Jobless rate drops, but just barely

The Daily Inter Lake

The unemployment rate has dropped slightly in Flathead and Lincoln counties, but has increased in Lake and Sanders counties.

In Flathead County, unemployment dropped from 9.6 percent to 9.1 percent, or by 102 people. However, the work force increased by 1,228 people, according to July figures from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

Bill Nelson, manager of Flathead Job Service, said he thinks the economy has hit bottom and should hold steady through the winter.

We have about 100 jobs right now, and typically wed have 350 to 400 this time of year, he said. Im still a little bit apprehensive about what to expect this fall and winter. There are no layoffs looming in the future. I don't see any new jobs coming available, either. We're keeping our fingers crossed that we get through fall and winter without any damage.

Flathead's unemployment rate peaked in March at 12.7 percent, when 6,085 people were out of work.

Elsewhere in Northwest Montana, Lincoln County's unemployment rate dropped from 12.8 percent to 12.2 percent, while in Sanders County the rate increased from 12.5 percent to 12.7 percent the highest in the state and in Lake County from 7.6 percent to 8.4 percent.

The lowest unemployment rate in the state 3 percent is in Powder River County in the southeast corner of the state.

The state's numbers for individual counties are not adjusted for seasonal fluctuations in the work force.

Montana's statewide unemployment rate seasonally adjusted was 6.7 percent in July. That was an increase of 0.3 percent.