NewsFeeds 11.05.09

Insurer: Premiums will soar without stiffer penalty (Daily Press)
Premiums for most Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield customers in Virginia will go up if the proposed health-care reform package being considered by the Senate is put into place, the insurance company said Wednesday.

Gene Walters, longtime supermarket executive, dies at 86 (Virginian-Pilot)
An Indiana native who lived in Virginia Beach, Walters started the Gene Walters’ Marketplace chain after being let go as chief executive of Farm Fresh in 1987, when it had become the region’s biggest grocery chain.

County deficit ‘is getting worse’ (Daily Progress)
Albemarle County faces even worse financial troubles than officials anticipated only weeks ago. A projection released Wednesday puts the county’s budget shortfall at $5.7 million, $1 million worse than October projections.

Fed stands by rock-bottom interest rates for near future (Washington Post)
Federal Reserve leaders are sticking with their policy of very low interest rates for some time to come, they indicated Wednesday, but gave new details of the factors they will use to decide when to change course.

Even Laundries Tumble in This Economic Cycle (WSJ)
Yet in a measure of the potency of this particular downturn, some coin laundries are closing, and many others are battling sales declines. Job loss and economic woe are forcing Americans to cut back even on their laundry costs, either by using the home equipment of friends or relatives or by wearing items multiple times between washes. Even urban flight and reverse migration due to economic hardship appear to be agitating the industry.

How to Track Customers With CRM Tools (Inc.)
How SugarCRM and Zoho, two of the best free CRM software programs, stack up. (Look for a BizSense Tech Review later in the month on one of these).

The Oddest Odd Jobs of the Recession (TheStreet.com)
Some hint at the new directions many companies are moving in, while others are just plain weird. These may not be as glamorous as being the caretaker of a paradise island. My favorite is #4.