LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“All in all, the labor market is gradually healing.”
Ryan Sweet,
a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc.
Article, 1D
Disability advocates sue Wal-Mart
SAN FRANCISCO - Disability-rights advocates filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., claiming the retail giant refuses to make payment machines accessible to customers who use wheelchairs and scooters.
The plaintiffs allege that Bentonville-based Wal-Mart knowingly placed point-of-sale terminals beyond the reach of disabled customers at many of its more than 200 stores in California - in violation of state law and the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act.
The lack of accessible payment devices makes it difficult or impossible for disabled customers to independently pay for goods with a credit or debit card, according to the lawsuit.
“Wal-Mart should be an industry leader, not a defender of discrimination,” plaintiff’s attorney Bill Lann Lee said. “Pointof-sale machines are the wave of the future in American retail.
They should be accessible, convenient and secure to use for all customers.”
Wal-Mart spokesman Ashley Hardie could not comment on the lawsuit itself, but she said the company is committed to serving customers with disabilities.
“Our goal is that every point-of-sale machine be accessible within the regulations of the [Americans with Disabilities Act] and California law,” she said.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco by the Berkeley-based Center for Independent Living and two disabled individuals.
Mortgage rate dips to record 3.49%
WASHINGTON - The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell again, this time dropping below 3.50 percent for the first time on records dating back 60 years.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan declined to 3.49 percent. That’s down from 3.53 percent last week and the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.
The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, dipped to 2.80 percent. That’s below the previous record of 2.83 percent set last week.
The rate on the 30-year loan has fallen to or matched record-low levels in 13 of the past 14 weeks.
Cheaper mortgages have helped drive a modest but uneven housing recovery this year.
The average does not include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.7 point, unchanged from last week. The fee for 15-year loans rose to 0.7 point from 0.6 the previous week.
LR native to lead UPS Store network
Little Rock native Tim Davis has been named president of operations for The UPS Store network after serving as vice president since 2009. He joined UPS in 2002 as vice president of technology and also has been the vice president/general manager of iShip Inc., a UPS subsidiary.
“Since joining the company 10 years ago, Tim has demonstrated his ability to help The UPS Store network meet its operational objectives and grow the business by better serving our customers and franchisees,” Myron Gray, UPS president of U.S. operations, said in a statement.
A graduate of Little Rock Catholic High School, Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from The Citadel, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Tulsa. Before joining The UPS Store franchise network, he held a variety of leadership positions for Connect-Ship Inc. (formerly TanData Corp.), including vice president of operations and sales.
Davis, based in San Diego, is replacing Stuart Mathis, who announced his retirement last week.
Business, Pages 30 on 07/27/2012