Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1990 TAG: 9005020150
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Pulaski County had higher unemployment than last month - up from 8.5 percent to 8.7 percent. Neighboring counties had lower jobless rates.
Mild weather and fewer factory layoffs brought the Roanoke area unemployment rate down .7 percentage point to 3.4 percent in March. The state level dropped .5 percentage point to 3.9 percent, said William F. Mezger of the Virginia Employment Commission.
The economy "seems to have shaken off much of the sluggishness present in the fourth quarter and in January," he said. Mezger called March "probably the strongest month we've had in six months."
The 3.4 percent was the lowest for Roanoke since December. The VEC said 4,130 people in the Roanoke area were out of work, 810 fewer than in February.
Roanoke employment rose 1,200 over the month, boosted by gains of 500 trade jobs and 200 in manufacturing and services. The state reported an increase of 22,000 jobs. Non-farm employment was almost 2.9 million in March.
Roanoke County had 2.5 percent unemployment, the lowest in the Roanoke Valley, down from 3.2 percent in February. Roanoke's rate dropped from 5 percent to 4.3 percent; Salem had 3.3 percent, down from 3.8 percent; Botetourt County reported 2.9 percent, down from 3.7 percent.
The number of people drawing jobless benefits in the Roanoke area was 1,544, down 209; new claims were filed by 164 people, 11 fewer.
Mezger said state services added 10,600 jobs, trade employment was up by 3,600, construction rose by 3,700 and government added 2,800 jobs.
Bath County had 18.5 percent unemployment, the highest in the state. It was up from 15.6 percent.
All Virginia's metropolitan areas had lower unemployment. Lynchburg's rate was 4.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent; Richmond-Petersburg 3.6 percent, down from 3.9 percent; Hampton Roads 4.1 percent, down from 4.5 percent; and Northern Virginia 1.9 percent, down from 2.1 percent.
The rate for Norton-Wise was 9.3 percent, up from 8.8 percent. Counties with higher unemployment included Dickenson, 15.9 percent, up from 12.1 percent, and Smyth, 10.7 percent, up from 8.9 percent.
But joblessness dipped in most areas of Western Virginia. Lower rates were reported in:
Bedford City-County, 4 percent, down from 4.5 percent; Buena Vista-Rockbridge County, 5.1 percent, down from 5.3 percent; Covington-Alleghany County, 7.8 percent, down from 8.9 percent; Martinsville, 6.1 percent, down from 7.4 percent; and Galax, 5.7 percent, down from 7.1 percent.
Among counties: Bland, 3.7 percent, down from 4.5 percent; Buchanan, 7.8 percent, down from 8.8 percent; Carroll, 5.3 percent, down from 6.6 percent; Craig, 5.3 percent, down from 7.4 percent; Floyd, 6.4 percent, down from 7.4 percent; Franklin, 5.3 percent, down from 7.5 percent.
Giles, 10 percent, down from 11.2 percent; Grayson, 6.3 percent, down from 8.2 percent; Montgomery, 5.7 percent, down from 6.1 percent; Russell, 9.7 percent, down from 9.8 percent; Tazewell, 6.7 percent, down from 7.6 percent; Washington, 4.9 percent, down from 5.4 percent; and Wythe, 6.6 percent, down from 8 percent.
by CNB