MARYSVILLE, Wash. Washington State is at risk of losing millions of dollars from a proposed federal public works stimulus package if these projects lack environmental permits. Wildlands of Washington can help by offering habitat credits to city, county and state agencies needing rapid permitting of public projects.

IRVING, Texas Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that its Mexico-based industrial construction joint venture company ICA Fluor (NYSE: ICA) (BMV: ICA) was awarded a $51 million contract by Pemex Exploration and Production for the construction of two lightweight offshore platforms for the Cantarell production field in the Gulf of Mexico. The award was booked into backlog in fourth quarter of 2008.

TAMPA, Fla. ShortSaleCalc.com, a Florida based internet real estate software innovator, announces the release of its proprietary Short Sale Calculator software. The Short Sale Calculator (SSC) was designed by bank experts to simplify the time consuming task of creating proper documentation required by bankers to successfully complete a short sale of any subject real estate property. The software was created using the Adobe Flash™ media system so that it can be used by virtually anyone with a computer and an internet connection -- no installation necessary.

HOUSTON AmREIT, a Houston-based real estate company that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, today announced that its Board of Trust Managers has approved in concept the merger of AmREIT with REITPlus, a Houston-based non-traded REIT that was sponsored by AmREIT in 2007. The merger will be subject to appraisal of both REITs' real estate properties, valuation by a third party investment banking firm of AmREIT’s three classes of common stock, entry into a definitive merger agreement, approval of shareholders of both REITs and other customary closing conditions.

CHICAGO Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) (“Ventas” or the “Company”) said today that it has closed on the sale of four seniors housing assets to affiliates of Benchmark Assisted Living (collectively, “Benchmark”) for an aggregate sale price of $58.7 million. The assets are located in Massachusetts and contain 403 units.

TOLEDO, Ohio Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE:HCN) announced today that it completed $215.1 million of gross investments during the fourth quarter of 2008. During the quarter, the company had asset sales and loan payoffs of $43.1 million, resulting in net new investments of $172.0 million. For the year ended December 31, 2008, the company completed $1.2 billion of gross investments, offset by $194.2 million of asset sales and loan payoffs, which generated $1.0 billion of net new investments. The following is a summary of the company’s gross investment activities (dollars in thousands):

CALABASAS, Calif. The Ryland Group, Inc. (NYSE:RYL), one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, will present at the 2009 Credit Suisse Homebuilding Conference in New York on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 1:50 p.m. EST.

DALLAS Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) today announced that a company subsidiary plans to close Community Hospital of Los Gatos (CHLG), including its emergency room, on April 10, 2009. As required by state law, the Tenet subsidiary is providing 90 days notice to local and state authorities.

INDIANAPOLIS The Indiana housing industry called on Congress today to address the housing crisis that is at the root of the nation’s recession.

ATLANTA Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) announced today that Gordon D. Harnett was elected to the Company’s Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held earlier today. Mr. Harnett was elected to the class of directors whose term expires at the annual meeting for fiscal year 2010. Mr. Harnett was Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Brush Engineered Materials, a leading international producer and supplier of high-performance engineered materials, from 1991 until 2006 and he is currently a director of Enpro Industries, Inc., The Lubrizol Corporation, and Polyone Corporation. Mr. Harnett’s addition to the Acuity Brands Board brings the total number of Directors to nine.

WALLINGFORD, Conn. Sensor Switch, Inc., an industry leader in the development of lighting control products, has been chosen as one of Connecticut’s 40 fastest growing technology companies by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC). Sensor Switch was inducted into the inaugural UHY LLP Tech Top 40 program in November; a program which celebrates the 40 fastest growing Software, IT, New Media, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy/Telecom/Green Tech, and Life Sciences companies in Connecticut. Selection for the award was based on the percentage of revenue growth of each company in the last four years, from 2004-2007. Sensor Switch, chosen as a winner in the Energy/Environmental category, was presented with the Award at the Top 40 Gala on November 6^th, 2008 at the Chevrolet Theater in Wallingford.

CINCINNATI Chemed Corporation (NYSE:CHE) today announced that it will deliver a presentation at the 27^th Annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 13, 2009, at approximately 4:30 p.m. PST at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, CA.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. Heath Construction (www.heathconstruction.com) is building Fort Collins’ third branch library – a 17,500-square-foot facility that will be the city’s first LEED-certified library.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Tennessee housing industry called on Congress today to address the housing crisis that is at the root of the nation’s recession. James Carbine, co-founder of Carbine & Associates, and his colleague, John Montgomery, joined with Dan Mitchell, president of Eagle CDI, Inc., and Phil Chamberlain, owner of Chamberlain & McCreery, Inc., to urge Congress to enact bold measures that will stimulate the housing market and, in turn, revive the local, state and national economies.

RALEIGH, N.C. The North Carolina housing industry called on Congress today to address the housing crisis that is at the root of the nation’s recession. Rick Judson, owner of Evergreen Homes; Dan Tingen, president of Tingen Construction; Richard Gaylord, president of Richard Gaylord Homes; and Joe Appelmann, president of Stock Building Supply, urged Congress to enact bold measures that will stimulate the housing market and, in turn, revive the local, state and national economies.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. Solar Power, Inc. (OTCBB:SOPW), a vertically integrated manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules and marketer, designer and installer of PV solar electric systems for commercial, public and residential customers in the United States today announced that the Company will present at the Pritchard Capital Energize 2009 Conference held at the Westin San Francisco Market Street. Mr. Steve Kircher, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present at 11:40 a.m. (PT) on Wednesday, January 14, 2009.

NEW YORK Fitch Ratings assigns a rating of 'A+' to the $600 million of 5.30% of first mortgage bonds (FMBs) issued by Carolina Power & Light Company, d/b/a Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc (PEC). The new bonds mature on Jan. 15, 2019. The proceeds from the sale of the bonds will be used to repay outstanding commercial paper, retire the $400 million outstanding balance of PEC's 5.95% senior notes due March 1, 2009, and for general corporate purposes. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. The Ozone Man, Inc. (OTCBB:OZOM), today announced it has opened a service office in Charlotte, North Carolina bringing its number of hubs to five, which cover the geographic areas of Los Angeles, New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina and Florida. Each office provides onsite services encompassing inspection and testing, treatment (deep cleaning) and maintenance services that promote a healthy indoor environment.

FAIRFAX, Va. With 2009 bringing “La Nina,” significant winter weather may be both severe and relentless across the nation. To date, the Pacific Northwest is experiencing unusually cold temperatures and heavy snow while Southern California is all but missing its “rainy season” as the weather remains arid. In the Midwest and along the Eastern seaboard, bitterly cold temperatures, gusting winds and winter storms are becoming a weekly occurrence.