Friday updates

Click www.bartowheadlines.com

Report: Northwest Georgia lost nearly 35,000 industrial jobs in a year. So says a report out this week from Manufacturers News Inc.'s 2010 Georgia Manufacturers Register.  Overall, the state lost 8.8 percent of its industrial jobs, or 48,904 positions, as well as 515 manufacturers between April 2008 and two months ago.  Even more chilling: most of those jobs, 34,948 or 71.4 percent, were from Northwest Georgia employers. Today, nearly 300,000 Northwest Georgians work in industrial jobs. The job loss numbers shouldn't be surprising. Massive cuts have occurred in the carpeting sector and other areas. Shaw, Mohawk, Mount Vernon Mills and others reported large layoffs in the 12 months covered by the report. For more, click Jobs

Number of the day--19,395: That's how many guests attended special events in downtown Rome last month, according to the development authority.  The number should come with an asterik--15,000 of those guests were at The Forum for graduation ceremonies.  Other draws included:

-1,500: The May 1 First Friday concert with the Infinity Show Band.

-800: May's tennis tournament.

-700: The Memorial Day parade and events.

-500 each: Downtown Arts Walk, Rome Little Theater's 'The Foreigner.'

>Next up: Saturday's Classic Car Cruise In followed by next week's Jehovah's Witness convention at The Forum (3,000 guests each day)> Downtown

Do Tigers Twitter? They do now. And don't forget Facebook, too.

The social media explosion is continuing as recent e-mails from Darlington quietly showcase. Here's another address to follow--and it appears you can be among the first. Just click to: www.twitter.com/darlingtontiger.

And to be ensure balance, become a fan of Darlington's Facebook page, with updates going back at least as far as March. (click). While there, check the latest photo collage of the new middle school. The 23-photo set provides a great look at construction and, in some cases, some nearly finished rooms (such as photograph to the right, taken from the Facebook page).

So far, the page has more than 520 fans including local "faces."

Must-win weekend for the Rome Braves for first shot at 2009 playoffs:   With 10 games to go in the year's "first season," the Braves find themselves three games out of first place. But that's a situation they can fix this weekend with a quick three-game sweep over the division-leading Charleston RiverDogs. The games begin at 7 tonight and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Rome closes out the first half with three home games against Savannah followed by four on the road in Augusta. The "second season" begins June 25 in Augusta, ending Labor Day, Sept. 7. The northern and southern division winners of each season meet in the playoffs (Mills Fitzner photo)> Sports

Friday's Buzz

 -Floyd bus driver

takes state title again: Connie Beatenbough, a bus driver in the Pepperell area for Floyd County Schools, has won her second state driving title in the Georgia School Bus Safety Road-e-o.  The state competition was held on Wednesday and Thursday in Perry.

-First CVTC law enforcement graduation is June 16: The first session of the Coosa Valley Technical College Law Enforcement Academy graduates at 1 p.m. during a ceremony in the Raymond F. King Auditorium at the CVTC Gordon Campus.

-Rome Area History Museum newsletter link> Click

Also today: Check back later today for updates including a key retirement in the community.

Remembering Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan

-Hundreds of Rome/Floyd residents paid tribute to Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan Thursday as a procession brought his body from Richard B. Russell Airport/Towers Field to Henderson & Sons Funeral Home in Lindale. Funeral services will be held on today at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church with the Rev. Rob Miller and the Rev. Robert Vines officiating. Burial will follow with full military honors at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens.

-For the obituary: Henderson & Sons (also photo source)

>How to help: An account has been established for Jeff's son, Tailor, at Coosa Valley Federal Credit Union> Click

Dining & Drink

-Latest public health restaurant scores from Floyd, Bartow, Gordon, Polk,

-Montaluce's gamble on Georgia's wine country has just begun> NewsVine

-On the road this Sunday? Try The Old Mill: Downtown Acworth landmark serves a brunch that covers breakfast, dinner choices--and more> Click

Weather:

-Hazardous Weather Outlook: More thunderstorms possible today.
-Friday: 40% chance of showers, thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High of 90.
-Friday night: 30% chance of showers, thunderstorms; low of 67.
-Saturday: 40% chance of showers, thunderstorms; high of 87.
-Saturday night: 30% chance of showers, thunderstorms; low of 67.
-Sunday: 30% chance of showers, thunderstorms; high near 92.

-Extended forecast: Click Weather

-Latest local Radar / Latest regional Radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable:
-Florida's athletics director needs to take a close look at where the blame lies

Rome Braves updates: 

-Savannah edges Braves, 3-2. Rome now three games out of first.

-Up next: Tonight-Sunday vs. first-place Charleston at State Mutual Stadium.
-Latest Mills Fitzner game photos> Gallery

Downtown Headlines:
-What's ahead this week in downtown Rome including Saturday's cruise-in.

-Bryan Mullins of MullinsMania.com: Downtown entertainment scene.