Hometown Headlines - Rome/Floyd County news, business, weather, politics, sports and more

Weekend forecast: Triple-digit Heat Index

-Saturday: High of 98, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 106.

-Sunday: High of 100, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 105.

-Forecast: Click / Regional animated radar

California-based Petz Enterprises, Inc. to open new regional office in Rome/Floyd County. Family-owned PEI is a leading provider of technology and services for consumers and tax professionals with leadership in high-volume tax preparation, electronic filing, tax-related financial services, and electronic benefits delivery systems. Their corporate headquarters is located in Tracy, California. Business

Weekend Buzz:

-Blood Assurance announces Back to School Giveaway & August blood drives. Health

-Dr. Kristine Briones Mull Joins Floyd Primary Care Network. Health

-Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Adult Education Program announces fall enrollment at the Glenwood Center August 2-5. GNTC

-Latest public health restaurant inspection scores now posted. Click

For advertisers: Fall football package

-Join the Hometown Blitz fall football package. Pick your page and updates, or brand yourself with our Total Blitz package. Details: Advertising

Your latest forecast:

-Saturday: High of 98, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 106.

-Sunday: High of 100, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 105.

-Forecast: Click / Regional animated radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable. Arey

-Which sports team do you hate the most? Which college coaches are over the hill?

Rome Braves. Click Sports

-Braves lose Game 2 in Asheville, 2-1.

-Braves play in Asheville Saturday & Sunday.

-Mills Fitzner's latest home game photos. (Click)

The Buzz of Northwest Georgia: (Click)

-Outlets take fumbled sales tax holiday and make it better this weekend.

-Georgia Highlands celebrates 40 years, focuses on growing services.

-Downtown Cedartown's Streetscape progressing a brick at a time.

-Crescent Bank failure helps push 2010 total above 100-bank mark.

-Peaks & Valleys: Teresa Lumsden, library's summer reading program.

On our other pages today:

-Business: First-time jobless claims dip; 1,400 more jobs year over year.

-Rome Kids: Fall sports sign-ups begin.

-Health: Aug. 10/Redmond's 'Wellness Works' looks at healthy eating

-Jobs: Looking for a job? Try careerbuilder.com

-Sports: Track the latest Rome Braves' updates.

-Dining: Lots of changes at area restaurants; inspection scores.

-Wine News Vine: What's ahead at North Georgia wineries.

-Coosa Valley Classifieds: Your link to the region's free classifieds.

Community newsletters:

-Latest library newsletter posted. Link

-Army Reserve Capt. Chris Parker's journey to Iraq: Track the Rome teacher as he deploys for service in Iraq. Capt. Parker

-Aug. 2-6/Advance voting set for primary runoff. You can vote at the elections office or the civic center from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The top local race is the GOP runoff for House 14. Republicans also will vote on their choice for governor and attorney general (featuring Preston Smith vs. Sam Olens). Democrats will vote in the secretary of state race. Overall primary runoff ballot

-Aug. 2/Tea Party runoff candidate forum: The Rome/Floyd GA TEA Party 2010 will host a run-off candidate forum and debate state featuring House District 14 Republicans Christian Coomer and Shep Helton, as well as candidates for Georgia Insurance Commissioner, Republicans Phil Hudgens and Maria Sheffield. The runoff is Aug. 10. The forum begins at 6:30 p.m. at Beth Aliyah Worship Center, 710 E. First St., and is open to all.

-Aug. 3/Floyd County Republican Women's meeting, 11:30 a.m. lunch, noon meeting, Red Lobster on Shorter Ave. Speakers: Amy Cramer and Jennifer Hulsey from the Tea Party Patriots.

-Aug. 7/Floyd Democrats to meet: 9:30 a.m. at George Pullen’s meeting room, 10 W. First St. off of Broad Street.

'The Druck Report' local business update now on WRGA: Local business news, updates and analysis can be heard each weekday at 7:40 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. on WRGA 1470 AM. The program delivers a different perspective on current and upcoming business reports found on Hometown Headlines each day. Retail, restaurants, residential and commercial real estate, banks and credit unions, healthcare, tourism, colleges, media and sports/business will anchor our reports. Please join us for The Druck Report.

