Week in review

Items of interest from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3

Google lobbied lawmakers

Google knows how to play hardball.

Officials with the Internet search engine used heavy-handed lobbying to help craft legislation and win major tax breaks, according to government documents made public last week.

The company recently agreed to build a computer center in Lenoir in exchange for incentives that could be worth $100 million over 30 years.

Insurer, hospital at odds

UnitedHealthcare plans to drop WakeMed from its network March 1. A spat about money could disrupt thousands of patients by forcing them to seek care at other area hospitals. Officials on both sides say negotiations are continuing.

Tower sold; airline starting

The Wachovia Capitol Center in Raleigh sold for $153.4 million, a record for an existing Triangle building. ... ExpressJet Airlines plans to start service at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, flying nonstop to Kansas City.

Medical companies raise cash

Several local health-care companies have found some much-needed financing.

InnerPulse, an RTP company developing a new type of heart defibrillator, raised $50 million. It was one of the largest amounts for a medical device company in North Carolina.

Also, Icagen of Durham attracted $22 million to continue work on its experimental drugs. And AlphaVax, an RTP company that develops vaccines, has raised $12.7 million.

Jobs gained and lost

On the local jobs scene, there was good news out of Sony Ericsson. The mobile-phone company announced plans to hire 100 workers at its North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park.

But the word was grim at McKinney. The Durham advertising agency fired 40 workers after the recent loss of two major accounts. The firm now has 187 employees, down from a high of 250 last year.