UNDATED – Local county unemployment in LaSalle, Putnam and Bureau counties are continuing a trend at under 5% for the past three months. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, statewide unemployment made the biggest decrease, now at 5.3% compared to 8% a year ago. Putnam and Bureau county unemployment rates remained the same at 3.7% and 3.9%. LaSalle County also held steady at 4.6%. DCEO Acting Director Sylvia I. Garcia says December payroll numbers are another positive sign for Illinois’ job growth reflecting an ongoing recovery in some of the industries most impacted by the pandemic, such as transportation and hospitality.