Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment Rises Slightly

Clark County's unemployment rose from 2.6 percent in November to 3.2 percent in December.

No reason was given for this increase from information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

However, the jobless figures increased for all counties surrounding Clark as well.

Dallas County saw an increase from 4.7 percent to 5.4 percent, while Hot Spring County jumped from 5.7 to 6.7 percent for the recording period.

Montgomery County saw a massive increase as its numbers leaped from 3.9 percent in November to 6.0 percent for December.

The increase in Nevada County was slight, rising from 5.9 percent to 6.0 percent, while Ouachita County climbed a full percentage point from 8.4 percent to 9.4 percent.

Pike County also had a one percent increase, going from 4.0 to 5.0 percent.

Looking at the rankings based on unemployment, Clark County enters the tally in fifth place.

Next comes Pike County in 28th, while Dallas County enters the chase in 32nd.

Montgomery County ranks 39th, tied with Nevada County.

Hot Spring County enters the foray in 50th position, with Ouachita County being 69th.

Only one county had a jobless rate below 3.0 percent, and it was Scott County at .6 percent.

There were 10 counties with jobless figures from 3.0 to 3.9 percent, while 16 counties registered unemployment numbers from 4.0 to 4.9 percent.

The 5.0 to 5.9 percent division housed 11 counties, with another 14 falling in the 6.0 to 6.9 percent bracket.

Eight counties composed the 7.0 to 7.9 percent region, with five making up the 8.0 to 8.9 percent category.

There were six counties with jobless numbers from 9.0 to 9.9 percent.

For the first time in several months, Arkansas had four counties with double-digit unemployment. Three, Mississippi, Jackson and Searcy, ranged from 10.0 to 10.9 percent.

Randolph County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 11.0 percent.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.0 percent in December, a climb of 0.3 percent from November's 4.7 percent.

Nationally, the jobless rate also rose, but only 0.1 percent to 4.7 percent.

In Arkansas, the jobless figures were higher in 70 counties for December than November, with the rates remaining unchanged in one and dropping in four.

The five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) also saw increases in the number of people out of work for the period.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA rose from 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent for the month, but still remained the lowest of the group.

The Pine Bluff MSA climbed from 6.1 to 7.0 percent for the recording period, and remains the MSA with the highest unemployment figures.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock and Jonesboro MSAs had identical December figures of 3.7 percent. The Little Rock numbers rose from 3.3 percent, while the Jonesboro figures climbed from 3.6 percent.

Checking the Fort Smith MSA, the increase was slight, climbing from 4.9 to 5.1 percent.

LOST CAUSE Members of the Gurdon Fire Department fought a losing battle Wednesday morning as they fought to save the home of 99-year-old Ella Campbell. Her frame home burned to the ground, though the blaze was extinguished once around 8:30 a.m. Firefighters returned around 10:30 p.m. as the flames rekindled, but were unable to save the structure. Campbell was unharmed, but suffered smoke exhaustion.