West Bend Hit By Recession

Tough times. 

At 7.9 percent, West Bend’s unemployment rate is currently the sixth-highest in the state, according to new data released Thursday by the Department of Workforce Development.

   Unemployment in the city rose 0.9 points rise from 7 percent in November. West Bend’s unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in December 2007.

   The city has seen a slew of large-scale layoffs since late November, including cuts at manufacturers Regal Ware Inc. and Gehl Co., and two rounds of significant layoffs at screen printer Serigraph Inc.

   Beloit (11.4 percent), Racine (10.8 percent), Janesville (9 percent), Green Bay (8.3 percent) and Milwaukee (7.9 percent) are the only communities with higher unemployment rates among the 30 included in the report.

Washington County, however, recorded a jobless rate of 5.3 percent, to rank 58th among the state’s 72 counties.