Shop Talk: So many numbers, but all pointing to good job growth here [Yakima Herald-Republic, Wash.]

Sept. 30--Early last week, I reported on the latest preliminary employment figures from the state Employment Security Department.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics also released its Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, or QCEW. As the name indicates, the data provide a quarterly count of jobs and average weekly wages at the national, state and county levels.

In the past, I haven't reported the QCEW figures as frequently as those from Employment Security, which provides information on unemployment, labor force and nonagricultural jobs,

Besides the obvious fact that QCEW figures are not released as frequently, I've tended to focus more on the Employment Security figures because of their relative immediacy -- the data only lags by a month.

The QCEW data, in contrast, has a lag time of six months. The recent release, for example, looks at jobs and wages from the first quarter of this year.

But while preliminary Employment Security figures provide a more instant picture of employment, they are subject to constant revision.

That is the nature of the methodology. Employment Security uses a statewide survey of employers and households to develop the monthly report. Don Meseck, regional economist for Employment Security, has told me previously that since the survey sample for Yakima County is relatively small, it's common to see huge revisions to the data.

And many of those revisions are made based on QCEW data. Many labor economists, such as Meseck, believe the QCEW provides firmer job counts as it's based on documentation employers have to file for employees covered by state and federal unemployment insurance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that includes just about 98 percent of all jobs in the United States.

I've come to realize that I need to make an effort to include the QCEW data to provide a more full picture of Yakima County's employment picture.

So with that said, let's take a look.

According to the QCEW data, Yakima County reported about 96,000 jobs, which includes both agricultural and nonagricultural positions, as of the end of the first quarter of this year. That's a 1.9 percent increase from the first quarter of 2012, compared to the 1.6 percent increase seen nationwide.

The job count is close to March job figures that Employment Security reported in April. It's not a perfect comparison, because Employment Security includes Yakima and Klickitat counties in its agricultural job numbers. Still, I think it's safe to say that the QCEW figures confirm that Yakima County saw solid job growth during the first quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, average weekly wages increased 1.9 percent to $641. That increase ranked 57th out of the 334 largest U.S. counties nationwide. The wage itself, however, is the lowest among the largest counties statewide. In contrast, King County reported the highest average weekly wage at $1,288, a 1.6 percent increase from a year ago.

The data also provide insight on how employment is trending in Yakima County. The recent job figure is below the peak of 97,700 jobs reported during the same period in 2008, but it's well above the 94,000 jobs the county reported when the economy bottomed out locally in 2010.

One thing I'm still waiting for is more industry-specific data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics release only provides such data for the 10 largest counties. Employment Security typically releases that data a few weeks after the bureau's release.

Did you notice?

--I recently chatted with Jody Jaeger, who runs a business called Downsizing Decor, an interior design business that focuses on seniors who are downsizing their living arrangements.

Jaeger's home, a duplex in West Valley, is a living example of her work. Jaeger, a Yakima native, returned to the area three years ago after spending more than 37 years in Portland, where she started her niche of decorating homes for seniors.

Jaeger, who is in her 70s, spent the last few years fixing up her own home to her liking before relaunching her business in Yakima.

Despite being the same age as many of her clients, she has no plans to retire.

"I love decorating," she said. "I have a passion."

--Meanwhile, Ailage Mason-Perry is pursuing a niche of her own. Her Yakima yoga studio, Core Balance Aerial & Hot Yoga Studio, is offering more classes in aerial yoga, where poses are done using hanging hammocks made of heavy-duty parachute fabric.

"It just took (yoga) to a whole new level, " Mason-Perry told me last week. She could name only a handful of other studios in the Pacific Northwest that offer the practice.

You won't need experience with Cirque du Soleil to participate: The hammocks can be used to provide extra support for beginners and make poses more challenging for more experienced yoga practitioners.

Safety is a priority, so anyone looking to take aerial yoga classes at the studio is required to complete a 2.5-hour beginner's workshop. Workshops are offered every few weeks. More information can be found on the studio's website at corebalanceinc.com.

--Finally, Creekside West has a new owner.

Jim Rowe recently took over the upscale casual restaurant at 4000 W. Creekside Loop. Rowe owns several restaurants including Brooklyn Pizzeria, Roadhouse Grill and Wing Central in Ellensburg and Wing Central on the Ave in Seattle'sUniversity District.

It's no secret that former owners Owen and Amy Packard had been looking to get out of the restaurant business. A deal with Steve Hart, owner of Sea Galley in Union Gap and former general manager for Creekside West, was in the works but never finalized.

More details on Rowe's purchase of Creekside West and his plans for the restaurant can be found on the Shop Talk blog at www.yakimaherald.com/blogs/shoptalk.

You can also get additional updates on Facebook (<a href="http://facebook.com/shoptalkyakima">facebook.com/shoptalkyakima) and Twitter (twitter.com/shoptalkyakima).

--Mai Hoang's Reporter's Notebook is published Mondays in the Marketplace section. To reach her, call 509-759-7851 or email maihoang@yakimaherald.com.

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