Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon's unemployment rate appears to be dropping - but very slowly.For each of the last three months, Oregon's employment department has reported that the jobless rate has remained quote: 'essentially unchanged.'

Economists have to say that if the rate doesn't change by more than a third of a percentage point. But if you look at all the figures since December, Oregon's unemployment rate has actually dropped from about 11 percent to 10.5 percent.

State economist, Amy Vander Vliet, thinks Oregon's economy has likely reached a turning point. "I wouldn't be surprised that if we're able to look back and paint a clearer picture of the recession and the recovery that we find early 2010 was a turning point.

That said, it doesn't mean we can expect growth to go ahead full steam here on out," she said.

Washington's unemployment rate increased slightly in February to 9.5 percent. That's just below the national average of 9.7  percent.

Watch Kristian's interview with unemployed worker Steve Horner: