PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh International Airport is expected to record in 2008 its lowest passenger rates in 16 years of operation.

Airport officials say the facility is expected to end the year with fewer than 8.7 million passengers. Last year, the airport served 9.8 million passengers, its record low to that point.

The Pittsburgh airport has been suffering since the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks when struggling airlines cut service nationwide.

After the attacks, US Airways moved its hub from Pittsburgh to Arizona, further hurting the airport. US Airways is still the airport's biggest carrier, but it has eliminated another 40 flights this year.

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh council member plans to ask for a $9,000 study to be conducted to look at the option of establishing a commuter rail line through the city's crowded university district.William Peduto said he has been advocating the idea for five years. He believes a rail line through the university neighborhood of Oakland would relieve congestion. Peduto said after the study, a proposal will be submitted to Congress to garner federal funding for the project.Oakland is home to the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Both schools have expanded in recent years and more growth is expected.Officials estimate it will cost about $25 million to convert an existing, lightly used track into a commuter rail line.

BEAVER — Beaver County is considering laying off employees to bridge a $1.4 million gap in its 2009 budget.Beaver County Commissioner Charlie Camp said the county also will examine whether it can continue to provide some services that aren't required by law to further save money.Fifteen of a possible 86 workers have accepted an early retirement offer from the county, which will save about $500,000. But officials had hoped more employees would take advantage of the offer.Camp said the county doesn't want to raise taxes for what would be the second straight year. He said any layoffs would be spread fairly.Commissioners will vote on the $277 million preliminary budget Tuesday.

PLUM — Teachers and the Plum School District Board approved a five-year contract that grants pay raises of up to 4.5 percent.The board approved the pact that goes into effect Sept. 1. Under the terms of the deal, average salaries for teachers will rise from $68,032 this year to $80,820 by 2014, the year the contract ends.The district said average annual pay raises range from 1.68 percent in the contract's first year to 4.5 percent in the fourth year. The contract adds 15 minutes to the teaching day and includes an increase of health care premiums from 6 percent to 8 percent.