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Biz Quiz 2012: A look back at the year in business
Test your memory of economic development news in 2012 by taking The News-Gazette's annual Biz Quiz.
Score five points for each correct answer to the first 15 questions. Score one point for each correct answer to the 25 "lightning round" questions. Top score for the entire quiz is 100 points.
Jobless rate falls in most East Central Illinois counties
CHAMPAIGN — Unemployment rates decreased slightly in November in most East Central Illinois counties.
But a few areas saw increases from October, according to statistics released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Champaign County's rate dropped sharply, from 7.7 percent in October to 7.2 percent in November.
Development on Danville's North Vermilion taking shape
DANVILLE — Village Mall officials are hoping to announce new retailers coming to the indoor shopping center in the first quarter of the new year, but it's not the only property along the North Vermilion Street corridor entertaining new development opportunities as 2012 comes to a close.
Fundraiser on homelessness awareness planned at 2 sites
CHAMPAIGN — C-U at Home, the organization housing some of the community's most vulnerable homeless folks, will repeat its winter fundraiser, One Winter Night, in which people spend a cold night outside in boxes.
But this year, One Winter Night will be held in two places, in downtown Champaign like last year, and on the University of Illinois Quad.
Business roundup: Growmark to buy area fuel supplier
ASHKUM — An Ashkum-based fuel supplier has agreed to be purchased by the Bloomington-based Growmark regional cooperative.
Meier Oil Products and Manito Transit, a family-owned business since 1936, consists of a trucking company, a fuel terminal in Ashkum and bulk fuel facilities at Champaign, Sheldon, Kankakee and Pontiac.
Danville area income outpaces nation's average
DANVILLE — Per-capita income in the Danville metro area continues to grow at a rate faster than the national average, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
For the fourth straight year, per-capita income growth in the Danville area exceeded the national growth rate.
C-U area income rises slower than national average
Per-capita income in the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area hit a snag last year.
After several years of growing faster than the national average, Champaign-Urbana's per-capita income rose slower than the nation's in 2011.
Data released Monday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis listed per-capita income for Champaign-Urbana at $37,246 — up 3.29 percent from $36,058 in 2010.
Illini losses mean less money for Champaign-Urbana
CHAMPAIGN — Fighting Illini fans were hoping first-year head football coach Tim Beckman could bring more wins to Memorial Stadium.
Local businesses were hoping he could bring more people to Champaign County.
Home sales up again, especially in Mahomet, Monticello, White Heath
CHAMPAIGN — Home sales in the Champaign County area continue to surge, with October sales up 29 percent from the previous year.
Certain parts of the area are enjoying even faster growth, according to the Champaign County Association of Realtors.
Ameren's profits up 31% on drop in fuel expenses
Ameren Corp.'s third-quarter earnings were up 31 percent from a year ago, the St. Louis-based utility reported.
The company had net income of $374 million, up from $285 million a year earlier. That resulted in earnings of $1.54 per share, up from $1.18 per share in 2011.
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