Ind. June jobless rate reaches 10.7%

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - June unemployment figures are out. While Indiana's rate barely rose --now at 10.7 percent -- that doesn't mean the economic picture is getting much brighter for those seeking relief from the recession.

"I think there were many of us who were expecting it to get much closer to eleven percent, particularly because of GM and Chrysler," said Carol Rogers of the Indiana Business Research Center .

Breaking down the numbers, Howard County -- with Kokomo-based Chrysler -- had the highest at 19.7 percent. Rural Daviess County had the lowest at 5.9 percent.

Central Indiana falls in between. Marion County's jobless rate is 9.3 percent. Hamilton County is comparatively still not bad at 6.8 percent and Johnson County is at 8.5 percent.

While the June jobless rate was up by only a tenth of one percent, it's still higher than the national figure and some say it'll remain above 10 percent for some time.

Indiana Chamber of Commerce Head Kevin Brinegar cited numerous reports indicating true declines may not come until 2011.

"We're talking two years roughly, which is really unprecedented," said Brinegar. "It isn't all just bad news, but we're gonna be in this up and down, win some, lose some, period for the foreseeable future.”

Rogers sees the number a bit differently.

"I don't think 2011. I think we're gonna see the end of it by next year," she said.

Along those lines, the state reports it added 5,000 jobs last month and "help wanted" ads are growing.

Meanwhile, new job ads fell nationally in June.