Jobless rates in the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek labor markets are higher than they were a year ago. WMU's women's soccer team gets a win to earn a berth in the MAC tournament, The Bronco men's basketball team is picked to win the MAC championship in a pre-season poll.
Unemployment rates in the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek labor markets were up in September, compared to a year ago. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget says the seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in the Kalamazoo Metropolitan Statistical Area was 4.3% last month. That’s three-tenths of a percent higher than it was in Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties at the same time last year. The unemployment rate in the Battle Creek MSA, which includes all of Calhoun County, was 4.8% in September. It was 4.3% a year ago.
Western Michigan University has secured a spot in the Mid-American Conference Women’s soccer tournament. The Broncos won their final regular season match Thursday at Northern Illinois 1-0. Western will play in the first round of the MAC tournament at Toledo on Sunday.
Western Michigan University is the pre-season pick to win the Mid-American Conference men’s basketball championship. The Broncos finished first in the poll of coaches and media members. Western senior guard Thomas Wilder was selected to the preseason all-MAC West division team. The Bronco women’s basketball team was picked to finished fourth in the MAC West Division.