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Show DC remains enviable CLEARFIELD Davis County continues to hold one of the most enviable en-viable positions in the state in terms of job growth and unemployment levels. For the month of April, joblessness dropped to just 3.5 percent, or a full half-percent below the state's 4.0 percent level, said Jack Bailey, Davis County Job Service manager. In fact, the county's joblessness has declined from 3.9 percent a year earlier to 3.7 in February, 3.9 again in March, and down to the 3.5 percent level of April 1991. That compares with a Weber County unemployment rate that still hovers at well over a percentage point higher, at 4.8 percent in April of 1991. Salt Lake County's rate of 3.5 percent matches Davis County's Coun-ty's level. Some 51,860 jobs were listed in Davis County in April, up by a healthy 5.0 percent from a year earlier. In fact, the growth between March and April was a robust 1,300 positions. For the state, meanwhile, job growth gained by 4.2 percent, growing to nearly 750,000 positions. The gap between be-tween Davis and Weber counties continues to narrow, with just under 68,000 jobs listed in Weber County in April 1991. Few counties registered a healthier jobless rate than Davis. Among them were Box Elder, at 3.2; Rich, 2.6, and tiny Daggett at 1.4 percent. However, several areas of the state continued to feel the high impact of unemployment. Such areas include Piute, at 11.5 percent, Sanpete at 7.5, Kane at 8.7, San Juan at 8.2, and Emery at 7 percent. The Jobless rate for Davis and the Wasatch Front north and south areas, which include Davis, Morgan, Weber, Salt Lake and Tooele Counties, are considered to be "rock bottom." Rapid, broad-based non-farm job growth has been experienced. However, some scattered layoffs have occurred, and more have been announced. Even so, prospects for the near and distant future remain bright because of anticipated job growth, Bailey said. |