Bartow, Polk banks on AJC's latest 'Texas Ratio' list
-The Atlanta Journal-Constituion's latest look at banks with troubled loans and assets that exceed the bank's ability to absorb them includes several Northwest Georgia-based banks. Anything over 100 is considered a "problem." (Click AJC) Included in the list, drawn from March 31/first quarter reports:
-Crescent Bank & Trust, Jasper, offices in Cartersville, Adairsville, Calhoun: 437.
-NorthSide Bank, Adairsville: Offices in Adairsville, Calhoun, Cartersville: 208.
-Community Bank of Rockmart: 181.
-Georgia Heritage Bank, Dallas; office in Cartersville. 177
-Bartow County Bank, Cartersville, Acworth and Cartersville: 164.
-Northwest Georgia Bank, Ringgold: 104.
-Since the last report (fourth quarter), Unity National Bank of Cartersville has failed and its assets purchased by Bank of the Ozarks based in Little Rock. All five offices remain in operation today.
Cartersville, Calhoun, Rome, Summerville papers pick up Georgia Press Association awards. Click GPA
Monday is the deadline for voter registration for the primary. If you need to register to vote, you can print out an application online from the Secretary of State's My Voter Page (click). Because the deadline is Monday, applicants will need to personally return their completed form to the County Elections office at 105 N. Bartow St. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
-Big week ahead for candidate forums in Northwest Georgia. Click Politics
Senate District 31 primary canddiate profiles: Natalie Simms talks with the two Republicans on the July 20 primary ballot for Senate District 31: incumbent Bill Heath and challenger Pete Bridges. The winner faces Democrat Tracy Bennett in November. Click District 31
Sunday report from the Bartow County Jail. Click
-There were some interesting e-mail and Facebook exchanges Friday over the latest pronouncement that Publix Super Markets will open its first Floyd County location at the vanishing Hight Homes site by Christmas 2011.
-The developer, Madison Retail LLC, says it is a go and that they'll build a mixed-use center around the grocer. Publix's regional spokeswoman says there were no plans on paper for it last Friday morning. Her list, she notes, changes each week so it could pop soon.
-Insiders are saying several things: A) The Madison deal looks real but has a long, long way to go. B) A local land expert says the Hight site offers the most population density in Rome/Floyd County thanks to the nearby high rises. C) The Ledbetters' proposed retail package across from RiverWalk might be leading in the race to land Publix. Several other sites are still being shopped as well.
-So why are we skeptical of the Publix-Hight acclamation?
-There are other options in play, including the Ledbetters, that offer a better locale for Publix' perceived demographic (a bit more upper-middle class).
-Nothing is final until the doors open. Look to Cartersville where Publix was listed as a signed and sealed deal at Carter Grove Commons. Due to open in 2010, it isn't even on the grocer's development list these days.
-Too many other false starts, including the original Steak N Shake announcement or Cabela's or Appalachian Grill on Broad Street or Seven Hills Town Center or the like. For whatever reason -- some very practical -- we've seen good deals crumble. Or fail upon ignition (Five Guys). People didn't believe the latest Steak N Shake report until Johnny Carino's was so much rubble.
-What to believe: You can see definitive, on-the-way, coming-up-soon evidence of the new cancer center and specialty hospital and Barron Stadium enhancements and the new rec center just by driving around Second Avenue and Turner McCall. For each of those, the deals are cut, finances in order, even SPLOST funds in the bank or on the way (Barron, rec center).
-The bottom line: We'll buy into the Publix/Hight hype when we see the "opening soon" sign on the store's doors. As we wrote to a colleague who's convinced of the Hight deal: The loser (who gets it wrong) buys lunch . . . at Rome City Market.
Business Buzz:
-Look for news on the sale of the former West Rome Kroger soon. The 58,000-square-foot store closed several years ago had been listed on Loopnet for $1.7 million. We hear there is a buyer (two actually). More this week on what's ahead for the store built in 1988.
-Also in the works: A little bit of movement on some smaller downtown Rome property. We continue to watch another, larger deal as well.
Political Buzz:
-Five forums this week--and at least one the following week: This election season seems more regional than usual and the number of candidate forums shows that. Five forums are set for the coming week including several in Bartow and Floyd, and one in Gordon County. Buckle up for a bumpy last few weeks before the July 20 primary. Click Politics
-Meet the primary candidates -- online -- via our profiles. Click Candidates
Rome Braves' Buzz
-With 'first season' in the can, how did the Rome Braves do?
-The first "half season" is over and perhaps we should be grateful. On the field, the Rome Braves were 30-39 (.435), one game out of the cellar vs. 13 other teams in the South Atlantic League . Savannah and Lakewood earn trips to the post-season. Round two begins Thursday with 70 more games (35 at home).
-On the plus side: Rome's home attendance through 34 home games was 102,270 or 3,008 tickets sold per game. In all of the 2009 season, the average attendance was 2,826 per game so 2010 is up by 6.4 percent at the half-way point.
Rome Braves' third baseman Chris Curley takes a big swing in the team's 5-0 win over the Greenville Drive on June 10. Photo by Mills Fitzner. For more, please see Mills' photos at Gallery.
PEAKS & VALLEYS: The highs, lows of Northwest Georgia
-Peak to FP-Pigments: Esko Sarkki, president of FP Pigments, says his company will open a new manufacturing plant and regional office in Rome within the next nine to10 months. The company will bring 20 new jobs and invest $20 million. That's welcome news in light of the CCH exit and Pierre Foods closing.
-Peak to Saint Mary's Catholic School:Saint Mary's faculty, staff, students and parents worked hard to earn double accreditation, one from the Southern Association of Independent Schools and one from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
-Valley to the Euharlee U-turn: This latest roadblock on the 411 Connector is a nuisance at best, involving property owners, some "high-powered" Atlanta lawyers and a slick bunch of PR spin doctors. The business communities of Floyd and Bartow counties--and commuters--need to unite on this one and get it done. (And why does every Atlanta-based legal or PR firm get christened "high powered?" )
-Valley to the Broad Street repaving project:
Some final words on the recent repaving of Broad Street from First Avenue to Turner McCall. Sure, the resurfaced areas look better than before but why did this stimulus-funded, state Department of Transportation-executed project leave off the area in need of most work? That is, the bridge to South Rome--and beyond? As these Sunday pictures show, there are some repairs and repaving in much greater need. Oh, wait. We did say it was federal stimulus money and a state DOT project. Never mind.
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