Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 8,609 in the week ending January 17, down from 9,285 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 200,000 last week, up 1,000 claims from 199,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Virgin Islands saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 136.4%. Georgia, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.4%.

USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

Hundreds of Patriots fans in Denver for Sunday’s AFC Championship will be rallying together Saturday night, with all funds raised supporting a cause in honor of a Massachusetts native killed in the line of duty a decade ago.

Each time New England travels to Denver to take on the Broncos, the “Pikes Peak Pats” fan club hosts massive parties for fans who either live in or are traveling to Colorado for the game.

Club president Anne Stone says that the rallies have raised nearly $70,000 over the past decade for the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officer Memorial Foundation, in Garrett Swasey’s name.

Swasey, a Melrose native, died at the age of 44 on Nov. 27, 2015, when a gunman shot and killed him and two other victims at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. Swasey was responding to the scene as an officer with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs police department.

The Peace Officer Memorial Foundation honors fallen local, federal, state and military law enforcement officers.

“Our postseason fundraiser has always been for Garrett, and it will be the same [this time],” Stone told the Herald on Friday afternoon. “Why do all of this and not have something good come out of it? It’s an absolute ball.”

Stone, a Hyde Park native who moved to Colorado in 1995 with her husband, has served as president of the Patriots fan club since 2007, with members meeting up weekly to watch their favorite team.

“You can take the girl out of Boston, you can’t take Boston out of the girl,” Stone said. “That goes for all of us.”

The group has a core of 30 to 40 fans who have been with the club since it started. Its overall population has fluctuated over the years, heavily attracting military members from local bases.

Fans are slated to take over Jackson’s LODO, a sports bar and grill in downtown Denver, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The party will feature live broadcasts of Patriots All Access on WBZ, and appearances from Patriots cheerleaders, Pat Patriot and Gillette Stadium voice Mike “Sarge” Riley.

Former Super Bowl champions David Andrews and Adam Vinatieri will also be on hand.

“It’s a crazy kind of excitement,” Stone said. “All Patriots fans were complacent for so long. We took winning for granted, we really did, for years.”

“Who thought it would go this far?” she said of the Patriots 16-3 season.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey delivered her third State of the Commonwealth address on Thursday, repeating a familiar refrain from the House rostrum.

“The state of the commonwealth is strong,” said Healey.

The speech quickly turned to President Donald Trump and what’s happening in Washington. Healey condemned the action of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Trump administration’s funding cuts while chastising Trump himself.

“We have a president who throws temper tantrums like a 2-year-old — no disrespect to 2-year-olds,” the governor said.

Beyond federal issues, Healey focused on affordability and efforts to address rising utility and housing costs.

Healey’s office announced Thursday that it would use $180 million in state dollars to bring down utility bills.

Gov. Maura Healey announced a plan to help cut costs ahead of her State of the Commonwealth Address. It will impact customers of the state’s five largest utilities.

“In February and March, we’ll cut your electric bills by 25% and your gas bills by 10%,” Healey said in her speech.

The Democratic incumbent’s three Republican gubernatorial challengers — Mike Kennealy, Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Minogue — panned the speech and the governor’s plans.

GOP leaders in both the Senate and House also weighed-in on the 51-minute speech.

“We’re going to give money back in February and March, and then you’re going to pay more in the summer. My electric bill in the summer is higher because of air conditioning, it’s kind of a wash,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones speaking on Healey’s utility plan.

“There’s no doubt about it that what the federal government does has an impact on us,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr. “But we need to really be looking introspectively.”

Several notable guests were also in attendance, including former Massachusetts Govs. Bill Weld and Michael Dukakis, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ken Casey, lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys.