Unemployment remained steady during the month of July in Fayette County, but it down quite a bit from last year’s jobless number. Fayette County’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in July, which was the same as the month of June—but the July number is down 2 percent from last year when unemployment was at 7.6 percent. Labor Market Economist Dennis Hoffman says retail trade and wholesale trad jobs are up from a year ago and the gradual improvement over the past few years is continuing in the work force conditions. As for other area counties, Bond County was at 4.8 percent unemployment for July, up slight from June and down 1.8 percent from a year ago. Montgomery County unemployment was at 7 percent in July, up 4-tenths from June and down 1.6 percent from a year ago. Effingham County unemployment was at 4.4 percent-which is up slight from June but down 1.1 percent from a year ago.