Thursday, April 29, 2010

Unity purchase helps Bank of the Ozarks' first quarter; latest political updates

 

Business:

Record quarterly earnings for Bank of the Ozarks includes Unity deal:

-Little Rock, Ark.-based Bank of the Ozarks posted record first-quarter earnings Wednesday and cites, in part, the "strategic acquisition in North Georgia," the holdings of the failed Unity National Bank. The five Unity offices in Cartersville, Adairsville, Calhoun and Rome are now parts of the Ozarks banking system. It posted earnings of $15.9 million, almost 72 percent higher than the $9.3 million from the same period in 2009. As for the Unity purchase: "After taxes, this gain, net of acquisition costs, contributed $5.9 million to first quarter 2010 net income, or 35 cents to first quarter diluted earnings per common share."> Ozarks.

Campaign 2010: Latest updates

Two qualify to seek House seat shared by Floyd, Bartow:

-Adairsville businessman Greg Bowen qualified for House District 14, which includes part of Bartow County and eastern Floyd County. Bowen, former chair of the Bartow County Board of Education, calls himself a Christian conservative, says his goal is for government to work within its finances> Bowen

-Also qualifying: Christian Coomer, R-Cartersville, who ran for district attorney in 2008 (Bartow, Gordon counties)

Tug-of-war over Senate District 52? How votes break down:

-With the final hours of candidate qualifying upon us, the Senate seat Preston Smith is vacating to run for attorney general continues to be the hot topic.  The district includes all of Floyd County and parts of both Bartow and Gordon counties.

-At issue is whether "home cooking"--that is, voting blocks in those counties--can turn the seat in any candidate's--and community's-- favor.

-There are nearly 83,000 registered voters in the district as of April 1. Here's what to look for, by the numbers:

-Floyd County has the dominant voter count with 45,018 (54 percent).

-Bartow County has 21,702 active and inactive voters in the district (26 percent)

-Gordon County has 16,160 voters in District 52 (almost 20 percent).

-As of this morning, Barry Loudermilk, R-Cass, is the only candidate to qualify to run for the seat. Several potential candidates from Rome are considering a run as well.

Who's qualified to run so far; deadline is noon Friday:

-Senate District 31: Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen, who so far is being challenged in the GOP primary by Pete Bridges.

-Senate District 52: Barry Loudermilk, R-Cass, is running as Smith steps aside to run for attorney general.

-House District 11: Incumbent Barbara Massey Reece, D-Menlo.

-District 12: Truett Moss II, a Republican, and Jeff Nally, a Pine Log Democrat, have qualified. (Seat was held by Tom Graves)

-District 13: Incumbent Katie Dempsey, R-Rome.

-District 14: Greg Bowen, R-Adairsville. Christian Coomer, R-Cartersville.

-District 15: Incumbent Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, so far is challenged by Republican Hayden Collins

-District 16: Incumbent Rick Crawford, D-Cedartown.

-Track today's qualifiers:

-Congress: U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., District 11.

-State Senate  / State House / Superior Court Judges / Supreme, Appeals Court

-Statewide offices (governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, etc.)

GOP county qualifers as of this morning:

-County school  board candidates Lamar Grizzle, John Howard, Post 1; Roger Maier, Dr. Davis Nelson, Post 2; Angie Cornett, David Palmer, Post 3. Source: Bartow GOP.

Georgia Northwestern's Third Annual

Spring Plant sale this weekend

April 30-May 2/Georgia Northwestern 's Spring Plant Sale is open to all. Customers will find Beefsteak, Canning, Roma and Grape Tomatoes; sweet and hot peppers; melons, eggplant, perennials, annuals, ferns. Prices begin at $1. Site: colege environmentl horticulture greenhouses, Woodlee Hill across from Rome campus. hours: noon to 5 p.m.  Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Pictured: GNTC Environmental Horticulture students (left to right) Ed Avant, Jenna Knight, and John Tidwell get ready for plant sale

Cartersville man among four sentenced in human trafficking case> click

Wednesday update/Bartow County Jail 'in-take' reports> Click & Click

 

Rome  Braves 2010 Season is here!

Your latest forecast:

-Thursday: Sunny with a high of 78.

-Thursday night: Mostly clear, low of 50.

-Friday: High of 83, low of 64; 40% rain chance overnight.

-Saturday: 50% rain chance; high of 81, low of 67.

-Sunday: 50% rain chance; high of 82, low of 61.

-Extended forecast> Click  / Regional radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey 

-And you think that college football recruiting is a science?

Rome Braves> Sports 

-Seventh straight loss for Braves; yet again by 5-0 score.

-Tonight-Saturday at 7 p.m. at Greensboro.

-Mills Fitzner's latest home game photos> Click

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