Statewide, the unemployment rate for April 2009 was released last week at 9.9 percent, slightly higher than the revised March rate of 9.6 percent.

The national unemployment rate for April was 8.9 percent.

County unemployment rates for April 2009, released Thursday, show that the rate increased in 29 Tennessee counties, decreased in 59 counties and remained the same in seven .

Lincoln and Williamson counties had the state's lowest rate at 6.3 percent. Perry County had the highest rate at 23.9 percent, down from 25.6 in March, followed by Scott County at 18.3 percent, down from 18.8 percent in March.

Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.4 percent, up slightly from the March rate. Davidson County (Nashville) was 8.0 percent, up 0.1 from the previous month. Hamilton County (Chattanooga) was at 8.3 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from the March rate.

Complex on auction block

A two-building, 100,000-square-foot office complex that was once the headquarters for Holiday Inn will be sold at auction on June 9.

Most recently, the buildings served as the world headquarters of Catherine's Stores Corp., a plus-sized women's retailer. Charming Shoppes Inc., of Bethlehem, Pa., acquired Catherine's in 2008 and vacated the facility.

The buildings occupy a little more than five acres at 3728-3742 Lamar. The main building has about 49,150 square feet; the other is a 50,600-square-foot conference center.

The buildings will be sold at auction at noon June 9 by Roebuck Auction, at the Roebuck Real Estate Auction Gallery, 4932 Park .

New Goodwill donation center

Goodwill has expanded its operations in the Mid-South with the opening of a new attended donation center at 1890 Berryhill.

The nonprofit organization operates 13 attended donation centers in the region.

The 2,300-square-foot building on Berryhill will accept most used items, including clothing, books and children's toys, and larger items such as washers and dryers.

The Berryhill location will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

For details about Goodwill Memphis, call 323-6221 or visit goodwillmemphis.org .

Crye-Leike grows in Huntsville, Ala.

Crye-Leike Realtors is expanding in Huntsville, Ala., adding more than 40 agents in a new venture with the former co-owners of Coldwell Banker Premier.

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Well said

Herbert Hoover:

"About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends."

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Originally published by The Commercial Appeal .

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