Refiner reduces output in 1st quarter

Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, a refining and retailing venture owned by Marathon Oil Corp. and Covington's Ashland Inc., said Friday that refinery shutdowns for maintenance will reduce first-quarter fuel production.

Maintenance projects, including work to meet new U.S. standards for cleaner-burning gasoline, will result in the venture processing an average of 775,000 barrels of oil a day in the quarter, 21 percent below capacity, Findlay, Ohio-based Marathon Ashland said.

Pepper to enter

Ad hall of fame

John Pepper, former chairman and chief executive of Procter & Gamble Co., will be inducted into the national Advertising Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Federation said this week. Pepper retired in 2002.

The induction will be March 16 in New York.

First Transit gets

interim president

Downtown-based transit contractor First Transit has named Michael C. Murray as interim president. Murray recently was deputy chief executive officer and general counsel of First Transit's parent group, FirstGroup America Inc., and has worked with that company for 20 years. First Transit operates more than 120 public transit systems nationwide and in Puerto Rico. It also operates a transit consulting business.

Toyota nudges Ford to be No. 2 seller

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. - whose North American manufacturing headquarters is in Erlanger - outsold Ford Motor Co. last year to become the world's No. 2 automaker behind General Motors Corp., preliminary sales data showed Friday.

Toyota said estimated unit sales for 2003 reached 6.78 million vehicles, up 9.9 percent from 6.17 million the previous year.

Thursday, Ford reported that its 2003 sales slipped to 6.72 million vehicles, down 3.6 percent from 6.97 million.

Diseased cow links still being traced

WASHINGTON - Herds are under quarantine in three states, and agriculture officials still lack full accounting of meat that was recalled after discovery of mad cow disease in the United States a month ago.

Cows with links to the Holstein diagnosed with the brain-wasting disease have been found in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. More than 600 animals have been destroyed.

Investigators are looking for 70 cows that could have come from the farm where it was born.

From staff/wire reports