Md., Va. Unemployment Falls, But Some Areas Still Hurting: Jobless ...
Despite continued falling unemployment in Maryland and Virginia, the jobless rates in their depressed areas are three times greater than that of the states as a whole.</br></br>Overall jobless rates dropped again in May for both states, but in some areas of Virginia unemployment was above 17 percent, and some parts of Maryland had unemployment of more than 9.5 percent.</br></br>MarylandÛªs Department of Employment and Training reported yesterday that the stateÛªs jobless rate fell 0.3 percentage point to 3.7 percent.</br></br>VirginiaÛªs Employment Commission said last week that the Commonwealth's jobless rate fell 0.4 percentage point to 4.9 percent. Both states attributed the improved rates to seasonal gains and a healthy national economy. The District of Columbia, which had a 6.5 See JOBS, E3, Col. 1</br></br>In southwestern Virginia, news of the statewide drop in unemployment wasnÛªt much cause for celebration. Falling oil prices have caused a 17.2 percent jobless rate in Dickenson County and a 16.8 percent unemployment rate in Buchanan County, both heavily dependent on coal mining. In Lancaster County, on the Northern Neck, seasonal improvements in the fishing industry have resulted in a 3-percentage-point reduction in unemployment, but it's still at 14.4 percent.