Ice skating rink, tree lighting, parade on tap for Cartersville later today. Updates on Cartersville vs. Buford: radio, projected scores. Latest Public Health restaurant scores. Mid-60s, partly cloudy today.

For these and today's latest headlines, please see www.bartowheadlines.com:

 

Parade season continues with Cartersville, Cedartown tonight, several more on Saturday.

-Ice skating rink, tree lighting part of today's big events in downtown Cartersville.

-Forecast looks clear with temperatures in the upper 50s.

Darlington ('90) grad Will Muschamp named SEC co-Coach of the Year after 11-1 season at Florida.

Life 93.5 FM will simulcast Cartersville-Buford high school football playoff game Friday night.
-Calhoun needs one more win to get back to finals.

Jane Slickman of Garden Lakes Realty named Greater Rome's Realtor of the Year.

Regional Public Health restaurant inspection scores:
-From a low of 70 in Chattooga to 95-and-better scores in Floyd, Gordon, Bartow and Polk.

High School Football Daily: Easy win for Calhoun Friday; three-point loss for Cartersville.

Temperatures remain high through the weekend; mid-50s by Tuesday

-Thursday: Mostly cloudy, high of 64, low of 45.

-Friday: Mostly cloudy, high of 65, low of low of 48.

-Saturday: 20% rain chance, high of 68, low of 49.

Latest jail reports.

 

Hometown Headlines Radio Edition, WRGA 1470 AM, 7-9 a.m. weekdays. Listen live online

-Please join our guests today including:

-Chris Lewis, who's family is trying to keep several chickens in their Rome back yard, a story that has developed a national following.

-Jason Free of Keller Williams Northwest and president of the Greater Rome Board of Realtors on November sales and into the new year.

Hometown Christmas Coloring and Essay Contest Winners -- plus a closer look at this Saturday's Hometown Celebration

Media release: Many residents will likely be fully immersed in the Christmas season after Thursday evening's annual Christmas Parade through historic downtown. Continuing the momentum of the holiday spirit, Cartersville Downtown Development Authority and Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce have partnered to present Hometown Christmas, which will be held this Saturday, December 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Meant to encourage community residents to shop locally, both organizations have worked together to create a festive atmosphere for residents and visitors alike to enjoy shopping and dining in downtown Cartersville.  Activities will include trolley rides, sponsored by Cartersville Medical Center; choral and dance performances; marshmallow roasting provided by Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse Express; photo opportunities with Santa; and much more.

 "The Chamber and DDA hope that we can restore some nostalgia for our quaint downtown through Hometown Christmas," said DDA Manager Tara Currier. "Many years ago, it was very common to shop at the local five and dime store, stop by the soda shop for a beverage, or hit the large department store located downtown when it came to holiday shopping. With so many options available today, including big box retailers, malls and online shopping, our hope is that people will get back to that notion of going downtown to purchase gifts for friends and family. We have so many wonderful stores – ranging from sporting goods, to home goods, to cookware, toys and clothes. Hopefully people will be drawn downtown on December 8 to check out these great stores and restaurants, but we have put together a great schedule of events and activities to help entice them even more to experience a "Hometown Christmas."

Though the hours of many downtown shops and restaurants are extended beyond 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., those four hours are going to be filled with a variety of fun, holiday entertainment. The following is the schedule of events for Friendship Plaza:

-11:00 a.m.: Hamilton Crossing Choral

-11:30 a.m.: Fusion Dance

- Noon: Announcement of winners for the essay and coloring contests

- 12:30 p.m.: Cartersville School of Ballet

- 1:00 p.m.: Woodland High School C.A.T.S.

- 1:30 p.m.: Pumphouse Players

- 2:00 p.m.: South Central Middle School Band

From 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., marshmallow roasting will also be available in Friendship Plaza, sponsored by Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse Express, and free hot cocoa will be served courtesy of Downtown Development Authority. Beginning at Noon, trolley rides, sponsored by Cartersville Medical Center, will be given throughout the downtown district, and Santa Claus will be available for photo opportunities (just bring your own camera). The trolley rides and photo opportunities with Santa will be available until 2:00 p.m.

            Various stores will also be providing various activities or incentives for customers from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The newly opened Asbury Station, located under the bridge, will offer free face painting in their store; Meg Pie will have samples of some of their popular dip mixes; and Downtown Gallery will be giving a 10 percent discount on all prints purchased. The Chamber of Commerce is also excited to welcome LifeSong Montessori who will be providing a fun activity for kids.

Hometown Christmas is sure to be an exciting day for the entire family, and the Chamber of Commerce and DDA hope that in addition to enjoying the array of great activities and events, residents will 'Buy Bartow' this Christmas season.  After all, it is the small businesses throughout our community that make up the backbone of Bartow County, not only employing our friends, neighbors and family, but also supporting our local school systems, non-profits, and sporting teams throughout the year. For additional details about Hometown Christmas, call the DDA office at 770-607-3480 or the Chamber of Commerce at 770-382-1466 or visit either organization's Facebook page.

