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Florida ranks No. 3 in jobs added in 2006

By TIMES WIRES
Published March 31, 2007

Tallahassee

Florida added 134,700 jobs in the past year, according to data released Friday by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That put it a distant third behind Texas and California, both of which added about 230,000 jobs. Of the Florida jobs, 24,200 were in the Tampa Bay area, the state Agency for Workforce Innovation said. Almost half were in professional and business services, or education and health services. Florida's unemployment rate held steady at 3.3 percent, well below the national average of 4.5 percent. Where will you find the state's lowest rate of unemployment? Walton County, at 2.2 percent. The highest? Madison County, at 6.2 percent, followed by Hernando, at 4.7 percent.

Boston

Mass. approves offshore wind farm

A plan to build the nation's first offshore wind farm cleared a key hurdle Friday, winning Massachusetts' approval of an environmental report submitted by the project's developers. Cape Wind Associates hopes to build 130 windmills over 25 miles of federal waters in Nantucket Sound, off the state's coast. "Overall, the Cape Wind project will contribute to the long-term preservation and enhancement of our environment," said Ian Bowles, state secretary of energy and environmental affairs. The project still needs to clear federal regulatory hurdles before it can move forward.

Washington

Consumer, building spending heat up

Consumers spent more in February, while construction spending rose by the largest amount in 11 months, the government said Friday, which should dispel some of the concerns about the health of the economy. The Commerce Department reported that consumer spending, bolstered by strong income gains, was up 0.6 percent last month. Personal income also rose by 0.6 percent. Both figures were double what analysts had expected. In a separate report, the department said that construction spending rose by 0.3 percent last month, the best showing since a 1 percent jump in March 2006. Until the February increase, construction had either fallen or had been flat since the big rise last March.

Dearborn, Mich.

Ford can't wait to show off new rides

Ford Motor Co. on Friday took the wraps off some limited-edition vehicles the automaker hopes will make a splash at the New York International Auto Show next week. Ford unveiled the Shelby GT500KR Mustang, F-150 Foose Edition pickup and Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition large sport utility vehicle at a "sneak peak" for journalists at the automaker's Product Development Center near Detroit. All are 2008 models, with the F-150 and Expedition arriving at dealerships this fall and the Shelby expected to be available in spring 2008.

[Last modified March 31, 2007, 01:46:55]