The Labor Department report showed that even though the economy has slowed under the impact of six interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve, labor markets remain exceptionally healthy. Sprint expanding Lawrence center Sprint PCS plans to more than double the staff at its customer service center in Lawrence, adding 260 jobs by the end of the year. The company said the expansion will bring the number of Sprint employees in Lawrence to 500. But past sell-offs have been smaller. Corn exports to Japan to be tested Corn being shipped to Japan to be used in food will be tested for the presence of StarLink grain, the gene-altered variety that slipped into the U.S. food supply without being approved for human consumption, the Agriculture Department said.
Japan is the largest foreign buyer of U.S. corn.
Presentations will discuss available techniques for providing greater choice and control for employees and consumers over their health plans. Production is expected to begin by next summer and will eventually create 250 to 300 jobs. Etcetera Gabriel Communications of St. Louis and TriVergent Communications of Greenville, S.C., have completed their merger into a company that has more than 19,000 customers in 13 states. Gabriel and TriVergent offer advanced telephone, Web page hosting and high-speed Internet services to businesses. Viacom, the media powerhouse that owns CBS and the MTV and Nickelodeon cable TV channels, is buying BET Holdings.