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Friday, September 20, 2002     Page: 1C

Airport business down
    The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport reported a 5 percent drop
last month in people boarding planes. But, that figure is better than the
national average, an airport official said Thursday.
   
Nationwide enplanements are down 11 percent, said Wy Gowell, assistant
director and business manager at the airport.
   
For the first eight months, enplanements at the airport were down less than
1 percent this year compared to 2001. Through August, 133,845 people boarded
planes at the airport compared to 134,327 for the same period in 2001.
Year-to-date, the airport’s operating revenues are $124,659 below 2001.
   
Work is progressing on the first phase of the $64 million expansion
project, Gowell said at the monthly meeting of the bi-county board of Luzerne
and Lackawanna commissioners which operates the airport.
   
A roadway network and parking garage are more than 37 percent complete.
Construction of a new terminal has not begun.
   
The airport approved a one-year hangar lease agreement with Bombardier
Services Corp. of Colchester, Vt., for $13,128. The firm will locate four or
five mechanics at the airport to provide light maintenance to regional
Comair/Delta jets.
   

   

   
Arena board OKs outlay
   

   
During its monthly meeting Thursday, the First Union Arena board approved
payment of $3,204 to Borton-Lawson Engineering, which analyzed potential water
problems from a proposed development.
   
Borton-Lawson determined that development of a proposed shopping center –
which would include a Target store – could cause water seepage into the arena.
   
On Sept. 13, the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority asked the
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas to put the development on hold.
   

   

   
Superheroes hit the Web
   

   
Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The X-Men and other superheroes will be
heading to the World Wide Web as characters in multi-player online games.
   
Marvel Enterprises Inc. has licensed its universe of 4,700 comic book
characters to Vivendi Universal Publishing for 10 years, the two companies
said Thursday. Vivendi Universal will develop the characters into games that
can be played by thousands of people at a time over the Internet.
   
Typically, multi-player games require users to purchase software, then pay
a monthly fee to play. Marvel and Vivendi said they will share all
subscription fees and product sale revenue as well as any advertising revenue.
   
The first game is set to debut in 2005.
   

   

   
Nikon recalls cameras
   

   
Nikon Inc. is recalling about 9,100 digital cameras sold nationwide this
summer because the battery compartment can short-circuit, overheat and cause
burns if the lid is touched.
   
The Melville, N.Y., company has received 14 reports, all from outside the
United States, of the Coolpix 2000 digital cameras short-circuiting, the
Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday. No injuries have been
reported.
   
The imported cameras were sold by department, electronic, computer and
camera stores, and by mail-order and Web retailers from July 30 through August
for about $250. The recalled Coolpix 2000 models include serial numbers
3010001 to 3060980 and 3510001 to 3561916.
   
For replacement, consumers can call Nikon at 1-800-645-6687 between 9 a.m.
and 7 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday.
   

   
Wall Street Journal Sunday
   
What should investors do while waiting for a war with Iraq?