Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Tuesday updates

 
Latest on miracle baby Gracie, born 16 weeks premature and now celebrating five plus months.
 
What's ahead in Bartow County

Health

Floyd board, staff, spouses spent $170,000 attending six conference in three years: Some of the members of the boards governing Floyd Medical Center travel twice each year to training sessions in Amelia Island, Reynolds Plantation and Charleston with the average trip cost of $734 to $1,605 per person, records show.

-In light of compensation concerns raised by the Georgia Watch report on Floyd Medical Center, Hometown Headlines is researching several related issues among them board travel to annual trustee conferences of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) and the VHA, a network of health care systems.

-Hometown requested details about board travel, total cost of the trips and who made the trips for the past three years. More than $170,000 was spent.

-Five board members, including state Rep. Katie Dempsey, County Commissioner Garry Fricks and Floyd School Board Vice Chair David Johnson--all appointed to membership by the hospital boards--took part in all six trips, as did their spouses on most trips, records show. Floyd paid for the board members and spouses. For a complete report, click Floyd.

Business

Skytop closing comes amid hotel boom in region: With little notice, Ramada Inn Skytop closed Monday morning, taking the restaurant, lounge and meeting facilities with it. Until recently a Holiday Inn, the hotel was a hot spot  for locals and visitors. But in recent years, competition moved in along "hotel highway" at U.S. 411 and Chateau Drive. New were Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Suites and LaQuinta. They joined Country Inn & Suites, Jameson Inn, Best Western, the newly renamed Motel 6. Prior to the closing Rome/Floyd had nearly 1,100 hotel rooms. Skytop's closing takes around 150 rooms out of circulation overnight.

-Impact: In addition to finding jobs for more than three dozen employees, the other challenge is finding accommodations for previously scheduled conventions and receptions. Skytop had the meeting space and onsite restaurant that conventioneers generally request. The Georgia Rotary Student Program's conclave is set for Aug.  28-30, and the program lists Skytop as the convention center (click). As for receptions: We hear at least one event has found a relief pitcher: State Mutual Stadium, home of the Braves and Three Rivers Club.

Campus Headlines

Shorter moves ahead with on-campus practice field after $400,000 Barron donation rejected: Following rejection last week of Shorter College's offer to provide $400,000 toward installing artificial turf at Barron Stadium (archive), the Hawks are moving ahead with a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Aug. 10 for an on-campus practice field. Shorter's donation was revealed in late April as an community benefit as opposed to the campus project. What to watch next:

-What does the rejection mean to the SPLOST vote Nov. 3 that includes $3.369  million to enhance Barron Stadium, including artificial turf?

-What does the rejection mean to Rome/Floyd's chances of securing the NAIA national championship game in future years after the current two-year contract expires following the Dec. 19 game? Click Campus Headlines.

-Shorter's Cooley, Martinovic honored: A.J. Cooley and Katarina Martinovic have been selected 2008-2009 Shorter College Male and Female Athletes of the Year as voted upon by the award's selection committee. > Click Hawks

-Nelson, Pinson, Whatley earn Synovus/Jack Parker scholarships> Business

The $6.50 represents the average price a customer paid to see a movie at a Carmike Cinemas screen in the second quarter, up 34 cents from a year earlier. But what went down: average amount of money a customer spent at the concession stand last quarter vs. the second quarter of 2008. The numbers come from Carmike's quarterly report which shows a $2.8 million profit vs. a $2.2 million loss a year earlier. The Carmike 12 in Cartersville and Martin 3 in Calhoun are owned by Carmike> Report

Media

Ben Lucas, Mike McDougald among Georgia Radio Hall of Fame career achievement candidates: Eight nominees to be inducted during Oct. 17 ceremony> List  Lucas  / McDougald

-LIFE 93.5 FM adds Pete and Brenda in the Morning: WSRM's new format now includes a morning team.

Weather:

-Tuesday: Sunny and hot, high of 93; low of 69. 

-Wednesday: Sunny and clear, high of 92, low of 68. Rain chance: 30%

-Your extended forecast> Weather / Local radar > Radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable

-Tech opens practice with a mandate to accomplish something; anything will do.

Rome Braves' updates:

-Sand Gnats at Rome, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

-Latest Braves' photos by Mills Fitzner> Gallery

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