Leadership Mahoning Valley

Leadership Mahoning Valley

YOUNGSTOWN

Applications for the Leadership Mahoning Valley class of 2015-16 are available and may be submitted through May 1.

The nine-month program that is made up of nine monthly daylong sessions provides adult community leaders the potential to develop effective working relationships with other civic leaders.

A selection committee composed of Leadership Mahoning Valley members will choose up to 40 participants for the 2015-16 class.

The tuition fee of $2,000 covers all program costs, including meals, admission fees and program supplies. Selected applicants will be billed for tuition.

Applications may be requested by email at karen@regionalchamber.com or by phone at 330-744-2131, ext. 41.

Revised gas rates

YOUNGSTOWN

In April 2009, Dominion East Ohio began assigning choice-eligible customers to an approved retail gas supplier under the standard choice offer and identifying that supplier on the bill.

Effective April 14, the standard choice offer/standard service offer rates will be $2.61 per thousand cubic feet (mcf). The revised rates are 71.4 cents, or 21.5 percent, lower than the March SCO/SSO rates of $3.324 per mcf.

The revised rates are $2.404, or 47.9 percent, lower than the April 2014 SCO/SSO rates of $5.014 per mcf.

Small-business owners optimistic, PNC survey says

PITTSBURGH

PNC recently released its spring 2015 Economic Outlook Survey, which found small-business owners throughout Ohio are increasingly optimistic.

In Ohio, 153 small-business owners were interviewed for the survey from Jan. 22 to March 11. The survey found 82 percent of business owners are optimistic about their business’s future; 45 percent expect to see their profits increase; 10 percent plan to add full-time employees, and 81 percent plan to maintain the current staff; 56 percent haven’t increased their staff in at least 12 months; 26 percent expect to increase employees’ pay; and 52 percent say lower energy prices have made an impact on business.

PNC Economist Mekael Teshome said the optimism from small businesses is the highest the survey has had since 2009.

Medtronic settles lawsuit for $4.4M

MINNEAPOLIS

Medtronic has agreed to pay $4.4 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the federal government accusing the company of selling medical devices made in China and Malaysia to the U.S. military.

Federal law requires that devices sold to the military be manufactured in the U.S. or its international trading partners.

Minnesota U.S. Atty. Andrew Luger alleged Medtronic, which recently moved its headquarters from Fridley, bought spinal-surgery devices in China and relabeled them to indicate they had been manufactured in Memphis, Tenn.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .61, 26.730.28

Avalon Holdings,2.750

Clear Channel, .46 21.17-0.03

Cortland Bancorp, 15.300

Farmers Nat., .128.370.13

First Energy, 1.44, 35.340.85

Fifth/Third, .5219.000.09

FirstMerit Corp., .64,19.070.09

First Niles Financial, .32,8.500

FNB Corp., .48,13.170.02

General Motors, 1.2036.53-0.21

General Electric, .88,24.980.14

Huntington Bank, .20, 11.060.06

JP Morgan Chase, 1.60,60.610.66

Key Corp, .26,14.280.12

LaFarge, 16.390.06

Macy’s, 1.25, 68.032.58

Parker Hannifin, 1.92, 118.22-0.19

PNC, 1.92,93.320.82

RTI Intl. Metals,36.530.35

Simon Prop. Grp.,5.20,199.691.7

Stoneridge 11.870.08

Talmer Bank, 15.420.09

United Comm. Fin., .04 5.530.04

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