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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2011)
May 25. 2011 IN S ID E JJortlanh (Dbseruer This page Sponsored by: Page 3 FredMeyer The Week ¡n Review What's on your list today?, Steady Job Growth Seen Unemployment rate finally falls below 10 percent by M indy C ooper T he P ortland O bserver A fter years o f double-digit un em ploym ent statistics, O regon has finally fallen below 10 percent in its unem ploym ent rate for the months o f March and April, which could be a positive sign o f spring and sum m er job growth within the Portland com m unity. A ccording to the Oregon Em ployment Department, the season ally adjusted jobless rate fell to 9.6 percent in April, which was the lowest rate since 9.2 percent in December 2008. As a hovering effect o f the re cession, the unem ploym ent rate lingered in the m id -10 percent range for alm ost a year after hit ting a high o f 11.6 percent in June 2009. Nick Beleiciks, an employm ent econom ist for the state’s em ploy ment departm ent, explained the 9.6 percent rate is a good sign that more and more people are able to find jobs. “W e’ve seen really steady jo b 4,600 jo b s when around 1,600 is growth since October, and it’s just the usual increase, taken a little while for the unem- “A nother industry that really ploym ent rate to catch up and grew , and is still grow ing, is edu- start dropping because o f these cation and health services,” he new jo b s, he said. explained. “Demand for education At one point during the reces- has increased throughout the re- sion, he explained, Oregon had cession, and the aging popula t e second highest tion is creating more unemployment rate in dem and for health ser the nation. Although v ices.” last m onth, Oregon The m anufacturing was ranked 8th high industry also showed est, the April num ber growth by adding 700 will definitely make em ploym ent opportu changes to th e nities in April, when a rankings. loss of 500 jo b s is the “It’s hard to pre average for the month. dict, but if industries A lth o u g h th e s e keep adding jo b s at s ta tis tic s sh o w the sam e rate they O regon’s econom y is have been over the gaining m om entum in past six m onths, the Nick Beleiciks its recovery, the reces- unem ploym ent rate will continue sion and recent budget cuts are to com e dow n,” said Beleiciks. still playing a toll in the lives o f Certain industries have seen O regonians. particularly large jo b growth over Still, industries are growing, and the past several m onths, includ- according to the survey data, ing leisure and hospitality, which April marked O regon’s lowest un experienced major cut-backs from em ploym ent rate in 28 m onths, individuals during the past few “This is a good thing,” Beleiciks years o f econom ic hardship. Re- said. “I think everyone is ready to cent figures showed the leisure see O re g o n ’s u n e m p lo y m e n t and h o sp ita lity secto r g ain ed co m ed o w n .” Three Injured in Weekend Shootings Portland police suspect gang- black m ale teen w earing a red hat. related activities are behind two T he n ex t d ay , o ffic e rs re shootings that happened over the sponded to another report o f gun weekend that left three people with fire at the Interstate Bar and Grill, gunshot w ounds. located at North Interstate and On Saturday, M ay 21, officers Skidm ore. Once on the scene, o f and a gang enforcem ent team re ficers found Paul Anthony Hall, sponded to reports o f a gun fire at 32, suffering from two gunshot Raym ond Park in southeast Port w ounds, one to the leg and the land where a 16-year-old male was other to the abdomen. shot in the leg around 10:42 p.m. A second victim, 25-year-old The shooter was described as a K h risto p h e r B yron H am m ick, w alked into a local hospital later th at m o rn in g w ith a g u n sh o t wound to the leg. According to the police, there is no apparent connection to the people involved in the shootings, but G ang Enforcem ent Team s are c u rr e n tly in v e s tig a tin g b o th cases. D etectives ask anyone with in form ation about either shooting to contact the Police Bureau. Airline Pilot Saves Man on Fire On Sunday, shortly after 7 p.m., an off duty airline pilot noticed a sleeping bag on fire with a man inside while driving along North east Lombard Street at 42nd Av enue. John Filipowicz, a former Coast Guard helicopter pilot who now flies jet airplanes for Alaskan Airlines, pulled his car over and managed to put the fire out. He used a fire extin guisher from his car, but the victim was badly burned. The man was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where his injuries have been described as life threat ening. Although the identity of the man in the sleeping bag remains unknown, investigators believe he was homeless and may have rolled into a nearby campfire.