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Every week, reporters around the continent write great business stories that don't make it onto your screen or into your local paper. And every week I scour newspapers around the continent to identify five of those great stories to enrich your weekend reading. This week I'm pointing you to stories about the auto industry's secondary effects, what's happening at bars and restaurants, a business that's doing well, and why times seem good for voice coaches.

My Posts This Week

Look to your left to see what I blogged about here this week. Over at Momentor I blogged about "Six things that affect your career besides planning" and did my weekly selection of Top Career Posts.

Last week's newsletter was "The Marshall Field Rule." As usual there were pointers to Web and Reading Resources, too.

Carnivals

Blog carnivals are collections of posts from a number of blogs. This week we've got the latest editions of two of the best Carnivals.

The Carnival of Leadership Development is posted at the Great Leadership blog.

The Carnival of Human Resources is hosted by Gautam Ghosh.

And now, here's my pick of the five best local stories this week. We'll start with two stories about the ripple effects of problems at the Detroit 3.

From the Washington Post: Beyond the Big Three, Many in Auto Industry Suffer
"The worst auto sales market in decades is having a ripple effect on the thousands of companies who supply carmakers with everything from aluminum to airbags, putting some firms at risk and forcing plant closures, layoffs and furloughs at others."

Wally's Comment: This post looks at how suppliers to the Detroit 3 are taking a hit, even with the bailout in place.

From the Detroit Free Press: Urgent need to shed dealers hampered by laws, contracts and strong wills
"As the 2009 auto show season begins this weekend, the dealers who organize the shows around the country are at the center of the toughest, most political -- and potentially litigious -- battle that Detroit's automakers face in restructuring their businesses in return for billions of dollars in federal loans."

Wally's Comment: This article from the Freep does a great job of describing the forces at work as the automakers look at cutting the number of dealerships.

From the LA Times: Bars and restaurants are getting toasted by happy hour
"Happy hour is getting happier, and that's making restaurants sadder. As the recession drags on, drinkers such as Luis Romero of Anaheim are gravitating to happy hour -- that late-afternoon period when bars and restaurants sell discounted drinks and food to attract customers during what otherwise would be a slow time."

Wally's Comment: Happy hour attendance is up but restaurant and bar profits are down. This article tells why.

From the Boston Globe: Still growing
"17-year-old publisher of magazine for Jewish girls manages to succeed in beleaguered industry"

Wally's Comment: Not every business is down. Here's an article about a teenager running a business that's doing well.

From the Dallas Morning News: Voice coaches' work strikes a chord
"Performers, immigrants and stutterers still dominate their client lists, but voice coaches say they're working with more and more professionals who think they can improve their careers by improving their voices."

Wally's Comment: There are always businesses on a rising curve of popularity. Voice coaches appear to be one of those.