Bartow Headlines on WBHF 1450 AM: You can hear Web casts of news and sporting events from WBHF 1450 AM on www.bartowheadlines.com.

-'Rome, Ga, Facebook Directory' at 2,400 members: The popular social media network has a booming group of users in Rome/Floyd County. Hometown Headlines has created a Rome directory group open to all. Add your name: Rome, Ga., Facebook Directory

Join Hometown Headlines' Linked In group: We're forming a network of local professionals and other colleagues interested in community topics. The group is open to all. Click Hometown

-Soldiers Not Forgotten account for service personnel's school-age kids set up: An account has been started at United Community Bank on Second Avenue after Francine Thompson with Soldiers Not Forgotten contacted U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey's office about a school supply drive for the children of the 190th Military Police Company and the 277th Maintenance Company. Both are deployed to Afghanistan and both make up soldiers from the Floyd County area. The money from this account will purchase gift cards for the children to buy school supplies they need to start the new year. You can make a deposit at any United Community location. Make checks out to: Soldiers Not Forgotten.

-Unified Football & Cheerleading: Cheerleading Coaches needed ASAP for teams ages 6-12 years old in the following school districts: Armuchee, East Central, Garden Lakes/Alto Park, Johnson, Model, Elm Street/West Central, West End, Unity/Berry/Darlington/St.Mary’s, Pepperell, Cave Spring, Southeast. Please contact Eric Miller, Boys & Girls Club/West Rome, 706-234-0594 or athletics@bgcnwga.org.

Now-July 31/The Rome Christmas Parade committee is having a theme contest for this year's parade. The contest ends on July 31. The committee will vote on themes in August and winner will receive $25. For complete details, click www.romechristmasparade.com.

Now-Aug 28/Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home features traveling exhibit: 'Cherokee Carvers, Traditions Renewed. Chieftains

July 31/The Coosa River Basin Initiative and Upper Etowah River Alliance will host a canoe/kayak paddle on the Etowah River (Canton). Click

Aug. 3/Young Professionals of Rome, meeting at 5:30-7 p.m., Coosa River Basin Initiative, cosponsored by Schroeder's. $10. Register Here

Aug. 3/Business Before Hours, 8-9:30 a.m., sponsored by the Institute of Professional Development and Shorter University. Site: Austin Moses Room in the Sheffield-Thompson Building, 315 Shorter Ave. Register

Aug. 3: Water outage, traffic delays near Donahoo, Reeceburg, Booze Mountain. Details

Aug. 5/Floyd County Animal Control Rescue/Adoption needs volunteers! We are a group that places the animals that are brought into the shelter. We need computer people, photography, transporters (local and other areas). We need people to answer calls and e-mails. You could come to the shelter and walk animals or bath them. On Aug. 5, we will be at the St. Peter's Episcopal Church on East Fourth Avenue at 6:30 p.m. Please come and hear about why we need so many volunteers to make our group run. Questions? Call Susie Burns at 706-766-6491 or e-mail susieburns@comcast.net.

Aug. 11/Ga. Northwestern hosts seminar on workplace emergency preparedness, safety: Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Economic Development is sponsoring a six-hour workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to assist companies in emergency preparedness and workplace safety. The workshop will be held at the Calhoun Convention Center, 100 Peters St. Details

Aug. 14: Darlington School will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated boys’ houses at 4:15 p.m. The ceremony will be held on the brick patio area between Wilcox and South Halls.

Aug. 21/Rome Braves to host Car Show and Baseball on Aug. 21 at State Mutual Stadium. Details

Aug. 21/9th annual Health Initiative for Men set for 8 a.m.-noon at the Floyd County Health Department, 16 E. 12th St. Click

Aug. 21/CRBI's annual River Revelry set: The 2010 River Revelry--A Biodiversity Bash is set for 6:30-10:30 p.m. at Heritage Park at the confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers. The event will feature live music by Red Eye Jedi, beverages compliments of Eagle Rock Distributing and New Belgium Brewing Co., wine from Redwood Creek Wines, the third annual barbecue battle for the "Best Barbecue in the Basin", the second annual Ducky Derby from Seven Hills Rotary Club, live and silent auctions, the Blue Sky Outfitter Recycled Raft Race and celebrity judges for the barbecue battle. Tickets are $40 each or $35 each for orders of two or more tickets through Aug. 20. All tickets will be $45 at the door. Click

Aug. 26/Georgia Northwestern Technical College will hold a graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. at The Forum. Those eligible to participate in the ceremony include students who graduated from Coosa Valley Technical College during Spring 2009 quarter and any student who graduated from Georgia Northwestern Technical College during Summer 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, and Spring 2010 quarters who did not participate in the June 17 ceremony. Details: 706-295-6088.

