Riverside County’s jobless rate rises in August

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - Despite some sectors of the regional economy fairing well, Riverside County's unemployment rate rose above 6% last month, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in August, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 6.2%, compared to 5.9% in July.

According to figures, the August rate was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than what it was a year ago, when countywide unemployment stood at 6.3%.

The latest EDD estimates indicated Coachella had the highest unemployment rate within the county last month at 12.8%, followed by Cherry Valley at 11.3%, Blythe at 11.1%, Rancho Mirage at 9%, and March Air Reserve Base at 8.8%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties -- the Inland Empire -- was 5.9%, up from 5.7% in July, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls dropped by the widest margin in the agricultural sector, where about 1,700 positions were recorded as lost in August.

Additional losses occurred in miscellaneous unclassified industries and the information technology sector, which altogether shrank by 600 jobs, according to the EDD.

Regionally, the construction, financial services, health services, hospitality, public and transportation sectors expanded by 6,400 positions, data showed.

The manufacturing, mining and professional and business services sectors were unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in August was 5.4%.