Ga. high school graduation rate increases in 2013

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013, 10:56am

Ga. high school graduation rate increases in 2013

(WXIA) -- The public school graduation rate in Georgia continues to climb.

The Georgia Department of Education announced Wednesday that the state's graduation rate was 71.5 percent in 2013 -- almost two points higher than in 2012 and four points above 2011's rate.

Every state uses a U.S. Department of Education-mandated four-year adjusted cohort rate to calculate graduations. It tracks the number of students who graduate from high school within the standard four years.

State superintendent Dr. John Barge said the more rigorous calculation method still shows an increase in Georgia's graduation rate.

"Despite the economic challenges our districts are facing, we have more high school students graduating today than we have had in several years, which is a testament to the hard work of our students and teachers," Barge said in a statement.

DeKalb County's 2013 four-year graduation rate was 58.9 percent.

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Cooked To Perfection: Taste of Atlanta 2013

Submitted by Atlanta News on Tuesday, December 10th, 10:29 am

ATLANTA -- After a food-filled weekend of sampling, sipping and celebrating, Taste of Atlanta festival attendees are fully satisfied—and possibly even sporting an extra notch on their belt loop!

The epic 12th annual food festival featured over 100 of the city’s premier restaurants and fed more than 45,000 hungry Atlantans. With one-stop access to the city’s varied culinary landscape, an impressive amount of featured cooking classes and seminars and an incredible support of non-profit, community programs, Taste of Atlanta has once again cooked up a recipe for success.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, December 9th, 2013, 10:40am

Atlanta Master Chorale to perform Christmas show at Emory

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Master Chorale will spread joy this holiday season with a special Christmas concert at Emory University.

The chorus will perform Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. in the university's Emerson Concert Hall.

Tickets are $25 general admission and $10 for Emory students.

Visit emory.edu for more information and to reserve your seat.

Emerson Concert Hall is located inside the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at 1700 North Decatur Road.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, December 5th, 2013, 7:49am

(WXIA) -- Registration for the 2014 General Educational Development tests is now open on the new MyGED website.

The site, located at ged.com, offers study plans, skills assessments and other resources to help adults receive the equivalent of a high school diploma.

The 2014 GED program launches on Jan. 2. It was overhauled to better prepare GED candidates for higher education and the working world, and ultimately allow them to find jobs with higher pay.

The website also features a list of GED testing centers across metro Atlanta.

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Submitted by Michael H. King, Digital Executive Producer

Wednesday, December 4th, 2013, 7:22pm

(WXIA) -- Emory Healthcare has identified the pilot in Monday's Dawson County plane crash as surgeon Dr. John "Jack" Culbertson, Jr.

Culbertson's plane, a Piper Malibu, crashed Monday evening on Auraria Road near Georgia 400.

Federal aviation officials said Culbertson was the only person on board the aircraft, which they said was en route to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport from Morristown, N.J.

Culbertson had been involved in another plane crash with the same airplane in 2000. That crash was a forced landing in Arkansas while flying with his family back to Georgia from Telluride, Colo.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013, 10:34am

Tutor to low-income kids charged with forgery

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- A tutor to low-income children has been charged with first-degree forgery and false statements by a Fulton County Grand Jury.

Domonique Scott was charged Nov. 26 with creating false assets and liabilities for her company, A Love of Learning Tutoring.

Court documents show Scott produced false balance sheets, statements of net income, a forged letter showing a non-existent cash line of credit and even a start date for her company.

The fake company was hired in January 2010 by the Georgia Department of Education's Supplemental Education Services program, which provides free tutoring and academic assistance to low-income families. A Love of Learning Tutoring helped children in Bibb, Clayton, DeKalb, Muscogee and Richmond counties, according to information presented in court.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Saturday, November 30th, 2013, 8:35am

Atlanta unemployment jumps to 7.7 percent

ATLANTA -- Metro Atlanta's unemployment rate climbed to 7.7 percent in October, up from 7.4 percent in September.

DeKalb County's unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in October.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the reason for the increase is twofold: the number of layoffs increased, as did the number of unemployed residents.

Despite the unemployment numbers, metro Atlanta added roughly 2.4 million jobs in October, mostly in trade and transportation; education and health care; government; manufacturing; and financial services.

Metro Athens had Georgia's lowest unemployment rate in October, at 5.8 percent. The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.9 percent.

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