Burbank-based Staffdriver, a nationwide outsourcer of administrative and payroll services to the staffing industry, has formed an alliance with Arizona-based NursingCorp., a provider of turnkey business systems to the temporary health care staffing industry. The alliance will enable NursingCorp. to offer a private-label version of Staffdriver’s services through an initiative called the FOCUS program. This program integrates Staffdriver’s office management services, which include payroll funding and processing, worker’s compensation insurance, invoicing and background checks, with NursingCorp.’s system. “We formed our alliance with Staffdriver because it enables us to put all of our clients’ critical support services under one roof,” said NursingCorp. president Joseph Caracci. “Combining our own services with those of Staffdriver’s, we are able to provide a more complete, yet simplified, operational process that still lowers our clients’ start-up costs.” “Staffdriver can transform NursingCorp.’s clients’ fixed costs into lower, variable costs, which allows them to focus their start-up capital on revenue-generating activities,” said Staffdriver managing director Michael Agee.

Two new bus lines serving the San Fernando Valley are part of service improvements starting this month from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Line 290 travels between Foothill and Mt. Gleason and Olive View Medical Center. It replaces the northern segment of Lines 90 and 91. Line 292 operates between Burbank Metrolink Station and the Sylmar Metrolink Station. In addition, other changes to Valley bus service are extending the route of Line 353 to provide local service west of Roscoe Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Fallbrook Avenue and Ventura Boulevard; and an extension of Line 363 to provide local service west of Sherman Way and Topanga Canyon Boulevard to West Hills Medical Center. The service changes begin June 25.

Concerns that rising gas prices will benefit the fast food sector at the expense of the casual dining sector led one analyst to remove The Cheesecake Factory from her top restaurant stock picks. Ashley R. Woodruff, an analyst at Friedman billings Ramsey noted that soft sales in May were likely to portend a weaker summer season for casual dining chains than for fast food operators. Cheesecake shares dipped some in premarket trading but soon recovered.

Capstone Turbine Corp. signed on as the original equipment manufacturer for Stellar Energy Systems, the company announced. Stellar and its partner MAS Global distributes power generation systems in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The agreement opens additional sales opportunities worldwide for Chatsworth-based Capstone, said Jim Crouse, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “We are impressed with Capstone’s undisputed leadership in microturbine technology and as a manufacturer of proven and reliable equipment,” said Stellar Senior Vice President Kurt Liebendorfer.

By ROSANNA WOO Staff Reporter The number of filming permits issued in May increased over the same period from a year ago, according to figures released by the City of Santa Clarita. Film permits issued in May 2007 increased to 27 in comparison to the 14 issued in May 2006. So far that means a 4 percent increase in issued permits in fiscal year 2006-2007 over fiscal year 2005-2006. In terms of film days, the city saw a 15 percent increase this fiscal year over fiscal year 2005-2006. Just in May 2007, the total was 54 film days. Television shows as well as commercial and feature film production have contributed to the city’s estimated $19.6 million economic impact. Film analyst Jessica Freude credits the entertainment industry’s increased interest in Santa Clarita to the film-friendly city, comprehensive website, active public relations, and the lowest permit fees in L.A. The basic standard rate for a motion picture film permit is $378, which is good for two weeks and includes up to 10 filming locations. A still picture permit is $86 and non-profit and student permits are free. Such shows currently being filmed on location include HBO’s “Big Love,” Deadwood” and “John from Cincinnati,” CBS’s “NCIS” and “The Unit,” Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101” and FX’s “The Riches.” Recently filmed in Santa Clarita were the two films “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “Stop Loss.”

Rates on 30-year mortgages hit their highest level in 10 months this week, according to data released by Freddie Mac. The fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage averaged 6.53 this week, up from 6.42 last week and the highest level since rates hit 6.55 on Aug. 10. Analysts attributed the increase to overall economic and job growth.

