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THE BULLETIN • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014
BRIEFING Mnrsing home chain fined $38M A nursing home chain has agreed to pay $38 million to resolve allegations that it billed Medicare andMedicaid for substandard careat nearly three dozenfacilities around the country, the Justice Department said Friday. A federal investigation into Extendicare Health Services Inc. accused the companyof failing to provide appropriate care, follow safety protocols or maintain enough skilled nurses. Those lapses in some cases resulted in head injuries to residents, falls, bed sores and fractures and casesof malnutrition, dehydration and infection, the government said. "Protecting this nation's vulnerable populations, including our seniors, has beenand continues to beoneof this department's highest priorities," acting Associate Attorney General Stuart Delery said. The federal government accusedthecompany of substandard care, between 2007and 2013, in 33 of its skilled nursing homes in eight states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota andW ashington. — From wire reports
BEST OFTHE BIZ CALENDAR TODAY • Cisco NetworkingCCEIIT Certification prep:Part one of two in aseries for CCNA certification, which validates the ability to install, configure, operate and troubleshoot mediumsized routed andswitched networks; registration required; Thursdays and Saturdays, Oct. 11-Nov. 8; $1,299 plus fees; Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NWCollege Way, Bend; 541-383-7270. • BeginnerQaickBeoks Pro 2014 for IHacs: Learn to do your own bookkeeping; registration required; $85; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Central Oregon Community College, Redmond campus, 2030 SECollege Loop, Redmond; 541-383-7270. MONDAY •BusinessFundamentals Bootcamp, Marketing: Part of a series of workshops; call to register; $10 per course; 6:308:30p.m.; COCC-Crook County OpenCampus,510 SE Lynn Blvd., Prineville; 541-447-6228. TUESDAY • Membership101Driving YourMemdership: Member success briefings; free; registration required; 10 a.m.; BendChamber of Commerce, 777 NW Wall St., Suite 200; 541382-3221 or shelley@ bendchamber.org. • Women'sReuntitable Series — GenderGap and YourVoice: Learn to speak authentically while getting your message across; $25 BendChamber of Commerce members, $35 nonmembers; register online; 11:30 a.m.; Bend Golf and Country Club, 61045 Country Club Drive; 541-382-3221 or www. bendchamber.org. • Build YourBusiness Website with WordPress: Registration required; Tuesdays andThursdays, Oct. 14-30; $149; 6-9 p.m.; Central OregonCommunity College, 2600 NWCollege Way, Bend; 541-383-7270. • Integrating Your Fundraising Planfor Success:Learn how to segment your donor base and build constituencies to maximize donor contact; registration required; $59; 6-9 p.m.; Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NW Coll egeW ay,Bend; 541-383-7270. • For the complete calendar, pick up Sunday'sBulletin or visitbendbulletin.com/bizcal
Nielsen TVratings ha errors or months By Bill Carter and EmilySteel New York Times News Service
Nielsen, the television research firm, acknowledged Friday that it had been re-
porting inaccurate ratings for the broadcast networks for the past seven months,
a mistake that raises questions about the company's
increasingly criticized system for measuring TV audiences. The error wound up ben-
efiting one network, ABC, while negatively affecting the others, according to people briefed on the prob-
time — seven months — it
ABC, saying they could not discuss individual clients.
had taken to discover the An ABC executive conproblem. "These ratings are the curfirmed that the glitch had improvedthe network's ratings. rency of the business," said As for Nielsen, its executives Alan Wurtzel, who heads played down the discrepanresearch at NBC. "Any time cy in viewing totals, saying that currency is under suspithey fell between 0.1 percent cion, it's a concern." and 0.25 percent of the viewNielsen has long reigned ing totals. as the main source that the But it remained unclear how the mistake would
entertainment industry uses
affect the billions in advertising dollars based on Nielsen's ratings, as well as the company's reputation. And
to measure TV audiences, and its ratings are the currency on which nearly $70 billion in advertising dollars are traded each year in the
several television and adver-
United States.
