Thursday's updates

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FINALLY: First-time unemployment insurance claims down

	Nov. 2009	Oct. 2009	Nov. 2008	12-month %
Bartow	996	1,064	1,178	-15.4%
Chattooga	93	115	121	-23.1%
Floyd	1,350	1,044	1,405	-3.9%
Gordon	770	712	1,255	-38.6%
Polk	774	561	794	-2.5%
Georgia	72,298	70,597	74,480	-2.9%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

 

There's finally some good news on the employment front: First-time jobless claims in five area counties and statewide dropped last month when compared to November 2008 stats. All but Floyd saw decreases when compared to October reports, too.

-The year-over-year decreases were significant, especially in Gordon County where claims dipped from 1,255 in November 2008 to 770 last month, Georgia Department of Labor reports show. Also:

-Statewide, 72,298 laid-off workers filed initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits in November, a decrease of 2,182 from November 2008.

-Most of the initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, construction, and administrative and support services.
-What it means : "Georgia's job market is mired in a prolonged downturn," says State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond ."This is an improvement of less than three percent in the number of layoffs from the same months last year, when we were in the midst of a severe economic meltdown. America's big financial institutions and Wall Street appear to have stabilized; unfortunately, Georgia's job market is showing little improvement."   
-The average length of time jobless Georgia workers drew unemployment benefits increased from 11.8 weeks in November 2008 to 14.8 weeks in November 2009.

Politics

-Smith predicts state revenue free fall will level out in January:

Revenue collections for the month of November were $1,188,879,000 compared to $1,419,543,000 for November 2008, a decrease of $230,664,000 or 16.2 percent. The percentage decrease year-to-date: 15.4 percent, says Gov. Sonny Perdue. Click Report. Will the plunge slow down soon? State Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, says yes. The Rome Republican predicted "state revenue will flatten out by January," adding that the real drop started in January 2009. Smith made his comments at Wednesday's pre-legislative forum at The Palladium.

-Loudermilk 'humbled' by speaker talk: Rep. Barry Loudermilk says the support he's getting to be considered as Georgia's next speaker of the House is humbling. Two Facebook groups boosting a Loudermilk bid have 200 members. Click

Winter Wine Highway Weekend is here. Visit nine North Georgia wineries just by paying a $20 'passport' fee. It's a great way to go Christmas shopping as well. You'll find wines, accessories and other gift ideas > Wine News Vine

What's ahead in Bartow County:

-Dec. 10: The Bartow Business Connection meets from 7 until 9 a.m. at the Bartow History Museum under the bridge in downtown Cartersville. This is a drop in meeting. Stay the full two hours or just five minutes. Usual refreshments, coffee, juices and danish.   Director Trey Gaines and his staff will be our host. In addition to providing tours of the renovated 1869 Courthouse, they will provide information on the history of the courthouse. http://www.bartowhistorycenter.org/

-Dec. 10: Ribbon cutting, business after hours at Chattahoochee Technical College's Health Education Center: The center is at the North Metro Campus. Ribbon cutting is set for 4:30 p.m. followed by the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Details: Chattahoochee Tech or the chamber

-Dec. 10-13 Pumphouse Players to stage 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' > Details

-Dec. 11: Candlelight shopping returns to downtown Cartersville Friday evening: From 4 until 8 p.m., hundreds of lLumminaries will light the sidewalks while carolers on duty as well.

-Dec. 14: Bartow County Board of Education, 6 p.m.> Agenda

-Dec. 17: Cartersville City Council, 7 p.m. Hear it live on WBHF 1450 AM or Web cast here on Bartow Headlines (click)

Weather

Flood warnings continue for three local waterways:

-Armuchee Creek: 22.7. feet this morning and rising; flood stage is 19 feet.

-Oostanaula River near Calhoun: 20.3 feet and rising; flood stage is 20 feet.

-Chattooga River near Summerville: 16.5 feet and falling. Flood stage is 14 feet.

Your latest forecast:

-Thursday: Sunny and cooler, high of 47. Low of 21.

-Friday: Mostly sunny, high of 47, low of 25.

-Extended forecast> Click  /  Local radar  / regional radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey

-What! Are you telling me that Alabama has no class?

John McClellan's state championship picks> Football Report

-Buford by 4 over Calhoun. Plus: John's picks on all high school divisions>

-Can't get to the Dome? Watch the game live on GPB at 4:30 p.m.

NAIA National Championship Game

-As final preparations begin for 2009 NAIA game, negotiations are about to start on extending Rome's contract to host the showdown each year> Click

-Day-by-day scheduled for the NAIA National Championship events in Rome: The game is Dec. 19 but events start days earlier> Details

Sports/Rome Braves/State Mutual Stadium> Sports

-Ingle, Moore, Czajkowski, Chase return to Rome Braves in '10

-Rome Braves offer new 12-pack flex ticket plans.

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