Kokomo Celebrates Despite Dire Jobless Rate

KOKOMO, Ind. -- New statistics released Friday show Howard County had the highest unemployment rate in May, but many workers in Kokomo are celebrating.

With Chrysler emerging from bankruptcy in its sale to Fiat last week, four of the company's facilities in Kokomo will soon reopen.

It's welcome news for autoworkers and the businesses they frequent, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.

"At night, we have been slower because the workers who come in on their lunch break haven't been coming in as often," said Rachel Lowery, who works at Louie's Coney Island.

But it's more than just a slow day at work for Lowery. She's had to cut back while her father was laid off from one of the Chrysler plants.

"We haven't had insurance because they stopped insurance while they were laid off, so I couldn't go get glasses, couldn't get my teeth cleaned," she said. "Now that he's going back, it's a big relief."

Workers will return to the factories on June 29, but all four plans will be idled again for two weeks in the July for the normal summer shutdown.