Iphone Moves to Third-Largest Mobile Phone Brand

From NPD:

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, April 28, 2011 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, in the first quarter (Q1) of this year Apple's mobile phone sales reached 14 percent of the U.S. market. Apple outranked HTC, Motorola and RIM as the third-largest handset brand in the U.S., behind Samsung at 23 percent and LG at 18 percent. After launching on Verizon's network in February, Apple's iPhone 4 further solidified its position as the top-selling mobile phone in the U.S., while iPhone 3GS, Motorola Droid X, HTC EVO 4G, and HTC Droid Incredible rounded out NPD's top-five mobile phone handset ranking. Unit sales of smartphones increased 8 percent in Q1 compared to the previous quarter; however, total handset unit sales fell 1 percent.

"Apple and Verizon had a very successful launch of the iPhone 4, which allowed the iPhone to expand its market share that was previously held back by its prolonged carrier exclusivity with AT&T," said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD. "While some of that growth came at the expense of Android operating system (OS), Android models still accounted for half of all smartphones sold in the quarter.”

Oil Prices Drive Down GDP Growth

GDP grew at 1.8% (annualized) in the first 3 months of 2011.  That’s down from the 3.1% annual pace last quarter.  Analysts suggest rising gas prices and winter weather were factors in the slowdown.

(My February post on oil prices is here.)

From the Washington Post:

Economic growth slowed at the start of the year, weighed down by higher oil prices and lower government spending, according to new data that lays bare the challenging climb the United States faces in trying to emerge from its long period of weakness.

Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity, rose at a 1.8 percent annual rate in the January through March period, down sharply from the 3.1 percent pace of growth in the final quarter of last year. Economists had forecast 2 percent growth.

Indeed, the growth rate in the first quarter, if sustained, would be too weak to bring down unemployment meaningfully. The economy must grow at a 2.5 percent or so rate just to create enough jobs to accommodate a growing population and more efficient workers.

The full article is here.

March Revenues Up Vs 2010

1% Sales tax revenues in Neosho were up 8.26% in March compared to one year ago.  For the year, the 1% sales tax is trending 0.92% LOWER than one year ago.

Total 1% Sales Tax revenues for the first seven months of the fiscal year stand at $1,143,653.89.

Missouri Tax Revenues Up Thru Q3 2011

From the Columbia Missourian:

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri's tax revenues are up 6.5 percent with only one-quarter of the budget year to go.

Figures released Monday by the state Office of Administration show the growth was fueled by stronger individual and corporate income tax collections than during the 2010 fiscal year. A decline in tax refunds also has contributed to the growth in state revenues.

State sales taxes have remained relatively flat through the first nine months of the fiscal year, even though they declined by 5.7 percent in March compared with the same month last year.

Individual income tax collections were up 6 percent in March while corporate income and franchise tax collections rose 8.4 percent compared with March 2010.

Bad Translations

Here's a great translation I found in the shower in Anji.

Neosho R-5 Receives State Award for Professional Development

From the Joplin Globe:

NEOSHO, Mo. — The R-5 district has received the 2011 Commissioner’s Award for High Quality Professional Development.

“We’re proud,” said Alma Stipp, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. “It was a group effort.”
The state award recognizes the district’s efforts to improve the personal and career-related development of its faculty and staff as a means to bolster student achievement.

Stipp said the district’s focus on professional development began five years ago, when it developed a plan that centered on an initiative to help students in poverty. Since then, the district has brought in people from a national organization — the Highlands, Texas-based Aha! Process Inc., which seeks to improve poverty levels through the education system — to coach faculty and staff on how to reach those students.

“We trained large groups of our staff on different strategies for teaching and good practices we need to understand in order to meet our students’ needs,” she said.

The district was presented the award last week by the state Commissioner of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Missouri Staff Development Council at an annual conference in Branson. District officials will formally announce their receipt of it at their monthly Board of Education meeting.

The board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the library reference room of Neosho Junior High School.

(Blogger's note:  Great Job Alma!)

PPI/CPI Up In February

The PPI for finished goods increased 1.6% in February.  That follows a rise of 0.9% in December and marks the largest increase in finished goods prices since a 1.9% advance in June 2009. 

The CPI increased 0.4% in January.  Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.6% before seasonal adjustment.  Large increases were seen in grocery and energy.  Food increases were the largest in over 2 years.

Intermediate goods prices (prices paid by manufacturers) moved up 2.0% in February. 

Unadjusted, finished goods advanced 5.6% for the 12 months ended February 2011, the largest 12-month increase since a 5.9% rise in March 2010.

You can view the latest reports here.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ppi.pdf

February Housing Down…Again

From the Economics and Statistics Administration:

Building permits in February 2011 were 517,000, down 8.2% from January and down 20.5% from February 2010. Housing starts were 479,000 in February 2011, down 22.5% from the prior month and down 20.8% from the prior year.

$65K Will Get you 45 (days)

From today’s Joplin Globe:

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Former long-time Carthage city worker Amy Harrison pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $65,000 in city court funds on Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court.

As part of a plea agreement, Circuit Judge Gayle Crane sentenced her to 45 days in jail, after suspending a 10-year prison sentence and placing her on five years of probation.

Assistant prosecutor Kimberly Fisher said it appears all the city’s loss calculated at $64,682 will be covered by an insurance bond, so the state is not requesting restitution. But, if any of the amount is not covered, Harrison will be expected to cover that amount, as part of the plea agreement.

Harrison was represented by Charles Genesio, and was accompanied to court on Monday by her mother and two children.

