The Illinois Business Journal

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
October 2006 issue - Vol.7, No.1, 32 pages

We Mean Business. Illinois Business.

MidAmerica, Lambert both chasing air cargo
By KERRY L. SMITH

UPS, located on the east end of Lambert St. Louis International Airport's air cargo operation, is one of its largest tenants. Although the airport is in the process of developing additional acreage to the north for cargo, airport reps say it's mainly to provide more space for existing carriers.

Although Lambert St. Louis International Airport is actively engaged with a Missouri developer to enhance a 76-acre tract just north of the airfield partially for the purpose of expanding its existing cargo presence, Lambert says MidAmerica St. Louis Airport has no reason to fear its first cargo success will be threatened by a duplication in business strategy.
On Sept. 12, the St. Clair County Public Building Commission - the entity governing operations at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah - approved a long-term lease that made Trade Zone Partners, a St. Louis-based corporation, the anchor tenant in MidAmerica's $8 million, 50,000-square-foot cargo facility. Trade Zone Partners - an alliance of Missouri hauler [continue]

PRIDE launching center for minority contractors
By ALAN J. ORTBALS

   PRIDE of St. Louis Inc. is working to open a business incubator for minority contractors, according to Terry Nelson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Carpenters' District Council of Greater Saint Louis and Vicinity. The organization has secured space and is in the process of hiring an executive director and administrative assistant. Nelson says the incubator should be operational by Nov. 1.
   PRIDE was founded in 1972 to foster communication and cooperation among St. Louis area AFL-CIO construction craft workers, contractors, construction buyers, architects, engineers and suppliers.
   Nelson said he brought the idea up at a labor-management committee meeting a few months ago. He said he was tired of seeing "diversity" on the agenda all the time and no one doing anything about it.
   "We're a racist community," Nelson said. "We are what we are. Accept it. Don't try to ignore it; don't try to deny it. Accept it. We're a racist, segregated community. Either continue doing what we're doing, or try to [continue]

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Critics pan proposal to raise minimum wage to nation's second highest

By ALAN J. ORTBALS

   While the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour hasn't increased in nine years, the state of Illinois has enacted its own increases going to $5.50 per hour in January 2004 and up to $6.50 per hour in January 2005.
   In his campaign for re-election, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has called for an additional increase to $7.50 per hour, which would make Illinois' rate second only to the state of Washington.
   According to Andrew Ross, spokesman for Blagojevich, raising the minimum wage is part of raising the overall economic well being of the state.
   "I think the numbers really tell the story," Ross said. "Since January 2004, Illinois has gained more than 150,000 new jobs, which is more than any other Midwest state. The total number of jobs created this year alone is more than 75,000 new jobs, which is [continue]

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