Callaway County's recent trend of rising unemployment was reversed last month when the county's jobless rate fell more than 1 percent.
The September jobless rate decline of 1.1 percent to 6.9 percent in Callaway County was the biggest one-month drop in unemployment in more than two years.
Callaway County's jobless rate increased from 7.8 percent in July to 8.0 percent in August. But in September the unemployment rate reversed course and fell to 6.9 percent. The last time Callaway County's jobless rate was that low was 29 months ago in April of 2009 when it was 6.6 percent.
"This is good news for Callaway County. That's a big change in the right direction," said Bruce Hackmann, president of the Fulton Area Development Corporation.
To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.