Georgia Power Co., which has already reduced its hiring, says it is offering buyout packages to veteran employees in an attempt to reduce its payroll by 300 to 400 jobs.

Metro Atlanta has a record number of properties scheduled for foreclosure auctions next month. Equity Depot reported Monday that in the 13 counties it tracks, 8,425 properties are scheduled to be auctioned Feb. 3. The previous high was 7,967 from last September.

Another local company is hit by the slumping economy. Kennametal announced it’s laying off some of its workforce. Count on our Fraendy Clervaud for the details.

Many South Carolina hospitals have frozen hiring as they try to deal with the recession. The Greenville News reported Monday that the South Carolina Hospital Association is polling its 64 member hospitals about the impact of the economic downturn.

For many, the value menu has a whole new value. And plenty of fast-food chains are aggressively marketing meal deals. When it comes to alcohol, lots of customers are still drinking, but some are lowering their standards to please their wallets. WJBF News Channel 6’s Paige Tucker reports.

State officials in both Georgia and South Carolina are concerned the downturn in the economy will force them to slash spending. WJBF-TV News Channel 6’s Columbia reporter, Robert Kittle, shows what those cuts could mean for South Carolina residents.