New commercial air service began Thursday morning between LA/Palmdale Regional Airport and San Francisco. United Express will fly two roundtrips a day between Palmdale and San Francisco International Airport. “The opening of LA/Palmdale is a major step toward realizing our city’s goal of a truly regional approach to meeting the growing demand for air travel in Southern California,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who along with Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford met the passengers aboard the first flight. United was one of two airlines that bid Los Angeles World Airports for service out of Palmdale. A $900,000 federal grant plus additional funding from LAWA, the city of Palmdale and Los Angeles County guarantees monthly revenues for United if it falls short of projections. The airline, in turn, has made an 18-month commitment to stay at the airport. By supporting the new service, area residents will encourage more airline service that in turn will create jobs and economic impact for the entire region, Ledford said.

The Federal Trade Commission said it would seek to block the proposed merger of Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc., charging that the deal would stymie competition in the organic groceries sector. The companies said they would fight an anti-trust lawsuit, claiming that the merger was necessary in what they said was a highly competitive market. Whole Foods announced in February plans to acquire Wild Oats. The FTC is seeking a temporary restraining order on the deal as the U.S. District Court in D.C. hears its request for a preliminary injunction. Whole Foods and Wild Oats argue that in considering their positions in the organic market, the FTC is missing the big picture the two chains account for only a tiny portion of the overall grocery category. According to the FTC, the Whole Foods and Wild Oats segment is separate from the grocery market and they cater to a distinct customer niche.

Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and the unions that represent its registered nurses and service and tech employees were no closer to reaching agreement about patient care, contracts and other divisive issues when the two sides met briefly for scheduled bargaining negotiations on June 4. The two sides were hoping to reach agreement and stave off a strike that the unions have planned for June 12. More talks are scheduled for June 7. The approximately 600 nurses, who are members of the SEIU 121 RN union, and the approximately 850 service and tech workers, who are members of the SEIU UHW union, have been in negotiations with the hospital since Feb. 12. Among the issues the two sides have reached impasse over is the hospital’s use of sub-contractors for its laundry service, which the employees say has decreased in quality since then; the employees’ desire to have a dispute resolution system with a binding third party; nurse staffing, which the union says it too low; and wages for nurses with experience, which the union says is not up to par with other area hospitals. At the recent talks, “The hospital made very slight movement on the wages,” said Tina Millspaugh, SEIU 121 RN union representative for the hospital. “They said no to everything else. They’re not interested in addressing the other issues we have on the table.” Although the hospital agreed to a wage scale increase, “It’s not up to our standards,” Millspaugh said. However, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bernie Klein, the hospital’s wage scale is very competitive with other regional hospitals. In fact, he said, it wouldn’t make sense to underpay nurses because of the nursing shortage, which gives nurses the opportunity to work anywhere they like. While the nurses and service and tech employees go on strike, the hospital will have to hire temporary staff to fill their places until June 15. The union is terming this move a lockout, but the hospital takes issue with this term, saying it is not actually a lockout. According to Klein, the outside care companies providing the temporary staff needed to fill the nursing and other staff positions during the strike can’t usually provide services for less than four or five days. “We’ve been fortunate to be able to do this for just a three-day period instead of a four-day period,” said Dan Boyle, spokesman for Providence Health and Services.

GroundWorkEquity, LLC helped obtain $2 million in funding for Culver City technology company Interneer, Inc. The Camarillo-based planning and access to investment capital firm is also assisting Interneer with a new business strategy. The $2 million comes from entrepreneur and businessman James Collins. Interneer created a technology for companies to use web-based applications with integrated workflow, without programming. Over three months, GroundWorkEquity identified new market opportunities for Interneer’s product, devised a new business and marketing strategy and facilitated funding for the company, said Michael Edell, a founder and managing partner of GroundWorkEquity. “Interneer epitomizes the effectiveness of the GroundWorkEquity model of taking the right mix of people, ideas, and products, adding strategy and business acumen to accelerate the business,” Edell said.