[naviga:h3]FirstEnergy plans to trim county trees[/naviga:h3]

FirstEnergy Corp. will be trimming trees in Butler County to help keep trees from falling on electrical lines.

This work includes about $3 million to remove dead and dying ash trees. As of early April, nearly 8,000 ash and other trees that could affect electric equipment have been removed.

West Penn Power will trim trees in Butler, Forestville, Prospect, Unionville and Nixon.

Trimming is done on a five-year cycle. Vegetation is inspected and trees are pruned to maintain the health of the tree and reliable electric service. In some cases, trees may be removed.

West Penn Power alerts municipalities of the trimming schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way are notified.

[naviga:h3]Verizon meets 1Q profit forecasts[/naviga:h3]

NEW YORK — Verizon Communications on Thursday reported a 2.2 percent rise in its first-quarter profit, matching Wall Street expectations as the company dealt with seasonally low volume.

The results come as the company deals with a strike by 39,000 landline and cable employees along the East Coast.

The largest U.S. cell phone carrier reported a profit of $4.31 billion, or $1.06 per share. The average estimate of 16 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.06 per share.

The company said it added 640,000 wireless customers during the quarter.

[naviga:h3]Personnel file[/naviga:h3]

Joe Oliphant is the new director of program development for The Challenge Program, a regional nonprofit agency in Pittsburgh connecting business and education.

The Challenge Program partners businesses with high school students and introduces them to career opportunities. It covers high schools in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties and in eastern Ohio.