Police investigate bomb threat at GM

Police investigate bomb threat at GM

LORDSTOWN

A bomb threat called in to the General Motors Lords-town West Plant at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday is under investigation by village police.

A male called the plant and the police, identifying himself as a worker at the plant, and said there was a bomb in the facility.

About 300 workers were evacuated in the west plant while the east plant continued with production. Lordstown police and other fire departments searched the plant and found nothing. More than two hours of production time was lost before workers were allowed back into the west plant about 1:30 a.m., plant officials said.

Ohio business filings ahead of 2014 pace

COLUMBUS

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted announced Thursday that 8,003 new entities filed to do business in Ohio during September 2015. This is up slightly from September 2014, when 7,947 entities filed.

So far in 2015, 75,377 new businesses have been formed in Ohio, maintaining course for 2015 to be another record-breaking year for the state.

At the same point in 2014, 71,668 new businesses were filed with the secretary of state.

On Sept. 24, the costs associated with starting a new business in Ohio were reduced by 21 percent, making Ohio the least-costly state in the region to start and maintain a business.

Consumer prices continue to drop

WASHINGTON

U.S. consumer prices were dragged lower again last month by plunging energy costs, according to the Labor Department.

The consumer price index fell 0.2 percent in September, after a 0.1 percent drop in August. Gasoline prices dropped 9 percent last month after falling 4.1 percent in August. Overall, consumer prices were unchanged over the past year.

8.5M VWs to be recalled in Europe

BERLIN

German authorities on Thursday ordered a recall of all Volkswagen cars fitted with emissions test-cheating software, a decision that will affect 8.5 million VW diesel vehicles across the 28-nation European Union.

The Federal Motor Transport Authority announced that the recall would affect 2.4 million vehicles in Germany. Under EU rules, cars that are cleared in one country are automatically approved across the bloc, so the repeal also affects Volks-wagen vehicles elsewhere in the union.

US budget deficit is lowest in 8 years

WASHINGTON

The U.S. budget deficit in 2015 fell to its lowest level in eight years, spurred by gains in tax revenue that outpaced greater government spending.

The Treasury Department said Thursday that the deficit in the just-completed 2015 budget year fell to $439 billion from $483 billion in 2014. It is equal to 2.5 percent of the economy, the smallest proportion since 2007, and below the average of the past 40 years.

Staff/wire reports