Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thursday updates

 
First-time unemployment insurance claims slow in September
 
Sept. 2009
August 2009
Sept. 2008
12-month %
Bartow
882
983
663
+33.0%
Chattooga
86
99
97
-11.3%
Floyd
1,017
1,046
882
+15.3%
Gordon
875
870
954
-8.3%
Polk
444
431
370
+20%
Georgia
66,614
69,869
56,652
+17.6%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

>Either slight dips or tiny increases in month-over-month initial jobless claims were reported in the five-county market in September, state labor reports show. Perhaps the brightest sign yet: year-over-year decreases in claims in hard-hit Gordon and Chattooga counties when comparing last month and September 2008.

>Bartow, Floyd and Polk reported double-digit increases when comparing both Septembers. Polk showed a slight month-over-month increase.

>Statewide, 66,614 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in September, up of 17.6 percent from September 2008 but down by 3,255 vs. August.

>But, say labor officials, the average length of time jobless Georgia workers drew UI benefits increased from 11.8 weeks in September 2008 to 14 weeks last month.

>Most of the initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, construction, and administrative and support services.

> "While the pace of new layoffs continued to moderate in September, the average length of time that jobless Georgians are receiving unemployment insurance benefits is now longer than it's been since March 1976," says Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. "I believe that federal, state, and local governments must invest greater public sector resources in order to stimulate job creation by small businesses."

>Rome saw an example of such an effort last month when Shorter College coordinated a regional job fair that drew more than 2,500 people and 75-plus employers at The Forum.

Health

-Floyd responds to Medicare/heart failure death rate report: A story in the AJC focused on how state hospitals placed when in Medicare studies of death rates by Medicare patients admitted to those hospital for treatment of heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia.  The report in Sunday's paper included a breakout titled "Heart failure, 30-day death rates." Floyd Medical Center topped the list of state hospitals performing "worse than the national rate." Floyd, in response, says steps taken in recent years hve helped. "As a result, Floyd has experienced a significant reduction in mortality rates for heart failure patients."> Health

-Today/500 doses of swine flu vaccine for healthy kids, ages 2-4, Thursday: Some 3, 500 doses are being spread through the 10-county region including 600 for Bartow and 300 each for Gordon and Polk counties > Health

Business:

-River City comments on articles examining TARP funds used by Ga. banks: Included is a statement from a letter the bank sent to shareholders in June outlining reasons for accepting $8.7 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds> RCB.

-Rome's Southeastern Mills acquires Superior Quality Foods: Southeastern Mill, Inc. acquiresi Ontario, Calif.-based Superior Quality Foods> Business

-Anheuser-Busch InBev sells theme parks: For years, a park was rumored for some of the 1,700 acres that make up the brewery in Cartersville> The deal

Gingrey, Deal named 'Taxpayer Heroes': The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste reports honored six members of the U.S. House of Representatives as Taxpayer Heroes for their high scores in the group's 2008 Congressional Ratings including Nathan Deal with 91 percent and Phil Gingrey with 88 percent> Click

We're no. 363! And we disagree. Yet another sports ranking, this one from Sporting News as it looks at best sports cities. Let's see: the 2003 Rome Braves were league champs; the WBA Rome Gladiators won two titles; the Rome Renegades' indoor football team make it to the league finale two years straight. And then there's the Shorter, Berry and Georgia Northwestern sports teams. And tennis. But we're only no.363 in a list of 399 options? Sheesh> Click

Your latest forecast:

-Thursday: Partly sunny with a high of 81, low of 65.

-Friday: Rain chance: 40% day, 50% evening. High of 88, low of 66.

-Rivers: Oostanaula / Etowah-Rome / Etowah-Cartersville

-Latest weather: Extended forecastLocal radar / Regional radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable:
-Let Tebow watch from the sidelines; it simply isn't worth the risk. >Arey

John McClellan's weekly picks/Football Report:
-Big rebounds for Rome High, Pepperell High.
-Calhoun to stay perfect after showdown with undefeated Chattooga.
-Surging Darlington faces reality check with Bremen.
-Coosa, Rockmart in key 7-AA throwdown; Yellow Jackets win by 6.

Georgia High School Football Daily updates> Click

Shorter prepares for Lambuth Saturday afternoon> Game report

Rome Braves/baseball updates> Click
-Upcoming events at State Mutual Stadium. Did someone say wing ding?

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