Chattooga County ranks at the top of one list it doesn’t want to be on, according to the last numbers released from the State Department of Labor, Chattooga County had the highest unemployment rate in the State of Georgia.  The latest figures showed Chattooga County with an unemployment rate of 14.5%.  That is more than double the unemployment rate the county had at the first of 2008.  Much of the increase can be attributed to the layoff of 250 people at Mt. Vernon Mills in Trion.  In addition to those layoffs reports indicate that J.P. Smith Lumber Company in Menlo laid off around 60 workers in February and Mohawk has cut around 25 jobs in the county.  Chattooga County has a small population and worker base so the cutting of over 300 jobs severely impacts the local unemployment rate. 

Chattooga Radio News has been conducting an informal online opinion poll this week concerning the most important issue in the upcoming county commissioner’s race.  So far the creation of jobs in the county has been ranked the number one concern on our listener’s minds.  The poll will run through Sunday.  Stay tuned to Chattooga County Radio AM 1180 for the results.