Joblessness down around Mich., up in Detroit area

LANSING (AP) -- The employment picture has improved across most of Michigan while worsening in metropolitan Detroit. The state said Tuesday that the seasonally unadjusted jobless rate remained flat statewide, going from 8.2 percent in September to 8.3 percent in October. The rates were down in 16 of the state's 17 major labor markets but up 0.5 percentage points in metropolitan Detroit. The Department of Technology, Management & Budget says the Detroit labor market's unemployment rate stood at 10.5 percent in October, compared with September's 10 percent. The department says the rate for the Grand Rapids fell from 6 percent in September to 5.6 percent in October. The statewide jobless rate is down 0.8 percentage points since October 2011's 9.1 percent. Published: Thu, Nov 29, 2012