BUSINESS DIGEST || More new business filings in April 2016 over April 2015

New businesses

COLUMBUS

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted on Monday announced 9,306 new entities filed to do business in Ohio during April 2016. This is an increase from April 2015 when 8,893 entities were formed.

Last month Husted announced that March 2016 set a record for the number of businesses filed in a single month. A total of 3,000 additional entities have filed to do business in Ohio in 2016 than at the same point in 2015. Between 2010 and 2015, Ohio saw a 21.8 percent increase in new business filings.

Husted launched Ohio Business Central in 2013 allowing new businesses to be formed online in Ohio. Today, all Ohio-based businesses can be formed online, and more than half of all businesses are started through the secretary of state’s website.

Gaming revenue

HARRISBURG, Pa.

Pennsylvania table games revenue of $72,206,809 last month was an increase of 11.6 percent over April of last year when revenue was $64,684,083, according to figures released and posted Monday on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s website, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov.

When that amount is combined with the earlier reported April slot-machine revenue, total gaming revenue was 3.9 percent higher than April of last year, the eighth-consecutive month in which overall casino-gaming revenue has increased in Pennsylvania. The last decrease occurred in August 2015.

Confidence steady

WASHINGTON

U.S. homebuilders’ confidence held steady in April for the fourth month in a row, reflecting an overall optimistic outlook for the new-home market even as the pace of sales has slowed recently.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Monday was unchanged at 58.

Readings above 50 indicate more builders view sales conditions as good, rather than poor. The index had been in the low 60s for eight months until February.

The U.S. housing market looks more tempered after strong growth in 2015.

Companies propose deep-water wind farms off Hawaii

HONOLULU

As Hawaii pushes to meet its aggressive renewable energy goals, two companies have proposed offshore wind-turbine projects for federal waters off Oahu. Their plan would use technology that floats the massive turbines in deep waters miles offshore.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is the agency that would decide whether to approve ocean leases for the projects. It was to have a meeting about the proposals Monday.

The offshore turbine proposals are in the early stages, and would face years of environmental reviews and community meetings before possible approval.

Hawaii has set a goal for its utilities to use 100 percent renewable energy by the year 2045.

Staff/wire reports