Business Digest

REGION

Dominion East Ohio will raise natural-gas price

CLEVELAND — Dominion East Ohio said the price for natural gas is rising for those who buy their gas through the utility.

Beginning Nov. 16, its Standard Choice Offer will be $5.69 per thousand cubic feet, which is an increase of 56 cents, or 11 percent, from a month earlier. The new rate is 35 percent lower than the $8.80 rate that was in place in November 2008.

Prices are lower than a year ago because of a reduction in industrial demand and high storage levels, Dominion said.

Customers assigned to a Standard Choice Offer supplier are free to enroll with a different Energy Choice supplier or participate in an aggregation program. Those customers can evaluate their options at www.dominiongaschoice.com, which provides interactive, one-stop shopping information.

First Place Bank creates campaign for food bank

WARREN — First Place Bank has created a donation campaign and food drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.

For each new checking account opened in November and December, First Place will donate $10 to Second Harvest. Also, the bank will donate 25 cents for each transaction made using a First Place debit card during those two months.

In addition, the bank is having a food drive during the week of Nov. 15. The first 200 people to bring in a donation of food will receive a reusable First Place shopping tote.

Atlanta-based Arby’s closes Market Street restaurant

YOUNGSTOWN — Arby’s closed its restaurant at 3130 Market St. Sunday because it was not meeting sales expectations, said Cathie Koch, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based chain. The restaurant opened in 1987.

Koch said employees were offered jobs at other area locations. Arby’s remains committed to the area and is remodeling restaurants on Belmont and Mahoning avenues and probably will remodel three or four others, she said.

Vindicator staff reports