Monday updates

Click www.bartowheadlines.com:

The Buzz of Northwest Georgia:
-No SOHO? That's not so: Small/home business shop staying after all.
-Holding company forming for River City Bank.
-Facebook lights up with 'Draft Tom Graves for Congress' page.
-House District 13 (Dempsey seat) already topping 2010 chatter.
-333 on Broad opens tonight after weekend test runs.
-Double dose of A.M. baseball this week with Rome Braves.
-Mother's Day, Shorter. Berry graduations to provide boost for businesses.
-Peaks & Valleys: The highs and lows of Northwest Georgia

-Focus: The hits just keep on comin' thanks to free summer concerts in Cartersville, Calhoun and Rome

More rain today, some thunderstorms, too: After a wet and wild weekend that included funnel clouds and tornado sightings, more rain is possible--thunderstorms, too. We have a 60 percent chance of rain with highs in the upper 70s> Below

Monitoring the swine flu outbreak: Latest comments from the public health department. Click Regional Report

-More than 225 cases so far in the U.S.> Details

WeatherCenter/brought to you by Roman Court

-Today: 60% chance of showers, thunderstorms (8 a.m. until 2 p.m.) High of 77.

-Tonight: 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Low of 59.
-Tuesday: 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High of 80.

-Live radar views: Click The State or The Region

-For more, click WeatherCenter

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable / brought to you by Riverside Toyota

-Michael Vick to be a 49er? Time for a 12th team in the Big 10? Look out, Big East> Arey

Rome Braves updates> Click sports

-Finally: Rome Braves end losing streak, beat Bowling Green 10-3: After a seven-game skid, Rome puts together a huge eighth inning> Sports

-Next home game: 7 p.m. Monday vs. Bowling Green

-Recent game photos courtesy of Mills Fitzner> Click

No SOHO? Not so: Late last year, Northwest Georgia's first SOHO Hero shop at Riverbend Center was closing. The business services franchise had made a splash locally thanks to some heavy initial marketing. And yet the "small office/home office professionals" had opted out of the Rome venture, about to leave a rare vacancy at the Ledbetters' Riverbend Center. The "open" sign has been on at 1426 Turner McCall Blvd. for several weeks as new franchisees give it a second chance. The hours are 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. SOHO continues to offer design, shipping, notary, fax and other services, including dedicated business breakout rooms and WiFi. Details> SOHO

'Plain vanilla' holding company for River City Bank: State banking reports show RCB Financial Corp. of Rome is acquiring River City Bank. The move is nothing more than forming a holding company, says CEO Eddie Wilson. River City Bank opened on May 23, 2006.

Facebook lights up with 'Draft Tom Graves for Congress': Several local Republicans are among the 130-plus "friends" of a movement urging state Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, to join the list of candidates scrambling to replace Nathan Deal as the U.S. representative for the Ninth Congressional District (which includes parts of Gordon County). Graves is well-liked among conservatives and led a coalition of lawmakers until last session. Deal is now running for governor and a scramble is under way to recruit candidates on both sides to run for Congress.

> Click Facebook

More politics: We're a year out from official qualifying but rumblings continue about who's running for what. And for the third election cycle in a row, the early "hot race" is House District 13, now held by Katie Dempsey, R-Rome. Democrats are courting a "can't miss" candidate while the odds of a Republican challenger are 2-to-1. As with last year, potential Republican candidates are being courted.

333 on Broad opens tonight: After a few nights of test-runs, Jay and Melissa Shell's 333 on Broad opens for dinner tonight at 5. The restaurant, at 333 Broad St., is in the former home of The Prickly Pear. In addition to dining, the Shells hope to promote the venue's music areas as well. That's a natural given Jay Shell's involvement with Kneckdown.

Double dose of A.M. baseball this week: Rome Braves' fans might want to set their alarms this Tuesday and Thursday. The Braves host the Bowling Green Hot Rods beginning at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at State Mutual Stadium. Following a 7 p.m. game Wednesday, the Braves host the Lexington Legends beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Both a.m. games are tagged "education day" games so expect busloads of kids.

Big weekend for local retailers, restaurants: Call it an opportunistic harmonic convergence for Rome/Floyd County retailers. Mother's Day will mean a run on gifts and restaurants, especially on Sunday. Also, look for extra faces at hotels and restaurants Friday and Saturday as Berry and Shorter colleges hold spring commencement ceremonies.

>For details on Berry's graduation ceremonies, click Berry

>For details on Shorter's graduation ceremonies, click Shorter

The hits just keep on comin' thanks to free summer concerts

Photo courtesy of Mills Fitzner. For more, click Downtown

As many as 2,000 people packed Rome's Bridgepoint Plaza Friday evening to hear The Infinity Show Band perform. Many joined the informal dance floor, doing the electric slide, before being chased by one of the weekend storms. Monthly, free concerts are held in downtown Rome, Cartersville and Calhoun each summer.

By Natalie Simms

natsimms76@gmail.com

Summer is just around the corner and with it comes a host of outdoor community events. Local event planners hope this season's downtown concert series not only impacts business but also benefits local families by providing free family entertainment.

Rome, Cartersville and Calhoun officials coordinate a series of free concerts through the summer months. Rome and Cartersville kicked off their events this past weekend while Calhoun's first concert is May 15.

