Weekend forecast: Triple-digit Heat Index

-Saturday: High of 98, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 106.

-Sunday: High of 100, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 105.

-Forecast: Click  / Regional animated radar

Arrest made in Gordon County woman's murder. WXIA

Two held in copper theft case: Calhoun Police have arrested two local men as suspects in a copper theft that took place at a power station located on Union Grove Road, Chief Garry Moss said.  Arrested were Alex Russell Middleton, 25, of 301 Crest Drive and Michael Charles Maloney, 23, of 103 Crest Drive, Calhoun. According to Moss: While patrolling the Union Grove Road and Clarence King Drive area, officers noticed a vehicle making u-turns in the roadway and circling the power station. As officers made an attempt to stop the vehicle, one of the suspects (Maloney) ran from inside the power station and jumped into the vehicle. After officers activated there blue lights, the driver (Middleton) refused to stop his vehicle, leading officers on a chase that ended on Switch Road after the suspects vehicle became disabled. Middleton faces charges of party to a crime, (theft by taking) fleeing and attempting to elude as well as numerous other traffic offenses. Maloney Faces charges of theft by taking, criminal damage to property and possession of burglary tools during the commission of a crime. Both suspects remain in the Gordon County Jail with further charges pending.

Health

-Blood Assurance announces Back to School Giveaway & August blood drives. Health

-Latest updates from the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition: Report outlines local screenings, upcoming health events. Click

-Latest public health restaurant inspection scores now posted. Click

For advertisers: Fall football package

-Join the Hometown Blitz fall football package. Pick your page and updates, or brand yourself with our Total Blitz package. Details: Advertising   

Your latest forecast:

-Saturday: High of 98, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 106.

-Sunday: High of 100, low of 73. 30% rain chance. Heat index of 105.

-Forecast: Click  / Regional animated radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable. Arey 

-Which sports team do you hate the most? Which college coaches are over the hill? 

Rome Braves. Click Sports

-Braves lose Game 2 in Asheville, 2-1.

-Braves play in Asheville Saturday & Sunday.

-Mills Fitzner's latest home game photos. (Click)  

The Buzz of Northwest Georgia: (Click)

-Calhoun Outlets take fumbled sales tax holiday and make it better this weekend.

-Georgia Highlands celebrates 40 years, focuses on growing services.

-Downtown Cedartown's Streetscape progressing a brick at a time.

-Crescent Bank failure helps push 2010 total above 100-bank mark.

-Peaks & Valleys: Teresa Lumsden, library's summer reading program.

Gordon's primary runoff ballot on Aug. 10:

-In addition to statewide races on both sides of the ballot, Gordon County voters will decide

the winner of the Board of Education, Post 7, Republican race: Incumbent Jerry Casey or Dewayne Bowen.

-Some Gordon voters will help decide the U.S. Congress, Ninth District Republican race: Rep. Tom Graves vs. Lee Hawkins. There is no Democratic opposition.

What's ahead in Gordon County:

-Aug. 4: Calhoun High School Freshman Orientation at 6 p.m. at Civic Auditorium. Locker assignments will be available at 5 p.m.

-Aug. 5: Calhoun Primary and Calhoun Elementary School Open House from 3:30-6:30 p.m.; Calhoun Middle School Open House from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for 7th, 8th grade and 6-8 p.m. for 6th grade.

-Aug. 10: Primary runoff.

-Aug. 11/Ga. Northwestern hosts seminar on workplace emergency preparedness, safety: (Media release) On Aug.11, Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Economic Development is sponsoring a six-hour workshop from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. to assist companies in emergency preparedness and workplace safety. The workshop will be held at the Calhoun Convention Center, 100 Peters St. Details

-Aug. 12: Neck pain dinner: Hope Sampson and fellow Gordon Hospital Physical Therapist Rob McFarland, will explain some of the causes, prevention tips, as well as current treatment options available for neck pain at a free Dinner Seminar beginning at 6 p.m. The dinner and seminar are free, registration is required. Call 706-602-7800, ext. 2305.

-Aug. 21: Concerts in the Park returns: Patriotic Gospel Performers.

-Aug. 28-29: Friends of Calhoun's GEM Theatre present  Patsy & Friends ~ A Tribute to a Country Music Legend, Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Calhoun Elks Club and Sunday, Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. at the Calhoun First United Methodist Church. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door and include refreshments.  Children's tickets are available for the Sunday show and are $8 for ages 12 & under.  Tickets on sale at Fitness First of Calhoun, Gordon County Chamber of Commerce, Traditions of Rome and online at  www.calhoungem.org.  For more: call (706) 296-7103.

Aug. 11/Ga. Northwestern hosts seminar on workplace emergency preparedness, safety: (Media release) On Aug.11, Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Economic Development is sponsoring a six-hour workshop from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. to assist companies in emergency preparedness and workplace safety. The workshop will be held at the Calhoun Convention Center, 100 Peters St.

The morning session, Assessing Your Vulnerability to Terrorism, will cover effective risk management decisions to encourage collaboration and coordination of plans, strategies, protective measures, and response/recovery efforts between government, operators, and owners in the public and private sectors. This session features James E. Hardy, the Department of Homeland Security’s Protective Security Advisor (PSA) for the state of Georgia.

As the PSA, Hardy is the department’s liaison to federal, state, and local agencies and the private sector for protection of critical infrastructure.  Hardy has over 30 years of law enforcement, security, and management experience with the US Air Force, municipal police, and private industry. 

Hardy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, and completed master’s work in criminal justice at George Washington University, University of Virginia, and University of Alabama/Birmingham.  He is a graduate of U.S. Air Force Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff College, and an Outstanding Graduate of Air War College. 

The afternoon session, Just Because We’re Broke Doesn't Mean We Can't Work Safely, focuses on sharing effective and simple actions to improve the safety culture of any organization.  Even in tough economic times, continuing to make improvements in safety behavior and commitment to compliance can be achieved.  As a matter of fact, safety in tough times can be the glue to help keeps an organization's fabric from unraveling.  The topics to be covered include emotional safety in challenging times, knowing the safety needs of the organization, safety basics go a long, long way, striving for excellence, and the safety pledge.

This session features Robert W. Edwards, mechanical engineer, health and safety leader of Roper Corporation, a subsidiary of the General Electric Corp.  Edwards is also a Special Government Employee (SGE) with OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), an OSHA 10 and 30 hour class outreach instructor, and an American Heart Association 1st Aid / CPR instructor.  Hardy was the 2009 Mentor of the Year for Voluntary Protection Program Participants Association (VPPPA).  He has experience in emergency response and is leader of the Roper Corp 1st Responder Team. Edwards earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Technological University.

This training is an opportunity for industries to gain critical information for sustaining an operation in uncertain times on a tight budget.  The sessions will be interactive with guides and reference materials as well as real life examples. The registration fee of $20 covers the buffet lunch and the attendees printed materials. This workshop is an outreach event sponsored by Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Economic Development to benefit the industries and agencies within our community.

To register, please call 706-295-6957. Registration payments can mailed to Georgia Northwestern Technical College, ATTN: Economic Development, One Maurice Culberson Drive, Rome, GA 30161.

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Gordon County, Ga., Facebook Directory: Gordonheadlines.com brings you a new community Facebook group to help you find other friends in the community. Click Facebook