Friday updates

Click www.bartowheadlines.com:

Lots of wind, some rain--and now a chance of snow:

Wind--lots of it--blew into Northwest Georgia in the past 24 hours, enough to topple some trees in downtown Rome and around the region. The storms that spawned a seven-hour tornado watch also left .79 of an inch of rain at the airport. Today, skies will clear quickly with highs in the mid-70s. Look for rain Sunday and, by Monday, temperatures near 30 and a 20 percent chance of ... snow.> Forecast

One-time site of Steak N Shake available for $94,000 a year: The lease-listing for the 4,350-square-foot site is now online along with package details (71 parking spaces) and an asking price of $94,000 a year.  The ad makes ready mention of adjoining neighbors including Olive Garden, Shane's Rib Shack, Starbucks and Las Palmas (formerly Laredo's). Not mentioned are the shops that also make up RiverWalk; five sites remain vacant. As for Steak N Shake's site: How about an upscale pizza place. maybe even a Mellow Mushroom, a name we're hearing more and more these days. For more, click Site

Hilton Garden Inn about three months away

One of Cartersville's newest hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn, is a few steps closer to opening just off Main Street. It appears that reservations will be accepted starting July 1. It will feature 108 full-service rooms as well as meeting space, a restaurant, lounge and indoor pool. For more on the brand and the new hotel, click HIC

April's Georgia Trend takes a look at how we're doing: The annual "Economic Yearbook" from Trend takes a statewide and regional look at the state amid the layoffs, closing and stagnation. What's interesting is how the main story echoes what we've heard before about this being the time to plan so that businesses are ready for better days. In the regional piece, writer Jerry Grillo jumps from county to county in Northwest Georgia, surveying both the damage from the economic storms and recovery efforts. Scoring high marks in Bartow County are the latest massive expansion by Toyo Tire expansion, the early success of Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum and the Highland 75 industrial park. In Rome/Floyd, the Pirelli expansion and the college and career academy get a brief nod> Northwest

Mohawk's first quarter financials due April 23: It will be followed April 24 with a conference call to discuss the highs, lows of the period. Net earnings for the 2008 period were $65 million> Mohawk

Friday's Buzz:

-Summer Camps list updated and expanded: For the latest updates on summer camp options in Northwest Georgia, click Camps

-Weber named president, CEO of Gordon Hospital> Health

-Stargazer's newsletter now posted: Full moon is April 9> Click Stargazers

-Latest library newsletter now posted> Link

Dining & Drink

-Latest public health restaurant inspection scores> Dining

-Appalachian Grill reopening set for Monday> Dining

-Latest 'Wine Lines' from North Georgia Wine Tours> Wine

WeatherCenter/brought to you by Roman Court

-Latest radar: Click Georgia view or Southeastern USA.
-Friday: Decreasing clouds, high of 65. Gusts of 25 mph or more.

-Friday night: Clearing, low of 42.

-Saturday: Sunny, high of 76, low of 46.

-Sunday: 50-60% rain chance, high of 73, low of 50.
-For more, click WeatherCenter

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

- A Calipari-to-Ky. for $35M sidebar: Tubby Smith to say in Minnesota for $2 million a year> Click Arey

Rome Braves preseason updates (click Sports)

-JB Smith the new radio voice of Rome Braves this season> Radio

-Top of the seventh: Rome Braves ready for 2009 season

-Former Braves catcher Javy Lopez to throw first pitch Opening Night.
-Single ticket sales under way at State Mutual Stadium