VIRGINIA BEACH Councilman Bob Dyer is calling for the City Council to put the brakes on the proposal to build a $109 million, four-star Hyatt hotel and more city-owned meeting space on 19th Street next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

Continental Parkway LLC, an affiliate of Continental Properties Corp., has spent $5.4 million to buy two warehouse and office buildings on International Parkway in Virginia Beach, according to a news release.

Rubbermaid Commercial Products plans to upgrade its facilities and equipment in Winchester and open a distribution center in neighboring Frederick County, creating 71 new jobs.

Mortgage rates have reached a record low on poor reports on the nation’s housing industry.

George Mason University has named Angel Cabrera, president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, its president effective July 1.

Downward trend suggests that companies are cutting fewer workers as the economy picks up.

The deficit in the broadest measure of foreign trade fell in the summer to the lowest level in nearly two years, reflecting stronger exports of commercial aircraft and other goods and a jump in the sales of services such as airline tickets to foreigners.

Wholesale prices rose modestly last month as companies paid more for such items as food and pharmaceuticals. But energy prices barely rose, keeping inflation in check.

Fashionistas and investors all want a piece of Michael Kors, with the designer's company raising $944 million after selling 47.2 million shares in its initial public stock offering.

Today is the deadline to ship packages Parcel Post in order for them to arrive for Christmas, according to the U.S. Postal Service website. Saturday marks the deadline for shipping packages to military members and Monday is the last day for most international shipping. The site features a calendar with notes on the deadline days.