THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2007 WAS GOOD TO THE TRI CITIES REGION, USHERING IN SOME 57-HUNDRED JOBS COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD OF 2006. ACCORDING TO THE TRI CITIES LABOR MARKET REPORT COMPILED BY THE EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY’S BUREAU OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, THE REGIONAL LABOR MARKET CONTINUED TO SET NEW RECORDS AND BECOME MUCH TIGHTER AS A RESULT. IN THE THIRD QUARTER, LOCAL EMPLOYMENT ROSE BY 2.5 PERCENT. THIS MARKED THE TENTH QUARTER IN A ROW OF EMPLOYMENT GROWTH FOR THE REGION. ANOTHER POSITIVE TREND – MATCHING THE REGIONAL TRENDS, UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS AGAIN FELL SHARPLY IN ALL THE TRI CITIES, 3.8 PERCENT IN KINGSPORT AND 3.9 PERCENT IN JOHNSON CITY AND BRISTOL. ACCORDING TO ETSU ECONOMIST DR. STEB HIPPLE, ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS IN THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH HAS BEEN A BOOM IN THE CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL AREAS.