unemployment
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Back to Work?

A year and a half after a COVID-caused recession, employment numbers exceed pre-pandemic levels
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

The number of working Central Oregonians exceeds pre-pandemic levels from October 2019 by about 630 jobs, signaling that the economy largely recovered from the shock of COVID. The Oregon Employment Department reported Nov. 23 that the unemployment rate is around 4.9% in Deschutes County, one-and-a-half points higher than pre-pandemic rates from February 2020, but lower […]

Posted inNews

Bend Chamber Releases Series Sharing Local Business Resilience ▶ [with video]

First episode of “Stories of Resilience” video series debuts
Avatar photo Nicole Vulcan

With unemployment high and many places forced to close or reduce service due to ongoing pandemic shutdowns, most—if not all—businesses in Central Oregon have been affected by COVID-19 in some way. With Gov. Kate Brown extending Oregon’s state of emergency Thursday for an additional 60 days, calling it “the darkest days of this pandemic,” now’s […]

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Ripple Effect

How bad are things looking for the local economy? Central Oregon’s economic expert weighs in
Laurel Brauns

Social distancing has devastated the restaurant and tourism industry, but other sectors are feeling the heat, too. In a virtual meeting with 800 attendees this afternoon, Damon Runberg, a state economist with the Oregon Employment Department, described the potential impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on the local economy. “This is a human health crisis,” Runberg said. […]

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“Help Is On The Way”

$2 trillion federal stimulus will likely pass, including at least $1200 for everyone who filed taxes in ’18 or ’19
Laurel Brauns

The largest economic aid package in American history is expected to pass within days, following compromises from both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C. According to Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley—who hosted a virtual press conference from Washington, D.C. with Oregon reporters this afternoon—Oregon will receive up to $1.5 billion in stabilization funds, of […]

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2019 Real Estate Market

The year in review
Christin J Hunter, Broker

With Christmas lights adorning neighborhoods and businesses, our friends, colleagues and neighbors bustling about to the various festivities of the season, and shoppers rushing to find the perfect holiday gifts, we are at the ending of 2019, and a decade. And what an interesting year it has been. The threat of rising interest rates never […]

Posted inCulture

Gramping Her Style and Debt Valley

Amy Alkon

Gramping Her Style My friend just joined a dating site for elite creative professionals. Unfortunately, it grabs your age from Facebook, so you can’t shave off years. At 50, she’s outside of most men’s search parameters—even older men’s. What gives? —Concerned Aging is especially unkind to straight women on dating sites. At a certain point (usually […]

Posted inNews

Oregon’s unemployment rate drops to 4 percent

Oregon’s jobless rate the lowest it’s been since comparable records were kept
Avatar photo Nicole Vulcan

New figures from the Oregon Employment Department signal a different story than the one you may be hearing nationally: That people are out of work and that the economy is suffering. Here in Oregon, it appears to be the opposite. According to data released today, Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.0 percent for the month […]

Posted inNews

What in the World? Today’s News

Avatar photo Brianna Brey

Good morning! It’s the first of many freezing cold Friday mornings here in Central Oregon. We hope you’re enjoying the snow! Here’s what’s happening in our neighborhood and around the world. Sad news first…Nelson Mandela, former South African president, an icon for peaceful resistance and the major figure in the struggle against apartheid, died yesterday […]

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