On April 23, 2009, Anil Puri, Dean of the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton, and Mira Farka, Assistant Professor of Economics, presented their 2009 Midyear Economic Forecast at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.  Among their findings, the economists predicted that Orange County's unemployment will rise to between 8 to 8.5 percent - a jump from the 6 percent unemployment rate predicted at their last forecast in October 2008.  The rise in unemployment translates into a loss of 20,000 jobs this year.  In addition, Dean Puri stated that it could take five or more years for the region to fully recover from the economic downturn, which he labeled "The Great Recesssion."  For a copy of the forecast, available at a cost of $20, contact