Good news for area job seekers

     The Illinois Department of Employment Security has good news for area job-seekers.  Februrary’s unemployment figures are out, and show every county in the state with a lower unemployment rate than the previous year.  Bureau County’s jobless rate was 11.8 percent, down three percent over February of 2010.  Marshall County’s was 9.9 percent, down from last year’s 12.8.  Putnam County’s unemployment rate was 12.4 percent, compared to 15.7 percent a year ago.  La Salle County has dropped from 16 to 12.7 percent in the past year.  Statewide, the unemployment rate in February was 8.9 percent, down from 11.1 percent a year ago.