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Jobless in Ohio

Ten highest county unemployment percentage rates in Ohio:

- Williams - 17.1

- Defiance - 16.1

- Crawford - 15.8

- Huron - 15.4

- Van Wert - 15.2

- Highland - 14.8

- Morgan - 14.8

- Pike - 14.6

- Trumbull - 14.3

- Wood - 14.2

Unemployment in Trumbull County remained at 14.3 percent in May, making it the ninth-highest rate in the state.

Unemployment has been as high as 14.8 in January, as low as 14.2 percent in March, and was 14.3 percent in April. The January rate was the highest the county had experienced since August 1983.

Joblessness has been felt most severely in Warren, which in May had an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent. Even that figure was not the worst this year for the city. In January, Warren's unemployment figure showed 15.6 percent of all working-age residents looking for work.

Cortland resident Kevin Vadas, 28, recently resumed an on-and-off job search that he has been experiencing over the last decade. Vadas has had nearly a half dozen jobs during that time, primarily working in factory and truck driving positions.

''I'm looking for something more stable and will pay more,'' Vadas said Tuesday, while being taught how to use job search software at the Trumbull County One Stop Center in Warren.

Over the years he has worked with Albert Guarnieri & Co., at Western Reserve Foods, KraftMaid, rented boats at Pymatuning Lake, at Colonial Ice Co., as well as with other companies.

''In all the times I was laid off from these jobs, I was always looking for work,'' he said. ''It is difficult to find work.''

Warren Mayor Michael J. O'Brien said the high unemployment number has hurt his administration's ability to provide even the most basic services. O'Brien expects the declining number of manufacturing jobs in and around the city to cost in approximately $2 million in 2009 compared the the same period in 2008.

It is estimated the city will go from tax revenues from $16 million to $14 million in 2009. That does not include money the city will not earned because of reduced use by water and sewer by companies like Servastal Steel.

''The loss of tax revenues is the reason we are in talks with employee unions about changes in their pay and benefit packages,'' O'Brien said.

The county has not felt immediate impact of the month to month changing unemployment figures, but it is expecting to feel it over time in property tax and sales tax collections.

Patrick DeToro, a supervisor at Trumbull County One Stop, says there has been more people coming into the One Stop for assistance.

''We are getting more of an influx of people who are highly skilled,'' DeToro said. ''People who had been engineers at Delphi. Even the highly skilled are not becoming displaced.''

The One Stop is there to help people to find jobs, and, if necessary, find ways to upgrade the skills they need to find new employment.

''Even some of the highly educated job applicants may need additional job training,'' he said. ''They may have to drive a little further to obtain jobs.''

Those looking for job training can seek employment at propriety schools and public universities.

Both Warren and Trumbull county have lower unemployment rates than Youngstown, 13.7 percent, and Mahoning county, 12.2 percent.

Trumbull did not have the highest unemployment rate in the state in May. With an umemployment rate of 17.1 percent, Williams county, which is the furthest northwest county in Ohio, had the highest. Defiance, Van Wert, Crawford, Huron , Highland, Pike and Morgan counties also had higher countywide unemployment rates.

With a 6.7 percent rate, Delaware county, in Central Ohio, had the lowest.

''I really feel that unless we get manufacturing back into the area there is going to be continued underemployment,'' DeToro said.

With the new state Web site, Ohiomeansjobs.com, people looking jobs can see what is available throughout the state.

''Because it is new, the posting are current,'' DeToro said. ''They don't last that long.''

rsmith@tribtoday.com