Unemployment rates fell by more than half a percentage point last month in Washington County. Statistics gathered by the Iowa Workforce Development Board show Washingtons unemployment rate for March was 4.5%, and 3.9% in April. Statewide jobless claims dropped a tenth of a percent to 5.1%. last month. IWD Director Elisabeth Buck says the numbers suggest Iowas economy may be in the early stages of a turn. She cautions that the market is still very week and any recovery is expected to be modest and prolonged.