SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Karla Rendon stood in front of the vending machine at Maplewood Mall in Saint Paul, Minn., staring at an assortment of items -- diapers, baby wipes, sippy cups, bottles, grape juice and diaper rash ointment.

CHICAGO - As Tawn Makela grapples with the controls of the weather-ragged Learjet, she hears the wind rustle pieces of the American economy.

Forget the dot-com crash. There's evidence of a second coming for Web businesses - at least in higher learning.

A Gilbert company is among five firms statewide to receive part of $1.5 million awarded by the Arizona Commerce Authority to speed development and the commercial launch of promising technology.

The value of Arizona exports to foreign countries set a record in 2005, surpassing the previous high in 2000, according to figures released Thursday by the Arizona Department of Commerce.

Scottsdale’s foremost municipal election controversy involves an imaginative “non-endorsement endorsement” of four political candidates by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber argues that its controversial print and electronic media ads are legal under Arizona law. Others, including candidates not endorsed by the chamber, disagree. A final legal determination is pending.

The International Trade and Investment Division of the Arizona Department of Commerce is inviting small and mid-sized Arizona companies to participate in a trade mission to Guadalajara, Mexico in February.

Arizona State University is drawing some criticism for a campus debit-card deal that will mean millions of dollars going into the school’s coffers over the next decade.

I’m not sure what’s more disappointing: Having a governor who makes the wrong decisions, or having a governor who’s too afraid to make decisions. After reading Mr. Fischer’s article (“Arizona retailers urge governor to negotiate with Amazon over tax issue”), it’s obvious we have the latter.

The Chandler Chamber of Commerce will honor the employers that contribute the most to the city's economy at The Chandler 100 breakfast Thursday.

Arizona’s exports to foreign countries increased nearly 5 percent last year as foreigners took advantage of the weaker U.S. dollar to snap up more of Arizona’s electronics, machinery, vehicles and copper.

Strutting horses, buses duded up to resemble trolleys, mattress stores and a company that sells “electronic brainstorming” services are Scottsdale’s top businesses this year.

Insight Enterprises, the Tempe-based distributor of electronic products and software, said Tuesday it will lay off between 70 and 80 employees — just less than 3 percent of its North American staff.

An upstart electronics retailer from California is expanding its presence in the Valley with an eye toward capturing Arizona’s 1.6 million Hispanic inhabitants.

Arizona exports in the first quarter of this year jumped a healthy 27 percent over the same three-month period a year ago, one of the biggest increases ever, according to figures released Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Commerce and the U.S. Commercial Service.

Valley Commerce Bank adopted a new name Monday, becoming the Bank of Arizona and announcing plans to expand by 30 percent to 40 percent during the next 12 months.

Despite the severe economic downturn, Avnet has been able to maintain employment at its Chandler logistics center by consolidating other operations there, said Jim Smith, president of Avnet Logistics.

Oil prices fell below $54 a barrel Thursday as dismal U.S. economic data and rising crude inventories outweighed the possibility of production cuts by OPEC and Russia.

U.S. Bank is initiating an aggressive expansion that includes opening 40 branches inside Safeway stores across the Valley and hiring about 300 people to operate them.

Safeway plans to expand its in-store banking service starting this fall through a new partnership with U.S. Bancorp.

Tempe's Changing Hands Bookstore is set up for customers browsing its shelves in search of a good read, co-owner Gayle Shanks said.

Just a few Apache helicopters can make a big difference in Arizona’s export figures.

Rapidly advancing drone technology packing the latest surveillance tools into affordable and lightweight machines could help police do their jobs more effectively and with greater safety.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush has signed an executive order requiring contractors and others who do business with the federal government to make sure their employees can legally work in the U.S.