Business news in brief

REGION

Incubator gets funding

YOUNGSTOWN — The John D. Finnegan Foundation and Ward Beecher Foundation recently made financial contributions to the Youngstown Business Incubator, investing $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. The funds will be used for capital improvements to YBI’s incubating facility on West Federal Street. In the past year, YBI has approved six new portfolio companies for occupancy, and the funds will be used to provide professional-office space for these growing ventures as well as future applicants.

“YBI is appreciative of the commitment by the foundations to entrepreneurship and technology development. The mission of YBI is to assist technology-based entrepreneurs establish and accelerate their scalable, proprietary information technology applications,” said Julie Michael Smith, chief development officer of YBI. “YBI provides entrepreneurial counseling and facilities in a professional atmosphere that allows companies to grow and prosper,” she said.

Contract extended

AKRON — For the second time, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the United Steelworkers of America have extended their national contract, this time until Aug. 29.

The three-year contract covering about 10,300 Steelworkers at seven Goodyear plants in the U.S. had been scheduled to expire July 18. It was first extended for four weeks until Saturday.

The contract talks cover workers in Akron; Buffalo, N.Y.; Danville, Va.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Gadsden, Ala.; Topeka, Kan.; and Union City, Tenn.

Contract talks began in June in Cincinnati and continue.

NATION

Sentencing postponed

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sentencing has been postponed for a private investigator who helped Hewlett-Packard Co. unearth private telephone records of board members and journalists.

Bryan Wagner is the last remaining defendant from the spying scandal that erupted in 2006 and engulfed one of technology’s most storied companies.

He pleaded guilty 21‚Ñ2 years ago to identity theft and conspiracy. His punishment had been scheduled for Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif. But now, a hearing will take place next week to determine a new sentencing date.

Wagner’s the lowest-ranking member of the plot to find the source of boardroom leaks to the press.

He admitted tricking phone companies into coughing up confidential billing logs. He claimed he didn’t know the records he was gathering were for HP.

Vindicator and wire reports