U.S. Jobless Claims Fall Under Key Level, July 28, 2011, New York Times: “WASHINGTON - First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, dropping below the important 400,000 level for the first time since April, according to a government report on Thursday. At the same time, a private trade group said sales of existing homes rose unexpectedly in June, and both statistics gave investors a reason for optimism. Jobless claims dropped 24,000, to a seasonally adjusted 398,000, the Labor Department said…”

• Low-income families struggle with utility bills can get help, July 28, 2011, Eloy Enterprise: “PHOENIX - Help is available for low-income families and individuals across Arizona struggling with summer utility bills pushed higher by desert temperatures above 110 degrees and major dust storms. The Arizona Community Action Association (ACAA), through its member Community Action Agencies statewide, offers assistance to qualifying individuals and families through programs including the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the federal weatherization program and the locally-funded Arizona Home Energy Assistance Fund. LIHEAP and the Arizona Home Energy Assistance Program provide bill assistance for low-income families who may be spending up to 30 percent of their income to pay for energy costs…”
• 17,000 low-income Colorado households likely to lose energy assistance benefits this winter, By David O. Williams, July 28, 2011, Colorado Independent: “More than 17,000 low-income Colorado households will lose state benefits to help pay their home heating bill this winter if the federal government delivers on expected funding cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Colorado’s share of LIHEAP last year, delivered in the form of block grants to the state’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), was $62 million. The Obama administration in February proposed cutting overall LIHEAP funding in half, meaning Colorado is faced with receiving only $31 million for the winter of 2011-12…”

• Researcher: Low-wage job numbers a ’cause for concern’, By Marcos Restrepo, July 26, 2011, Florida Independent: “That Florida unemployment remained steady during the month of June and added manufacturing jobs are positive signs, but according to researcher Emily Eisenhauer, jobs have been added in low-wage industries. Eisenhauer, an associate at the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at Florida International University, says that Florida still has the fourth highest unemployment rate in the U.S., but unemployment has come down over the last six months. The state has adding more than 85,000 jobs, but according to Eisenhauer, Florida is still missing about 700,000 jobs since the beginning of the recession in December 2007…”
• High-pay jobs decline as low-pay jobs increase, By Alana Semuels, July 27, 2011, Los Angeles Times: “John Soto said he felt like he got “punched in the gut” when BMW announced that it planned to lay off him and other workers at an Ontario parts distribution warehouse and give their jobs to contract workers provided by a third-party company. “They wouldn’t do this in Germany,” said Soto, 46, referring to the labor-friendly policies in the country where BMWs are manufactured…
• “Lower-paying jobs dominate recovery, By Alana Semuels, July 26, 2011, Los Angeles Times: “The majority of jobs being created in this economic recovery are lower-paying ones, while higher-paying positions have been slow to return, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Employment Law Project. Lower-wage occupations such as sales and office clerks, cashiers and food preparation workers grew 3.2% in the first quarter of 2011 from a year earlier, the report said. In contrast, higher-wage jobs such as registered nurses, engineers and finance workers declined by 1.2%. Mid-wage positions such as paralegals, customer service representatives and machinists grew by 1.2%…”