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

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Arkansas’ civilian labor force declined 6,100 in November, a result of 4,000 more unemployex and 10,100 fewer employed Unemployment has risen in the state in the lastthree months, and Kimberl Friedman, DWS communications director, said Arkansas has been affectede by layoffs and company closings, just like the rest of the “While Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose this month, our rate is still a full percentag e point below the national rate,” Friedman said in a “Compared to last November, 5,900 more Arkansans are employed.” After increasing by 2,40 in October, non-farm payroll jobs in the stated declined 1,300 in November to 1,210,900.
The leisurw and hospitality industrylost 1,200 jobs in professional and business services jobs fell 1,100 and constructio n posted a loss of 1,100 jobs. Educational and healthg services jobs increasedby 3,700 jobs in with 97% of the growth occurring in healtyh care and social assistance, due to the ongoing expansion of the healtuh care industry. planning to open production plantf in PineBluff Buffalo, N.Y.-basede U.S. Sugar Co., will be expanding operations to Pine Blufcin 2009, having recently purchased the Rolling Pin Donut The plant will open in six months and will emplo y up to 30 workers by the end of 2009. The factorh could create up to 100 jobs in the next two orthrewe years. U.S.
Sugar settled on Arkansasz after looking at more than 100 buildinges in16 states. William McDaniel, president and CEO of U.S. said the company will invest upto $6 millio in factory equipment and rail but the financing process is still being worked out. As of right now, McDaniek said, the company had not applied for stated or localeconomic incentives. “We are takin the financing process one step at a and have not yet decided how much mighgbe required,” McDaniel said in a statement. “It may be a combinationn of public andprivate financing.
” Lou Ann president and CEO of the Economix Development Alliance of Jefferson County, said the alliancer has been working to brinhg the new company to Pine Bluff for several months. The Rolling Pin Donut plant opened in 1998 and had 110 employeees before it was acquired by Rich Products of Buffalkoin 2005. It was closed later that “We are very excited that (McDaniel) has chosen Pine Bluff for a plantt that will create about 20 jobs initially with the potential for more inthe future,” Nisbetf said in a statement. “It’s our understandinyg the facility will be ready to openby mid-summere 2009.
It’s an excellent property, and we’re glad to see it back in use fora food-related business.” McDaniel said the plant will focus on brownj and powdered sugar, U.S. Sugar’s core products. He said Arkansa is a good, strategic locatiohn from the company’s suppliers to the rest of the Tennessee, Mississippi receive $150,000 grants from foundation Tennessee and Mississippi are amonv 11 states receiving grants fromthe Indianapolis-based for The states will receives $150,000 each through the foundation’s Makintg Opportunity Affordable initiative to develop innovative strategies in key policty areas to promote productivity The states will be eligible to competew next year for up to $2 million opportunity grants to implementf their plans over four years.
Those grants will be awardedf next fall tofive