REGION

REGION
Spitzer Chevrolet plansto unveil new showroom
NORTH JACKSON -- Spitzer Chevrolet will celebrate the grand reopening of its expanded and remodeled dealership at noon Friday. Included will be prizes and food.
The $500,000 construction project included an enlarged showroom and improved service area. Management is expecting sales to increase now that the showroom can display more cars and the service department is more comfortable for customers.
NATION
United Airlines uniongives initial OK to pact
CHICAGO -- Using the leverage of a looming bankruptcy-court deadline, United Airlines has secured the latest in a series of concessionary labor agreements with its unions.
The union representing baggage handlers and public contact workers became the largest group yet to come to terms, giving initial approval Tuesday to contracts that would save the bankrupt carrier $2.6 billion over six years.
The agreements call for a 13-percent reduction in hourly wages, a 20-percent employee co-payment toward the cost of the traditional health insurance plan and work rules changes to allow greater use of part-time employees.
That leaves United needing to conclude negotiations with only its mechanics union in order to achieve the austerity cutbacks it seeks.
GM to team up with BMWfor refueling technology
DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. and the BMW Group will work together to develop refueling technology for liquid hydrogen vehicles and will invite other automakers and suppliers to join them, GM said.
The two companies were to announce the venture today in Germany, home of BMW.
GM, BMW and every other major automaker are working on hydrogen-powered vehicles, most with fuel cells, which create electric power from hydrogen and emit only water vapor from their tailpipes.
GM and BMW say their goal is to have affordable and compelling hydrogen vehicles for sale by 2010. Burns said compressed and liquid hydrogen both hold promise for hydrogen-powered vehicles, but liquid hydrogen's density is "especially attractive with respect to fuel distribution."
From Vindicator staff and wire reports