Des Moines International Airport (DSM) announced today that Delta Air Lines Inc. will be adding a second daily flight to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Beginning in April, Delta will switch its current daily service to LGA to a 6:15 a.m. departure from DSM and a 10:02 a.m. arrival at LGA. The daily return flight will leave LGA at 7:15 p.m. and arrive in DSM at 9:31 p.m. The second daily flight will be added starting May 1 and will depart DSM daily at 11:55 a.m. and arrive at LGA at 3:39 p.m. The departure flight will leave LGA at 9 a.m. and arrive in DSM at 11:25 a.m.

The U.S. Postal Service announced yesterday that the price of first-class postage will rise from 42 cents an ounce to 44 cents effective May 11, the Associated Press reported. New annual postage rates are generally announced in February and take effect in May. The overall change is tied to the rate of inflation in the year before, and postal officials estimate the increase will cost the average household $3 per year. The post office will continue to sell Forever Stamps, which will sell at the current 42-cent rate until the increase occurs. Forever Stamps purchased before May 11 will be honored after the price increase.

Moline-based Deere & Co. today announced that its first-quarter 2009 earnings conference call will be broadcast over the Internet on Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. Iowa time. The conference call can be accessed at www.deere.com/confcall, and the recorded call will be available on the company’s Web site for a period of time afterward. The Deere earnings release can be accessed at www.deere.com/financialreports.

ING Groep NV announced today that it sold its Taiwanese life insurance business to Fubon Financial Holding Co. Ltd., a major financial services company in Taiwan, for around $600 million, or 464 million euros. The company said it will report a loss of 292 million euros on the deal when it reports fourth-quarter results Feb. 18.

Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. will merge with Live Nation Inc. to form Live Nation Entertainment Inc., Los Angeles Business reported. The companies will have a combined enterprise value of approximately $2.5 billion after a tax-free, all-stock merger. Under the agreement, Ticketmaster shareholders will receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation common stock for each share of Ticketmaster they own.

Credit losses for 2008 reached $429.8 billion, exceeding those of the previous three years by more than seven times, according to the Standard & Poor’s loss trends monthly report released yesterday. According to the report, banks accounted for 54 percent of the volume of bad loans last year, or $231.2 billion. Media and entertainment companies were the next largest category, representing $32.6 billion in defaults. The gaming and hotel sector was the third-largest industry sector for defaults last year.

The Des Moines Business Record will host its first Power Breakfast of the 2009 series on Feb. 17 from 7:30 until 9 a.m. at the Des Moines Embassy Club, 666 Grand Ave. Suku Radia, president and CEO of Bankers Trust Co.; Bob McGowen, managing partner at McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith P.C.; Craig Jackman, president of Paragon IT Professionals; and Rick Tollakson, president and CEO of Hubbell Realty Co., will discuss corporate citizenship and its presence in Greater Des Moines. The event is $20 and registration is encouraged before Friday. Online registration forms can be found at www.businessrecord.com.