This week's Buzz of Northwest Georgia
>Aug. 27 letter told of Georgia Highlands' cutting Small Business dollars
>Porto Futurus at Rome's gateway rapidly nearing completion
>Fair season cranks up across region with plenty of festivals to come, too
>Your first look at Coosa Valley Fair, Heritage Holidays, Chiaha
>Three-Dot Buzz: Smoke's out at Henry's; Ru San's targets Wednesday
>Peaks & Valleys: Hurricane SpIke; blue ribbon for East Central
State site weighs in on the House 13 race rematch with Dempsey, Puckett
Tuesday/Education SPLOST vote: Precincts are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..
>How the SPLOST question appears on Rome precinct ballots> Rome
>How the SPLOST question appears on Floyd precinct ballots> County
Pepperell (3-0) seventh in latest AJC poll for AA schools> Poll
Later today/Sponsor of NAIA playoff game to be named> Read it first on Hometown Mobile. Click Mobile
Weather Center
>A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Cooler days all week.
>Extended forecast, EarthWatch and more> Weather Center
Sports
Norman's Arey's Sports, brought to you by Riverside Toyota: Uh, about those No-Nos the other day . . . >Arey
The Football Report, brought to you by Printworks:
-Pepperell seventh in latest AJC poll; Cartersville ranked, too.
-A look at this week's games.
-Coming Tuesday: John McClellan's picks> The Football Report
Downtown
>Big weekend ahead with two events Thursday night and the beer festival Saturday afternoon; tickets remain on sale for Sunset on the Hill> Downtown Highlands' cut of business center funding was official Aug. 27
One of the back stories brewing about the Georgia Highlands-Small Business Development Center divorce is who knew what and when.
Georgia Highlands College told University of Georgia officials of its decision to cut funds for the Rome office of the Small Business Development Center in a letter sent Aug. 27.
An open records request filed by Hometown Headlines reveals the two-paragraph letter was signed by Robert L. Whitaker, GHC's vice president of finance and administration, and cc'd to the school's president, Dr. Randy Pierce, as well as Dr. Renva Watterson and local center director, Peter Matthews.
The letter reads: "In light of the recent budget constraints placed on Georgia Highlands College and pursuant to section XV of sub award RE206-2273841868, Georgia Highlands College is providing written notification of our intent to terminate the agreement. the college wishes to begin the thirty-day written notice period to allow for a Sept. 30, 2008, contract termination date.
"Georgia Highlands College wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to the Unviersity of Georgia for the partnership we and the citizens of Northwest Georgia have enjoyed over the years." For a copy of the letter, click SBDC
Because of the loss of GHC's $47,000, SBDC officials said they were unable to go it alone. The office in recently upgraded and updated facilities at Heritage Hall will be closed at month's end with all three positions left unfunded as well. SBDC clients will be reassigned to offices in Kennesaw and Dalton.
For more than a week, rumors spread about the center's closing but GHC officials said that wasn't the case.
In an e-mail to WRGA, the Rome News and Hometown Headlines on Sept. 8, Dana Davis, GHC's director of college relations,wrote:
"I have just spoken to Randy (Pierce), who is at a meeting in Marietta today. He said that he was informed by Peter Matthews this morning that the head of the program had offered him a position at another SBDC. So it is now official. The center will close Sept. 30 but others throughout the state will remain open. At this time, I don't know where the remaining centers will be or where Peter will land, as there may also be a position inside the college for which he might also be suited. So we'll have to wait and see how that piece unfolds. I'm sorry if I have misled anyone. We truly didn't know until today that the center was closing for sure."
There were conflicting reports about the center's fate until Sept. 8 when Allan Adams, the SBDC's director, confirmed the closing in a conversation with Hometown Headlines.
