Jobs, a Masquerade Ball, Cars and Farming

The argument for a strong economic development effort was never more forcibly made then when the prison closed, and everybody’s utility rates went up. We need more businesses, housing and jobs to help us pay for our necessary services. 

I’ve never witnessed the first official day of Fall and the cool weather arriving at exactly the same time. It happened this year.

I hope you read about the activities of the Cameron Arts Council in last week’s newspaper. The showcase of local talent and that Masquerade Ball sound fun. The Ball event will be at 8 pm Friday, October 11th at the old school. The cost is simply a freewill offering with the hope that you will pay at least $10, which will make you a member of the organization. The music will be provided by DJ’s. You must be at least 18 to attend. They really need your financial support.

Al loves country music and we have enjoyed the Ken Burns series on PBS. Back in the day, a friend could sing like Hank Snow and had a 15-minute radio show every Saturday. He asked me to join him. He brought talent to the duo, while I brought the ability to read music and a bass voice … but no talent.

Missouri’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in August 2019, down a tenth of a percentage point from July.

The number of jobs in the state continue to rise, while the unemployment rate remains low. Over the past year, employment has grown by 38,200 jobs. Missouri sees over-the-year job gains across key industries. 

Health Care and Social Assistance (+13,700 jobs, up 3.2 percent)

Accommodation and Food Services (+6,600 jobs, up 2.4 percent)

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+5,700 jobs, up 3.5 percent) 

As reported by MOSourceLink, an average of 40,797 new jobs were created each year by small, first-time employers over the past five years, making up a significant portion of the new jobs added to the state’s economy. Small businesses and startup firms create jobs and pioneer innovations that help Missouri move forward and compete in a global economy.

While these new and young firms, which have fewer than 20 employees, are focused around population centers, they also exist throughout the state and across a variety of industries. The highest density of firms hiring their first employee in Missouri in 2018 were in Health Care and Social Assistance, Information, Transportation and Warehousing, and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.

First new car I ever purchased was a red 1962 VW Beetle. It cost $1,900. It was a big improvement over the very first Bug in 1945. It cost $1,280 and was a badly underpowered four cylinder. It also lacked a gas gauge.

They made 23.2 million Bugs before that last one rolled off the assembly line in mid-July.

Be prepared for sticker shock if you haven’t shopped for a new car lately: Last month, buyers paid an average of $36,902 for a new car – an increase of nearly $5,500 since June 2013.

Improved technology and safety features have helped push up prices … and buyers have shifted their preferences to SUVs and trucks. Now, only about 35 percent of new cars are priced below $30,000, contrasted to 54 percent in 2012.

 U.S. agricultural exports to China totaled $24 billion in 2014. Last year they totaled $9.1 billion, and for the first half of this year, $1.3 billion. Farm bankruptcies are up 13 percent over last year.    

Just 100 families own about 42 million acres of land across the country, a 65,000-square-mile expanse. Cable billionaire John Malone owns 2.2 million acres, primarily in New Mexico and Colorado and oil heir William Bruce Harrison owns 19 Colorado mountains. The amount of private land owned by the richest 100 families has increased 50 percent since 2007.

Ruger is coming out with a new pistol in honor of the Senate and House of Representatives. It will be named “The Congressman.” --- It doesn’t work, and you can’t fire it.

I told my wife that I’m thinking about starting to smoke pot. She said if I did, she was going to leave me. That is proof that it gets rid of aches and pains. 

Next week: The Cameron police.