EDITOR’S NOTE: The Bricks & Mortar Report provides updates on major construction projects in Chenango County.

Employment stats:

• The Chenango County Office of Employment and Training reported a 5.9 percent unemployment rate in August. The figure was the same in July, but compares to a 4.1 percent unemployment rate in August 2007.

• Chenango County’s rate is lower than the nation’s, at 6.1 percent, but more than New York’s overall unemployment rate of 5.6.

• One hundred jobs were lost in the Chenango County’s professional and business services sector since 2007, according to the monthly report.

Housing Starts (modular, double wide and stick built):

• Chenango County Codes Enforcement office reported 11 housing starts in August. There were two each in the towns of Bainbridge and Afton and one each in Smyrna, Sherburne, Preston, Pharsalia, Guilford, Coventry and Columbus.