Statistics on jobless available online

Each Monday, The Eagle highlights a government record that is available to the public. Open records help people keep government in check and help them better understand how government affects their lives.

For a complete list of You Oughta Know columns, go to www.kansas.com/oughta.

The records: Unemployment statistics for any state or metropolitan area, including Wichita.

Why you'd want them: To learn more about Wichita's economy or another area in which you have interest.

Where you get the records: From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Web site on local area unemployment statistics, www.bls.gov/lau/data.htm. Click on the one-screen data search icon. Then input where you are interested in learning about unemployment.

How much it will cost: The information is free.