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Annual Survey Shows More Americans Visiting Casinos
Friday, May 28, 2004WASHINGTON -- Two million more Americans visited a casino in 2003 than 2002, according to 2004 State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment, released Thursday by the American Gaming Association (AGA).The survey, which includes 2003 economic data for the commercial casino industry as well as the results of 2004 public opinion polling, reports that 53.4 million adult Americans went to casinos last year, basing their findings on data compiled by Harrah's Entertainment Inc./NFO WorldGroup.
Conference Board's Help-Wanted Index Falls One Point
Friday, May 28, 2004NEW YORK -- The Conference Board's Help-Wanted Advertising Index -- a key barometer of America's job market -- declined one point in April. The index stands at 38, down from 39. It stood at 37 a year ago.In the last three months, help-wanted advertising increased in five of the nine regions in the United States, the largest occurring in the Rocky Mountain (12.6%) and South Atlantic (11.1%) regions.
GM Plant Upgrades Contribute to Manufacturing Renaissance
Friday, May 28, 2004ORION, Mich. -- General Motors Corp. is taking advantage of new car and truck introductions to upgrade its assembly plants with the latest systems and technologies, including the GM complex at Lordstown, Ohio. Over the last three years, GM has made major refinements to several plants, including those in Oklahoma City, Okla., Fairfax, Kan., and Shreveport, La., GM officials said. This year, additional improvements are being made in Lordstown and Orion, Mich.
"Public Blames OPEC, Oil Companies, Not U.S. Government"
Thursday, May 27, 2004"ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- As gasoline prices soar, with many motorists now paying more than $2 a gallon, a new Harris poll brings good news for the White House. Only 23% of the public thinks that the U.S. government is mainly to blame for high gas prices. Most people blame either OPEC (37%) or foreign oil producers (35%) rather than the government.The poll surveyed 2,141 adults who own or lease a vehicle.
Sharon Tube Earns Quality Certification for Automotive Market
Thursday, May 27, 2004SHARON, Pa. --Sharon Tube Co. reports the company has gained ISO/TS16949:2002 certification from ABS Quality Evaluations Inc.The certification applies to all mechanical tubing products manufactured at three Sharon Tube facilities -- the cold draw mill here, the cold draw facility in Wheatland, Pa., and the company's cutting division in Brookfield.The certification is a global automotive quality standard aimed at aligning the industry with a single standard, said William G. Perrine, president and chief executive officer of Sharon Tube.
Ohio Water Treatment Plants Get $5M to Improve Secruity
Thursday, May 27, 2004COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Mahoning Valley Sanitary District today received a $196,000 state grant to fund improvements that would help guard the water treatment facility against acts of terrorism. MVSD serves 479,000 residents of the Mahoning Valley.The grant was one of eight announced today by Ohio Gov. Bob Taft. Through the coordinated efforts of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S.
McKelvey Calls White House Visit 'Life Altering'
Thursday, May 27, 2004YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Mayor George McKelvey doesn't know why he was invited to dinner by President Bush, but described the occasion as successful, "humbling" and a "life-altering experience."But leading Democrats in the Mahoning Valley find the whole episode amusing, a lesson in Electoral College politics and how the "poaching" game is played.McKelvey, a lifelong Democrat, and his wife attended the White House dinner Wednesday night and the mayor was seated next to the president, according to local broadcast reports.
Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Second Week in Row
Thursday, May 27, 2004NEW YORK -- Mortgage rates held steady a second consecutive week, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage staying at 6.35%, reports Bankrate.com's following its weekly national survey of large lenders.Last week, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dipped from 6.37% to 6.35%. The mortgages in this week's survey had an average of 0.39 discount and origination point.The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, popular for refinancing, retreated from 5.74% to 5.71%. Both the jumbo 30-year fixed- rate mortgage and one-year adjustable-rate mortgage declined one basis point to 6.54% and 4.11%, respectively.
U.S. Manufacturers Decrease Overseas Investment
Thursday, May 27, 2004NEW YORK -- U.S. manufacturers' foreign direct investment dropped by 1% in 2003 to an estimated $29 billion, according to a new study by Deloitte Research. The study, "Globalization Divided?: Global Investment Trends of U.S. Manufacturers," further shows that foreign direct investment flows have dropped more than 32 % from a high of $43 billion in 2000, representing the third consecutive year of declines.In a surprising finding, the report notes that the slowdown in U.S.
Ashtabula County Gobbles Lead in Wild Turkey Hunt
Thursday, May 27, 2004COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Hunters checked in 16,118 wild turkeys during Ohio's four-week, statewide spring turkey hunting season that opened April 26 and ended May 23, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.For the fifth straight year, Ashtabula County led the state with the most turkeys killed with 648.