Erie Times-News (Erie, PA) articles from September 2001

Erie Times-News (Erie, PA) archives from September 2001

Rent-Way Closes Tumultuous Year with Annual Meeting.
September 29, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 29--In a most unusual of annual shareholders meetings, Rent-Way Inc. Chief Executive William Morgenstern set out Friday to assure his company's investors that Rent-Way is ready to return to business as usual....

Erie Times-News, Pa., People on the Move Column.
September 28, 2001... Sep. 28--CITIZENS BANK NAMES RETAIL BANKING CHIEF FOR PENNSYLVANIA: Citizens Financial Group, which is purchasing 345 Pennsylvania retail bank branches from Mellon Financial Corp., today announced that LISA B. BINDER has been named group...

Erie, Pa., Area 'Headed for Serious Economic Problems,' Consultant Says.
September 28, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 28--Years of sluggish population and income growth, cutbacks in high-paying job sectors and poor civic and government management are driving Erie County into an economic black hole, according to the...

Mall in Grove City, Pa., Feels Effects of Border Delays.
September 28, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 28--Like clockwork, Shawn O'Dell knew what to expect each Tuesday as he scanned the parking lot at the Grove City outlet mall. Without fail, a tour bus full of Canadian shoppers would be in the parking lot...

Two Utilities Cleared for Merger by New Jersey, Await SEC Ruling.
September 26, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 26--The Securities and Exchange Commission stands as the final regulatory roadblock to the proposed merger of electricity companies GPU Inc. and FirstEnergy Corp. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities...

Employees of Erie, Pa.-Based Steel Company Consider Next Steps.
September 25, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 25--After an overwhelming rejection of its contract proposal Saturday, Ohio-based Durrel Corp. has reportedly withdrawn its interest in buying the assets of Erie Forge and Steel. That has David Rudov, an...

Erie, Pa.-Area Consumers Struggle to Stay Upbeat in Down Times.
September 22, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 22--For months, forecasters spoke of a modest holiday season. As recent as a few months ago, the nation's spending was expected to grow at just 2 percent or 3 percent -- not the 6 percent jump it took last year....

Erie, Pa.-Area Phone Market Could See Dramatic Change, or Maybe Not.
September 22, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 22--Erieites will soon have a choice when it comes to local phone service -- and have more choices for long-distance. But whether those choices are real -- or save money -- is still a matter open for...

Most Erie, Pa., Stocks Endure a Tough Week.
September 22, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 22--A market still shaken by Sept. 11's terrorist attack continued its dive Friday, as the Dow Jones industrial average dropped more than 136 points to cap its worst weeklong point loss in history. ...

Northwest Airlines Cuts Flight to Erie, Pa.
September 21, 2001... Byline: Jim Carroll Sep. 21--One weekday commuter flight has disappeared from the schedule at Erie International Airport, but officials are still waiting to see what the full impact of airline service cutbacks might be. Meanwhile,...

Erie, Pa.-Area Businesses Hope to Avoid Disruptions for Terrorist Attacks.
September 21, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 21--The messages began popping up in David Sechrist's e-mail box almost immediately. Hours after Sept. 11's terrorist attacks, partners from Australia and Argentina, England and China began sending...

Erie Times-News, Pa., People on the Move Column.
September 20, 2001... Sep. 20--The ST. BENEDICT CENTER of Erie recently announced several staff changes: --ELIZABETH W. KIDD, a certified public accountant, has been appointed controller. Kidd, a graduate of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, previously...

Workers Would Have to Reapply for Jobs if Erie, Pa., Steel Company Is Sold.
September 20, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 20--Some past and present employees of Erie Forge and Steel say they're nervous about a potential buyer's plans for the company and worried that retirees will lose benefits if the company is sold. In a vote...

Owners of Barge in Erie, Pa., Still Want to Create Floating Restaurant.
September 19, 2001... Byline: George Miller Sep. 19--Owners of the Lansdowne, a dilapidated former ferry barge docked at the Sassafras Street pier, did not make a scheduled appearance before the Erie City Planning Commission Tuesday to present its plans to...

Computer Worm Hits Erie, Pa.-Area Companies.
September 19, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 19--As usual, Craig Keenan started the day Tuesday by updating the computer virus security system at Howard Industries in Fairview Township. It didn't help. When Keenan, the company's manager of information...

Erie, Pa.-Area Investors Stay on Sidelines as Market Drops.
September 17, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 17--The New York Stock Exchange's rocky reopening garnered a lot of attention but not a lot of action from Erie investors, area brokers said. Monday, in fact, was a quiet day at Erie investment firms,...

Though Mail Is Delayed, Grace Periods on Bills May Not Be in Erie, Pa., Area.
September 14, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 14--The Internal Revenue Service and some lenders across the country are offering customers the benefit of the doubt in the wake of last week's deadly terrorist attacks. In some cases, blanket absolution is...

Three Men Stranded in Erie, Pa., Buy Car to Get Home.
September 13, 2001... Sep. 13--With airplanes grounded and rental cars booked, three out-of-town businessmen found a creative way to get home Tuesday, buying a used station wagon for a daylong trip to Florida. Officials from Rent-Way Inc. called Rick Greaves,...

Convenience Store Chain Executive Says Calm Should Keep Gas Prices Down.
September 13, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 13--Panic -- not real shortages -- are the most immediate threat to stable gas prices, said Keith McGarvey, president of the Country Fair convenience store chain. Motorists in some parts of the country began...

Erie, Pa.-Area Businesses Join Aid Effort for Attack Survivors.
September 13, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 13--Several Erie-area companies are leading efforts to collect money to help the survivors of this week's terrorist attacks. Supermarket chain Giant Eagle on Thursday began an effort to collect donations...

Union Protests Lack of Contract at International Paper in Erie, Pa., Area.
September 11, 2001... Byline: Jim Martin Sep. 11--A month after their 18-month contract with International Paper expired, union workers carried picket signs Monday to protest the company's latest offer. For Joe Kavanagh Jr., president of United...

Retired GE Chairman Will Cast a Long Shadow at Erie, Pa., e-Business Center.
September 8, 2001... Byline: PETER PANEPENTO Sep. 8--GE Transportation Systems' e-business center at Knowledge Park is a symbolic monument to the tenure of Jack Welch. The center, set in the shady office park adjacent to Penn State Behrend, is a key...

Verizon Hikes Cost of Pay Phone Call.
September 8, 2001... Sep. 8--Callers will soon need to pump two quarters into Verizon Communications' payphones to make a local phone call. The telecommunications giant announced Friday that it will increase the price of a local payphone call to 50 cents --...

Bankruptcy Court in Erie, Pa., Is Booming During Business Downturn.
September 1, 2001... Byline: Peter Panepento Sep. 1--In a single session at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Erie, it is not uncommon for attorney Tom Agresti to watch his clients dispose of more than $1 million in credit card debt. Over-mortgaged married...