The number of unemployed people in Lane County increased by more than 650 between May and June. The unemployment rate remained the same at 6.8%.
But that could change in July, after this month's mill fire in Springfield.
Oregon Regional Economist Brian Rooney says Lane County has been in a period of positive employment growth. But he calls the unemployment numbers for June…
Rooney: "A little bit of a step back."
Last week's devastating fire at the Springfield Plywood and Veneer Mill put around 250 people out of work. Those workers will begin to appear in the July numbers.
Rooney: "Actually wood products had been doing pretty well. It was up 100 for the month of June. Up 200 over the year. It had been bouncing back from recession over the past several months. So the sudden loss of 250 is likely to show up."
Douglas County's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped two tenths in June to 9.7%.
