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Show Page D-6 heSatt Lake Tribune BUSINESS MI BUSINESS GLANCE/D-8 MNYSE/D-8 @ NASDAQ/D.9 @ MUTUALS/D-10 @ DILBERT/D-12 TECH CONNECTION Is personalprivacy a thing of the past?/D-8 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY6,1999 US. Job Picture Stays at 4.3% in Janu :Market a redieators Dow Industrials Unemployment rate matches December,still at 28-year low NYSE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ; S&P500 WASHINGTON — The nation’s unemploymentrate held at a 28-year low of 4.3 percent in January with NASDAQ _ retailers, financial and real estate firms and construction companies all reporting job gains. The seasonally adjusted rate matched the level | achieved in December andlast April, and before that in 1970, the Labor Department said Friay. Employers added 245,000 jobs to their payrolls — nearly 100,000 more than projected by economists — Utah's lop peice TheBloomberg Utah Index measuresthe on top of 298,000 in December. The report shows the U.S. economy entering the new year with considerable momentum after growing during thefinal three months of 1998 at thefastest rate in 21years. It could raise questions in financial markets about stock performance of the state's majorpublicly howmuch longerthe Federal Reserve canresist raising held companies Stocks ended lower as technology issues continued to slide Dipin Pacificorp Shares Casting Doubt on Buyout Pacificorp shares are trading 17 percentless than the value of Scottish ‘Power's buyoutbid, indicating that ‘investors doubt the $11.8 billion ac- en will be completed, analysts y "Scottish Power's stock bid is now valued at $23.24 a shareto Pacificorp Shareholders, based on the closing price Friday, Shares in Pacificorp, which supplieselectricity to more than 600,000 customersin Utah, have dropped6 percentsince the acquisi- tion was announced Dec.7. Theyfell 19 cents to $19.25 Friday, Bloomberg Newsreported The two companies must win approval to merge from state and federal regulators in the United States. The difficulties now appear greater ‘than Scottish Powerfirst estimated whenthe bid was announced. Utahlegislators, for example, have ‘introducedbills that would require ‘the buyoutto be approvedbythe governorand the state Legislature. “The Utah bills create more uncertainty that this deal will get done.” said Michael Worms, an analyst at Gerard Klauer Mattison, who has a “hold” rating on Pacificorp. pressed concern in congressional testimony last month that labor shortages would propel faster wage in- companyalso operates a manufactur- jng plant in Salt LakeCity. Its Utah work forcewill not be af- fected by the expansion in Virginia, iateway spokesman Dave Boxum paid. ‘The non-manufacturing operations now at the Hamptonplant will move ‘0 a nearbyfacility to be completed his summer, the company said Gateway had 1997 revenuesof 66.29 billion {og Haven Owner Nominated Margo Suzan Provost, owner and ‘eneral manager of Log Haven ResJaurant, is one of 14 regional finalists named in the first Bank One/WorkIng Woman Entrepreneurial Excel- ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS creased The larger themeparks don’t release attendancefigures, but the trade publication Amusement Business calculates them each year based on sourceswithin the theme parks and information provided by visitors and convention bureaus. The numbers were released in than in 1997. The decline was due to a combination of drop in tourism from Asia didn’t help matters, either. The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando lion people who passed through its turnstiles were enoughfor itto retain its spot as the top-drawing theme park in North America. (Tokyo Disneyland was the mostpopular themeparkin the world with 16.7 million visitors, down about 3.4 percent from last year.) Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., was No. 2 in North America with 13.7 million visitors, down 4 percent. The decrease would have been steeper because of a drop in Asian tourists, but local visitors largely made up any shortfall. Rounding out the top five in North America were Epcot at Walt Disney World with 10.6 million visitors, down 10 percent; Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney Some Believe Insurers Have Bigger Say Than Doctors on Health Care THE XCIATED PRESS: WASHINGTON — Americans are generally happy with their health insurance coverage, but four in 10 adults sayinsurers have a bigger say than doctorsin the care they receive, according to a new poll. Womenare more critical than men, with 40 percent saying the health care system is in worse shape than it was five years ago, says the poll conducted for The Associated Press, The biggest complaint wasthe inabil- ity of people to choose their own doctor. As these concerns grow, Congressis again consider- jence Awards. ing howto give people more control over their own Provost was a finalist in three of he seven categories — Best Employ- health care without substantially increasing costs pr, Turnaround and General Excelence. She is now eligible for a na- ional award in those categories. Log Haven, a log mansion built in 