Caretaker job attracts 700

Evidence of the slumping economy is stacking up at an Ohio school which has nearly 700 applications for one caretaker's job.

Officials at Perry Local Schools near Canton in northeast Ohio say they have extended the deadline until tomorrow to accommodate the overwhelming response to the week-old posting.

The full-time position at Edison Junior High School pays US$15 to US$16 ($29.77 to $31.76) an hour plus benefits.

Superintendent John Richard says many applicants are laid-off workers with heart-wrenching stories about the tough economic times.