people like alfonso urcuyo. >> at first, i didn't think it would be this long, but the way the economy is it's really bad. >> reporter: urcuyo has come here nearly every day, for a year and a half. that's when he was laid off from his last job, a contract position with the state of florida. with a 9.5% unemployment rate in the fort lauderdale area, there's a lot of competition for work. >> they have all these companies put their advertisements for openings, you know? and you keep sending them and sending them, and half the time they don't even respond. >> reporter: as the folks who work here will tell you these are busy times. blue collar. white collar. from professions in once highly sought-after occupations, to people from the construction, tourism, and telemarketing industries that once formed the backbone of the south florida economy. workforce one's kelly allen knows the numbers. >> busy is putting it mildly. a year ago, we had 27,000 people registered in our system. last time i checked, it was around 60,000. so there's been a huge increase in the number of people coming in, which

off. >> let's just say i was thrilled, d my wife was thrilledbout it, too. >> reporter: rember alfonso urcuyo? heot a job as a customer service rep, ending s 18-month ordeal >> they all say, "year and a half, oh my gosh, are u kidding? how can you dot," they said. and i've been trucki around. ( lahs ) >> reporter:nd it paid off. >> and it paid off. >> reporter: the kind of ns a lot re people are hoping to hear. >> you're fu of good news this week, aren't ya? >> oh,an, i love it when it's good news. >> reporter: jeff stine, "nightly biness report," davie, florida. >> paul: torrow, our friday market monitor guest is michl hasensta portfolio manager of the templen global bond fund. >> susie: onof bernard madoff's biggest investorss being asked to returbillions of dolrs to victims of that ponzi heme. former nework lawyer jeffery picower may have to give bk $7 billion he me investing with maff. the trustee recoveringadoff's assets wants that money retued to pple who were scammed. picower says that claim has merit. >> paul: if you're thinkin about buying a house or refinancing yo mortgage-- now cou