of the District and chairman of AES of Arlington. See obituary and appreciation *Washingtonians responded...

By Terri Rupar | January 26, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Dulles Extension All but Dead

*Without dramatic changes, the Metro extension to Dulles International Airport won't get $900 million in federal money that it needs. The extension has been promoted by the region's political and business establishments to ease congestion and promote growth in Virginia. See story *Germantown's MiddleBrook Pharmaceuticals and the Maryland biotech industry...

By Terri Rupar | January 25, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Ripples From The Credit Crunch

*On a day that Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley delivered a State of the State address in which he addressed budget issues and measure to stop foreclosure, local companies announced financial results that showed the effects of the credit crunch in the fourth quarter. Sallie Mae of Reston lost $1.64 billion...

By Terri Rupar | January 24, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Another Stadium For Prince George's?

*As the Nationals' stadium prepares to open, Maryland has decided to spend $75,000 on a feasibility study to look at the economic impact and potential tax benefits of building a home for D.C. United in Prince George's County. See story *CoGenesys of Rockville, which was spun off from Human Genome...

By Terri Rupar | January 23, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: A Conversation With Carlyle's Conway

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. Here's a sampling of what you'll find in this morning's Washington Business: William E. Conway Jr., applying the Carlyle business model, is leveraging his $5 million donation to build hundreds of residences for the homeless in D.C. (By Julia...

By Mike Shepard | January 21, 2008; 06:56 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: State of Maryland Treasury

*In Maryland's first State of the Treasury speech in recent history, state Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) was not cheery. He said recent changes to the state's tax laws could negatively affect an already dire financial outlook coming from factors including the mortgage crisis, instability in financial markets and declining retail...

By Terri Rupar | January 19, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: More Pain at Sallie

*Sallie Mae, hurt by the credit crunch and legislation, is going to lay off about 3 percent of its workforce, or 350 employees. Fourteen of those cuts are coming at its Reston headquarters. See story *Massey Energy of Richmond agreed to pay $20 million largest such fine imposed by the...

By Terri Rupar | January 18, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: English in the Workplace

*Virginia Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II, a Republican from Fairfax County, introduced a proposal that would let a boss fire workers who don't speak English in the workplace. That would make them ineligible for unemployment benefits. "This is the most mean-spirited piece of legislation I have seen in my 30 years...

By Terri Rupar | January 17, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Early Briefing: Carlyle-Booz?

*Carlyle Group of the District is in talks to buy the government business of McLean's Booz Allen Hamilton, which accounts for most of its employees and about half its revenue. See story. If an agreement is reached, the sale price will likely be around $2 billion, the WSJ reported (subscription...

By Terri Rupar | January 16, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Alma Mater of D.C.'s Business Elite

On Mondays, we turn the Business section over to local news. Here's a sampling of what you'll find in today's Washington Business: From left to right, St. John's College High School alumni Kevin Plank, Raul Fernandez, Joe Robert and Jim Kimsey. (Vicky Pombo - For The Washington Post) There's something...

By Mike Shepard | January 14, 2008; 06:18 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Local Effects

*Things aren't looking good these days, and there were local signs yesterday of the struggling economy. Comstock Homebuilding of Reston was upgraded by an analyst, sending its shares up because, the analyst said the company is now less likely to file for bankruptcy. The upgrade came after Comstock sold some...

By Terri Rupar | January 12, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Al Lord's Fights

Albert Lord led the Committee to Restore Value at Sallie Mae, but the stock is selling below $20 a share. (By Larry Morris -- The Washington Post) *Columnist Steven Pearlstein says Sallie Mae chief Al Lord has been a battler most of his career at the student loan giant....

By Terri Rupar | January 11, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Shaq and the Oscars

*Shaquille O'Neal's bid for Oasis Winery in Fauquier County was beaten out by one from real estate agent Casey Margenau. But that deal fell through. Could Shaq make a comeback? See the Reliable Source. *Tammy Cheskis from Anne Arundel County will be one of the people giving away swag at...

By Terri Rupar | January 10, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Meet the CEO of Gaylord

Gaylord Entertainment CEO Colin Reed is greeted by Susan Servin at the Gaylord Texan resort. Reed hopes efforts to build customer loyalty will help sustain the National Harbor project, set to open four months from now. (By William Snyder for The Washington Post) *This week, Washington Business takes a...

By Mike Shepard | January 7, 2008; 12:50 PM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: A Raise

*Under an order signed by President Bush, 336,000 federal employees in the Washington-Baltimore region will receive a 4.49 percent pay raise this year. The average is 3.5 percent. Our representatives in Congress will make $169,300, up from $165,200. Cabinet secretaries will make $191,300, up from $186,600. The vice president's salary...

By Terri Rupar | January 5, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Pearlstein Doesn't Believe

*Columnist Steven Pearlstein just doesn't believe in a housing recovery. He also doesn't believe that the Washington area economy is recession-proof. See column *Due to the gloomy outlook for the county's finances, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett announced a hiring freeze on the 9,400-person workforce under his jurisdiction. Leggett's chief...

By Terri Rupar | January 4, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)

Early Briefing: Wanna Buy The Brooklyn Bridge?

Private firms increasingly see themselves as part of the solution for governments that are looking to complete or repair billion-dollar public works projects, such as the tunnel under the English Channel, but are facing declining tax revenues and a troubled municipal bond market. (Associated Press) *Carlyle Group of the...

By Terri Rupar | January 3, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

New Year's Eve Update: What Lies Ahead in 2008

The champagne is being chilled for tonight's toasts. Resolutions are being made for the new year. In Washington Business, we're spending the last day of 2007 by taking a look at what local companies in six key sectors could face over the next twelve months in a climate of...

By Mike Shepard | December 31, 2007; 02:04 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: The Island of Misfit Gifts

*Liquidity Services of the District is one liquidator, a firm that swoops in and rescues truckloads of returned, damaged and unsold merchandise from retailers and resells it to other merchants, who in turn sell it back to consumers. See story *Thousands of office cleaners in the District, Montgomery County and...

By Terri Rupar | December 29, 2007; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing

*Fannie Mae of the District said the value of its mortgage portfolio fell 15.6 percent in November, to $722 billion from $732.3 billion in October. *Esmark, whose attempt to buy ArcelorMittal's Sparrows Point steel plant for $1.35 billion was terminated this week, said it has found new investors for a...

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2007; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Raines Loses Bid For White House Docs

Investors have accused Franklin D. Raines, former Fannie Mae chairman, of securities fraud. (By Chris Kleponis -- Bloomberg News) *A judge dismissed former Fannie Mae chairman Franklin D. Raines's subpoena of White House records, saying he was not convinced that a search of the records would turn up evidence...

By Terri Rupar | December 21, 2007; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: Lord's Obscenity

CEO Albert Lord said Sallie Mae needs to get into "growth mode." *A conference call with Sallie Mae Chairman Albert Lord came to an unexpectedly quick conclusion after he offered few details about how he plans to achieve goals, few questions were asked and participants heard him utter a...

By Terri Rupar | December 20, 2007; 05:00 AM ET | Email a Comment

Early Briefing: