In Mar. 13-19 issue
By Greg Wells
Times Journal Managing Editor

RUSSELL SPRINGS - Around 630 persons found work in Russell County between 2005 and 2007, according to labor statistics issued by the state, and the increase in jobs appears to still be slowly increasing over the past year.

Unemployment was down in all but one county in the Lake Cumberland area in the first month of this year, compared to the previous January, according to Kentucky labor statistics.

Only Taylor County saw higher a unemployment rate last January, as compared the previous January.

Russell County's unemployment rate of 6.7 percent was down from the previous January's rate of 7.4 percent but up from December 2007's 5.9 percent.

Unemployment went up from last December to January throughout this region and across the state as a whole.

The state average unemployment rate in January was 5.9 percent and the rate for this region was 6.6 percent.

Russell County, according to the agency's reports, has had an unemployment rate of between 8.3 and 8.5 percent in January for the preceding three years.

At the same time the number of people working in the county has increased from 6,930 in 2005 to 7,579 during the January the agency reports.

Unemployment rates fell in 88 Kentucky counties between January 2007 and January 2008, rose in 24 counties and remained the same in eight counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Education Cabinet.

Fayette and Woodford counties recorded the lowest jobless rates in the commonwealth at 4.2 percent each. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Warren County, 4.6 percent; Boone and Jessamine counties, 4.8 percent each; Madison and Scott counties, 4.9 percent each; Bourbon and Boyd counties, 5.1 percent each; and Henderson and Union counties, 5.2 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state's highest unemployment rate - 12.1 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 11.2 percent; Menifee County, 10.9 percent; Clay County, 10.4 percent; Morgan County, 10.1 percent; Wolfe County, 10 percent; Bath County, 9.7 percent; Lewis County, 9.6 percent; and Harlan and Lawrence counties, 9.4 percent each.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks.

The statistics in the news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.