Oregon has added 46,500 new jobs over the past 12 months with impressive gains seen in the professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and trade sectors. Also of interest is that the construction sector continues to expand rapidly, potentially signifying greater interest in adding to the region’s housing supply...

Like much of the rest of the state, Eastern Washington continues to experience modest employment growth, which is driving the unemployment rate lower. I also expect to see continued growth in employment as we move through the balance of the year.

In "Staying Put," architect and writer Duo Dickinson has assembled a terrific and practical guide to help us make real improvements to our homes. Dickinson, an advocate of well-designed and affordable homes for all, has specialized in residential design for more than three decades.

Colorado added 62,000 new jobs over the past 12 months, an increase of 2.4% over this time last year. All of the metropolitan markets included in this report saw annual employment growth, with substantial growth in Boulder (4.7%) and Fort Collins (+4.1%), and more modest growth in Grand Junction (0.3%). In May, the unemployment rate in the state was 2.3%, matching the prior month and down...