Alabama's unemployment rate has dropped to 6.3 percent. But APR’s Jeremy Loeb reports it remains above the national average.
Governor Robert Bentley announced today that Alabama's unemployment rate declined from 6.6 percent in September to 6.3 percent in October. That's the same rate Alabama recorded a year ago. The October rate is higher than the national figure of 5.8 percent. Bentley says Alabama is seeing healthy growth in jobs and is seeing a decline in the amount of unemployment benefits being paid. Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby and Lee. Counties with the highest rates are Wilcox, Bullock, Lowndes, and Dallas.
Governor Bentley wants Alabama colleges to identify students or instructors returning from Ebola-ravaged countries in West Africa. Bentley wrote in a letter to college officials that students and instructors from West Africa may return home for the holidays to visit family and friends. The governor asked that schools provide the names of anyone planning travel to West Africa, their contact information and return dates. No Ebola has been reported in Alabama.
The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is still more than a week away. However, a different kind of competition wraps up today between the cross state rivals. APR Student reporter Kayla Howard has more on the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger campaign…
Fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers are running out of time to gather food for the less fortunate. The annual food drive challenges Tide supporters to gather more food and donations for the West Alabama Food Bank. Auburn fans are doing the same thing to benefit the East Alabama Food Bank. This year’s event included a 5K run in Tuscaloosa with all registration fees and t-shirt sales all going to benefit the needy. The cross state competition comes at a good time for the East Alabama Food Bank near Auburn. Supporters say the demand for help is far outpacing the number of food donations. Approximately 214 thousand Alabama households experience food insecurity or hunger every day. Since 1994, the Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger drive has raised nearly three million pounds of food.
