Back-to-School Shopping at Halfway Point
Friday, August 17, 2012
WASHINGTON -- Although families started shopping for back-to-school and college items earlier than ever this year, they still had more than half of their shopping lists to complete as of the first week of this month, reports the National Retail Federation.
For those who still need to make purchases, nearly 70% will turn to technology such as a tablet computer or smartphone.
Paycheck to Paycheck Levels Reach Post-Recession Low
Friday, August 17, 2012CHICAGO -- Living from paycheck to paycheck isn’t new, but the number of American workers who say they rely on their next payday to make ends meet has dropped slightly from 2011.
Forty percent of workers surveyed this year by CareerBuilder are dependent on their next check, down from 42% in the 2011 survey.
This year’s figure marks a post-Great Recession low, continuing a downward trend from a peak of 46% in 2008.
Salary Raises this Year Are Marginal
Friday, August 17, 2012LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. -- Salaries for U.S. workers continue to rise in small incrementally as concerns remain about the stability of the global economy. However, workers have the potential to offset low increases in their base pay through performance-based awards.
Base pay increases for salaried workers at U.S. companies were 2.8% this year, up marginally from 2.7% in 2011, according to a new survey by Aon Hewitt. Salaries have inched upward year-over-year since 2009, when pay increases reached an all-time low of 1.8%.
YSU Plays Lead Role in Manufacturing Institute
Thursday, August 16, 2012YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The decision to award and locate a major federal institute for manufacturing innovation in the Mahoning Valley is yet another indication of Youngstown State University’s emergence as an important urban research university, YSU officials said.
$70M Manufacturing Center Announced for YBI
Thursday, August 16, 2012YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Obama Administration this morning announced a new public-private institute for manufacturing innovation to be based at the Youngstown Business Incubator's new annex, a 12,000-square-foot building at 236 Boardman St..
Senior Obama Officials to Make Announcement at M-7
Thursday, August 16, 2012YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Senior White House officials today will visit M-7 Technologies here, where they are expected to make a major announcement regarding American manufacturing.
White House National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank, Under Secretary of Defense Frank Kendall and other senior Obama Administration officials will tour M-7 and discuss “the importance of American manufacturing,” the White House said in an advisory released Wednesday.
Betters Gets 'Provisional' OK to Buy RG's Warren Mill
Thursday, August 16, 2012WARREN, Ohio – C.J. Betters Enterprises Inc. of Monaca, Pa., has received the “provisional” go-ahead Wednesday to pay $16 million for the assets of RG Steel’s hot strip mill here pending resolution of ArcelorMittal’s objection.
Arcelor Mittal, which operates the coke plant adjacent to RG’s hot roll mill on Pine Avenue S.E., wants to exercise its property easement rights and purchase option for the steel plant’s boiler and power house.
Port Authority Approves Rail, Pipeline Study
Thursday, August 16, 2012VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The Western Reserve Port Authority voted to move forward Wednesday on a contract with Silverlode Consulting Corp. Cleveland, to conduct an airport, rail transload and pipeline feasibility study aimed at seeing how it can play a role in the emerging oil and gas industry.
Ohio State President, Students Tour Schwebel‘s
Thursday, August 16, 2012YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Ohio State University students learned something Wednesday about of the bread they eat on campus.
On Ohio State’s Friend Raising Tour, they, OSU President Gordon Gee and mascot Brutus Buckeye stopped at Schwebel's bakery on Midlothian Boulevard.
The visit was part of Gee's annual tour to educate students about Ohio beyond Columbus. Schwebel's director of marketing, Lee Schwebel, led the tour during which he related the history of the family-owned business and showed how bread is made.
'3 Minutes With' Dewit Peart
Thursday, August 16, 2012PITTSBURGH -- Today's '3 Minutes With' features Dewitt Peart, president of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, who discusses how the Pittsburgh area prepared for the emerging oil and gas industry, prospects for the Shell cracker plant and the possibility of an additional plant, and land and infrastructure needs that have to be addressed to fully capitalize on the shale industry.