15% unemployment in La Salle County

Local unemployment continued to grow bleaker in December.  La Salle County’s unemployment rate reached 15% last month, 5% higher than the same time in 2008.

Putnam County unemployment was almost just as high, at 14.4%.  Bureau County unemployment was 13.7%.

The Ottawa-Streator area figure was 14.7%.  The state department of employment security says the largest job losses were in manufacturing, transportation warehousing, and financial activities.