From Staff Reports 

Buncombe County’s unemployment rate more than tripled two months after Helene, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Dec. 3.

The rate ranks as the highest in North Carolina.

October numbers showed the jobless rate at 8.8 percent in Buncombe County, which is a 6 percent increase since Helene.

News 13 added, “Experts say the (local) tourism industry is taking the hardest hit.”

To that end, the TV station quoted Nathan Ramsey, executive director of Land of Sky Economic and Community Development, as saying the following:

“That’s a really high number — you know earlier fears we could be looking at 15 percent (bump). 

“We’re hearing from businesses that some of their workers have already left, and so that’s really key to our region’s economy because we need to keep our workforce here,” 

Further, News 13 reported, “Economic forecasters expect the jobless rate to climb even higher this winter. Data shows more than 13,000 people unemployed in Buncombe County out of a workforce of 150,000 people.”

Economic forecasters expect the jobless rate to climb even higher this winter, News 13 noted, adding the following:

“Data shows more than 13,000 people unemployed in Buncombe County out of a workforce of 150,000 people.”

Meanwhile, in News 13’s comment bubble appearing after its story were the following comments:

• TheOracle — “Service industry folks must migrate where there is work.”  

• WLB292 — “Tax revenue losses. Cull the chamber of commerce herd... Downtown was deserted yesterday except for the mentally ill and dealers.”