NC unemployment rates increase in 87 counties, All 14 NC metro areas increased unemployment, July 2, 2013, Greensboro High Point metro unemployment rate 9.4 percent in May

“If I had my choice I would kill every reporter in the world but I am sure we would be getting reports from hell before breakfast.”… William Tecumseh Sherman

“The function of the press is very high. It is almost Holy.
It ought to serve as a forum for the people, through which
the people may know freely what is going on. To misstate or
suppress the news is a breach of trust.”…. Louis D. Brandeis

“North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell for the fourth consecutive month in May to 8.8 percent, but the slight drop was largely due to a shrinking labor force rather than the creation of new jobs, economists said.”…Raleigh News Observer June 21, 2013

From the Greensboro News Record July 2, 2013.

“Unemployment in the Greensboro-High Point metro improved only slightly in May, continuing a painfully slow climb out of the recession.

Unemployment dropped 0.3 percentage point to 9.5 percent, compared with May 2012, the N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security reported Tuesday. The rates are not adjusted for seasonal patterns.

The state’s rate for May was 8.9 percent.

North Carolina has pockets of strong employment, including the Asheville, Durham-Chapel Hill and Raleigh-Cary metros.

But 41 rural counties still have unemployment rates above 10 percent.”

“Unemployment improved in all three counties in the Greensboro-High Point metro:

* In Guilford County, the rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 9.4 percent in May compared with May, 2012.

* In Rockingham County, the rate dropped by 0.9 percentage points to 10.1 percent.

* In Randolph County, the rate dropped by 0.5 percentage points to 9.3 percent.

Unadjusted month-to-month numbers in May compared with April appear to show a dramatic increase in unemployment for the Greensboro-High Point metro: 8.9 percent in April to 9.5 percent.

But adjusted month-to-month numbers show a modest decrease from 9.5 percent in April to 9.4 percent in May.”

Read more:

http://www.news-record.com/news/article_eda10cce-e328-11e2-bfb2-001a4bcf6878.html

The article seems to be attempting to paint an improved employment picture compared to 2012.

But wait a minute.

Here is the report from the NC ESC, Employment Security Commission.

“Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 87 of North Carolina’s counties in May, decreased in 12 and remained the same in one. All 14 of the State’s metro areas experienced rate increases.”

http://www.ncesc1.com/PMI/Rates/PressReleases/County/NR_May2013_County_M.pdf

Compare the ESC report to the News Record article.

It appears to me and another well informed gentleman that I know, that since Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway purchased the News Record,  the reporting on jobs and the economy has been watered down.

From Citizen Wells June 29, 2013.

“The labor force participation rate in NC fell .1 percent in May. That fully accounted for the .1 percent drop in the unemployment rate.

It gets worse.

The NC Labor Force Participation Rate dropped 1 percent from January to May 2013.

It gets worse.

The NC Labor Force Participation Rate dropped 3.7 percent since the Democrats took control of both US houses of congress in 2007.

It gets worse.

The NC Employment to population rate dropped 6.1 percent since the Democrats took control of both US houses of congress in 2007.”