The Texas Workforce Commission says the state's unemployment rate held steady at 8.2% in January, matching the revised figure from December. That puts Texas’ jobless rate well below the national figure of 9.7 percent.

On the local business scene Lampasas sales tax revenue data, that tracks local retail trade, is in. Retail businesses turned in sales tax revenues that were 4.21% higher than January ‘09. Over the past 12 months it appears revenues are up about 1.74%.