By Rita Howell
Panola County’s unemployment rate for March was the best in almost ten years, according to figures released last week by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Panola’s jobless rate decreased from 8.2 percent in February to 7 percent in March, the best since September, 2006.

“That’s certainly good news for us,” Panola Partnership CEO Sonny Simmons said. “That shows jobs are being created here.”

Four local industries are currently expanding, he said, with more than 75 new manufacturing jobs added since January.

In addition, interest has been shown by a company looking at properties in Panola County, Simmons said.
For March the state’s unemployment rate was 5.6, and the nation’s was 5.1.

Panola posted its best ranking in recent times, 56th among the state’s 82 counties, with Rankin still at the top with 3.7 percent unemployment, and Issaquena at the bottom with 17.7.

Compared with the six surrounding counties, Panola’s jobless rate was higher than Tate (5.8), Lafayette (4.5), Yalobusha (5.9), and Tallahatchie (6.9), and lower than Quitman (9.5) and Tunica (7.4).