Georgia is no economic hot spot... with its jobless rate jumping to seven percent this past year.

The loss of twelve hundred jobs in Valdosta over the last twelve months is forcing the jobless to flood the local unemployment office.

The situation is so dire, it even drew a statement from Senator Saxby Chambliss...who visited Valdosta today.

One man says that while he remains hopeful, he doesn't know how he will put Christmas dinner on the table.

"I got laid-off yesterday and I am here today to try and get my unemployment started and that's...I don't know what's going to happen after that you know," said unemployed worker Alton Graham.

"It's imperative that we continue down the road of putting liquidity, integrity and confidence back in the financial marketplace so that we can see the credit market free up and people having the ability to borrow money to to operate and expand their businesses," said Senator Saxby Chambliss.

Valdosta's unemployment office has extended its hours to accommodate the recent influx of laid-off workers.