Local unemployment rates decrease

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May 22, 2009

LEDF leader concerned about future numbers

by Denise Massie Pharos-Tribune Fri May 22, 2009, 09:59 PM EDT

April’s unemployment rate fell slightly in Cass County, but the future may not be so promising.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business show the percentage of unemployed Cass County residents decreased from 12.8 percent in March to 11.9 percent in April.

While he likes seeing the dip from March’s numbers, Skip Kuker, president of Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, said he is still thinking about the future.

“I am concerned about seeing improvement in the upcoming months,” he said. “It’s going to be an up-and-down situation for probably the next six to nine months before we see stabilization. That’s what I see around here.”

Kuker pointed out the numbers could change next month if GM follows Chrysler and files for bankruptcy.

There are a number of reasons the unemployment rate to decrease, according to Kuker. He said it is difficult to say what happened during April, but he speculated the change could be factories making more products because of an upcoming shutdown.

In April, there were 18,569 people available for work was and 16,360 of them were employed.

Those unemployed for all reasons in Cass County totaled 2,209.

In state rankings, Cass County ranked 41st among the 92 counties for the number of employees available for work and the number of those employed.

It also ranked 39th for the number of people unemployed, with number one being the worst.

“We want those numbers to be together,” Kuker said. “That is good.”

Indiana Department of Workforce Development also released unemployment claim numbers for the last week of April. Total claims in Cass County were 1,270.

The claims dropped from 1,515 at the beginning of April.

Overall, Kuker is interested in seeing what happens in May and June.

“We will see the effects of Chrysler’s bankruptcy,” he said. “Also, some of the factories shut down in the summer. It will be interesting to see if those shutdowns get longer. We will see that in the summer months.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com

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