Rome News-Tribune
GDA conference continues today
Hundreds of downtown development professionals from across Georgia are getting an up-close look at Rome this week as the city hosts the Georgia Downtown Association’s annual conference. The conference, which runs through Thursday, has brought between...
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Drone show lights up downtown Rome
A first-of-its-kind drone light show for the Georgia Downtown Association conference drew hundreds of spectators to downtown Rome for a eye-catching display that organizers said had a high turnout and positive community response. Hundreds of...
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‘It was a fantastic day for everyone’
While many spent their morning avoiding the heat, more than 400 runners and walkers laced up their shoes and took on one of Rome’s notorious seven hills for the 41st annual Tillman Clocktower 5K Road Race. Whether participating in the 2-mile health...
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‘More than just volleyball’
They are a group of volleyball players Taylor Fisher has had during her entire tenure as the head coach at Unity Christian School. There are five in all, four of whom were active Thursday for a home match against Christian Heritage. These players took...
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Sunbelt Rentals donates supplies for students at Boys & Girls Clubs
There’s nothing like seeing a kid receive a new backpack and set of markers as they prepare to start the school year, possibly for the first time, and a group from Sunbelt Rentals in Rome witnessed that joy firsthand. The Rome business donated more...
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A Blister for My Sister kicks off fundraising campaign
It is a warm, humid morning for the thatch of people clad in all shades of pink outside a local coffee shop. Their heads bowed in prayer, the words lifted up in affirmation Saturday set the tone for a fundraising campaign that is a combination of a...
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Students are all smiles as they return to Floyd County Schools
The school bells were ringing and the hallways were full as almost 9,000 students across Floyd County Schools returned to their classrooms this week. The first day of the 20262027 school year began at FCS Tuesday morning, and the restart was apparent...
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Area artists join forces for patriotic exhibit
Shades of red, white and blue dot the gallery space at the Rockmart Cultural Arts Center in a patriotic exhibition of area artists that is on display through Aug. 27. Titled “Happy Birthday, America!”, the gallery show celebrates the nation’s 250th...
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Students learn the ‘love of the game’ at FCS Summer Camp
Floyd County Schools Summer Camp fostered community and connections across grade levels and schools as students honed their athletic skills and discovered a love for the game. Several coaches and their athletic teams across the FCS system planned...
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Children’s Museum set to open this fall
A local couple’s dream of opening a children’s museum is inching closer to reality as contractors work feverishly to finish the facilities inside a 7,000-square-foot space in the Mount Berry Mall. After three years of planning, fundraising and...
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Coosa’s band prepares for fall
The halls of Coosa High School were dark, but music came from almost a dozen rooms as band members tuned instruments and greeted one another after summer vacation and prepared for a busy fall season. This year, the CHS Marching Eagle Band has 87...
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Before school returns: It’s time to pray
They gathered at The Well Wednesday with one sole purpose — to pray. From higher education institutes to public, private and home schools in Floyd County, the community came together to bless the students, administrators and staffers who will soon...
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Floyd native takes command of 48th IBCT
A Pepperell High School graduate assumed command of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during a change of command ceremony Sunday at its headquarters in Macon. Brig. Gen. Jason Fryman, commanding general of the Georgia...
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Patriot marker unveiled at Myrtle Hill Cemetery
A bronze marker honoring the men and women who helped secure American independence now stands at Veterans Plaza in Myrtle Hill Cemetery as Rome joins communities across the country in commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary. Members of the Xavier...
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Friend Friday a celebration of love and community
It’s early morning, the sun has just crested the horizon, and energy is high as people line the road at Georgia Highlands College’s Floyd County Campus, cheering and singing, celebrating the arrival of ESP Summer Camp attendees. The morning...
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A Ga. company is destroying PFAS
For more than a decade, “forever chemicals” have been part of an ongoing conversation in Rome, where concerns over PFAS contamination have prompted changes in the city’s water treatment, multimilliondollar investments and litigation against chemical...