 

Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce, Inc. salutes the following winners of our Hometown Christmas coloring and essay contest.  The kids wrote on "Why I am going to spend my Christmas Money in my Hometown this year"

 

Coloring Contest Winners:

 

K – Talan Nix – Mission Road Elementary School

1 – Ribadlo Gasca – Hamilton Crossing Elementary School

2 – Marissa Ceresori- Excel Christian Academy

3 – Brayson Hyde – Emerson Elementary School

4 – Kayla Cantor – Allatoona Elementary School

5 – Bella Spencer – Excel Christian Academy

Grand Prize – Joseph Grunwald – Allatoona Elementary School

 

Essay Contest Winners

 

6 – Taylor Pogue – Cartersville Middle School

7 – Emily Long – Cass Middle School

8 - Amelia Payne – Woodland Middle School

Grand Prize - Kailee Kittle – Cass Middle School

 

 

In Adairsville:

 

Coloring Contest Winners

K -  Landon Walraven - Clear Creek Elementary

1 -  Blade Benefield - Adairsville Elementary

2 -  Luis Almanza (Adairsville Elementary

3 -  Hannah Abernathy (Pine Log Elementary

4 -  Justin Hernandez (Adairsville Elementary

5 - Vicky Perez (Clear Creek Elementary

 

Essay Contest Winners

6 - Havyn Isaac - Adairsville Middle

7 - Paige Kerr -  Adairsville Middle

8 - Abby Ashbridge -  Adairsville Middle

 

 

Please come out and see the winners riding on our float in the Cartersville Parade Thursday December 6 at 6:00 pm and the Adairsville Parade Saturday December 8 at 6:00 pm.

 

Please find attached Hometown Christmas Press Release for Saturday, December 8!

 

Go to our website to see some of the winning entries.

High School Daily: Hurricanes a 'cinderella' for state title. Another honor for Cartersville Medical. 50% rain chance today.

For these and today's latest headlines, please see www.bartowheadlines.com:

 

High School Football Daily: Computers like Calhoun's chances; list Cartersville as a 'Cinderella' team.

 

Another honor for Cartersville Medical Center.

 

Dec. 6: 'Backyard chickens' come before the planning commission again: Among the issues on the December agenda is the Lewis family's bid to continue raising chickens in their backyard. The issue has gained national attention following earlier reviews by the planning commission and Rome City Commission.
-Also up for review: An application regarding "distilleries," perhaps a craft beer or microbrewery (not associated with Brewhouse Music & Grill's plans on Broad Street).
-The meeting begins at 2:30 p.m.

Home sales about flat vs. November 2011; up through 11 months. With a plus year guaranted already, the slight drop in home sales in November basically was a blip in Greater Rome. Realtors sold 65 homes last month vs. 66 homes a year earlier.

Rome ties record heat mark of 75 degrees on Tuesday; next: rain.
-Wednesday: 50% chance of rain, high of 68, low of 44.
-Thursday: 20% rain chance, high of 64, low of 44.
-Friday: 20% chance of rain, high of 61, low of low of 47.

Expanded NAIA football championship coverage begins today: We're devoting a page to the big game set for Dec. 13 as we look at every impact the NAIA national title fight has on Rome this season and next, the last in an abridged series.

 

Hometown Headlines Radio Edition, 7-9 a.m., WRGA 1470 AM:

-Bob Berry and Ann Hortman of the NAIA Host Committee on the events surrounding the Dec. 13 game.

-Matt Pearce of the Small Business Development Center in Rome on year-end and next-year business planning.

Cartersville Medical Center Awarded an "A" for Patient Safety

 

Media release :

Cartersville Medical Center was honored with an "A" Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits.  The A score was awarded in the latest update to the Hospital Safety Score^SM, the A, B, C, D or F scores assigned to U.S. hospitals based on preventable medical errors, injuries accidents, and infections. The Hospital Safety Score was compiled under the guidance of the nation's leading experts on patient safety and is designed to give the public information they can use to protect themselves and their families.

 

"We are proud that our quality and safety efforts have been recognized and scored at the highest possible level," said Keith Sandlin, president and CEO at Cartersville Medical Center. "Our team of physicians and healthcare professionals has developed a patients-first culture and safety is certainly one of our top priorities. We are especially honored to have received an "A" score two consecutive times since The Leapfrog Group began publishing The Hospital Safety Score."  The last scores were released in June of this year.

 

"Hospitals like this that earn an A have demonstrated their commitment to their patients and their community," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "I congratulate Cartersville Medical Center for its safety excellence, and look forward to the day when all hospitals will match this standard."

