Ann Arbor — The Michigan Treasury Department has filed a $3.1 million tax lien against Google Inc ., which has an advertising sales office in Ann Arbor.
The Lansing State Journal reports that the lien includes two Michigan business tax assessments for $1.7 million and $1.4 million. The notice was signed Nov. 27 by Deputy Treasurer Richard Darling and recorded by the Ingham County Register of Deeds office Jan. 18.
Michigan Treasury spokesman Terry Stanton says the department "cannot publicly discuss or otherwise disclose information about particular liens."
Wal-Mart testing smartphone checkout
New York — Wal-Mart Stores Inc . is expanding a test of a new checkout program that lets shoppers scan items with their smartphones and then pay at self-checkout terminals.
The world's largest retailer launched what it calls its "Scan & Go" program late last year in about 70 stores in the Bentonville, Ark., area, where the retailer is based, as well as Atlanta. It is now testing the program in more than 200 stores. The new markets include Dallas, Houston, Austin, Texas; Denver, Portland, Ore., and Seattle.
Lakeshore Express will offer flights to Chicago
Lakeshore Express Aviation will start flight service between Oakland County International Airport and Chicago Midway on June 7.
Lakeshore Express operates out of private terminals at both airports. Flights on Lakeshore Express' Saab 340b will run Thursday through Sunday between destinations.
Yahoo buys startup to bring back engineers
San Francisco — Yahoo has bought Silicon Valley startup Jybe so it can bring back five of its former engineers to help the Internet company build better mobile applications.
Wednesday's deal marks Yahoo's fourth acquisition of a startup during the past five months. Yahoo Inc. didn't disclose the purchase price.
Jobless rate drops for vets serving since 9/11
The jobs picture for the nation's veterans improved significantly last year, particularly for those who have served since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Labor Department said Wednesday.
The annual report from the Bureau of Labor Statics shows that the unemployment rate for the latest generation of veterans fell from 12.1 percent in 2011 to 9.9 percent last year. About a third of the people who make up that category of veterans served in Iraq or Afghanistan, or both.
Staff and wire reports
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