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Adventhealth, community celebrate opening Rome’s new Cancer Pavilion
The opening of Adventhealth’s new Cancer Pavilion Wednesday marked more than the completion of a construction project. Hospital leaders, physicians, caregivers and a cancer survivor described it as the beginning of expanded access to comprehensive...
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He’s still sharp at 93 years old
LINDALE — A chance encounter at a local hardware store developed a cutting edge when a man standing at the counter unzipped a leather pouch to display three knives to a pair of employees. The encounter unfolded at Lindale Ace Hardware after what had...
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Critters at the Cave is a big draw
Cold-blooded critters descended on Cave Spring recently, giving families a fun lesson on all things reptile. The Rome-floyd ECO Center made a road trip to Rolater Park July 10 for Critters at the Cave, and a curious crowd came through to get an...
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SEAL OF APPROVAL
What’s the easiest hack to thwart ambitious graffiti artists? Apply a protective coating, of course. That’s what Keep Rome-floyd Beautiful and a team of volunteers did Friday morning to preserve the artwork that decorates the walls and structures at...
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Volunteers add final touch to Unity Point park
Volunteers make the difference in shared community spaces and Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful’s program coordinator, Hannah Bagley, can testify to that. The latest? Anti-graffiti coating at the newly restored Unity Point park in downtown Rome, where the...
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Through Cherokee Eyes
“I want you to think about this,” Cultural Ambassador for the East Band of Cherokee Sonny Ledford said to a full ballroom at Coosa Country Club. “Imagine someone coming up to you saying you can’t live here no more. If you have gardens or you have crops...
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Summer program keeps hundreds of local children learning, active
While summer break gives students time away from the classroom, it can also leave parents searching for affordable childcare and educators worrying about summer learning loss. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia has spent the summer helping...
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New field house and field taking shape
Construction of a new Pepperell High School field house and the addition of a synthetic surface to the baseball field are continuing as scheduled, and both facilities should be ready this fall. The field house was 40 years old and in need of...
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Georgia Power teaches kids at library about energy saving
Parents are always looking for new ways to keep children entertained in the summer, and this week families got the unique opportu nity to occupy their kids with a fun and informative lesson at the Rome-floyd County Library’s STEAM with Georgia Power...
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International guests
Like the confluence of Rome’s three rivers, the cultures of Rome and its sister city in Japan met for fellowship and an exchange of ideas in a recommitment to a friendship that began three decades ago. The Rome City Commission welcomed delegates from...
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Floyd celebrates 250 years of American independence
Patriotism was on parade in Cave Spring and the spirit of America filled Ridge Ferry Park as residents gathered to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States. Hundreds lined the streets of Cave Spring for the annual Fourth of July Parade, which...
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Fountain reopens in time for Fourth of July
The Town Green Fountain is once more flowing, and families are already flocking to downtown Rome, ready to beat the heat and kick off their holiday weekend with some fun. The fountain, which opens every summer starting on Memorial Day, has been...
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Fresh veggies galore and more
It may still be early for corn, but the Ridge Ferry Park Farmers Market was packed full of fresh tomatoes, okra and beans Wednesday morning, as well as a fantastic selection of baked and handmade goods. Local vendors set up at the park off Riverside...
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Local lawmakers mark successes
New state laws took effect Wednesday, bringing new mandates that will change life for Georgians in both obvious and unseen ways. The laws passed by the Georgia General Assembly this year and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp will affect everything from health...
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Picklepaws raises $2,000+ for ARF
The building was filled with the pops of paddles connecting with balls, victorious cheering and exclamations of defeat, as 51 participants put their pickleball skills to the test for a good cause, raising money for Animal Rescue Foundation of...
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Cave Spring celebrates America’s 250th with spectacular fireworks
The streets of Cave Spring and the lawn of Rolater Park were packed Saturday night as thousands of people celebrated America’s 250th birthday with an Independence Day fireworks display. After spending the day at the park or swimming in the pool, close...
