Hundreds of people lined up early as state labor officials began processing applications in LaGrange for 600 jobs for Sewon America, a supplier for the Kia auto plant being built in West Point.

The unemployment rate is up in metro Augusta, and the highest in the state of Georgia since March, 1983.

The Georgia Department of Labor says the state’s unemployment rate shot to 8.1 percent in December, the highest rate reported since March 1983. The department reported Thursday that 393,168 Georgians were jobless. About 40 percent of those people are getting unemployment insurance.

Georgia’s unemployment rate climbed to 7.5 percent in November, the highest rate in more than 25 years.

The state Labor Department says Georgia’s rate of unemployment rose to 7 percent in October, the highest in 16 years.

From Wall Street to your Wallet: Castleberry’s is closing its Augusta plant, for good. The company released a statement saying Friday would be the last day for hundreds of employees. Count on our Fraendy Clervaud…he has the story.

The Georgia Department of Labor has announced that first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in October increased by 75 percent from the same month last year.

The current economic downturn is no doubt having an effect on the local unemployment rate.