Kings County's unemployment rate dropped slightly in July to 14.5 percent, but remains above the 10.1 percent it was at this time last year. Meanwhile, California's unadjusted unemployment rate climbed to 12.1 percent, the highest since World War II.

Worst hit in Kings County are the small Westside communities that depend on farming, which has declined because of drought and low commodity prices. Joblessness in the area is at Great Depression-era levels or worse.

Stratford was at 32 percent, Avenal at 25.2 percent and Kettleman City had 24.8 percent of its people out of work.

"We have noticed that homelessness is up. We have a lot of people living in abandoned homes," said Steven Sopp, Avenal's community development director.

Sopp said he has even heard reports of people living in trees.

Three organizations -- First Baptist Church, the Adventist health clinic and the adult school -- administer food distribution programs in the town. When they do, long lines of people form, Sopp said.

One distribution was jamming up traffic to the point where it had to be moved to the high school parking lot, Sopp said.

The water shortage that has dried up farm work for the mostly Hispanic population of Avenal is also affecting the town's water supply.

The State Water Project, which supplies the town's water via the California Aqueduct, has cut back on deliveries, Sopp said.

So far, the city has managed to get by with water restrictions similar to Hanford's that stagger lawn-watering on certain days, he said. No mandatory rationing has been imposed in Avenal.

Sopp said he's looking forward to the construction of a planned power plant near town. The plant, which is wrapping up the approval process and is expected to break ground in April next year, should provide a boost to the town's hurting economy.

Construction would likely continue until October 2011.

Sopp is also hoping that the town's recent inclusion in a county enterprise zone will help struggling local businesses.

"It's pretty hard out here," he said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2432.

(Aug. 22, 2009)