LAKE COUNTY – The latest employment numbers released from the state's Employment Development Department are good news for Lake County.

Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's North Coast Region office in Eureka reported the county's March 2007 unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.

That's well below the February 2007 rate of 8.3 percent and the March 2006 rate of 8.1 percent, said Mullins. The county's 7.8-percent unemployment rate compares to a seasonally unadjusted rate of 5.1 percent for California and 4.5 percent for the nation for the month of March.

March's figures earned Lake County a rank of 36^th place among the state's 58 counties in March for employment, according to Mullins' report.

Colusa had the highest unemployment rate in the state with 16.2 percent, Mullins reported, while Marin and Orange Counties had the lowest at 3.4 percent. Other surrounding county rates included 6.1 percent for Mendocino, and 4.0 percent for Sonoma.

Lake County's civilian workforce equaled 26,530 in March 2007, nearly 400 higher than March 2006, according to Mullins' report.

Total industry employment grew by 190 jobs (1.3 percent) between March 2006 and March 2007, ending the year-over period with 14,610 jobs, Mullins said. That number does not include self-employed individuals, unpaid family workers, household domestic workers or workers on strike.

Mullins reported that year-over job growth occurred in the following categories: farm; natural resources, mining and construction; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.

Natural resources, mining and construction led industry gainers for the year-over period adding 70 jobs, said Mullins. Leisure and hospitality gained 60; farm and other services each added 50; and information and professional and business services each added 20.

Year-over job losses, according to Mullins, occurred in manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; private educational and health services; government.

Trade, transportation and utilities led industry sector decliners for the period shedding 40 jobs for the period, said Mullins. Manufacturing, financial activities, private educational and health services, and government dropped 10 jobs each.

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