The Buzz of Northwest Georgia:
-Isakson formally declares bid for a second Senate term today
-Icahn clips investments in Temple-Inland, Forestar (Town West developer)
-Sprinkler, sign meetings should draw crowds to city hall this week
-Gordon County video: Ready for prime-time business
-Rome Braves get a new online look this season
-'BBQ Bailout' and other ways to make lemonade from sour economy
-Georgia's Wine Highway Weekend set for March 21-22
-2009 Relay for Life: Lots of changes, same goal: Drive Out Cancer
-Links to Relay events in Polk, Gordon, Bartow counties
-Plus: Others also walking the walk for good causes this spring
-Business Calendar: Busy week for Realtors, chamber
Unity National 'suffering' with customers, 'in a position of fiscal integrity,' CEO says: A report in Sunday's AJC put Unity National Bank on a list of financial institutions "that some industry analysts say indicates which financial institutions face a higher risk of insolvency." CEO Michael McPherson says the economy is hurting bank customers and, therefore the bank, but adds, We are moving forward in serving our customers from a position of fiscal integrity and soundness.> Business
-Georgia Cup returns March 14-15: The popular cycling event not only returns to Rome in a month but also opens the 2009 series here> Details
-Redmond's Crowley, King earn Frist Humanitarian Awards> Health
-Harbin's Dillmon named to state association's governing council> Health
-Local Realtors' president optimistic about early signs for 2009> Business
-Three Darlington seniors finalists for National Merit Scholarship Program: Darlington seniors Isabel Bonnyman, Garrett Brown and Alexandra Dodd have been named finalists in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program. They are the only students in this area in the running for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth more than $35 million> Merit
Weather Center / brought to you by Roman Court
-Tuesday: Sunny with a high of 56.
-Tuesday night: 80 percent chance of rain, low of 41.
-Wednesday: 90 percent rain chance, high of 62.
-Extended forecast: Please click WeatherCenter
Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable / brought to you by Riverside Toyota
- SI: Central Florida brings in outside investigator to probe O'Leary's training practices. Click Arey
Downtown Headlines
-DeSoto's restored theatre vestibule to be highlighted at private unveiling Thursday evening. Click Downtown
Three-Dot Buzz . . . :
Isakson kicks off 2010 re-election bid today: U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson goes formal with his desire for a second term with several stops around the state. No stops in Northwest Georgia are planned but the Republican will be in Floyd County March 14 as the local GOP hold the county convention. Isakson won't face nearly as much heat as Saxby Chambliss this past election.> Politics . . .
New video shows 'Gordon County, Ga., Ready for Business': The promotional piece, available on the county Web site (click), covers scores of development and relocation needs. It is as fresh as today's headlines, including references to the new VW plant under way near Chattanooga and the pending merger of Coosa Valley Tech with Northwest Technical College to form Georgia Northwestern Technical College. Also heard are infrastructure plans including "a sixth interchange" along I-75 and how the four-lane highway is the region's "golden corridor.". Easy manufacturing and distribution also highlight the recording. Give it a look by clicking Here . . .
Online home of Rome Braves gets a new look this season: A newly styled Web site for the Rome Braves is up (click). The redesign incorporates much of the look and content used by Minor League Baseball but also offers a number of pages for specific local content (news, roster, promos, even hints of a fan of the game). The Braves open their seventh season on April 9; home opener: April 14 vs. RiverDogs. . . .
'BBQ Bailout' just one example of entrepreneurs fighting back
It is one of the most frequently used cliches in management: turning lemons into lemonade. But with the economy expected to remain as rotten as a month-old lemon, entrepreneurs are fighting back with some interesting twists.
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Restaurants: One of our favorites so far was in the e-mail newsletter from Slopes BBQ in Cartersville. Under the headline "BBQ Bailout," Slopes pitched $5 lunch specials (tax and usually drink included) that range from barbecue sandwiches, a quarter chicken, veggie plates, chili dogs and sides depending on the day). Says the flyer: "All our daily specials are designed to put money back where it belongs... in your pocket!" The restaurant offers some dinner specials as well from $5 to $9.
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>Share other examples with us. Click e-mail
Wine Highway Weekend unwinds March 21-22:
Lovers of Georgia wines are hitting the highway--with designated drivers or limos, of course--on March 21-22 for the fourth annual Georgia Wine Highway Weekend. A $20 fee gets sippers a special collectors glass and admission to all participating wineries. Normal tasting fees will be waved for those buying the commemorative glass. You can buy the glass at any winery and carry it to the next locations. Hours are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 until 6 p.m. Sunday.For details, click Wine
>Sunday sales, samples OK: The wineries offer samples and sell their own wines on Sundays thanks to a special exemption for agricultural interests.
>Our advice: Book a Dahlonega area hotel or B&B. Tour the Dahlonega wineries early in the day and return to park, eat and then sample the participating wine tasting rooms around the city square.
>Close to home: The nearest member of the Winegrowers Association of Georgia is Sharp Mountain Vineyards in Jasper.
>Starting Thursday: A look at some of Georgia's wineries . . .
Relay 2009: Lots of changes, same goal: 'Drive Out Cancer'
By Natalie Simms
The 2009 Relay for Life rolls into Ridge Ferry Park to "Drive Out Cancer" on May 15. Organizers have made a few changes in hopes of generating more community involvement for the overnight event, which raises money for the American Cancer Society.
The Floyd County event, which previously was held on the third weekend in April, has moved to May.
"We're trying to change things up and get more involvement," says Haley Watts, ACS Community Manager. "There was a lot of conflict with Spring Break in the past and we wanted to allow all the schools to participate. Also, weather was a huge concern and we hope that it will be warmer on the river in May."
