The Daily News-Journal from Murfreesboro, Tennessee • 10

B2 Stocks B3 Financial B5 Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 BUSINESS REPORTER; Melinda Hudgins mhudginsdnj.com 1 615278.5131 Check www.dnj.com for updates and breaking news Page editors: Gary Frazier and Chris Jones BUSINES BUSINESS BRIEFS Send us your news Send business news items, story suggestions, photo contributions and other ideas to Business Reporter Melinda Hudgins, The Daily News Journal, 224 N. Walnut Murfrees- boro, TN 37130. You can also e-mail Hudgins at mhudginsdni.com or call 615-278-5131 KUDOS Bredesen recognizes cattle association Gov. Phil Bredesen recently met with members of the Tennessee Cattlemen's Association to recognize the Jobless claims increase Employment figures reflect weak economy ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON Layoffs are no longer dropping as they were in the final months of last year, reinforcing fears that the jobs crisis will weigh down consumer spending and the on pour r.

I 4 1 1 If Kj ii I .1 if -r i organizations 25th anniversary and the "Saw. ''a importance of cattle production to the state's rural economy. At the Thursday meeting, TCA president Steve Scott of Giles County presented Bredesen with a economic re- BREDESEN bound. weather contributed jobless claims last week. But other economic DNJ PHOTOS BY JOHN A.

GILLIS Esparia owner Beto Mendoza stands Inside the new restaurant on Murfreesboro's Public Square, where diners can enjoy Latin American dishes and culture alike. custom-made cowboy hat in recognition of his support for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program, according to a news release. "I want to thank the Cattlemen's Association for this thoughtful gift and for taking the time and effort to express their appreciation in this way," said Bredesen. "Cattle production is our top farm commodity and TCA has been a great partner as we've made investments to increase farm income in this very important sector of our agricultural economy." TAEP was established in 2005 by Bredesen and supported by the Tennessee General Assembly to help farmers invest in infrastructure and best management practices that increase farm profitability, the release continued. Since the program's inception, more than $40 million has been invested in nearly 15,500 farm projects across the state, including cattle genetic improvement and livestock handling equipment purchases.

data add to evidence that the recovery remains weak and uneven. An example is orders for big-ticket manufactured goods, excluding airplanes and other transportation equipment. Those orders dropped 0.6 percent in January, the government said Thursday. Earlier in the week, new-home sales fell in January to their lowest pace on record. And consumer confidence plunged in February.

Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo, said the weak reports point to an economy struggling to wean itself from government stimulus programs such as homebuyer tax credits and other supports. "Going forward, growth is going to be much more dependent on the private sector," Vitner said. "And consumer demand hasn't picked up that much yet" The economy's growth rate will likely slow from above 3 percent in the current quarter, Wells Fargo estimates, to less than 2 percent by the middle of the year. See JOBS, page B5 Espana owner Beto Mendoza shows one of the tabletops engraved with the names of Latin American countries inside the new restaurant on Murfreesboro's Public Square. Melinda Hudgins Business reporter Eatery offers Latin flavor BY MELINDA HUDGINS MHUDGINSDNJ.COM Take a tall glass of dancing, add a strong shot of Latin culture and a slice of lime, and you've got the perfect cocktail for a night out at Espana.

Located at 211 W. Main St on Murfreesboro's Public Square, Espana promises an enjoyable night of salsa, bachata and merengue. Those who remember the building as Main Street Toy are in for a real treat owner Beto Mendoza transformed the space to include a dance floor, bar, multiple seating areas and a special VIP lounge room. An MTSU graduate, Mendoza said he's always wanted to open a night club to provide an upscale atmosphere for people who love traditional Latin dances. Twant to see the real dancers here," he emphasized.

Mendoza explained that Hispanic culture is often mistakenly viewed as being solely comprised of illegal aliens and Mexican restaurants. While those aspects do exist on a small scale, Mendoza said his aim is to expand public perception. "What better way to do that than to put a Latin-style dance club right in the middle of Murfrees-boro?" he asked While the club is named Espana, most of Latin America is recognized inside patrons can sit at handmade tables donning menu of Spanish and Latin American dishes. "If you want a taste of Cuba or Costa Rica, it's all right here," Mendoza said. Once the kitchen is open, mixed drinks will also become available.

