Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Trying to get a handle on panhandling Calendar: Saturday, Sept. 13 So THIS is where food comes from Police Reports Garden serves up a feast fit for monarchs Education So THIS is where food comes from Longtime dean honored as fine leader, friend Signups underway for classes for older adults They're back (and they've brought friends) Free TED talk simulcast in Ashland Environment Garden serves up a feast fit for monarchs Only voters can make a tree tops in town Getting away from — and back into — it all Definition of 'water year' is fluid Excitement electric at first alternative fuel vehicle show Business Fretwell Music Ashlander creates new product intended to solve old problem App that promotes walking tested here Electric innovators incubate creativity Loving the leather at Village Shoes Politics and elections Mark L. Hopkins: What the next election should be about Airport, historic commissioners named; vacancies remain on other panels Two races set for council positions State News Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Robert Allan Burr Charles Robert Zarka Death Notices Jerilyn J. Schoenhals Sports Latest Stories Grizzlies manhandle Dragons Allred misses cut Grizzlies turn attention to ground-pounding Dragons Former Grizzly coaching at TCU Raiders outlast Owls in five sets High school Grizzlies manhandle Dragons Grizzlies turn attention to ground-pounding Dragons Former Grizzly coaching at TCU Raiders outlast Owls in five sets Grizz volleyball team pulls out five-set thriller Southern Oregon University Allred misses cut Raiders outlast Owls in five sets SOU volleyball team ranked No. 16 Raiders to return to Phillips Field San Marcos beats SOU in OT Opinion Latest Stories Water line project a job well done Time to stand and be counted Ballot doesn't reflect the city Matthew T. Mangino: Law enforcement options in domestic violence cases Wehby's gay marriage stance shows cultural shift Editorial Water line project a job well done Ballot doesn't reflect the city Wehby's gay marriage stance shows cultural shift Electric vehicles rev up Meeting in the middle Letters Letters to the Editor, Sept. 11 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 9 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 8 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 4 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 3 Guest opinions Time to stand and be counted Two seemingly disparate moments in history Rauch replies: Frustrating, yes — yet there is method in't The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch Opportunities for civic involvement are plentiful in Ashland Revels Latest Stories Movie listings for Varsity Theatre, Ashland Street Cinemas Jeff All-Stars share more than a name Best Bets: Sept. 11-18 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is worth the trip Community blog: Slammin' for Salmon Theater Freud v. Lewis: Intellectual heavyweights spar over life's big issues 'Freud's Last Session" at Ashland Contemporary Theatre Wise cracks and hot licks make for super show OSF adds 'Wrinkle in Time' Family Night Music Q&A: Acousta Noir The Jeff Stanley Trio at Lounge South Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie listings for Varsity Theatre, Ashland Street Cinemas 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is worth the trip Movie listings: Sept. 5-11 Movie listings: Aug. 27-Sept. 4 'Calvary' is about darkness and dialogue Food and Drink Lifestyle Latest Stories Confronting the tyranny of expectations Peace House honors Rabbi Michael Lerner Community Blog: Predicting Peace - 1 of 7 Staying in your home requires planning Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Calendar: Saturday, Sept. 13 ... Police Reports ... Calendar: Friday, Sept. 12 ... Calendar: Saturday, Sept. 13 ... Police Reports ... Calendar: Friday, Sept. 12 ... EMPLOYMENT Revised employment figures show job growth in Jackson County The seasonally adjusted unemployment figure held steady at 8.5 percent, but an improved count of jobs shows a gain of 1,180. By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2014 @ 4:37 pm By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2014 @ 4:37 pm » Social News July employment figures released Monday indicate a year-over-year gain of 1,180 nonfarm jobs, thanks in part to a revision by  the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau re-examined quarterly payroll tax filings in Jackson County, which demonstrated stronger first-quarter employment than previously estimated. BLS figures disseminated by the Oregon Employment Department showed the jobless rate held steady last month at 8.5 percent, but was 1 percent below the July 2013 9.5 percent mark. Until now, unemployment figures held steadily primarily because of a shrinking labor force. The new report, however, shows job growth in several sectors. The swing, said Employment Department regional economist Guy Tauer, is readily discernible in the professional and business services sector, which showed a decline of 500-plus jobs year-over-year in its June report. Following input from the payroll tax data, there has been a swing to 150 additional employees from a year ago. "Things were generally stronger in construction and manufacturing as well," Tauer said. "Health care and social assistance was shown to level off, but now it has increased by 220 jobs." BLS samples are thin enough to produce a wide margin of error, he said. Going forward, however, the payroll revisions will occur every quarter instead of annually. "Catching turning points in the economy is the hardest thing in a changing economy," Tauer said. "Revisions can go both ways. Going into the Great Recession, the numbers were revised on the down side." Tim Duy, University of Oregon economics professor and editor of the Oregon Economic Index, said the revisions reflect what he's seen in recent months, but the Rogue Valley economy is far from robust. "Some of those numbers showing negative year-over-year growth didn't quite make sense," Duy said. "That's the good news. The bad news is that the region still seems to be growing at a tepid pace. Whereas, Medford has had 1.6 percent employment growth for the past year, Eugene has been at 3.3 percent, and Bend is exploding again with 5.1 percent employment growth." The difference between Central and Southern Oregon is the kind of people attracted to the region. "The pre-recession dynamic of in-migration for Bend is returning, and the tourism industry is going strong as well," Duy said. Bend benefits from mid-career newcomers contributing to the local economy, while Medford still beckons retirees. "My question is how much of the baby boomers' finances were damaged so that the next wave of retirees doesn't have the same capacity to migrate (to places like Medford) as the previous wave," Duy said. "We're going to start learning about that going forward." He said the revision shows that Medford's manufacturing sector is still intact. "From July 2010, basically the low point of the recession, the region has added almost 1,300 jobs from a low of 6,100," Duy said. "As far as regaining past peaks, the Medford area is one of the strongest areas in Oregon." Leisure and hospitality has also recovered fairly quickly, adding about 1,000 jobs since 2010. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness, and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/Economic Edge.     By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2014 @ 4:37 pm » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501