MIDDLETOWN, Ohio – The theft and beating death of a young alpaca has upset an Ohio alpaca-raising community so large some members call the state “Little Peru.”

A national registry lists nearly 25,000 alpacas in Ohio – 20 percent of the U.S. total. Farmers say there are likely more that aren’t registered.

Farmers say the killing in southwest Ohio’s Butler County has left them angry and shaken. Some legislators are renewing a push to toughen animal cruelty laws.

Two 17-year-old boys are charged in juvenile court with animal cruelty and other counts, while a 22-year-old woman faces complicity charges in the case last month involving a 3-month-old alpaca named Masterpiece.

Alpacas, similar to llamas, are native to South America and are prized for their wool.

Ohio jobless rate rises with workforce

Officials say unemployment has edged up to 10.9 percent in Ohio as more people have entered the job market but have been unable to find work.

The February jobless rate released Friday represents a slight increase from January’s joblessness of 10.8 percent.

The state rate is more than a full percentage point higher than the national one for February, of 9.7 percent. A year ago, Ohio had unemployment of 9.1 percent.

The state’s Department of Job and Family Services says the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 647,000, up from 641,000 in January. The number of people employed outside of farms also increased, by 3,500.

Officials say hiring increased in services while job losses continued in the state’s goods-producing industries.

Mature films require OK at Ohio school

An Ohio school board has lifted its temporary ban on showing PG-13 and R-rated movies such as “Schindler’s List” in high school classes.

But parents of Marysville students will now have to give permission before their children see a more mature film at school. The movies also will have to be cleared by administrators, and officials are urging teachers to show relevant clips instead of whole films.

The school board in the community 30 miles northwest of Columbus approved the new policy at a meeting Thursday night. It drew about 120 people for and against the ban adopted last month.

Parents had complained about their children being exposed to PG-13 and R-rated historical dramas such as “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan” at Marysville High School.