Business in brief: Oil company gives scholarships
In one of the most generous programs of its kind anywhere in the country, an oil company announced Monday it is putting up $50 million for college scholarships for nearly all high school graduates in its working-class hometown over the next 20 years.
Students at an El Dorado High School assembly screamed and applauded when Murphy Oil, the nation’s ninth-largest refiner, unveiled the program. Some wept, and one made the sign of the cross.
Murphy Oil said it wants to increase the number of students who attend college and perhaps attract new businesses to El Dorado, with the scholarships a selling point. It said it also hopes the program will help create better jobs here for students to come back to after graduating from college.
Los Angeles
MySpace sues prolific spammer
The popular online hangout MySpace.com has sued a Colorado man once accused of being one of the world’s top three spammers, saying the man gained access to MySpace profiles using stolen passwords and used the information to send spam bulletins.
MySpace, which is owned by News Corp., claims Scott Richter and his various companies, including OptInRealBig.com and Mediabreakway.com, sent millions of junk messages to members using technology that made the messages appear to come from individual members’ accounts.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and asks for damages, an injunction preventing Richter and his companies from accessing MySpace, and repayment of all profits gained as a result of the activity.
Phoenix
US Airways would keep Delta routes
US Airways Group Inc. said that if it acquires Delta Air Lines, the combined carrier would continue to fly to every city that both airlines currently serve.
But US Airways spokesman Phil Gee said Monday the company won’t decide whether it would curtail flights to various cities until it can get a better look at Delta’s business operations.
In November, US Airways said it planned to buy the Atlanta-based Delta in a hostile takeover worth $10.2 billion.