Area unemployment rates fall, but remain high

Unemployment rates for local counties fell in August but still remain about double what they were a year earlier.

Here are the local rates for last month: Mahoning County, 12.9 percent, compared with 14.4 percent in July and 7.4 percent in August 2008; Trumbull County, 14.4 percent; compared with 15.6 percent in July and 7.7 percent in August 2008; Columbiana County, 13.7 percent, compared with 14.9 percent in July and 7.5 percent in August 2008.

Ohio’s unemployment rate in August was 10.5 percent, compared with 11.1 percent in July and 6.8 percent in August 2008. The numbers were released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

For more details, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.