Currently, Espana only serves beer, juice, water and soda. Free dance lessons are offered beginning at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, followed by open dancing at 9 p.m. for a cost of $5. In addition to disc jockeys each night, Espana features a live band on Saturdays.

For additional information, contact Mendoza at 615-389-3344. names like Colombia, Peru and Argentina. "That's why all the cultures are here, and Espana is out there because everything Latin was born there," Mendoza began. "If the Spaniards hadn't crossed into South America, we wouldn't be here as we are now." Given his military background, Mendoza established an honor wall to recognize individuals who have defended the United States. He invites residents to donate framed pictures of relatives in uniform, as long they were not dishonorably discharged, which will then decorate the wall.

In the coming weeks, Espana will also open its kitchen to feature a dinner Jobless claims rise in weak recovery JOB PICTURE STILL BLEAK: New claims for jobless benefits rose sharply last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. Most of the rise resulted from state agencies processing a backlog of claims left over from two weeks ago when snowstorms closed government offices. IMPROVEMENT STALLS: Still, a steady drop in claims in the second half of last year has stalled, a sign layoffs are no longer declining. More layoffs could weaken consumer spending and slow the recovery. WEAK ECONOMY: Other recent economic reports have also been disappointing, evidence that economic growth may weaken later this year.

INDUSTRY Corporate Flight makes sale to Canadian firm Smyrna-based Corporate Flight Management has signed an agreement to sell eight BAE Jetstream 32 airliners plus a spare parts package to Pascan Aviation, according to a news release. The Montreal-based airline and charter firm will take delivery of the aircraft over the next nine months. Corporate Flight's maintenance department will bring the airframes and power plants up to near new condition including refurbished propellers and landing gear, and Avionics will be upgraded to meet Pascan and TCCA standards. "Over the past few years, as Corporate Flight's reach expanded through selling refurbished regional airliners in the global market, I have had the privilege of meeting some really smart people who are running small air car-" rier operations around the world," said company CEO Allen Howell. "Pascan provides travelers in Quebec an alternative to the big airline experience that feels much more like charter flight service." CONSUMERS Tenn.

AG sues over ads targeting Hispanics NASHVILLE (AP)-The Tennessee Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against a business alleging misleading advertising for driver's licenses and other services targeting Hispanic immigrants. Attorney General Bob Cooper said in a news release Thursday that Mirella Garcia and her company Centra de Apoyo al Immigrante is accused of violating the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. The state said the company adver-' tised in Spanish-language newspapers the sale of "International Driver's Li-' censes," which are not a valid form of identification. The ads also claimed that the company was a "notario publico," which in many Spanish-speaking countries is an attorney who has been appointed to assist in certain common, everyday transactions. However, in Tennessee, a notary public is not an attorney and must include a disclaimer in all Braxten Medical expands in Smyrna Rod Pencek and Jeff Royce purchased Braxten Medical in 2009 with an intent to grow the company to better meet a growing community's needs.

"With the expansion in See BUZZ, page B5 Toyota's crisis puts spotlight on auto electronics Yy; ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT Investigations into whatever is lurking behind Toyota's crisis of quality have put a spotlight on all that can go wrong with auto electronics the growing number of wires, sensors and computer chips that have profoundly changed the automobile in the last decade. Though no smoking circuit has been found so far, a picture is emerging that shows the automobile industry's technology is racing ahead of quality-control testing and regulators. It's troubling not only for Toyota owners but for drivers of any modern car that's basically a computer on wheels. Toyota insists that electronics played no role in the unintended acceleration that has sparked its massive recalls, and no one has been able to disprove it Lawyers, regulators, engineers and politicians aren't so sure. The auto industry has been moving at Pentium speed since the late 1990s to replace mechanical cables and other devices with computers to control everything from See TOYOTA, page B3 AP FILE PHOTO Master Diagnostic Technician Kurt Juergens, of Foxborough, uses a laptop computer to diagnose and repair the brake system on a 2010 Toyota Prius in the repair shop of a Toyota dealership, Feb.

9, in Norwood, Mass. Do you have news about your business? Contact business reporter Melinda Hudgins at 615-278-5131..