Unemployment in county soars to 7 percent

Unemployment in Elmore County is currently pegged at 7 percent, slightly over the state average of 6.6 percent, and nearly double what it has been over the last two years.

But Albert Clement, who runs the local Commerce and Labor Department office (formerly Job Service) in Mountain Home, said that historically, that figure is pretty close to the roughly 6 percent unemployment that is more normal for this time of year.

But, Clement said, if it weren't for the airbase and Marathon Cheese, the numbers could have been much worse.

"They've helped insulate us" from the worst effects of the economic downturn, he said. See the mountainhomenews for the complete story.