Also, the start time is moving back to 7 p.m., instead of the usual 6 p.m., to allow time for people to arrive after work. Opening ceremonies with the Survivor Lap will begin at 7 p.m. Survivors will be honored during a special dinner on Thursday, May 7. Details for the dinner will be announced soon.
The fund-raising goal for this year's event is $229,000. Last year, the event raised $217,196.
"We may struggle to get this goal with the economy like it is," says Lynn Williams, Floyd Relay for Life Co-Chair. "But, $229,000 is a good goal to have."
Relay money goes into the general use fund of the ACS, which is used for a variety of programs, Watts says.
"It funds the web site cancer.org and 1-800-ACS-2345 to be available to anyone 24/7," she says. "It also funds research on so many different levels. In January, there were 17 research grants awarded in Georgia to researchers at Emory, University of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia and others. The money also goes into our programs and services like 'Road to Recovery' and 'Look Good…Feel Better', both of which we currently have in Rome. And we also give college scholarships to childhood cancer survivors."
What's planned this year: To help raise funds, this year's event will feature a Car Show on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Relay teams will be encouraged to stay around for the Car Show and keep selling their food and fundraising items to add to their totals.
One special survivor who knows the importance of raising money for research is this year's honorary chair, Carrie Easterwood of Rome. After being diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2002 at the age of 32, she underwent chemotherapy, radiation and a bone marrow transplant to be cancer-free today.
"I received my bone marrow from a person in Sweden because there was no one in the United States or even my family that was a match for me," Easterwood says. "After my transplant, I had to live in a condo for six months by Emory because I couldn't be far from the hospital."
Easterwood was released from Emory's care in July 2008. Since then, she has been working to raise awareness anyway she can. "The relay is really important to raise money to find cures and it's important for survivors to see how many people care," she says. "It's also encouraging to see others that are in the same situation. It's also good for caregivers because they don't get as much credit as they deserve."
Organizers are recruiting teams and survivors. They hope to have at least 70 teams participating with a total of 1,200 participants and more than 550 survivors. Team Captain Meetings begin on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. Other meetings will be on March 26 and April 23, both at 6 p.m. All meetings will be held at the Floyd Corporate Support Center on Second Avenue (the old Sears Building).
To sign up to participate or make donations, please visit www.floydrelayforlife.org or call the ACS at 770-429-0089, ext. 249.
There will be other Relay for Life events in surrounding communities. The following is a list of other upcoming events:
-Relay at Berry College--April 3 at 7 p.m.
-Polk County Relay for Life-- May 1 at 7 p.m. at Nathan Dean Sports Complex. To participate. go to www.relayforlife.org/polkga.
-Gordon County Relay for Life-- May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Northwest Georgia Regional Fairgrounds in Calhoun. To participate go to www.relayforlife.org/gordon.
-Bartow County Relay for Life--Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at Dellinger Park. To participate go to www.relayforlife.org/bartow.
Area residents walking the walk to help others
Upcoming events include:
Feb. 28/Heart of the Community Heart Walk: At Citizens First Bank on Broad Street. Pre-walk festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. and walk begins at 10 a.m. Previously benefiting the American Heart Association, this year's event will benefit the Heart of the Community Foundation and its efforts to invest in heart-related projects in our community. For more information, call 1-800-242-5662 or visit www.RedmondRegional.com, under news and events.
April 4/National MS Walk at Berry College. Registration at 9 a.m. and walk begins at 10 a.m. Event raises money to fund research for a cure for Multiple Sclerosis while also helping people who currently live with the disease. MS is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. For more information or to register to walk, click here or call 1-800-FIGHT-MS
April 18/Parkinson Disease Walk for Hope: At the Cedartown Depot/Welcome Center. The 1-mile walk begins at 9 a.m. The event seeks to raise awareness of the disease and funds to help programs of the Northwest Georgia Parkinson Disease Association. For more information, visit www.gaparkinsons.org/walk_for_hope.htm
April 25/ March of Dimes March for Babies in Floyd County -- at Berry College. Registration at 9 a.m. and walk begins at 10 a.m. The event raises funds for the March of Dimes which helps babies through the prevention of birth defects, infant mortality and prematurity. For each dollar raised, 84 cents goes back into the organization for research, education, advocacy and community service. To get involved, visit www.marchforbabies.org.
April 3/March for Babies in Gordon County- at The Depot, 109 S. King St. in Calhoun. Registration at 6 p.m. and walk begins at 7 p.m.
May 2/March for Babies in Bartow County-- at Dellinger Park, 100 Pine
Grove Road in Cartersville. Registration at 8 a.m. and walk begins at 9 a.m.
Business Calendar:
Realtors meet Wednesday at Berry Elementary: Greater Rome Board of Realtors' Membership Luncheon. Site: Berry College Elementary School. Noon. For more, click Realtors
Chamber's SpeedNetworking is Thursday: The cost is $5 per person and you get a free pass to that evening's Business After Hours. Site: Chamber office. Register with the chamber at www.romega.com
Greater Rome Bank to host chamber's Business After Hours Thursday: The main office at 1490 Martha Berry Blvd. is the site. Hours: 5:30 until 7 p.m. Register with the chamber at www.romega.com
Georgia State's Dhawan to headline Berry's Business Outlook Ap
ril 22: Dr. Rajeev Dhawan, the director of the economic forecasting center at Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business, is the keynote speaker at the Wednesday, April 22, Business Outlook 2009 seminar presented by Berry College. The presentation is set for 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. More details soon. As for Dhawan: In his forecast released in November, he predicted no real turnaround in the economy until late 2010. We expect a "progress report" at the upcoming outlook. His forecast
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