The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Local Wednesday, August 29, 2018 A- 5 Area Reunions Pike County's jobless rate falls to 3.4 percent By Ed Cahill Pike County's jobless rate fell to 3.4 percent in July, according to prelimi- nary figures released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Develop- ment on Monday, Aug. 20. July's 3.4 percent jobless rate was two-tenths of a percentage point high- er than the revised 3.6 percent unem- ployment rate Pike County recorded in June. According to estimates released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, 6,323 of Pike County's labor force of 6,545 were employed during July, leaving 222 persons with- out jobs. In July 2017, when the county's job- less rate was 3.4 percent, it was esti- mated that 6,341 of the county's labor force of 6,567 were employed, leaving 226 persons without jobs. In adjoining counties: • Daviess County's jobless rate fell from a revised 3.1 percent in June to a preliminary 2.8 percent in July. In Ju- ly 2017, Daviess County's jobless rate was 2.9 percent. • Dubois County's jobless rate fell from a revised 2.7 percent in June to a preliminary 2.6 percent in July. In Ju- ly 2017, Dubois County's jobless rate was 2.7 percent. • Gibson County's jobless rate fell from a revised 3.0 percent in June to a preliminary 2.8 percent in July. In Ju- ly 2017, Gibson County's jobless rate was 3.0 percent. • Knox County's jobless rate fell from a revised 3.7 percent in June to a preliminary 3.5 percent in July. In July 2017, Knox County's jobless rate was 3.5 percent. • Warrick County's jobless rate fell from a revised 3.2 percent in June to a preliminary 3.0 percent in July. In Ju- ly 2017, Warrick County's jobless rate was 3.2 percent. Statewide, county non-seasonal- ly adjusted unemployment rates de- creased in 75 counties, increased in eight counties and remained the same in nine counties from June to July. Bartholomew, Dubois and Elkhart counties recorded the state's lowest unemployment rate in July at 2.6 per- cent. Adams, Clinton, LaGrange and Wells counties tied for the state's sec- ond-lowest jobless rate during June at 2.7 percent. Vermillion County recorded the state's highest unemployment rate dur- ing July at 5.8 percent, followed by Put- nam County at 5.6 percent. The Columbus and Elkhart-Goshen metropolitan statistical areas tied for the state's lowest jobless rate among the state's 13 MSAs in July at 2.6 per- cent, while the Terre Haute MSA had the state's highest MSA jobless rate in July at 4.9 percent. The jobless rate for the Evansville MSA was 3.3 percent in July, which was an decrease of two-tenths of a per- centage point from 3.5 percent in June. In June 2017, the Evansville MSA's job- less rate was 3.5 percent. According to data provided by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the Evansville MSA – which includes Gibson, Posey, Vander- burgh and Warrick counties – had a to- tal of 163,200 jobs in July, an increase of 4,000 jobs from July 2017. From June to July, the Evansville MSA experienced significant increas- es in the mining, logging and construc- tion (+200), trade, transportation and utilities (+100), retail trade (+100), lei- sure and hospitality (+100) and state government (+100) sectors. The gains were offset by losses in the local gov- ernment (-800), government (-700), lo- cal government educational services (- 700), manufacturing (-200), profession- al and business services (-100) sectors. Indiana's seasonally-adjusted unem- ployment rate rose from 3.3 percent in June to 3.4 percent in July, remaining lower than the national jobless rate of 3.9 percent. With the exception of one month when it was equal – in October 2014 – Indiana's unemployment rate has been below the U.S. rate for more than four years. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indi- cator that reflects the number of un- employed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percent- age of the labor force. Indiana's labor force had a net in- crease of 15,564 over the previous month, which was the result of an in- crease of 2,964 increase in unemployed residents no longer seeking employ- ment within the last four weeks, and an increase of 12,600 in employed residents. Indiana's total labor force – which includes both Hoosiers em- ployed and those seeking employment – stands at 3.38 million, and the state's 64.8 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 62.9 percent. Indiana's labor force growth of 67,519 over the past six months represents the state's largest six-month increase since 1995. In addition, Indiana's initial unem- ployment insurance claims continue to be at historical lows. Statewide, private sector employ- ment has grown by more than 24,800 jobs over the year, and has increased by 5,600 jobs over the previous month, primarily due to gains in the profes- sional and business services (+2,700) and