More than one in 10 Mississippians was out of work last month.

In the latest statistics released by the state, Mississippi’s unemployment rate was 10.3 percent in December.

The actual number of unemployed is likely higher as the manner in which these rates are calculated is less than ideal.

Adams County’s rate was 9.9 percent, putting the county at the 18th lowest rates out of the state’s 82 counties.

Adams County trailed leaders Rankin, Scott and Madison counties. Adams was tied with Jackson County on the Gulf Coast. And, believe it or not, we were ahead of Lee County, the area in which the city of Tupelo is.

Our neighbors in Southwest Mississippi fared far worse with Franklin and Wilkinson counties coming in at 11.5 and 12.3 percent, respectively. Jefferson was among the state’s worst counties at 18 percent.

The unemployment data underscores the fact that the effects of the global recession are still being felt in the Magnolia State.

Now more than ever, it’s critical for Mississippi to be conservative on government spending and aggressive on working together.

We need to watch every penny of taxpayer money, but invest in marketing ourselves as a destination for entrepreneurs and new business growth when the global economy begins to emerge.

And it will eventually.