Gas prices increase

Gas prices increase

YOUNGSTOWN

Ohio gasoline prices have risen in the past week.

Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express puts the statewide average price for regular gasoline at $3.37 a gallon, up 11 cents from last week.

In the Mahoning Valley, gas prices rose 5 cents during the past week, from $3.29 last week to $3.34 Monday.

Gas was a bit cheaper in Ohio last year at this time, when regular was averaging about $2.81 per gallon.

Postal facility to move to Cleveland

MANSFIELD

The U.S. Postal Service is making more changes in Ohio and plans to move mail- processing operations from Mansfield to Cleveland.

A district manager said the decision was based on a study that began earlier this year. The consolidation could cost the Mansfield area up to 100 jobs and is expected to be complete by March.

Postal-service officials have estimated the move could save $4.6 million annually.

The postal service has been reviewing the potential closure of hundreds of facilities, including Youngstown, as it handles less mail and a burdening pension prefunding requirement in an effort to remain viable.

Macy’s to be open 23 hours Black Friday

NEW YORK

Macy’s Inc. says it will open all of its namesake stores at midnight Thanksgiving Day for the first time. It becomes the latest retailer to extend hours on Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to the holiday season.

More than 800 Macy’s stores will stay open for 23 hours and close at 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. That compares with last year when Macy’s opened eight stores at midnight while the rest opened at 4 a.m.

Martine Reardon, Macy’s executive vice president of marketing, said the midnight openings are a response to customers’ requests.

“People want to shop through the night,” Reardon said.

In recent years, retailers have expanded their Black Friday hours and rolled out sales for the day weeks in advance. That’s in contrast to a few years ago when stores kept their discounts and hours secret until a few days before the Thanksgiving weekend. Retailers are responding to shoppers who like to map out their bargain-hunting strategies early.

Greeks will vote on new debt deal

ATHENS, Greece

Taking a huge political gamble, Greece’s prime minister announced Monday that his debt-strapped country will have a referendum on the new European debt deal reached last week — the first such vote in 37 years.

Prime Minister George Papandreou appeared to take many lawmakers by surprise by saying that a hard-bargained agreement that took months for Europe’s leaders to hammer out will be put to a public ballot.

He gave no date or other details on the proposed referendum, which would be the first in Greece since 1974, when the monarchy was abolished by a landslide vote months after the collapse of a military dictatorship.

Vindicator staff/wire reports