The Daily Freeman is reporting the 10 counties located in the Mid- and Lower Hudson Valley gained a combined 22,000 non-farm jobs in October, continuing to recover from some of the losses caused by the coronavirus-related economic slump, according to the state Department of Labor. The regionwide total at the end of October was 942,600, up from 920,600 in September, but still sharply lower than the 1.03 million total of a year ago. Non-farm employment includes all positions in the private and public sectors, with the exception of those in agriculture. There was a slight increase in the non-farm job totals in Greene and Columbia counties from September to October, the labor department said. Greene County’s total rose from 14,000 to 14,200, while Columbia's climbed from 20,000 in September to 20,500 in October. The October 2019 totals in the two counties were 14,700 in Greene and 21,800 in Columbia. Similar increases were reported in Dutchess, Putnam and Ulster counties. Statewide, non-farm employment increased, as well. The state unemployment rate last month was 9.6 percent, a small improvement over the September rate of 9.7 percent, but still much higher than the October 2019 rate of 3.9 percent. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.