REGION

REGION
Bricklayers group setsapprenticeship program
VIENNA -- The Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties Bricklayers Joint Apprenticeship Program will accept applications for a class of bricklayers from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. Jan. 10 to Jan. 14 and from 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 15. Applications will be accepted at the Builders Association of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, 1372 Youngstown-Kingsville Road. Applicants must pay $20 and bring a high-school transcript, birth certificate or drivers license and a military service certificate of completion, if applicable.
NATION
Economic forecast lookspositive for farm income
WASHINGTON -- The latest forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service predicts net farm income will reach $73.7 billion nationwide this year, beating the record set in 2003 by nearly 25 percent. It's a creation of two back-to-back years of exceptionally large harvests for major crops and unusually high prices for livestock and milk.
The agency predicts the nation's farmers will pocket an average income of $70,675 per household this year, up 3.2 percent from a year ago. These good times on the farm are especially sweet after several hard years of drought.
Only income from cattle and egg sales did not increase this year, and beef producers will likely see only a modest drop in their 2004 revenues from last year's record levels, despite the discovery of the nation's first case of mad cow disease.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports