CHARLESTON, WV. — THE WEST VIRGINIA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASED IN 41 OF THE STATE’S 55 COUNTIES IN DECEMBER, THAT ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED BY WORKFORCE WEST VIRGINIA. OVERALL EMPLOYMENT WAS UP TWO-TENTHS OF A PERCENTAGE POINT LAST MONTH TO 4.8 PERCENT. 41 COUNTIES SAW AN INCREASE IN JOBLESSNESS, NINE COUNTIES SHOWED A DECLINE WHILE FIVE COUNTIES WERE UNCHANGED. REGIONALLY, UNEMPLOYMENT DIPPED IN LOGAN, MINGO AND WYOMING COUNTIES. MCDOWELL COUNTY HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 9.4 PERCENT BEHIND CALHOUN COUNTY WHICH HAD THE HIGHEST RATE AT 12.4 PERCENT.