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State Dept.: U.S. Participation in the Port Management Association of the Caribbean Annual Meeting in Suriname
WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release on July 10, 2026:
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U.S. Participation in the Port Management Association of the Caribbean Annual Meeting in Suriname
From July 8-10, Department of State and interagency representatives participated in the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) annual meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname. The meeting, themed "Transitioning in an Era of Global Change," convened port authorities, industry stakeholders, and strategic partners from across our region to address maritime port development and security. Charge
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WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release on July 10, 2026:
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U.S. Participation in the Port Management Association of the Caribbean Annual Meeting in Suriname
From July 8-10, Department of State and interagency representatives participated in the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) annual meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname. The meeting, themed "Transitioning in an Era of Global Change," convened port authorities, industry stakeholders, and strategic partners from across our region to address maritime port development and security. Charged'Affaires Paul Watzlavick spoke at the opening of the conference.
United States participation underscored the Trump Administration's commitment to supporting high-quality, transparent infrastructure development in the Caribbean, expanding commercial opportunities and securing a level playing field for American companies, and advancing the America First economic agenda. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Department of State, and Department of Commerce are collaborating to modernize legal and regulatory frameworks governing port infrastructure across the region; including through Caribbean Basin Security Initiative programming.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/07/u-s-participation-in-the-port-management-association-of-the-caribbean-annual-meeting-in-suriname/
SEC Settles Litigation With Individual Charged in Microcap Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 20-cv-00007; S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 2, 2020):
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Steve M. Bajic et al., No. 20-cv-00007 (S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 2, 2020)
On July 7, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a consent and proposed final judgment as to defendant Steve Bajic in a previously-filed action against 15 defendants alleging a fraudulent microcap scheme.
The Commission's complaint, filed on January 2, 2020, alleged that Bajic, a citizen of Canada and Croatia, worked with
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WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 20-cv-00007; S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 2, 2020):
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Steve M. Bajic et al., No. 20-cv-00007 (S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 2, 2020)
On July 7, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a consent and proposed final judgment as to defendant Steve Bajic in a previously-filed action against 15 defendants alleging a fraudulent microcap scheme.
The Commission's complaint, filed on January 2, 2020, alleged that Bajic, a citizen of Canada and Croatia, worked withRajesh Taneja to help undisclosed public company insiders or control persons secretly sell large quantities of microcap stock. The complaint alleged that Bajic and Taneja used a network of foreign companies they controlled to buy and sell that stock in order to conceal the ownership interest of numerous companies' control persons. According to the complaint, Christopher McKnight used business bank accounts he controlled to conceal the sources of funds used to pay for related stock promotions.
Bajic consented to the entry of a final judgment enjoining him from violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 13(d) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder. The judgment orders Bajic to pay $837,734 in disgorgement, which will be deemed satisfied by the forfeiture judgment entered against Bajic in a parallel criminal case, United States v. Bajic, No. 23-cr-10306 (D. Mass), and imposes a penny stock bar against him. The Commission also notified the court that it would not seek a civil penalty as part of the bifurcated judgment previously entered against Rajesh Taneja in 2021. On September 27, 2023, the court entered a final judgment by consent as to McKnight, which enjoined him from violating and aiding and abetting violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder and ordered him to pay disgorgement of $985,044, prejudgment interest of $164,082, and a civil penalty of $75,000. In 2020 and 2021, the court previously entered final or bifurcated judgments by consent as to five individual defendants and final default judgments as to nine entity defendants.
The SEC's ongoing litigation is being handled by Kathleen Shields in the SEC's Boston Regional Office.
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Resources
* Final Judgment -Steve Bajic (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/judg26583-bajic.pdf)
* Final Judgment -Christopher McKnight (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/judg26583-mcknight.pdf)
* Commission's Status Report Regarding Final Judgment Against Defendant Rajesh Taneja (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/status26583-taneja.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26583
Justice Department Files Proposed Settlement With Owner and Operator of Keystone Pipeline to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations for 2022 Pipeline Rupture in Kansas
WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on July 10, 2026:
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Justice Department Files Proposed Settlement with Owner and Operator of Keystone Pipeline to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations for 2022 Pipeline Rupture in Kansas
Company Agrees to Pay More than $26.8M Civil Penalty, Complete Estimated $40M in Work to Prevent Future Discharges, and Pay State of Kansas $3 Million
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The Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State of Kansas, today filed a complaint and proposed consent decree to resolve allegations
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WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on July 10, 2026:
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Justice Department Files Proposed Settlement with Owner and Operator of Keystone Pipeline to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations for 2022 Pipeline Rupture in Kansas
Company Agrees to Pay More than $26.8M Civil Penalty, Complete Estimated $40M in Work to Prevent Future Discharges, and Pay State of Kansas $3 Million
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The Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State of Kansas, today filed a complaint and proposed consent decree to resolve allegationsthat South Bow (USA) LP and South Bow Infrastructure Operations Inc. -- the owner and operator of the Keystone Pipeline -- violated the Clean Water Act related to the 2022 rupture of the Keystone Pipeline in Washington County, Kansas.
