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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
Lowndes County has third highest unemployment rate in the state, according to preliminary January 2016 numbers released by the Alabama Department of Labor on Monday.
The county had dropped from second highest in the state to fourth with a revised December 2015 rate of 10.7. But the preliminary January numbers show a rate of 12.0 percent, which is .4 percent higher than the January revised 2015 rate.
Counties with January preliminary rates higher than Lowndes were Wilcox, first with 16.0 percent unemployment and Clarke second with 12.4 percent unemployment. Following Lowndes were Geene fourth with 10.8 percent and fifth Monroe with 10.3 percent.
Counties with the lowest January preliminary unemployment rates were Shelby with 4.5 percent, Elmore and Lee with 5.3 percent, Autauga and St. Clair with 5.4 percent.
Governor Robert Bentley announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted January 2016 unemployment rate is 6.2%
“We remain committed to lowering Alabama’s unemployment rate, but we are even more committed to making sure that every Alabamian who wants a job has the opportunity to have one,” said Governor Robert Bentley. “We are making significant progress towards that goal. This month’s jobs numbers are showing some of the best growth we have seen in years, and we are encouraged by the momentum. We will not stop in our mission to bring quality jobs to Alabama, and help our existing businesses become even more successful.”
“January’s rate contains some interesting and positive data,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “There is almost no change in the rate, mainly due to the fact that there were more people in the labor force and more people were employed. These are both good signs, because it means that people are continuing to display confidence in the economy and that they are able to find work. In fact, the number of people counted as employed in January is higher than it has been since October 2008.”