Crescent Capital VI wants Cowlitz to consider a "transitional period," in which Jeffery Gow and Steve Wasson would be appointed to the board. Crescent also said it wants seven directors nominated for election at the 2009 annual meeting, four of whom would be its nominees and three of whom would be existing directors. In a letter to Cowlitz, the private-equity firm said it is in the shareholders' best interests to avoid a proxy contest, owing to the costs that would be incurred. Crescent holds 1,508,360 shares (29.4% of the total outstanding).

Kistefos AS said that it has commenced an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery to obtain a declaration that Trico Marine has no right to bar its stockholders from voting on a proposal to amend the company's bylaws at its 2009 annual meeting. Kistefos is also seeking an injunction requiring that the proposal be placed before the meeting. Kistefos owns 3,535,959 shares (22.2%).

Glenhill Capital Advisors and affiliates expressed concern with NMT's plan to launch a search for a new president and chief executive officer. The Glenhill group urged NMT's board to appoint Chief Operating Officer Richard Davis as interim CEO -- until the company receives a decision from the Food and Drug Administration about a proposed cardiac-implant device; the FDA decision is due in December 2010. The Glenhill group has 1,264,820 shares (9.7%).

Activist investor Joseph Stilwell wants Kingsway Financial Services to become a "nonstandard" auto insurer, and called for all the company's other businesses to be "expeditiously sold or run off." Stilwell said the proceeds from the sales and run-offs should be used to repurchase Kingsway's public debt securities while they trade at a discount to face value, and to repurchase common shares, until they no longer trade below tangible book value. Stilwell holds 5,425,000 shares (9.9%).

Winthrop Realty Trust (FUR) has been denied a request for a waiver that would have allowed it to acquire preferred shares in excess of the ownership limit set by Maguire. Winthrop CEO Michael Ashner had recently requested that his company obtain an exemption to increase its stake, up to a level of 25%. Winthrop currently holds 9.45% of the Series A preferred stock.

ValueAct Capital reported ownership of 1,413,503 shares (5.1%), after buying those shares from Feb. 10 to April 9 at $2.80 to $4.49 each.

A group of funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors (GBL) reported ownership of 1.4 million shares (5.09%), after buying 38,100 from March 23 to April 6 at $15.69 to $16.75 each.

Doddsville Investments increased its stake to 9.03 million shares (13.1%), from the 8.32 million (12.1%) reported on April 2.