On Dec. 7, 2022, nearly 13,000 barrels of oil (approximately 543,000 gallons) leaked from the ruptured pipeline over land and into Mill Creek, creating an imminent and substantial threat to human health and the environment. The event was one of the largest inland oil spills in recent history, and the largest discharge ever from the Keystone Pipeline system.
As part of the settlement, South Bow has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $26,867,789 and complete work designed to prevent future similar discharges, which South Bow estimates will cost approximately $40 million. South Bow has also agreed to contribute over $3 million to the state of Kansas towards natural resource restoration projects to resolve violations of Kansas state laws.
"Pipelines are the safest means of transporting large quantities of oil and other liquids and gases over long distances," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). "However rare, when a pipeline leaks, it can quickly escalate. That's why an important part of this proposed settlement is the work the company has committed to do to help prevent future leaks."
"This case demonstrates why the oil pipelines crossing our heartland must be maintained properly. The oil spill blanketed land and water, rendering the waterway lifeless and useless and requiring extensive cleanup and remediation," said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "The substantial penalty reflects the seriousness of the environmental harm, and the other requirements of the settlement reflect the need to prioritize pipeline integrity and maintenance for this critical infrastructure."
"It is important that we are all good stewards of the environment," said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. "The incident had a massive impact on the State of Kansas, and we are happy that this settlement will mitigate that damage."
"Dedicated EPA staff logged many thousands of hours cleaning up Mill Creek and were supported by multiple federal and state agencies," said Administrator Jim Macy of EPA Region 7. "This fair and comprehensive settlement represents a federal-state partnership commitment to protect our nation's waters and prevent future oil spills."
According to the complaint, after the 2022 spill, crude oil an inch thick covered Mill Creek bank-to-bank for 3.5 miles downstream of the rupture site. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a stream advisory for Mill Creek to prohibit contact with the creek by people, livestock, or pets. The discharge covered vegetation and soil in the immediately surrounding area, and oil residue was found in the 35 acres surrounding the discharge. The spill killed or impacted more than 2,700 animals.
Following a 2023 EPA cleanup order, South Bow removed oil from the creek and surrounding areas and completed restoration of aquatic habitat, stream banks, and shorelines.
The Keystone Pipeline is a 2,687-mile liquid oil pipeline system between Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, and Port Arthur, Texas. The rupture occurred in a section of the pipeline that stretches from Steele City, Nebraska, to Cushing, Oklahoma.
The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The complaint and proposed consent decree are available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The Environmental Protection Agency investigated this matter. More information on the settlement is available on EPA's South Bow Clean Water Act settlement summary: www.epa.gov/enforcement/south-bow-lp-cwa-settlement-summary.
Attorneys with ENRD's Environmental Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas are handling this matter.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-proposed-settlement-owner-and-operator-keystone-pipeline-resolve
FCC Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Issues Public Notice: Conditional Approval, Exemption of Certain Routers From FCC Covered List
WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 18-89; ET Docket No. 21-232; EA Docket No. 21-233):
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The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) maintains a list of equipment and services (Covered List) that have been determined to "pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons."/1 Pursuant to section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications
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WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 18-89; ET Docket No. 21-232; EA Docket No. 21-233):
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The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) maintains a list of equipment and services (Covered List) that have been determined to "pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons."/1 Pursuant to section 2 of the Secure and Trusted CommunicationsNetworks Act of 2019 (Secure Networks Act)/2 and sections 1.50002(a) and 1.50003 of the Commission's rules,/3 PSHSB announces that the Department of War (DoW) has granted Conditional Approval for certain routers. Therefore, such devices are exempt from the Covered List.
