Unemployment levels dropped from April to May in southeastern Illinois according to figures released late last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Workforce Development. Unemployment in Lawrence County fell from 6.1% in April down to 5.4% in May. Crawford County fell from 5.2% in April to 4.5% in May, Richland County from 4.4% in April down to 3.8% in May, Wabash County from 4.6% down to 4% and Edwards County from 4.8% down to 4.4%. Economic officials cite the reopening of the state as among the factors contributing to the gradual declines. All the May unemployment figures for 2021 are well below figures from 2020 when the pandemic was in full force.