jobs

Unemployment in Georgia has hit a new record high. Fresh numbers from state labor officials show a rate of 10.5 percent for February -- up from the 10.4 percent reported for January. It’s now been 29 consecutive months that Georgia’s jobless mark stands ahead of the national rate, which is 9.7. The length of time Georgians are taking jobless benefits is also increasing—an average 16 weeks. That’s about four weeks longer than a year ago. But state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond points out some good news. There was a 30 percent decrease in first-time claims filed for jobless benefits from January to last month -- down by nearly 30,000 filings. “We saw an improvement year-over-year, and we saw an improvement month-over-month. So what this really suggests is some stabilization in the job market.” And jobs are being added in some parts of the state. Warner Robins gained 300 in the past year. In middle Georgia, a planned privately-run prison expects to bring more than 200 jobs to Baldwin County. And Columbus mayor Jim Wetherington knows his city and region remains fortunate: "With the expansion at Ft. Benning—$3 billion going on. Kia, and NCR - with upwards of 900 new jobs. There’s just a lot of good things happening in our city right now.” While over-the-year job losses continue to be seen in areas like manufacturing and construction, the state did add 5,700 education and health services jobs in the past year.

Hyundai may start building one of its SUV's at the new Kia plant in West Point, and that could mean more jobs. Right now the Hyundai Santa Fe is built in Alabama. According to published reports, one parts supplier there says he is shutting down for three months while production shifts to the Kia plant in West Point. Hyundai and Kia are sister companies. The Hyundai Santa fe and Kia Sorento share the same platform. West Point Mayor Drew Ferguson says he's heard no details, but does anticipate a second round of hiring. "We have heard that Kia is considering a second line in the West Point facility. We do not know what that line will be. We don't even know that that's a definite, but we have certainly heard that they are considering that on a fairly quick time frame." 12-hundred people have been hired at the plant to build the Kia Sorento, and that number should double once the second shift is added. It is not known how many additional jobs the Hyundai move would create. Company officials would not confirm or deny their plans.

President Obama visited Savannah today in a whirlwind tour that focused on jobs and energy-efficiency. Mr. Obama was in town for just four hours. He first toured Savannah Technical College, where he met with students and pushed for a new federal program that would give rebates to encourage energy-efficent home repairs. Mr. Obama mentioned the "HomeStar" energy program in January during his State of the Union address. Here in Savannah, the President said, homeowners could be eligible for up to $3,000 in rebates for energy-saving home repairs. "Now let's say you decide to use this rebate to seal up and insulate your attic because you want to save electricity, but also because you're tired of a drafty house," Mr. Obama said. "Think about all the ways in which that will stimulate jobs and growth." In the audience were contractors that he said could do some of the energy-efficient work. "These are companies ready to take on new customers," Mr. Obama said. "They're workers eager to do new installations and renovations, factories ready to produce new building supplies. All we got to do is create the incentives to make it happen." Mr. Obama is pushing Congress to include HomeStar, which is modeled on the Cash-for-Clunkers program, in a new jobs bill. About 250 people were in attendance at the Savannah Technical College's auditorium. Among them were a few top Republican officials, including Gov. Sonny Perdue and Rep. Jack Kingston. Reaction to the visit was tinged with excitement. Following the speech at Savannah Technical College, attendees could be heard asking which among them got to shake the President's hand. Likewise, the invited business and political leaders applauded the President's HomeStar idea. "This is a good investment that will give a return on the investment for individuals, families and the country," said Richard Clarke of Mascoe Home Services, which manufactures a range of home products. "There is a tangible reward in energy efficiency and comfort for homeowners." The program's $6 billion price tag didn't seem to concern U.S. Rep. John Barrow. "This has a direct impact on people's pocketbooks and also on jobs," Barrow said. "I think there's a growing appetite for that in Congress because some of the things we do take such a long time to filter down to individuals." The President then toured an old-line manufacturer, Chatham Steel, where sparks flew out of a giant machine. Mr. Obama spoke to several men in hardhats manning a large piece of machinery that looked like something out of a Terminator movie. Then Mr. Obama toured a new business on the west end of town, Meddin Studios, a new media company involved in film and digital production. "The main reason that we wanted to highlight what they're doing is they took advantage of an SBA loan to get this thing started, " Mr. Obama said. "I'm sort of doing a customer satisfaction survey here." In between, the President surprised diners at Mrs. Wilkes, an iconic Southern restaurant that features family-style seating. About 50 people packed the dining room, and all stood as Mr. Obama shook hands in the low-ceilinged room. Ed and Carol Enciso of Chicago got to shake hands with the President and she got a photo. "This is the most exciting thing!" she said. Mr. Obama sat with six guests and Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, who sat to his left. Fried chicken was piled on a plate in front of them. As Mr. Obama chatted with a man from Charlotte, N.C., he spooned baked beans and ambrosia on his plate. "I don't want any lectures about my cholesterol," he told the press. "Don't tell Michelle."

