Serving DeKalb & Metro Atlanta Volume 17 Number 18
www.ocgnews.com
December 15, 2011
New jobs portal Showing the Holiday Spirit offers broad database
C
ongressman Hank Johnson has launched an online web portal to help Georgians find jobs. The site offers one of the most comprehensive job search databases in the state and includes links to federal job resources as well. The online site is just another tool that Johnson has made available in his push for jobs. Since 2009, the Georgia Congressman has held four major jobs fairs throughout the Fourth District that he represents, including in DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties and in the city of Atlanta. All have drawn crowds. “Helping my constituents in these difficult times is my top priority,” Johnson said. “Our in-person job fairs have been a huge success, but I wanted to provide a tool constituents could use to help them find work year round.” Meanwhile, the jobs outlook around the nation is improving, according to the most recent labor statistics. Unemployment had hovered around 9 to 9.2 percent nationwide since April. The rate fell to 8.6 percent in November from October’s 9 percent, the lowest level since March 2009. The nation’s employers added a net 120,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Labor officials said 210,000 jobs were added in September and 100,000 jobs were added in October. A BLS survey of employers shows that retail jobs rose by 50,000 while professional and business services added 33,000 and the leisure and hospitality sector gained 22,000 for the same period. The average hourly earnings slipped by 2 cents, to $23.18.
Congressman Hank Johnson’s Job Center is on the home page of his Congressional Web site at http://hankjohnson. house.gov/hanks-jobs-center. shtml. The features of the portal include: ► Links to the most comprehensive Georgia job search sites, including Georgia Work Ready, JobsUSAGeorgia.com, Vets First and GeorgiaJobsite.com ► Regularly updated notices of jobs fairs throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia; and interactive online job fairs ► Links to federal resources and federal job databases ► Links to job hunting tips and news of local companies that are hiring
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Both the young and the young at heart celebrated the holiday season in and around Metro Atlanta with parades, fireworks and other activities such as ice skating and caroling. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and City Council officials hosted the 21st Annual Southwest Cascade/Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Merchants Christmas Parade on Dec.10. For a look at more Scenes of the Season, see page 5.
Photos by Raymond Hagans and Joshua Smith/OCG News
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Johnson pushes to help seniors with expensive prescriptions By Valerie J. Morgan
Congressman Hank Johnson is pushing for legislation that would give seniors an appeals process when dealing with expensive prescription drugs they cannot afford through their Medicare Part D plans. The bill would allow Medicare beneficiaries to appeal the placement of their medications Congressman Hank Johnson into so-called “specialty tiers,” used by private and employer health insurance plans to differentiate generic, brand name and “non-preferred” brand name drugs. Any medication costing more than $600 is automatically placed on a “specialty tier” that requires patients to pay 25 to 33 percent or more – rather than a flat rate. For many seniors on a fixed income, these life-saving drugs used for everything—from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis— can cost up to $1,700 per month. Seniors who can’t afford the medication often go without treatment. “How can we look our seniors in the eye – people suffering from leukemia, Crohn’s disease or multiple sclerosis – who are required to pay more in prescriptions than they bring home each month – and say ‘Sorry, you’re out of luck,” said Johnson. “It’s either food on the table and roof over your head or the life-saving drugs – you can’t have both,” said Johnson. See Bill, page 5
Henry County’s Ola High Mustangs set for New Year’s Day parade in London By Joshua Smith
MCDONOUGH—Drum major Maddie Rose never imagined she would be leaving the serene pastures and horse stables of McDonough for high tea and crumpets of Westminster Abbey. As a member of Ola High School’s Marching Mustangs, Rose will be traveling to perform in the Royal New Year’s Day Parade in London, England. In all, 90 members of the school’s 155-member band will be leaving Atlanta on Dec. 27 to perform as part of the Queen’s Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News Diamond Jubilee Celebration, the The Marching Mustangs play “Aquarius” during a practice section before their trip to London. official kickoff of the 2012 Olympics. The students return to Atlanta on Jan. 3. “We are so excited. I can’t wait to program and the first time most of us Performance and Outstanding General get there. We have really gotten more have been outside the country. We are Effect honors. serious at practices because we know marking down the days,” said Whit The Bands of America Super we have to represent our school and Gardner, a Gordon College freshman Regional, held at the Georgia Dome community to the best of our abilities,” who returned to his high school alma in October, saw 32 bands compete said Rose, a junior. “We are ready to mater to march and play Baritone with from eight states, with bands divided perform and show them that we are not the band in London. “It’s been great into four classifications. Finishing 11th just a band coming from the middle of overall, Ola made history by becoming coming back. It’s like I never left, nowhere.” the first marching band from Henry except for getting back used to carrying Ola will join 12 other bands from County to place as a finalist in the Top the instrument.” across the country at the celebration. 12. Ola, which opened in 2006, has The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee marks “It’s incredible to see where this 1,500 students. The band program 60 years that Queen Elizabeth II has band has grown from since 2006, and was started at the same time, and in its been sitting on her throne. The 2012 to gain recognition and be a finalist at short existence has garnered awards Olympics begin in London July 12. that include the Bands of America See Marching, page 6 “This is the first time the band Champions’ Outstanding Visual