Our Northwest Economy

Can You Count to 6.5 Million/3.8 Million/1.5 Million? Census To Provide Big Jobs Stimulus in WA, OR, ID

Job creation is not part of the mission of the U-S Census. But U-S Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said today (Thurs.) that next year's headcount should put a temporary dent in high unemployment around the Northwest. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

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Northwest Spooky Jobs Part Two

OLYMPIA, WA - Some jobs are spooky year round, not just at Halloween. This week, we're sending out correspondents to find the spookiest jobs in the Northwest. In part two of the series, how would you like to spend your nights with bats? But first, what do you think about sorting through radioactive garbage?

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Northwest Spooky Jobs Part One

WALLACE, ID and ASHLAND, OR - Halloween is a chance to forget all your troubles and get spooked out. But some people have chill-inducing jobs year-round. We sent our correspondents out to find some of the spookiest jobs in the Northwest. Today we learn about two jobs that might send you howling, but not to the workers.

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International Paper Shuts Down Iconic Oregon Factory

The International Paper factory will shut down one of its last remaining mills in the Northwest. 270 workers in Albany, Oregon found out that they will lose their jobs by the end of the year.

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Post-high school jobs skill training pushed

As Washington and the nation begin to emerge from the severe economic downturn, and businesses start hiring again, employers worry that there won’t be enough so-called middle skill workers to fill expected vacancies. Spokane Public Radio’s John Vlahovich reports on a statewide effort to reverse that trend.

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Washington State Unemployment Rate Rises in September

Washington's unemployment rate rose again last month, in contrast to the slight drops recorded in neighboring Idaho and Oregon. Washington employers collectively shed around 16-thousand jobs in September. State Employment Department Economist Dave Wallace says that nudged the jobless rate up three-tenths of a point to nine-point-three percent. During a conference call, reporters asked Wallace what affect the federal economic stimulus package is having.

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Stimulus Money Creates, Retains Oregon Jobs

Federal stimulus money has created or retained the equivalent of 8000 full-time jobs so far in Oregon. That's according to a report released today (Monday) by the office of Governor Ted Kulongoski. The actual number of people who got work was higher. But many of the jobs were part-time or temporary. Kulongoski and other state officials praised the jobs figure at a press conference in Portland.

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Pacific Northwest residents creating less trash in the down economy

The down economy has one silver lining. Across the Northwest people are throwing away less trash these days. That's good for the environment, but it's also forcing some cities and counties to lay off landfill staff or raise dump prices.

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Northwest Nurseries Prepare for Christmas

RICHLAND - With Halloween approaching you've probably have goblins, ghouls and bite-sized candy on the mind. But some Northwest residents are already deep into Christmas preparations. That's because they work for nurseries and spend the season constructing wreaths, swags and garlands. Richland Correspondent Anna King explains.

Joel Johnson is the sales manager for Eshraghi Nurseries in Hillsboro, Oregon. He says if they waited until November or December to collect tree bows, pine cones and other forest materials for Christmas wreaths it would be too late.

Joel Johnson: “Well typically we want to get it while it still has some nice color to it. If you go up now you can get a nice blue on the Nobel, the juniper berries have a nice blue hue to them. And if it gets a pretty solid frost or freeze it could change some of the coloring on the material.”

Johnson says his company makes about a half a million wreaths and swags. They ship as far as the Midwest, the East Coast and Canada. Oregon has some of the largest nursery businesses in the region.
I'm Anna King in Richland.

Copyright 2009 Northwest Public Radio

High Demand Overloads Unemployment Claims Process

The Oregon Employment Department is working to catch up after a computer system went down for much of the day Sunday. The temporary failure of the online claims system caused a massive backlog today (Monday) at the state's telephone call centers.

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