Holiday driving

Holiday driving

According to AAA East Central, warm destinations offering fun-filled activities for families will experience the largest influx of travelers this Labor Day weekend.

Drivers nationwide continue to benefit from the relatively low price of crude oil with the national average of $2.22 – down 26 cents from last year’s price of $2.48. Barring any major supply disruptions, drivers will pay the lowest national average for the holiday weekend in nearly 10 years.

In Ohio, the average gas price is $2.20; it was $2.37 a year ago. In Pennsylvania, the average gas price is $2.34; it was $2.50 last year at this time.

UPS X-PORT Challenge

CLEVELAND

Small- and medium-size businesses with global aspirations have the opportunity to win $10,000 in export shipping with UPS. The UPS X-PORT Challenge aims to help local businesses export to international markets.

Participants in the UPS X-PORT Challenge can begin the application process online at www.ups.com/x-portchallenge2016. Each application will undergo an assessment based on niche, offering, global appeal and market opportunity. Applications must be received by Oct. 7.

The top 10 applicants will be invited to attend the “Pitch-Off” event Nov. 3. Contestants will pitch their businesses to a panel of judges from the local international business community. The judges will then pick the top three finalists as prize winners.

The second- and third-place winners will receive $2,500 and $1,000, respectively, in export shipping.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1210.09-0.085

Aqua America, .71 30.40-0.13

Avalon Holdings,2.890.00

Cortland Bancorp, .2815.550.25

Farmers Nat., .169.980.12

First Energy, 1.44 32.720.51

Fifth/Third, .5220.14-0.02

FirstMerit Corp., .6821.610.37

First Niles Financial, .1211.50-18.50

FNB Corp., .4812.480.01

General Motors, 1.5231.930.25

General Electric, .9231.25-0.12

Huntington Bank, .28 10.000.11

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.450.01

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9267.43-0.07

Key Corp, .3412.550.06

LaFarge, .3417.570.00

Macy’s, 1.51 36.21-1.98

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 122.48-0.72PNC, 2.0490.061.18

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.40215.39-0.51

Stoneridge 17.29-0.97

Talmer Bank, .20 23.39-0.32

United Comm. Fin., .10 6.51-0.09

Selected prices from Wednesday’s 4 p.m. close.