Unfortunately, it's anybody's best guess right now, she said. Warren County continues to feel the weight of the national recession as local unemployment numbers continue to soar, reaching the highest mark since 1992. It has local employment officials concerned. "I hope it doesn't go up for the sake our community," said Toerper, program administrator for the Missouri Career Center. Recent figures released by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), show that the county's unemployment rate jumped to 13 percent for January, the ninth-highest in the state. It was a substantial leap after December's rate sat at 9.2 percent. Taney County, located in the southwest part of the state, had the worst jobless rate in the state at 19.6 percent. Lincoln County had the fourth-higest percentage at 13.5 percent. Franklin County's rate was 12.2 percent. Nationwide, the jobless rate was at 8.5 percent for January compared to 8 percent statewide. The February jobless rate for Missouri climbed to 8.3 percent. The county's February unemployment figures are expected to be released next week, said John Fougere, spokesperson for the state Departmetn of Economic Development. "Our communities, businesses and families need swift action," he said. "We need this to turnaround." Since 1990, the worst month unemployment-wise in Warren County was January in 1992, when the jobless rate was 11.7 percent. Last year's monthly average of 7.5 percent was the worst in the county since 1991 (7.7 percent). "It took a long time coming and it's going to take a long time to get out of it," said Lana Vestal, work force development supervisor for the Missouri Career Center. "We all wish we could say it's going to be a lot better by the end of the year, but can anybody really say that? I don't think so." Trends show that January and February are the worst months when it comes to keeping construction and seasonal workers employed. But Toerper said the current recession has hampered many professions and caused employers to look harder at keeping their payroll down. Even businesses that could afford to expand their work force are hesitant at this time, admits Vestal. Relief could be in sight, Toerper acknowledged. She said the money from the federal economic stimulus package is beginning to filter down to the state level and could be reaching local municipalities soon. The Missouri Career Center could benefit as well, she noted, by adding more programs or using the funds to pay for a six-week work experience for an individual at a local employer. In some situations, the temporary status leads to permanent employment. However, there is some uncertainty on how many jobs will open in the coming months due to the current economic climate. Toerper said there are jobs available, mentioning openings at the Truesdale Packaging Company and MoDOT and the recent line expansion at SAF-Holland in Warrenton, but recognized employers are hesitant to expand their work force following earlier layoffs. As the local unemployment numbers steadily increase, the Missouri Career Center in Warrenton continues to be swamped with job seekers. In January, 2,403 individuals visited the agency for help in finding a job. The figure dropped to 2,381 for February. Those numbers don't compare to 2007 when 455 people used their services - for the entire year. "The customer traffic is unbelievable," Vestal remarked. Toerper, for one, remains optimistic the unemployment figures will come back down. "It's very humbling to me to know every morning at 8 o'clock there is a line at the door already," she said. "It's horrible, but we also see the success stories where people are finding employment. It's not where we want it to be, but there are people working."