Forecasting firm IHS Global Insight released on Monday a state-by-state employment forecast for 2009-2015 and it shows a familiar pattern: The fastest growth is in the South and West, while the Midwest and New England will be sluggish. The forecast says Missouri will add jobs at a rate of 0.97 percent a year, ranking it 35th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Illinois is No. 42 tenth from the bottom with an expected growth rate of 0.86 percent. Top-ranked Idaho is expected to grow 2.01 percent a year, while last-place Connecticut will add just 0.52 percent a year to its job base.

-- David Nicklaus