Thursday updates

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Cartersville City  Council meets tonight at 7 p.m.

Two signs of optimism in the housing market; not so with jobs

1) Realtors' president: 'We've already hit bottom,' sales increasing

-Graham Dixon doesn't need optimism. He's seeing the hoped-for rebound in local home sales in Rome/Floyd County. As president of the Greater Rome Board of Realtors and a partner in Lambert, Dixon & Tate, Dixon keeps a steady eye on sales trends and he likes what he's seeing deep into the second quarter of' 09. Here's why:

-Single-family home sales already are up 16 percent vs. the first quarter.

-Through June 15, local home sales are at 262.

-Prices are remaining mostly steady, maybe down 4 percent.

-Starter homes are doing the best, those in the $99,900 range, Dixon says. A big help: the $8,000 federal and $1,800 tax benefit for first-time buyers (including those who haven't owned a home for at least three years).

-Homes selling for up to $150,000 are doing well, he says.

-There is less demand for executive homes, those $600,000-and-above.

-There's "still an over supply" of homes on the market, Dixon says, but he's confident "we've already hit bottom" and that those waiting for the basement prices might have waited too long.

- "It's a great time to buy," says Dixon, citing mortgage rates, home prices and the nearly $10,000 in federal and state tax benefits.

Dixon was a guest on Wednesday's Talk of the Town on WRGA 1470 AM.

2) Plans filed for Park Village in Cartersville: residential, commercial, mega-church: A 135-acre all-in-one community, ParkVillage, is being proposed near Douthit Ferry Road and Pine Grove Road on Cartersville's exploding West Side. (See the "A" pin in the Google Map below). A development of regional impact statement filed with the Coosa Valley Regional  Development Center shows:

-135.3 acres for mixed use.

-19.1 acres would be set aside for 230,000 square feet of commercial use with potential for loft/townhome residences (no more than 40).

-49 acres for 156 single-family lots.

-12 acres with 115 senior living residences.

-56 acres to be sold to a large congregation church "relocating from in town." One option: Tabernacle Baptist Church. Notes in city records have discussed possible uses of the Tabernacle site should the site become available.

-The project would be built in several phases with the first taking 24 months; the second, up to three years; and build-out within 10 years.

-The developer: NPO Investments; contact: Karl Lutjens, Southland Engineering.

-For more, click DRI files One and Two.

-What's next: The development center will review the application, perhaps seek additional information and then decide whether it benefits the community. We'll have more updates.

3) State unemployment rate climbs to record 9.7% in May

We're a week away from the local reports but the May jobless rate for Georgia sends a ominous signal. The state's unemployment rate was at 9.7 percent last month, the highest ever, vs. 5.9 percent a year earlier. The fear is a double whammy could hit with the June numbers: College graduations plus an influx of high school summer workers.

"Georgia's record unemployment rate of 9.7 percent is a stark reminder that the road to economic recovery will be long and difficult," says State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond.

Last month, 463,883 unemployed Georgians were looking for work, an increase of 62 percent from May 2008. Of that number, 157,544, or 34 percent, were receiving state unemployment insurance benefits, while another 90,000 are receiving federal extended benefits, a Labor release shows.

The number of payroll jobs in May decreased 217,000, or 5.2 percent, from May 2008. The over-the-year losses came in professional and business services, including temporary employment agencies, manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, and in the construction industry. Job gainers totaling 16,200 were recorded in health care and educational services.

Suddenly, community has two key offers from private colleges to consider

The above image is a rendering of the 55-court tennis center Berry College is proposing as a college/community endeavour. Berry is offering the land; what's needed is funding. In the case of Shorter College, the offer is $400,000 to help enhance Barron Stadium for future college, high school and community use. And there's another joint venture now in rumor stage. For more, click Campus

Thursday's Buzz:

-Rome Braves summer camp set for June 29-July 1> Kids

-Shorter Hawks' home opener to be Web cast live Oct. 1> Campus

-'Hawk Spotlight' returns to Comcast thanks to Shorter, Coosa> Click

-Chamber After Hours tonight from 5:30-7 p.m., Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia, 211 E. Main St.> Chamber

-Still a few spots available at Kiki's camp for diabetic kids> Health

-Free recital at Shorer Thursday: A public recital featuring vocal performances from Shorter College student participants in the National Association of Teachers of Singing intern program will be held at 2 .p.m. Thursday in Brookes Chapel> Details

Weather:
-Thursday: 20% rain chance and a high of 94.
-Thursday night: Low of 70; 20% chance of rain.
-Friday: High near 96, sunny skies.
-Friday night: Low of 72, crystal skies.
-Weekend: More of the same Saturday, Sunday
-Latest local Radar / Latest regional Radar

Photo by Mills Fitzner/More water photos: Click Gallery

Centerfielder David Berres returns fire on the Braves Brigade during a wet and wild Wednesday afternoon at the ballpark. Temperatures climbed to 96 degrees on the field.

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable:
-In Tennessee, it's Dolly Parton, Elvis and Lane Kiffin--not necessarily in that order.

Rome Braves updates: 

-Braves knocked out of playoff hunt, 3-2, by Savannah
-Up next: Thursay-Sunday in Augusta; then three-day All-Star break
-Braves baseball camp for kids set for June 29-July 1.
-Latest Mills Fitzner game photos> Gallery

Downtown Headlines:
- The lowdown on downtown entertainment from Bryan Mullins of MullinsMania.com

-3,000 due each day at Jehovah's Witness convention at The  Forum.
-What's ahead this week in downtown Rome.