Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/78907
Hunters reminded of fire closures Hunters, firewood cut- ters, off-highway motorists, and other recre- ationists using the Lassen and Plumas national forests are urged to review the temporary fire area closure orders in place due to both the Chips and Reading fires. Forest offi- cials have temporarily closed many roads and several recreation areas, including trails and camp sites, to help ensure the safety of visitors and fire- fighters. "Most areas of our WASHINGTON (AP) — The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Since World War II, 10 U.S. recessions have been followed by a recovery that lasted at least three years. An Associated Press analy- sis shows that by just about any measure, the one that began in June 2009 is the weakest. beyond unemployment, which at 8.3 percent is the highest this long after a recession ended. Economic growth has The ugliness goes well forests remain open; we hope visitors can continue recreating or cutting wood in alternate areas if necessary," commented Earl Ford, Plumas Nation- al Forest Supervisor. He noted expanded closures could be put in place depending on fire activity. With bow hunting sea- son due to start Aug. 18, it's particularly important for archery hunters to take note of the closures that could affect their plans. Forest visitors are also reminded that fire restric- grew an average of 15.5 per- cent in the first three years of the eight other come- backs analyzed. drive recoveries aren't firing this time. Investment in housing, which grew an average of nearly 34 percent this far into previous postwar recoveries, is up just 8 per- cent since the April-June quarter of 2009. That's because the over- The engines that usually never been weaker in a post- war recovery. Consumer spending has never been so slack. Only once has job growth been slower. More than in any other building of the mid-2000s left a glut of houses. Prices fell and remain depressed. The housing market has yet to return to anything close to full health even as mortgage rates have plunged to record lows. Government spending post-World War II recovery, people who have jobs are hurting: Their paychecks have fallen behind inflation. Many economists say the agonizing recovery from the Great Recession, which began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009, is the predictable consequence of a housing bust and a grave financial crisis. Credit, the fuel that pow- ers economies, evaporated after Lehman Brothers col- lapsed in September 2008. And a 30 percent drop in housing prices erased tril- lions in home equity and brought construction to a near-standstill. So any recovery was destined to be a slog. ''A housing collapse is very different from a stock market bubble and crash,'' says Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Diamond of the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology. ''It affects so many people. It only corrects very slowly.'' The U.S. economy has other problems, too. Europe's troubles have undermined consumer and business confidence on both sides of the Atlantic. And the deeply divided U.S. political system has deliv- ered growth-chilling uncer- tainty. and investment at the feder- al, state and local levels was 4.5 percent lower in the sec- ond quarter than three years earlier. tions remain in place and campfires are not allowed outside designated camp- grounds. Law enforcement per- sonnel will be patrolling and enforcing the closure orders. For up-to-date fire information, forest clo- sures, and maps: • Chips Fire – http://inciweb.org/inci- dent/3052/ or 530-283- 3593 or 283-3288 7026 For more information on recreation opportuni- ties and fire restrictions, visitors may contact the Lassen and/or Plumas national forests: • Reading Fire – http://www.inciweb.org/i ncident/3112/ or 877-384- 126 percent of after-tax income in mid-2007 and has fallen to 107 percent, according to Haver Analyt- ics. The savings rate has risen from 1.1 percent of after-tax income in 2005 to 4.4 percent in June. Con- sumers have cut credit card debt by 14 percent — to $865 billion — since it peaked at over $1 trillion in December 2007. ''We were in a period in which we borrowed too much,'' says Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. ''We are now deleveraging. That's a process that slows us down.'' • Lassen - http://www.fs.usda.gov/la ssen/ or 530-257-2151 • Plumas - http://www.fs.usda.gov/pl umas or 530-283-2050 Travelers are encour- aged to check road condi- tions regularly by calling 800-427-ROAD (7623) or visiting www.dot.ca.gov. US economic recovery is weakest since World War II rises as the economy picks