I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
New Mexico’s May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 8.4 percent, down from April’s 8.7 percent, thanks in large part to the federal government hiring temporary workers to conduct the decennial census.
The rate has increased from 6.8 percent from last year, however. All the numbers are provided by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
Three private sector industries, in addition to federal, state and local government, have gained jobs over the past year. The leisure and hospitality industry was the big winner, with 2,200 jobs added. The Department of Workforce Solutions said that the good ski season that ended a few months ago helped in this regard.
The educational and health services and manufacturing industries also gained jobs, but at a lower rate. The manufacturing industry had “lost thousands of jobs over the course of the national recession” and posted gains for the first time in three years.
The construction industry was down by 5,500 jobs over the last year while the industry “often considered a barometer for the rest of the economy,” the professional and business services industry, lost 3,800 jobs over the last year. Other industries losing jobs included the mining industry, the retail trade industry and the transportation, warehousing and utilities industry.
In the Albuquerque area, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 9 percent in April to 8.8 percent in May. This was still up from 7 percent in May 2009.
In the Las Cruces area, the unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in May, down from 8.3 percent in April. This is still up from 6.7 percent in May of 2009.
In the Santa Fe Area, the unemployment rate dropped to 6.8 percent in May. The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent in April, and 5.9 percent in May 2009.
Farmington continues to have the highest unemployment rate in the large metro areas, 10.3 percent in May 2010, down from 10.6 in April. In May 2009, the unemployment rate was 6.7 percent.
Overall, New Mexico is in the middle of the pack when it comes to unemployment. The 8.4 percent unemployment rate in May ranks New Mexico 28th in unemployment rate. Nevada ranks first with 14 percent. North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate, just 3.6 percent.
In May, 2009, New Mexico’s unemployment rate of 6.8 percent ranked 40th.
