Briefs: Valley Airways limiting Lincoln flights

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SCOTTSBLUFF — Valley Airways owner says that he can’t afford to send his airplanes from Scottsbluff to Lincoln with fewer than three passengers anymore, so he’ll cancel those flights as necessary.

“I have been personally subsidizing this for three months and have never had good passenger counts,” said Dick Bosn, who operates the Scottsbluff-Capital Connection. “I was going to Lincoln for one person and bringing them back or taking two down from out of here. ... I’m just not going to do it anymore.”

When he began the flights — he uses six-passenger Piper Navajos — he charged $551 for a round trip. That’s risen to $596 with the rising prices of fuel, he said.

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The airline’s Web site says there are three flights a week, leaving Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from Scottsbluff and returning each evening from Lincoln.

Rural index falls again, but hiring still strong

OMAHA — An index of rural economic health in nine Midwestern and Plains states, including Nebraska, declined for the third consecutive month, but hiring remained healthy, according to a survey of bank executives.

The Mainstreet economic index for nonurban, agriculturally dependent portions of the nine states fell to 61.4 from May’s 66.4, but any reading above 50 still indicates growth in the next six months.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said job growth in the region this year is running at almost double the historical rate, and if the trend continued, it would mean 2 percent annual job growth.

UP proposing to move Colorado rail yards

BRIGHTON, Colo. — A proposal to move Union Pacific Corp. rail yards from downtown Denver to this outlying city could boost the area’s economy by as much as $8 billion over a 10-year period, a new study shows.

The Regional Transportation District wants to move the rail operations to a 640-acre parcel between Brighton and Fort Lupton to make way for an expansion of its light-rail system. It has agreed to pay $100 million in relocation costs.

Opponents of the proposed move are concerned about increased traffic, and air, noise and ground pollution. They have organized a group called “Say No to Union Pacific RR” to campaign against the relocation.

Gordman’s settles Wisconsin safety issue

MADISON, Wis. — Retailer Gordmans Inc. has agreed to pay $70,000 to settle allegations it violated Wisconsin consumer protection rules by selling unsafe children’s sweatshirts that later were recalled nationally.

During a routine inspection in December, Wisconsin consumer protection officials discovered a Gordmans store in Madison selling hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings around the neck in youth sizes small, medium and large.

The discovery prompted a national recall in January of about 45,000 sweatshirts by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and apparel maker Seena International. A state law that went into effect in 2000 bans children’s clothing from containing drawstrings in the neck area.

Omaha, Neb.-based Gordmans did not admit any violation of state laws under the settlement filed in Dane County Circuit Court.

— From news wires