Seasonal hiring causes dip in November unemployment

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY - Unemployment numbers dipped in November, after climbing to the third-highest jobless level in the state earlier this fall. Seasonal jobs, fueled by hiring in the agriculture and tourism industries, helped lower the Indian River County jobless rate to 6 percent, according to state employment statistics released late last month.

The statistics illustrate that, out of a 61,703-member workforce, 3,702 people were unemployed during November, a 0.5 percent decline from the October jobless rate. Overall, unemployment was up - to 6 percent from 4.3 percent - from the same period in 2006.

Indian River County trailed Hendry County, which recorded 7.5 percent unemployment, St. Lucie County, which recorded 6.3 percent unemployment, and Hernando County, which recorded 6.2 percent unemployment.

State labor officials attributed the high Hendry County rate to seasonal declines in agriculture and related industries.

Unemployment in Indian River County reached the third-highest level in the state during October. During October, the local jobless rate climbed to 6.5 percent - meaning that 7,899 Indian River County residents were unemployed. The October data also shows a jump from the 4.4 percent unemployment rate recorded during the same period in 2006.

Since November 2006, Florida added 90,200 jobs, according to state statistics. About 60 percent of those new jobs came in the education, health and tourism industries. Construction employment, reeling from declines in the housing market, lost 24,100 jobs during the same period. The year marked was the first time since 1992 that Florida has experienced nine consecutive months of over-the-year declines in construction jobs, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, the state agency that tracks employment trends.

"The agency remains committed and ready to serve Floridians through education, training and workforce programs," Monesia T. Brown, director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, said in a news release. "Throughout the state's nearly 100 One-Stop Career Centers, we are enhancing our re-employment services to meet the needs of the people of Florida."

December unemployment figures will be released Jan. 18.

State targets Indian River Lagoon for clean-up

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY - State environmental officials have targeted the Indian River Lagoon for the final year of a five-year restoration program.

Under the federal Clean Water Act, each state in the nation must identify ailing rivers, lakes and estuaries for clean-up. Pollution limits, called total maximum daily loads, are then developed for each damaged waterway.

A total maximum daily load is the maximum amount of a specific pollutant a body of water can absorb and still meet its designated uses, such as fishing, swimming, shellfish harvesting or as a source of drinking water.

To identify struggling waterways for clean-up, DEP divided the state into 29 watersheds. Each year, the state assesses bodies of water to determine which are damaged and require restoration, and which need further study. Once designated, DEP designs plans to reduce pollutant loads and monitor progress being made to restore degraded bodies of water across Florida.

"Due to the enormous work of our scientists and staff, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has now completed its first five-year cycle to identify the state's impaired waterways and are designing detailed plans for their respective restorations," DEP Secretary Michael Sole said in a news release.

Aside from the 156-mile Indian River Lagoon, the state is focusing on Perdido Bay in the Panhandle, the Springs Coast, upper east coast basins and Everglades waterways.

In Indian River County, miles of canals and drainage ditches send runoff from agricultural fields and neighborhoods yards into the estuary. Pollutants can then interfere with animals and plants that inhabit the lagoon.

State environmental officials are working with federal and local governments, water management districts, public and private utilities, industry, agriculture, and environmental groups to develop, adopt and implement basin management action plans, DEP said in a news release.

In December, the state upgraded the status of the Indian River Lagoon Blueway program, which seeks to acquire land along the environmentally sensitive waterway.

According to a state inventory released in November, only 16 percent of the lands eyed for preservation have been purchased, leaving 22,640 acres left to acquire. Since the effort was launched in 1998, the state, counties and water management districts have bought 3,766 acres for $19.8 million.

State estimates show the cost of the remaining parcels totaling more than $58 million.

Red tie lingers, spreads farther south

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY - Irritating red tide, which appeared off local beaches last month, lingers, and has spread as far south as Martin County, public health officials said last week.

Martin County issued a red tide alert last week. In mid-December, the toxic algae were reported in Indian River County. Currents and winds have carried red tide south.

Reports of persistent cough, respiratory distress and watery eyes led the Indian River County Health Department to issue a red tide advisory last month.

Health Department officials issued the alert after residents and visitors to Wabasso Beach complained of the symptoms. Though red tide is not a widespread public health threat, the toxic algae can produce mild and short-lived symptoms.

Red tide is caused by large numbers of neurotoxin-producing microscopic algae. Red tide gets its name because it can turn surrounding water a reddish-brown color. Algae blooms can last up to several months, but conditions change daily based on wind.

Exposure to red tide can lead to eye, nose and throat irritation, but the symptoms usually fade when a person leaves the affected area. Red tide can also kill fish.

Residents near the affected area are advised to close their windows, and may want to wear paper filter masks outdoors if winds are blowing from the shore. Swimming in red tide can cause burning eyes and skin irritation.

Health Department officials also said locally harvested clams, oysters and other shellfish should not be eaten until the advisory is lifted. Precautions should also be taken when preparing fish caught in local waters, the Health Department said.