BUSINESS DIGEST || Aqua Ohio offers advice to avoid frozen pipes

Aqua Ohio offers advice to avoid frozen pipes

YOUNGSTOWN

Aqua Ohio is encouraging its customers to take steps to prevent frozen pipes inside their homes during cold weather.

Some steps to take include locating and visibly marking the master valve so customers can turn off the water to their home in case a pipe breaks inside the house; making sure the lids on outdoor meter pits are not broken or missing; and preventing drafts in unheated areas, such as crawl spaces or basements, by replacing broken glass or making other repairs.

Customers should have on hand heat tape, pipe insulation, a portable space heater and a portable hair dryer to use in unheated areas of their homes when temperatures drop below freezing.

Hometown Buffet auction now on landlord lock

NILES

An online auction for the now-shuttered Hometown Buffet at the Eastwood Mall Complex has been put on “landlord lock.”

The Cafaro Co., which owns the property, said the restaurant is behind on rent and is exercising its right as the landlord to lock the doors until all financial commitments have been met by Hometown Buffet.

The Texas-based buffet company said earlier this week it lost its lease at the Niles location, but Cafaro Co. said Hometown declined to renew the lease that was set to expire Sunday. The buffet was in operation there for more than 20 years.

Ohio EPA loans reach record high

YOUNGSTOWN

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued more than $936 million this year to finance projects to upgrade drinking-water infrastructure and improve the quality of Ohio’s lakes, rivers and streams. That’s more than ever before in the 28-year history of the state’s revolving loan programs.

All Ohio EPA loans are provided to communities at below-market rates, and this year resulted in a combined savings of more than $150 million for Ohio’s counties, cities and villages.

Locally, the Mahoning County District Board of Health, Columbiana County Health Department and Trumbull County each received $300,000.

Boardman Subaru to ‘Share the Love’ with charities

BOARDMAN

The Boardman Subaru dealership is participating in the annual Share the Love event, and once again Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley’s Beeghly Campus has been selected as the hometown charity partner.

Last year, Boardman Subaru on South Avenue raised more than $25,000 for Akron Children’s and also donated an additional $5,000 to bring their total money raised to more than $30,000.

Now through Tuesday, Boardman Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the customer’s choice of the following charities: Akron Children’s, ASPCA, Make-A-Wish, Meals on Wheels America or the National Park Foundation.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1253.91-0.23

Aqua America, .71 39.31-0.02

Avalon Holdings,2.00-0.02

Chemical Bank, .2753.53-0.45Community Health Sys.4.26 0.03

Cortland Bancorp, .2820.500.00

Farmers Nat., .1614.930.12

First Energy, 1.44 30.690.24

Fifth/Third, .5230.39-0.25

FirstMerit Corp.,--

First Niles Financial, .1211.150.00

FNB Corp., .4813.84-0.13

General Motors, 1.5241.08-0.31

General Electric, .9217.520.16

Huntington Bank, .28 14.57-0.17

iHeartMedia Inc.,0.500.02

JP Morgan Chase, 1.92107.41-0.38

Key Corp, .3420.21-0.15

LaFarge, .34--

Macy’s, 1.51 25.19-0.53

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 200.030.82

PNC, 2.20144.60-1.07

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60171.900.75

Stoneridge 22.88-0.50

United Comm. Fin., .12 9.15-0.26

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