For tires, to air is to err: Nitrogen improves mileage
Topsham, Maine – Many motorists seeking to improve their mileage as gas prices soar this summer are examining everything – right down to the air in their tires. And for a growing number, plain old air isn’t good enough.
George Bourque of Fairfield is driving around on tires filled with pure nitrogen, the stuff that NASCAR racers use.
Bourque, an engineer, said he has seen an improvement of 1 to 1.5 miles per gallon since he began filling his tires with nitrogen, touted as maintaining tire pressure longer and resisting heat buildup on hot summer days.
Nitrogen has been used for years in the tires of race cars, large commercial trucks, aircraft and even the space shuttle.
But it is finding its way into the mainstream at a growing number of tire dealers – including Costco Wholesale. Nationwide, fewer than 10 percent of tire dealers offer nitrogen, but the number is growing, said Bob Ulrich, editor of Modern Tire Dealer magazine in Akron, Ohio. Most dealers charge $2 to $5 per tire for the nitrogen fill-up, he said. Dealers generally offer free lifetime refills.
LONDON
Report: Cops probing Anschutz-Brit meeting
Britain’s Scotland Yard is investigating whether Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott broke anti-corruption laws by visiting Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz’s ranch last year, according to British media reports Monday.
Anschutz is vying to build a casino for London’s Millennium Dome. Parliamentary members from opposition parties claim Prescott and Anschutz may have improperly discussed a license for the casino to be awarded by the British government. Prescott has denied wrongdoing, and Anschutz has declined to comment, according to the reports.
DENVER
Molson Coors vying for Canada’s Sleeman
Molson Coors is one of four companies bidding on Sleeman Breweries in Canada, Canadian media reported Monday.
Molson Coors, with headquarters in Denver and Montreal, declined to comment about a possible purchase.
No. 3 Canadian brewer Sleeman said in May it was looking for a buyer. InBev’s Labatt Brewing Co., Grolsch and Sapporo also are expected to bid on Sleeman, according to an analyst report from Stifel Nicolaus.
DOUGLAS COUNTY
Time Warner Telecom revenue grows 9%
Time Warner Telecom said Monday it saw 9 percent revenue growth in the second quarter of 2006, compared with the same period a year earlier.
The Douglas County-based telephone-network company reported $191.3 million in revenue with a net loss of $40.4 million in the second quarter. Data and Internet revenue was up $11.5 million year over year.
BROOMFIELD
Ball Aerospace splits defense unit
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. announced Monday it has split its defense-operations unit into two business units.
Ball established National Defense Solutions, which combines the company’s space-hardware capabilities and systems- engineering expertise, and the Advanced Technologies & Products business unit, which will focus on the company’s core-technology and product capabilities.
LAKEWOOD
Resorts make green progress, report finds
The Lakewood-based National Ski Areas Association on Monday released its sixth Sustainable Slopes Annual Report, detailing the ski industry’s progress in implementing the principles of its Environmental Charter over the past season.
On top of significant drops in carbon-dioxide emissions, it found that resorts are conserving more water in snowmaking and using less electric energy per skier visit.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Collections center slated to open
Accounts Receivable Management Inc., a receivable-management firm based in Thorofare, N.J., announced Monday it would open a collections center in Colorado Springs in the Chapel Hills Atrium, 1125 Kelly Johnson Blvd.
The center is scheduled to open in September with 50 employees. Plans call for 100 employees in the near future.
DENVER
Vail set to announce environment initiative
Vail Resorts Inc. said Monday it will announce a major environmental initiative at a news conference this morning at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, Gov. Bill Owens and industry experts are expected to participate.
ST. LOUIS
Seven plead not guilty in Net-gaming probe
Seven defendants named in a federal indictment of one of the world’s largest online gambling companies, BetOnSports, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal racketeering and mail- and wire-fraud charges.
Neil Kaplan and Lori Kaplan Multz, brother and sister of BetOnSports founder Gary Kap lan, were among those pleading not guilty to a 22-count indictment.
The government says Bet- OnSports fraudulently took billions of dollars in wagers from U.S. residents without paying excise taxes.
SMITHFIELD, Va.
Smithfield Foods buys ConAgra meat unit
Smithfield Foods Inc., the largest global hog producer and pork processor, said Monday it agreed to acquire most assets of the branded-meats business of ConAgra Foods Inc. for about $575 million in cash and stock.
The brands include Armour, Butterball, Eckrich, Margherita, Longmont and LunchMakers.
DENVER
Frontier CEO’s salary disclosed
Frontier Airlines chief executive Jeff Potter made a base salary of $295,000 in the fiscal year ended in March and $11,573 in other compensation. He also received $100,299 in restricted stock awards and 50,402 stock- appreciation rights with a present value of $321,827.
He and other executives received no bonus because the company was not profitable.
WASHINGTON
Government auctions $32 billion in T-bills
The Treasury Department auctioned $17 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 4.975 percent and an additional $15 billion in six-month bills at a rate of 4.975 percent.
