Sean Crawford talks with Tim Landis, Business Editor for the State Journal-Register.
This week:
* Low unemployment: Reasons behind the local employment trend -- health-care for sure, but employers and employment experts say strong demand right now for "the trades," builders, plumbers, welders and the like; retail, restaurant and tourism, too.
* Another WARN case: 75 former employees of Deer Run Mine near Hillsboro would share in $550,000 through proposed settlement of layoff notification complaint with mine owner Foresight Energy; as for when the mine might reopen, company has no plans for now.
* Banking: United Community Bank of Chatham keeps getting bigger; It has agreed to acquire Liberty Bank of Alton -- includes four branches and comes just four months after UCB announced deal to acquire Illini Bank.
