REGION

REGION
Contractor finishes stores
NILES -- H & amp;H Contracting Co. has completed construction of new Hollister Co. stores in Louisville, Ky., and Mansfield, Ohio, and continues to expand its work in other states.
The Niles-based contractor has built 19 Hollister stores since 2000. It has three stores under construction in Texas and one each in Michigan and Connecticut.
Hollister is a clothing store owned by Abercrombie & amp; Fitch. H & amp;H is owned by Chris Hoff and Eric Hammer.
Kohler adds agency
CANFIELD -- Kohler & amp; Associates has acquired Farmhouse Insurance Agency of 8520 Akron-Canfield Road and added it to its network of independent Nationwide Insurance offices.
Kohler & amp; Associates also has offices in Austintown and downtown Youngstown.
Lisa Kohler is president of the company, which offers personal and business insurance and financial services.
Declared disaster areas
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties have been declared a disaster area because they are contiguous to areas in Pennsylvania that have received such designations, the U.S. Small Business Administration said.
Severe weather in Pennsylvania from May 18-22 resulted in the disaster declaration. Homeowners, renters and businesses are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans. SBA offers loans up to $200,000 to repair primary residences. Business loans are available up to $1.5 million.
Information is available by calling (800) 359-2227.
Free workshops
YOUNGSTOWN -- Free workshops designed to help small-business owners learn about taxes will be conducted this summer in Ashtabula and Mahoning counties.
The workshops are sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, Ohio Department of Taxation and the Ohio Small Business Development Center at Youngstown State University.
The Ashtabula workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 17 at the Ashtabula Chamber of Commerce, 4536 Main Ave. The Youngstown workshop is slated for 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 21 at the Youngstown Business Incubator, 241 Federal Plaza West.
To register, call (330) 746-3350.
From Vindicator staff reports