Unemployment rate drops in metro Dalton in February

DALTON, Ga. — Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that metro Dalton added jobs and lowered its unemployment rate in February. Metro Dalton is Whitfield and Murray counties. Metro Dalton also maintained annual growth in almost all critical measures for the two-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA). “We’ve started strong in 2019,” Butler said. “Communities across the state added jobs, workers and improved employment. That is very good to see.” The metro Dalton unemployment rate climbed by 0.5 percent in January but fell by 1 percent in February, to 5.4 percent. A year ago, the rate was 5.4 percent. Jobs fell by 200 in January but grew by 200 in February, settling the total at 68,600. The job total in Dalton is up 1,900 over the year.

Woman reports trash can stolen by man in pickup

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Usually you have an idea when your trash is going to get picked up — the city and county have set days for collection or you can call to file a work order. However, a Colquitt County resident got an unexpected trash pick up when she saw someone in a white truck taking her county trash bin out of her yard Tuesday. The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched around noon to Martin Lane in reference to the report. Peggy Hacket, of that address, told them she saw someone put her bin into the white pickup truck, adding it to a collection of such cans already there. According to the incident report Hacket stated that she was certain that she didn’t see a county logo on the truck. The deputy checked with the county landfill and solid waste personnel, who both stated they were not aware of any employees picking up cans in the area around that time. The deputy’s report said Hacket fortunately didn’t leave any documents with her personal information in the trash can. As a precaution people should push their trash cans closer to their homes, and if you have any information on this incident, please contact the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department at 616-7430.

Abraham Baldwin First Tuesday Concert goes Broadway

TIFTON, Ga. — Famous show tunes ranging from “Cats” to “Camelot” will fill the air in the Chapel of All Faiths at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when the final First Tuesday Concert of the season focuses on “A Broadway Kind of Mood.” Now in its 17th season, the First Tuesday Concert Series at ABAC offers concerts on five selected months from October through April. The concerts are open to the public at no charge. For more information on the First Tuesday concert, interested persons can contact Roe at sroe@abac.edu.