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Deal settles dispute over parking on former Hotel Sterling lot

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Firefighter injured by live wire while battling blaze in Plains Township

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Pennsylvania&#8217;s unemployment rate of 4.1 percent was unchanged from August and remained the lowest rate since July 2000.</p><p>But the better news is that the state&#8217;s unemployment rate declined by seven-tenths of a percentage point from September 2017 and jobs reached an all-time high.</p><p>The estimated number of Pennsylvania residents working or looking for work, known as the civilian labor force, was up 15,000 over the month. The number of employed Pennsylvanians rose by 15,000 in September to a record high of 6,134,000. The number of unemployed residents was unchanged from August.</p><p>The estimated number of jobs in Pennsylvania, referred to as total non-farm jobs, also reached an all-time high of 6,035,600 in September, up 7,700.</p><p>Highlights from this month&#8217;s jobs report include:</p><p>&#8226; Professional &amp; business services and education &amp; health services jobs rose to record highs.</p><p>&#8226; Jobs increased in five of the 11 industry super-sectors over the month.</p><p>&#8226; Education &amp; health services had the largest monthly gain of 6,600.</p><p>&#8226; Over the past 12 months, jobs increased 1.3 percent in the commonwealth with gains in eight of the 11 super-sectors. Education &amp; health services had the largest volume 12-month gain.</p><p>&#8226; Nationally, jobs were up 1.7 percent during this time frame.</p><p>Additional information is available on the L&amp;I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.</p><p><strong>Note:</strong> The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

PA’s 4.1 percent unemployment rate unchanged; jobs reach all-time high