Recent Additions of Routers to the Covered List:
On March 23, 2026, the Commission added to the Covered List "routers produced in a foreign country, except routers which have been granted a Conditional Approval by DoW or DHS."/4 This addition was based on a National Security Determination from an Executive Branch interagency body, including several appropriate national security agencies, determining (among other things) that routers produced in a foreign country pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons./5
Conditional Approvals:
The Executive Branch interagency body established a process by which entities producing routers in foreign countries can request DoW or the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate whether such devices do not pose unacceptable risks to national security and receive Conditional Approvals that would exempt such devices from the Covered List. The Commission has updated the Covered List to reflect the Conditional Approvals that we have received from the DoW exempting certain routers from the Covered List./6
DoW has reviewed the submission and granted Conditional Approval for the following devices:
* Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd's WRTQ-411BE and WNRFQQ-113BE routers (terminating January 3, 2028)
The Covered List:
We find that the Conditional Approval constitutes "a specific determination" by DoW that such devices do not pose risks to U.S. national security./7 Therefore, we conclude that PSHSB is required to update the Covered List to exclude the equipment identified in this Conditional Approval.
PSHSB takes this action under its authority and obligation to publish and maintain the Covered List. Sections 1.50002(a) and 1.50003 of the Commission's rules require PSHSB to publish the Covered List on the Commission's website, to maintain and update the Covered List, and to monitor the status of determinations./8
The Covered List and the list of devices that have received Conditional Approvals are attached as Appendices A and B to this Public Notice and can also be found on the Bureau's website at https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist./9
We note the continued availability of FCC staff guidance pursuant to sections 0.191 and 0.31(i) of the Commission's rules. Commission staff will provide guidance to TCBs, test labs, and equipment authorization applicants on the impact of these updates.
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Footnotes:
1/ Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-124, 133 Stat. 158 (2020) (codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 1601-1609) (Secure Networks Act); 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002, 1.50003. For the current version of the Covered List, see Federal Communications Commission, List of Equipment and Services Covered By Section 2 of The Secure Networks Act, https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist (last updated Apr. 14, 2026).
2/ 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1601.
3/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002(a), 1.50003; see also Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14284 (2020) (Supply Chain Second Report and Order).
4/ FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Addition of Routers Produced in Foreign Countries to FCC Covered List, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA 26-278 (Mar. 23, 2026) (Routers Public Notice).
5/ Routers Public Notice at 2.
6/ See, e.g., FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Conditional Approval of Certain Routers and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Exemption from FCC Covered List, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA-26-351 (April 14, 2026). The list of devices that have received Conditional Approvals can be found on the Bureau's website at https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist.
7/ See Routers Public Notice, Appx. C.
8/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002(a), 1.50003. See Supply Chain Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 14319, 14325, paras. 72, 77, 92.
9/ The FCC website also contains a list of certain affiliates and subsidiaries of entities identified on the Covered List. The list of affiliates and subsidiaries does not constitute a comprehensive list of all entities that the Commission may find, upon further examination, to qualify as relevant subsidiaries or affiliates of entities on the Covered List. Those entities, whether or not they currently provide covered communications equipment or services, are subject to the Commission's prohibitions, such as the prohibition against obtaining authorizations for covered equipment. See Reminder: Communications Equipment And Services On The Covered List Pose An Unacceptable Risk To National Security, National Security Advisory No. 2025-01, DA 25-927, n.3 (PSHSB Oct. 14, 2025).
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Original text plus appendix here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-704A1.pdf
BLS Southeast Region Issues Report on Occupational Employment and Wages in Morristown, Tenn. May 2025
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Morristown, Tenn. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 10, 2026
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Workers in the Morristown, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $24.75 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($54.46) and legal ($51.89). Lower paying occupational groups included
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ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Morristown, Tenn. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 10, 2026
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Workers in the Morristown, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $24.75 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($54.46) and legal ($51.89). Lower paying occupational groups includedfood preparation and serving related ($14.25), personal care and service ($15.79), and building and grounds cleaning and maintenance ($17.25). (See table A.)
Production occupations accounted for 17.3 percent of Morristown area employment, followed by transportation and material moving occupations (12.8 percent) and office and administrative support occupations (10.9 percent). Major occupational groups on the lower end of local employment included legal (0.3 percent); life, physical, and social science (0.4 percent); and arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (0.6 percent).
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Table A. Occupational employment and wages by major occupational group, United States and the Morristown metropolitan area, May 2025
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One occupational group--production--was chosen to illustrate the diversity of data available for any of the 22 major occupational categories. Morristown had 8,180 jobs in production, accounting for 17.3 percent of local area employment, compared to the 5.5-percent share nationally. The average hourly wage for this occupational group locally was $21.84, compared to the national wage of $24.81.