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Gardner a major part of Emperors fan experience
It wasn’t any kind of surgical procedure that brought the voice of Larry Gardner down to bass levels. That came with growing up. Now, Gardner is somebody everybody wants to talk to, just to hear him talk. When one is at a Rome Emperors home baseball...
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GHC celebrates America’s 250th
When Georgia Highlands College President Mike Hobbs started on the job in 2022, he told faculty and staff that his goal was to bring the total student enrollment to 6,000 students. And when they hit their goal, Hobbs told them he would swim across...
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Kid’s Fishing Day a hit at Rolater
Of all the memorable moments in a child’s life — first words, first lost tooth, first time riding a bike and first day of school — the first time catching a fish is right up there. And that’s why the folks at Coosa Valley Trout Unlimited are here to...
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Local lawmakers are back home
Local lawmakers are back home following a special session that decided Georgians should continue voting with the same machines they have been using for years until a new system can be acquired in 2028. Floyd County’s delegates also played roles in...
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Stonebridge hosts adaptive golf
Considering Georgia’s centuries-long love affair with golf, it follows that any sort of physical, cognitive or sensory impairment is no reason to keep people off the course this summer. In order to give people with a special need time on the golf...
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Juneteenth festivities highlight unity, freedom
The Juneteenth celebration in Rome spilled over into Saturday with a pair of weekend events. Unity and freedom were the resounding themes, along with the preservation of an important piece of history for generations to come. The morning started at...
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ESP celebrates 40th birthday
ESP marked its 40th birthday June 19 and in true celebratory fashion there were special guests, raucous songs and, of course, a special cake made with the help of an old friend. She goes by the name Old Lady Laura, and while she sported what appeared...
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Rome fest celebrates freedom, fight for liberty and justice for all
The atmosphere was festive at the inaugural Juneteenth Fest Friday, as members of the community came together to celebrate the day of remembrance. The event was relocated due to possible severe weather, but it made a smooth pivot to the Joy Life...
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County schools’ summer of construction continues
If you want to learn what 300 dump trucks worth of dirt looks like, head over to see a small hill that now resides on the Model High School baseball field. And according to Floyd County Schools Executive Director of Facilities John Worsham, they...
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Ongoing builds reflect state of real estate
Work continues at a furious pace on the Armuchee Connector, as homebuilder D.R. Horton builds the Northberry Development on a 42-acre plot of land formerly owned by Berry College. The 140-home project was initially called Glenwood Park when the plot...
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Arts festival, road race a huge success
Thousands of runners and visitors packed Cave Spring’s Rolater Park this weekend as the city held its 51st annual Arts Festival and Road Race. “It was another fantastic weekend in Cave Spring,” Cave Spring Historical Society President Christa Jackson...
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June 14 celebration focuses on diversity, not divisiveness
Flag Day is a holiday commemorating the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, and lining Broad Street in red, white and blue, the Rome community came together to honor this historic day Sunday at a Flag Day event. The flag is a...
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GNTC’S Youth Success Academy honors graduates
Twenty-nine students received their High School Equivalency diplomas last week through the Youth Success Academy at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. Seventeen students graduated at the YSA Commencement Ceremony at GNTC’S Floyd County Campus in...
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Veterans gather for community, support and valuable resources
The Forum River Center was busy at the end of this week as veterans gathered for the We CARE VetFair, where they were treated to free haircuts, wellness checkups, assistance with their veterans’ benefits and information about the numerous resources at...
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YMCA brings fun, food and fellowship
The YMCA is bringing food, fun and activities to Banty Jones Park all summer. The YMCA’S summer feeding program, part of the state’s Happy Helpings initiative, gives away free lunches to children at the park weekdays from 12:30 to 2 p.m. In the...
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Cartersville facility moves closer to fully integrated solar production
Qcells has begun manufacturing solar cells at its Cartersville facility, a milestone the company says moves the operation closer to becoming the nation’s first and only vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant — that is, producing major solar...
