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EAST JORDAN PUBLIC LIBRARY PO BOX G EAST JORDAN, MI, 40727 7 ^ inn f ^ \ ''" ' ' \l * < II ^^^1 * ^ / \ A <> ? * -*< < , * ^ * Gharlevoix Qounty ,'•-»- $ > 4 *- "1 * >- ^ ^^ r < > \. 1 i * i t ••. i > : ?: l/ ( l ' y u>' • M * A<> "I $ £* { r V * v/ ^ < ^ J» ' ^^ ' ^ '#Hf1 * Hk t ^n^i^ • J 1% ' ••• • ^Kf ' 1 Ur<l« m lill 1 *pt "-" '** SRI ;5W*?^F^ ~Xl ] "• 4 / * y " • I - Thursday, November 13, 1980 Vol. 15, No. 3 , 25 cents ....:.. *• Economic update Employment increasing but Retail business owners many are still out of work hope worst is behind them BY KATHY JOHNSON Gil Peterson, manager of Medusa Ask any two businessmen what kind At Glen's Market in East Jordan,? Cement, indicated that his plant would of a year they had and you'li get two manager Mark Weisler said, "Business J There is some bad news and some ''Employment has be closing down this winter for a while, different answers. Ask a dozen and "Sales are up is much improved. Looking to the future| good news in the employment picture but that mostly it was a maintenance you'll get a dozen different answers. with more people going back to work, it| for Charlevoix County. is looking better. My projection is downJ been looking up shutdown. He said, "Some people will But the overall consensus, if there is The bad news is that there are-still but I can see a steady increase in| be on layoff, but most will still be one, seems to have been that basically but we're not companies with employees on layoff and working doing maintenance." business." ! companies who expect to experience the last three business was goo'd, better than before, Earlier reports on the Medusa shut- Weisler finished by saying that while, new layoffs. and the outlook for the Christmas and months." down indicated that the shutdown winter ski season are good. making money." "It may be next fall before it's back tof The good news is that employment is would occur in mid-November but normal, I'm more optimistic than sixj Crown Drug Center manager Leah up over the last six months for many of Peterson said he thought now it would months ago." these companies and that some layoffs Erban of Charlevoix, indicated that probably be about December. The plant He said he has seen "lots of people, arc the usual seasonal type and not shift. Now we have managed to get back business was "better than last year." Jim Wandrie of the Country Star. could be shut for as long as two months, but they aren't buying like in years gone caused by the economic situation. to one and a half." Market in Boyne City, said, "Sales for I as earlier reported, but could be down "We've been pleased so far and by." The Press contacted various per- Christenson indicated that he would food are about the same as last year, but | for less time, depending on business. we're expecting Christmas to be better. When asked about the starting of sonnel directors and corporate officers like to get everyone back to work but. non-food items are down a little bit." ] "We usually shutdown about this We feel the downswing in the economy deer season and related sales he said. throughout the county, and several "It doesn't look like that will happen Wandrie went on to say that three or | time each year to maintain the equip- has meant tighter inventory and better "The three or four days before the reported a stable year coming up and at anytime soon. There's just not much four men come in every day looking for ment," said Peterson. He explained management," said Erban. She also opening would tell the tale. Lack of least one company reported expansion change." work. "Not just from the Boyne City that if business was such that they had said she was looking forward to a better snow and weather hurt the trades- and new employees. "Very pleased," is the comment from area, these men are coming from to continue work then the maintenance economy in the future. people last year." Romback is hoping United Technology Automotive Craig Reimers, industrial relations Petoskey, East Jordan and a!! over." wpuld still have to be done as equip- for a better season this year. (Jroup (Essex) in Boyne City reported manager from Gulf and Western. At Ace Hardware in Boyne City, ment went down. At Reusch Jewelry in Charlevoix, Bob Mathers of Bob Mathers Ford in overtime in some of their departments. "Employment has been looking up the owner Jim White said that business had "Projections for next year are about store manager Coleen Titsworth said, Boyne City, said he could "see an jj Plant accountant Keith Fitzpatrick said, last three months," he said. been pretty steady and that "We have the same as this year—total produc- "It's been a good year. No complaints. improvement, but things aren't going to i "We had 57 people laid off but we've "I'm cautiously optimistic," Reimers had a pretty good year. We sell enough tion at about 70 percent. It depends on It seems to be a little slow right now, break loose though until interest rates \ hired back all of those that wanted to said, "depending on what happen* with things that people need year around. business conditions as they develop," but 1 suspect the year will end pretty go down." dome back and hired some new people the auto industry. In June we had 130 Our contractors' sales have been down, Peterson said. good." Boyne City Realtor Martin Biegan- Resides." people laid off in East Jordan, now but the do-it-yourselfers have been Lexalite International Corporation Several area businessmen seemed to owski indicated that things were looking "It looks like (business) will con- there are just 43. In Mancelona it was more active." President John Barnes had the most feel that while sales were up, their better. "We believe the pendulum is on tinue to be very good, at least for a about the same and we've got all back positive outlook on employment for Dee Adgate, owner of Adgate Realty profits were down. Gary Schafer of the upswing, but how far up I couldn't while." was Fit/.patrick's assessment of except 16." Charlevoix. Barnes indicated that they of Boyne City, said "Sales have been Schafer's in Boyne City said, "Basi- say, Activity is not real bad, There are the future. In Charlevoix the good news-bad had a full staff currently of 120 people. fairly strong the last two or three cally it has not been a good year. Sales positive signs out there," he said. At Courter, Inc.. director of industrial news story is repeated as Lexalite "We're very busy. We've expanded months since fall started. We're are up but we're not making money. I'm relations Ken Gilbert said, "We're indicates expansion and Weather Shield At Kaden's, Chuck Rivard said, and added to the new building in expecting a slowdown now, but after the not happy with the way things are." down a touch in employment, with 80 Sports indicates seasonal layoffs "a "This is a very conservative time. Charlevoix. We're not involved in the first of the year we're hoping for a Schafer indicated that the change in employees laid off, but I see a fairly little earlier" this year. However, there are some positive signs automotive business and the states we better resort market." the economic situation had caused a stable year coming up. Employment Hazel Matson, vice-president of that things are going to change. People deal with like Texas and California are In East Jordan Bob Romback at change in the way they do business. has been varying more to availability of Weather Shield said, "Business seems are optimistic about the coming year." to be pretty good. We're getting into doing well. Our business is up about 20 Healey Hardware indicated that "We go get the business instead of matcriaLthan the economy." Rivard, who is president of the Boyne our down time now but the new season percent." business there had been a little slow. waiting on people to come in," he said. Boyne Falls Log Homes treasurer Bob City Chamber of Commerce, also said will start soon. We've had to lay off "Our in-store business is down about 50 Kinney wasn't quite as optimistic. that local businessmen are hoping for a some a little earlier than usual, but it is percent." VJJCinney indicated that he still had about good snow season. a seasonal layoff." In East Jordan, Carol Tighe of the EJ Jo people laid off and "1 expect it to get "We'll call back some of our people Shop seemed to agree. "Our sales are Steve Woodcock, of First National Worse in January. February and March, in January to start up and then we'll just great, but my problem has been Bank in Boyne City, said that the with the interest rates where they are." Most restaurants have to see. By April 30 we should be in inflation. Trying to meet this year's cost indications had been bad but were Kinney said. full swing. Usually we rehire about the with last year's profits," she said. improving. "One of the most obvious In East Jordan the employment same amount," she continued. Duane Chappuies of the Jordan things we see is the decrease in loan picture is also experiencing some At Will-Flow Corporation.

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