Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Money talks, Sonics walk 4/19/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, April 19, 2008 Business briefs Crocs users warned of hazard Japan has instructed the maker of Denver-based Crocs to alter the design of the footwear after complaints that small children wearing the colorful plastic clogs have had their feet injured on escalators. Similar complaints have come from the United States as well. The Washington Metro -- one of the nation's largest transit systems -- has even posted ads warning about such shoes on its moving stairways. FAA heightens inspection alerts The Federal Aviation Administration is going to begin alerting its top headquarters officials when field inspectors miss airline safety inspections, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced Friday. Last week, American grounded its MD-80 jetliners and canceled 3,100 flights in order to inspect or redo wiring that was supposed to have been completed earlier. Wendy's Corp. shuns buyers? A key shareholder of Wendy's International Inc. says the third-largest hamburger chain has rejected two offers to buy the chain and that he wants a special shareholder meeting to discuss the company's future. Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Partners said Friday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is concerned about the future of Wendy's. Wendy's declined to comment on Friday. Book reader back at Amazon Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle has arrived. Again. Amazon's $399 electronic book reader debuted in November but sold out almost immediately. Since then, Amazon has been bullish about customer demand but has declined to reveal how many back orders it has taken for the device. Now, the Web retailer appears to have sorted out its supply chain and manufacturing holdups. Not only is the Kindle back in stock online, it was the sole subject of Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos' annual letter to shareholders. In the letter, filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bezos trumpeted the Kindle's advantage as a "purpose-built reading device". Bezo's 2007 pay just like 2006 Despite a blockbuster year in which Amazon.com Inc.'s profit more than doubled, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos's compensation was unchanged from the prior year. Bezos received a salary of $81,840 for 2007. In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday, the company said its executive salaries are "designed to be significantly less than those paid by similarly situated companies." His compensation also included $1.2 million for personal security beyond what is provided at business facilities and for business travel -- the same amount as in 2006. He was offered a bonus or stock options. From Herald news services

1. Emory’s owner fears fire was arson 2. Monroe honking case makes it to state Supreme Court 3. Vatican ponders the souls in space 4. 81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored in Snohomish 5. Hope dims that Olympics will boost region 6. Student hit in crosswalk to return 7. Smokey Point to celebrate end of roadwork 8. Death on Edmonds waterfront ruled a suicide 9. Help for young moms may continue 10. Semifinal slate sealed on ‘Dancing With Stars’ 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Bazaar Fever • Hawks proud of historic season • Olson always put Edmonds first • Honoring student veterans • ‘Wheedle' author comes to Lynnwood bookshop • Mavs build early lead en route to easy win • Prep football games of the week (state playoffs) • Tears of laughter, tears of grief • Death on Edmonds beach likely a suicide • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million