BEND, OR -- The October unemployment rate in Deschutes county last month stayed close to where it was in September at 4-point-1-per cent. Economist Damon Runberg says back in March it looked like employment growth had peaked. But he says, "We got employment numbers through June 2019 in the last few weeks and made adjustments. Through the summer months we were seeing job growth at 3-and-half percent year-over-year and we thought we were seeing only 1-per cent growth." Runberg also says the Crook and Jefferson county unemployment rates in October were 5-point-5-per cent and 5-point-3-per cent respectively, essentially the same as September.