BUSINESS DIGEST || Aqua Pazzo to open this weekend

Aqua Pazzo will open this weekend

BOARDMAN

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber will have a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony for Aqua Pazzo, 492 McClurg Road, at 11 a.m. Friday.

Aqua Pazzo formerly was known as the CA restaurant. Owner Tom Zidian and Chef Mark Canzonetta are committed to offering seasonal local foods whenever possible in an atmosphere inspired by Rome.

From 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aqua Pazzo will open its doors for a reservations-only soft opening. Regular hours of business will be 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; and 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The bar will be open until 11 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and until midnight on Fridays. For reservations, call 330-965-5899.

Chamber has ribbon cutting for Oasis Learning

NILES

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber will have a ribbon cutting for Oasis Drop-In Learning Center, 5555 Youngstown-Warren Road, Unit 922, at 3 p.m. Friday.

Oasis Drop-In Learning Center hopes to become a place where children can have fun and make friends while their parents have a new option for flexible childcare.

For more information, visit oasisdropin.com; or call 330-652-1112.

Group seeks to halt exports of fur

BILLINGS, Mont.

An environmental group is asking a federal judge to halt a U.S. government program that allows the export of tens of thousands of bobcat pelts and a small number of gray wolf pelts for sale on the international fur market.

Attorneys for Wildearth Guardians said Wednesday the little-known export program shouldn’t be allowed to continue without a study of its effects on wildlife populations across the nation.

The group filed a lawsuit in federal court in Missoula, Mont., challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program. The program regulates trade in animal parts according to an international treaty ratified by the U.S. in 1975.

National Trapping Association President Chris McAllister says the suit is an attempt to shut down the industry.

Government figures show more than 57,000 bobcat pelts were exported from the U.S. in 2014.

Ex-MillerCoors official pleads guilty in $8M fraud

CHICAGO

A former vice president at MillerCoors has pleaded guilty to defrauding the beer-maker of more than $8 million.

Dave Colletti, 59, of Chicago pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of wire fraud in federal court. A sentencing date was not set.

Colletti and seven other defendants were charged last year. The indictment did not identify Chicago-based MillerCoors, referring only to a brewing company as victim.

Prosecutors alleged Colletti worked with the other defendants to submit false invoices that billed for fictitious promotional and marketing events.

Staff/wire reports