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Bartow earns Work Ready status: Gov. Sonny Perdue announces Bartow County has been designated a Certified Work Ready Community, a designation showing the county has the skilled workforce that business demands and the educational infrastructure to drive economic growth and prosperity.> Details

January first-time jobless claims dip from December; skyrocket vs. 2008

Counties	Jan. 2009	Dec. 2008	Jan. 2008	Month to month	Year to year
Bartow	2,294	2,639	797	Down 13.1%	Up 187.8%
Chattooga	171	191	84	Down 10.5%	Up 103.6%
Floyd	3,035	2,994	1,196	Up 1.4%	Up 153.8%
Gordon	2,064	2,111	1,003	Down 2.2%	Up 105.8%
Polk	1,599	1,521	552	Up 5.1%	Up 189.7%
State	120,139	128,625	66,468	Down 6.6%	Up 80.7%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

The January numbers from the Georgia Department of Labor were a shade better than the previous month. But compared to January 2008, it showed the job hemorrhage is continuing in our five-county market.

Some 9,163 people applied for first-time unemployment assistance last month, down 3.1 percent from December's monster numbers from Floyd, Bartow, Gordon, Polk and Chattooga counties. But compared to the 3,632 claims filed in January 2008, last month's totals were up a stunning 152.3 percent.

A county-by-county look shows:

>More than 3,000 people sought assistance in Floyd last month compared to around 1,200 in January 2008.

-Bartow saw a 13.1 percent decrease from December reports--but a 188 percent jump from a year earlier.

-Claims rose in Polk County by 5.1 percent month over month and by nearly doubled vs. January 2008.

-In Gordon County, claim reports dipped 2.2 percent but were up nearly 106 percent year over year.

-Chattooga County, hit hard last year by layoffs, had a 10.5 percent decrease month over month. The report was more than double January 2008, however.

-Statewide, there was a 6.6 percent drop compared to December but an 81 percent surge vs. January 2008.

-Statewide, there was a 6.6 percent drop compared to December but an 81 percent surge vs. January 2008.

-Dubious distinction: The metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of increase in claims are Dalton, up 164.7 percent; Brunswick, up 163.7 percent; and Rome, up 153.4 percent.

-The layoffs: Most of the state initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, trade, administrative services, including temporary employment agencies, and construction.

-Says Labor Commissioner Michael  Thurmond: "We are witnessing the emergence of a 'Darwinian' job market. "The growing number of layoffs has created a surplus of jobseekers who are talented, experienced, educated and well-trained. In this challenging environment, the most successful jobseekers will be those who demonstrate the highest levels of persistence, determination, and above all, flexibility when looking for work."

IZOD joins Premium Outlets in Calhoun: The store opens today between Jones New York and Footwear Depot.

Calhoun's Martin 3 up for sale? A listing on Loop Net, a commercial real estate site, features a link to the three-screen theater owned by Carmike Cinemas. The theater continues in operation with evening shows tonight and matinee and evening shows over the weekend. The listing says the 2.64-acre site is "a great venue for theater or church." Calls to Carmike executives in Columbus were not returned Wednesday.> Martin 3

Artists invited to apply for fall's 34th Annual Arts Festival at Rose Lawn> Festival

Weather Center / brought to you by Roman Court

-Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67.

-Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
-Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms; high near 67.

-Extended forecast: Please click WeatherCenter

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable / brought to you by Riverside Toyota

-Strawberry on the '80s Mets: Team hauled 'more Budweiser than the Clydesdales'. Click Arey