up momentum after a reces- sion. Not this time. Employ- ers don't have to be gener- ous in a weak job market because most workers don't have anywhere to go. As a result, pay raises Three years into previ- ous postwar recoveries, government spending had risen an average 12.5 per- cent. In the first three years after the 1981-82 recession, during President Ronald Reagan's first term, the economy got a jolt from a 15 percent increase in gov- ernment spending and investment. governments have been slashing spending — and jobs. And since passing President Barack Obama's $862 billion stimulus pack- age in 2009, a divided Con- gress has been reluctant to try to help the economy with federal spending pro- grams. Trying to contain the $11.1 trillion federal debt has been a higher priority. Since June 2009, gov- ernments at all levels have slashed 642,000 jobs, the only time government employment has fallen in the three years after a reces- sion. This long after the 1973-74 recession, by con- trast, governments had added more than 1 million jobs. This time, state and local —EXHAUSTED CON- SUMERS The AP compared nine economic recoveries since the end of World War II that lasted at least three years. A 10th recovery that ran from 1945 to 1948 was not included because the statis- tics from that period aren't comprehensive, although the available data show that hiring was robust. There were two short-lived recov- eries — 24 months and 12 months — after the reces- sions of 1957-58 and 1980. Here is a closer look at how the comeback from the Great Recession stacks up with the others: —FEEBLE GROWTH America's gross domes- tic product — the broadest measure of economic out- put — grew 6.8 percent from the April-June quarter of 2009 through the same quarter this year, the slowest in the first three years of a postwar recovery. GDP Sierra Sound Car Audio 35th $ 226 So. Main St., Red Bluff 527-3735 All CD's 13.99 Anniversary Sale or less grown just 6.5 percent since the recession ended, fee- blest in a postwar recovery. In the first three years of previous recoveries, spend- ing rose an average of near- ly 14 percent. It's no mystery why con- sumers are being frugal. Many have lost access to credit, which fueled their spending in the 2000s. Home equity has evaporat- ed and credit cards have been canceled. Falling home prices have slashed home equity 49 percent, from $13.2 trillion in 2005 to $6.7 trillion early this year. Consumer spending has Others are spending less because they're paying down debt or saving more. Household debt peaked at —THE JOBS HOLE The economy shed a staggering 8.8 million jobs during and shortly after the recession. Since employ- ment hit bottom, the econo- my has created just over 4 million jobs. So the new hir- ing has replaced 46 percent of the lost jobs, by far the worst performance since World War II. In the previ- ous eight recoveries, the economy had regained more than 350 percent of the jobs lost, on average. During the 1981-82 recession, the U.S. lost 2.8 million jobs. In the three years and one month after that recession ended, the economy added 9.8 million — replacing the 2.8 million and adding 7 million more. Never before have so many Americans been unemployed for so long three years into a recovery. Nearly 5.2 million have been out of work for six months or more. The long- term unemployed account for 41 percent of the jobless; the highest mark in the other recoveries was 22 percent. Gregory Mann, 58, lost his job as a real estate appraiser three years ago. ''Basically, I am looking for anything,'' he says. He has applied to McDonald's, Tar- get and Nordstrom's. ''Nothing, not even a rejection letter,'' he says. His wife, a registered nurse, has lost two jobs in the interim — and just received an offer to work reviewing medical records near Atlanta. ''We are broke and near- ly homeless,'' he says. ''If this job for my wife hadn't come through, we would be out on the street come Sept. 1 or would have had to move in with relatives.'' Federal Reserve Chair- man Ben Bernanke has called long-term unemploy- ment a ''national crisis.'' The longer people remain unemployed, the harder it is to find work, Bernanke has said. Skills erode, and peo- ple lose contact with former colleagues who could help with the job search. —SHRINKING PAY- CHECKS Usually, workers' pay hurt everyone. Lower labor costs helped push corporate profits to a record 10.6 per- cent of U.S. GDP in the first three months of 2012, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. And those surging profits helped lift the Dow Jones industrials 54 percent from the end of June 2009 to the end of last month. Only after the recessions of 1948- 49 and 1953-54 