Unemployment rate jumps, despite job promise

The latest Oconee County jobless rate is escalating—yet there’s a promise today that jobs are on the way. The state Department of Employment and Workforce today released an 8.3% Oconee County unemployment rate for May. That’s nine-tenths of one percentage point higher than April’s figure and its three-tenths of a percentage point above the state’s 8% unemployment. Yet Oconee economic development commissioners heard a representative of Santee Cooper, the State Public Service Authority, say, “The jobs are coming. We have to be ready.” As the guest speaker at this morning’s meeting Josh Kay, economic development representative with Santee Cooper, outlined his organization’s economic development loan program which he says is available to Oconee County to pay for spec buildings and other projects.