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December stats show 8,400-job loss for region in past 12 months

	Dec. 2009 Employed	Dec. 2009 Unemployed	Dec. 2009 % jobless	Nov. 2009 % jobless	Dec.. 2008 % jobless
Bartow	39,882	5,773	12.6%	12.6%	9.4%
Chattooga	9,026	1,144	11.2%	11.8%	11.2%
Floyd	43,834	5,245	10.7%	10.5%	8.0%
Gordon	21,743	3,280	13.1%	13.0%	9.9%
Polk	18.908	2,312	10.9%	10.6%	8.2%
State	4,239,629	973,223	10.0%	9.8%	7.8%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

-Local overview: The jobless rate across Northwest Georgia didn't change much compared to November but increases remained substantial when compared to December 2008. Nearly 5,800 people were without jobs in Bartow County last month followed by 5,245 Floyd County residents.

-Gordon continued to post the highest jobless rate in the market, 13.1 percent, vs. the state's 10.0% for December. A year earlier, Gordon was at 9.9 percent.

-Where the downturn really shows up: The "employed" listing above shows how many people had jobs in our area in December.  The region has lost nearly 8,400 jobs in 12 months, a 6 percent drop year over year. There also was a slight drop in the number of people working in the five-county area last month vs. November reports, a bit of a surprise given the Christmas shopping hiring season.

-Statewide: Now compare the drop to the state. The number of payroll jobs in December was 3,859,800, a 175,000-job, 4.3 percent drop from December 2008.

-Where the jobs were lost: Trade, transportation and utilities, manufacturing, construction, and professional and business services.

-Who was hiring: educational and health services added 11,200 jobs over the year.

Your latest weather/Make that sleet and rain Friday, Saturday

-The National Weather Service has issued a 'special weather statement' about expected sleet and rain due Friday and Saturday across North Georgia> Details

-Flood warning updates: Warnings continue for the Oostanaula  River near Calhoun, affecting Gordon and Floyd counties, and the Coosa River near Plant Hammond in Floyd County> Details

-More on the way? More than an inch of rain is forecast for our area Friday.

-Forecast through Saturday:

-Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

-Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.

-Friday: 60% chance of rain. High of 48.
-Friday night: 100% chance of rain. Low around 34. Gusts to 20 mph.
-Saturday: 40% chance of rain, mainly before 1 p.m. High of 40; 20-mph gusts.
-Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
-Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.

-Extended forecast> Click  / Regional radar

Politics:

-U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, Sen. Johnny Isakson respond to President Obama's State of the Union address> SOTU

-State Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, introduces health insurance reform legislation, a proposal supported by more than 20 Senate colleagues> Details

Reinhardt College switching to university status in June> Details

Saturday/Second Annual Annual Indie Film Night at Legion Theatre: Pumphouse Players Inc. presents the second annual Indie Film Night beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Legion Theatre. Tickets are $5 each. Expanded details, film titles> Indie

Sponsors sought for Downtown Cartersville's Seventh Annual Summer Concert Series. Packages range from $200 to $5,000. The 2009 concerts drew more than 4,500 visitors each night. The concert series features one concert night per month (Saturdays) along with the car show. Among the acts returning this season: The Tams. For more, contact the DDA

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey

-Tech recruiting suffers a blow; Kentucky no longer No. 1 in college basketball.