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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Akron trounces Howard to reach .500
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Report shows few changes in employment, retail sales, manufacturing
Published on Thursday, Jan 17, 2008
Beacon Journal staff report
The Ohio economy and parts of nearby areas in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia continued to expand over the last six weeks, according to the latest survey done by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
But growth in the Cleveland Fed's Fourth District was slow, according to the so-called ''beige book'' released Wednesday.
The regional report showed:
• Employment levels across the district were largely unchanged. Staffing firms reported a modest increase in the number of job openings while the number of job seekers was flat.
Demand was greatest in the health care and nonprofit sectors. There was little upward pressure on wages.
• Manufacturing output remained steady, though auto assembly plant production declined. While there was little change in employment levels, several manufacturing contacts said they plan to resume hiring in 2008.
• Residential builders reported new home sales were very weak, while commercial contractors experienced an increase in their backlogs. Home prices were steady. Nearly all contractors said that they expect activity in 2008 will be at a higher level than in 2007.
• Demand for business and consumer loans was flat to declining and the number of delinquencies rose slightly. Reports on credit quality showed some deterioration, especially on the consumer side. Two bankers reported some wage pressures that were attributed to difficulty in recruiting qualified workers.
• Overall retail sales were flat to declining during November, with most retailers expecting sales to remain flat during the first quarter of 2008. Auto dealers reported a decline in sales of new and used vehicles during the past six weeks, and they anticipate flat to lower sales in the coming months.
• Oil and gas production was steady to increasing. Drilling activity fell slightly.
• Truck freight volume was characterized as soft. Carriers anticipate 2008 will be a challenging year with little rebound in business activity until the second quarter at the earliest. Carriers said they are unwilling to spend in the current economic environment.
• Manufacturers reported increased costs for raw materials. Several producers reported raising their prices in response to rising input costs and others are planning to increase prices early in 2008.
Get the full article here.
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