(NewsUSA) - The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported the addition of 165,000 jobs in April and a national unemployment average of 7.5 percent. Compared to the nine and 10 percent unemployment rates of 2010, the figure is promising. This May, however, could be a different story as employers typically increase hiring efforts in advance of the summer and holiday seasons.

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When it opens for business this fall, Vestar’s Oro Valley Marketplace, at Oracle and Tangerine roads, will feature 26 major tenants. They include:

In a contentious special session of the Oro Valley Town Council Aug. 13, the council grudgingly approved the Beztak Companies' bid to develop an apartment complex and retail shops at the southeast corner of Lambert Lane and La Canada Drive. In a 4-0 vote, the council tacked on a laundry list of conditions to be met by the developer, including placement of $50,000 cash in an escrow account for safety improvements to be identified after construction of the project.

Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona is opening its first upscale retail store and donation center in Oro Valley next spring.

Business hasn’t been great at RideNow Powersports, off Ina Road near Old Father. The specialty motorcycle/ATV store struggles to navigate the recession.

Christina Vanoverbeke, CVanoverbeke@ExplorerNews.com

Erin Schmidt, ESchmidt@ExplorerNews.com

Rock ’n Babies Upscale Resale, Green Baby Elephant and Sun Sprout will be host to the Tucson site of an international cloth diaper changing event taking place on Saturday, April 20, two days before Earth Day. In its third year with over 182 sites in 11 countries, The Great Cloth Diaper Change event will attempt to break last year’s Guinness World Record™ of 8,251 cloth diapers changed around the world at one time.

(NAPSI)—There are more than a million retail outlets in the United States and they employ almost 14 million people. After struggling through the Great Recession, many economists say it’s time for Congress to help these entrepreneurs, their communities and their employees by ending the special treatment given to their online-only competitors.

After more than 30 years as a specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories for the teenage and young adult markets, Anchor Blue is closing all 117 stores. Store-closing sales began on Jan. 7 and will continue until all merchandise and store fixtures are sold.

A national home-furnishing retailer has announced plans to close more than 50 stores, including six in Arizona.

Whether shoppers went online, or faced the large crowds at the stores, retailers say the 2012 holiday season is off to a good start with Black Friday sales reporting some of the best ever.

(StatePoint) Is updating your flooring on your home improvement to-do list this season? From color to style to performance, there’s a lot to consider. Learn how to find flooring that fits your lifestyle and reflects your family’s personality.

A long-awaited retail trade analysis of Oro Valley released last week offered a list of low- to medium-end retailers as the best possible match for the town's demographics and spending habits. On the upside, the report also indicated that a proposed shopping mall at Oracle and Tangerine could generate nearly $1 billion in annual sales, or potentially $20 million in sales tax revenue.