 

To see Cartersville Medical Center's scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org, which also provides information on how the public can protect themselves and loved ones during a hospital stay. People can also check their local hospital's score on the free mobile app, available at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

 

Calculated under the guidance of The Leapfrog Group's nine-member Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 26 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single score representing a hospital's overall capacity to keep patients safe from infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors. The panel includes: John Birkmeyer (University of Michigan), Ashish Jha (Harvard University), Lucian Leape (Harvard University), Arnold Millstein (Stanford University), Peter Pronovost (Johns Hopkins University), Patrick Romano (University of California, Davis), Sara Singer (Harvard University), Tim Vogus (Vanderbilt University), and Robert Wachter (University of California, San Francisco). 

 

For more information about programs and services offered at Cartersville Medical Center, The Hope Center or Acworth Medical Plaza, call MedLine at (800) 242-5662 or visit www.cartersvillemedical.com.

Cartersville Medical no. 5 small hospital in the state. Century Bank goes mobile. Hurricanes chasing game of the week honors. Record-tying high on Monday; rain due tonight.

For these and today's latest headlines, please see www.bartowheadlines.com:

 

Cartersville Medical Center among top five small hospitals in state, Georgia Trend reports.

 

Century Bank of Georgia goes mobile.

 

Cartersville in the running for Fox 5's game of the week.

 

Two of three Rome News' holdings sell at auction; $116,600 raised.

Big drop in reported layoffs in Georgia this year.

Updates on Blaine Williams' decision to leave Floyd County for Athens/Clarke County.

Cartersville ties record high of 73 Monday; Rome today? -Tuesday: 20 to 70% rain chance, high of 75, low of 52.
-Wednesday: 60% chance of rain, high of 68, low of 47.
-Thursday: 20% rain chance, high of 62, low of 42.

Monday's Public Health restaurant inspection scores for Floyd, Bartow counties.

Latest jail reports.

 

Hometown Headlines Radio Edition, WRGA 1470 AM, 7-9 a.m. weekdays. Listen live online

-Please join our guests  including:

-Blaine Williams, Floyd County manager, who's leaving to take the no. 2 spot in the Athens-Clarke County government.

-Cheryl Bishop, director of development at the YMCA, on Georgia Gives Day on Thursday.
-Rebekah Kinney of the award-winning middle school DarBOTs from Darlington.

Century Bank of Georgia introduces mobile banking features

Media release: Century Bank of Georgia is pleased to announce the addition of mobile banking to their line of products and services. This service will allow customers free, secure, real time access to their deposit and loan accounts including checking, savings, money market and certificate of deposit accounts. Whether checking account balances, paying bills or transferring funds, the service offers a simple, secure, user friendly system which allows the customer convenient access to their money wherever they are, twenty-four hours a day.

 

The mobile banking service is available to any customer with a smart phone and can also be accessed by going to the bank website, CenturyBanknet.com or scanning the Century Bank QR Code (attached).  Android phone users can search the application store on their phone and simply download the 'app'. "The 'app' for iPhones has been applied for and we are eagerly awaiting approval from Apple", said Rachel Harris, Assistant-Vice President for Operations and project manager for Century Bank Mobile Banking.

 

"The addition of mobile banking is another product we can offer our customers to stay abreast of the technological advances in the banking industry. At the same time we remain a community bank and treat our customers as individuals and know them by name. It is the best of both worlds to offer so many services but yet still retain personalized service. We are constantly striving to offer more products and services for our customers, said David Caswell, President and COO, Century Bank of Georgia.

 

The addition of mobile banking is being promoted through  a marketing plan in all three Century Bank locations, including banners, billboards, advertisements and long sleeve T-shirts to the first 100 customers who sign up for the service.

 

Competition heats up for Northwest Georgia's sweet tooth. NAIA teams set, Rome just about ready. John McClellan's high school playoff picks. Another day in the 70s

Please view our homepage at www.bartowheadlines.com

 

The Buzz of Northwest Georgia.
-The battle for Northwest Georgia's collective sweet tooth escalated last month with the opening of Dunkin Donuts in Rome and Cartersville. But another newcomer will take the competition a step -- or is that wheel? --further with a "cupcakery truck" in 2013.
-NAIA teams set; downtown Rome is about to go prime time: With this year's national football showdown moved to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Northwest Georgians get some Thursday night football with a national, prime time audience watching on CBS Sports Network.
-First bites: Magnolia's Sunday brunch. Here's a different spin on the post-church dining options in Northwest Georgia.
-Georgia Gives Day: Local non-profits are among those asking you to help on Thursday. Here's how.

Your hometown football report:
-John McClellan's high school playoff picks for Friday: Calhoun, Cartersville home for semi-finals Friday night; just one Northwest Georgia team will make it to the Dome
-Dec. 13: Marian (Indiana) will face Morningside College (Iowa) in the title game in Rome.

Weather:
Monday: Sunny, high of 76, low of 45.
Tuesday: 20% rain chance, high of 74, low of 52.
Wednesday: 60% rain chance, high of 66, low of 37.