Electric rates tile

Electric prices to rise in June

Even with extra help from Mother Nature this spring, the Tennessee Valley Authority still will boost the fuel-cost portion of electric bills next month. But for most power users, the June increase in the fuel cost adjustment may not be noticeable. The typical EPB customer will pay about 17 cents more for electricity next month from a 0.1 percent increase in power prices, EPB spokesman John Pless said. Despite the increase from May, June prices still will be below the year-ago level.

With rainfall more than 10 inches above normal so far this year in Chattanooga, TVA generated 44 percent more power than normal last month from its 29 hydroelectric dam -- the utility's cheapest source of electricity. "That's always a good thing," TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said.

Murmaid stores add brands

Murmaid Mattress Factory Showrooms have begun selling two more mattress brands to help draw more shoppers and boost sales, company President Roger Pickett said Wednesday. The local mattress maker, which assembles its own Murmaid mattresses at its factory in Cleveland, Tenn., has added the Sealy Posturepedic and Stearns & Foster lines at most of its eight area outlets.

"I think more than ever local residents are looking to local businesses to furnish them with the products they wish to buy," Pickett said. Sales at local Murmaid Mattress stores rose 20 percent when the company added the Tempur-Pedic brands to its stores, and Pickett said he hopes for a similar gain in sales from the Sealy and Stearns & Foster brand addition.