Rural Unemployment in Double Digits

Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond testified to Congress Today (Thursday). Thurmond was there to ask for more federal money and brief lawmakers how current stimulus funding is being spent to aid the unemployed in Georgia.

While Atlanta and Macon are seeing the job picture brighten up, much, if not all of rural Georgia is facing double digit unemployment rates.

According to the state labor department, there are three---what could
be described as--- blight belts in the state:

The corridor between Atlanta and Augusta, the Wiregrass highway in South Georgia, and the region between Atlanta and Chattanooga.

Some counties in these regions are facing unemployment as high as twenty percent.

State labor commissioner Michael Thurmond has warned the manufacturing sector in these areas is likely to continue to struggle. Thurmond is in Washington looking for
more federal funds in part, to maintain the future solvency of the unemployment trust fund as jobless rates, especially in rural areas, remains high.

Education funding suit to be heard today

A long standing lawsuit over education funding in 50 mainly small rural school districts goes to Fulton County Superior Court today. The suit, first filed in 2004, claims the small counties are treated unfairly because they don’t raise enough money from local taxes to make-up for cuts in state education spending. Unless granted a dismissal, the case goes to trial in October. A loss could put the state on the hook for more than one-billion dollars it would have to send to education coffers.

Meth Use Contributing to Foster Care Cases

Some rural counties are reporting as many as two in five children ended up in foster care because their parents used, sold or manufactured methamphetamine. Two areas of the state are seeing high amounts of meth activity.

In Northwest Georgia, from Cartersville to the Tennessee border, Georgia Division of Family and Children Services caseworkers are seeing a steady increase in the number of meth related cases.

In the southern part of the state around the Bainbridge-Thomasville, authorities are also observing increases in meth production and distribution.

Several local officials in those areas say the number of meth related foster care cases is higher than forty five percent. Hard numbers from the state are difficult to come by, but a spokeswoman for the Division of Family and Children Services says meth related cases are increasing.

That’s despite recent law changes aimed at curbing meth production, use and distribution. In all, there are about fifteen thousand children in Georgia’s foster care system.

17-mill goes to rural counties' economic development

More than 17-million dollars in grant money was awarded today to help kick-start economic development in rural areas of Georgia.

The money comes from the OneGeorgia Authority, which uses tobacco settlement money to help less-populated counties and towns attract new companies. It also helps expand existing business, and boost public infrastructure.

Nearly 10-million dollars is going to 7 rural counties and their development authorities. It includes 6-million earmarked for Treutlen County’s area development of the Range Fuels ethanol plant, which just had its groundbreaking Tuesday. Another million-and-a-half dollars goes to Twiggs County, to buy land for a new sporting goods distribution center.

Other money awarded is going to development and improvements in the northeast Georgia counties of Franklin, Hart, and Stephens.