Denver – The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Thursday it is seeking a $145,000 fine against Arapahoe Utilities & Infrastructure Inc. of Englewood for unsafe working conditions that injured three workers.
One employee suffered a broken pelvis and another received bruises after an excavation wall collapsed during the installation of a wastewater pipe in August. A week later, on the same job, an employee’s arm was broken after being struck by a 54-inch steel pipe being lowered into the excavation.
Additional business news briefs:
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va.
Oil, gas wells acquired in Wattenberg Field
Bridgeport, W.Va.-based Petroleum Development Corp. has acquired 28 producing wells and associated undeveloped acreage in the Wattenberg Field of Weld County for $11.8 million.
The acquisition currently produces 520,000 cubic feet of gas and 25 barrels of oil per day. The site has 19.1 billion cubic feet of proved reserves.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE
Fourth quarter sizzles at Red Robin eateries
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., a Greenwood Village-based restaurant chain, said Thursday that fourth-quarter profit rose 59 percent, bolstered by a class-action settlement and restaurant performance.
Net income rose to $8.82 million, or 53 cents a share, from $5.53 million, or 33 cents a share, a year earlier, Red Robin said in a statement. Revenue rose 41 percent to $163.8 million.
LOS ANGELES
Managers named for Fox-Anschutz project
News Corp.’s Fox Filmed Entertainment group and Philip Anschutz’s Walden Media named managers to help run their Fox- Walden moviemaking venture.
The venture named Jason Rein as creative content director. Rein will report to Eric Alan, who was named senior vice president for creative advertising. Heather Johnson Phillips was appointed senior vice president for publicity.
The venture, started in August, will make films similar to Walden’s “Chronicles of Narnia,” produced with Walt Disney Co.
AURORA
Parade of Homes opens doors in July
The 2007 Parade of Homes will be held July 28 through Labor Day at Southshore, just east of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road in Aurora.
The event features five new custom homes built by Hollyberry Homes of Parker; John Laing Homes of Denver; Remarc Homes of Greenwood Village; Rocky Mountain Custom Homes of Littleton; and Village Homes of Arapahoe County.
Builders are encouraged to use innovative construction, architectural design and landscaping.
All homes must be certified Built Green.
DENVER
MarkWest exploring sale, restructuring
MarkWest Hydrocarbon Inc. announced that it has appointed an independent committee of its board of directors to review a possible sale to, business combination with, or other restructuring involving MarkWest Energy Partners LP.
Shares of MarkWest Hydrocarbon closed Thursday at $61.30, up $3, or 5.2 percent. MarkWest Energy shares rose $2.84, or 4.6 percent, to close at $64.94.
HARRISBURG, Pa.
Harley-Davidson pact ends 3-week strike
Unionized workers at Harley- Davidson Inc.’s largest manufacturing plant overwhelmingly approved a new labor agreement Thursday, ending a strike that halted motorcycle production for three weeks.
Eighty-three percent of those who voted endorsed the contract, which calls for a 12 percent wage increase over three years, the union said. Starting wages for new employees will be lower, but they will be able to advance to the same rate earned by longer-term employees.
BURBANK, Calif.
Disney set to order 2 new ocean liners
Walt Disney Co., the world’s largest theme-park operator, plans to purchase two ocean liners to more than double its cruise-line business.
The 122,000-ton ships are scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, Burbank, Calif.-based Disney said Thursday in a statement. Each will have 1,250 staterooms.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
SABMiller to unveil lime-flavored beer
SABMiller Plc will add a new low-calorie lime-flavored beer in the U.S. aimed at women and expand imports of its Italian brew Peroni Nastro Assurro to Latin America in an effort to win drinkers from rivals such as Anheuser-Busch Cos.
Miller Chill, a beer with a hint of lime and salt, will be introduced in March.
WASHINGTON
United’s staffing dips; Frontier’s takes off
United Airlines had about 52,000 full-time-equivalent employees in December, down from 54,000 in December 2005, according to a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Meanwhile, Denver-based Frontier Airlines’ workforce has grown to about 5,000 full-time- equivalent employees, from about 4,000 in December 2005.
U.S. airlines had 1.1 percent fewer employees in December, compared with a year ago.
OMAHA
Salmonella found in recalled peanut butter
ConAgra Foods Inc., the third- largest U.S. food company, said a state testing lab in Iowa confirmed the presence of salmonella in peanut butter the company recalled this month.
