The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 7

Unemployment rate in Elkhart County is approaching 9 per cent nut) TMMJNf 7 LLKHART. Ind. (AP)-When the federal government started allocating gasoline, talked of rationing and asked service stations to close Sun days, the tourist Industry knew it was in for bad times. A portion of that industry, manufacture of recreational vehicles, is a mainstay of the economy of Elkhart County. The unemployment rate in the county is approaching 9 per cent Commodore Corp.

announced this week it was liquidating its assets in Banner Homes of Elkhart, which will close throwing about 50 persons out of work. The shutdowns are industry wide in factories producing camper tops for pickup trucks, travel trailers and motor homes. "Headlines on continuing shortages of gasoline lead us to believe that recreational vehicle sales, particularly motor homes, won't improve said Daniel Katzman, president of Commodore Corp. Walter Harroff, manager of the Ind i a a Employment Security Division's Elkhart office, says he's never seen anything like the long lines forming as the unemployed file claims for state benefits. Harroff, who has worked in the office 24 years, says 14 more employes have been hired to handle the increased load.

There were 22 employes in the office before layoffs began in November. "As late as a year ago we were scrambling to get the word out to people all across the country that there was work in Elkhart County," Harroff said. Last in the county was running sixtenths of 1 per cent, he said. In July national attention began to focus on a possible energy crisis and the figure climbed to slightly more than 1 per cent. It's gone up steadily ever since.

The layoffs have not made a serious dent yet in Eikhart, population 43,000. Mayor Daniel Hayes says downtown merchants told him they noticed no downturn in Christmas sales. Hayes added, however, that layoffs are starting to affect other industries in town. Keith Mcade of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce says he thinks effects of a weakened RV industry will last no more than five years. The economy, with widely diversified industries, can weather trouble with RVs, he said.

GARY INCLUDED WASHINGTON (AP)--The Federal Energy Office says licensed drivers in Giry, probably would receive 20 per cent less gasoline than the national standards if rationing becomes a Gary was one of 10 such metropolitan areas listed by the FEO Thursday. Drivers in those areas might be limited to 33 gallons a month when gasoline supplies are tight, the FEO said. Slowing down EIKHART-- Workmen in the Indiana Toll Road sign shop in Elkhart begin assembly of 55 m.p.h. speed limit signs to go along the 156-mile northern road when the Indiana General Assembly passes the new speed law. The road commission announced it would lower speed limits from 70 to 55 in response to the new federal energy legislation.

The House passed the bill giving the governor the power to lower the limits and it next goes to the Senate. (AP Wirephoto) Report Skylabbers could stay beyond planned time SPACE CENTER, Houston (AP) -The Skylab 3 astronauts are in such good physical shape they could probably stay in space well beyond their planned 84 days, a space agency doctor says. But officials emphasized the astronauts will not be kept aloft beyond the Feb. 8 a date. For one thing, there isn't enough food aboard to sustain them much past then.

Gerald P. Carr, William R. Pogue and Edward G. Gibson, in their 64th day in space, were to take most of the day off today for their weekly relaxation. They scheduled only a few experiments, mainly sun observations.

The a a on Thursday received a go-ahead to remain in orbit another week. Officials are confident they will complete 84 days, but during the final month they are making goa- head decisions a week at a time. In reviewing the medical status, Dr. Royce Hawkins, chief astronaut phys- i i a told Thursday: "There arc no medical problems. We find nothing that precludes our going ahead.

'I'm optimistic from what we've seen, and I would certainly think we could go beyond 84 days. They have been especially stable the last three or four weeks." The astronauts today end a four-day period in which the space station has been in continuous sunlight because of its position in relation to the sun. This has raised the inside temperature from 71 to 82 degrees, but readings are expected to fall over the weekend after the station begins orbiting through periods of darkness. Apple River, N.S., was named after a ship, laden with apples, was wrecked in the neighborhood more a 1 0 0 a ago. Thcgift that grows.

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