Fed. deal to acquire rare Canadiana nearly collapsed (Jam! Showbiz)

A deal to repatriate a huge collection of rare Canadian art from England nearly fell apart as the selling family grew frustrated with the slow response of officials in Ottawa.

Visual Arts: Sales slide as stars rise (Toronto Star)

"Beautiful Inside My Head Forever," Damien Hirst's name for his precedent-breaking mid-September auction at Sotheby's in London, scored more than $200 million (Canadian) in just two nights as the British mogul-artist circumvented his dealers – his usual partners in cashing in – by selling directly to the public.

2008 year in review: Big news, small news and in between (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

JANUARYPDBossuJan. 1: Former Benedictine High School coach Augie Bossu, who led football and baseball teams at the school from 1953-2006, dies at 91. The FBI resumes its search for the mysterious "D.B. Cooper" who hijacked an airliner in 1971,...

Pennachis to close Rose Penn Inc. antique shop in May (Palm Beach Daily News)

Just before the turn of the 20th century, a Japanese delegate traveling through remote Gananoque, Ontario, suddenly fell ill during a snowstorm.

Weather makes employers make payroll decisions (South Sound Business Examiner)

It's what some are calling the storm of the decade and it seems out of place in the Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the storm is here and businesses are having to make unfamiliar payroll decisions.For example, should employees who can't leave their houses due to the snow be docked a day's pay? Must the employer treat salaried and hourly employees differently? Are employees allowed to make up work ...

The 'junk' collectors (National Post)

The slow southern twang in Elmer Spratling’s voice betrays his humble roots in Georgia. Almost as quickly, his guileless exuberance offers revelations best kept quiet, such as the fact he had never before placed an international telephone call until he dialled an art dealer in Toronto