Blackwell: “Business is good”

On a day when the state reports jobless claims continue to drop, Oconee’s top economic development recruiter said local business is good and the addition of even one new job on Main Street is something to relish. The state Department of Employment and Workforce reports the adjusted unemployment rate statewide in April fell to 8%. In Oconee, it fell to 7.4%. Economic Development Director Richard Blackwell’s monthly report today to his commission reflected one-page of on-going projects to attract new jobs. But Blackwell also stressed the importance of keeping strong existing manufacturing. And, for those efforts, District Five commissioner Gene Blair said he recently witnessed Blackwell’s assistance to the Ulbrich Manufacturing Company on the Westminster Highway. As an example of another valued member of the county’s manufacturing community, Blackwell pointed to an operation situated in the county’s far northeast corner near North Carolina. He said the C-G Roxanne plant is producing up to one million gallons of bottled water a day.