Officials in Missouri’s Department of Economic Development say the state is officially in a recession. They see four factors indicating the recession: unemployment increases the same as recessions in 1982 and 1990-1991, lower than the national average national growth in personal income, a drop in the vitality of the manufacturing sector in the state, and a drop in retail trade and taxable sales. Department Director Joe Driskill sys the downturn started in March and could last for at least the next six months.