Chrysler to Close 15 Georgia Dealerships

With Chrysler eliminating nearly 800 of its dealerships nationwide, the metro Atlanta area and Georgia as a whole will be impacted.

Three metro Atlanta dealerships and 12 others across Georgia will lose their affiliation with the automaker.

Nalley Chrysler Jeep in Roswell and John Cullen Dodge and Southtowne Motors, both located in Newnan, are on Chrysler's list of dealers it is eliminating. A number of dealerships will remain open, but sell other makes of vehicles.

The list also includes Premier Chrysler Jeep-Dodge in Decatur, but that dealership had already been closed.

The other Chrysler dealerships targeted across the state include:

-- Augusta Dodge in Augusta
-- Childre Chrysler Plymouth Dodge in Milledgeville
-- Courtesy Dodge in Dalton
-- DJ Mack Claxton Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Claxton
-- Duvall Chrysler Jeep in Clayton
-- Family Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Cleveland
-- Harry Lewis Chrysler Plymouth in Jackson
-- Justin Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Calhoun (already closed)
-- Savannah Dodge in Savannah
-- Thomaston Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Jeep in Thomaston

UPDATE: Metro Atlanta Area Under Tornado Watch

The metro Atlanta area is under a tornado watch until 7 p.m. as storms move through the area with potential for heavy rains, flooding and wind damage.

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado watch is posted for 71 counties of north and central Georgia. The forecast said that 2 to 3 inches or rain is expected before the system moves out of the area.

Rain has already fallen in a number of area counties, including Cobb, Cherokee, Gwinnett, Forsyth and north Fulton.

The forecast for metro Atlanta calls for a close to 100 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms through this evening.

Mall Owner Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

General Growth Properties Inc., which owns four major malls in metro Atlanta, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to persuade the majority of its debt holders to provide it with additional time to refinance billions of dollars in debt accumulated during the housing boom.

The company owns Cumberland, North Point, Perimeter and Southlake malls in metro Atlanta. GGP also oversees other malls in Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah.

Chapter 11 protection generally permits a company to hold off creditors and do business as normal while it constructs a financial reorganization plan.

According to court documents, GGP had approximately $29.6 billion in assets and more than $27 billion in liabilities as of the end of 2008.

Metro Atlanta Unemployment up 9.3% in February

According to a report released today by the Georgia Department of Labor, Atlanta's metro unemployment rate increased to 9.3 percent last month, matching the Georgia unemployment rate. The increease was up 4.1 percentage points over February of a year ago.

The jobless rate in metro Atlanta increased 0.7 percentage points from a revised 8.6 percent in January.

The country jobless rate was as follows:

• Cobb -- 8.4%
• Cherokee -- 8.5%
• Clayton -- 10.9%
• DeKalb -- 9.1%
• Douglas -- 10.3%
• Fayette -- 7.9%
• Forsyth -- 8%
• Fulton -- 9.4%
• Gwinnett -- 8.5%
• Henry -- 9.1%
• Paulding -- 9.7%
• Rockdale -- 10.3%

Foreclosures in Metro Atlanta Area Marks All-Time High

In what should not be surprising news given the recent economy, Equity Depot is reporting that foreclosures in the metro Atlanta area has hit an all-time high.

According to the firm, 8,425 properties were scheduled to be auctioned today. The previous high was 7,967 properties from last September.

Fulton County is in front with 1,838 foreclosed properties, followed by Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. Fayette has the least foreclosed properties at 128.

North Georgia Under Flood Watch

With heavy rains expected later today, a flood watch has been issued for much of north Georgia, including a portion of metro Atlanta.

Forecasts indicate that as much as four inches of rain could hit the area starting this evening.

Habersham, Rabun and Stephens Counties in Georgia are under a flash flood watch, as forecasters say up to five inches could fall there.

Georgia counties under the flood watch are Bartow County, Chattooga County, Cherokee County, Clay County, Cobb County, Dawson County, Fannin County, Floyd County, Forsyth County, Fulton County, Gilmer County, Gordon County, Haralson County, Lumpkin County, Paulding County, Pickens County, Polk County, Towns County, Union County and White County.