February jobless totals good in area

Published 5:00 am Thursday, April 3, 2008

Mississippi Department of Employment Security numbers showLincoln County’s unemployment rate dropped considerably fromJanuary to February.

Lincoln County went from 6.8 percent unemployment in January toFebruary’s much-lower 6.0 percent. Statewide, the trend was similarwith the state rate going from 6.5 percent in January to 5.9percent in February.

MDES Labor Market Information Bureau Director Wayne Gasson saidthe rates were positive as compared to this time last year, andthat they can be expected to remain stable through March.

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“Historically the unemployment rate has shown no definite trendwhen comparing the change from February to March of each year,”Gasson said.

Most other counties in the area also experienced sharp drops inunemployment for the early part of the year. Walthall’s 6.8 percentJanuary unemployment rate fell to 5.9 for February and Pike Countywas down 0.7 percent from 6.7 percent in January to February’s 6percent.

Copiah County was down from 7.6 percent in January to 6.2percent in February, while Lawrence dropped from 8 percent to 6.6percent in the first months of the year.

Jefferson County’s 13.3 percent for January fell to 11.9 percentin February, though it is still the state’s second-highestunemployment rate, just behind Tunica County.

Amite County recorded the only rise in unemployment from Januaryto February, increasing from 6.5 percent to 6.7 percentrespectively.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Executive VicePresident Cliff Brumfield said the local economy could still beeven better, as part of what is affecting the unemployment rates isa slowdown in the local timber market.

In spite of the timber industry being such an importantcontributor to the local job market, Brumfield said Lincoln Countyis still doing well.

“Lincoln County is holding its own,” he said. “Some of this doesreflect some slowdown in the local timber market as well as sometrucking and transportation relative to timber and wood products.We hope to see that trend turn around soon.”

Brumfield said the lumber industry is a big part of the localeconomy, so the downturn in that industry should be monitoredclosely.

“This is cause for concern, but not panic, as our unemploymentnumbers are still extremely strong,” he said. “In reality, though,we are feeling the pinch in that market segment.”