April jobless rates drop in four local counties, statewide but . . .
| April 2010 Employed | April 2010 Unemployed | April 2010 % jobless | March 2010 % jobless | April 2009 % jobless | |
| Bartow | 40,353 | 5,500 | 12% | 11.8% | 10.2% |
| Chattooga | 9,047 | 1,148 | 11.3% | 11.7% | 13.3% |
| Floyd | 44,383 | 4,971 | 10.1% | 10.9% | 9.6% |
| Gordon | 21,025 | 3,095 | 12.8% | 13.6% | 11.8% |
| Polk | 18,585 | 2,210 | 10.6% | 11.1% | 10.5% |
| State | 4,244,459 | 460,777 | 10.4% | 10.5% | 9.2% |
Source: Georgia Department of Labor
-What's good: The five-county April jobless report shows mostly decreases across the board except in Bartow where 5,500 remained unemployed last month.
-More good: Chattooga's numbers were actually better in April vs. the same month last year. Floyd, Bartow, Gordon and Polk were all higher than 12 months earlier.
-What to watch for: Higher unemployment numbers are Pierre Foods shuts down in Rome, idling 350 people. Plus don't forget the CCH Small Firm Services move to Kennesaw, taking another nearly 400 jobs out of the market.
-Metro Rome's jobless rate declined to 10.1 percent in April vs.10.9 percent in March but higher than the same month last year. The number of unemployed workers dropped to 4,971 down 433 from 5,404 in March. In April, 884 laid-off workers in metro Rome filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits, a decrease of 697, or 44.1 percent, from 1,581 filed in April 2009. There were 200 more jobs in Rome/Floyd last month as well compared to March.
-Northwest Georgia's combined jobless rate declined to 10.5 percent in April vs. 11.1 percent in March. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed workers in the area dropped to 42,497 down 2,522 from 45,019 in March.
-The state's unemployment rate declined to 10.4 percent in April, down from a revised 10.5 percent in March and from 9.2 percent at this same time last year.
-New jobs: The state showed a modest increase in new jobs in April for the third consecutive month. The number of jobs increased by 26,900. However, the number of jobs remains less than in April 2009, when there were 3,912,700 payroll jobs, 2.3 percent or 91,100 more than this year.
. . . Georgia State analyst says rough months ahead for employment
-Random "hiccups" of nature (volcano, oil slick, etc.) combined with turmoil in the "Eurozone" leading to volatile stock markets worldwide will impact recovery from gaining a strong foothold in the United States this year, says Rajeev Dhawan, director of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business. In his quarterly forecast released Wednesday, Dhawan said:
-Georgia's employment will remain a negative until year's end. In 2011, expect a moderate recovery: 56,600 new jobs, including 16,900 "premium" jobs. Look for 75,200 jobs in 2012 including 15,600 premium jobs.
-Georgia's unemployment rate will increase significantly to 10.6 percent in 2010. In 2011, unemployment will drop to 10.2 percent; to 9.7 percent in 2012.
-Atlanta's housing permits will increase in 2010 by a strong 35.1 percent following a 66.5 percent decline in 2009. Permit activity will increase in 2011 by 23 percent; single-family permit activity will climb by 21.8 percent. Click Forecast
PowerBall jackpot climbs to $220 million Saturday: No big winner Wednesday night. The numbers: 01-06-10-13-20 and PowerBall 32. Lottery
-Trucker scratches his way to $40,000 in Rome: A truck driver traveling through Rome has landed a Georgia Lottery prize. William Pate won a $40,000 top prize playing the instant game 10X The Money. Pate, a resident of Gordo, Ala., stopped at Highway 411 Truckstop, 145 Highway 411 S.E. in Rome, and purchased a ticket. He scratched it in the store. "I couldn't believe it," he said. "The guy that runs the store was more excited than I was." Source: Ga. Lottery
Media
Spiritual Sword Media links with Ringgold's Gospel Broadcasting Network
-Spiritual Sword Media will become Spiritual Media Studios. GBN is available locally on WKSY in Summerville and "reaches millions of viewers on cable systems across the nation, home satellite dishes, three television stations and it streams from their website www.gbntv.org."
Politics
-Tonight/The Floyd County Republican Women are sponsoring a GOP Candidates' Forum, 7-9 p.m., Etowah Senior Citizens Center. Click
-June 10: Rome/Floyd Tea Party breakfast meeting and forum. 7-9 a.m., with state House District 14 Republican hopefuls Greg Bowen, Christian Coomer and Shep Helton. Landmark Restaurant. Click Facebook
Dining & Drink> Click
-Steak Place II coming to Cartersville (former Hearth & Harvest slot)
-Later today: Latest public health restaurant inspection scores
-Wine News Vine: Close-up of Crane Creek Vineyards in Young Harris.
Thursday's Buzz
-Specialty tags to cost more: Vehicle owners with specialty license plates will see an increase in their annual vehicle registration fee beginning today, says Tax Commissioner Kevin Payne. Legislation passed this year raises the additional renewal fee for most specialty plates including personalized prestige and college commemorative tags from $25 to $35. The $35 fee will also apply to the "Support Wildlife" tags bearing the American Eagle and Bobwhite Quail. Virtually any tag that represents a particular cause, school or group is increasing. The $35 specialty tag fee is in addition to the annual $20 tag renewal fee and ad valorem taxes. Those ordering special tags for the first time must also pay a $35 one-time manufacturing fee, an increase of $10.
-June 3/A Summer Tasting of Downtown to help RACA. Click
-Shorter athletics director Bill Peterson, trainer Josh Tucker, sports information director Matt Green sweep SSAC director awards. Click
-Shorter honors two professors. Shorter
-Two from Berry elected to leadership posts with the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism. Berry
-The Floyd County Schools College & Career Academy announced awards and scholarships at the school today. Details
-June 10/Registration begins for the Willard Nixon Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament. The tournament at Barnsley Gardens will benefit the John Pinson Jr. Student Athlete Award Scholarship Program. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and tee off is at 1 p.m. Team entry fee is $400 and includes green fees, cart fees, range balls, lunch and beverages for a team of four. Register at the Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority by Monday, June 7. Sponsorships are still available: Lisa Nash at 706-291-0766 or lnash@rfpra.com
-June 12/Adam Frey, one of the elite brass soloists in the world - returns to play the euphonium with the Rome Symphony Orchestra at the Huffman Center on Darlington Campus. www.romesymphony.org
Your holiday weekend forecast:
-Thursday: Mostly sunny, high of 90; low of 63. 20% rain chance.
-Friday: 30-40% chance of storms. High of 91, low of 65.
-Saturday: 50% chance of storms, high of 87; low of 64, 30% rain chance.
-Sunday: 40% rain chance, high of 89, low of 66; 20% rain chance.
-Memorial Day: 30% rain chance, high of 86.
-Extended forecast> Click / Regional radar
Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey
-The SEC West and the ACC Coastal look to be the toughest divisions in college football.
Rome Braves> Sports
-Augusta takes game three of series, 3-2.
-Rome Braves to host Military Appreciation Night, May 29.
-Braves at Augusta tonight; home Friday vs. Savannah (fireworks); military appreciation night on Saturday; 2 p.m. game Sunday; 1 p.m. game Monday.
-Mills Fitzner's recent game photos> Click
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