STORIES GO HERE##################--> Unemployment

rate on the way down

Fayette County continued to show a

strong economic climate this spring as the county's

unemployment rate dropped again.

The rate

for April dropped to 1.8 percent, down from 2.1 percent

in March. Only Forsyth County, with a 1.6 percent rate,

had a lower rate in the metropolitan Atlanta area.

The

unemployment news was just as good throughout the region.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said last week

the region's rate dropped to 2.8 percent, which is the

lowest ever recorded for the region.

"Atlanta

continues to enjoy periods of low unemployment and

economic growth that began seven years ago, just as we've

seen throughout Georgia," he said. "An

important aspect of this growth is that all demographic

groups are now benefitting from this prosperity. Since

the recessionary period of 1992, unemployment in the

Atlanta area is down for all groups."

Since 1992,

the region has added 585,800 new jobs. In April, 6,400

new jobs were added. Most of the April jobs were added in

recreational centers, amusement parks, restaurants and

bars and the building trade.

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