Gainesville loses 1,800 jobs in past 12 months

ATLANTA - Georgia recorded nearly 34,000 job losses in the past twelve months.

But state Labor Commission Marc Butler says there is a "silver lining" to those numbers: an increase in manufacturing jobs.

Meanwhile, Gainesville, percentage-wise, was second in the state in terms of job losses for the period.

The decline in the number of jobs in Gainesville was 1,800 from 73,200 in August 2010 to 71,400 last month, or a loss of 2.5 percent, second only to a 2.6 percent decline in the number of jobs in Valdosta.

On the other hand, Athens added 800 jobs, a one percent increase, during the period, topped only by Macon, which picked up 1,400 jobs, a 1.5 percent increase.