Among the larger detailed occupations within the production group was miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (1,530). Among the higher paying jobs in this group were first-line supervisors of production and operating workers ($34.75) and computer numerically controlled tool operators ($27.58). At the lower end of the wage scale were bakers ($13.68); woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing ($16.02); and sewing machine operators ($16.07). (Detailed data for the production occupations are presented in table 1; for a complete listing of detailed occupations available go to data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0034100/2025.)
Location quotients allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. (See table 1.) For example, a location quotient of 2.00 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally. In the Morristown area, above-average concentrations of employment were found in many of the occupations within the production group. For instance, tool and die makers were employed at 10.47 times the national rate in Morristown, and helpers of production workers, at 9.07 times the U.S. average.
The statistics in this release are from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, a cooperative effort between BLS and the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical support. State Workforce Agencies collect most of the data: in this case, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
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Federal Government Shutdown
Because of the lapse in federal appropriations from October 1 through November 12, 2025, additional collection and processing time were required for the May 2025 OEWS survey panel once appropriations resumed. The response rate for the May 2025 survey panel was within the normal range and no additional modifications to the OEWS methodology and procedures were necessary as a result of the shutdown.
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Technical Note
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OEWS data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 530 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-digit, most 4-digit, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. Full OEWS data tables (https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm) are available online.
Additional information about the OEWS estimates and methodology is available in the national Technical Notes (https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oes_tec.htm). The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 66.2 percent based on establishments and 67.2 percent based on weighted sampled employment. Sample sizes and response rates by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area are available on the Additional OEWS data sets (https://www.bls.gov/oes/additional.htm) page.
Metropolitan area definitions
The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
The Morristown, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Hamblen County and Jefferson County.
For more information
Answers to frequently asked questions (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm) about the OEWS data, as well as general program documentation (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_doc.htm), are available on the OEWS website (https://www.bls.gov/oes/).
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
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Table 1. Employment and wage data for production occupations, Morristown metropolitan area, May 2025
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View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/2026/occupationalemploymentandwages_morristown_20260710.htm
BLS Southeast Region Issues Report on Occupational Employment and Wages in Bowling Green, Ky. May 2025
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Bowling Green, Ky. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 12, 2026
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Workers in the Bowling Green, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $26.31 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($51.03), healthcare practitioners and technical ($45.60), and
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ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Bowling Green, Ky. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 12, 2026
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Workers in the Bowling Green, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $26.31 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($51.03), healthcare practitioners and technical ($45.60), andlegal ($43.24). Lower paying occupational groups included food preparation and serving related ($14.62), personal care and service ($16.11), and building and grounds cleaning and maintenance ($17.25). (See table A.)
Occupational groups with the highest employment shares in the Bowling Green area included production (12.0 percent), office and administrative support (11.2 percent), transportation and material moving (10.5 percent), and food preparation and serving related (10.2 percent). Major occupational groups on the lower end of local employment included legal (0.5 percent) and life, physical, and social science (0.7 percent).
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Table A. Occupational employment and wages by major occupational group, United States and the Bowling Green metropolitan area, May 2025
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One occupational group--production--was chosen to illustrate the diversity of data available for any of the 22 major occupational categories. Bowling Green had 9,840 jobs in production, accounting for 12.0 percent of local area employment, compared to the 5.5-percent share nationally. The average hourly wage for this occupational group locally was $25.13, compared to the national wage of $24.81.
Some of the larger detailed occupations within the production group included miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (2,030) and multiple metal and plastic machine tool setters, operators, and tenders (1,440). Among the higher paying jobs in this group were first-line supervisors of production and operating workers ($35.81) and computer numerically controlled tool programmers ($34.32). At the lower end of the wage scale were pressers, textile, garment, and related materials ($13.07) and laundry and dry-cleaning workers ($13.87). (Detailed data for the production occupations are presented in table 1; for a complete listing of detailed occupations available go to data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0014540/2025.)
Location quotients allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. (See table 1.) For example, a location quotient of 2.00 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally. In the Bowling Green area, above-average concentrations of employment were found in many of the occupations within the production group. For instance, multiple metal and plastic machine tool setters, operators, and tenders were employed at 21.95 times the national rate in Bowling Green, and tool and die makers, at 5.83 times the U.S. average.
The statistics in this release are from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, a cooperative effort between BLS and the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical support. State Workforce Agencies collect most of the data: in this case, the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
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Federal Government Shutdown
Because of the lapse in federal appropriations from October 1 through November 12, 2025, additional collection and processing time were required for the May 2025 OEWS survey panel once appropriations resumed. The response rate for the May 2025 survey panel was within the normal range and no additional modifications to the OEWS methodology and procedures were necessary as a result of the shutdown.
