February unemployment numbers, representing the period before the pandemic related layoffs, were looking good for this area.
LaSalle County’s rate was 4.8%, down from 5.8% in January.
Bureau County’s dropped from 5.5% to 4.4%.
Putnam County’s dropped from 6.3% to 5.2%.
And Grundy County’s improved from 5.1% to 4.7%.
The March numbers haven’t been compiled yet. Those are expected to be the first showing the effects of layoffs because of the large numbers of closures. The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced the February figures Thursday.