Natural gas bills to rise 8 percent

Natural gas bills for residential customers in Greater Cincinnati will rise about 8 percent in April, Cincinnati Gas & Electric and its sister company Union Light, Heat & Power in Northern Kentucky said Tuesday. The typical bill for a residential customer using 10,800 cubic feet of gas will increase starting Thursday to $112.98 from $104.61 in April last year. In Northern Kentucky, the same customer will pay $113.46 - up about 7 percent from $105.62 in April 2003. Natural gas costs typically fall in spring as winter heating demand winds down. But increased demand from industrial customers and utilities is keeping costs higher.

Tuition saving plan expands

The Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, the state's tax-free college savings plan, is almost doubling its investment options to Ohio residents who want to save for their children's college educations. The fund has selected 15 Vanguard Group mutual funds that include stock, bond and balanced portfolios. They are passively managed funds that try to match the performance of a particular market index. The new funds will be available in May. For details, call (800) 233-6734 or visit www.collegeadvantage.com.

Textile workers picket downtown

A handful of Mexican textile workers who said they were fired by one of Federated Department Stores' suppliers for trying to form a union picketed outside Federated's downtown Cincinnati headquarters Tuesday. The workers were joined by representatives of a human rights organization, US/Labor Education in the Americas Project, in calling for the department store retailer to intervene on their behalf. The workers want Federated to cut ties with Tarrant Apparel Group, which has a 10-year contract with Federated to supply its exclusive American Rag brand. Federated declined to comment.

Staff reports