NewsFeeds 12.1.09

Developer says Cambria Suites hotel project is back on track (Roanoke Times)
The latest update suggests that the oft-delayed Cambria Suites hotel under construction since May 2007 on Reserve Avenue could open during the average Roanoker’s lifetime.

Food stamp applications up in county (Daily Progress)
Job losses, pay cuts and tough economic times are the likely factors behind a nearly 41 percent increase in the number of people applying for and receiving food stamps in Albemarle County, officials say.

Surviving patent process requires patience, money (Freelance Star)
There’s a reason, in short, why patent lawyers also have a degree in engineering or a science and have to pass a special federal patent bar exam in addition to a state bar.

The Latest Entrepreneurial Fantasy Is Selling Cupcakes (NY Times)
Move over restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts. A new fantasy seems to have taken hold for people who long to own their own business: the cupcakery.

Rethinking Holiday Perks (WSJ)
Many small-business owners are getting creative when it comes to rewarding employees and clients this holiday season, as the economy forces companies to eliminate traditional year-end perks.

Next Little Thing 2010 (Fortune)
Wireless electricity. Invisible speakers. A mind-reading headset. See what’s coming in 2010.