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Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication spotlighting attractions, jobs, events, business and hotels in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Sunday, February 7, 2010  Crossovers and Passenger Cars Drive GM Sales Growth KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 7, 2010 - U.S. dealers for GM's brands - Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac - reported retail sales of 102,420, up 3 percent compared to January 2009, and 145,098 total sales (up 30 percent). These results were driven by the continued strong growth of new GM crossovers and passenger cars. For the month, GM dealers reported 146,825 total sales (including other brands), representing a total sales increase of 14 percent from the previous year. "This is the fourth month in a row that Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac have shown a collective year-over-year retail sales increase," said Susan Docherty, GM vice president, Sales, Service and Marketing. "Our long-term plan to continue to focus and strengthen our brands is delivering results." Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac comprised 98 percent of the company's retail sales in January, compared to 85 percent a year earlier. Retail sales, including other brands, in the U.S. were 104,122 during the month. This represents a 10 percent decline from a year ago, driven by other brand sales - Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and HUMMER - that were 90 percent lower. GM dealers delivered 42,703 fleet vehicles, comprising 29 percent of total deliveries for the month. Other Key Facts: -- Chevrolet Equinox retail sales increased 67 percent; estimated retail share of the compact crossover segment is up 5 points (Jan. 2009 vs. Jan. 2010) -- GMC Terrain retail sales were up 162 percent (compared to the vehicle it replaces, Pontiac Torrent); estimated retail share of the compact crossover segment is up more than 3 points (Jan. 2009 vs. Jan. 2010) -- Cadillac SRX retail sales were up 218 percent vs. last year, the fifth consecutive month it has gained more than 100 percent year-over-year; SRX gained approximately 15 points of retail share in the Mid-lux SUV crossover segment (Jan. 2009 vs. Jan. 2010) -- In their first year on sale, GM Compact Crossovers - Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain - have become the second best selling crossovers in the industry -- GM sells more crossovers than any other automaker, representing approximately 20 percent of industry crossovers sold -- Buick LaCrosse retail sales were up 142 percent, the fourth consecutive month it has gained more than 100 percent year-over-year; LaCrosse gained an estimated 12 points of retail segment share, making it number one in its segment (Jan. 2009 vs. Jan. 2010) -- Chevrolet dealers sold 5,371 Camaros - the eighth straight month it has outsold Mustang "Our launch vehicles such as the Chevrolet Equinox and Camaro, Buick LaCrosse, GMC Terrain, and Cadillac SRX continue to attract new customers to our brands," Docherty said. "In addition to styling and fuel efficiency, customers have told us they want safe, high quality vehicles. They can have peace of mind knowing that our vehicles come standard with our 5-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and OnStar." Chinese Student Population Boom in Missouri JEFFERSON CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 7, 2010 - Missouri has a booming trade with China, but the product is knowledge instead of manufactured goods. Chinese make up the largest percentage of international students drawn here to study at Missouri colleges and universities. The visit this week from Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong elicited ideas for ways to increase exports to China and establish St. Louis as a hub for trade. But Missouri is already a hub of sorts for Chinese students, who make up almost a quarter of all international students enrolled in Missouri colleges and universities. Commissioner of Higher Education Robert Stein says Missouri ranks 17th in the nation in the number of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions. "Knowledge has become an international commodity," Stein says. "Our colleges and universities are competing successfully in this global market." There were 2,173 students from China at Missouri colleges and universities in the 2007-08 academic year, among 11,285 international students in all, up 7.1 percent from the previous year. Estimated expenditures made by foreign students in Missouri total $270.9 million. Most international students pay their own way to study in Missouri institutions. The Missouri Department of Higher Education and 23 colleges and universities formed the Study Missouri Consortium last year to promote Missouri as a destination for international students, and to encourage Missouri students to seek opportunities to study abroad. Research Associate Heather MacCleoud, one of the Study Missouri organizers, says global trade requires the knowledge and experience provided by international education. "Missouri employees will need the competence to work in a cross-cultural environment for partnerships with China and other countries to succeed," MacCleoud says. "Last year, almost 5,000 Missouri college students took advantage of study abroad opportunities." The Study Missouri Consortium is sponsoring International Education Day at the Capitol on Feb. 24. Commissioner of Higher Education Robert Stein says such events in years past have been extremely popular among foreign students. "They are truly thrilled to be able to be able to witness democracy in action," Stein says. "For many, it is the first time they have been able to actually meet an elected official. It is an experience that stays with them and has positive repercussions around the world." Violence Prevention Expert Shares Strategy KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 7, 2010 - Violence in U.S. cities is not a problem that can't be solved, according to Dr. Gary Slutkin, a nationally recognized expert on violence prevention. Dr. Slutkin, executive director of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention for the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Public Health and founder and director of CeaseFire, participated in a news conference, February 4, with officials from the City of Kansas City, Mo.; and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. At the 11:45 a.m. news conference, held in the City Council Chambers on the 26th floor of City Hall, Slutkin said CeaseFire's evidence-based, public health approach has been successful in reducing violence, particularly shootings, in Chicago and other U.S. cites where the model has been implemented. "CeaseFire does not see violence as an unsolvable problem in our cities," Dr. Slutkin said. "We've been successful in Chicago and we want to share CeaseFire's successful violence prevention strategies with cites and communities across the nation, because even one life lost is one life too many," Dr. Slutkin said. "We stand ready to help so that this country can move forward and our neighborhoods will be safe places where children can concentrate on building their futures." According to Dr. Slutkin, in the first two years of the program's presence on Chicago's neighborhood streets, residents there saw a 40 to 50 percent drop in shootings. "We are honored to have Dr. Slutkin, a nationally renowned leader in violence prevention, to provide our leadership with information about proven tools and ideas that could help bring our community together to improve public safety," said Councilwoman Cathy Jolly, 6th District at large, and chairwoman of the City Council Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee. Jolly also is co-chair of the City's Health Commission. Others participating in the news conference included Dr. Rex Archer, director of the City of Kansas City, Mo., Health Department; Tracie McClendon-Cole, coordinator of the City's Municipal Justice Program; and Major Anthony Ell, commander of the East Patrol Division of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.   The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2010 Moore Design Group. |
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