Veteran Air of Sarasota to take donations to Goodwill Manasota vets program

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Goodwill

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SARASOTA -- Veteran Air, a heating and air-conditioning company, 7359 International Place, is holding a donation drive through April to support Goodwill Manasota's Veterans Services Program. Veteran Air will pick up items in Sarasota and Manatee counties and transport them to Goodwill, where they will be sold in retail stores throughout the area. Veteran Air owner Kevin Henault served in the Army. For more information, call 941-404-1788.

SRQ construction software group started

LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Fawley Bryant Architects of Lakewood Ranch has started a construction industry group that meets to discuss and use the latest software to design, construct and manage the built environment.

The SRQ Building Information Modeling User Group is a forum that brings together professionals from all facets of building design and construction in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

While the group's focus is on building design and construction software suite Revit, users at all levels with all backgrounds are encouraged to join.

The group will meet quarterly at Fawley Bryant Architects in Lakewood Ranch. It has a meeting May 4 at 6 p.m. at Fawley Bryant's offices at 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. N., Suite 300. The topic will be "Building on a Platform." For more information, call Juan Ocaña at 941-343-4070

Free VA home loan seminar planned for April 13

MANATEE -- The Scherer Realty Group at Keller Williams and MB Financial Bank invite military veterans and active duty service members to a free seminar about the Veterans Administration's home loan program.

Only 33 percent of vets utilize the benefit and over 44 percent say their loan officer never mentioned the option. During the presentation, a VA lending expert will address program highlights such as lower interest rates, lower fees, no down payment and lower FICO credit score requirements. Other subjects: property tax exemptions for disabled vets and credit repair assistance.

The event takes place 6p.m. to 8 p.m. April 13 at Springhill Suites by Marriott Sarasota at 1020 University Parkway. To reserve a seat or get for more information call, 352-262-4879 or 941-556-5101.

U.S. stocks close out week higher on jobs report

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed higher as traders got encouragement from a solid report on jobs.

Consumer companies gained after the government reported job growth remained at a strong clip in March. Energy and mining companies struggled as oil and precious metals prices fell.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude slumped 4 percent to just under $37 a barrel in New York.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 107 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,792.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13 points to 2,072. The Nasdaq composite gained 44 points to 4,914.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.78 percent.

-- Herald staff, wire reports

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 10:31 PM with the headline "Veteran Air of Sarasota to take donations to Goodwill Manasota vets program ."