Obama praises America Makes

Obama praises America Makes

WASHINGTON

President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced two new public-private manufacturing innovation institutes in Chicago and the Detroit area, touting the success of America Makes, formerly the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, in Youngstown.

Obama acknowledged U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, saying Ryan “helped us get the first of these hubs off the ground” in Youngstown.

Farmers dividend

CANFIELD

Farmers National Banc Corp. declared a cash dividend of 3 cents per share of common stock, payable March 31 to shareholders of record March 14.

Earnings report

AKRON

FirstEnergy Corp. announced earnings of $142 million on $3.6 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with a loss of $148 million on $3.5 billion in sales during the same time the year before.

The company earned $392 million on $14.9 billion in revenue for the full year 2013. The previous year, FirstEnergy reported earnings of $770 million on $15.9 billion in revenue.

SBA free seminar

CLEVELAND

The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a free seminar to educate small-business owners on how they can sell their products and services to the federal government.

Those in attendance also will learn about federal certifications, including the 8(a) Business Development Program, the HubZone program, and women’s and veterans’ certifications.

The seminar, at 1350 Euclid Ave., runs from 10 a.m. to noon March 14.

Those interested should call Vanessa Behrend at 216-522-4180, ext. 201, to reserve a seat.

GM adds 842,000 small cars to recall

DETROIT

General Motors on Tuesday doubled to 1.6 million the number of small cars it is recalling to fix faulty ignition switches linked to multiple fatal crashes.

Just two weeks ago, GM announced the recall of more than 780,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s. It’s now adding 842,000 Saturn Ion compacts, Chevrolet HHR SUVs and Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sports cars.

Apology issued for Zuckerberg cartoon

BERLIN

A German cartoonist has apologized for causing offense by depicting Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as a hooked-nose octopus, after Jewish groups complained it resembled Nazi propaganda.

Cartoonist Burkhard Mohr says he had intended to make a point about Facebook devouring rival Whats-App and didn’t realize the parallels to the Nazis’ anti-Semitic portrayal of Jews as hungry tentacle monsters.

The cartoon was published Friday in early editions of the Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Later editions showed an empty hole where Zuckerberg’s face had been.

Vindicator staff/wire reports