11929 on 40private acres in Mill ee Canyon, was slated for demoliion when Provost and her husband, Wayne, bought the building in 1994 "he renovated restaurant has since been featured in Bon Appetit, Gouret and Cowboys and Indians magIt was named Small Business Year for 1998 by the Salt Lake rea Chamber of Commmerce. The Bank One/Working Entrepre- jeurial Excellence Awards are a na- jonal campaign to identify and recog- ize the achievements of women pitreprencurs, The finalists were seby the editors of Working ‘oman, magazine, Theyear-overincreasein the number of Utah's nonfarm jobs was 2.5 percent in January 1999, also reflecting a gradual slowing from mid-1998 figures. “Although 2.5 percent is Utah's slowest job growth since January 1992, the slowdownhas been orderly with no majorlayoffs,” Jensen said. ORLANDO, Fla. — The animals roaming through Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World's newest theme park, may be taking a bite out of something more than the lush vegetation: they are eating into attendance at Florida’s other parks. And it’s not just Florida that is seeing fewer theme park visitors. For the first time since 1991, overall attendance at North America’s top theme parks de- O’Brien, southeast editor of Amusement Business. A ‘workers in Hampton, whereit began desktop computer production in 1996. The North Sioux City, S.D.-based The boomingconstruction industry addeda seasonally adjusted 15,000 jobs even though severeweather in Less Attendance sawan 8 percentreductionin visitors, but the 15.6 mil- Gatewaycurrently employs 2,100 companies and 36,000 in local government. Approximately 43,000 Utah residents were unemployed in January, 8,400 more than in January 1998 whenthe jobless rate was 3.2 percent. Nonfarm job growth in the country was 2.1 percent, reflecting a continuation of modest slowing from the 2.7 percent during the 1998 summer months. U.S. amusementcenters recorded fewer tickets sold for the first time since 1991 gan get done without reaching a com- The personal computer makersaid Finance and real estate each added 11,000 jobs. Retail employment rose by 30,000. Payrolls increased by 13,000 at trucking firms, 11,000 at communications nonfarm jobs, said Ken Jensen, the department's chief economist. Theme Parks Log promise in Utah,” said Edward Tirello, an analyst with BT Alex. “They have to reach a compromise quickly.” it will begin hiring this summer, when the plant can accommodate additional shifts. About 300 workers will be ‘hired this year. continued their strong growth, with payrolls rising by 27,009 and 17,000 jobs, respectively. Utah’s unemploymentrate in January remained at 3.9 percent, the state Department of Workforce Services reported Friday. The state’s unemployment rate gradually increased to a more typical level during 1998 — following the abnormally low levels of 1997 — because of slowing growth in the number of new Too Much Fun? bad weather nationwide and weak marketing that failed to drawvisitors into the parksto try new rides, said Tim " Gateway Inc. said Fridayit will exand its Hampton, Va., manufacturing plant, adding 1,000 new jobs over the next three years. According to the Bureau of LaborStatistics commissioner, Katharine G. Abraham, January job gains were led by services. Engineering and management services September, construction has added 184,000 jobs. However, job losses continued in manufacturing Payrolls fell by 13,000 jobs, bringing job losses since last March to 285,000, reflecting the loss of export sales to troubled economies, principally in Asia. Power could make from Pacificorp. “Wejust can’t see howthis deal Gateway to Growin Virginia The unemploymentrate for whites was unchanged at 3.8 percent in January. But the rates for blacks, 7.8 percent, and Hispanics, 6.6 percent, fell to the lowest levels since the government began tracking them in the early 1970s. recent meeting this week, they decided to hold rates unchanged. Monday’s edition. Attendance at the 50 largest theme parks wasestimated at 165.3 million people, almost 2 million fewer ‘That would lower returns Scottish the year, hourly earnings haveincreased 50 cents, or 4 percent. the Midwest and Northeast halted some work. Since . But Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan ex- Utah Jobless Rate Is 3.9% It was the largest monthly increase since August. Over short-term interest rates. At Fed policy-makers’ most ficorp to lower the prices of Utah Power to win approvalof the merger. The Utahbill also could force Paci- } | creases, which in turn would drive up inflation. The report showed the average hourly wages of non- supervisory workersrising 6 cents in January to $13.04. Nineout of 10 Americans said they were very satis fied or somewhatsatisfied with their health insurance coverage, the survey found. But among those with concerns about health care, much ofthat dissatisfaction is centered around the growing loss of control people feel over their medical care, an intensely personalissue. Thepoll of 1,008 peopletaken last week by ICR of Media, Pa. Making some changes in the system sounds like a good idea to Thomas Feagley, a 42-year-old father of three, whose