The government survey of employers found just 74,000 jobs were added to the economy in December, that’s far below expectations and far below the trend of the past year. Moody’s analytics chief economist Mark Zandi thinks the December report is a statistical aberration. 

 

“That doesn’t represent realities. It’s not consistent with any of the other economic data that we’ve got and(when) we chose of federal economy.”

 

That data includes low first-time claims for unemployment, growing consumer optimism. Survey \is showing businesses anticipate hiring more workers and strengthening housing market. Many economists think December’s job growth number will be revised upward in the coming months. John Nitsdi, NPR News, Washington.

 

The Obama administration has decided not to renew its contract with one of the major software vendors behind the failed launch of the new health insurance website. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports the contract with CJI Federal will mend(vi.) next month.

 

CJI Federal was the primary contractor hired to build the insurance website. And hundreds of the company’s employees continue to work on the site even after a different contractor QSSI was put in charge of the project in late October. Despite major improvements since then, there are lingering concerns about the website’s performance, and the administration reportedly is negotiating with a rival firm Excenture to take over from CJI. Excenture built the generally successful California Insurance Exchange. Meanwhile, CJI said in a statement it will continue to perform work for the office that oversees the website. The company notes even after the failed rollout, it has been granted nearly 37 million dollars in additional government contracts. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

 

And authorities are launching an investigation into a chemical spill that has resulted in a water use ban in parts of West Virginia. Government issued(issuing) a disaster declaration, after a foaming agent used in the coal preparation process get its way into the Elk River, affecting water supplies in the areas around Charleston. It’s not clear how dangerous this spill may be. There are 32,000 people were being told to avoid drinking or using the tap water. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.

 

“Duely at the Warzis areas, do not use tap water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, or should your baby.”

 

National Guard had been distributing water to those living in the affected area.

 

Businesses boosted their stockpiles of unsold goods in November though the rise was not [the same as] half of October’s increase the conversed [bumber] reporting today wholesale stockpiles rose by half a percent.

 

A mixed end of the week on Wall Street, the Dow John Industrial Average closed down seven points to 16,437, the NASDUQ was up 18 points today.

 

You’re listening to NPR News in Washington. 

 

Former White House press secretary Lerry Spik, who worked for six years in the Reagan(’s) White House, has died in his native Mississippi. According to an official at the funeral home in Cleveland, Mississippi, Spiks died today in his home and he was buried a short time later at a private memorial service. Spiks became President Reagan’s acting spokesman after Press Secretary James Braidy was wounded during an assassination attempt (in) 1981 which also left the president wounded. Spiks’ most recently work to the US postal service, retiring in 2008, there [is] Spiks was 74 years old.

 

Reports of sexual assault are down to US military academies. That’s according to the Pentagon. NPR’s Qwou Lawrence reports two of the three lead academies saw a decrease.

 

The Air Force Academy longed the highest number of sex crimes. But that may indicate that air force cadets feel more confident about telling authorities. Major General Jes Snow leads the Pentagon’s effort against sexual assault. He said a culture of harassment can lead to rape.

 

“Sexual assault is a crime and has no place at the academies just as it has no place in our armed forces.”

 

Advocates insist the military must change its justice system to ensure effective punishment of rape in the ranks. Qwou Lawrence, NPR News.

 

Federal government says flu season appears to be ramping up with widespread cases of the flu now being reported in 35 states up from 25 the previous week. A flu expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the agency’s weekly report released today shows [a/it was in the thick/fake] of flu season while officials say that flu season (is) not yet over. It’s still too early to predict was this will be a worse-than-normal year. [That/It is] so far not as high as last year when flu outbreaks started early. The flu generally peaks(vi.) in January or February.