June unemployment totals showed a seasonal jump for both Denton County and the city of Denton.

Dawn Cobb

The unemployment rate for the city of Denton rose eight-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.6 percent in May to 4.4 percent in June.

During the same period in 2007, unemployment rose nine-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in May 2007 to 4.6 in June 2007, according to records from the Texas Workforce Commission.

In Denton County, the unemployment rate rose six-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.9 percent in May to 4.5 percent in June.

Last year at the same time, unemployment rose six-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in May 2007 to 4.3 percent in June 2007.

Officials have tied the sudden seasonal hike to the rise in the labor force as students on summer break seek employment.

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Sales tax allocations were close to expectations for city officials.

In May, the city received $1,592,524, about .64 percent, or $10,177, above budget projections of $1,582,347.

This year’s allocations were about 1.41 percent, or $22,207, more than what the city received last year.

For the fiscal year to date, records show sales tax allocations are up 2.84 percent, or $377,197, from sales allocations for the period of October 2006 through May 2007.

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The public is invited to an open house from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Friday at Jostens Inc. off Interstate 35E in Denton.

The company recently expanded the plant by 13,000 square feet.

As a result, the Denton plant’s workforce is expected to grow from 290 to approximately 465 full-time workers, with an additional 200 seasonal and temporary workers for the fall season, according to a news release.

The company has garnered fame for designing 27 Super Bowl rings.

Officials have said the facility makes more than 30,000 rings per week during peak times.

The company is also celebrating 40 years of operation in the Denton area.

Residents interested in learning more about job opportunities or seeing the plant are invited to attend.

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The Denton Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Denton Black Chamber of Commerce will have a business social and a HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) certification workshop on Thursday at Quality Inn & Suites. The event will take place at 1500 Dallas Drive from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

The workshop will follow the social and will provide valuable information for Denton area businesses about how to start and complete the certification process. The certification allows small businesses to compete for state and local contracts.

The workshop will be co-hosted by partnering community organizations, such as the city of Denton Purchasing Department, North Central Texas Workforce Solution, the North Texas Small Business Development Center, Alabaster Workforce Solutions LLC, state of Texas HUB officials, and the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University’s procurement departments.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop will cater the event.

Interested individuals may register for the social online at www.alabasterweb.com.

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This year’s Denton County Job and Career Planning Expo is set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, in Hubbard Hall on the campus of Texas Woman’s University.

TWU’s Office of Human Resources and the North Texas Society for Human Resources Management offer the free event each year, which includes employment opportunities from a number of local and area employers, as well as opportunities for free training sessions on resume writing, interviewing skills and networking.

For more information, visit www.northtexasshrm.org.

For employers who are interested in participating, e-mail sdriggers@twu.edu.

Congrats

North Texas Hospital in Denton was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology, according to a news release.

Staff writer Karina Ramírez contributed to this report.

DAWN COBB can be reached at 940-566-6879. Her e-mail address is dcobb@dentonrc.com.