Chico's to exit Riverbend Center in January:
-Yet another local retail outlet is leaving Rome after the first of the year. Chico's, which is near Kroger and Hibbett's at Riverbend Center, is closing in January, says Robert Atkinson, vice president/investor relations for Chico's FAS. . There is talk of Hibbett's expanding into the nearly 3,000-square-foot storefront. As for retail: The Chico's news comes a day after confirmation that The Gap will leave Mount Berry Square by late January.
-Year-end deja vu: With two closings now confirmed, the end of 2009 is sounding a bit too much like the final days of 2008. That's when we were hearing talk of the closing of Goody's, the final days of Circuit City and the just-closed location of Office Depot on Shorter Avenue. Two of those spots remain vacant.
-Mount Berry Square is open today from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.
-Prime Outlets in Calhoun are open today from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Updated/Wind advisory, 1 this afternoon until 7 a.m. Christmas Day> Click
-Weather updates all day, evening from Hometown Headlines.
-Today: 80% chance of rain, mainly after 1 p.m. High near 57. East wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
-Tonight: 100% chance of rain. Low around 43. Southeast wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
-Christmas Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
-Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. West wind around 5 mph.
-Extended forecast> Click / Local radar / regional radar
Senate approves healthcare reform package, 60-39, along party lines> CNN
-Says an angry Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.: "This process is not over by a long shot, and I will continue to fight against it every single day. Ramming through a bill drafted behind closed doors and stuffed with special deals to secure the votes of certain senators was the wrong way to go about this debate. The health care of the American people is too important for the Senate to exploit it so politically in this manner. This has not been a thoughtful process, and it is an unfortunate way to do business. At a time when Georgia and most states are already under tremendous budgetary stress due to the economy, the proposed expansion of Medicaid contained in this bill is a recipe for disaster. It's not fair to say we're covering more people if we are bankrupting our states through this massive unfunded mandate. The unintended consequences of this legislation are disastrous."
Vanishing jobs as big a concern as unemployment. Nov. '09 vs. Nov. '08
| Working | Jobless | Percent | Working | Jobless | Percent | |
| Bartow | 40,048 | 5,825 | 12.7% | 42,432 | 3,849 | 8.3% |
| Chattooga | 9,037 | 1,211 | 11.8% | 10,063 | 1,203 | 10.7% |
| Floyd | 43,813 | 5,180 | 10.6% | 45,498 | 3,617 | 7.4% |
| Gordon | 21,687 | 3,271 | 13.1% | 24,613 | 2,342 | 8.7% |
| Polk | 18,992 | 2,257 | 10.6% | 20,083 | 1,549 | 7.2% |
-The good news from the state Department of Labor is the jobless rated eased a bit in November when compared to stats from October. Floyd saw a drop of 0.3 percent while Gordon's rate dropped from 13.6 to 13.1 percent.
-But what is study just as close is the number of jobs that have left the market. The November workforce in Floyd in November 2009 was 43,813 compared to nearly 45,500 a year earlier. That's a drop of 1,685 jobs while the number of people without work in those months differed by 1,563. In fact, fewer people were working in November compared to October stats.
-In Bartow, 2,384 fewer people were working last month vs November 2008 while the number of people without jobs climbed by 1,976, or from 3,849 to 5,825. That's 400 fewer overall jobs.
-Hardest hit was Gordon County. 2,926 fewer jobs were last month vs. November 2008 while the number of people without jobs climbed by 929.
-Statewide, the number of payroll jobs in November 2009 was 3,874,200, a decrease of 192,400, or 4.7 percent, from 4,066,600 in November 2008.
- The over-the-year losses came in trade, transportation and warehousing, manufacturing, professional and business services, and construction.
-Educational and health services added 13,800 jobs over the year. Also, 8,500 jobs were added in retail trade, public and private education and health care vs. October.
-The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly to 10.2 percent in November, up from 10.1 percent in October.
Thursday's Buzz:
-Early word is that we'll soon smell barbecue on Broad Street again.
-Later today: Restaurant public health inspection scores.
-What the NAIA football columnist has to say about Rome and the championship game: Simply put, he couldn't be nicer> Details
Downtown Headlines> Downtown
-Bryan Mullins' MullinsMania entertainment report--a day early.
Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey
-Surprise college coach and player-of-the-year awards go to Patterson, Suh.
-Norman's next column: Monday, Dec. 28.
Sports/Rome Braves/State Mutual Stadium> Sports
-Atlanta Braves' ace Tommy Hanson to appear at Rome Braves' Hot Stove Gathering at The Forum Jan. 25> Sports
-Rome Braves offer new 12-pack flex ticket plans.
-Registration, training begin for 3rd Berry Half Marathon March 6.
Christmas Week services:
First Baptist Church, Lindale, 9 Park Ave: Click
-10 p.m. Christmas Eve service. Children welcome to come in their PJs and bring their stuffed animals.
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, downtown Rome: All services in the church.
-Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. Children's Service; Holy Eucharist; 11 p.m. Eve of the Nativity; Holy Eucharist; broadcast live on WLAQ 1410 AM.
-Christmas Day: 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist
St. Mary's Catholic Church, 911 N. Broad St. All services in the church
-Christmas Eve: 4 and 5:30 p.m. (childrens pageant); 7 p.m.; 8:30 p.m. (Spanish); 10 p.m., choir program; 11 p.m., Midnight Mass.
-Christmas Day: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Spanish)
Thanks to NORAD, you can track Santa again this year> NORAD
-Grim predictions for Christmas, New Year's travel: From the state patrol -- The Christmas holiday traffic count will begin Christmas Eve at 6 p.m. and end at midnight Sunday, Dec. 27. During the 78-hour period, the Georgia State Patrol estimates 2,226 traffic crashes will occur with for 976 injuries and 18 fatalities. The New Year's holiday travel period begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and ends at midnight Sunday, Jan. 3. Estimates are for 2,330 traffic crashes, 1,004 injuries and 16 fatalities. Click State Patrol
-Gas prices down from last month, way up from December 2008: There's a little relief at the pumps this week as the average price of a gallon of unleaded was $2.42, down four cents from last month but up 84cents from a year ago> Gas
-Check state highways before hitting the road> DOT
-Get banking done early: Many banks will close at noon today with some not opening again until Dec. 28.
-No mail Friday, Christmas Day.
-The remote solid-waste collection sites in Floyd County will be closed
on Friday, Dec. 25, in observance of Christmas. Normal operating schedule will resume Saturday, Dec. 26> Details
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