EXPANSIONS HELP AREA; LEE/ROWAN ADDS JOBS; SPURS EMPLOYMENT RATE

Lee/Rowan, a manufacturer of ventilated storage products and traditional closet accessories, is in the process of adding 100 workers to its operation.

That's good news for Cape Girardeau County, where the largest of the firm's manufacturing facilities is located.

"More than 225 jobs have been added the past three years," said Connie Conrad, vice president of marketing services of Lee/Rowan. "In 1991, we had one of our best sales years ever. We added a new 93,000-square-foot facility at Jackson, and we're in the process of hiring 100 new workers, 75 of them at Jackson."

Lee/Rowan, headquartered at St. Louis, has more than 550,000 square feet under roof at Jackson and employs more than 750 people there.

"We have combined employment at Jackson and St. Louis of over 1,100," said Conrad, who was at Jackson recently when the firm dedicated another 93,000-square-foot facility, marking the ninth expansion of the plant since it moved to Jackson more than 25 years ago.

Lee/Rowan's employment figures will help the Cape Girardeau County employment figures that are at one of highest levels ever.

"Our civilian work force totals 37,501," said Jackie Cecil, office manager of the local Missouri Division of Employment Security office in Cape Girardeau. "Of that total, 36,142 people are working."

That adds up to 96.4 percent employment.

The 3.6 percent unemployment rate of Cape County for April was one of the lowest of the past two years.

Employers in Southeast Missouri remain optimistic about hiring plans heading into the summer, according to a report released by Manpower, Inc., a temporary help firm.

"The Employment Outlook Survey, issued quarterly, shows that 30 percent of the businesses interviewed for the July, August, September period, intend to add more staff," said Barbara Larkins of the local Manpower, Inc. office, 106 Farrar Drive.

"Ten percent plan labor reduction, and the remaining 60 percent foresee no changes."

Larkins said the survey revealed that job opportunities were most likely in construction, transportation and services during the next three months.

Nationwide, employers expressed an optimism not seen over the past two years, noted Larkins.

"Of more than 15,000 companies interviewed nationwide, 25 percent expect to increase employment over the next three months," said Larkins. "Only eight percent anticipate staff cutbacks, and 64 percent said they would remain at present levels."

The Columbia metropolitan area had the lowest unemployment figure in Missouri, at 2.5 percent, a drop from 2.8 March.

Perry County unemployment increased to 4.2 percent, up from the 3.8 reading of March.

"The work force is smaller in Perryville 10,454," said Cecil. "There were only 48 less people working in Perry County in April, but that was enough to put the rate at 4.2."

Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties all fall under the Cape Girardeau employment office.

Bollinger County unemployment also dropped in March, from 9.8 to 7.8. More than 4,200 people have jobs in Bollinger County.

Any loss of jobs in Perry and Bollinger counties can result in a big shuffling of numbers. Bollinger County's work force is 4,584, while Perry County's work force is 10,454.

Missouri's unemployment rate improved in March as the statewide unemployment rate dipped to 5.2 percent, representing a decline from the 5.6 percent of March.

"It appears that the state's economy has rebounded with vigor," said. Donna M. White, director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. "Not only are employment figures up, but unemployment has dipped to its lowest level in 22 months."

Statistics reveal that employment is up 34,500 from March. An estimated 2,607,000 individuals were working in Missouri during April, about 70,000 more than were estimated to be working in April of 1991.

Unemployment numbers were down in several Southern Illinois counties.

"Unemployment rates dropped slightly 2 percent or less across most of the southern part of the state," said Charles M. (Mike) Vessell, labor market economist for the Illinois Department of Employment Security at Harrisburg. "The rates dropped in all but three counties.

"This marks the third month in a row that the rates have dropped in most counties," said Vessell. "We're seeing our typical spring activity in construction, agriculture, and oil production."

Statewide, Illinois recorded 7.9 percent unemployment, down from the 8.2 percent in March.

The national unemployment rate for April was 7.1 percent, down from the 7.7 percent figure of March.