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89,000 jobs lost in Georgia during 2001
ATLANTA
Year-end figures from the
Georgia Department of Labor
show that 89,000 jobs were
lost in Georgia during 2001,
ending a 10-year run of contin
ued growth. And, in Decem
ber Georgia’s unemployment
rate rose to 4.2 percent, up
from 4.1 percent in Novem
ber. The state’s jobless rate
was 3.0 percent in December
2000.
“The latest jobs report is
another indicator that our
economy has not yet turned
the corner,” said State Labor
Commissioner = Michael
Thurmond. “This newsishard
evidence that an economic
Annual technical forum slated for Feb. 9
The National Society of
Black Engineers — Augusta
Alumni Extension (NSBE
AAE) will its seventh annual
technical forum on February
9, 2002, at the National Sci
ence Center’s Fort Discovery,
from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Natural gas provider
of last resort (POLR)
program update
GAINESVILLE, Fla.
It’s been a month since the GA PSC voted to
institute a Provider of Last Resort (POLR) pro
gram. During this cold period, less than three
percent of the original estimate of 50,000 discon
nected Georgians have been reconnected by
AGL. “Since December 18, we've only received
about 8,500 phone calls resulting in 3,100 appli
cations, 1,600 deposits and 1,425 reconnections,”
said Dave Benfield, Infinite Energy’s spokes
man.
At the onset Infinite was poised to process
applications of up to 3,000 consumers per day.
Mr. Benfield continued, “Apparently many of
those that were previously disconnected have
found alternative ways to keep warm, haven’t
received the message, or can’t pay the $l5O
deposit.
“We have sent the information to all media
outlets, been interviewed by the major televi
sion stations, have repeatedly been featured in
various newspapers, and have called many quali
fying Georgians to let them know that the pro
gram is available. The small level of participa
tionis puzzling. Your continuedinformation and
publicity to the public is appreciated.”
While the number of people requesting
reconnections are considerably less than origi
nally anticipated, Infinite Energy stands ready
tohelp eligible consumers as quickly as possible.
Old Man Winter is still here and will be for quite
some time. Persons that desire to be recon
nected should call Infinite Energy toll free at:
(877)342-5434.
Local Atlanta residents may call: (770) 394-
3367. |
Senior Wheels provides
power wheelchairs
The Senior Wheels USA Program will make
available power (electric) wheelchairs to senior
citizens (65 years old and up) and the perma
nently disabled at no cost to the recipient, ifthey
qualify. .
The power wheelchairs are provided to those
who can nolonger walk nor self-propel a manual
wheelchair, and who meet the additional guide
lines of the program. No deposit is required.
If the patient’s need is for use in the home,
please call for more information to see if they
qualify. Call toll free at 1-800-246-6010.
The Senior Wheels USA Program’s main pur
pose and goal is to develop publicawarenessthat
there are assistance options that allow senior
citizens (as well as the permanently disabled) to
remain independent in their own homes. With
out this awareness and assistance, the family
may prematurely choosé a nursing home, or
make an unnecessary retail purchase on power
mobility equipment.
If the patient does not meet all the require
ments of the program, we may still be able to
help them through our donation program. This
is made available when people call wanting to
donate their power wheelchairs that are no
longer needed.
Free hreathing medications
provided by Lifestyle Medical
. The Life Style Medical program makes avail
able breathing medications and nebulizers to
patients who use oxygen or who have asthma,
emphysema or COPD at no cost to the patient, if
they qualify.
The Albuterol products are provided to those
with severe breathing conditions and meet the
additional guidelines of the program. No more
waiting in line at the pharmacy.
If you are an oxygen user at home or have
severe breathing problems, please call for more
information to seeif you qualify. Call toll-free at
1-800-519-4480.
stimulus package is badly
needed. Congress should act
expeditiously to provide the
assistance necessary toreju
venate our eccnomy. The
stimulus package should in
clude an extension of unem
ployment insurance benefits,
assistance for health insur
ance, and targeted tax cuts
that will spur capital spend
ing and create jobs. In Geor
gia, more than 72,000 unem
ployed workers: have ex
hausted their benefits and
may be eligible for additional
assistance.”
