Door problems drive recall of GM minivans

General Motors Corp. is recalling 717,302 minivans because passengers could injure their wrists or arms on the power sliding door, the automaker and federal government said Thursday.

The vehicles affected are 1997-2005 model Chevrolet Venture, 1997-1999 Pontiac Transport/Montana, 2000-2005 Pontiac Montana and 1997-2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette.

The defect involves the interior power sliding door handle on the passenger side. A person’s wrist or arm can be injured if the handle is held while the door is opening.

The recall comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it received 21 complaints about the sliding doors, including 19 reports of arm or wrist injuries and 13 broken bones.

Owners will be notified of the recall by the manufacturer beginning in March. GM said it would replace handles on the sliding doors.

Acquisition

Stockholders approve $2 billion AMC deal

Stockholders on Thursday approved a $2 billion deal in which Marquee Holdings Inc. acquired movie-theater chain AMC Entertainment Inc.

The deal, announced July 22 by AMC, calls for shareholders to receive $19.50 per share for their AMC stock. Marquee, a private investment firm, will fully own the formerly public company.

Company officials say moviegoers won’t notice any changes because of the transaction. AMC will continue under its current name and the company’s corporate offices will remain in Kansas City, Mo., under existing management.

AMC operates 231 theaters with 3,560 screens in the United States, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Marquee is controlled by affiliates of J.P. Morgan Partners LLC and Apollo Management LP.

Whistleblower

Attorney collects $3 million from bank

An Oklahoma lawyer will receive more than $3 million for blowing the whistle on a Kansas-based bank that allegedly inflated interest rates on federally guaranteed loans.

Roger Ediger became a lawyer after being forced out of farming by rising debt. He sued Leawood-based Gold Banc Corp. Inc. and the federal government intervened in the case because the lawsuit accused the bank of submitting false claims for payment to the United States.

Gold Banc paid the federal government $16 million in November to settle the case. As the whistleblower, Ediger legally was entitled to 15 percent to 25 percent of the settlement.