BUSINESS DIGEST ||

LIFT partnership

YOUNGSTOWN

Detroit-based Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow has joined a partnership with Mahoning Valley manufacturers, educators and workforce developers, led by Youngstown State University Research Foundation to develop the Mahoning Valley Innovation & Commercialization Center. This public-private partnership will create an educational and entrepreneurial hub to share facilities, equipment and instructors, which are all necessary to build the educated and skilled manufacturing workforce for the region.

LIFT is a public-private partnership committed to the development and deployment of advanced lightweight metal manufacturing technologies and implementing education and training initiatives to better prepare the workforce today and in the future.

U-Haul in Struthers

STRUTHERS

U-Haul Co. of Massachusetts and Ohio Inc. recently announced that Pitbull Performance has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Struthers community.

Pitbull Performance at 594 W. Spring St. will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.

Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Friday and all day Saturday. After-hour drop-off is available for customer convenience.

Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling 330-757-1342 or visiting www.uhaul.com.

Home and garden

BOARDMAN

The Home Builders and Remodelers Association of the Valley will host its 66th Annual Home and Garden Show from Feb. 24 to 26 at Mr. Anthony’s on South Avenue in Boardman. The show will take place from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Consumers can register to win a masonry fire pit courtesy of Masonry Materials Plus. There is no admission charge to visit the show.

To find additional show information, check the HBA website, www.MyHBAworks.org.

Casino revenue

HARRISBURG, PA.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said on Friday that January gross revenue from slot machines at the state’s 12 casinos was $180,304,670, a 2.4 percent decrease in revenue when compared with the $184,811,874 generated in January 2016. Tax revenue in January of this year was $95,847,419.

Macy’s shares up

NEW YORK

Macy’s shares soared in trading Friday, after being temporarily halted on the New York Stock Exchange on a news report that Saks’ owner has approached the department store chain about a takeover. The article, posted on The Wall Street Journal’s website, reported that Canadian chain Hudson’s Bay Co., which operates stores under Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor as well its namesake, is in preliminary stages of discussion with Macy’s that also include a possible deal for the department store’s real estate.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1236.85-0.83

Aqua America, .71 30.040.20Avalon Holdings,2.86-0.10

Chemical Bank, .2749.531.11Community Health Sys.6.600.17

Cortland Bancorp, .2818.230.00Farmers Nat., .1613.250.60First Energy, 1.44 29.8850.30

Fifth/Third, .5226.520.58

FirstMerit Corp.,21.610.37

First Niles Financial, .129.900.00

FNB Corp., .4815.090.40

General Motors, 1.5236.310.58

General Electric, .9229.690.01

Huntington Bank, .28 13.600.36

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.200.02

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9287.1352.55

Key Corp, .3418.3750.53

LaFarge, .3417.570.00

Macy’s, 1.51 32.732.01

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 150.190.44

PNC, 2.20122.152.14

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60185.322.36Stoneridge 16.650.14

United Comm. Fin., .12 8.730.18

Selected prices from Friday’s

4 p.m. close.