Local jobless rate rises to 9.2 percent in July
The preliminary unemployment rate in metro Savannah rose to 9.2 percent in July, up two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in June, the Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday. The rate was 9.5 percent in July 2011.
The rate increased because the labor force grew by 2,228 job seekers, and while most found jobs within the month, 418 did not.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 7.4 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 12.5 percent. Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 9.3 percent in July, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in June. The jobless rate was 10 percent in July a year ago.
In metro Savannah, jobs increased to 152,300, up by 300 from June, and up by 1,000 from 151,300 in July 2011.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. For more information, visit www.dol.state.ga.us.
Mother, daughter offer coffee shop on wheels
The Cafe2U mobile espresso van, operated by Ginger and Mercedes Romero, began serving customers in Savannah this week. They deliver gourmet espresso drinks to office parks, construction sites, banks and other business locations where workers can’t easily get to a favorite coffee shop.
Cafe2U’s espresso vans have real espresso machines and baristas, follow weekday routes and arrive at the same stops at the same time each day.
Cafe2U was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 2000, began franchising five years later and has more than 200 vans operating in Australia, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Germany and New Zealand.
The Savannah franchise for is the fourth in the United States.
For more information, call 912-675-5452 or visit savannah.ga@us.cafe2u.biz.
Art studio opens on Hilton Head Island
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Local artists Mark and Ginny Taylor have announced the opening of a new instructional art studio on Hilton Head Island.
Today, IDEA Studio (Imagine, Discover & Explore Art) will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. In addition, the studio will hold an open house to allow the public to tour the new facility at 21 Mathews Drive, Studio 2, on Sutlers Square, and meet the artists.
Open House hours will be Friday, 3 to 7p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 4p.m.
The 2,500-square-foot facility features a small gallery, a clay studio, a glass studio and a teaching center. For more information, visit www.scArtStudio.com.