South Carolina Bureau Chief Stephanie Toone has an article in Wednesday’s paper (Work force centers benefit from stimulus) about the economic stimulus program’s impact on job hunting on the other side of the Savannah River.

Of the $79 million the state’s Employment Securities Commission received to boost employment, nearly $4 million has made its way to the six-county area served by the Lower Savannah Council of Governments.

In other words, job officials with the One Stop centers and Aiken Workforce Center have been able to add staff and resources to assist the jobless with finding work and find local businesses offering positions.

The center successfully placed 204 people in jobs in September, nearly twice the 114 it placed during the same period a year ago. More than 150 people found employment through the center in both July and August.

The resources come at the perfect time, and seem to be having an impact. While unemployment peaked in South Carolina near 12 percent in July and August, the rate has declined slightly since then, though still well over the 7.3 percent unemployment rate reported in a year ago.

In other news, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Technical College System of Georgia is reporting a 24 percent jump in enrollment as adults return to school to gain skills in an effort to compete for available jobs.

The system broke its previous enrollment record by more than 18,000 students, enrolling a total of 110,254 in the current semester.

Apologies for the lack of content in the last couple of weeks. The arrival of my first child, Elliott, on October 17 has focused my attention elsewhere. He is doing well, so I’m back to work.