The Jayco Corporation plans to close its Entegra Coach subsidiary in Wakarusa and move production to its Middlebury plant. The closure in February will eliminate at least 134 jobs.

Jayco also announced last month it would close its Starcraft trailer plant in Topeka, about 40 miles southeast of South Bend.

Meanwhile, a new Manpower survey released this morning shows the employment outlook for the South Bend - Mishawaka area is one of the weakest in the nation.

Only 10% of the South Bend - Mishawaka area companies interviewed plan to hire more employees from January to March in 2009.

12% say they will be making payroll cuts which could mean lay-offs.

74% expect to maintain their current staff levels...

4% of the companies say they aren't sure of their plans at this time.

Some of the hardest hit industries in the coming months probably come as no surprise. Of the employers surveyed: construction, transportation & utilities, financial, leisure and hospitality, and government jobs are expected to be the most in danger.

Meanwhile, job prospects appear best in professional and business services, education, and health services.

The job outlook nationwide isn't much better than here at home - of the 31,800 employers surveyed in the U.S only 16% expect to increase their staff between January and March.

13%t expect to reduce their payrolls.