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Technical Note
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OEWS data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 530 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-digit, most 4-digit, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. Full OEWS data tables (https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm) are available online.
Additional information about the OEWS estimates and methodology is available in the national Technical Notes (https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oes_tec.htm). The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 66.2 percent based on establishments and 67.2 percent based on weighted sampled employment. Sample sizes and response rates by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area are available on the Additional OEWS data sets (https://www.bls.gov/oes/additional.htm) page.
Metropolitan area definitions
The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
The Bowling Green, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Allen County, Butler County, Edmonson County, and Warren County.
For more information
Answers to frequently asked questions (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm) about the OEWS data, as well as general program documentation (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_doc.htm), are available on the OEWS website (https://www.bls.gov/oes/).
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
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Table 1. Employment and wage data for production occupations, Bowling Green metropolitan area, May 2025
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View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/2026/occupationalemploymentandwages_bowlinggreen_20260710.htm
BLS Southeast Region Issues Report on Occupational Employment and Wages in Birmingham, Ala. May 2025
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Birmingham, Ala. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 9, 2026
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Workers in the Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $29.22 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($62.37) and legal ($53.92). Lower paying occupational groups included
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ATLANTA, Georgia, July 11 (TNSLrpt) -- Occupational Employment and Wages in Birmingham, Ala. May 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - July 9, 2026
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Workers in the Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $29.22 in May 2025, compared to the nationwide average of $33.54, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that higher paying major occupational groups included management ($62.37) and legal ($53.92). Lower paying occupational groups includedfood preparation and serving related ($14.64) and personal care and service ($16.00). (See table A.)
Office and administrative support occupations account for 11.9 percent of Birmingham area employment, followed by sales and related occupations (10.1 percent), and transportation and material moving (9.3 percent). Major occupational groups on the lower end of local employment included life, physical, and social science (0.8 percent); arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (1.0 percent); and legal (1.1 percent).
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Table A. Occupational employment and wages by major occupational group, United States and the Birmingham metropolitan area, May 2025
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One occupational group--sales and related--was chosen to illustrate the diversity of data available for any of the 22 major occupational categories. Birmingham had 52,600 jobs in sales and related, accounting for 10.1 percent of local area employment, compared to the 8.6-percent share nationally. The average hourly wage for this occupational group locally was $24.01, compared to the national wage of $26.43.
Some of the larger detailed occupations within the sales and related group included retail salespersons (15,280) and cashiers (10,690). Among the higher paying jobs in this group were insurance sales agents ($44.83) and first-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers ($43.34). At the lower end of the wage scale were demonstrators and product promoters ($13.67) and cashiers ($14.22). (Detailed data for the sales and related occupations are presented in table 1; for a complete listing of detailed occupations available go to data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0013820/2025.)
Location quotients allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. (See table 1.) For example, a location quotient of 2.00 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally. In the Birmingham area, above-average concentrations of employment were found in some of the occupations within the sales and related group. For instance, parts salespersons were employed at 1.68 times the national rate in Birmingham, and insurance sales agents, at 1.67 times the U.S. average. Cashiers had a location quotient of 1.03 in Birmingham, indicating that this particular occupation's local and national employment shares were similar.
The statistics in this release are from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, a cooperative effort between BLS and the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical support. State Workforce Agencies collect most of the data: in this case, the Alabama Department of Labor.
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Federal Government Shutdown
Because of the lapse in federal appropriations from October 1 through November 12, 2025, additional collection and processing time were required for the May 2025 OEWS survey panel once appropriations resumed. The response rate for the May 2025 survey panel was within the normal range and no additional modifications to the OEWS methodology and procedures were necessary as a result of the shutdown.
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Technical Note
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OEWS data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 530 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-digit, most 4-digit, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. Full OEWS data tables (https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm) are available online.
Additional information about the OEWS estimates and methodology is available in the national Technical Notes (https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oes_tec.htm). The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 66.2 percent based on establishments and 67.2 percent based on weighted sampled employment. Sample sizes and response rates by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area are available on the Additional OEWS data sets (https://www.bls.gov/oes/additional.htm) page.
Metropolitan area definitions
The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
The Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Bibb County, Blount County, Chilton County, Jefferson County, Shelby County, St. Clair County, and Walker County.
For more information
Answers to frequently asked questions (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm) about the OEWS data, as well as general program documentation (https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_doc.htm), are available on the OEWS website (https://www.bls.gov/oes/).
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
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Table 1. Employment and wage data for sales and related occupations, Birmingham metropolitan area, May 2025
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View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/2026/occupationalemploymentandwages_birmingham_20260709.htm
