Oct 23, 2012 2 min read

84 Lumber Co. will hold grand opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. Friday for a new store at 8400 Presto-Sygan Road, off Miller’s Run road in South Fayette Township.

IMPERIAL (AP) — Southwest Airlines is launching daily, nonstop service from Pittsburgh International Airport to Houston starting April 14.The flight will leave Pittsburgh at 11:50 a.m. weekdays and arrive at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport at 2 p.m. The flight will follow a similar schedule on Sunday but will leave Pittsburgh at 9:15 a.m. on Saturdays.The nonstop flights will return from Houston at 1:35 p.m. each day and arrive at 5:25 p.m.Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says the new flight is being scheduled, in part, because of demand for travel related to Marcellus shale drilling. Many energy companies that are drilling in western Pennsylvania are based in Texas.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Norfolk Southern Corp. says the weak economy contributed to a 27 percent drop in profits as the company hauled less coal and other merchandise.The railroad said Tuesday that it earned $402 million, or $1.24 per share, in the third quarter. That’s down from $554 million, or $1.59 per share, Norfolk Southern reported last year but in line with the revised forecast officials offered last month.The company, based in Norfolk, Va., said revenue fell nearly 7 percent to $2.7 billion.Analysts expected earnings of $1.25 per share and $2.73 billion in revenue, according to FactSet. Many analysts lowered their forecasts after the railroad said Sept. 19 that it expected earnings of between $1.18 and $1.25 per share for the quarter because of the revenue drop.