Bottom line: With the center's closing, hundreds of small businesses will lose free community-based support and guidance. The move comes amid a faltering economy that is not showing any signs of an immediate rebound based on state economic reports and jobless benefit requests. While area chambers offer some assistance for small business owners, none touch the level of expertise and advice presented by SBDC representatives over the years. As tough as times are across the board, this is a real blow for small business--collectively the largest employer in our market.
Porto Futurus: From paper towel sketch to steel and stone
Wright Ledbetter, left, and Derek Bell came up with the design plans while doodling on a paper towel over beers one night in 2007. They're shown amid last week's brisk construction pace.
By Tricia Steele
When Wright Ledbetter and Derek Bell submitted their "Porto Futurus" design to the citywide competition to bring large-scale art to the city, it already had come a long way from the paper towel drawings they had sketched over beer while hanging out one summer night in 2007.
And now, after 10 years of friendship and nearly a year since that fateful night, the concept is fast becoming reality with the second of three concrete segments poured last week and stonework under way.
Standing near the structure, it becomes obvious how under-imagined its scale has been from initial reports. While in the center, the structure looms 27 feet overhead and spreads approximately 70 feet by 50 feet around.
At this point in the building process, the nine tons of steel under girding the structure, eight trucks worth of cement and 70,000 pounds of ashalar-cut Tennessee Fieldstone are all taking shape at once.
One of the original renderings of Porto Futurus at the Ledbetter Interchange.
One goal of the design and a foundational principle of the concept itself is fortitude and staying power. While discussing material off-hand with structural designer and contractor, Mike Niwicki, he asks, "Now, will that last 200 years?" to which he replies, "yes, definitely. That's what it's made for."
He turns to give the official statement of his intention for the piece to "last for centuries" but it is already obvious this goal has defined most every decision on the project from the structural design to the materials chosen to method of construction.
However, hardly anyone will stand near the Porto Futurus. They will whiz by while entering and exiting Rome, and the rod widths and material makeup will only be distant technical decisions underlying the project's aesthetic power and existence as a piece of art. It is, in the end, three intersecting aqueducts spread across the center grass between highways 411, 101, and 27.
Wanting to use recognizable architectural forms that were also symbolic, Bell notes that aqueducts "are historically the lifeblood to the community." The three intersecting series of arches sit next to three intersecting highways in a town of three intersecting rivers, and as Ledbetter points out, "it is a symbol of the Ledbetter Exchange, the city itself and past civilizations."
The three sections cause him to reflect on the "past and present efforts of the community to convey itself toward the future – and aqueducts are a form of conveyance, just like highways and rivers."
While funds are still being raised by Ledbetter for the lighting package and electricity, there will be yet another dimension for the viewer at night.
"The lights will be at very heroic angles, lighting the columns from the base. It will be spectacular to behold." Look for a sponsor of this project to step forward soon.
The project was an initiative of the Rome Area Council for the Arts and the City of Rome. and its budget of $150,000 is being met with a National Endowment for the Arts grant secured by former RACA director Allen Bell, state funding through the Department of Community Affairs secured by Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, and more than $35,000 in local contributions.
After a minor delay in groundbreaking because of Department of Transportation concerns, the project got under way in July and is now set to be completed by the end of September or very early October.
Fall festivals, fairs about to hit prime time in Northwest Georgia
By Natalie Simms
That smell of candied apples, popcorn and cotton candy in the air can only mean one thing… it's fair time again in Northwest Georgia.
This week sees the county fair season accelerate in Northwest Georgia thanks to events in Bartow and Polk. Gordon County got the season under way with an extended fair that ended last weekend. The Coosa Valley Fair in Rome caps it off on Sept. 30-Oct. 4 as does the 40th annual Great Locomotive Chase Festival in Adairsville Oct. 3-5.
And there's more on the way: October is full of local events with Heritage Holidays including a local favorite, the Chiaha Harvest Festival.