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Block Party event a huge hit; KC and the Sunshine Band rock the Forum
Broad Street was buzzing this weekend, as KC and The Sunshine Band rocked the Forum River Center with a sold-out show Friday night, and Saturday afternoon’s Summer Sidewalk Extravaganza and Downtown Rome Block Party filled the streets. Broad Street...
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Local bookworms take on herb gardening at library
Hands — and tables — got a bit messy at the Rome-floyd County Library last week as patrons dug their hands into dirt and started on their very own herb gardens. The library is always bustling over the summer, and they wrapped up a slate of several...
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Ga.’s Rome market showcases local-grown, local-made vendors
Fresh produce, local honey and homegrown talent set up booths at the Rome Civic Center Friday morning as the Georgia’s Rome Farmers Market opened its seasonal run, bringing a rotating lineup of local vendors to the community each week. The market,...
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Westminster helps feed the community
A line of cars snaked through the parking lot of Westminster Presbyterian Church, long before a produce giveaway began Wednesday afternoon. Ken Davis, co-chair of the church’s mission team, was busy helping direct the operation and overseeing the...
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Rome-floyd FD trains with live fire
The Rome-floyd Fire Department got some use out of the Splost-funded training center when it hosted an event with the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and several firefighters earned their Live Fire Instructor Certificate. The training event was...
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Rome shines for 1,000 BRAG riders
A last-minute route change turned into a major win for Bicycle Ride Across Georgia and the Rome community this past weekend, as more than 1,000 cyclists rolled through Floyd County, bringing both an economic impact and widespread praise for the area’s...
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Berry sends off its 8th grade Class of 2026
Berry College Elementary and Middle School honored its eighthgrade Class of 2026 during a graduation ceremony held at the historic Frost Chapel on the Berry College campus. Family members, faculty and friends filled the chapel as students processed in...
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Cal’s Library brings story time to River & Hill in downtown Rome
Kids were packed cozily into River & Hill Books on Broad Street Saturday for a special story time with Pete the Cat. Pete, a popular children’s book character created by artist James Dean, is also the mascot of a relatively new local nonprofit, Cal’s...
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Children’s Museum of Rome is making steady progress on construction project
Things are taking shape at the Children’s Museum of Rome as construction crews steadily work in preparation for an opening later this year. A construction campaign for the interactive museum kicked off in November 2025, and exhibits are coming...
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Faith at forefront of St. Mary’s graduation
St. Mary’s Catholic School eighth graders marked their graduation with a ceremony centered on faith, combining the milestone with a full Mass. Unlike traditional ceremonies focused on speeches and diplomas, the service emphasized prayer, scripture and...
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Rome graduates endure rain, celebrate at Barron Stadium
Rain fell steadily over the field at Barron Stadium on graduation day, but it did little to dampen the spirit of Rome High School’s Class of 2026 as students marked the milestone surrounded by family, faculty and friends. Saturday’s ceremony opened...
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Model High School cheers grads at Forum
The Model High School Class of 2026 marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another during a graduation ceremony at the Forum River Center, where a packed crowd of family members and friends filled the arena with cheers, applause and...
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“A promise that we will never forget”
Specialist Ross Mcginnis was 19 years old when he jumped on a grenade inside his Humvee vehicle while on patrol in Baghdad to protect his comrades, who did not even know it had been thrown through an open hatch. He died instantly and was later awarded...
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Seniors come full-circle with graduation walks
Across Floyd County, graduation season is marked not only by ceremonies in packed gyms and stadiums, but also by quieter, more personal moments in school hallways — as many seniors return to where their educational journey began. The annual graduation...
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Weather shifts graduation indoors
The Pepperell High School Class of 2026 celebrated graduation under a roof instead of the open sky this year, as rain forced the ceremony indoors to the Forum River Center — where a packed crowd of family, friends and supporters filled the arena to...
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