Illinois jobless rate falls again, to 9.1%: The Illinois unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points in February to 9.1 percent, with employers adding 6,500 jobs. The drop from January’s rate marks the sixth consecutive month of decline, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Yay, jobs!
Chicago Tribune cuts 15 journalists: The Chicago Tribune cut about 15 editorial employees today as the news company continues to shrink its newsroom. The employees dismissed included reporters, editors and managers, according to sources familiar with the layoffs. They follow an employee buyout last month and a round of staff reductions last July.
Credit: alladither / Flickr
CTA’s 2011 ridership at 20-year high: A total of 531,960,253 rides were taken on CTA trains and buses in 2011, the highest number since 1991. The mass transit agency attributed the gains to higher gas prices and system improvements including updated rail stations and the launch of train tracker and LED signs announcing bus arrival times at certain shelters.
How often — and why — do you ride on the CTA?
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Illinois unemployment rate dips to 9.4%: Unemployment in Illinois fell 0.3 percentage points to 9.4 percent in January, as the state added 3,800 jobs, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Other notable numbers from the report:
- Illinois’ 9.4 percent January rate matches the state’s average for all of 2011.
- Illinois’ jobless rate remains more than a full point above the national average, which dropped to 8.3 percent in January.
- The number of residents unemployed in Illinois in January declined for the fifth consecutive month, by 18,100 people to 620,300.
Credit: Illinois Department of Employment Security
Emanuel, Clinton debut plan to fund millions in Chicago infrastructure work: Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former President Bill Clinton have announced the formation of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, an initiative that will fund hundreds of millions of dollars worth of energy-efficient improvements, transportation and other projects.
