Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Marietta

The Cobb County unemployment rate stayed the same during the late summer.

MARIETTA, GA — The U.S. posted its weakest job recovery month of the year in September, with just 194,000 non-farm jobs added to the economy.

The September jobs report was even worse than that in August, when 366,000 jobs were created, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The national unemployment rate dropped 0.4 percentage points to 4.8 percent despite the September disappointment.

The latest available local unemployment figures are for August; that rate stayed the same as July for the Marietta area and is still lower than it was during the worst of the pandemic, the BLS said.

The Cobb County unemployment rate was 2.6 percent in August, unchanged from July. That reflected some improvement from August 2020, when the unemployment rate stood at 6.3 percent.

The August unemployment rate in Cobb County was lower than the Georgia rate of 3.1 percent, according to the latest local figures from the BLS.

Nationally, 17.4 million jobs have been added back to the economy since April 2020. Still, the country is down 5 million positions (3.3 percent) from pre-pandemic levels.

The jobs report is based on survey data from mid-September, which may have skewed negatively due to several crises in the country, according to The Washington Post. At the time there were 150,000 coronavirus cases per day in the country; the number has since dropped by nearly half.

Parts of the country were also recovering from the devastating Hurricane Ida, and California is still dealing with the effects of ongoing wildfires.

Average hourly wages continued to climb in September, with a 17-cent gain to $30.85. Hourly wages have grown for six months in a row as employers look to fill vacant positions.

Employees have been more willing than ever to leave their employers. A record 4.3 million employees quit their jobs in August, according to the BLS.

The leisure/hospitality and professional/business service industries led the way for September job gains with 74,000 and 60,000 jobs, respectively. Retail trade jobs increased by 56,000 jobs after two months of little change.

Editor's note: This post was automatically generated using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com.

Starting Saturday, Marietta City Schools will move to a mask-optional policy in buildings and buses.

MARIETTA, GA — Marietta City Schools students and staff will no longer be required to wear face masks in school buildings or on school buses starting Saturday, Superintendent Grant Rivera said in an email to parents Thursday.

MCS implemented a temporary mask mandate back in August due to COVID-19 cases in the district and county. In the email to parents, Rivera said a significant decline in the COVID-19 positivity rate in Cobb County, a "continued local decline" in cases for school-aged children and drop in cases within the district are among the reasons for the switch to a mask-optional policy.

"Throughout this pandemic, we've strived to achieve the appropriate balance between our instructional needs and public health protocols," Rivera said. "The decision to transition to mask-optional is one more step in establishing some degree of normalcy in our schools, as the data indicates conditions have changed significantly from the start of the school year."

Meanwhile, Cobb Board of Commissioners Chair Lisa Cupid signed a second extension of the county's COVID-19 state of emergency Thursday night, which will keep the emergency declaration active through Nov. 16, unless extended for a third time. While Rivera said the COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped, Cobb is still considered at high risk for community transmission, according to Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

"On a personal level, I understand that some of you will read this email and be frustrated, or even angered, by this transition in our protocols, while others will be delighted and relieved," Rivera said. "I ask for your continued grace with me and with each other. Nothing about a pandemic is static — our district's response will continue to evolve as both this virus and the data evolve."

Rivera also addressed the following:

Additionally, CDPH informed MCS officials that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5-11 could be approved for emergency use authorization Oct. 26. Details will be available in the coming days for anyone who wishes to get their child vaccinated.

"While no one can be certain of the future of this pandemic and the COVID[-19] virus, numerous epidemiologists and medical experts with whom I collaborate are hopeful that we will not have a third surge," Rivera said. "My sincere hope is a MCS mask mandate will not return in our future; however, please know that we will continue to be responsive to the data."

If the decomposing jack-o'-lantern is creeping you out, share the fall bounty from Marietta pumpkin fields and patches with critters.

MARIETTA, GA – When the jack-o'-lanterns you carved from the best pumpkins plucked from patches and fields near Marietta this fall start looking droopy and sad, they still have life.

While uncarved pumpkins can last two to three months indoors, carved pumpkins usually only last a few days before they start to decay. Streets and porches all over Marietta are often filled with the wilting, sagging faces of jack o'-lanterns getting older by the minute.

But as with Christmas trees a few months later, there are many ways you can recycle these pumpkins that will help birds, wildlife and the planet.

1. Share The Seeds With Birds And Wildlife

Pumpkin seeds are a healthy and popular snacking treat for a variety of birds and wildlife, especially as the weather gets colder and food is harder to come by. As your pumpkin starts to soften and fade, collect the seeds from inside, and give them a day or so to dry.

Don't add any kind of seasoning, even salt, Birds & Blooms advises.

Then scatter the seeds outside, or put them in a birdfeeder or bowl. If you live in an area with bears or other harmful predators, try placing the seeds on an upper level that only birds and smaller animals like squirrels and chipmunks can reach.

2. Make A 'Snack-O'-Lantern'

You can also just cut out the middleman and turn the pumpkin itself into a "snack-o'-lantern pumpkin feeder," according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Just take the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the middle, and attach the top and bottom halves of the pumpkin with string and several wooden dowels.

Fill the bottom half with either birdseed, pumpkin seeds, or both. See here for more detailed instructions from the National Wildlife Foundation.

3. Plant The Seeds Of Future Pumpkins

You could also use the seeds for their intended purpose: making more pumpkins.

