Savannah jobless rate at 6 percent
Metro Savannah’s unemployment rate for February was 6.0 percent, down from 6.4 percent in January, the Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday.
The rate in February 2014 was 7.3 percent.
The number of jobs increased by 1,700, or 1.0 percent, to 167,700 in February from 166,000 in January. Most of the job gain came in professional and business services, state government, education and health services and leisure and hospitality.
There was an over-the-year gain of 7,800 jobs, or 4.9 percent from 159,900 in February 2014. Most of the job gain came in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, trade, transportation and warehousing, education and health services, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent. The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.1 percent.
Foreclosure rates in Savannah decrease
Foreclosure rates in Savannah decreased for January over the same period last year, according to data from CoreLogic, a real estate information reporting firm.
The rate of Savannah area foreclosures among outstanding mortgage loans was 0.74 percent for January 2015, a decrease of 0.23 percentage points compared to January 2014 when the rate was 0.97 percent, according to CoreLogic data.
Foreclosure activity in Savannah was lower than the national foreclosure rate, which was 1.46 percent for January 2015.
Also, the mortgage delinquency rate decreased in Savannah. According to CoreLogic data for January 2015, 4.17 percent of mortgage loans were 90 days or more delinquent compared to 4.80 percent for the same period last year.
Caring Easter bunny to host children at mall
As part of Autistic Awareness Month, the Caring Easter Bunny will welcome children with different abilities Saturday at Savannah Mall.
The Caring Bunny will greet families from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the lower level of the mall’s center court with an atmosphere free of bright, flashing lights or high-energy music.
Families also will get a 5x7 photograph and a ride on the children’s train.
“April happens to be Autism Awareness Month, which is why we wanted to offer a chance for children with different abilities to meet with an Easter icon,” said mall manager Phil McConnell.
Autistic children’s senses can be oversensitive or under-developed, which affects how they experience environments, making background noises unbearably loud or confusing.