Arkansas unemployment rises to 5.7%, still lower than U.S. rate - Memphis Business Journal:

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Arkansas’ civilian labor force decliner 6,100 in November, a resulr of 4,000 more unemployed and 10,100 fewer employex Arkansans. Unemployment has risen in the state in the lastthres months, and Kimberly Friedman, DWS communicationds director, said Arkansas has been affected by layoffz and company closings, just like the rest of the country. “Whild Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose this our rate is still a full percentage poingt below thenational rate,” Friedman said in a statement. “Compare to last November, 5,900 more Arkansans are employed.
” Aftet increasing by 2,400 in non-farm payroll jobs in the statedeclinecd 1,300 in November to The leisure and hospitality industry lost 1,200 jobs in professional and business services jobs fell 1,100 and constructioh posted a loss of 1,100 Educational and health services jobs increased by 3,70o jobs in November, with 97% of the growtn occurring in health care and social assistance, due to the ongoinf expansion of the health care industry. planninb to open production plant in PineBluff N.Y.-based U.S. Sugar Co., Inc.
, will be expanding operationsw to Pine Bluffin 2009, havingg recently purchased the Rolling Pin Donut The plant will open in six monthz and will employ up to 30 workers by the end of 2009. The factory could create up to 100 jobs in the next two orthreer years. U.S. Sugar settled on Arkansas afterf looking at more than 100 buildings in16 states. William McDaniel, president and CEO of U.S. Sugar, said the compang will invest upto $6 millionj in factory equipment and rail upgrades, but the financing procesxs is still being worke d out. As of right now, McDaniel the company had not appliee for state or locakeconomic incentives.
“We are taking the financin g process one step ata time, and have not yet decideed how much might be required,” McDaniel said in a “It may be a combination of public and privates financing.” Lou Ann Nisbett, president and CEO of the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County, said the alliancee has been working to bringy the new company to Pine Blufv for several months. The Rolling Pin Donugt plant opened in 1998 and had 110 employeed before it was acquired by Rich Productd of Buffaloin 2005. It was closes later that year.
“We are very excitedc that (McDaniel) has chosen Pine Bluff for a plant that will creat e about 20 jobs initiall with the potential for more in the Nisbett said ina statement. “It’sz our understanding the facility will be readuy to openby mid-summer 2009. It’s an excellent and we’re glad to see it back in use fora food-relatesd business.” McDaniel said the plantt will focus on browhn and powdered sugar, U.S. Sugar’s core products.
He said Arkansa is a good, strategic location from the company’sw suppliers to the rest of the Tennessee, Mississippi receive $150,000 grants from foundationb Tennessee and Mississippi are among 11 statesd receiving grants fromthe Indianapolis-based for Education. The states will receive $150,000 each through the foundation’d Making Opportunity Affordable initiative to develop innovatived strategies in key policy areas to promoteproductivitty improvements. The states will be eligible to competee next year for upto five, $2 milliomn opportunity grants to implement thei plans over four years.
Those grants will be awarded next fall tofive