From staff, AP reports
Another month and another dismal jobless report for Obion County.
The county is closing in on a full year of having one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.
The state released its July unemployment report Thursday afternoon, and once again Obion County has the dubious distinction of being ranked second in the state, tied with Weakley County.
Obion and Weakley counties’ 16 percent jobless rate for July was ranked behind only Scott County (21.7 percent) in upper East Tennessee. The local unemployment rate has not dropped below 12 percent since August 2011 and has been as high as 17.2 percent during the past year.
Obion County’s jobless rate increased from 14.8 percent in June to 16 percent last month, according to the state unemployment report.
The county’s July unemployment rate translates to 2,200 people unemployed during the month.
Elsewhere in West Tennessee, other counties included in the top 10 include:
• Weakley County ­— 16 percent unemployment (2,570 unemployed).
• Lauderdale County — 13.8 percent unemployment (1,340 unemployed).
• Dyer County — 13.4 percent unemployment (2,300 unemployed).
• Gibson County — 12.8 percent unemployment (2,800 unemployed).
In neighboring Lake County, the July jobless rate was 11.5 percent (310 unemployed). Combined, there were 11,520 unemployed people in the six West Tennessee counties.
Of all six of those counties, the unemployment rate increased from June to July, according to the state report.
From June to July, the jobless rate dropped in 20 counties in Tennessee, increased in 59 counties, and remained the same in 16 counties, according to the state unemployment report. The July jobless rate was higher than 10 percent in 54 of the 95 counties in the state.
Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted July unemployment rate was 8.4 percent, slightly higher than the U.S. July unemployment rate of 8.3 percent.
The latest unemployment figures from Kentucky show Fulton County’s 15.4 percent jobless rate is the second highest in that state.
The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training reported Thursday that jobless rates improved in 97 counties. Rates worsened in 18 others and were unchanged in five.
Woodford County had the lowest jobless rate at 5.9 percent. Hancock, Fayette, Franklin, Oldham, Scott, Shelby and Union counties were all below 7 percent.
Magoffin County’s 16.7 percent jobless rate was the worst in the state. Fulton County was at 15.4 percent. Harlan, Jackson and Leslie counties were above 14 percent.

Published in The Messenger 8.24.12