Pa. jobless rate falls to 4.2 percent

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate hit a new post-recession low, as payrolls crept upward to a record high.

The state Department of Labor and Industry said Friday that Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.2 percent in July, the lowest point since 2007.

The national rate is 3.9 percent.

A survey of households found Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force grew by 7,000, as employment rose and unemployment shrank.

A separate survey of employers showed seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls rose by about 2,100 in July, reaching a record high above 6 million.

The biggest gains were in the leisure and hospitality and professional and business services sectors, while construction, manufacturing and the trade, transportation and utilities sector shrank.

Friday’s figures are preliminary and could change.

Penn National seeks casino OK

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Penn National Gaming is the first casino operator in Pennsylvania to apply for a license to offer sports betting in the state, now that regulators cleared it to begin.