Thursday, September 23, 2010

Nearly 17,000 Northwest Georgians jobless last month. Bartow unemployment rate at 11.1%. Career fair today at The Forum in Rome.

Please click www.bartowheadlines.com:

Nearly 17,000 Northwest Georgians without jobs last month

-Shorter career fair today offers some jobs; could draw 2,500-plus

August employed

August

unemployed

August

% jobless

July percent

unemployed

Aug. 2009 % jobless
Bartow
39,929
5,005
11.1%
11.0%
12.5%
Chattooga
9,019
1,390
13.4%
11.7%
12.0%
Floyd
43,869
5,322
10.8%
10.5%
10.9%
Gordon
21,524
3,079
12.5%
12.4%
13.1%
Polk
18,280
2,149
10.5%
10.3%
10.8%
State
4,201,647
484,776
10.3%
10.2%
10.0%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

Another 340 Northwest Georgians were without jobs in August, an increase that many predicted as the effects of two plant closures--Pierre Foods in Rome and Mohawk's spun yard plant in Cartersville--began to hit. Those shutdowns idled nearly 600.

-Some 16,945 people were jobless last month compared to 16,605 in July, according to Georgia Department of Labor reports. The jobless rate climbed from July to August in all five counties. Decreases were reported in Bartow and Gordon counties compared to August 2009 while only slight drops in Floyd and Polk counties. Chattooga's jobless rate climbed to 13.4 percent vs. 12 percent a year earlier.

-Statewide, 70,264 laid-off workers filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits in August, an increase of 2,175, or 3.2 percent, from 68,089 in July. Most of the first-time claims were filed in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, administrative and support services, and construction. Expanded statewide look. Click

-Today/The Northwest Georgia/Shorter University Job and Career Fair is at The Forum from 1 until 5 p.m. The career fair has 75 vendors signed up; at least 2,500 job-seekers are expected. Free parking available.Details

What's ahead in Bartow County:

-Sept. 23: Chamber's Business After Hours, Thursday, 5 until 7 p.m., sponsored by Reinhardt University at The Resource Center, 1 N. Gilmer St., Cartersville. RSVP: Martha Macon, 770-382-1466

-Sept. 24: Bartow Business Connection will meet at Hilton Garden Inn from 4 p.m. until Midnight. This is a "drop in" event, so you can stay five minutes, an hour, or the entire evening.

-Sept. 25: Booth's Ansel Adams exhibit opens: The Booth Western Art Museum in downtown Cartersville welcomes its largest temporary exhibition yet with Ansel Adams: A Legacy. Details

-Sept. 25/The Cartersville Police Department is sponsoring 'Operation Pill Drop' from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police department. This event gives the public the opportunity to safely dispose of expired, unused or unwanted prescription and OTC medications. Details

The Grand Theatre to host a Youth Musical Theatre Workshop on Stage Presence from Oct. 4-Nov. 8 for ages 7-16. Cost is $75. Details

Wednesday's Bartow County Jail reports. Click & Click

Dining

-Steak N Shake gets great opening-day crowd in Rome, national attention, too: Big crowds, long lines and, for the most part, a lot of satisfied people following Steak N Shake's first full day in Rome. Click Facebook

-Rome opening draws attention from several restaurant websites. Click

-Opening ceremonies, great deals and what's next. Dining

-So about that original Steak N Shake location at RiverWalk. . . : Perhaps forgotten in all of Wednesday's grand-opening celebration was the original site of Steak N Shake, the pad at RiverWalk, home of Shane's, Las Palmas, Olive Garden, Starbucks and some shops. Local retail developers say $6,000 a month in "rent" is coming in from the original S-N-S deal that went bust. The curbing is cut but only weeds are on the site. What should go on that pad? Just about every popular genre of food already is within a two-block radius: Italian, barbecue, Mexican, burgers, chicken, steak, sushi, even subs--times two. Perhaps a bank branch? An outdoors shop that ties in with Ridge Ferry's activities? A new cell phone spot, even though one already has closed at RiverWalk? Keep watching.

-Latest public health restaurant inspection scores: The peaks and valleys of restaurant health scores from Northwest Georgia. Scores range from a 45 in Calhoun and 58 in Rome to 100s in Bartow and Chattooga counties. Dining

Thursday's Buzz

-Keep on truckin': To help celebrate Truck Driver Appreciation Week, the Roadside Medical Clinic+Lab at the Pilot Travel Center in Cartersville is offering free health screenings for the 18-wheeler set. It includes blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass and other checks. Details

-Tonight/Floyd County Republican Women set first debate for general election: It is set for 7 to 9 p.m. at the Etowah Senior Citizens Center on Kingston Highway. Democratic and GOP candidates for four local races are invited: County Commission Post 4; House districts 13 and 14; and Senate District 52.

Tonight's harvest moon a rarity:

-One of the biggest, brightest full moons of the year is due tonight. A check of the science sites shows it is rare to have a full moon fall so close to the start of autumn (11:09 p.m. Wednesday). Tonight's moon rise is at 7:29 p.m. How the big night is being honored:

- Pine Mountain Moonlight Hike tonight. Details

-The Coosa River Basin Initiative offers a Harvest Moon paddle on the Coosa River from downtown Rome to Lock and Dam Park. CRBI

-And, naturally, at Harvest Moon on Broad Street, Scott Thompson will play ... at The Moon Roof Bar beginning at 9 p.m.

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