60 Fearing gas prices will spook tourists, owners of hotels and cottages offer deals. www.newsobserver.com/1075873 The state's unemployment rate remains higher than the national figure, data show. www.newsobserver.com/1075870 Sumo wrestlers were the main inspiration behind Wii Fit, Nintendo's latest attempt at getting you off the couch when you play video games. www.newsobserver.com/1075866 Lots of people who want to be small business owners decide to open a franchise, because it comes with a set system, training and a recognizable brand name. www.newsobserver.com/1075863 Fannie Mae is doing away with higher minimum down-payment requirements for borrowers in parts of the country where home prices are dropping. www.newsobserver.com/1075854 Titan America plans to create 161 jobs at a cement plant it will build in Castle Hayne in southeastern North Carolina. www.newsobserver.com/1075853 Shareholders at two publicly traded companies in the Triangle this week approved plans to elect their boards of directors annually instead of every three years. www.newsobserver.com/1075852 Retailers hope store-within-a-store will boost sales for each. www.newsobserver.com/1075851 When it comes to comfort, Kirk Christie's cows have it all -- a new barn, a flat-screen TV and waterbeds. www.newsobserver.com/1075849 Farouk moving jobs from China. www.newsobserver.com/1075847 Randy Roberson, director of development at the Raleigh division of Highwoods Properties, was honored at the 2008 Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women Champion Awards for professional commercial real estate service. www.newsobserver.com/1075821 Duke students hear about unethical practices, FDA flaws. www.newsobserver.com/1075819 Home construction gains fade against surging energy prices, consumer wariness. www.newsobserver.com/1075787 Jamie P. Menges sees many of his clients getting squeezed in this economy, and some are considering hard choices -- like cutting back on their 401(k) contributions. www.newsobserver.com/1075786 Construction of new homes increased by the biggest percentage in more than two years in April, a rare spot of good news amid the worst downturn in housing in more than two decades. www.newsobserver.com/1075785 After blasts, China banned shipments. www.newsobserver.com/1075770 The tightening commercial real estate lending environment has put the kibosh on construction projects throughout the country. Yet Kane Realty has managed to get the cash to continue expanding CEO John Kane's empire north of Interstate 440 at Six Forks Road. www.newsobserver.com/1074618 Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang might have only a few weeks to persuade Microsoft to revive its offer of $47.5 billion, or risk being fired in a shareholder mutiny led by activist investor Carl Icahn. www.newsobserver.com/1074614 Morrisville-based eTix is expanding locally and raised $1 million to add several sales and marketing positions this year. www.newsobserver.com/1074611 A projected $3 million annual profit and a stock price of $6.95 per share are not what you would expect from a company whose future is a question mark. www.newsobserver.com/1074609