Permits top $100,000

The Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department issued four building permits during January.

Permits were issued to: Theurer and Sons Farms, 7032 South 700 East, Union City, grain dryer and grain bin, $85,000; Chester A. and Hilda Cheeseman, 5362 South U.S. 27, Portland, pole barn, $14,000; Suzanne Clark 194 W. High St., Pennville, storage building, $1,200; and Allan Shauver, 3568 East Ind. 26, Portland, garage, $3,900.

Total value of the permits was $104,100.

Warrant issued

A Delaware County court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Frank Winconek, 55, former chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Eye Center Group.

Winconek, who is accused of stealing more than $100,000 by using company credit cards and making unauthorized self-payments. The warrant was issued by Delaware Circuit Court 5.

Police believe Winconek is currently residing in Guam, based on a news clipping from the Pacific Daily News stating that he had been named an administrator of an insurance company on the island, which is an unincorporated U.S. territory. The Portland Eye Center is affiliated with the Eye Center Group.

To speak

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated chief financial officer Rich Harshman will speak to the Cowen and Company 31st Annual Aerospace/Defense Conference in New York City.

Harshman, the executive vice president, finance and chief financial officer, will speak at the conference on Feb. 10. ATI, a metal producer, operates the Portland Forge facility.

Haiti help

Glass producer Saint-Gobain has donated about 60,000 euro ($82,000) to various Haiti relief efforts.

The company has made donations to the Action Against Hunger, American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity to aid the country, which was rocked by a devastating earthquake on Jan. 12.

Laying off

Wal-Mart announced it will lay off 300 workers at its Arkansas headquarters.

The move is part of a restructuring effort that will improve "growth and leverage returns" and has brought a trim of the world's largest retailer's work force.

Last year, the company cut more than 700 workers at its Arkansas headquarters.

Quarter loss

First Merchants Corp. announced a fourth quarter loss of $11.7 million.

During the year, the company posted a $2.17 loss per share, down from a $1.14 increase the year prior. The loss is mainly attributed to losses of $26 million in loans.

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