Aug. 26: Redmond Regional Medical Center is offering a seminar called Are you Fit to a T that will focus on bone health and osteoporosis education for men and women. The seminar will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Redmond Regional in the lower level classrooms. The event is free and open to all. Reservations: 800-242-5662 or sign-up online by Monday, Aug. 23. Lunch will be served.

Sept. 10-11/Stress the 'international' in this year's Rome International Film Festival: The adjudication board for the Rome International Film Festival sent invitations to filmmakers over the weekend. More than 70 films were selected, including an impressive showing from China, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, The Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Australia, The Netherlands, Germany and the United States. "I am again pleased with our international slate of films," said RIFF Executive Director Harry Musselwhite. "I am so happy that we were able to get the winner of the Producer's Guild of America short film competition that I attended recently in Hollywood, and many more exciting choices for our dedicated RIFF fans." The festival takes place at the DeSoto Theatre and Heritage Hall in downtown Rome. Click RIFF

Sept. 11/Class of 1975--all of them--reuniting on Sept. 11: Plans are under way for a reunion of all local classes of 1975 in September. 1975 graduates of Armuchee, Berry Academy, Cave Spring, Coosa, Darlington, East Rome, Model, Pepperell and West Rome High Schools are included. The reunion will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Rome Civic Center on Jackson Hill. The cost is $20 per person and includes dinner catered by Bella Roma Grille. Reservations are required. For more or to register, go to the e www.romefloydclassesof1975.com. Registration is limited to members of 1975 classes and their guests/spouses until Sept. 1 because of space limitations

Sept. 18-19/Saint Mary's School sets Founders' Day Homecoming, Alumni Weekend: Saint Mary's Catholic School turns 65 in September and will celebrate with homecoming/alumni weekend activities Sept. 18-19. It starts at 7 p.m. Saturday with an adult alumni reception for former students. Returning graduates will be able to leave their hand print on our alumni wall. Beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, a homecoming and alumni picnic for past and present students and families will be held on the school grounds off Seventh Street. Included: Food, music and games. For more information or to RSVP, call the school at (706) 234-4953 or visit us on the Facebook page

Nov. 5-6/Chamber's Business Expo 2010 set for Nov. 5 (members), Nov. 6 (public). This year's theme: "Every day's a holiday when you ShopRome." Details

Nov. 14/Sixth Annual Rome Fine Wine Festival, benefitting the Rome Symphony Orchestra. Planned are more than 100 wines, food from area restaurants and a silent auction. the venue: The Ballrooms at The Forrest Hotel, Broad Street. $50 per person; $60 at the door. More details soon. RS

Noon Optimists' meetings: The Noon Optimist Club of Rome meets on Mondays at 11:45 a.m. at the Three Rivers Club at State Mutual Stadium. The public is welcome. For more: noonoptimists@comcast.net

Toastmasters meet twice a month: The Rome Toastmasters meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. at the library. Web site E-mail

-Southeastern Mills executive is guest at Friday's Exchange Club meeting: On tap for the noon meeting the Palladium is George Manak, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Southeastern Mills. The Rome company has been in the headlines recently with recent acquisitions, including Superior Quality Foods, as well as the retrofit planend for the former beer distributorship at 333 Old Lindale Road. The $14.9 million project will add 25 jobs by 2013. SE Mills

Humane Society meets second Thursday of each month: The meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the office at 518 Broad St. Everyone is welcome. Also: The Humane Society needs volunteers. The all-volunteer staff has improved conditions for pets in our county for 15 years. Many opportunities exist. Please call 234-7979.

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