Union filing for elections at EXAL

Union filing for elections at EXAL

CLEVELAND

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is filing applications with the National Labor Relations Board that could lead to union- representation elections for nearly 400 workers at EXAL Corp. in Youngstown, manufacturers of impact extruded aluminum containers. With nearly 700,000 active and retired members, the IAM is one of the largest and most diverse labor unions in North America.

Average cost of gas in Ohio at $1.90

COLUMBUS

Ohio drivers still are paying less than $2 per gallon to fill their tanks to begin this week.

The average was $1.90 per gallon of regular gas in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That’s 13 cents less than a week ago and $1.41 cheaper than at this time last year.

The state average dropped below $2 last week for the first time in more than five years.

An Ohio AAA spokeswoman said an oversupply of crude oil worldwide has decreased prices, and fuel costs also tend to be lower in winter. She said it’s an unusual situation, which makes it difficult to predict how far gas prices might fall.

The national average Monday was $2.20 for regular gas, down slightly from last week.

US to resume beef imports from Ireland

LONDON

The United States will permit imports of beef from Ireland, the first European Union country allowed to resume sales since the mad cow disease scare over 15 years ago, officials said Monday.

Simon Coveney, Ireland’s minister for agriculture, food and the marine, issued a statement announcing that access to the lucrative U.S. market will be restored after American authorities inspected Ireland’s beef production systems last year. Authorities estimate annual exports could be worth at least 25 million euros ($30 million).

The U.S. lifted its ban on beef from the EU in March 2014, but inspections are necessary before exports are allowed to resume.

Revel casino sale

CAMDEN, N.J.

Nothing has come easily for Atlantic City’s Revel casino, from the death of three executives in a plane crash to running out of money, going bankrupt twice and finally closing after just over two years of operation.

But the difficulties for the $2.4 billion Revel reached a new level Monday when a Florida developer won the right to buy it for $95.4 million — and immediately announced he was going to court to halt the sale to himself.

Glenn Straub’s Polo North Country Club is the only bidder left for Revel. But it now wants the former casino at a lower price than it last offered.

In the fall, Straub bid $95.4 million for the casino resort. He wanted bankruptcy Judge Gloria Burns to approve an $87 million sale price, which she refused to do.

Vindicator staff/wire reports