Redevelopment
Goodyear rezoning approved
The Akron City Council this week approved new zoning for the former Goodyear property on the north side of Interstate 76 that is aimed at helping make the property more marketable.
Carol Smith, who is with IRG, the private developer that owns the Goodyear property, told the council that the zoning change was needed to help attract development and make the area a great place to “live, work and play.”
Mike Antenucci, Akron’s zoning manager, said the rezoning “will enable the next phase of development” for the Goodyear property, after the recent opening of the company’s new headquarters.
The property, roughly bordered by Laird Street to the north, I-76 to the south, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad tracks to the east and South Case Street to the west, primarily was zoned industrial and commercial. The new zoning will allow apartments, retail, office and commercial uses. The property includes the former headquarters, Goodyear Hall and Goodyear bank.
AUTOS
GM might expand recall
Safety regulators in the United States are investigating whether to add more than 1 million General Motors midsize cars to a recall for brake-light problems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it’s checking into complaints about the 2004 to 2011 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2007 to 2009 Saturn Aura. The safety agency says the brake lights might not come on when the pedal is pressed, while at other times the lights can illuminate for no reason.
In 2009, GM recalled about 8,000 Pontiac G6 midsize cars from the 2005 model year for the same problem. The government said in February it is investigating whether to add 550,000 G6s sold from 2005 to 2009.
TAXES
Green moves filing online
Filing taxes with the city of Green can be done online.
Using the city’s website, www.cityofgreen.org, individual income taxes, business quarterly payments and estimates and employer monthly and quarterly withholdings can be submitted through the secure system.
All forms and instructions are available at www.cityofgreen.org/income-tax.
Municipal income taxes must be postmarked by April 15, according to state law.
Taxes also may be dropped off at the Central Administration Building, 1755 Town Park Blvd., weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or any time in the secure drop box to the left of the front entrance.
All residents age 18 or older are required to file an income tax form regardless if payment is required.
For more information, call 330-896-6622.
AIRLINES
On-time performance declines
Your flight was more likely to be late in January than a year ago, mostly because of poorer performance at smaller airlines.
The government said Tuesday that 81 percent of flights arrived within 14 minutes of schedule during January. That’s down from 83.7 percent in the same month last year, although it’s better than in December.
Virgin America had the best on-time rating, 93.1 percent, knocking frequent leader Hawaiian Airlines to second place. Frontier Airlines, ExpressJet and American Eagle got the worst marks. All three scored at least six points worse than they did a year ago.
Among the five largest U.S. airlines, Delta had the best on-time record, followed by Southwest, US Airways, United and American. Delta and United improved from a year earlier; the others got worse.
FAA OKs Boeing 787 plan
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday approved Boeing’s plan to test its proposals to fix the battery problems that have grounded its 787 jets since mid-January.
The FAA could still demand changes in Boeing’s new battery design if problems develop in the laboratory and flight tests, which will take several weeks.
The decision to start the tests marks a major step in Boeing’s efforts to get the innovative jets back in the air.
TRUCKING
YRC proposes big changes
Trucking company YRC Worldwide Inc. this week proposed a massive “change in operations” that would close terminals in Youngstown, Mansfield and 27 other locations around the nation.
The consolidation is intended to save money and improve productivity for the Overland Park, Kan., company that was formed when Yellow Corp. bought Akron-based Roadway in 2003.
The Teamsters union said the proposed change is on hold through at least April while the plan is reviewed and discussed. The union said the changes will result in the net loss of 230 jobs.
Compiled from staff and wire reports