Ohio gas prices up

Ohio gas prices up

YOUNGSTOWN

Motorists throughout Ohio are paying more for gas for the second-straight week.

Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express puts the average price for regular gas at $3.45 a gallon. That’s up 6 cents from a week ago.

In Youngstown, the average price for a gallon of regular gas is $3.40, up 3 cents from last week.

Drivers were paying an average of about $3.15 at this time last year, before prices climbed to record highs.

Trendi Fashions opens in Warren

WARREN

Trendi Fashions, 162 N. Park Ave., will host a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Owner Tammy Kromer brought Trendi Fashions to Warren to embrace the fashion savvy of and bring new fashions from the Southwest and West Coast to the Valley.

Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Safety forces to get free Panera meal

WARREN

Local firefighters, police and EMTs can receive free meals today and Wednesday at area Panera Bread locations.

Those firefighters, police and EMTs who wear their uniforms or show service identification or badges can receive free “You-Pick-Two” meals at participating Panera Bread locations in the Mahoning Valley, Alliance and Hermitage, Pa.

The Panera Bread on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown will have a police cruiser present from 6 to 10 a.m. today.

Local police officers will distribute gun locks to promote gun safety and junior police badges for kids.

Ribbon-cutting set

YOUNGSTOWN

O’Reilly Auto Parts, 5225 Mahoning Ave., will host a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. Friday.

O’Reilly Auto Parts started as a single-store, family-operated parts supply house in 1957.

The company has more than 3,700 stores in 39 states.

EPA tables proposal

COLUMBUS

Proposed rules meant to better protect Ohio’s streams are being tabled after facing opposition from business and home-builder groups that said the changes would hinder their work.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has decided to withdraw the years-old proposal so it can be reviewed under Republican Gov. John Kasich’s initiative to eliminate excessive rules that block job creation.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the regulations included a system to rank thousands of small “headwater” streams based on ecological value.

Conservationists say strip mines, housing subdivisions and road projects sometimes fill in or pollute such streams. Those with higher values would get more protection under the rules.

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and other business groups sought a review of the proposal to assess how it would affect business.

Vindicator staff/wire reports