Unemployment spikes in Stanislaus and neighboring counties

The Central Valley and foothill counties saw their jobless rate spike in October, as the seasonal summer work ended and slower winter employment months began.

In Stanislaus County the rate jumped from a revised 15.2 percent in September to 16.6 percent for October, according to numbers released by the state today. It is the highest unemployment rate the county has had since April, when it sat at 16.7 percent.

Surrounding counties also saw their percentage increase anywhere from about half to over one percentage point.

Meanwhile, the state hit a modern record for unemployment, reaching 12.5 percent in October, even though more than 25,000 Californians found jobs.