The end of 2013 saw Jeff Davis County ranked 53rd in the state for unemployment at 8.9 percent. That number is expected to drop as Foley Products Company readies to begin hiring by the beginning of March, according to Chris Davidson, Vice President of Operations for the company.

“We’re down to the wire now,” said Davidson regarding the plant construction. “Electrical is what we’re working on now.”

For the month of December 2013, twenty-six counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than the state’s rate of 7.3 percent. DeSoto and Rankin Counties posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of December at 4.5 percent. Clay County had the highest unemployment rate for December at 15.6 percent followed by Holmes County at 14.4 percent.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2013 was 7.3 percent, decreasing three-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s rate of 7.6 percent, compared to the December 2012 rate of 9.1 percent. The Nation’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2013 at 6.5 percent was down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month, and was 1.1 percentage points below the year ago rate of 7.6 percent.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted non-farm employment decreased 1,500 over the month but was 19,100 higher than one year ago.