About 7.4 percent of Lenoir County's available workforce - or 2,167 people - are without jobs, according to information the state released last week. Unemployment in Greene and Jones counties also crept up between March and April, resting just below the 6.1 percent statewide unemployment average.

Seasonal jobs that rise and fall with the agriculture industry often play a major role in rural counties' employment fluctuation and contribute, to a lesser extent, to Lenoir County's jobless rate.

"We've just had a Heinz-57 variety of businesses that, for one economic reason or another, are just no longer in business," said Bruce Parson, interim president of the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce. "That's not just companies that are necessarily closing, but companies that are still trying to lean-size - trying to get down to the very minimum they can to operate. If you take 10 people from 10 different companies, that adds up."

Possible salvation for the area could come in the form of a new Boeing plant, which would supply about 1,200 jobs.

The Global TransPark is one of a handful of North Carolina sites that wants to be a part of the state Department of Commerce's incentive proposal to the aircraft manufacturer. If the GTP becomes the state's chosen site, it must survive competition of hefty incentive packages from at least 10 other states.

"It's been the talk. We had several legislators say, You need to get them. That's what the TransPark was built for,' " Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, said. "It's a perfect fit. It's like Santa Claus is looking for a house to come to, and this one has a chimney big enough for him. We need to do whatever we can, without giving away the state."

Lenoir County's unemployment rate rose between February and March, despite a shrinking statistic in 80 of North Carolina's 100 counties for that time. Between March and April, rates fell in 45 counties and rose in 42 others.

"This suggests that economic recovery across the state's counties may exhibit an uneven pattern in the months to come," Harry Payne Jr., N.C. Economic Security Commission chairman, said in a prepared statement.

Seventy-seven layoffs by West Pharmaceutical Services factored into March unemployment after an explosion destroyed the company's plant. West announced in May its intention to rebuild near Kinston, but a hang-up with the design of a U.S. 70-Crescent Road interchange must be resolved if the agreement is to be finalized.

Two warehouses and Lowe's Home Improvement will open this summer, somewhat replenishing job supply.

"I would expect to see some things start happening this summer, because that's when you normally see an influx of people into the area," Parson said. "Business picks up, but they don't pick up until the economy picks up, and that revolves around the manufacturing sector."

Lenoir County received about 20 applications, including one from Parson, for economic development director since former Director Larry Moolenaar resigned in April. That position's primary function is industrial and manufacturing recruitment.

When Moolenaar left, several prominent local businessmen and women began pushing to re-introduce Kinston and the Lenoir Committee of 100 as equal partners in industrial recruitment efforts. The idea is based on the way economic development once was handled in Lenoir County.

Discussion of such a move is ongoing, said David Brody, a Committee of 100 member.

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