REGION

REGION

Ohio jobless rate falls

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in July, down from 6.1 percent in June.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 344,000, down from 363,000 in June as the size of Ohio’s work force fell by 8,400 to 5.4 million, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

“The labor market data showed mixed results in July,” Helen Jones-Kelley, the agency’s director, said in a statement. “Although the unemployment rate declined in July, overall employment also declined.”

Sparkle grand opening

WARREN — Sparkle Market is having a grand opening at its new Parkman Road N.W. store at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The full-service store is near the intersection of Parkman Road and Coit Avenue Northwest.

NATION

Toys ‘R’ Us to remove
vinyl bibs from stores

NEWARK, N.J. — Toys “R” Us Inc. on Friday said it was removing all vinyl baby bibs from its Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores as a precaution after two bibs made in China for one supplier showed lead levels that exceeded Toys “R” Us standards.

Toys “R” Us, which operates more than 1,500 stores, said the result came in testing this month of bibs supplied by Hamco Inc. and marketed under the Koala Baby, Especially for Baby and Disney Baby labels.

Tests of Hamco bibs in May were within standards, Toys “R” Us said.

Toys “R” Us said customers can return any vinyl bib purchased from a Toys “R” Us or Babies “R” Us store for a full refund. Information is available at (800) 869-7787.

Fewer active oil, gas rigs

HOUSTON — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States fell by three this week to 1,795.

Of the rigs running nationwide, 1,480 were exploring for natural gas and 309 for oil, Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday.

Six were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, the rig count stood at 1,762.

From Vindicator staff and wire reports