U.S. increases travel allowances

A group of Spokane County hoteliers have convinced the federal government to increase per diem rates for lodging from $64 per night to $70, starting Oct. 1.

Per diems are daily travel allowances for federal workers. The old lodging rate hadn’t been changed for several years, and was low for many properties, said Christine Cochran, general manager for the Best Western Pheasant Hill in Spokane Valley.

Cochran worked with other members of the Spokane Hotel-Motel Association to get the rates changed. The association submitted hotel rate information gathered by Smith Travel Research to the federal General Services Administration. The per diem is based on mid-priced properties.

Federal and state workers account for about 6 percent of the travelers coming to Spokane County.

Cochran’s expecting an increase in state per diem travel as well, because Washington’s per diem tend to closely follow the federal rates, she said.

The Spokane Hotel-Motel Association also plans to ask the federal government to increase the lodging allowance during the summer months. In Kootenai County, the lodging per diem is $62, but increases to $89 during June, July and August.

New York

‘Charging Bull’ artist files suits

An artist has sued those he says are seeking to ride his “Charging Bull” sculpture to profits, claiming they are illegally capitalizing on the popularity of the 7,000-pound tourist attraction near Wall Street.

Arturo Di Modica sought unspecified damages against several corporations including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for what he said was unauthorized use of the stylized bronze larger-than-life-size bull’s image. The statue has stood at the base of Manhattan since 1989.

A telephone message left with Wal-Mart was not immediately returned Thursday.

The Sicilian immigrant’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, recalled the cold December night in 1989 when the bull was first fork-lifted from a truck to a spot at the entrance of the New York Stock Exchange.

The sculpture’s popularity and international recognition as a symbol of the city led to counterfeit copies, photographs and knockoff sculptures being sold in stores and on the Internet, the lawsuit said.

Washington

Egg sellers drop ‘animal care’ logo

The egg industry has agreed to permanently drop “Animal Care Certified” logos on egg cartons, after state officials and animal rights groups said consumers were being misled.

The industry has already replaced the logos, which now read, “United Egg Producers Certified.” The industry also agreed to pay $100,000 to states for attorney fees, consumer education and other costs.

States contended the old logo falsely implied a higher level of care for hens.

The egg group maintains it did not mislead consumers; it has not changed the program for which the label was used.