The summer concert season draws both similar and different acts. The Infinity Show Band, which opened Rome's First Friday series this past weekend, plays in Calhoun July 17. Cartersville's concert series opened with The Tams last Saturday; the group plays the Calhoun venue June 19.

"The concerts really benefit downtown because we have anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 people here on that one Friday night a month," says Elaine Abercrombie, Chair of the Rome Downtown Development Authority Promotions Committee. "Even though most businesses are closed at night, the people still park on the street and see businesses that are here. Plus, the restaurant business thrives…they do great before, after and during the concerts."

This is the 11th season of Rome's First Friday concerts, which are held on the first Friday of each month from May to September from 7-10 p.m. at Bridgepoint Plaza

Click here for schedule of events.

"It really benefits the community and gives families a place to go that is safe and clean," Abercrombie says. "There are no alcohol sales so it is a very family oriented place to be."

Rome officials have added a new take this year to help local non-profit organizations. Each concert will feature a Rome "celebrity" emcee instead of a radio personality emcee as used in the past. Mary Hardin Thorton of Keep Rome-Floyd Beautiful did the honors this past Friday night.

The money that would have been given to the radio hosts goes to guest emcee's group. Also on tap this summer are:

-June 5: Blaine Williams, supporting William S. Davies Homeless Shelter
-July 3: Jim Powell, supporting Historic DeSoto Theatre Foundation
-Aug. 7: Greg Price, supporting Rome Area Council for Arts.
-Sept. 4: Harry Musselwhite, supporting Rome International Film Festival.

Other non-profits will also be benefiting from the concert series. Concessions will be provided by: Boy Scout Troop 34, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Keep Rome-Floyd Beautiful, Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Rome-Floyd Commission on Children and Youth, Rome-Floyd International Association, Rome Little Theatre and Rome Shrine Club.

"When you support the concerts and buy concessions, you help these organizations which are hurting because of low donations due to the economy," Abercrombie says. "They will have all kinds of food at good prices."

Summer Concert Series returns to downtown Cartersville

Cartersville officials believe they will have upwards of 4,000 attending each concert this summer because of the economy.

"There are lots of families looking for ways to entertain that are good, quality fun that's affordable," says Penny Davis, Special Events Coordinator for Cartersville Downtown Development Authority. "You can't beat free, so we think we will see large crowds."

Along with the concerts, Cartersville also hosts car shows. The Cartersville Car Shows begin at 6 p.m. and concerts start at 7 p.m. at Friendship Plaza. Click here for schedule of events.

"These events bring people downtown, to not only have a good time, but to look around at our area merchants," Davis says. "It really has a good impact on our community because people always come back and shop."

Cartersville also is planning a new event to go along with the concert and car show. The DDA has teamed with Keep Bartow Beautiful to present "Cel-Earth-Bration," a vendor fair to promote ways to "go green." Each month the event will focus on a different topic from how to give "green" gifts to gardening.

Busy summer for Calhoun's Concerts in the Park

Calhoun officials are also preparing for large crowds as they begin their 10th season of "Concerts in the Park."

"We have already had a lot of interest and it seems like the phone calls have started early this year…there are definitely a lot more calls about the events," says Suzanne Roland, director of Main Street Partnership. "Because of the economy, a lot more people are staying in town and not traveling on vacation, so they will do more locally."

Members of The Infinity Show Band

had Romans on their feet Friday night.

The group performs again locally on July 17 as part of Calhoun's Concerts in the Park series.

Photo by Mills Fitzner

Roland says the concerts usually draw 500 to 1,000 guests depending on the weather. Concerts are held at the BB&T City Park from 7-10 p.m. Click here for a schedule of events.

"We really see benefits after the concerts as people patronize the downtown shops, especially those who sponsor the concerts," Roland says. "A lot of people come to the concerts that don't usually come downtown, so they check out the businesses that are here."

PEAKS & VALLEYS: The highs and lows of Northwest Georgia

Peak to Liberty Tree Week @ Berry: From special speakers and performances highlighting the vitality of the First Amendment to the planting of an elm, the Liberty Tree Week @ Berry underscored the significance of freedom of speech in any form. Of all the lessons and lectures and studies based at our colleges, few top this one in terms of the freedoms we cherish the most. Well done.

Peak to Shorter College's proposal for enhancing Barron Stadium: Rather than spending $400,000 on a new all-purpose astroturf field on The Hill, Shorter administrators are proposing the use of those dollars to further enhance Barron Stadium for use by football teams, Peach State and others. Such a move greatly expands Rome/Floyd's chances of securing a long-term deal to host the NAIA championship football game each December as well. We have two words of advice for the city of Rome regarding this bid: Do it.

Peak to bus driver supreme Connie Beatenbough:

Connie Beatenbough has won her second consecutive Floyd County Schools Bus Safety Road-e-o. She won the Georgia state title in 2006 and also placed sixth in the 2006 International Road-e-o. She also qualified to participate in the International competition in the summer of 2005, according to the school system. This year's top 10 drivers also include, in this order: Gail Lanier, Tracy Swann, Jamie Rohler, Jennifer Pegg, Darla Chambers, Cyja King, Wanda Ely, Linda Hall and Barbara Tyree.

Valley to the spring storms: Enough, already. People have barely had time to clean up from the Good Friday hail storm but again and again, we're getting buffeted with severe weather. The foul weather season usually runs until May 31. We're hoping for a "spring break" from the wild stuff.