Unemployment rate increases

Unemployment rate increases By Tiffany Thompson, Staff Writer Sunday, July 6, 2008 — Stanly County was one of 92 counties throughout the state that experienced an increase in the unemployment rate for May, according to statistics released by the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (ESC). Avery, Currituck, Dare, Graham, Hyde, M7cDowell, Swain and Tyrrell counties were the eight counties that experienced decreases or no change to the unemployment rates. “A majority of the state’s counties experienced significant increases in May,” said ESC Chairman Harry E. Payne Jr. In April, Stanly County’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, which increased by 0.9 percent in May to 5.8 percent. The city of Albemarle, the county’s micropolitan statistical area, also experienced an increase to 5.8 percent in May with 1,818 workers... [read full story]