Tuesday updates from www.bartowheadlines.com

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Soggy start to the new year: 3 inches of rain in 24 hours

This map, from 6:45 a.m., shows the storm's size and path. Courtesy: intellicast.com

Weather Center / Brought to you by Roman Court

-Flood watch until Wednesday afternoon

-Weather service map: Deep green, flood watch; light green, flood warning.

-Rainfall from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday: 3 inches
-Today: 100% chance of rain, high of 64.

-Tonight: 100% rain chance, low of 47.

-Wednesday: 50% rain chance, 51.

-Wednesday night: Clearing and colder, low of 33.
-For additional updates, please click WeatherCenter

Coosa Valley News won't appeal latest FCC ruling on Plainville station: The partners in Coosa Valley News have decided not to appeal a recent Federal Communications Commission ruling that sided with Howard Toole, who won the bid for the new station in Plainville. Almost two years ago, Toole had the highest bid for the FM signal now known as WRBF 104.9 FM. Coosa Valley News, including former K-98 minority owner Thom Holt, bid on the signal as well. Holt's group questioned Toole's ties to Paul Stone and Southern Broadcasting, owners of WRGA, Q102, South 107 and WGJK in Rome. Toole was general manager of Stone's Athens' radio stations at the time and had listed a Texas address on his bid. Those stations have since been sold to Cox Media. Subsequent appeals were shot down by the FCC (click FCC file). The station remains off air.

Business Buzz

-Receiver in command at Mount Berry Square; 'mall open for business'

Mount Berry Square remains in full operation as the property moves into the hands of a court-appointed receiver, Jones Lang LaSalle. The company will work with the local team to assess what's next including a possible sale. The mall's owner, the Lightstone Group, was rumored to be considering turning over Mount Berry and three other malls to its lenders (Click WSJ). For more on what receivership can mean, click here. Lightstone bought Mount Berry and five other retail sites from Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in December 2004 for $120 million background. The mall has added several name tenants including Hot Topic, Rue21 and Aéropostale but also has lost some, including Waldenbooks> Business

-Parent company of First National Bank of Polk County declares dividend: The Board of Directors of SouthCrest Financial Group Inc. declare a dividend of 13 cents per share, payable Jan. 30 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 16.

-United Community Banks Inc. is raising its fourth-quarter loan loss reserve, citing in part its "metro Atlanta residential construction portfolio," according to reports in the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Amount: $85 million. Fourth quarter results due Jan. 23> Click

Politics:

>Today's quote: "Some reports put the tax cut at 40 percent of the overall package — leaving 60 percent to come from increased federal spending. After the latest round of bailouts, many members of Congress, as well as most Americans, have concerns about the federal government spending hundreds of billions that it doesn't have." -- U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey on Obama tax cut plan>Politico
>Final 2008 state campaign finance reports due: Over the next few days, both winners and losers from Campaign 2008 will file their final reports with the State Ethics Commission> Politics

>Rome's Davis to manage Poythress' gubernatorial campaign> Politics

State's new open records site delivers: The Open Georgia "transparency in government" site is pretty much just as promised. You can track salaries, travel expenditures and other costs. This includes state and local school board employees, those who serve on state boards and other offices> Details

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

-Coaching: Smith's close win; Jagodzinski's close call; Cowher's close enough on TV.  For more, click Arey