Lehigh Valley unemployment levels off

A new report says the Lehigh Valley's unemployment rate has leveled off.

The state Department of Labor says the jobless rate for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area was 8.6 percent in December.

That's the same as it was in November.

It's higher than the state's unemployment rate -- which is 7.9 percent -- and the national rate -- which is 7.8 percent.