Preliminary figures for De
cember show that Georgia
had 3,968,300 jobs at the end
NSBE-AAE will awaken a
passion for technologyin area
youth with this year’s theme
“Engineering a World of Ex
cellence.” Students will be
guided through afun-filled day
oftours,hands-on demonstra
tions, career and basic com
ofthe year,down by 89,000, or
2.2 percent, from 4,057,300 at
the end of 2000. A total of
53,000 jobs were lost in trade
and services, 26,000 in manu
facturing, and 10,000 in con
struction.
Year-end job changesinthe
metro areas from December
2000 to December 2001 are as
follows:
- Albany, jobs up by 400 or
seven-tenths percent, from
59,600 to 60,000.
-Athens,jobsdown by 1,300
or 1.7 percent, from 75,100 to
73,800.
- Atlanta, jobs down by
60,400 or 2.7 percent, from
2,239,200t02,178,800.
puter operations workshops,
and also an introduction to
engineering principles.
Thiseventisfreetoallmiddle
and high school students in
the CSRA, and limited to the
first 300 participants. Prereg-
Prices in this ad good
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I on Employment and Careers!
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- Augusta,jobsdown by 2,800
or 1.4 percent, from 206,100
t 0203,300.
- Columbus, jobs down by
1,900 or 1.5 percent, from
123,000t0121,100.
-Macon, jobs down by 700 or
five-tenths percent, from
152,400t0 151,700.
- Savannah, jobs down by
4,100 or 2.9 percent, from
140,400 to 136,300.
These numbers do not in
clude the approximately
45,000jobsin agriculture and
relatad services.
Labor market data are
available at
www.dol.state.ga.us.
istration is required. To reg
ister or for more information
please call 706-854-7201.
NSBE-AAE is part of a na
tional organization that en
courages minority pursuit of
engineering and science ca
reers.
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
MCG appoints Dr. Ralph
Caruana to multiple positions
The Board of Directors of
MCG Health, Inc. appointed
Dr. Ralph J. Caruana to the
post of senior vice president
for Medical Affairs and chief
medical officer for the hospital
atits January meeting held in
Augusta. Dr. David Mark
Stern, incoming dean at the
Medical College of Georgia
School of Medicine, has ap
pointed Dr. Caruanavicedean
for Clinical Affairs.
“Dr.Caruanabringstremen
dous clinical and administra
tive skills to the organization
and will help us further our
mission to become a world
class academic medical cen
ter,” said Don Snell, president
and CEO of MCG Health, Inc.
Dr. Caruanahasbeen on the
faculty of MCG for 16 years
and has served as section chief
in Nephrology, chief of medi
cal service at the Augusta VA,
and chairman ofthe Pharmacy
and Therapeutics Committee.
He most recently served and
will continue to serve as in
terim chairman for the depart
ment of Medicine and is a ten
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JANUARY 31, 2002
ured professor of medicine at
the Medical College of Geor
gia.
“Dr. Caruana’s broad per
spective of health care issues
in Georgia and his vision for
excellencein clinical services
make him the ideal choice for
the two key positions of chief
medical officer and vice dean
for Clinical Affairs. He will
be a focal point for ongoing
and future clinical initiatives
asMCG/MCGHlworks tore
alize its vision as a world
class academic medical cen
ter,” said Dr. Stern, incom
ing dean at the School of
Medicine.
Dr. Caruanaisboard certi
fied in both Internal Medi
cine and Nephrology. Heisa
member of the Board of Di
rectors of the National Fo
rum of End Stage Renal Dis
ease Networks.
Dr.Caruana completed his
undergraduate work Magna
Cum Laude from Yale Uni
versity and graduated from
Tufts University School of
Medicine in Boston.
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