The unemployment benefits extension was successfully passed on to a final vote that will take place on late Thursday. The cloture vote of 97-1 passed on Wednesday which ends a four week “argument” between Senate Democrats and GOP leaders over the extension. Even though the cloture vote passed with flying colors there were still some Senate Republicans who were unhappy with the bill.

The Republicans feel that the Democrats held them from debating many of the amendments that they felt were important. The GOP initially proposed nine changes but the Democratic party forced the Republicans to only three amendments. The most important amendment was an edit to have Congress to pay for the unemployment extension through unspent TARP money rather than an extension of an unemployment tax on employers.

On Tuesday, prior to the final cloture vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the statement, “”They are only trying to delay and stall things. We have done more legislating on voting on nongermane, nonrelevant amendments this Congress I think than any time in the history that I’ve been around. And we’ve done it because the Republicans said that’s what they wanted, and I wanted to be fair.”

The changeover is affecting 85 National City Branches in southwestern Pennsylvania alone.

Jim Balouris, senior vice president of PNC, says they know the key is anticipating customers’ concerns.

The only thing National City customers actively have to do for the transition is activate their new PNC debit card.

“The ATM machines will be open and available - both the National City ATM machines - they’ll be converted to PNC machines as well as they have free access to all the PNC machines in the area,” Balouris said.

In fact, Balouris says your National City card will continue working until December 9 and your National City checks will remain usable as well.

All the local National City branches will close for the last time at 4 p.m. Friday.

“We’re going to have live folks sitting out front of the doors to help them with any questions or concerns that they have.  We’ll do that as well on Saturday because we will close the National City branches on Saturday,” Balouris said.

Customers coming to a closed National City will be directed to the nearest PNC ATM or branch to handle their need.

If you are a National City Bank online customer, be advised your access to your account will be cut off from 3 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Monday.

Your user ID and password will not change.

A ground beef recall for more than 545,699 pounds of meat has been expanded to states from North Carolina to Maine on fears of E. coli contamination.

Fairbanks Farms of Ashville, N.Y., expanded its ground beef recall on Monday after learning packages of its meat produced between Sept. 14 and 16 may have been distributed to more states than first thought. The recalled ground beef was sold in Acme, BJ’s, Ford Brothers, Giant Food Stores, Price Chopper, Shaw’s and Trader Joe’s.

Get the full recall list after the jump.

According to the FDA, packages of recalled meat bear the “EST. 492″ on the nutrition label and most of the products had a sell-by date between Sept. 19 and Sept. 28, 2009.

Trader Joe’s
• 1-pound packages of “Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 85/15.”
• 1-pound packages of “Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 80/20.”
The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.
• 1-pound trays of “Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef Patties 96/4 Extra Lean.”
• 1-pound trays of “Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef Patties 85/15.”

Price Chopper
• 1- and 2.5-pound trays of “Price Chopper Meatloaf & Meatball Mix.”
• 1-pound trays of “Price Chopper Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “Price Chopper Fresh Ground Beef Chuck for Chili 80% Lean 20% Fat.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest
• 1-pound trays of “Lancaster Brand 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef.”
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “Lancaster Brand 90/10 Ground Beef.”
• 1-pound trays of “Wild Harvest Natural 85/15 Angus Ground Beef.”

Shaw’s
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 93/7.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 80/20.”
• 1- and 3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 75/25.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Sirloin Beef Patties 90/10.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Round Beef Patties 85/15.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef Patties 80/20.”
• 3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef Patties Family Pack 80/20.”
• 1-pound trays of “Shaw’s Angus Ground Beef 85/15.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Round Beef 85/15.”
• 1-pound trays of “Shaw’s 90% Natural Ground Beef.”
• 1-pound trays of “Shaw’s 85% Natural Ground Beef.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “Shaw’s Fresh Ground Sirloin 90/10.”
• 1-pound trays of “Meatloaf & Meatball Mix.”

BJ’s
• 5-pound trays of “Fresh Ground Beef, Contains 15% Fat” patties.
• 3- and 5-pound trays of “Lean Ground Beef, Contains 7% Fat.”
• 2.5-pound trays of “Meatloaf & Meatball Mix.”

Ford Brothers
• 3-pound trays of “Fresh Ground Beef, Contains 20% Fat” patties.

Giant
• 1-pound trays of “Giant Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “Giant Meatloaf & Meatball Mix.”
• 1-pound trays of “Giant Nature’s Promise Ground Beef.”
• 1-pound trays of “Giant Nature’s Promise Ground Beef Patties.”

Click here for more on beef recalls.

City officials at 4 p.m. Monday issued a boil order because of a water main break on the north side of the city. All residences and businesses north of Seventh Street are affected by the order.The order will remain in effect until testing is complete and the public is notified.

City officials could not be reached for more information.