METRO WEEK IN REVIEW: Nov. 23-29

1) Economy remains volatile

As stocks seesawed and Black Friday shoppers flooded stores in search of the best after-Thanksgiving deals, the metro Atlanta economy continued to struggle. Gov. Sonny Perdue and other governors planned to meet with President-elect Barack Obama this week to discuss how the economic crisis has hurt state finances. In addition, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said she has not decided how to cover $13 million of a projected $50 million budget shortfall, and Forsyth County unveiled a 2009 budget that eliminates 23 jobs and employee raises. Atlanta homeowners also received bad news: Home prices here dropped 9.5 percent from September 2007 through this September, according to a 20-city index.

2) More big-name politicians stump for Senate candidates

As residents cast advance votes in the Dec. 2 runoff, more big names came to Atlanta to drum up support for Georgia’s U.S. Senate candidates. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani visited last week to bolster Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss, while former Vice President Al Gore and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile urged voters to back Democratic challenger Jim Martin. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin plans to stump for Chambliss this week. Although a visit from President-elect Barack Obama was not planned, he did record a “robo call” for Martin.

3) Gas cheap, airport fast for holiday travelers

It was smooth sailing last week for holiday travelers eager to get to family Thanksgiving spreads. Lines at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport security checkpoints on Wednesday —- typically one of the busiest travel days of the year —- were short, with waits under five minutes. Despite the apparent lull, airport officials predicted a 1 percent increase from last year in passenger volume across the holiday period. Motorists also had reason to be thankful: Although some drivers hit traffic snarls Wednesday afternoon, gas averaged $1.71 a gallon, the lowest Thanksgiving price in four years.

4) Plan for ‘HOT lanes’ gets $110M boost from feds

A plan to create a toll lane along I-85 is getting $110 million in help from the federal government, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced. The money will be used to transform a 14-mile stretch of HOV lane from Spaghetti Junction to Old Peachtree Road into a high-occupancy toll lane —- or “HOT lane.” Peters said HOT lanes, which anyone can use and whose tolls will rise and fall with congestion on the main highway, are “a proven way to keep traffic moving.” The I-85 lane could open by 2011, Gov. Sonny Perdue said.

5) Teen’s death prompts change in Atlanta’s 911 policy

A dispatcher should not have called off one of two emergency crews sent to help a Mays High School student who died in October, the head of Atlanta’s 911 system said last week. City 911 officials have changed their procedures as a result of the incident. Now, only Atlanta Fire Department command officers and Grady Memorial Hospital EMS officials can cancel an emergency response. The student, 16-year-old Antoine Williams, died Oct. 14 as a result of injuries suffered while play-wrestling with a classmate, an autopsy report said.

6) One arrested as DeKalb arson probe continues

After DeKalb County firefighters battled a wave of arsons early last week, investigators made an arrest in connection with at least one of the 10 blazes. Jeffrey Tremaine Sprowl, 21, on Tuesday was charged with first-degree arson in connection with a fire at an Enterprise Rent-a-Car store. All the fires, set Sunday and Monday, were along or near a two-mile stretch of the Memorial Drive corridor.

7) Vick pleads guilty to Va. dogfighting charge

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a state dogfighting charge in Virginia —- a move that could give him a chance to leave federal prison early. Under the state plea agreement, Vick received a three-year suspended prison term, four years’ probation and a $2,500 fine. Now that the state charges are resolved, Vick, whose release from prison is scheduled for July, can participate in a program that could include an early release and a stay at a halfway house.

8) Nichols witnesses: Shooter had troubled childhood

Convicted Fulton County Courthouse shooter Brian Nichols suffered from childhood abuse and should be spared as an adult, witnesses said last week in the penalty phase of his murder trial. Jurors on Nov. 7 found Nichols guilty of murder in the March 2005 shooting deaths of four people. The jury can sentence him to death or life in prison.

9) State grapples with 5-year backlog of ethics charges

The State Ethics Commission blamed the Georgia attorney general’s office for a backlog of ethics complaints against politicians —- some dating five years. Only three of 35 cases against politicians sent to the attorney general’s office have gone to administrative hearings, ethics officials said. George Anderson, a government gadfly, said he’s not surprised about the backlog because politics has taken over the system. Attorney General Thurbert Baker said Tuesday that his office does not have a significant backlog and politics plays no role in the handling of cases.

10) Gwinnett asks for freedom from state to fix schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools administrators are asking for permission to opt out of state education mandates in an effort to improve student performance. The plan, which seeks to boost participation in high-level courses and close achievement gaps among demographic groups, includes flexible teacher pay, larger class sizes and using aides as stand-ins for teachers.

How we compiled the list: Staff writer Michelle Ewing considered more than three dozen news items from the past week before settling on this list of top stories. E-mail her at mewing@ajc.com.