BARTOW COUNTY FAIR: The fair rolls into Cartersville Sept. 15-20. Gates open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday at 3 p.m. Family Attractions Amusement Co. will be featured on the Midway at American Legion Carl Boyd Post 42 Fairgrounds
Admission is $3 for adults and children 12 and up, and $1 for children under 12. Armbands can be purchased each day for $15 for unlimited rides. Wednesday, Sept. 17, is Children's Day with free admission all day for kids 12 and under.
POLK COUNTY FAIR: The Polk fair rolls into Cedartown Sept. 16-20 with a brand new carnival company this year. According to Alvin Gilmore, president of the Polk County Fair Association, Dixieland Carnival will be providing rides at this year's event.
"We had a committee go to Dublin to look at a carnival and we were more than pleased with Dixieland Carnival," Gilmore said. "We're very excited. They will have rides that have never been in Polk County before."
The hours are 5-10:30 p.m. each day, except Friday as the fair stays open until 11 p.m. On Saturday, it will be open from 1 to 11 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for all students and free for ages 5 and under. Armbands for unlimited rides are $12.
Tuesday is "Student Night" and free admission for all students from 5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday is "Church Night" with $1 off admission with a church program or bulletin. Thursday is "Seniors Night" with seniors admitted for free. Friday is "Family Night" and Saturday features "Children's Time" from 1-5 p.m. with only "kiddie" rides in operation and all children ages 12 and under admitted for free until 5 p.m.
For those interested in livestock, Tuesday is the Swine Show; Wednesday is the Dairy Show; Thursday is the Beef Cattle Show; and Saturday is the Lamb Show. Arts and crafts demonstrations will be held daily from 6-10 p.m. as well as live entertainment.
Proceeds from the event go to the Exchange Club of Cedartown, which sponsors the fair. They use the money to support local foster children, provide financial assistance for those in need, give scholarships to local high school students and work to prevent child abuse, according to Gilmore.
COOSA VALLEY FAIR
The annual fair rolls into Rome Tuesday, Sept. 30 and runs through Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Fairgrounds. Hours will be from 5 p.m. to midnight daily, except for Saturday when rides open at 10 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults and children 11 and older, $3 for ages 6-10 and free for 5 and under. Armbands for unlimited rides can be purchased for $20. National fair operator W.G. Wade Shows will be on the Midway with 32 rides.
"We really have a great line-up of pageants, cheerleading competition, the Brian Staples Animal Show, exhibits and vendors," said Jack Niedrach, president of Coosa Valley Fair Association. "We are really looking forward to a great fair."
Officials estimate more than 40,000 will attend the event. Opening day-- Tuesday, Sept. 30-- will feature a carload admission special of $5 per vehicle (no trucks or vans included). All exhibits open including the flower show, homemaking arts and crafts, photography and arts exhibits.
The Q102 Cheerleading competition will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Wednesday night will feature the Little Miss Coosa Valley Fair pageant for ages less than 12 months to 5 years old. Thursday night will feature the Little Miss Coosa Valley Fair pageant for ages 6-17 years old. Friday night will feature the South 107 Talent Contest and Saturday night will be the Miss Coosa Valley Fair pageant. The Brian Staples Animal Encounters Show will be held each night at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Livestock events will be held Tuesday-Thursday.
A complete list of events can be found at www.coosavalleyfair.com.
"All the money from the fair goes back into our community," said Niedrach. "We actually give about $20,000 in award money at the fair and the remaining contributions go to the Exchange Club of Rome, who primarily funds the Exchange Resource Center to help fight child abuse. In addition, it is just good, clean entertainment for the family. We're really doing it for the children."
HERITAGE HOLIDAYS: The history-soaked festival kicks off on Oct. 9 with a free concert by the Northwest Georgia Winds at Rome City Auditorium. They'll present "Raiders of the Lost Arp," a birthday tribute to Leroy Anderson and John Williams, at 7:30 p.m.
The 13th Annual Trout Unlimited Chili Cook-off stirs up action in Ridge Ferry Park on Oct. 11. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and judging begins at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and children 12 and under are $2.