health plan required him to change family doctorslast year. “Thereneeds to be an investigation or some kind of fine tuning,” said the custodian of athletic fields at schools near Huntington, in central Pennsylvania, who used the team doctor as his family physician for years. “I would have been a happy camperif I could have gotten my insurance and kept my doctor.” ‘The growing loss of personal control over health care hasleft Feagley uneasy about the future. He changed doctors a year ago and now that doctoris leaving hig Peter Cosgrove/The Associated Press A group of riders get their thrills on the “Incredible Hulk” coaster at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure theme parkin Orlando.Indications are the customer base for theme parks maybe thinning. World with 9.5 million visitors, down 10 percent; and Universal Studios Florida, with 8.9 million visitors, abouteven with last year. Meeting its projected forecast, Animal Kingdom camein at No. 6 with an estimated 6 millionvisitors. Because of the numberof people attracted to Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World appears set to have a recordyear overall, but each parkgot a smaller piece of the attendancepie since the numberof parks increased from three to four. Animal Kingdom's opening in April cut into attendance at the three existing parks, which had 3.6 million fewer visitors than last year. Animal Kingdom also appeared to draw crowds away from Sea World Florida in Orlando and Busch Gardens TampaBay. The two parks, owned by Anheuser-Busch, also are animal-themedparks, and saw attendancethis Health-CarePoll yourview, who has the bigger say in your health are: your doctoror yourinsurance company? Doctor Insurance company Other Don't know Neither Which one of the followingitems Is your biggest * concern about health ci The aby 93 Di Thequality of the doctor of medical cat your choice Bont iosow Tho cost of Your abil fo got health Youhave no insurance major concems coverage about health care Source. Based ontelephone ntervews wih 1,008renderelected ats ham a ates‘encopt Amatan Haman, comand Moca, Pa oy CA. ofert Because of rounang. sua may Mt hte 100 perce.FatThe 2mipof PAs oF ma ows ae practice. When peoplewere asked their biggest concern about health care, the most-mentioned complaint was limits on their ability to pick the doctor of their choice, cited by 28 percent, followed by concerns about cost and quality “T knowthey have to haveguidelines,” Feagley said, but henoted his formerdoctor treats many othersin his family. “Wehad kind of a family thing going on." ‘The findings reflect some continued frustration with managed care, such as health maintenance organiza- tions, which have controlled health care costs by preventing unnecessary treatment. But Americans also worry vol may not get treatments that they someday may need Of the people in the AP poll who said they were very satisfied, the majority said theyfelt their doctor had the bigger say in their care. a year stay at 4.9 million and 4.2 million respectively — even with last year’s record attendance. Anheuser-Busch has four other theme parks in the top 50, and attendancewas eitherflat or down slightly at each of them. Premier Parks, which purchasedthe Six Flags chain in April to becomethelargest regional park chain in the world, claimed 15 of the top 50 parks, but had a mixed year overall. While someof the parks, such as Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, Calif., boosted attendance by 66 percent from lastyear to 1.8 million visitors, others such as Six Flags St. Louis saw a drop of 25 percent to 1.5 million people. Amusement Business credited the success of the California park to $40 million in newattractions. Broker Who Scammed LDS Church Given Federal Prison Term BY SHEILA R. McCANN ‘THE SALTLAKE TRIBUNE A real estate broker whobilked The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Zions First National Bank out of hundredsof thousandsof dollars was sentenced Friday to serve 16 monthsin a federal prison. RobertA. Miller, 44, of Salt Lake City, was accused of defrauding the church while he worked as one ofits seniorrealestate agents between May 1991 and December 1992, He also wasaccused of providing falseinforpeavien to Zions while applying for loans in 1993 and Miller deceived the church by inflating the actual purchaseprice of a property in Park City and keeping the difference, the indictment against him said. He was responsible for arranging environmentalassessments of property the church was interested in purchasing, Miller funneled that business to companies un- der his control that were unqualified to do such assessments, the indictment said Miller pleadedguilty to one count of mail fraud involving the church and one count of providing a false Social Security account number to Zions, U.S, District Judge David K. Winder rejected Miller's request to be sentencedto a half-way house, rather than prison. “These crimesare so serious — there's a loss of over $700,000," Windersaid, “America demands responsibility and this man was completely haywire for avai years.’ Miller was ordered to pay $329,078 in restitution. - See SCAM, Page D-7 |