Everybody’s business

The paper chase
A group of Chico State University business students is poised to be the focus of a huge honor—if only they can afford to go to the scene of their recognition.

Associate Professor Nitish Singh, who has been teaching marketing at the university since fall 2003, encouraged students in his Consumer Behavior class to send their research papers to the International Academy of Business and Economics, which is holding its annual conference in Las Vegas Oct. 17-20.

Eleven student papers, written by 15 undergraduate students, were accepted for presentation at the conference.

Two of those papers will appear in the academy’s Journal of Academy of Business and Economics, while another six papers will be published in its Review of Business Research. Singh said the papers were judged by experts not knowing that they were written by students.

“Student papers being accepted in academic journals that are blind-reviewed is extremely rare and more so at the undergraduate level,” Singh said. “Basically, these student papers will be published side-by-side with papers from professors holding Ph.D. degrees.”

It will take $13,000 to send the 15 students to Vegas, baby. If you care to make a tax-deductible contribution, send a check payable to the Department of Finance and Marketing, CSU, Chico, care of Dr. Singh in RM 469, School of Business, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA 95929.

Taking the Fifth
Since they weren’t on Fifth Street before, it shouldn’t be too confusing to follow Fifth Street Clothing Co. from 155 East Third St. to its hoped-for new location at 328 Broadway, the former home of Clifford’s Jewelry.

The deal isn’t done yet, but there’s a sign at the new location informing passersby of Fifth Street’s intent.

The shop sells ladies’ clothing in a style I call “classy casual.”

It’s been at the corner of Fifth and Main, including gradual expansions, since the early 1980s. On Aug. 11, property owner Russian River Land Co. (who’s also been involved in civil suits with the Crazy Horse Saloon and a former tenant, Clay Myers) sued Fifth Street and its owner, Carol Munson, alleging nonpayment of rent and asking for $10,000 to $35,000 to help pay for repairs and diminished property values after a sewer pipe backed up into the clothing store and adjacent Gina Marie’s restaurant. The property owner, the plaintiff says, is not responsible for any damage that happens to the inside of its buildings.

Munson didn’t return a call by press time and hadn’t yet filed an answer to the suit.

Pay to stay
Construction on the massive Marriott hotels is coming along near Highway 99 and the Skyway overpass, off Carmichael Drive.

The project, first mentioned in the News & Review’s business column way back in July 1999, includes a 78-room Residence Inn (suites with kitchens, hot breakfasts and evening social hours) and a 90-room Courtyard designed for business travelers, with Internet access, libraries and 24-hour access to food.

It should be a huge addition to the Chico lodging scene and give Oxford Suites, Heritage Inn and Holiday Inn, arguably the swankiest motels in town to date, a run for their money. In the Sacramento area, two-bedroom suites run $200 a night at the Residence Inn and $120 a night for a room at the Courtyard—significantly more than the aforementioned Chico motels. (Then again, that’s Sac.)