STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) - General Dynamics Corp.'s land systems unit has been awarded two contracts to provide tank work for Saudi Arabia with a combined value of $42.4 million.

The contracts were awarded by the U.S. Army on behalf of the Royal Saudi Land Forces. This work is part of a plan by Saudi Arabia to upgrade its fleet of 314 Abrams tanks.

The work will be performed at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio.

The contract continues work started in 2008.  General Dynamics' shares rose 67 cents to $61.85 in midday trading.

On Saturday officials gathered in Clark County for a ground-breaking ceremony at the Springfield-Beckley airport. It kicks off an 11.6 million dollar construction project that will benefit the Air National Guard Base housed at the airport. 

The project will result in a new administrative building and a training complex for the National Guard. It's being built by Tamsah Marker. The Bellefontaine-based company will also construct a warehouse facility and a parking lot to support the new complex.

The project was spearheaded by former Congressman Dave Hobson of Springfield. He was on hand at the ceremony where it was also announced that the new facility will be named in his honor.

IRONTON, Ohio (AP) - Lawmakers and others invested in southern Ohio's economy say the state should work with neighboring Kentucky and West Virginia to help the region realize the shipping potential of the Ohio River.

Patrick Donovan of the Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute tells The Columbus Dispatch the tri-state area needs a port authority that competes globally.

Bill Dingus of the Lawrence Economic Development Corp. says the river system moves 63 million tons of commodities valued at $7.4 billion to, from and within Ohio. He says that just scratches the surface of the river's potential.

He and Donovan anticipate the river could get more business with a major Panama Canal expansion scheduled for completion by 2014.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio regulators are proposing that companies get breaks on their electric bills for certain levels of new hiring and investment in the state.

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio spokeswoman, Beth Trombold, tells The Columbus Dispatch the plan is aimed at boosting jobs and economic development. It’s likely the rate cuts would mainly go to large businesses and that other electric customers would pay more.

Xenia Twp. Residents attended a public meeting with global building materials company, CEMEX, in force Tuesday night to voice concerns over the company's proposed mining project.

At the meeting, CEMEX officials stated the proposed zoning change and limestone mining would not negatively affect area residents. Officials added the rezoning from agricultural land to mineral extraction would be done with limited, licensed blasts and no blasting would take place closer than 500 feet from a home.

Attorney for CEMEX, Catherine Cunningham, said the company will meet or exceed state standards and regulations and added reclamation projects after the mining ends would be satisfactory to area residents.

The state's advocate for residential utility customers says American Electric Power's proposed rate plan could raise next summer's rates for many Ohio customers by 31 percent.

The office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel said Tuesday that the proposal would shift rates for generating electricity, leaving residential customers paying more in relation to commercial and industrial users. It argues instead for a uniform rate change across all categories.

AEP spokeswoman Terri Flora says the shift would bring rates more in line with actual costs and reflect an increasingly competitive market. She says 2012 increases for all customer categories would average about 1.5 percent.