A deal for local college crowd

Oakland's college-bound masses will be happy to hear a comparison shopping site has decided Pittsburgh and Boston had the lowest total cost for a list of 30 "dorm essentials," such as laptop computers, printers, TVs, microwave ovens and MP3 players. The survey, produced by PriceRunner, a service owned by ValueClick Inc., found New York and Seattle to be the most expensive. The average cost for all the items was $2,751.79.

Kansas City service resumes

After a nine-month hiatus, nonstop service to Kansas City, Mo., is returning to Pittsburgh International Airport. Midwest Airlines said it would offer a daily nonstop flight to Kansas City starting Oct. 31. Pittsburgh hasn't had nonstop service to Kansas City since November 2004, when US Airways eliminated the flights.

Software to rule rails

A software agreement designed to maximize efficiency in the movement of Union Pacific Railroad's trains is being touted by a Pittsburgh company as one of the largest in railroad history. The 15-year accord between the railroad and Union Switch & Signal is valued at "many, many millions of dollars" and will create 50 jobs, with another 85 employees to be involved in the work, said John Donlon, Union Switch's vice president of sales and marketing. The Hazelwood-based company will provide its Optimizing Traffic Planner software system to plan and increase traffic flow on the railroad's 33,000-mile rail network. The software is supplemented by a computer aided dispatch system that also will be installed by Union Switch.

Ex-Steeler faces Okla. ban

Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Adrian Cooper has been barred from stock broker activities in Oklahoma amid accusations he stole money from clients. Cooper has denied wrongdoing. Cooper, 37, came under investigation by Oklahoma regulators last year after investors complained. The Oklahoma Securities Department reported he used investors' funds to pay personal expenses and to pay other investors. Cooper is accused of stealing more than $750,000 from his clients. He played six seasons with the Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers.

Also in business ...

Mellon Financial Corp. said it was chosen as master custodian of the $113 billion public pension fund controlled by Florida's State Board of Administration ... American Bridge Co. said it received a contract valued at $22.3 million from the Alabama State Port Authority for the construction of the Choctaw Point Terminal wharf and bulkhead.