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By MARK SCOLFORO
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
Unemployment in Rappahannock County hit 15.6 percent in January, its highest rate since the recession began and more than two and a half times the 6.2 percent rate just 12 months ago, according to figures released by the Culpeper office of the Virginia Employment Commission.
Job service manager Robert Hale-Cooper said the 544 people in Rappahannock who are looking for work represent both a drop in construction activity and the January closing of Hatch Natural Foods, which laid off about 30 people.
Mr. Hale-Cooper also said that Rappahannock is tied to the surrounding communities, which are also feeling a drop in economic activity.
He said that many Rappahannock residents work in Fauquier, where the jobless rate has increased from 1.5 percent in 1989 to 4.9 percent in January.
But the 15.6 percent jobless rate in Rappahannock is still larger than anticipated, said Mr. Hale-Cooper.
“That kind of puzzles us at this point,” said Mr. Hale-Cooper. “We do know Rappahannock is affected like the larger communities by the drop in heavy construction activity. And the number of people in Rappahannock is so sparse that the numbers of people out of work affect the rateimore.”
Mr. Hale-Cooper said the closing of Sperryville’s Hatch Natural Foods, a mail-order
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