NEW YORK (AP) — James Patterson, the best-selling author and tireless advocate for books and literacy, is receiving an honorary National Book Award. Patterson has won the Literarian Award for "outstanding service to the American literary community," the National Book Foundation announced Wednesday.
Source: www.chron.com

THE WOODLANDS (HOUSTON), TEXAS – Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has added one of the nation’s premier conference retreats to its Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio – Doral Arrowwood. Located amid 114 wooded acres in Rye Brook, New York, Doral Arrowwood is north of New York City and easily accessible to metro airports. The property is the latest addition to Benchmark’s exceptional collection of hotels and resorts with superb meeting facilities throughout the United States.
“Doral Arrowwood ranks among the conference industry’s most prominent and respected venues,” said Alex Cabanas, CEO of Benchmark Hospitality International. “We are very proud to have been selected by Doral Arrowwood’s ownership, the original founders of Doral Hotels & Resorts, to immediately take over management and welcome this legendary property to the Benchmark Resorts & Hotels’ family.” – See more at: http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/68130/benchmark-hospitality-international-adds-landmark#sthash.0UTeAh6k.dpuf
Source: www.traveldailynews.com

The new recruit had generated $2.7 million in production before switching wirehouses. A second advisor from UBS who had $1.9 million also went to Morgan.
Source: www.onwallstreet.com

CHICAGO (AP) — The team behind George Lucas’ art and movie museum released revised renderings Thursday showing more green space at the Chicago site but no radical changes to the undulating, futuristic building stoking passions in a city that guards its Lake Michigan shoreline with religious-like devotion.
Images that will be presented to City Council next week show designers have significantly shrunk the lakefront building while preserving a smooth, tapering, dune-like form topped with an observation deck resembling a floating disc — a shape that critics have compared to Jabba the Hutt. Defenders of what will be known as the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, have said the design is loyal to Chicago’s history of making bold architectural statements and its devotion to keeping the lakefront open, accessible and green.

Source: www.stltoday.com

New Mexico News, Sports, Business and Entertainment from the Albuquerque Journal
LAS CRUCES – What effect will greater U.S. energy independence have on the country’s economy and its foreign policy? How will dramatically lower oil prices affect global production and, ultimately, global politics? What does it all mean for New Mexico?
Speakers at the eighth annual Domenici Public Policy Conference tackled huge questions Thursday, trying to parse the rapidly changing landscape in the fields of energy and Middle East politics. Gov. Susana Martinez and others spoke about regional economic development as it relates to energy policy and higher education.

Source: www.abqjournal.com