The Little Lummox may have been wrong!

About the economy that is. Otherwise he is always right, as he tried to prove to an Irish American husky named Banshee the Easter Sunday (Lummox has just about gotten over it now).

But the latest word from the Asheville Citizen-Times:

Area economy loses momentum

BOONE — Following a sustained period of strong growth, the regional economy has lost some momentum in the past six months.

Economic activity increased by only 0.4 percent in the state’s western counties in February, according to data compiled in the Western North Carolina Economic Index.
“Job growth was slow to emerge in Western North Carolina after the 2001 recession and when it arrived it did not stay very long,” said Todd Cherry, an economist at Appalachian State University and author of the special report. “Job growth for the region has been flat in recent months.”

Only 12 of the 25 WNC counties had positive job growth in February. Job gains primarily emerged in the central counties, while job losses largely occurred in the foothill and far western counties. Watauga County had the lowest unemployment rate (2.94), while Rutherford County had the highest rate (8.17).