Growth in Economy Buoys Sales of New Trucks
Thursday, June 27, 2013YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Sales of new heavy-duty and medium trucks are on the rise as transportation companies replenish aging fleets and a steadily improving economy lifts business prospects for industries across the board, area dealers say.
“We’ve seen an uptick over the last 24 months,” reports Scott Davis, sales manager at Cerni Motor Sales Inc. in Austintown, which sells International brand trucks. “We’ve had a lot of success with local customers and we’ve seen business pick up.”
Brilex, Valerus Celebrate Joint Venture's Success
Thursday, June 27, 2013YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Success has many parents and nearly all who played a role in the promising joint venture between Brilex Industries LLC and Houston-based Valerus were on hand Wednesday to congratulate the Benyo brothers and Pete Lane.
Officeholders or their aides, economic development officials, bankers and academics watched and applauded as Brian Benyo, CEO of Brilex, used a pair of oversized scissors to snip the royal-blue ribbon to mark the official opening of the 50,000-square-foot plant at 101 Andrews Ave.
'3 Minutes With' Pete Lane, Valerus CEO
Thursday, June 27, 2013YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- In today's "3 Minutes With," Pete Lane, CEO of Valerus, discusses the potential for U.S. energy independence by 2020 and what that means for other fuels and prospects for natural gas being adopted more widely as a vehicle fuel. Lane was in town Wednesday to celebrate his company’s joint venture with Brilex Industries (READ STORY).
Weathersfield Residents Angry over Halcon Flaring Well
Thursday, June 27, 2013WARREN, Ohio -- Wildlife has fled. Pets are afraid to go outside. Residents are concerned that their health is at risk and fear their property values have plummeted.
"We've gone to hell in a hand basket," declared Sheldon Funk, a resident of the Westwood Lake Park, a mobile home community in Weathersfield Township that lies in the shadow of Halcon Energy's Kibler H1 well.
Since Saturday, a bright orange flame has shot upward from the well site across Westwood Lake, emitting a loud noise that residents say keeps them awake at night.
$2.2M Expansion Nears Completion at Maplecrest
Thursday, June 27, 2013STRUTHERS, Ohio -- The holiday season might be half a year off, but Lisa Daprile is already envisioning how the courtyard taking shape at Maplecrest Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is going to look then.
“I can see the Christmas lights,” she remarked.
Steel Imports Take 23% Market Share in May
Thursday, June 27, 2013WASHINGTON -- Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the United States imported 2,802,000 net tons of steel in May, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported Wednesday. This includes 2,123,000 net tons of finished steel (up 2% and down 1%, respectively, versus April final data).
Year-to-date total and finished steel imports are 13,236,000 and 10,359,000 net tons, respectively, down 11% and 9% compared to 2012.
Americans Hit the Road, Abandon Staycations
Thursday, June 27, 2013ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The outlook for family summer travel is bright with five Americans in six planning an overnight leisure venture of more than 100 miles round-trip, a new survey finds. That's up from 78% in last year's survey.
Slightly more than half, 53%, of these travelers expect to take two or more leisure trips this summer, according to a new national survey by Choice Hotels International Inc. and FamilyFun magazine.
Crosstex Energy Reactivates Rail-Loading Terminal
Wednesday, June 26, 2013YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Exploration of the Utica shale is givng new life to a dormant rail-loading terminal. Crosstex Energy, based in Dallas, says it is re-activating its Black Run rail loading terminal ln the Muskingham County town of Frazeysburg. The terminal is on the Ohio Central Railroad and will allow the export of Utica Shale light oil condensate production, the company says.
GOP Reps Blast Obama Climate Change Initiatives
Wednesday, June 26, 2013WASHINGTON -- Conservative Republicans whose congressional districts cover portions of the five-county Ohio-Pennsylvania region are blasting proposals President Obama made Wednesday to address climate change.