State's jobless rate inches up

Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rose to 5 percent in April from 4.9 percent in March, matching the U.S. jobless rate, which fell a tenth of a percentage point. Pennsylvania's rate was up 0.7 of a percentage point from April 2007, while the national rate was up half a percentage point from a year ago. Pennsylvania added 2,300 jobs in April, but the unemployment rate rose due to an influx of people entering the labor force.

Mining firm targets W.Va. justice

Former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore B. Olson will represent Harman Mining in its appeal of a West Virginia Supreme Court decision that sparked allegations of bias on the state's highest court. The court's 3-2 ruling last month overturned a $77 million judgment Harman won against Massey Energy in 2002. Harman alleged acting West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin, who ruled in Massey's favor, should have recused himself because he benefited from more than $3 million Massey CEO Don Blankenship spent on the 2004 election, when Justice Benjamin won his seat on the court. Harman will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that Justice Benjamin's refusal to withdraw violated its constitutional rights.

CBS buying online news provider

CBS Corp. is buying CNet Networks Inc., an online news and information provider, for $1.8 billion in cash, the companies said yesterday. CNet is known for technology reviews, news and advice but also has expanded into entertainment areas with a stable of sites that includes ZDNet, GameSpot.com, TV.com, mp3.com. It also owns the highly valuable Internet domain name News.com.

Airline ramp workers OK pact

US Airways fleet service workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union have ratified an agreement that brings all of the carrier's ramp and baggage employees under a single contract. The 7,700 ramp and baggage employees previously were working under separate, pre-merger agreements from the former America West Airlines or the former US Airways. US Airways still needs to negotiate joint contracts with flight attendants and pilots.

Also in business ...

Steelmaker Nucor Corp. said it has chosen a tract in southeastern Louisiana as the lone U.S. site under consideration along with an undisclosed number of foreign locations for a $2 billion iron-making plant that would create 500 permanent jobs.