Thurmond: County-by-County unemployment a "sobering reality"

The latest localized unemployment numbers show what state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says is a "sobering reality" in Georgia. 87 of the state’s 159 counties are now experiencing double-digit percentages for out-of-work residents. The highest--Jenkins County at 21.3 percent ; Hancock at 19 percent ; Warren County close to 17 percent. Overall, Georgia’s unemployment mark stands at 9.3 percent, representing more than 445,000 Georgians looking for work.

Hundreds laid off in Middle Georgia

Two Middle Georgia companies are laying off hundreds of workers this week. The Rheem Air Conditioning plant in Milledgeville is cutting around 400 positions. The company blames the slowdown in the economy. However, local labor officials believe the layoff's have something to do with Rheem's new, 400-thousand square foot plant set to open in Mexico in November.
Meanwhile in Macon, the city's largest employers is cutting its entire workforce by 4-percent. The Medical Center of Central Georgia told more than 200 employees from Vice-presidents to clerical workers that they no longer have jobs. The hospital says shrinking revenues, fewer patients, and government cuts have forced them to slash 33-million dollars from their budget. The Medical Center is one of just four level one trauma centers in the state.