Oregon

Jobless Claims at 27-Year High 

Initial unemployment claims rose 36,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 667,000 in the week ended Feb. 21 — the highest level in 27 years, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. Initial claims on a seasonally adjusted basis have not been higher since the first week of October, 1982. Initial claims for the third week of February were 95 percent higher than the year-ago level of 342,000.