Regional Business Digest

REGION

Valley jobless rates soar

YOUNGSTOWN — Unemployment rates are up significantly in the Mahoning Valley.

The state Tuesday announced these jobless rates for August: Mahoning County, 7.9 percent, up from 6.3 percent in August 2007; Youngstown, 10 percent, up from 7.7 percent; Trumbull County, 8.1 percent, up from 6 percent; and Columbiana County, 7.9 percent, up from 5.9 percent.

NATION

Price-fixing probe expands

WASHINGTON — A federal investigation into possible food price-fixing has been expanded to include two major industries, tomato processing and egg products.

The Justice Department confirmed Tuesday that prosecutors are conducting separate inquiries into whether the tomato and egg industries engaged in anticompetitive practices. Federal prosecutors also have been looking at possible price-fixing in the citrus industry for at least a year.

From Vindicator staff and wire reports