More than 100 teams are expected to participate in the event which raises funds for the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, whose mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's cold water fisheries and watersheds.
The 28th Annual John Wisdom Wagon Train and Trail Ride roll in on Oct. 18 at Ridge Ferry Park. The wagon train departs at 8:30 a.m. and ends with a parade on Broad Street at 5 p.m. A Western Dance will follow at 7 p.m. at the park. The ride commemorates the heroic ride of mail carrier, John Wisdom, who rode 11 hours to warn Rome of the impending attack, saving Rome from early destruction from Union forces.
For a complete schedule, please click Heritage schedule.
More than 100 artists and crafters will be in town for the 44th Annual Chiaha Harvest Fair on Oct. 25-26. The event will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Ridge Ferry Park. Along with artists and craft demonstrations, there will be continuous live entertainment, southern home cooking and sweet treats, children's art activities and of course, free hot apple cider! For more information, go to www.chiaha.org.
Three-Dot Buzz . . . :
Fire's out at Henry's Smoke Shack: A downtown favorite is closed for business. Henry's Smoke Shack--the successor to Cotton Block Barbecue at 1 Broad St.-- has a big "for rent" sign on the service window. Henry's had been doing normal business and some catering as well in recent months. The closing comes at a time when Rome is awash in barbecue sauce with old favorites such as Sonny's and Troy's as well as a continuing good buzz for Shane's Rib Shack. And coming soon to the old Waterfront spot: Opi's pizza, barbecue and more. . . .
Ru San's opens Wednesday: The formal opening of Ru San's at Five Points is now set for Wednesday. The sushi restaurant--one of two coming to Rome--had set of a goal of last Friday but it was pushed back a few days. For more on Ru San's, including a sample menu, please click Dining . . .
Rome neighborhood churns out another ice cream prize
The Saddlebrook Downs neighborhood off Ga.101 was selected as a grand prize winner for an ice cream block party sponsored by Edy's for the second time in three years. Hisayo Carroll entered the Edy's Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute essay contest in the spring. She was notified of winning in June, and the ice cream party was held Saturday. Carroll wrote that Rome has been under level 4 drought conditions for almost two years and was about to enter a second summer with drastically reduced outdoor activities. "I felt that an Edy's ice cream party would draw neighbors outside and give us all a chance to spend time on the friendships and relationships that may have been neglected during the drought," Carroll said. "Often we don't take the time to connect during the busy school year, so summer is really our only chance to see each other outside." She received 12 cartons of ice cream and party supplies for the more than 40 neighbors and guests. "It was a huge success and just great to see everyone in a casual setting," she said. "How often can you get together with more than one-fourth of your entire neighborhood and just enjoy one another's company?" (From a media release)
PEAKS & VALLEYS: The highs, lows of Northwest Georgia
Peak to East Central Elementary School: Yet again the campus on Dean Avenue is setting the pace for other schools in Northwest Georgia. East Central has been named a national Blue Ribbon School thanks to the collaboration of faculty, staff, parents and--most important--students.
Valley to the oil industry, the regulators and government 'leaders': What dramatic build-up Hurricane Ike received. "Certain death" proclaimed one leader; "Mother Nature's weapon of mass destruction" said another. We certainly agree people need to be warned of a potential disaster on the way. On the flip side, those statements and others fed every greedy aspect of the oil industry, with "shortages" and "10-gallon limits" and skyrocketing prices (more than 60 cents a gallon in 24 hours?). Now let's see if those prices will drop just as quickly. And let's see how many gas stations are fined by the state for price gouging. From the oil industry to lax attention from elected leaders, this latest excuse to jack consumers around is inexcusable.
Peaks to the Mississippi Braves and Myrtle Beach Pelicans: The Mississippi club won the Southern League championship over the weekend while the Pelicans--managed by former Rome field boss Rocket Wheeler -- lost in the final round of the Carolina League playoffs. A lot of the players on both clubs got their start as Rome Braves.
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