Police Chief Greg Dagnan was in court along with Randee Kaiser, assistant chief, said the investigation showed Harrison “made a concentrated effort” to hide the theft by falsifying reports and shifting money between court funds

Water Service Restored

Water service has been restored.

Known Water Issue

City crews are working to address the low water pressure issue in parts of Neosho. More information as it becomes available.

Local Pilots Suffer Crash in Texas

Local airshow performers Kyle and Amanda Franklin were reportedly injured in a crash yesterday while performing in Brownsville, TX.  The couple is based at the Neosho Municipal Airport. 

As a sponsor of their airshow act, I’ve gotten to know them both over the past few months.  They are a great couple and great aviators.  My prayers go out to them and I hope they will be back in the skies together soon.

Neosho March Sales Taxes Receipts Decline

Neosho’s March sales tax receipts were DOWN just over 21% compared to the same time last year.  That follows an increase of 26% last month vs. the same time a year ago.  For the first half of the year, Neosho’s 1% general sales tax revenues are DOWN 2.62% compared with the previous year – or about $25,500.

The last time sales tax revenues were this low was in 2007.

(This data reflects sales tax receipts which are paid to the city during the first week of each month.  Tax receipts to the city typically lag several weeks from when the taxes are collected and remitted to the state by businesses.)

Hannibal to Build New Airport Terminal Building

(From the Quincy Herald –Whig)

The City of Hannibal is one step closer to having a new terminal at the Hannibal Regional Airport (KHAE).

The finalized terminal plans include a pilot's lounge with kitchenette and sleeping area, a lobby, a conference room, restrooms, areas for flight instruction, offices for the fixed base operator (FBO) and other amenities.

"It seems to me like a functional building, and the architect has put some of his gingerbread on it to make it eye-pleasing and an amenity out there," Rees said. "When people land their plane and first walk in Hannibal's doors, they (will) see something nicer."

Barron Aviation will experience something nicer, as well. The main hangar currently serves as the airport's hub and offices.

"This will give an actual terminal for people, a presentable place for businessmen and politicians and people who come and go at the airport," Barron said.

The new facilities will run about $1.2 million, funded by Missouri Department of Transportation aviation dollars, a federal grant matching that amount and a city match.

Federal money also will fund the access road and parking lot.

The full article is here.

MIAA Women's Quarter Finals

MIAA basketball continues from the Kansas City Municipal Arena. Northwest leads Truman 33-31 at halftime. MSSU Lady Lions play at 2:30pm against Pittsburg State.

Go Lions!

Neosho City Census Information

If you haven’t seen the final figures, the census data for Neosho came out as follows:

Neosho’s population increased from 10,505 in 2000 to 11,835 in 2010.  The increase of 1,330 equates to 12.7%

The link for all of Missouri is here.

Globe Opinion on Downtown Works for Neosho, Too.

Below is an opinion article – I suppose from the editorial staff at the Joplin Globe.  They are commenting on the revitalization efforts for Joplin’s downtown area.  If you haven’t been downtown lately, it’s worth the trip.  And it goes to show you that a revitalized downtown, even if it’s different than 50 years ago, is still a good thing for a community.

Our view: New face, new life

The Joplin Globe Mon Feb 28, 2011, 07:35 AM CST

Downtown Joplin is getting a new face and a new life.

Just consider what has been happening to what was once the major business district of the city.

There is a lot of activity with the partnership of public and private investment tied to a “buy-in” of a back-to-the-past theme by building owners and tenants.

That represents a shift of momentum from the 1960s and 1970s when the birth of shopping centers and malls seemed to be the only game in town. We think there’s room and a big need for both.

The staple of the “new look” downtown has been the transformation of the former Newman’s Building on the southwest corner of Sixth and Main streets into a City Hall. Just across the street, apartments can be found in the former Frisco Building, which once housed a train depot, medical offices and businesses.

While the hustle and bustle that once was prevalent along Main Street during the 1940s and 1950s may never be recaptured, downtown Joplin is reclaiming its place as a viable economic entity. All that was needed was proper packaging.

Time can’t be rolled back. The thousands of shoppers who daily flocked downtown in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s may never return in such numbers. But it is obvious that the old business district still has life and can generate economic excitement and dollars for Joplin.

NY Times Vindication

Great timing I guess!  Last night, the NY Times posted this article (and it’s in print today) regarding oil prices and the impact on the economy.  It mirrors (with much more detail) my post yesterday on that subject.

The article is here.

Economic Signs Remain Mixed – Oil is a Concern

I continue to track a number of economic indicators and statistics.  Today’s announcement that new single-family home sales were down 18.6% over last years already low rate reinforces the weakness our economy is experiencing.  Initial jobless claims are still averaging 402,000.  Durable good orders in January (excluding transportation) were down 3.6%.

Overall, signs are mixed at best and short-term optimism isn’t growing. 

Now enter the middle-east turmoil and upward pressures on oil.  It’s not a pretty picture.  Higher prices on gasoline will only worsen the economic picture as fewer dollars will remain to purchase other goods and services.

Not good news.

Pseudoephedrine Bill Moves Forward

The Joplin City Council voted 8-1 last night to advance a bill aimed to curb access to certain over-the-counter (OTC) drugs used in the manufacture of meth.  The bill would require a prescription for any drug containing pseudoephedrine.  Those drugs are currently required to be behind the counter and purchased with an ID, but do not require a doctor’s note.  The bill would only apply to purchases within the city limits of Joplin.

The council is expected to have a 2nd/3rd reading on the bill at their next council meeting.