The storied Sahara casino reborn, transformed in Vegas

The Moroccan-themed Sahara casino that once hosted Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the Beatles seemed a lost cause in 2011, when its owners declared the 59-year-old property unprofitable and shut it down with little more than a vague promise to return.

SBE Group CEO Sam Nazarian had purchased the Las Vegas Strip resort in 2007 with dreams of restoring its former glory, but the recession stalled the plans, driving the owners to close two of the three hotel towers and hawk rooms for $1 per night on Twitter.

The decision to cling to the shabby casino will look nothing short of prescient at the stroke of midnight Friday, when the reincarnated Sahara opens as the vibrant SLS Las Vegas amid the glare of fireworks.

Farm equipment maker Deere announces Iowa layoffs

Agricultural equipment maker Deere is laying off about 460 employees indefinitely from an Iowa tractor factory as it continues to adjust to market demand.

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The Moline, Illinois, company said Friday that the latest round of layoffs will be effective Oct. 20. Deere said last week that it would lay off more than 600 employees at four Midwest factories that make harvesting and other agricultural equipment due to slumping demand.

Children’s suffocation deaths prompt bean bag chair recall

About 2.2 million bean bag chairs are being recalled after two children opened them, crawled inside and suffocated to death. The victims were a 13-year-old boy from McKinney, Texas, and a 3-year-old girl from Lexington, Kentucky.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday that the zippers on the chairs, which are made by Ace Bayou Corp., can open.

The chairs were sold at Bon-Ton, Meijer, Pamida, School Specialty, Wayfair and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Meijer.com and Walmart.com. They cost between $30 and $100 and were sold before July 2013. Ace Bayou, which is based in New Orleans, is offering customers a free repair kit that will stop the zippers from opening. Customers can order one at acebayou.com.

– From news service reports


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