Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

Have a safe and wonderful  Thanksgiving with family and friends.
 
 
Jobless rate in double digits; 9,600 more unemployed vs. Oct. 08
 
October working

October

jobless

October

jobless %

September jobless %
October '08 jobless%
Bartow
39,770
5,877
12.9%
13.2%
8.0%
Chattooga
9,030
1,397
13.4%
11.8%
9.0%
Floyd
43,829
5,366
10.9%
10.9%
7.6%
Gordon
21,640
3,407
13.6%
13.0%
8.7%
Polk
18,952
2,272
10.7%
10.8%
7.0%
State
4,237,665
481,980
10.2%
10.1%
7.0%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

Preliminary reports for October from the Georgia Department of Labor show Northwest Georgia still struggling with high unemployment rates. But a closer look at the reports for last month and for October 2008 show the real impact of the recession. In all five counties, between 1,000 and 2,800 additional people were out of work last month vs. October 2008; 9,600 in all:

-Gordon County, with the region's highest jobless rate at 13.6 percent, showed 3,407 people without jobs, up 2,788 from the same month last year.

-Bartow County, with a 12.9 percent unemployment rate, saw 5,877 people out of work, up 2,836 from a year earlier.

-Floyd County, where the jobless rate settled at 10.9 percent for the second consecutive month, saw 5,366 people without jobs, up 1,930 from October 2008.

-Polk County saw the jobless rate drop a bit, from 10.8 percent to 10.7 percent, but the 2,272 people without jobs last month was an increase of 1,030 from a year ago.

-Chattooga County saw the largest month-over-month increase in the jobless rate, from 11.8 percent to 13.4 percent. Some 1,397 people were out of work last month, up 1,030 from October 2008 reports.

-The state's unemployment rate rose slightly to 10.2 percent in October, up from 10.1 percent in September. Statewide, the number of payroll jobs in October was 3,858,800, a decrease of 227,700 or 5.6 percent, from 4,086,500 in October 2008.

-The over-the-year losses came in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, professional and business services, and construction.

-Educational and health services added 13,200 jobs over the year. Also, from September to October, a total of 5,200 jobs were added in retail trade, public and private education, and health care.

Thanksgiving holiday checklist:

-Highway safety: Troopers predict 16 traffic deaths between 6 p.m. Wednesday and midnight Sunday. Also: 3,570 accidents and 1,398 injuries> Details

-Georgia DOT has suspended construction-related lane closures through midnight Sunday. Check highway conditions> Click

-Gas prices: Look for unleaded to cost $2.48 a gallon as you fill up for that run to the in-laws' house. A year ago, we were paying $1.74 a gallon> Details

-Black Friday sales: Look for Prime Outlets in Calhoun to open at midnight Thursday (12:01 a.m. Friday) and Mount Berry Square to open at 4 a.m.  Friday.

-Holiday closings:  Banks are closed, reopening Friday morning. No mail service today. Plus most government offices closed. The library reopens Friday.

Your holiday forecast:

-Thanksgiving Day: Partly sunny, high of 55. Low of 33.

-Friday: Sunny, high of 56, low of 30.

-Saturday: Sunny with a high of 63, low of 36.

-Sunday:  High of 65, low of 41; 40% rain chance overnight.

-Extended forecast> Click    Local radar  / regional radar

Norman Arey's Sports Commentary>Arey

-The joke turned out to be no joke and believe it that Tech is having the last laugh.

Dining & Drink:

-Dining updates: Blue Fin adds new menu items this week> Dining

-Weekly public health restaurant inspection scores for Northwest Georgia> Scores

-Wine News Vine: Thanksgiving at Montaluce; special release at Yonah tasting room; final wild game brunch> Wine News Vine

Black Friday sales: Look for Prime Outlets in Calhoun to open at midnight Thursday (12:01 a.m. Friday) and Mount Berry Square to open at 4 a.m.  Friday

John McClellan's latest playoff picks>Football Report

-Close win--1 point--for Calhoun while Twiggs County poised to end Darlington's post-season run.

-Georgia High School Football Daily looks at AA playoffs (including Calhoun) and realignment> Click

Sports/Rome Braves/State Mutual Stadium> Sports

-Dec. 5/Annual half-price sale at The Trading Post.

-NAIA playoffs set with final two winners due in Rome for national football championship game on Dec. 19> NAIA

-Registration, training begin for 3rd Berry Half Marathon March 6.

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