Posted at: 11/05/2009 6:08 PM | KSAX.com
By: Megan Matthews
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Morrison County Unemployment Rate High; Extension Helps Some

Little Falls, Minn. - U.S. Senate passed the unemployment extension, which will give unemployed Minnesotans an extra 14 weeks of unemployment benefits.  Many people at the Workforce Center in Little Falls are grateful for the extra time.

James Estrem has been unemployed for about four months and is currently collecting unemployment, which will run out in January.  The new extension will buy him some extra time.

"It makes me feel a little bit more secure.  It makes me feel better," Estrem said.

Even with more time, Estrem says he's still at the Workforce Center a couple times a week job hunting.

"I'd rather have a job.  I'd rather be working than collecting unemployment," Estrem explained, "Things are starting to pick up in the economy, and hopefully I'll be able to find a job soon."

The extension doesn't help everyone.  Dean Tienter is a construction worker who used to own his own business, and he doesn't qualify for unemployment. 

Tienter says going from owning a multi-million dollar business to struggling to find work has been hard.

"It's humbling," Tienter said, choking back tears, "or you could say humiliating."

Tienter says there are a lot of people like him who can't collect unemployment and aren't a part of Morrison County's nine percent unemployment rate.

"I'm not a part of that statistic.  I'm not working.  I don't have a job, but because I'm not qualifying or collecting unemployment I don't make up a part of that statistic," Tienter said.

While the extension will help some, others are still hurting.

"It can only going up from here," Tienter said.

Written for the web by Megan Matthews

megan@ksax.com