Georgia hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts now have an app of their own, compliments of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division.

The Official Georgia Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife Guide, powered by Pocket Ranger technology, is the official app of the GA DNR. The free, mobile app gives both novice and seasoned sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts essential information in the palm of their hand.

Features include:

• Species profiles
• Weather information
• Georgia rules and regulations
• Licensing information
• Boat ramp locations
• Maps of public wildlife areas

Advanced GPS technology enhances any trek through the woods by allowing users to track friends' locations, mark trails with photo waypoints and keep track of wildlife sightings. Sportsmen can even cache map tiles for offline use.

Wildlife Resources Division manages nearly 1 million acres of public lands for wildlife and habitat in Georgia. These Wildlife Management Areas and Public Fishing Areas are featured on the app.

App updates are already in development and will include enhanced birding trails, expanded saltwater species list, a Trophy Case for posting photos and comments and universal formatting for horizontal and vertical viewing.

Download the free app now on your mobile device through the Apple App Store or the Android Market and search "GA Fish & Wildlife Guide." Visit www.pocketranger.com/apps/ga-fw/apps.php to learn more.

Georgia officials are warning people shopping for a new car to beware of flood-damaged vehicles in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

The attorney general's office and the Governor's Office of Consumer Protection warned that many previously flooded vehicles get sold at auction and then may be sold at used car lots or through online classified ads.

Insurance companies in other states may write off flooded cars as "salvage" or "totaled," but that may not appear on the titles. Electrical problems are very likely, and the brakes, airbag's and computer system may also be seriously compromised.

Car shoppers should ask to see the title before signing anything and should run the vehicle identification number into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, a national database used by insurers.

On the web: www.vehiclehistory.gov

After one half, Trion leads Irwin County 9-6.

Irwin County struck first with a touchdown on the ground, but missed the extra point to take a 6-0 lead. Trion then answered with a touchdown drive of their own. After nailing the extra point, the points were waved off due to an illegal procedure penalty against the Dawgs. After being backed up for the second attempt, the PAT was blocked, leaving the score tied at 6 all. 

The second quarter saw both teams trade punts, with both defenses seeming to figure out the opposing offenses. Trion caught a big break after the Trion Defense swarmed to the ball and knocked it loose, recovering the fumble in Irwin County territory. With 3 minutes remaining in the half, Trion mounted a drive that took them into field goal range. Trion kicker Navarro converted a 35 yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 9-6 lead with only 3 seconds remaining. Trion squibbed the kickoff and the half ended with Trion on top 9-6. 

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ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment 

rate in the Northwest Georgia region was unchanged at 8.7 percent from September to October. 

The rate was 10.1 percent in October 2011. 
 
Metro Athens continued to have the lowest area jobless rate at 6.2 percent, while metro Dalton had

 the highest at 11.3 percent.  
 
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 8.7 percent in October, 

down three-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in September. The jobless rate was 9.7 percent in October a year ago. 
 
Statewide, there were 3,971,700 jobs in October, up 36,000, or nine-tenths of a percentage point, 

from 3,935,700 in September. Over the year, Georgia gained 68,000 jobs, or 1.7 percent, from 

3,903,700 in October 2011. 
 
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are 

at www.dol.state.ga.us 
 

An Atlanta Journal Constitution poll analysis based on college readiness has found that Georgia's rural students are more likely to need remedial help in college and are more likely to score lower on the SAT, a predictor of college success.

 Money and location play a role in the  disparities between Georgia school, the survey shows.

Specifically the survey shows that: 

–About 5 percent of students took placement exams in extremely rural areas compared to more than 20 percent in large suburban districts.

–Rural districts spend about $400 less than others per student. Spending doesn't guarantee success, but rural superintendents say they can't afford educational extras that are standard in suburban schools.

–Teachers don't have the same opportunity for training and development. Those in smaller, poorer districts often face more demands and professional isolation, a barrier to improvement. 

College readiness is gaining new attention in part because of new policies making it harder for students to play catch-up after high school.  Starting this past fall, students who need too much remedial help in reading, writing or math, are not allowed to attend schools in the University System of Georgia. Students who need extensive remedial help are less likely to earn a degree.

Before the change, the state spent $55 million a year on remedial education.

Georgia has the nation's third larges rural enrollment and it's among the poorest performing, according to the Rural School and Community Trust, a Washington non-profit.  While a few rural districts perform well, the study found overall Georgia's rural students are among the lowest scorers on national exams and their graduation rate is the nation's second lowest, behind Louisiana.

The problem has statewide implications. Projections show about 60 percent of jobs by 2020 will require some education beyond high school. Now 42 percent of Georgia's adults have some type of degree or certificate. 

Black Friday officially began on Thanksgiving Day this year as many retailers opened Thanksgiving night with Black Friday sales to the public. Locally, Walmart in Trion began its Black Friday sales on Thursday, according to the store advertisement, with shoppers lining up all night long for various deals that began at various times until the wee hours of the morning.

In nearby Floyd County at Mount Berry Square Mall, Sears opened its doors at 8 p.m. on Thursday while Belk opened at 10:30 p.m. Most of the other mall retailers opened at midnight Friday morning and J.C., Penney opened at 6 a.m. Friday

The holidays have officially arrived and in what has become a local Rome tradition, Cancer Navigators is once again celebrating its fourth annual Holiday Ball. This is no ordinary event. In fact, it is a bonafide `non-event.`That’s because, as the invitation from the board of directors states, `We will not be at the event. We do not wish to look for parking and drink wine out of plastic glasses. We invite you to join us in staying home and celebrate the holiday season with your family. You will not have to mingle with people you barely recognize. You will not have to hire a babysitter, buy a fancy outfit to appear in or travel after dark. We would just like you to Have a Ball at home!`

Rome`s 2012 Christmas Parade will be on Tuesday, November 27. The parade begins at 6:30pm. The Grand Marshal of this year`s parade will be long-time Rome radio personality Nelle Regan.

   Georgia fans can expect to have a hard time getting tickets to the SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome. The Atlanta Journal Constitution is calling it the "toughest ticket in town," when Georgia and Alabama face off on December 1. UGA will distribute 12-13 thousand tickets to season-ticket holders. The iof Georgia Athletic Department got 42 thousand requests for tickets.