The theme on Friday’s “Mornings unPHILtered” show was jobs, as Melvin Everson, who is running for the Republican nomination for Commissioner of Labor, came on the show.
      Asked by show host Phil Boyum why he's running, Everson said Georgia needs to get back to work.
      A 23-year veteran of the Army, and with nearly 20 years in the professional sector, along with having served two terms as a state House member for his part of the state, Everson thinks he knows what needs to be done.
      Everson emphasized that first, Georgia’s labor force must be well-educated and ready to deal with the latest technology they will encounter in the modern workplace.
      Everson said as Labor Commissioner he would be able to assist companies in gaining access to a skilled workforce.
      Secondly, he said he would help people no longer in the workforce get the training needed to qualify for available jobs.
      He promised to work closely with schools like Ogeechee Technical College if he is elected, as he believes not every student needs to be in the traditional four-year college environment.
      Everson said he would work with technical colleges and trade schools to both enlarge the programs they offer and to increase the assistance available to potential students so they could get retrained and reenter the workforce.
      Everson came to Statesboro last week for the Republican Party “Meet and Greet” and gubernatorial debate where he talked with many Bulloch Countians. He said the citizens he spoke with told him they are concerned about losing their jobs or finding new ones.
      Many have been laid off, and others have suffered the downsizing of companies and have been let go. People tell him they see jobs leaving and companies shutting down, with no end in sight.
      Everson said he told them that if elected he promises to do his best to stop the loss and start the state on a return to creating more jobs.

      “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com