BUSINESS DIGEST ||

Howard Hanna raises more than $1M in fundraiser

POLAND

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services raised more than $1 million for the second consecutive year with its 2016 Choo Choo Chow Chow campaign for funds for free care at children’s hospitals and related programs/activities.

The Canfield, Poland and Howland offices combined raised $25,000 last year at their local event.

Restaurants to help raise funds for children’s hospital

BOARDMAN

Area Long John Silver’s restaurants are participating in a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals promotion this month, with donations going to Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley.

Locations in Liberty, 3560 Belmont Ave.; Cortland, 2170 Millennium Blvd.; and Hermitage, Pa., 150 S. Hermitage Road, are selling Miracle Balloons for $1 each throughout February. All dollars collected at these locations support programs at Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

Long John Silver’s has been a Children’s Miracle Network Partner since 2012 and has raised nearly $18,000 for Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley during that time.

Chamber presents $5,800 check for renovation project

COLUMBIANA

The Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce presented a check for $5,800 to the Restoration & Beautification Committee at the February meeting of the chamber’s board of directors.

The donation will be used for the renovation project at Firestone Park. With the donation, the chamber of commerce will receive a commemorative bench within the park.

Chemical Financial declares dividend

MIDLAND, MICH.

Chemical Financial Corp. on Tuesday announced that the board of directors of the corporation declared a first-quarter cash dividend on its common stock of $0.27 per share.

The first quarter dividend will be payable March 17 to shareholders of record on March 3.

Lawmaker won’t sponsor payday lending reform bill

COLUMBUS

A Republican lawmaker who vowed to push payday lending reform in Ohio has decided not to sponsor such a bill during her final two-year term, marking a setback for those hoping to further crack down on that industry.

Rep. Marlene Anielski told Cleveland.com that it’s an important issue but she feels she can effectively focus on only one topic, and she’s prioritizing suicide prevention. That’s personal for Anielski, whose son killed himself.

Her Democratic co-sponsor plans to proceed with a payday lending reform bill. But he says losing Anielski’s sponsorship is a setback because the proposal won’t pass without support from Republicans.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1236.750.54

Aqua America, .71 30.380.15

Avalon Holdings,2.85-0.04

Chemical Bank, .2753.690.43Community Health Sys. 9.15 2.25

Cortland Bancorp, .2818.350.00

Farmers Nat., .1613.90-0.25

First Energy, 1.44 31.280.27

Fifth/Third, .5227.600.06

FirstMerit Corp.,21.610.37

First Niles Financial, .1210.000.00

FNB Corp., .4815.700.17

General Motors, 1.5237.830.61

General Electric, .9230.530.16

Huntington Bank, .28 14.190.06

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.150.05

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9291.000.77

Key Corp, .3419.050.09

LaFarge, .3417.570.00

Macy’s, 1.51 32.300.00

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 155.601.71

PNC, 2.20127.520.66

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60185.144.05

Stoneridge 17.05-0.34

United Comm. Fin., .12 8.970.07

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