Moore County's jobless rate climbed to 11 percent in February, exceeding the North Carolina rate of 10.7 percent.

The February rate is up one percentage point from January, according to Gene Norton, director of the Employment Security Commission office in Aberdeen.

Norton said the jobless increase reflects the continuing economic slowdown across the state and the country.

"Companies are still having a hard time making ends meet, and the easiest way to do that is to cut payroll," Norton said. "It's not a Moore County phenomenon at all. It's happening all over the country."

Norton said the jobless rate spikes more quickly in small counties than in more populous counties, because a small business can close down and cause a steep increase, pushing the rate higher from a percentage standpoint.

"Things are tough all over," Norton said. "Job losses are everywhere, and Moore County is not immune."

In Moore County, Norton sees signs of recovery, principally in the expected pickup in the hospitality and golfing areas with the arrival of warmer weather. He said there should be at least a temporary improvement in the job situation, something that may show up in the spring month statistics. ESC figures are always released a full month late.

"This may just be a seasonal thing," he said of the February rate increase.

Norton said he sees evidence of some industrial and business growth with smaller operations expected to begin hiring later in the year. Kolcraft recently announced a plant expansion at Aberdeen and a couple of other expansions are in the works.

By July, the job situation may be on the mend, according to Norton, but it may be the end of the year, or later, before the region feels any positive effects from the federal stimulus package.

In comparison with other counties in the region, Moore County appears to be in better shape than many areas. Lee County had a 15.1 percent rate; Harnett, 11.8 percent; Montgomery, 14 percent; Randolph, 12.2 percent; and Scotland 16.9 percent.

Only Cumberland County had a lower rate, 9.6 percent, but it is a much larger county and has a stronger employment base with the military complex.

Graham County, in the western part of the state, had the highest jobless rate at 17.9 percent. Orange had the lowest at 6.5 percent.

Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.