APPOINTMENT MADE: Lisa Foster was appointed to the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County’s Board of Trustees.

Foster is an English teacher at the Tri-State Christian Academy in Burgettstown and resides in Steubenville with her husband and two children.

Foster and her family are avid library users.

Following several efforts to establish a library in Steubenville as early as 1830, the library was founded on Oct. 1, 1899, to serve the city of Steubenville. On Jan. 1, 1936, the library system was assigned county-wide library service.

Most branches were established under sponsorship of the Works Progress Administration in 1939-41, except the Schiappa Branch which was established in 1987. Several new buildings house the branch libraries today.

IN COMPLIANCE: Charity Hospice Inc. recently participated in a recertification survey process for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and licensure compliance inspection required by the Ohio Department of Health.

The organization was found to be in compliance with all requirements and no deficiencies were identified, according to Director of Quality and Compliance, Dr. Jerry Jo Gilham.

In addition, the organization’s emergency preparedness plan, newly required by CMS, was also approved.

The surveyor was on premises from Dec. 17-20 and observed home and nursing home visits of various staff members, reviewed numerous patient charts and examined the organization’s quality assurance and performance improvement plan.

Cathy Cich, Charity Hospice CEO, noted that she is very proud of all of the staff and appreciates their devotion to quality care to all patients and families served. She added that the organization’s success is due to the tireless work of the entire interdisciplinary team including volunteers.

SETTLEMENT REACHED: Fiat Chrysler will pay a $305 million fine to the U.S. government over emissions cheating allegations.

The settlement was announced Thursday by the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Italian-American automaker separately agreed to pay $19 million to California. The company will also pay $280 million to settle lawsuits brought by vehicle owners.

Authorities say more than 100,00 vehicles were equipped with diesel engines programmed to run pollution controls during lab tests that would turn off under certain conditions on the road.

The settlement requires the company to start a recall to repair the Jeep SUVs and Ram pickup trucks made between 2014 and 2016.

Fiat Chrysler says it didn’t deliberately install devices to cheat emissions tests. The company didn’t admit wrongdoing in the settlement.

Mortgage rates fall:

U.S. long-term mortgage rates continued to fall last week, reaching their lowest levels in nine months.

The decline in home borrowing rates in recent weeks has been a spur to prospective homebuyers, reflected in a spike in applications for mortgages. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on the benchmark 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage dipped to 4.45 percent this week from 4.51 percent last week.

Rates remain far above last year’s levels, however. The key 30-year rate averaged 3.99 percent a year ago.

The average rate for 15-year fixed-rate loans fell to 3.89 percent from 3.99 percent last week.

The recent easing of rates has come amid steep declines in the stock market and tumbling interest rates on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note — which influences long-term mortgage rates.

The decline in rates could help boost home sales, which stumbled last year as higher borrowing costs eroded affordability.

From staff and wire reports