American Electric Power wants to raise rates for its 1.5 million Ohio customers by 45% over the next three years.The utility says the proposed increases of 15% per year are necessary because of the surging price of coal and the cost of modernizing its systems to keep them reliable.

Columbus-based AEP says coal prices have doubled in the past year.

Executives with the company acknowledge that the rate hikes will be hard on customers already facing soaring gasoline and food prices. But AEP say even with the increases, its electric rates will still be among the lowest in the state.

The company’s plan must be approved by state regulators.

The state House Democratic caucus has paid lawyers and consultants more than $1.4 million for help in responding to an investigation into whether government money and resources were illegally used for political campaigns.The figure includes $618,000 in public funds the caucus paid to lawyers who represented more than 135 caucus employees and a small number of Democratic state representatives.

The caucus also has paid about $800,000 to Chadwick Associates Inc., a Washington business that is helping it respond to the attorney general’s investigation.

Earlier this month, 12 people associated with the House Democratic caucus were charged with theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy.

If you can sing like a lark, or think you know someone else who can, today just might be the lucky day to join the hundreds of others who are expected to be at the Eastwood Mall in Niles.

Their reason for being there, besides great shopping…the hope of becoming the next American Idol!

Open auditions are being held this afternoon at Eastwood Mall, and the possibility of actually becoming the next big winner is sure to draw a huge crowd, between those wishing to audition and those who just want the chance to be among the crowd of spectators.

The winner of today’s auditions gets a guaranteed try-out in front of Idol producers in New Jersey next month, though it’s not promised just which producers may be present.

Contestants who want to audition must be between the ages of 16 and 28, and have a photo I. D.  And, of course, it won’t hurt to actually be able to “sing like a lark”!

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD - News) today announced sales results for July.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same store sales increased 1.2 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales were up 2.1 percent. Pharmacy same store sales increased 0.7 percent, which included an approximately 252 basis point negative impact from new generic introductions.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same stores sales excluding the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores increased 3.8 percent over the prior-year period with front-end same store sales increasing 4.3 percent and pharmacy same store sales growing 3.5 percent.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same store sales at the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores decreased 3.8 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales decreased 3.8 percent while pharmacy same store sales declined 3.8 percent. This compares to a 6.2 percent decline in same store sales for the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores in June.

“We’re pleased with our overall sales results, especially in this challenging retail environment,” said Mary Sammons, Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO. “We had solid sales increases in the core Rite Aid stores, and sales trends in the former Brooks Eckerd stores continue to improve as we move closer to completing the integration over the next two months. We continue to expect same store sales in the acquired stores to turn positive in our third quarter.”

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period decreased 0.9 percent to $1.975 billion compared to $1.993 billion for the same period last year. Prescription revenue accounted for 66.8 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented 96.3 percent of pharmacy sales.

Year-to-Date Sales

Same store sales for the twenty-one week period ended July 26, 2008 increased 0.9 percent, consisting of a 1.3 percent front-end same store sales increase and a 0.7 percent increase in pharmacy same store sales. Year-to-date same store sales include eight weeks of the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores.

Total drugstore sales for the twenty-one weeks ended July 26, 2008 increased 24.5 percent to $10.585 billion from $8.504 billion in last year’s like period. Prescription revenue accounted for 67.2 percent of total drugstore sales, and third-party prescription revenue was 96.3 percent of pharmacy sales.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains, operating 4,961 stores on July 26, 2008 in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company’s website at http://www.riteaid.com.

Record gas prices are prompting drivers to steer clear of some toll roads, bridges and tunnels, causing declines in the revenue that’s used for repairs and maintenance.

Transportation facilities in 34 states collect about $8 billion in tolls a year, according to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.

Those facilities are feeling the effects of high gas prices and a switch to carpooling and mass transit: Americans drove 9.6 billion fewer miles in May 2008 than in May 2007, the Federal Highway Administration says.

Here is a samplig of the numbers;

• Revenue is off 3.5% or $17.6 million for the period from July 2007 to March 2008 on Florida’s 600 miles of toll roads and bridges, says Christa Deason of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

“It has the possibility to affect our upcoming work program,” which totals $1 billion, Deason says.

• Traffic on the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, was down 11.2% in June compared with a year ago but revenue is up 6.8% for the year because of toll hikes, says Bob Sweeney of the Mackinac Bridge Authority.

Still, the authority is considering ways to extend the life of the bridge deck so a $200 million deck replacement project can be delayed.

• The Maine Turnpike saw a 4% drop in traffic in June.

• Traffic on the Indiana Toll Road was down about 5% in the first quarter of the year, spokesman Matt Pierce says.

• Traffic is down slightly on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, says Kris Kolluri, Turnpike Authority chairman and transportation commissioner. Tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike declined 4.8% in June compared to a year earlier and the parkway’s drop was 4.3%.

Mass-transit ridership is up 4-5% and traffic is steady on the Atlantic City Expressway, which suggests that the gambling mecca is a vacation destination for residents who decided to stay closer to home, Kolluri says.

• Traffic is down less than 1% on the Illinois Tollway, probably.

Here in Pennsylvania, the numbers show were off as much as 11% so far this year, and the gap is growing wider, Pennsylvania however is seeking to Toll I-80 under a federal program to increase funds, and is planning to lease it’s turn pike and use the funds from the sale to generate interest revenue that will pay for road repair and mass transit while the lease is in effect. 

Legislators in Pennsylvania hav moixed opinions on the plan lead by Demopcratic Gov. Ed Rendell.