Ohio's Jobless Rate Declines

Ohio's official unemployment rate is now 7.2 percent. The rate for December is down two-tenths of a point from November, but is higher than the national rate of 6.7 percent. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says the number of jobless Ohioans was 416 thousand last month, down by 11 thousand from November. The department says there were job gains in construction, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. The state lost jobs in other sectors, including educational and health services.