REGION

REGION
Collectibles store opens
BOARDMAN -- First Choice Coin, Jewelry and Collectibles has opened at 7050 Market St., Suite 105. The business, owned by Tom Drone, buys and sells coins and estate jewelry, as well as items such as toys, documents and books. The business will also put collectibles online to sell on behalf of customers. The store is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (330) 629-9990.
Coal production rises
PITTSBURGH -- Consol Energy's coal production was up substantially last month, largely because of the reactivation of a mine that had caught fire, the company said Tuesday. The company also cited a second longwall mining system at its McElroy Mine for the increased production, which rose to 6.1 million tons from 4.4 million tons in November 2003. Coal production in northern Appalachia climbed 48 percent to 4.9 million tons during the same period.
Company offers video mail
AKRON -- Just in time for the holiday, Time Warner Cable added video mail to its Road Runner High-Speed Online service. Video mail turns a plain-text e-mail into video display at no additional cost to Road Runner customers. "Video mail gives our Road Runner customers the opportunity to send a free holiday video greeting overseas to friends and family members in the military," said John Guran, vice president of commercial services at Time Warner Cable. Road Runner customers can record up to 45 seconds of video that will be stored up to 30 days. All that is needed is a PC, Webcam and video mail application. For a free download of video mail, customers click on the video mail pod found on the Road Runner benefits channel. Time Warner Cable Northeast Ohio Division serves customers in 234 communities in both Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Alcoa division gets work
PITTSBURGH -- A division of Alcoa Inc. was awarded a contract of approximately $17 million to construct fastening systems for the F/A-22 Raptor fighter aircraft. Alcoa Fastening Systems will supply a fastener for an engine nozzle used by Pratt & amp; Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. The so-called "weld-stud" system was built by Alcoa to the specifications of Pratt & amp; Whitney.
NATION
Merck to cut 5,100 jobs
TRENTON, N.J. -- Pharmaceutical giant Merck & amp; Co., under siege because of lost revenues from its recalled blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx, will cut about 5,100 jobs by year's end, 700 more than originally planned, and will slash hundreds of millions of dollars in spending, chairman and CEO Raymond V. Gilmartin said Tuesday. Gilmartin, speaking to analysts during Merck's annual business briefing, said the company is accelerating changes to increase growth, but will stick with its strategy of shunning major mergers. It will seek new drug candidates through more licensing deals and internal research, instead. Gilmartin reaffirmed earnings guidance for this year and next, saying Merck expects earnings per share of $2.59 to $2.64 for 2004 and $2.42 to $2.52 for 2005. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings per share of $2.62 and $2.47, respectively.
Southwest makes offer
INDIANAPOLIS -- Southwest Airlines Co. has offered to take nearly complete control of ATA Airlines Inc., a step that would foil ATA's plan to emerge from bankruptcy protection as a smaller carrier, according to a published report. The Indianapolis Star, citing a draft copy of Southwest's plans it obtained, reported Tuesday that Southwest wants to inject $47 million in cash into ATA, taking a 35 percent stake in the airline and naming new senior executives who would work to cut labor costs 15 percent to 20 percent. Southwest's proposal was discussed during a meeting Monday between lawyers for ATA, lenders and creditors reviewing the bids placed by Southwest and AirTran Airways for ATA's operations at Chicago's Midway International Airport, the newspaper reported. Federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Basil Lorch III is scheduled to pick a winning bid Thursday. Dallas-based Southwest's plan is part of a bid for six ATA gates at Midway.
Vindicator staff/wire reports