AHHS students ‘On Edge’ for The Gathering at Keystone College

Theater, 3.26.14-4.2.14

First Posted: 4/3/2014 Wegmans donates
to local food bank
During the winter 2014 checkout scanning campaign at 24 Wegmans stores in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, $973,242 was collected to aid hunger relief, a 5.3 percent increase over the winter 2013 total. Check Out Hunger allows customers to donate $2 $3, $5 or any other amount at checkout with 100 percent of the proceeds going to each store&#8217;s local food bank.
The Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank in Wilkes-Barre, which serves multiple counties in the area, received $15,955 through donations made at the grocery stores in Dickson City and Wilkes Barre Township.
In addition to money raised for emergency food services in 2013, Wegmans also donated 16.5 million pounds of food to local food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens across all of its market areas.
European bank
downplays deflation
The European Central Bank on Thursday dismissed fears that consumer prices might fall in the 18-nation eurozone, a situation that would drag down the economy. It stressed, however, that it is ready to counter that threat in new ways if needed.
Another drop in the inflation rate in March, to 0.5 percent, raised concerns the eurozone might slip into deflation, when consumers put off purchases in hopes of bargains later and companies cut prices to entice buyers. Such a downward spiral can snuff out economic growth for years.
After the ECB decided to leave its main interest rate at a record-low 0.25 percent Thursday and not provide any further stimulus, President Mario Draghi noted the inflation figures are consistent with the bank&#8217;s forecasts of a &#8220;prolonged period of low inflation.&#8221;
But to show it is not complacent about the danger, the central bank beefed up its rhetoric.
Draghi said the ECB&#8217;s governing council is unanimous in its determination to maintain a highly accommodative monetary policy stance and is ready to swiftly use &#8220;unconventional measures &#8230; to cope with the risk of a too-prolonged period of low inflation.&#8221;
US service firms
boost their hiring
U.S. service firms expanded more quickly last month as new orders rose and hiring increased, a positive sign the economy is rebounding after an unusually cold winter.
The Institute for Supply Management said Thursday that its service-sector index rose to 53.1 in March from 51.6 in February. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion.
The increase was driven by a big jump in a measure of hiring, which rose 6.1 points to 53.4. That reversed most of a nine-point plunge in February that was mostly blamed on the weather. The increase is a hopeful sign just before the government&#8217;s employment report for March, to be released Friday. A gauge of new orders increased 2.1 points to 53.4.
Many companies that responded to the survey said that weather still weighed on their business, particularly earlier in the month. That suggests business could improve further in April.

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