Decatur jobless figures looking up; area records best April since 2000

By CHRIS LUSVARDI - H&R Staff Writer

DECATUR - New unemployment figures for the Decatur area continue to show positive trends.

Decatur's jobless rate for April was 5.2 percent, down 0.4 percent from the same time in 2006, according to
Illinois Department of Employment Security statistics released Thursday.

The 0.4 percent drop tied with Danville for the largest in the state. It was the lowest April rate in Decatur
since 2000.

"It is positive again, and it really does reflect what we continue to hear from our local employers," said
Craig Coil, Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County president. "It really is an
indicator of all the activity going on in the community."

In April, 700 jobs were created in Decatur, representing the third-highest percentage increase in the state,
said Mitch Daniels, a labor market analyst with the department.

"It actually looks a little better than it should," Daniels said.

The manufacturing sector continues to lead the way, with 400 jobs added, Daniels said.

"That's not the case in many other areas," Coil said of manufacturing. "That continues to drive our local
economy and our local job growth. Whenever you have the manufacturing job increases, that all trickles
down to the local suppliers and everybody else. Everybody benefits."

All indications seem to point to the positive trends continuing.

"The indications are there will be no nick in the armor; no question at all there's not going to be a problem
there," Daniels said.

Coil said, given many of the local businesses' reliance on the global and national economies, things might
change quickly.

"So many of our local businesses are impacted by the global economy and marketplace," Coil said. "That
has the potential to impact us at some point, but generally things are going to be favorable for quite a while."

Of the surrounding counties, only DeWitt reported a slight increase to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent in April
2006.

Chris Lusvardi can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 421-7972.