CBER in the News | The Center for Business and Economic Research

State Releases September 2018 Unemployment Report

18 October 2018

(The Lane Report)

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary September 2018 unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The unemployment rate for September 2018 was up from the 4.4 percent reported for August 2018.

The preliminary September 2018 jobless rate was down 0.2 percentage points from the 4.7 percent recorded for the state in September 2017.

New study says prevailing wage repeal has led to lower construction costs

28 August 2018

(WV News)

CHARLESTON — A new academic report from researchers at the University of Kentucky found West Virginia’s repeal of the prevailing wage in 2016 has led to lower construction costs for public projects.

The report, released last week from the university’s Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), is the first bit of evidence to show how the state is faring since the wage requirement was repealed.

Study: School construction costs down

29 August 2018

(The Journal, WV)

MARTINSBURG — The repeal of West Viriginia’s prevailing wage mandate has produced a decline in school construction costs, according to a study by the University of Kentucky’s Center for Business and Economic Research released Monday.

Kentucky Preliminary July Unemployment Rate Increases to 4.3 Percent

16 August 2018

(WKMS)

Kentucky’s July unemployment rate ticked down again from last year, but the rate is up slightly from June 2018.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics reports the seasonally adjusted rate was 4.3 percent for July and 4.2 percent for June. Jobs in the manufacturing and government sectors increased, but jobs in the education and health services sector dropped.

Kentucky's jobless rate rises slightly in July

17 August 2018

(Bristol Herald Courier)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky officials say the state's unemployment rate increased slightly in July.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state's seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 4.3 percent. The preliminary statewide figure is up slightly from the 4.2 percent rate reported for June. Officials say the July rate was down from the 5 percent unemployment rate in July 2017.

Opinion: It’s time to re-balance our economy

13 August 2018

(Cincinnati Enquirer)

Our economy is currently healthy in several respects. Unemployment is low, and median household incomes have increased.

However, there is a radical imbalance in how the benefits of growth are shared among Kentuckians.

According to the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research, changes in Kentucky household income from 1979 to 2015 are as follows (Income level; percentile; Kentucky; U.S.):

• Lower income level – 10 percent, down 0.8 percent in Kentucky, up 7 percent in U.S.

Kentucky's jobless rate increases slightly

19 July 2018

(Glasgow Daily Times)

Though the number of people employed rose, Kentucky's jobless rate increased slightly from May to June.

According to a report from the Kentucky Center for Statistics, the state's unemployment rate increased from 4.1 percent in May to 4.2 percent in June. The preliminary rate is .9 percent lower than the 5.1 percent mark recorded in June of 2017 for Kentucky.

Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet releases April 2018 unemployment report

(The Lane Report, 19 May 2018)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 19, 2018) — Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary April 2018 unemployment rate was 4 percent, according to the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The unemployment rate for April 2018 was unchanged from the 4 percent reported for March 2018.

The preliminary April 2018 jobless rate was down 1.2 percentage points from the 5.2 percent recorded for the state in April 2017.

Christian County top dark fire-cured tobacco producing county

(The Eagle Post, 1 May 2018)

Christian County is the top dark fire-cured tobacco producing county in Kentucky for 2017, and the county also ranks among the top producers for burley tobacco, dark air-cured tobacco and dark fire-cured tobacco, according to recent county estimates released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Christian County produced 8,800,000 pounds of dark fire-cured tobacco from 2,880 acres and was top producer among three counties.

Kentucky's unemployment is the lowest in 42 years, but there's a catch

(WDRB, 23 April 2018)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Education and Workforce Development, the state's unemployment rate was at 4 percent in March, the lowest since 1976.

Growth in tech companies such as the Louisville-based internet marketing firm El Toro is one reason why. It is one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the country from a half-dozen employees less than five years ago, to 90 today. And there are plans to double in size.