No headline - 2008-09-18 00:43:05.773671

Rocky staff and wire reports

Published September 18, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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NATIONAL

$100 million in aid for West Coast salmon fishermen

The Bush administration Wednesday released $100 million in disaster relief to West Coast salmon fishermen - $70 million less than the amount Congress approved to help those hurt by the sudden collapse of the Pacific Coast salmon industry.

Of the initial $100 million, about $63 million will go to California, $25 million to Oregon and $12 million to Washington, officials said. The breakdown is based on the projected economic impacts of the fishing shutdown in each state.

REFINANCING More than 1,200 homeowners with mortgages from failed IndyMac Bank are participating in the government's effort to refinance the loans and stem the tide of foreclosures, and that number is expected to rise dramatically.

DISCOVERY'S GROWTH PLANS Discovery Communications Inc., owner of cable television's Discovery Channel, plans to seek acquisitions once it becomes a separate public company, Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav said.

Discovery begins trading today on the Nasdaq Stock Market after the agreement by John Malone's Discovery Holding Co. and Advance/ New house Communications to combine stakes in a new company.

JOB CUTS Federal-Mogul, a Southfield, Mich.-based auto supplier, says it's cutting its work force by 4,000 jobs, or 8 percent, because of a tough automotive market.

LOCAL

Dohm-Icebox moving to Longmont to work closely with retailers

Dohm-Icebox LLC, a maker of knitted hats and accessories, is moving its 12-person operation and knitting shop from Boulder to 1111 Delaware Ave. in Longmont, a building it purchased earlier this year.

It bought the 5,568-square-foot property that previously was home to Owl Technical for $425,000, according to county assessor records.

The 14-year-old company decided to relocate the operation to work closely with retailers that are within walking distance, Scott Baker, Dohm-Icebox's chief financial officer, said.

STAY REQUEST Regulators have asked a judge to extend an order staying depositions of four former Qwest executives in a civil lawsuit that alleges that actions of former Qwest CEO Joseph Nacchio and others allowed Qwest Communications International Inc. to improperly report revenue.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said it requested the 90-day extension Wednesday so that Nacchio could not use information from depositions in any criminal trials.

EXEC LEAVING Scott Maierhofer, co-president at Green Manning & Bunch, said he plans to leave the investment banking firm at the end of the year to pursue opportunities as a principal in acquisitions, growth financings and private equity.

"My seven years with GMB have been tremendous, and I will continue to have a close relationship with the firm in my new endeavors," Maierhofer said. "I have reached a point in my career at which I am excited for a new challenge, and I have a desire to be involved as a principal, investor and board member."

XCEL HEATING BILLS Xcel Energy on Wednesday projected heating bills in December would increase 12 percent for Colorado customers from a year ago. The projections reflect an expected increase in the market price of natural gas locally and expected normal winter weather patterns.

Typical residential customers are expected to pay $151.71 in December, compared with $135.18 in December 2007, while typical small-business customers are expected to pay $698.53 in December, compared with $622.14 in the same month a year earlier. Next month, typical residential customers are expected to pay $44.08, compared with $33.87 in October 2007.

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