Business Briefs

TAMPA BAY AREA

More Local Foreclosures

Hillsborough County's foreclosure spike is continuing into 2008, says a firm that collects data on the litigation that starts the foreclosure process. Default Research of Mount Pleasant, Pa., tracked 919 Hillsborough lis pendens court petitions in January, up 9.7 percent from 838 cases in December. The firm does not collect data on other area counties. The news comes after another firm listed Florida as second in the nation for its 2007 foreclosure rate of more than 2 percent.

Cable Prices Are Rising

Among other price increases at local cable TV companies, Bright House Networks is raising the price of premium channels such as HBO or Showtime by $2 each per month to $13.95 per month per channel, effective March 1 for new and current customers. If customers buy two or more premium channels, the total increase will be $3 a month for the package.

Beginning Sunday, Verizon will raise the monthly price of a movie pack (Starz, Showtime, Encore, TMC, Flix and Sundance) from $12.99 to $14.99. The Playboy channel will go from $15.99 to $16.99. WWE 24/7 wrestling will rise from $7.99 to $9.99. Rates for HBO and Cinemax are $15.99 per channel, or $25.99 together, and not changing price.

TECO Adding To Power Base

Tampa Electric said Thursday it plans to spend $237 million to build 300 megawatts of new natural gas-fired generation by October 2009, generating enough power for about 65,000 homes. The units will be used when demand for power peaks during the winter and summer. Four will be built at TECO's Bayside Power Station in Tampa. The fifth unit, which will run on natural gas and fuel oil, will be built at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach.

Just In From Mexico: Cars

Tampa's first shipment from Mexico of about 200 Dodge Journeys, a crossover with SUV, station wagon and passenger car features, were offloaded at the Port of Tampa on Monday in the first of what the port said will be deliveries every two weeks.

STATE

Orlando Publisher Resigns

The Orlando Sentinel's publisher resigned Thursday, adding to the upheaval among Tribune Co. newspapers and other properties in the two months since the company went private. Kathleen Waltz had worked for Tribune for 34 years and was publisher of the Sentinel since 2000. She said she foresaw changes in corporate structure. Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said the corporate office had no comment.

A staff and wire report