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Youth deaths dropped from 11 to 4 or less – more than 60%
lower!
Public Safety Team
Public Safety prayed for reduction in suicides and Drunk Driving
Arrests
Drunk driving arrests rose by 5% outside of Redding and by 65%
in Redding itself. On the other hand, drunk driving collisions (which
were not one of the assignments) dropped by 22% in Redding alone.
We attribute the increased arrests to hard work by law enforcement
and favor over them – we pray for a culture of life that blesses
law enforcement and exposes evil and this is part of it.
Suicide statistics come from the county coroner. Suicides went
from 15 to 2 for a reduction of 86%. This very exciting.
Economy Team
Economy prayed for reduction in unemployment for
increase in indicators of economic prosperity
Unemployment took a sharp rise in November 2006 through February
2007 to a high of 8.1 %. The rate began dropping in March and reached
6.8 % in May. In June it rose .1% and in July .4%. We have experienced
a net decline in that rate of .7% since March. However, we are still
nowhere near back at the level of 6% that obtained in May 2006 and
even that was above the level of April when Paah-ho-ammi closed
for 2006.
There is very good news on the front of total jobs. A total of
2000 jobs were added to the county’s economy in May through
June 2007.
The job news is not so exciting in July. Of the 2000 jobs added
to the economy in June and July only 100 remain as of the end of
the month. These do not represent a loss of the same jobs that were
created but the news is a major league challenge nonetheless. Still
– it is a miracle that unemployment rose by only .4% in July.
We are blessed in terms of economic indicators. The housing market
is big news all over the nation. Shasta County has taken some hits
but they are much less damaging than in the rest of the state. Although
foreclosure proceedings were 118% higher for May in Shasta County
than a year ago, the rest of the state was more than 50% higher
than that. In July the foreclosures rose here by 88% -- 28% less
than in June and les than a third of the statewide increase –
which was 289%.
Home sales in our county are down by 1% for the first six months
of 2007 against a 13% decline nationally. And – although housing
starts for the first six months of 2007 are 20% lower than in 2006
the good news is that permits for building homes are up by 25% in
June over May. Commercial building valuation in Redding is up by
a whopping 82% and well ahead of the pace for the record-breaking
year 2005. Shasta Lake finds their valuation up by 24%.
Public Health Team
Public Health prayed for reductions in traffic fatalities,
cancer admissions to the hospital,
and for an increase in decisions for life.
Traffic fatality figures show an approximate 15% drop around the
county.
Cancer admissions were not cause for celebration this year as in
both 2004 and 2006, as they increased by 17%. Although this may
only reflect an increase in population, it represents a challenge
after last year’s 58% reduction.
Decisions for life are definitely cause for celebration. Total
visits to Carenet Pregnancy Center increased by 96%, new clients
rose by 65% and new pregnant clients were up by 78%. The best news
of all is that decisions for life were up by 130%! Amongst those
at first undecided the per cent deciding to bring their babies to
term went from 22% in 2006 to 84% in 2007 – an increase of
62%.
Diana and I cannot thank all of you enough for your faithfulness
in prayer. Once again God has gotten glory for Himself – in
the categories where things went as hoped and where He surprised
and challenged us. To think that God reduced suicides by 86% and
increased decisions for life by 130% makes one weak in the knees.
To see the protection He has given to our region in the face of
economic indicators like foreclosures and housing sales makes one
want to stand and confess Him as Lord over the rest of the state
until all of us acknowledge Him in all of our ways. We are coming
to believe that it is time to advance Paah-ho-ammi to a new level
of commitment. We’ll be in touch soon about that. Praise God
and thank you.
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