California unemployment rate hits 12.5 percent

<p>SAN FRANCISCO — California's unemployment rate rose to 12.5 percent in October to set another modern record.</p><p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says California was one of 29 states reporting unemployment rate increases. Only three states — Michigan, Nevada and Rhode Island — had higher rates than California last month.</p><p>The rate is just slightly higher than September, when officials reported a jobless rate of 12.2 percent. It was 8 percent a year ago.</p><p>The national unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent in October.</p>