President Barack Obama told an audience at Savannah Technical College today that he wants to create jobs by focusing on energy efficiency. He said a country that leads in clean energy will also lead in the new global economy. The President said that 40 percent of all energy in the U.S. is used in homes. So he is proposing a new program called Home Star. It would give homeowners up to $1500 dollars in rebates when they update their energy appliances. There would be a $3000 rebate if an entire home would be made more energy efficient. The president called out a group of contractors in the audience. "These are companies ready to take new customers. All we gotta do is create the incentive to make it happen," he said. Mr. Obama said moving away from fossil fuels has the potential to create millions of jobs in the South. He pointed at the recent loan guarantee to build two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogle near Augusta. A move, he says, will create 3000 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs. Environmental groups are protesting the loan guarantees to help the nuclear industry.

Governor Sonny Perdue joined Korean and American dignitaries Friday in celebrating the opening of Kia's first North American manufacturing facility in west Georgia. Mong-Koo Chung, chairman of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, was also on hand for the festivities in West Point. Perdue and Chung announced that Kia would come to Georgia four years ago. The Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Plant was touted as a $1 billion investment in the state that would create 2,500 jobs. The 2,200-acre site is the home of the new Kia Sorento CUV and at full capacity, the facility will have the ability to produce 300,000 vehicles annually. The plant's economic impact to Georgia is estimated at about $4 billion a year and could bring 20,000 new jobs to a nine-county region by 2012.

A report published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle names Augusta as a possible site for a two million square-foot paper manufacturing facility. According to the report, First Quality Tissue LLC is considering sites in Augusta and Anderson, South Carolina to build their new plant. The plant would be the largest of its kind in the state and bring in an estimated 1,000 much needed jobs to the area. Officials with the Richmond County Development Authority wouldn’t comment, because they say they want to keep any corporate talks confidential. The prospect of the plant comes after two major manufacturers, Husqvarna and Electrolux, relocated their Augusta headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina.

An expansion of operations for a surface countertop maker will bring up to 80 new jobs to northwest Georgia. The company LG Hausys America Inc. will expand in Adairsville, next to its existing facilities in Gordon County. State officials say the new plant will involve an investment of about $50 million. Hiring for the expansion is expected in late summer.

Mitsubish Power says, it's quickening the pace of hiring at its new gas turbine manufacturing plant in Pooler near Savannah. A company spokesman says, the Savannah plant has gotten the go ahead to begin construction on Phase Two of the facility nine months earlier than expected. The spokesman, Shawn Wattles, says, that means that the plant now will employ about 200 workers by late 2011. "The effect of this will be to bring the jobs that are associated with that part of our factory to Savannah about nine to twelve months sooner than expected," Wattles says. Wattles says, despite economic conditions, demand remains strong for their electrical products. "Most of our customers are large power plants and produce power for major metropolitan areas," Wattles says. "They continue to have a large need for repair services and parts that we can provide." Mitsubishi Power's Savannah plant will make some of North America's largest gas-electrical turbines. It'll start out making their parts. About 90 people should be employed there by the end of 2010. Eventually, five hundred people are expected to work there by 2016.

Locking-in new business for Georgia is the primary aim of an annual outdoor event concluding today in the southwest corner of the state. The Georgia Quail Hunt is into its third decade, sponsored by state and local economic development officials. Over the course of three days of dinners and hunting, officials mingle with invited national – and sometimes international -- business executives. It’s all about getting more jobs and investment into Georgia. Ted Clem is president of the Albany-Dougherty County Economic Development Commission. He says it’s this event that often closes the deal. "These have been companies that we’ve been dealing with as a state for the last several months or perhaps a year where they’ve been investigating their opportunities and looking at the state of GA. So in most cases the relationship already exists." Clem says out of last year’s Quail Hunt, a national textile manufacturer agreed to re-locate its distribution hub in Albany. State officials say since the mid 1990's, they can attribute $2.5 billion and more than 8,000 jobs to discussions and deals closed at the Quail Hunt.

Georgia Republicans say they have a plan to create jobs through tax cuts and investment incentives. Next week republicans want to introduce a package of bills they say will spur job growth. It would include tax credits for companies the hire the currently unemployed, and cuts the capitol gains tax in half if the state can afford it. Senator Majority Leader Chip Rogers says there's also a 50 percent tax credit to anyone who invest in a small business in Georiga. "If you are a business and you want to create jobs and operate in a state that rewards you for doing so, Georgia is the place to be. I you are an investor and you want to see a great return on your investment, Georgia is the place to be," Rogers said at a press conference today. Last year Governor Perdue vetoed a similar bill, saying the state could not afford it.