WASHINGTON â The U.S. economy added just 266,000 jobs in April, a disappointing month of growth that fell well below economistsâ estimates despite falling caseloads and increased vaccine distribution around the country.
The April unemployment rate remained relatively unchanged at 6.1%, although economists caution the number is misleadingly low, given how many people have dropped out of the labor force in the last year.
The news increased political pressure in Washington, amid concerns about whether a labor shortage, reported in some pockets of the economy, is slowing down the recovery.
The White House rejected that notion on Friday, calling for patience and saying it will take the economy many months to recover from last yearâs trauma.
El Pasoans will choose who will help shape the future of two school districts Saturday in EPISD and SISD school board elections.
Ballots cast in El Paso s polling stations will carry extra weight in this election, where two school board elections will decide more than half the makeup of trustees on each board. There are 17 candidates competing for four seats in the EPISD race and 11 candidates vie for four seats in the SISD race.
Because EPISD uses a majority election system instead of plurality, the race could end in a runoff. In a majority vote, a candidate must win more than 50% of the total vote to win or the election goes to a runoff with the top two candidates. SISD uses a plurality vote.
The main issues
Most of the candidates who responded the Times questionnaire mentioned several key issues played a role in their decisions to run in this year s election.
Some candidates took issue with how districts handled the COVID-19 pandemic at its height in 2020. Others looked ahead at what can be done to address potential learning loss and gaps in education because of how districts transitioned to virtual instruction.
At EPISD, more than half of the candidates who responded to the questionnaire said the search for the district s next superintendent was a driving force to run for seats on the school board.
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Liz Szabo
Kaiser Health News
As an emergency physician, Dr. Eugenia South was in the first group of people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. She received her second dose last week – even before President-elect Joe Biden.
Yet South said she’s in no rush to throw away her face mask.
“I honestly don’t think I’ll ever go without a mask at work again,” said South, faculty director of the Urban Health Lab at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “I don’t think I’ll ever feel safe doing that.”
And although vaccines are highly effective, South plans to continue wearing her mask outside the hospital as well.