The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to a new low point since the pandemic erupted, evidence that layoffs are declining as companies hold onto workers. Unemployment claims dropped 6,000 to 290,000 last week, the third straight drop according to the Labor Department.
North Dakota’s September not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6 percent. The unemployment rate fell 0.6 of a percentage point between August and September. September 2020’s rate was 1.5 percentage points higher than the current rate. A total of 10,481 North Dakotans were in search of a job last month.
Minnesota gained 17,100 jobs, up 0.6% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to numbers released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota’s private sector gained 17,700 jobs, up 0.7% in September.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes bounced back in September to their strongest pace since January as worries about higher mortgage rates motivated buyers to get off the sidelines. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that existing homes sales rose 7% last month from August to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.29 million units. Sales were down 2.3% from September last year.
A new monthly survey of bankers in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states suggests strong economic growth continues in the region. The overall economic index for the region improved in October to 66.1 from September’s already-strong 62.5 reading. Any score above 50 suggests growth. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said the area is benefitting from solid grain prices, continued low interest rates and growing agricultural exports. The survey covers the Dakota’s and Minnesota.
For the 8th time this year Grand Forks sales tax collections topped the $2 million dollar mark in October. The local tax generated $2,485,475 dollars. With ten months in the books the tax has generated over $23.6 million dollars. That’s up better than 9% over the same time one year ago. The bulk of the transactions occurred back in August.
North Dakota’s eight commercial airports posted almost 75,000 airline passenger boardings during the month of September 2021. This is a 90% increase from September 2020 but is still 16% below September 2019’s pre-pandemic airline boarding counts. Airlines have cited an inability to add additional flights due to staff shortages and a lack of business and government travel. A total of 5,639 passengers went through the gates of the Grand Forks Airport last month. That was down nearly 31% compared to September 2019.
A building permit has been issued to Buck of Grand Forks, LLC. for a Famous Daves Restaurant fit-up at 1970 South Columbia Road. According to the permit issued by the City of Grand Forks the cost of the project is estimated at $425,000.
The North Dakota Department of Health’s Immunization Director Molly Howell is the 2021 recipient of the North Dakota Medical Association’s Friend of Medicine Award. A statement by NDMA says Howell works the extra hours to assure vaccine program details are disseminated throughout the health care networks and the public.
Applications for North Dakota’s Job Service executive director’s position runs through November 15th. The state’s Workforce Safety and Insurance Director Bryan Klipfel has served in that role since 2019. He is returning to WSI at the end of the year. Klipfel has served as director of WSI since 2009.
Altru is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Providers from Altru can combine their understanding of their patients’ medical needs with Mayo Clinic expertise at no additional cost to the patient. Altru was the first member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Currently there are 46 members across the U.S., Asia, Mexico and the Middle East.
Walgreens will begin flying packages by drone to residents in a pair of Texas cities in partnership with Google’s drone-making affiliate, Wing. The companies said they will begin testing the service next week in the city of Frisco and neighboring Little Elm, two fast-growing communities north of Dallas. Walgreens says about 100 store items will be available for air delivery when the service begins including over-the-counter medication, snacks and cosmetics.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) have introduced a resolution encouraging the United States Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp for the upcoming 100-year anniversary of the invention of water skiing. Ralph Samuelson, a native of Lake City, invented the sport of water skiing on July 2, 1922.
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