the construction (+2,000) sectors. Gains were partially offset by losses in the other (-1,000) sector, which in- cludes mining and logging, IT and oth- er services, and the financial services (-400) sector. Total private employment stands at 2,703,800 and is 14,900 above the De- cember 2017 peak. WEITKAMP REUNION SEPT. 2 The Weitkamp Reunion will be Sunday, Sept. 2. There will be a carry-in lunch at noon at the Zoar U.M. Church. All family and friends are welcome. Birthdays Church PETERSBURG FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 801 East Walnut Petersburg 812-354-6658 We are Christians following Christ and serving Christ with compassion Worship service begins each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school fol- lowing at 10 :45 a.m. EDT.; Wednesday evening Bible study at 6 p.m.; Wednes- day evening choir practice at 7:30 p.m. Sermon Series: "Ordi- nary people God used in extra-ordinary ways." Sermon Title: "Elijah." Scripture reading: I Kings 19:9 -12. Theme Statement: I Kings 19 is the lowest point in Elijah's career. Like Eli- jah, it's not the events that define our life, but it's our response to each event. We must continue to faithfully follow the Lord regardless of the outcome. Three requirements in following God: 1. Emptying ourselves of self-righteousness. 2. Embrace God con- sciousness. 3. Encouraged by spiritu- al nourishment. Leon Pomeroy, Pastor See more church notes beginning on page C-1. NORMA TRAYLOR CELEBRATES 95TH BIRTHDAY A card shower is being planned for Norma Tray- lor's 95th birthday, Sep- tember 4. She worked for many years as the drive- thru bank teller for In- tegra Bank, Petersburg. Cards may be sent to: 410 South 5th Street, Peters- burg, IN 47567. RONALD DREW CELEBRATES 82ND BIRTHDAY A card shower is being planned for Ronald Drew, who will be celebrating his 82nd birthday on Friday, August 31. Drew attended school in Pike County and later lived with Harry and Deanie Lee in Elnora for several years, where he helped them re- store their collection of IH tractors. He has attended farm machinery shows all over the United States. Send cards to: Ron- ald Drew, Amber Man- or Care Center, 801 E. Il- linois Street, Petersburg, IN 47567. The Press-Dispatch 812-354-8500 | www.pressdispatch.net *By enrolling in the Birthday Club, you agree to have your name, town and birth- day, or the person's name and town and birthday of whom you are enrolling, printed in e Press-Dispatch on the week in which the birthday occurs. Joining is easy! Visit pressdispatch.net/birthday or send your full name, address, city, state, zip code, phone number and birthdate to birthdayclub@pressdispatch.net.* Each week, a list of birthdays will be published in the paper! You could win a FREE PRIZE from area businesses and a three-month subscription to e Press-Dispatch. MUST RE-ENROLL EVERY YEAR! Join the One WINNER is drawn at the end of each month HOLSCHER CELEBRATES 90TH BIRTHDAY A card shower is being planned for Paul Holscher, of Vincennes, who will be celebrating his 90th birth- day on September 7. Cards may be sent to: 3499 E. Holscher Rd., Vincennes, IN 47591. 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Harris and Keeker compete in the Indiana State Fair Talent Shows Jayla Harris (left), daughter of Randy and Denise Harris, of Petersburg, represented the Pike Coun- ty 4-H Fair in the Junior Division and Shelby Keeker (right), daughter of Jason and Mindy Keeker, of Otwell, represented Pike County in the Senior Division of the Indiana State Fair Talent Shows. Both girls sang solos. Jayla sang "My Own True Love" from "Gone with the Wind" and Shelby sang "Better Than a Hallelujah" by Amy Grant. The local contest was co-sponsored by the Petersburg and Winslow Lion's Clubs. Dubois Co. Museum Archaeology program Sept. 8 September is Archaeology month in Indiana. In cooperation with the Indi- ana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, the Dubois County Mu- seum will present a special archaeolo- gy program on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 10 -10 :30 a.m. (EDT). There will be a panel discussion titled "Archaeology in Dubois County" will feature archaeol- ogists, Dr. Rick Jones, along with lo- cal collectors, Kenny Hochgesang and Derrick Haas. From 10 :30 -11 a.m., Derrick Haas will discuss how native peoples were able to produce stone tools and weap- ons from locally available resources. From 11 a.m.-noon, Dr. Rick Jones, Retired State Archaeologist, will iden- tify artifacts brought to the museum. The public is invited to bring in arrow- heads and spear points. Kenny Hoch- gesang and Derrick Haas will also be present to talk to the public about Na- tive American artifacts. The museum will be open as usual on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The public is invited to visit the muse- um's Native American and Archaeolo- gy Exhibit "People of the Woodlands."