JOBS ADDED in August are 22,000 (Shutterstock).

After a weak jobs report on Friday, President Donald Trump claimed the numbers were “rigged” and fired the official in charge of assembling the statistics.

The New York Times reported that the U.S. economy added a modest 22,000 jobs in August. Additionally, June’s numbers were revised downward into a net loss of jobs. The result is that the unemployment rate rose from 4.1 percent to 4.3 percent.

Economists told The Times that tariffs put in place by the president have driven up costs for companies and prices for consumers, dampening the need for hiring more employees.

Fired from her job was Erika McEntarfer. She will be replaced – if confirmed by the Senate – by E.J. Antoni, described as a conservative economist and ally of the president.

Koreans detained in Georgia raid

A reported 475 people were detained at a Hyundai manufacturing site in Georgia on Friday by immigration enforcement officials, reports the Associated Press.

The majority of people were from South Korea, where Hyundai is based, said Steven Shrank, special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations. He called the raid the “largest single site enforcement operation in the history of the HHS.

The factory makes electric vehicles. To date, few of the sites raided and persons deported were from Korea. There were no figures available about how many of the detainees were held for deportation.

“End Epstein Hoax,” says Trump

Posting a long message on his Truth Social website, President Donald Trump called on the public to “end the Democrat Epstein Hoax.”

United Press International reports that Trump wrote “the Department of Justice has done its job,” rejecting calls for the release of information related to sex trafficking accusations tied to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Both Republican and Democratic legislators in Congress have been urging the release of more files related to Epstein.

He was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 after being convicted on a variety of sex charges, including solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18.

Weather: Down to the 70s … eventually

After weeks in the 80s and even sometimes in the 90s, somewhat autumnal weather is in the offing for our West Orange County cities. The forecast is for a daytime high of 83 on Saturday with an overnight low of 66. Sunday will warm slightly to 85 (66) and Monday again to 87 (65). But on Tuesday the thermometer is expected to cool to 79 (66). The skies won’t change, though, with partly cloudy conditions each day.

Great Thoughts

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”
–– John Ruskin, writer

“To appreciate the sun, you gotta know what rain is.”
Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriter

“If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.”
– Mark Twain, writer