ATLANTA -- Metro Atlanta's unemployment rate dropped to 7.9 percent in March, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 8.3 percent in February.

In Rockdale County, the jobless rate was 9.1 percent in March.

State labor officials said Thursday the rate declined because of an increase in the number of jobs and fewer new layoffs.

Metro Athens had the state's lowest jobless rate at 5.9 percent.

The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.4 percent.

(WXIA) -- During the company's last fiscal year, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation exceeded $1 billion in charitable donations for the first time.

A spokeswoman for the retail chain said they gave more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind contributions; $37 million of that total was given by stores in Georgia and went to local non-profits. One of those was HomeAid Atlanta. 

"At Walmart we believe in supporting our neighbors and communities," Bill Wertz, director of communications for Walmart said. "We want to so what we can to give those we serve better options and better lives, and one way we can do that is through our giving. We are using our size and the unique strengths of our business to address the issues on which we can have the greatest impact - building programs in areas such as hunger relief, job training and support of local schools." 

(WXIA) -- Governor Nathan Deal signed a new bill on Friday that could increase Georgia's college completion rate.

Deal, according to a spokesperson for the Governor's Office, signed the HB 131 at Georgia Gwinnett College. Under the new bill, high school students have more incentive to take "dual credit courses" that allow for college credit and high school credit to be earned at the same time. 

"By 2020, more than 60 percent of job openings in Georgia will require some form of postsecondary education," Deal said. "Frankly, we need boos the percentage of Georgians who hold a postsecondary degree in order to create a highly skilled workforce. In the long run, this new law will give college freshmen a head start and, we hope, will encourage more to stay until they attain their degree."