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Quincy, Ill

There seems to be a few cracks in the recession, at least at the local level.

Unemployment numbers are down, and more people are finding work.

KHQA spoke with Jim Mentesti, the President of the Great River Economic Foundation.

He says people are finding jobs in Adams, Brown, Hancock, and what he calls the Canton Quincy micropolitan.

He says some of the counties saw modest drops in unemployment, others saw bigger ones.

But he thinks this is a sign of things to come, and should give people a little sigh of relief in the tough national economy.

"I think we are relatively isolated from the panic. I think when you are in middle America, you have smarter people managing your businesses. We have a tendency to run leaner and meaner here," says Mentesti.

Mentesti also points out these jobs come at a time of year when job growth is usually pretty stale.

He also told KHQA a few things as to why he thinks this is a sign of things to come.

Any day now, Menards is expected to begin letting bids out to build its new Quincy store.

Gas prices aren't expected to jump a whole lot this summer.

Mentesti says if the prices escalate, they're not expected to go over $2.45 a gallon.

He says that's also good news for diesel prices which means more trucks will be on the road shipping goods all across the country.

So what jobs are available?

KHQA also talked with Julie Bonansinga, the owner of Snelling Staffing Services in Quincy.

She tells us her office has been filling mostly skilled positions like supervisors and managers.

Also, she's seeing some production machine operators on the industrial side of things.

Bonansinga also says some of her clients are seeing their business pick up.