Water district meeting to be on regional issues

The South Florida Water Management District will hold a regional overview and public meeting/discussion in Kissimmee at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Osceola County Commission Chambers, Fourth Floor, 1 Courthouse Square.

Topics will include: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kissimmee River restoration construction projects; water reservation; the Central Florida Coordination Area; the Kissimmee River Basin Modeling and Operations Study; the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan; control structure improvements; and local restoration projects.

For more information, contact Bridgett Tolley, water district community outreach specialist, at 407-858-6100, Ext. 3806, or at 407-908-4896.

Jobless rate down in county, state

Osceola County’s jobless rate in October (not seasonally adjusted) was 12.2 percent, down from 12.8 percent in September, according to the latest report released Nov. 19 from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

The October jobless rate for Orange County was 11.2 percent, down from 11.8 percent in September. The jobless rate for the Orlando metropolitan area, which stretches from Kissimmee to Sanford and includes Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, was 11.2 percent in October, down from 11.8 percent in September.

The state’s unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in October was 11.6 percent, down from 12.1 in September, which represents 1,096,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,233,000. The state’s jobless rate for October 2009 was 11.5 percent.

The national jobless rate in October was 9 percent, down from 9.2 percent in September and also down from the October 2009 figure, which was 9.5 percent.

Liberty County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate in October (6.9 percent) followed by Leon County (7.7 percent). Hendry County had the highest jobless rate (18.3 percent) followed by Flagler County (15.5 percent).

Jobless rates for other counties in Central Florida in October were: Polk, 12.5 percent; Lake, 11.6 percent; Seminole, 10.4 percent; and Volusia, 11.9 percent.

There were 48 counties in the state with double-digit unemployment rates in October, down from 51 the previous month.

Foreclosure workshop planned

There will be a free foreclosure prevention workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Best Western Hotel, 7769 W. U.S. Highway 192, Kissimmee.

Advanced registration is requested by calling 877-306-5299. David Candler Hicks, attorney, will be the keynote presenter.

The Neighborhood Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Sarasota that seeks to preserve and strengthen Florida communities by partnering with city leaders, attorneys and relief agencies in educating homeowners about foreclosure prevention, will present the program.

Topics to be covered include:

• Loan modifications — effective techniques in working with banks

• Federal foreclosure programs — HAMP and HAFA

• How to identify errors in your loan papers

• Buying more time in your home; simple steps to postpone your move

• Protecting against foreclosure predators

• County agency resources

• Potential legal defenses

The also will be a question-and-answer session.

For more information, go to www.neighborhood-community.org or call 941-556-4473.