• U.S. Producer Prices Up Less Than 1% in Year

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The Producer Price Index for finished goods rose 0.3 percent in July, seasonally adjusted. This advance followed a 0.1-percent increase in June and a 1.0-percent decline in May. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods moved down 0.9 percent in July, and the crude goods index advanced 1.8 percent. On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods rose 0.5 percent for the 12 months ended July 2012, continuing the trend of slowing year-over-year increases following a 7.0-percent rise for the 12 months ended September 2011. The Consumer Price Index for July 2012 will be released on Wednesday, 15 AUG 2012. SOURCE: USDOL-BLS

• Checked Your Connecticut Electric Bill Lately?

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“A Connecticut utility has reimbursed a woman almost $10,500 after acknowledging it billed her for 25 years for the electricity used to power streetlights near her home.” SOURCE: WashingtonPost.com

• U.S. Retail Sales Increased – July 2012

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U.S. retail and food services sales for July, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $403.9 billion, an increase of 0.8 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month and 4.1 percent (±0.7%) above July 2011. Total sales for the May through July 2012 period were up 4.3 percent (±0.5%) from the same period a year ago. Retail trade sales were up 0.8 percent (±0.5%) from June 2012 and 3.7 percent (±0.7%) above last year. Nonstore retailers sales were up 11.8 percent (±3.1%) from July 2011 and sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores were up 10.6 percent (±4.3%) from last year. SOURCE: USDOC

• 24.5% of Connecticut Adults Are Obese

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The 2011 CDC map detailing adult obesity prevalence for all U.S. states based on Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data is now available. In 2011, rates of adult obesity remain high, with state estimates ranging from 20.7 percent in Colorado to 34.9 percent in Mississippi. No state had a prevalence of adult obesity less than 20 percent, and 12 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of 30 percent or more. The South had the highest prevalence of adult obesity (29.5 percent), followed by the Midwest (29 percent), the Northeast (25.3 percent) and the West (24.3 percent). SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control For the CDC’s definition of “overweight” and “obese,” see: CDC.obesity

• NOAA Raises Hurricane Season Prediction

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This year’s Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, with 6 named storms to date, and may have a busy second half, according to the updated hurricane season outlook issued today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The updated outlook still indicates a 50 percent chance of a near-normal season, but increases the chance of an above-normal season to 35 percent and decreases the chance of a below-normal season to only 15 percent from the initial outlook issued in May. SOURCE: NOAA News

• Connecticut Employers Conducted 16 Mass Layoffs in Q2

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Connecticut: Employers in the private nonfarm sector in our state initiated 16 mass layoff events in the second quarter of 2012 that resulted in the separation of 2,160 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days. This is up from seven layoffs and 762 separations in the first quarter. As compared to Q2 2011, total extended mass layoff events and associated worker separations were down from 27 and 5,202, respectively. Nationally: Employers in the private nonfarm sector initiated 1,476 mass layoff events in the second quarter of 2012 that resulted in the separation of 262,848 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days. Over the year, total extended mass layoff events and associated worker separations were down from 1,810 and 317,546, respectively. In 2012, U.S. total events reached their lowest second quarter level since 2007, while manufacturing sector events declined to their lowest level for any quarter in program history (with data available back to 1995). The completion of seasonal work accounted for 44 percent of the total extended mass layoff events during the quarter. SOURCE: USDOL-BLS

• OSHA Cites Charter Oak Health Center In Hartford for Failing To Effectively Safeguard Employees Against Tuberculosis

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”The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Charter Oak Health Center Inc. in Hartford for three alleged serious violations of workplace health standards involving inadequate safeguards for employees exposed to tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. ”OSHA's Hartford Area Office opened an inspection in February after receiving a complaint that employees had been exposed to a patient with tuberculosis and that the center's management failed to take appropriate action to protect workers. Proposed fines total $17,600. ”Charter Oak Health Center Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.” SOURCE: USDOL-OSHA