Unemployment rates show improvement over December 2013

In a year’s time the local unemployment rates have dropped nearly four percent. The Illinois Department of Employment Security Thursday released December’s unemployment numbers.

December unemployment in La Salle County was 7.8 percent, down from 11.5 percent in December 2013.

In Bureau County, unemployment was to 7.4 percent, down more than three percent from last December.

Putnam County unemployment declined by four points from December 2013 to 7.1 percent last month.

The Ottawa-Streator area unemployment went from 11.1 percent in December 2013 to 7.7 percent in December 2014.

The area saw new construction jobs, but loss jobs in government, manufacturing, and information.