BUTLER TWP — A new child-centered business opened Monday in Moraine Pointe Plaza.

Kinstaria's is a dance studio, indoor play area and party room for youths age 3 to 18.

Missy Fierst has spent 14 years helping teach children to dance and saw the opportunity to open her own studio and provide a place for children to play while their parents shop.

Fierst works with three helpers, all of whom have passed their child abuse and criminal background checks.

CRANBERRY TWP — HighJump Software of Minneapolis has bought TrueCommerce of Cranberry.Nick Manolis, CEO of TrueCommerce, said he expects the Cranberry Township company and a Reston, Va., location to remain along with each facilities' personnel.

STATE COLLEGE — Rex Energy has completed its Marcellus Shale joint venture with Summit Discovery Resources II.Summit Discovery is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp.Rex Energy, which does business in Butler County, sold about 13,000 acres and a partial interest in certain producing Marcellus Shale wells for the deal. At closing, Sumitomo paid about $99.5 million in cash to Rex Energy, including a reimbursement for leasing expenses incurred to date of about $7.6 million.Additionally, the cash payment included a reimbursement for drilling related expenses of about $7.5 million.The remaining drilling carry balance was about $51.2 million, which will be used to cover 80 percent of Rex Energy's costs to drill and complete additional Marcellus Shale wells in the areas identified in the joint venture agreement.

STATE COLLEGE — Rex Energy held a two-day workshop on oil/gas well emergencies at the Crawford-Venango County Fire School Sept. 25 and 26.More than 20 first-responders from Butler County attended, including Harmony, Evans City and Connoquenessing volunteer fire department personnel, and the Butler County Hazmat unit.Rex Energy has grown with the recent increase in the number of Marcellus Shale wells throughout the region.Rex Energy paid for the fire school including hotel rooms for participants.The company does business in Butler County.

DETROIT — Ford says its U.S. sales rose 46 percent in September as it saw strong sales of redesigned cars and trucks.Ford had expected sales to rise significantly from September of 2009, when sales dropped as last summer's Cash for Clunkers program came to an end.