Economy in your area?

[Questor]

It's still pretty shakey near Minneapolis. Generally not a good environment to be job hunting. How are things in your area? A lot of businesses have closed here. Go to any mall and there are a lot of closed shops. There have been a lot of restaurants gone out of business.

[GH1]

Not many jobs in the Memphis area either.
GH1  

[Buck-Ridge]

 I am from North Arkansas and we used to have factories everywhere. Once Nafta was ratified they have all gone to Mexico. And the word is most of them have gone under since the move. There are a few left but they are small.

[torpedoman]

being retired i don't notice it a lot but a still working friend says traffic in the morning is down at least 25% in the mornings in the spokane washington area.

[rockbilly]

Also retired, but the job market here in Texas seems to be OK, in this area, we have a very low unemployment rate considering the wages are so low. 

We live in a small town with three universities, a medical school extension from Texas Tech, and have two Community Collages as well.  Needless to say we have a very large student population most of the year, even they are able to find work if they desire.  The problem here is there are few jobs outside the oil patch and wind farm industry that pay very good wages. Construction is still going fairly steady, but does seem to have slowed since the election.  We have very little manufacturing industry, but what we have is good.

Texas has a right to work law, there are unions but they have little or no influence on wages.

[magooch]

If the classified adds are any indicator, there are jobs for people who are experienced and have skills.  My observations are that if you're into road building and alterations, you should have plenty of work.  I've never seen so many stupid unnecessary road jobs being done.

My neighbor, who has been bouncing around from one temporary job to the other, just recently got hired back at one of the local paper mills.  And if you're a truck driver, you pretty well have your pick of jobs around here.  I've never seen so many trucks on the road. 

As a matter of fact, if the news media didn't keep reminding us daily that the economy is bad, you would never know it.  The Walmart parking lot is always full, new restaurants are starting up and the local roads and highways are busier than ever.  Maybe it's people driving around looking for work--who knows?

Anyway, that's the way I see it, here in western Washington.  I'm retired, so my main goal is to avoid work.

[Questor]

Magooch:

Your main goal is an inspiration to me, as it should be to others. Keep up the good fight.

[magooch]

That's my plan and I'm stickin to it.

[Sourdough]

When I go to the Ft Lauderdale area I see a lot of unemployment.  Vacant houses and apartments everywhere.  My friend that owns several rental apartments and houses says every 8th house is vacant due to someone losing their job.  She has a 25% vacancy rate.  My buddy Larry owns a plastics business, he says business is down this year over 30% from last year.  He has had to lay off one fifth of his work force, and has twice cut the pay of his employees by 10% each time.  He personally has not taken home a pay check since last November.

Now here in Fairbanks, Alaska.  We have a big Military presence here, and the Federal Government is the largest employer, with BLM, USGS, FAA, National Park Service, and other government agencies.  Therefore our local economy has not taken much of a hit.  The tourism industry has lost.  They are down over 30% they claim.  Since most of the employees for the tourist industry are from out of state anyway we have hardly noticed.  The one advantage has been the lack of tourist Motorhomes, Campers, and Travel Trailers, clogging out roads and streets.  And less competition for good fishing holes. 

[Redtail1949]

Bout the only thing going in SE Colorado is OIL PATCH and the liberals here want to shut that down..

[Questor]

Sourdough:

That is very similar to what I see in parts of Metro Minnesota. Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed answer.

[Arier Blut]

I am from North Arkansas and we used to have factories everywhere. Once Nafta was ratified they have all gone to Mexico. And the word is most of them have gone under since the move. There are a few left but they are small.

Same thing where I live in AL. I work in a city 52 miles away. The cost of living is so much cheaper where I live it would not pay to move closer to work. Also very low population, so the crime rate reflects that. And deer in the yard every day as well.

Times are bad here but thankfully I have not been effected as my wife and I both have kept our jobs. We have a small farm and live frugal so if times do get rough we will get by.

[mechanic]

Our local unemployment is probably 20% or better by now.  Thats with Kia opening a plant and all the support industries here.  We've had 30-40 industries leave here for Mexico or China in the last 5 years.  Probably more than 50%.  If it were not for the Korean cars coming here, no telling what it would be.  This was a "cotton mill"  town, but textiles are all but dead.  Can't compete with folk who live in mud huts, unless you want to live in a mud hut too.