Business digest

REGION

Aqua contributes to assistance fund

COLUMBUS

Aqua Ohio has contributed $25,000 to a fund that will help low-income customers pay their water bills. Up to $150 per customer, or $250 for those with an extreme hardship, is available by contacting the Salvation Army in Youngstown, Ashtabula or Massillon.

The money was donated to settle a complaint raised by the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, which said Aqua Ohio had numerous customers who were not being billed or being billed late.

The assistance program is available to customers who have household incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of four, household income would have to total no more than $44,100.

Unemployment rises in Ohio

COLUMBUS

Officials say unemployment has edged up to 10.9 percent in Ohio as more people have entered the job market but have been unable to find work.

The February jobless rate released Friday represents a slight increase from January’s joblessness of 10.8 percent.

The state rate is more than a full percentage point higher than the national one for February, of 9.7 percent. A year ago, Ohio had unemployment of 9.1 percent.

NATION

Shareholder tries taking over studio

NEW YORK

Activist shareholder Carl Icahn raised the stakes in his yearlong dispute with Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. on Friday, launching an all-out bid to take over the movie studio after disagreements over its spending.

The hostile bid comes a week after Lions Gate rejected Icahn’s offer to buy a larger minority stake and rewrote its bylaws to make such a takeover attempt more difficult in the future.

Travelers CEO gets $20.1M pay package

NEW YORK

Travelers Cos. gave its CEO a pay package worth $20.1 million last year, a 20 percent raise over his 2008 pay as the property and casualty insurer benefited from a conservative investment approach.

Over half of Jay Fishman’s pay package came from restricted stock and stock options, which totaled $10.9 million, compared to $10.2 million the previous year, according to an Associated Press analysis of a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

GM fights legislation

FRANKFORT, Ky.

General Motors Co. is fighting legislation in at least five states that gives automobile dealers leverage over carmakers in the scramble for franchises.

One such measure nearing final passage in Kentucky would give auto dealers who lost franchises first crack at new ones. GM announced Friday that it is launching an advertising campaign this weekend in Kentucky in hopes of stopping the bill.

The other states are Georgia, Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina.

Vindicator staff and wire reports