BUSINESS BRIEFS

Published: Oct 12, 2007

TAMPA BAY AREA

Lots Of Homes For Sale

The number of homes for sale edged down slightly in Hillsborough County in September. There are 20,218 homes on the market, according to the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors. That's down from 20,680 last month. Even so, the group estimates it would take 20 months to sell all of those homes. That's up from 15 months in August.

Air Security Chief Named

The Transportation Security Administration named Gary Milano as federal security director for Tampa International, Sarasota Bradenton International and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International airports to replace Dario Compain, who retired this year. Milano had been a TSA director at six New York airports.

NATION

Monday Is Tax Deadline

Taxpayers who sought extensions to file 2006 returns in October have four more days to file, the Internal Revenue Service said. The IRS said taxpayers hoping to meet Monday's deadline should consider using IRS e-file or its Free File system.

ConAgra Yanks Potpies

Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods Omaha, Neb.-based has asked stores to stop selling Banquet and generic brand chicken and turkey potpies linked to at least 152 cases of salmonella in 31 states. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 20 people have been hospitalized as part of the ongoing outbreak, but no deaths have been reported.

Countrywide Lending Falls

Countrywide Financial, trying to shift away from subprime lending, said Thursday its mortgage funding for September fell 44 percent from the same period a year ago, and the mortgage lender is now facing a potential federal investigation over the timing of stock sales by its chief executive.

Cell Phone Check-In OK'd

Major airlines have agreed on a standard that will allow travelers to check in using a bar code sent to their cell phones. The International Air Transport Association said Thursday that the move would help the industry phase out paper tickets by 2010.

Ford Hires From Toyota

Ford has hired Jim Farley from Toyota as its marketing chief. Farley, 45, who headed Toyota's Lexus brand in the United States, will join Ford in mid-November as a group vice president to oversee marketing, advertising and communications worldwide.

A staff and wire report

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