Good news, bad news for unemployed

First, the good news. Vermont workers probably got fewer pink slips in July as the worst recession since World War II winds down. But, the reality is that jobs are still scarce. Nearly 15 million Americans are still out of work, and those number are likely to grow through next year. The government reported last week that the economy shrank at a pace of just 1 percent from April-to-June; that is the strongest signal yet that the recession may be ending. The good news, bad news situation probably means that employers are less eager to cut staff, but still aren't ready to ramp up hirings.