AFTER MONTHS OF BLEAK NEWS ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY – NOW THERE’S NEWS OF AN IMPROVING SITUATION AT LAFAYETTE’S LARGEST EMPLOYER, ROPER CORPORATION.  A MONDAY NEWS RELEASE FROM ROPER SAYS:  DUE TO BETTER THAN EXPECTED SALES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH… THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TAKING TEMPORARY LACK OF WORK EFFECTIVE MARCH 30 IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE FEWER THAN 50… SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE 120 JOB REDUCTIONS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED.  WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT SALES OVER THE PREVIOUS FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN UNEXPECTEDLY HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AND IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY, AT THIS TIME, TO TEMPORARILY REDUCE OUR WORKFORCE BY AS MUCH AS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED.

WQCH