County Unemployment Rates Rise

OTTAWA – State and county unemployment rates increased within the past month, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Currently state unemployment is at 4.2 percent, just a tenth of a percent increase compared to last month. However, county unemployment rates scale higher in comparison to last month, with LaSalle at 5.1 percent, sixth tenths of a percent increase. Putnam County increased by a fifth of a percent, falling under LaSalle, at 4.7 percent. Although Bureau County also saw six tenths of a percent increase, it remains the lowest unemployment rate locally at 4.5 percent.