Also. . .

* Midwest Express Airlines canceled 15 weekend flights, and pilots picketed at the carrier’s hub in Milwaukee as a deadline loomed for negotiators to reach a contract to avoid a strike. The carrier operates 130 daily flights to 31 cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. The airline’s 320 pilots were free to strike if no deal was reached by 11:01 p.m. CST Friday.

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* Dow Chemical Co. said Chairman Frank Popoff will retire in November after he turns 65 and will be succeeded by William Stavropoulos, effective Nov. 1. Michael Parker, now executive vice president, will succeed Stavropoulos as chief executive and president.

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* K2 Inc. said it settled two lawsuits with Adidas-Salomon over use of the Los Angeles-based company’s patented technology for soft-boot in-line skates. The German sporting goods company’s Salomon unit has agreed to stop selling the skates with the disputed technology in the U.S.

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