To save and store pumpkin seeds for the following year, place the pulp and seeds from the pumpkin inside a colander, according to Gardening Know How. Wash cold water over it, and pick out a few of the largest seeds.

Spread the rinsed seeds far apart from each other on a dry towel, and place that towel in a cool, dry spot for a week.

Place the seeds in a seed envelope, and place the seed envelope in a plastic container with several holes poked in the lid. Put that container in the back of a refrigerator, and get ready to plant your own private pumpkin patch next year.

4. Make An Animal Smorgasbord

Animals and birds love pumpkins just as much as people do, so why not give them a special treat? Simply cut the pumpkin into small, bite-sized pieces, and scatter them in a spot where you won't mind local critters coming to nosh, the National Wildlife Federation advises.

Again, this one is probably best to avoid if bears, foxes, coyotes, rats or any variety of predators and pests are a problem nearby.

5. Donate Pumpkins To A Local Zoo

If you feel more comfortable leaving the animal feeding to professionals, consider donating the pumpkin remains to a nearby zoo. Many zoos accept pumpkin donations after Halloween because they are a nutritious snack that most animals love.

6. Compost It

If your pumpkin is truly on its last proverbial legs, put its nutrients back into the earth by composting it. Even if you don't have a compost pile, you can put it in your garden, and many areas offer municipal composting services. Just make sure you take out all the seeds first, lest an impromptu pumpkin patch begins to sprout out of the compost.

A federal judge denied the Southern Poverty Law Center's request for an injunction against Cobb Schools over lack of COVID-19 protections.

COBB COUNTY, GA — A federal judge rejected the Southern Poverty Law Center's request for an emergency order that would have required the Cobb County School District to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for COVID-19, including a districtwide mask mandate.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten denied the request, saying the district "made an informed choice that is neither arbitrary nor unreasonable" and that parents were asking the courts to overrule the district's authority.

"[CCSD's] COVID[-19] policies apply to all students, regardless of ability. Additionally, plaintiffs — like all students in Cobb County — were given the option to attend virtual school in lieu of in-person classes," Batten wrote in his ruling. "Plaintiffs attempt to allege disparate treatment by a facially neutral policy that applied to disabled and non-disabled students alike, and their argument falls well short of the high bar required for injunctive relief."

The SPLC filed a lawsuit on behalf of four Cobb parents Oct. 1 against the school district, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and all seven members of the CCSD school board, requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. The parents have children in the district with health issues "who are at risk of severe illness and even death" if they contract COVID-19: myeloid leukemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis and chronic severe asthma.

In a letter to Ragsdale the school board, the law center maintains that because of the disabled students' condition, they are unable to attend school in person unless the district acts to "prevent and mitigate these risks." The letter also said that school officials are not adhering to guidelines established by the CDC for K-12 students, which suggests masks should be worn in school settings.

CCSD officials have kept a mask optional policy throughout the school year.

Claire Sherburne, a SPLC attorney, said the Cobb families' rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are being violated. But Batten disagreed.

"While plaintiffs may prefer a mask mandate and other stricter policies, defendants are not required to provide plaintiffs with their preferred accommodation," Batten wrote. "So long as plaintiffs are offered meaningful access to education — and the court finds that they have been — defendants have adequately accommodated plaintiffs and their disabilities and thus, plaintiffs cannot show a substantial likelihood of success on the merits."

Sherburne said in a statement that while the SPLC and the parents are disappointed in the court's decision, it's not the end of the case.

"The case will move forward without the immediate relief we were seeking on behalf of students with medical vulnerabilities that make them extremely susceptible to COVID-19," Sherburne said in a news release. "The SPLC will not stop advocating for students and families in Cobb County schools to ensure they receive a high-quality education free from discrimination."

A copy of Batten's ruling is available here.

MARIETTA, Ga., Oct. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BXC), a leading U.S. wholesale distributor of building products, will issue third quarter 2021 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. A conference call to discuss the Company’s third quarter results will be hosted by Dwight Gibson, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Kelly Janzen, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 10:00 AM ET.

A webcast of the conference call and accompanying presentation materials will be available in the Investor Relations section of the BlueLinx website at http://bluelinxco.com/webcast-presentations, and a replay of the webcast will be available at the same site shortly after the webcast is complete.

To participate in the live teleconference:

To listen to a replay of the teleconference, which will be available through November 17, 2021:

ABOUT BLUELINX HOLDINGS INC.

BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BXC) is a leading U.S. wholesale distributor of residential and commercial building products with both branded and private-label SKUs across product categories such as lumber, panels, engineered wood, siding, millwork, metal building products, and other construction materials. With a strong market position, broad geographic coverage footprint servicing 40 states, and the strength of a locally-focused sales force, we distribute our comprehensive range of products to over 15,000 national, regional, and local dealers, specialty distributors, national home centers, and manufactured housing customers. BlueLinx provides a wide range of value-added services and solutions to our customers and suppliers. We are headquartered in Georgia, with executive offices located at 1950 Spectrum Circle, Marietta, Georgia, and we operate our distribution business through a broad network of distribution centers. BlueLinx encourages investors to visit its website, www.BlueLinxCo.com, which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about BlueLinx.

INVESTOR & MEDIA CONTACT

Ryan Taylor, VP Investor Relations & Treasury BlueLinx Holdings OR Noel Ryan, Senior Partner Vallum Advisors investor@bluelinxco.com