RALEIGH -- North Carolina's unemployment rate was stuck in double digits for the eighth straight month in September. The state Employment Security Commission said Friday the jobless rate in September was 10.8 percent, unchanged from August. North Carolina's unemployment rate has been hovering around 11 percent since February and has been worse than the national average for more than a year. Trade, transportation and utilities companies lost the most jobs, with that sector cutting 6,500 positions. Government added 13,000 jobs in September, with teaching and others in education leading the way back onto payrolls. Construction picked up about 2,200 workers. North Carolina has lost about 250,000 jobs since the recession started in December 2007. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)