did stocks rise more. haven't kept up with even modest levels of inflation. Earnings for production and nonsupervisory work- ers — a category that cov- ers about 80 percent of the private, nonfarm workforce — have risen just over 6.2 percent since June 2009. Consumer prices have risen nearly 7.2 percent. Adjust- ed for inflation, wages have fallen 0.8 percent. In the previous five recoveries — the records go back only to 1964 — real wages had gone up an average 1.5 per- cent at this point. Falling wages haven't Thursday, August 16, 2012 – Daily News 5A the Fall Art and Craft Faire Sept. 22 at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center. The Rancho Tehama Rolly Bolly car club members will be showing off their vehicles for the second year. The Fall Art and Craft Faire, now in its 15th year, is co-sponsored by the Blues for the Pool and the Red Bluff Community Center Auxiliary. It benefits the pub- lic-owned facilities. Admission to the air conditioned building at 1500 S. Jackson St. is free to the public. Artists and crafters are being invited to offer their original work for a $35 fee for a 10 x 10 display booth. Outdoor space is also available. A table and two chairs will be provided, with electricity on request. Baked goods, candies and locally grown produce will also be accepted for sale. Hours of the Faire are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Car show and craft fair A classic car show will be a returning attraction at Sept. 22. Vendors may set up their booths from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. the previous day, or from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. that morning. Doors open to the public at 10 a.m. Registration forms are available at the Red Bluff Community/Senior Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. They are to be returned by Sept. 14. For more information call 529-0556. Native plant activities Native Plant Society activities planned for September: General Meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m., Butte County Library, Chico Members are invited to present a 10 minute "Show and Tell" of memorable plant hikes. E-mail Jim (cjbish- op1991@sbcglobal.net) to reserve a spot. Eagle Rocks and Humboldt Summit, Sunday, Sept. 9 Meet at Chico Park and Ride west lot at 8:30 am with hiking gear, jacket, lunch, water, sun/insect protection and money for ride-sharing. Call Wes at 530-342-2293 for secondary meeting site. We'll drive to Butte Meadows and then up the old Humboldt road built by John Bidwell in 1863 to the summit at 7500 feet. We'll hike along the Pacific Crest Trail for 1-1/2 miles to scenic Eagle Rocks. The trail is almost level as it contours around the peak through subalpine red firs and western white pines, final- ly arriving at the open rim of the old Mt. Yana volcano. Cold Boiling and Crumbaugh Lakes, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Sunday, Sept. 16 Meet at Chico Park and Ride west lot at 8:30 am with hiking gear, jacket, lunch, water, sun/insect protection, money for ride-sharing, and a Park Pass if you have one. Call Gerry at 530-893-5123 for alternate meeting site. We'll drive 80 miles from Chico to the trailhead in Lassen Park at 7380 feet. The hike is an easy 3 mile round trip to Crumbaugh Lake in a little-traveled area excellent for birds, wildlfowers, and deer. We'll pass Cold Boiling Lake where gas bubbles rise to the water's surface. Maidu Medicine Walk, Saturday, Sep 29 Meet at Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park (parking area E) at 9 am for a 1 mile walk to see about 30 of the plants used by the local Maidu Indians for medicine, food and crafts, including soaproot for cleasing, suds and catching fish; elderberry for food, flutes and clappers; gray pine for skin ointment, bas- kets and food. This walk is especially designed for teachers and youth groups. Leader Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293. JUST MOVE IT Part of a national campaign to promote physical activity for American Indians and Alaskan Natives FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH 11:30 AM Registration and Start Psycho Fitness & MMA 1450 Schwab St., Red Bluff non-competive walks and runs. Open to families, individuals of all ages and people of all cultures. Join us for a series of "It's Bloom Time" We have scissors and trimmers available now!" "The Triminator" Featuring Also Ladybugs and Fertilizers Red Bluff, CA 96080 • (530) 527-9166 22755 Antelope Blvd. Open 6 days a week Mon-Sat 10-6 closed Sunday DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY For more information contact Avery Vilche at 200-2224 or Renee Timmons at 567-5528 ROLLING HILLS CLINIC