Va. Unemployment Hits 7.8 Pet.
RICHMOND, March 2ÛÓFierce winter weather and the full impact of the national recession delivered a one-two punch to Virginia in January, sending the stateÛªs unemployment rate to a post-World War II high of 7.8 percent.</br></br>But for those who are out of work, there was an encouraging word; Gov. Charles Robb announced today that the state will reopen 18 branch offices and restore placement services at 12 other locations.</br></br>The jobless rate was the highest since it hit 7' j percent in March 1975, and 1.7 percent higher than January 1980. Things were worse in some of the stateÛªs metropolitan areas, where layoffs were concent rated.</br></br>8.4	percent in January. RoanokeÛªs rate was 7.1 percent in December, and rose to 7.7 percent in January.</br></br>Northern Virginia continued to have the lowest unemployment rate of the stateÛªs metropolitan areas: 4 1 j percent. But even in that populous area, home for many federal employes who work in D.C., the rate was up from 3.9 percent in December.