DISNEY CHANNEL'S FIRST NATIONAL DANCE TALENT SEARCH COMES TO MALL OF GEORGIA SAT JULY 23

Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off – 'Shake It Up' edition," Disney Channel's first national dance talent search just for kids, hosted by AT&T U-verse, will make its mark at Mall of Georgia in Buford, Georgia. Kids ages 8-16, with the consent of a parent, will have the opportunity to show off their dance skills and record a dance video onsite for online submission for a chance to compete in a dance off to air on Disney Channel in October 2011. The grand prize includes a special guest dance spot on "Shake It Up" plus the chance to meet the cast. Fans and dance enthusiasts are invited to come down and participate in a Q&A with Roshon Fegan.

READ THE FULL DETAILS AT http://www.thebluebirdpatch.com/2011/07/disney-channels-first-national-dance.html

ATLANTA -- Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent in June.

That's up one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 9.8 percent in May, according to state labor commissioner Mark Butler.

"The unemployment rate inched up slightly because of normal seasonal factors, primarily involving the end of the school year," Butler said. "Non-contract school workers such as bus drivers, lunchroom and janitorial workers are usually laid off during the summer school break."

The loss of 12,400 seasonal jobs in state and local public school systems accounted for the bulk of the 14,600 payroll jobs lost throughout the state.

"Also, new graduates began searching for jobs and are counted as unemployed while doing so," Butler said.

ATLANTA -- Georgia is now one step closer to relieving traffic for thousands of commuters from Cobb and Cherokee County.

Tuesday, Governor Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced the state has been awarded a federal loan of $270 million, money to help build reversible toll lanes along stretches of I-75 and 575.

Mayor Reed said the project will make transportation to and from Atlanta "easier, more convenient. It's going to generate jobs and it's going to get families to and from the city and work."

Federal approval of the loan follows a presentation Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed gave in Washington last month to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The Republican governor and Democratic mayor extolled the project's potential to ease traffic congestion and create jobs.