tising executives expressed reporters, Nielsen executives degrees of anger and increwould not confirm that it had resultedin added viewers for
incorrect ratings fell "well within the tolerance of sta-
tistical error." They said any changes in numbers or the rankings of programs would be largely insignificant and would be corrected when Nielsen issues new ratings
on Monday.
dulity at both the incorrect
ratings and the amount of
aa
But in a statement sent to clients, the company said,
"In the vast majority of cases the impact is small, but in a handful of cases the impact
is more material." Wurtzel said NBC would press Nielsen for more infor-
mation. "I'm asking for it," he Nielsen executives Pat Mc- said. "How do we ever begin Donough and Steve Hasker to do any kind of tracking said repeatedly in their news or historical analysis if you can't get accurate data?" conference Friday that the
lem. In a telephone call with
ma
By Anne D'Innocenzio The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Sears Hold-
ings Corp. announced late Friday that it detected a data breach at its Kmart stores that started last month and that
certain customers' credit and debitcard accounts may have
been hacked.
ell cl
Ll S IIleSS Ill ell
• Central Oregon manufacturerssay reaching overseas markets is apriority
The data theft at Kmart is the latest in a string of inci-
dents that have hit several big retailers, including Target, Supervalu and Home Depot. For the Hoffman Estates, Illi-
nois-based parent company, however, the breach comes
at a time when it's struggling with losses and sales declines as it fights to stay relevant
with shoppers. Sears Holdings which also operates Sears stores,
By Rachael Rees
says that Kmart's information technology department
The Bulletin
About a dozen Central Or-
detected on Thursday that its
egon manufacturers told U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden on Friday about the challenges they face in expanding their sales
payment data systems had
into international markets. Exports from Deschutes
that it was able to remove the malware. It also noted that
County rose 27 percent be-
based on a forensic investi-
tween 2012 and 2013, and totaled $119 million, the U.S.
gation to date, no personal information, debit cards, PIN
Department of Commerce reported last month. And during his visit to the region, the Oregon Democrat wanted to know what policies would help local businesses. "My philosophy on economics is let's do everything
numbers, email address, and
been breached. But it couldn't
provide the number of affected cards. However, it said
social security information
were obtained by the hackers. And there's no evidence that Kmart.com shoppers were
affected. Sears says Kmart immediately launched a full investi-
we can to make things here,
grow things here, add value
Andy Tullis/The Bulletin
to them here and then ship them somewhere," Wyden
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., learned Friday about some of the barriers Central Oregon exporters
sard. Congress must approve trade agreements, and Wyden serves as chairman
Room in Bend.
of the Senate Finance Committee, a key committee for
trade. The U.S. is currently negotiating two major trade agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which
face trying to expand into newoverseas markets during a session at the Riverbend Community
to go in to any trade agreement," he said. "The government doesn't create the
jobs. You all do in the private sector. If I can help get the
cantly," Baron said.
international, but he hopes
If export barriers could be resolved, Baron said, the company could increase its local labor force up to 40 percent. Christopher Dent, presi-
they will become equal in the future.
dent of Dent Instruments in
countries. Having financial support from local, state and federal agencies would help Dent increase product sales, he said.
the Asia-Pacific region, and
policies right and the trade agreements right, you all can go and do your thing." Because of tariffs and
the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, with
taxes, Prineville-based BTL Liners must make some of its
companies to have a balance of domestic and international
the European Union.
liners and covers overseas,
sales.
"The reason I wanted to hold this session, is I thought
said Mike Baron, president. That prevents BTL from cre-
it would be an ideal time to be home and get your
ating jobs in Central Oregon.
