Business & Economy
[6/8/21] Good & Bad In April Jobless Numbers
The April unemployment rate in Chelan and Douglas Counties is down a bit from March, and way down from last year. And according to Regional Labor Economist Don Meseck, that’s a good news – bad news situation: And Meseck is talking non-farm employment here. And the bad news? With last year’s numbers so abnormally high […]
[6/8/21] April Unemployment Rate Down
Good news with the latest unemployment report. The jobless figure for Chelan and Douglas counties in April was 6.4 percent. That’s down from 6.7 percent in March, and the pandemic-inflated 16.1 percent number last April. And the numbers are especially good for the one sector that was hardest hit by the pandemic, as explained by […]
[6/2/21] Help Wanted, Says HDCA
If you’re looking for a job, you probably needn’t look any further than downtown Chelan. According to Historic Downtown Chelan Association Executive Director Erin McArdle, dozens of businesses in the Chelan area are looking for workers, and the shortage, she says, is of a severe, crippling nature for some businesses: On Tuesday’s “2nd Cup of […]
[6/2/21] Hospital Construction Update
There’s a bumper crop of boulders you’ll see as you drive by the construction site of the new hospital for Lake Chelan Health. That’s how Chief Executive Officer George Rohrich describes it: But Rohrich says digging up boulders is not all that’s going on at the site: Otherwise, Rohrich says he’s feeling good about the […]
[5/26/21] Rotary Glass Crusher Update
Now an update on a project that’s getting closer to completion. The glass crusher being purchased by the Lake Chelan Rotary Club with grants from the City of Chelan, the State Department of Ecology, and from a number of wineries in the valley. It’ll be placed at the Chelan recycling center across from Walmart, pulverize […]
[5/21/21] Possible Money For Fiber To Airport
We’ve told you about money from the state for water to the airport; now how about money from the feds for fiber to the airport? It could happen, according to Chelan County Commissioner Tiffany Gering. Eighth District Congressperson Kim Schrier had asked people in the district for applications for community grants; of the 80 applications […]
[5/13/21] Short Term Rental Proposals Presented to County Commission
Recommendations on short-term rental regulations have been presented to the Chelan County Commission, and they seem pleased. The task force to come up with regulations of short-term rentals in the county met over a three month period; their proposals were sent to the county’s community development department, who made the presentation to the commission Tuesday. […]
[5/11/21] County Permit Backlog Continues
Chelan County’s permit backlog goes on. As of last Monday, the county’s Community Development staff was juggling 350 open applications. Community Development Director Jim Brown attributes the backlog to a staff shortage and a rush of permits in January stemming from those trying to get ahead of a new state energy code that went […]
[5/4/21] North Cascades Should Be Open Soon
Good news for Withrop and Twisp, and travelers of the North Cascades: word from the Department of Transportation that crews clearing SR20 have met in the middle, and the entire length of the highway has been cleared. That means, the roadway should be open to vehicles soon – although no official opening date has been […]
[5/4/21] Jobless Rate Down in Chelan and Douglas Counties
State officials see a good sign in the latest unemployment numbers. The latest numbers for Chelan and Douglas counties released Friday show a jobless rate of 5.9 percent. That’s down from the February rate of 7-point-1 percent, and the 6-point-6 percent recorded last March. State regional economist Don Meseck says the jobless rate alone doesn’t […]