Business Briefs: Bellhops gives pizza to August movers

Aug. 10--Bellhops gives pizza to August movers

Moving day is known for being stressful, but two companies are working together to make moving day a little more enjoyable. The Chattanooga-based Bellhops said Wednesday it is teaming up with Papa John's Pizza to offer a free pizza to Chattanooga customers who move with Bellhops Moving during August.

Bellhops Co-Founder and President Cam Doody knows first hand how valuable this partnership can be for people at the end of a long moving day. Doody was inspired after his personal experience moving to Chattanooga in late 2012.

"Like many people, my wife and I moved into our new home and realized the refrigerator was empty," said Doody.

"Pizza and moving go hand in hand," said Paul Boccia of PJ United. On moving day, the last box you should open should be a pizza box."

ABC pays $177 million in 'pink slime' lawsuit

A legal settlement between ABC and a South Dakota meat producer in a defamation lawsuit over the network's reports on a beef product that critics dubbed "pink slime" exceeded $177 million, an attorney for the producer said Wednesday.

Disney, which owns ABC, disclosed a $177 million legal settlement charge in a filing with a government securities regulator this week that didn't specifically link it to South Dakota-based Beef Products Inc. BPI attorney Dan Webb said that based on the disclosure, it appears Disney is funding $177 million of the settlement and insurers are "paying the rest."

"As Disney disclosed, $177 Million is not the total settlement amount," Webb said in a statement, which didn't give the full figure.

Disney reported in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it's pursuing "additional insurance coverage for this matter." The company didn't immediately respond to an email requesting comment from The Associated Press.

BPI and ABC announced the settlement in June while the case was at trial. BPI could have been seeking damages as high as $1.9 billion, according to the SEC filing from Disney.

BPI sued in 2012, saying ABC's coverage of its lean, finely textured beef product misled consumers into believing the product is unsafe, is not beef and isn't nutritious.

Spring productivity rose by 0.9 percent

The productivity of American workers rose just modestly in the spring, extending a worrisome issue that has persisted throughout this expansion.

The Labor Department says productivity grew at an annual rate of 0.9 percent in the April-June quarter, slightly better than a scant 0.1 percent rate of increase in the first quarter.

Transgender woman sues Amazon for bias

A Kentucky man and his transgender wife have sued Amazon, alleging that they endured sustained discrimination and harassment during a year as co-workers at the mammoth online retailer's warehouse in northern Kentucky.

A lawyer working with the couple said the case is notable in part because Amazon, one of the nation's largest corporations, has a record of strongly supporting gay and transgender rights.

Walmart tests app to skip checkout line

Walmart is bringing back an app that lets shoppers skip the checkout line and pay for items themselves on their smartphones.

It first tested a version of the app, called Scan & Go, in 2013. But it discontinued it after customers said it was confusing to use. The retailer said Wednesday that it learned from the initial test and redesigned the app to make it easier to use.

Gatehouse Media buys 11 Morris newspapers

Morris Communications will sell its 11 daily newspapers and other publications in those markets to New Media Investment Group, the parent company of GateHouse Media Inc., the companies announced Wednesday.

New Media said in a news release it will pay $120 million to purchase Morris Publishing Group, the newspaper division of Georgia-based Morris Communications.

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