A little before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sheila Clute stood in front of American Canyon’s new Wal-Mart Supercenter’s doors, ready to shop.

Three Farmers insurance representatives  from Napa and one from American Canyon have been induced into the Farmers’ “Topper Club” of top sales producers.

WASHINGTON — Consumer prices posted a rare decline in August while the battered housing industry saw construction fall to the slowest pace in 12 years.