News

Atlanta-area unemployment jumps in June

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, July 28th, 2014, 8:04am

(WXIA) -- The unemployment rate in metro Atlanta climbed again last month.

June's rate was 7.6 percent, up from 7.2 percent in May, but much lower than last June's 8.6 percent.

Fulton County's unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in June.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the increase is due to end-of-summer job loss among non-contract school workers, an influx of graduates and students entering the workforce, and temporary layoffs in manufacturing.

So far, metro Atlanta has gained slightly more than 58,000 jobs in 2014 -- a good sign for those who are looking for work.

Metro Athens had Georgia's lowest June unemployment rate, at 6.3 percent. The highest was 10.4 percent, in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region.

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Fulton County needs input on consolidated planning document, annual action plan

Submitted by FeleciaChurch on Tuesday, July 22nd, 10:45 am

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County is in the process of planning and preparing its 5-year Consolidated Planning Document to determine the needs of the community in developing viable urban communities. The plan provides decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities principally for low and moderate- income persons.

The Consolidated Planning Process uses Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and Emergency Solution Grant (ESG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The final Consolidated Plan document will describe the County’s plan to pursue the goals for all community planning and development programs serving Fulton County communities outside of the City of Atlanta, Roswell and Sandy Springs utilizing these federal grant dollars from HUD.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Friday, July 18th, 2014, 3:00pm

Rain could cancel road projects for the weekend

(WXIA) -- The threat of rain this weekend could provide some welcome relief for Atlanta-area drivers.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has already postponed a handful of road projects, thanks to the weather.

WEATHER | 11Alive meteorologist Tracy Humphrey has your weekend forecast

Resurfacing on Interstate 20 in Rockdale and Newton counties, and concrete replacement on the west side of I-285 have been canceled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

GDOT said it plans to move ahead with scheduled resurfacing on I-20 between Douglasville and Villa Rica, as it is very close to finishing the work -- well ahead of its projected November completion date. However, rain may briefly halt crews.

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Fulton County Workforce Investment Act Board to Meet Tuesday, July 29

Submitted by FeleciaChurch on Friday, July 18th, 2:04 pm

The Fulton County Workforce Preparation and Employment System – Workforce Investment Act Board (FCWPES-WIA) will meet Tuesday, July 29, 2014, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The meeting will be held in Room 242 at the Adamsville Regional Health Center, 3700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta, Georgia.

The FCWPES-WIA Board oversees activities related to providing an environment that supports a skilled and trained workforce and to creating innovative programs that serve the changing needs of employers and the business community.

WIA helps Georgia move toward a comprehensive, customer-focused workforce investment system where Job Seeker and Employer customers alike can access a wide range of workforce-related tools and information needed to manage their work activities. Services are provided through a network of One-Stop Centers statewide.

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Broadway in Atlanta raises $18K for Bert’s Big Adventure

Submitted by Atlanta News on Thursday, July 17th, 6:04 am

ATLANTA -- Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta kicked off its 2014/2015 series in Atlanta this past Tuesday with the city’s debut of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, featuring a special check presentation prior to the start of the show. The donation from the presenters of the first-class touring musicals was given to Bert’s Big Adventure, a nonprofit organization that provides a magical, all-expenses-paid, five-day journey to Disney World for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families.

The contribution was a result of previous ticket sales for the Atlanta debut of the series’ musical The Little Mermaid, which ran at the Fox Theatre until July 13. For every ticket sold during pre-season, $5 was donated to benefit the Atlanta-based nonprofit organization.

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Fulton County Fire Rescue advises residents to maintain smoke alarms

Submitted by AprilMajors on Monday, July 14th, 8:15 pm

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the first thing in a home that can alert families to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Whether you're awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke,” says Fire Chief Larry Few of the Fulton County Fire Rescue Department. “As firefighters, we continually remind residents to check their smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly.”

The NFPA offers the following tips to help residents safeguard their homes from home fires:

Where do I put smoke alarms in my home?

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Submitted by 11Alive News Staff

Friday, July 11th, 2014, 7:36pm

ATLANTA -- A blood drive in Midtown Atlanta on Friday attracted donors by the pair, but only one of them was allowed to actually give.

The National Gay Blood Drive aimed to raise awareness by asking gay and bisexual men to bring a straight "ally" to give blood in their place. Organizers hoped this would show just how much more blood could be donated if a donation ban by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is lifted.

"We're showing the FDA look at all this blood we are giving you, but we could give you so much more if you modify the outdated policies that you have," said drive leader Ben Nicoara.

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