Riverhead Unemployment Inches Higher in August

Riverhead's unemployment rate climbed slightly to 6.7 percent in August compared to 6.5 percent in August 2009, the state announced Thursday.

Despite the year-over-year increase, the town's unemployment actually dropped from 6.8 percent in July and was much lower than February's 8.9 percent unemployed rate. Riverhead still has a considerably larger jobless rate than pre-recession times – August 2007 unemployment was 3.6 percent.

Riverhead's unemployment rate still came in under the the national rate of 9.5 percent, the state rate of 8.2 percent and county rate of 7.2 percent for August.

Suffolk had 7.4 percent unemployment in August 2009.

Gary Huth, Long Island's regional analyst for the U.S. Department of Labor, said the stats for Riverhead do not necessarily show the number of unemployed seeking work within Riverhead. Likewise, many of the town's employed work out of town. Huth said that unemployment numbers are harder to measure on local levels.

"When we look at these figures for larger areas, like that of the state and the whole country," Huth said, "we can make accurate estimates that are what we call 'seasonally adjusted.'"

The figures in this article are not seasonally adjusted.

"Everyone probably realizes unemployment is higher in the winter, when the weather makes, for instance, less construction jobs available," he said. "You also sometimes get a little rise in May or June, with young people out of school, looking for work."

Bob Lanieri, president of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, said he hopes the town tackles employment issues by encouraging businesses to hire more permanent workers than seasonal help.

"You need regulations, but the process became too bogged down," he said. "Businesses will go where they're welcomed, and I know that's the case now in Riverhead. Look, we don't even need to build new stores, we've got enough empty ones."

Lanieri said a few local project give him hope: The Red Collection, a new furniture store on East Main Street; Dark Horse, a new restaurant at the corner of East Main and Peconic Avenue; the Hyatt Place Hotel next to Atlantis Marine World; and restoration of the Suffolk Theater, which had once been a lively attraction downtown.

"These are obviously going to create jobs," he said.