State gas prices rise another 8 cents

State gas prices rise another 8 cents

YOUNGSTOWN

Ohio gasoline prices have risen for the second-straight week after falling in late November to the lowest levels since last winter.

A survey Monday from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express put the statewide average price for regular gasoline at $3.28 a gallon, up 8 cents from the average $3.20 a week ago.

In the Mahoning Valley, gas now averages $3.23 per gallon, up from $3.16 one week ago.

Regular is 88 cents cheaper than Ohio’s peak price of $4.16 per gallon in May, but it’s still 37 cents higher than a year ago.

Bank merger OK’d

HERMITAGE, PA.

The merger of F.N.B. Corp. and Parkvale Financial Corp. was approved Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

The Parkvale Financial Corp. shareholders will vote on the proposed merger at a special shareholders’ meeting Thursday.

Boards from both institutions previously approved the merger. Stephen J. Gurgovits, CEO of F.N.B. Corp., said the targeted merger closing date is Jan. 1, 2012.

Conference date set

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has announced the date for next year’s Youngstown Ohio Utica & Natural Gas Conference & Expo.

The second-annual event will be Sept. 6, 2012, at the Covelli Centre downtown.

The inaugural event, which took place Nov. 30, drew thousands of guests and dozens of industry vendors.

The chamber said it will announce more event details at a later date.

Consignment event

CANFIELD

The Purple Peacock, a furniture-consignment store, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. today at 584 E. Main St.

Owned by Leslie Schuler, the business offers furniture and home decor.

The store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Cleveland casino slated to hire 750

CLEVELAND

Another 750 jobs are available at Ohio’s first casino, set to open in Cleveland in March.

The Horseshoe Casino Cleveland began accepting applications on its website Monday for positions in 40 categories, including chefs, security officers, cashiers and slot-machine supervisors.

The Plain Dealer reports that the pay varies. For example, security officers start at $12 an hour and the slots bosses will make at least $39,000 a year.

An executive with the casino’s parent company says they want to hire upbeat people with personality who can provide excellent customer service.

The casino is going into an old downtown department store. Last week, it began training 600 dealers who landed their jobs in an earlier round of hiring.

Vindicator staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .66, 21.55 —.09

Avalon Holdings,2.84.09

Clear Channel, .65 59.29 —.12

Cortland Bancorp, 7.00.00

Farmers Nat.4.50 —.10

First Energy, 2.20, 44.16—.61

FirstMerit Corp., .64,14.32 —.17

First Niles Financial, .32,6.70.00

First Place Fin., .60.04

FNB Corp., .48,11.01—.05

General Motors,20.80—.35

General Electric, .60,16.46—.38

Motors Liquidation, .0422.00

Huntington Bank, .16, 5.14—.12

JP Morgan Chase, 1.00,32.09—1.09

Key Corp, .12,7.22—.16

LaFarge, 8.65 —.46

Macy’s, .40, 32.42—.37

Parker Hannifin, 1.48, 79.68—1.34

PNC, 1.40,54.62—1.29

RTI Intl. Metals,23.46—1.24

Simon Prop. Grp.,3.20,121.75—2.55

Stoneridge 8.24 —.25

United Community Fin. 1.00—.03

Selected prices at 4 p.m. Monday. Provided by Stifel Nicolaus. Not to be construed as an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any security.