company, which makes power- and energy-measuring
"We haven'tbeen able to
devices, are currently 80 per-
thoughts about what ought
add to the labor force signifi-
centdomesticand 20percent
involves 11 other countries in
Bend, said it's important for
Dent said sales for his
The greatest barrier to
gation and is working with a leading security firm. It added that it's also working closely with federal law enforcement authorities and banking partners in this ongoing investigation. Kmart is also implementing further advanced software to protect customers' information. The company said that it
increasing exports for Dent Instruments is finding ef-
will be providing free credit monitoring protection for
fective distributors in other
those customers who shopped with a credit or debit card in
"If you're not focused on
exports, you're not going to make it," Dent said. — Reporter: 541-617-7818, rrees@bendbulletin.com
its Kmart stores during the month of September through Thursday. It also emphasized that customers have no liability for any unauthorized charges if they report them in a timely manner, according to the policies of most credit card
companies. Sears said that the most up-to-date information will be available on its web-
Flight attendantschallengeFAAon electronic devices By Hugo Martin Los Angeles Times
Flight attendants battled
federal aviation officials in court Friday to keep airline
"Airlines have always had tion made last year easing the ries that electronic devices use of computer tablets and can bounce around the cabin discretion on how to handle smartphones on planes. during turbulence and injure this," Judge Harry Edwards The flight attendants passengers. told a lawyer for the union, "When an agency propossaid the FAA violated the according to the Associated rule-making process when es a controversial change in a Press. A final written ruling
passengers from using electronic devices during takeoffs it lifted restrictions that preand landings. ventedpassengers from using The Association of Flight electronic devices on takeoffs Attendants asked a threeand landings judge panel of the U.S. Court The FAA changed the rules of Appeals for the D.C. Cirwithout taking in public comcuit to overturn a ruling the ment, the flight attendants Federal Aviation Administraargued. The union also wor-
site, kmart.com and customers can contact its customer care center at 888-488-5978.
The announcement comes a few weeks after Home Depot, the nation's largest home
improvement chain, said that a data breach that lasted for months at its stores in the
U.S. and Canada affected 56 million debit and credit cards. That's far more than a
pre-Christmas 2013 attack at Target Corp., which compro-
the flight attendants said in a
is expected to be released later. Under the new FAA rules, electronic devices must be
courtdocument. But the Court of Appeals
kept in"airplane mode" during takeoffs and landing.
The size of the theft at Home Depot trails only that of TJX
seemed to be siding with the FAA.
Voice calls are still forbidden
Companies' heist of 90 million
on U.S. airlines.
records disclosed in 2007.
rule that affects public safety,
it must be made through the proper rule-making process,"
mised 40 million credit and
debit cards.
PEOPLE ONTHE MOVE • Skyler Overbyrecently joined Precision Body & Paint's collision repair team in Bend.Overby graduated with honors from WyoTechin Sacramento, California, and has earned 25 repair certifications. • Lori Raabwas recently named program director and host of the morning news on radio station KBNW.Previously,Raabwasthe news director and morning news anchor for KBND-AM.Sheearned a degree in broadcast journalism from Washington State University. • Laeren Green was recently named promotion director for Horizon Broadcasting Group. Shehas been an on-air personality for the company
r
Overby
Raab
Green
since June. Prior to joining Horizon, Green served ascreative services director and on-air personality at Big Horn Radio Network in Cody, Wyoming. She is agraduate of Northwestern State University in Louisiana. • Arlene Gibson recently joined theCascade SchoolofMusicas director of development, marketing andevents.Since2004,Gibsonhas
Tanler
Andrews
Myers
provided support to local nonprofits and served onthe boards of Quota International of Central Oregon, St. Charles Foundation, Redmond Downtown Partnership and more. • Bruce LeporeandKevin Doroskirecently joined Fieldstone Management asaccountmanagers. Lepore is a licensed property manager and will specialize in community and HOA management. Doroski has beena
the University of Maryland. • Cheryl Tanlerwasthe top listing broker for Windermere Redmond. • Eric Andrewswasthe top listing broker for Windermere Bend. Tallman J o nes von Borstel • Barbara Myerswasthe top selling community and HOA manager in Bend broker for Windermere Redmond. • Debbie Tallmanwasthe top selling forfouryears. broker for Windermere Bend. • Whitney Swanderwasnamedthe • Deana Jones,of Focus1 Insurance first assistant director of theLatino Juniper Insurance Division, completed Community Association. She recently the agent training andcertification for returned from Baltimore, Maryland, where she worked for the mayor's office the Federal Healthcare Exchange. addressin gissues ofhomelessness. • Noah vonBorstel was the top listing She earnedherundergraduate degree and top sales agent for the month from Willamette University, and a of September at John L.Scott Real master's degree inpublic policy from Estate in Redmond.