Unemployment held nearly steady across the area from April to May, according to figures the state published today. For LaSalle County, the figure remained at 5.5%. For Bureau County, it climbed from 4.7% to 4.8%. And for Putnam County, it dropped from 5.2% to 5.1%. Combining all three counties, the rate held at 5.3%.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security says during the last year, the area gained 225 jobs. Government, manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality have more jobs now than a year ago. Job losses were highest in the educational-health, professional-business, and trade-transportation-utilities areas.