Hometown Headlines Plus

We're ending our coverage on the Web log. We'll have a separate story at www.hometownheadlines.com later today on the meeting. We're also taking notes of Ralph Reed's speech for use in a future story balanced with the other candidate in the primary.

TELL US: This has been our first time using a Web log in this fashion. Would you like to see additional spot coverage from specific local events? Did this work? If not, why not and how would you improve it? Let us know by e-mailing ideas@hometownheadlines.com

Thanks for your time today.
-John Druckenmiller

Reed's time before the panel has eclipsed the local candidates' combined... He takes shots at AJC, which has been critical of his ties to gambling.

Reed addresses the group; introduces his wife, Jo Anne. (We're suspending coverage out of fairness to Casey Cagle, Reed's GOP opponent in the race).

12:25 p.m. Chad Whitefield. Thanks GOP women and his opponents; praises opponents for a clean campaign... cites Republican women's work in the past on the national level... talks about the history of Republican women's role locally.... thanks his wife for her support... Business owner who moved here in 1995; opened Advance Rehab (15 locations in three states)... "Rome is a great place and should all be proud of Rome." ... talks about urban sprawl heading this way and need to be ahead of it... "want to be a sound, fiscal conservative..." "We chose Rome, Rome did not chose us."

Tom Saltino: thanks GOP women for inviting candidates there today... Asks for applause for the GOP women for their work... Talks about his ties to the party... Have worked in sales and marketing for 40 years... Three reasons for running: what "we do today will determine" the lifestyle of tomorrow... no. 2: educational institutions (Shorter, Berry, Georgia Highlands, Coosa Valley Technical College) and how important they are to bring new jobs. NO. 3: business experience will help unite city and county commissions.... "I'm retired, I have no full-time job to answer to.. I have no conflicting business relationships... no reason to rescue myself because of business interests."

Ira Levy talks about his 20-plus years in Rome after living in different parts of the country... Talks about community activities and his work in renovating historic buildings in downtown Rome... Talks about growth ("hopefully good, qualified, sound growth..")... says leadership is needed to guide that growth... "Rome's a rare, rare place. Floyd County is a great place. We travel all over the world. We run into people who've heard about us.... We have a lot of things to be proud of here...." ...

12:10 p.m. General meeting notes... next Floyd GOP Women meeting Aug. 1 at Landmark (no meeting July 4). Guests TBA... Cookie thanks members for helping welcome home the National Guard in Calhoun last month (108th Armored Division) ... About 50 in attendance, perhaps a few more... Allana Mathis talks of taking Open Door Home kids to the circus at The Forum. Uaninmously passes... Coming next: the guests.

12:02 p.m. Cookie calls the meeting together.... Jo Anne Reed, the candidate's wife, makes the stops along the tables.... Katie Dempsey, District 13 House candidate, arrives with her new granddaughter on board ("It's grandmother day," says Dempsey, who's running against Democrat Bob Puckett in the Nov. 7 election)

11:55 a.m. Ralph Reed, a GOP candidate for lieutentant governor, arrives. His signs and ribbons are plentiful... another table is filled with candidate materials as well... party chair Eddie Lumsden is on scene as well... The RNT is here, too, with what looks like a voice recorder...

11:38 a.m. The meeting is coming together at The .... All three commission candidates (Ira Levy, Tom Saltino and Chad Whitefield are greeting guests. Outside, the Levy and Ralph Reed signs are going up along U.S. 27.

Tuesday's special coverage is brought to you by the advertisers of Hometown Headlines Inc. They include:
Greater Rome Bank
Harbin Clinic
Heritage First Bank
Floyd Medical Center
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
Redmond Regional Medical Center
Dixon & Tate Real Estate
Fuddrucker's of Rome (and soon in Cartersville)
Rome Renegades
Riverside Toyota
Avenger Pest Control
State Farm Insurance/Teresa Lumsden
Coosa Valley Technical College
Georgia Highlands College/Continuing Education
The Ira Levy campaign
The Preston Smith campaign
Go Tickets!
St. Mary's Catholic School
YMCA of Rome/Floyd County
Charles Williams REIC
romekids.com
romediningguide.com
thesalessite.com
great.hometownheadlines.com

Below please find profiles of each of the candidates seeking the District 1 County Commission seat.
IRA LEVY, POST 1 COUNTY COMMISSION
Ira Levy, 63, has qualified as a Republican for the Floyd County Commission, Post 1. The seat is being vacated by Republican Tom Bennett.
Ira Levy was born and raised in Chicago, Ill., and began his "career" at age eleven helping his father after school in a small, family paper business. When his dad suffered a debilitating stroke, Ira left college to take over the operation of the company.
He and his wife, Libby, an art director, married in 1969, embarking on the renovation of a 19th century rowhouse and the beginning of their enthusiasm for old buildings, which has persisted to this day with a variety of projects around the country and in Rome's Downtown Historic District.
Ira's job has taken him to Nebraska, Dallas, Texas, New Orleans and Atlanta. The move to Rome 22 years ago occurred after the Clocktower caught their eye on a Sunday afternoon drive with their three children.
Upon investigation, they were so impressed with all that Rome and Floyd County had to offer that they set about making the move and never looked back, believing this was to be the ideal place to raise a family and retire.
Ira is vice president and co-partner of Paper Recovery of Georgia Inc. He is a member of the Rome Rotary Club, a past member of the Rome Exchange Club, The Kearney, Neb. Elks Club, and the Gibbon, Neb. Jaycees.
He has served as past president and treasurer of the Rome Symphony Orchestra; is a past president and on the board of Rodeph Sholom Congregation; is a member of the Rome Preservation Historic Commission; and on the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Trust For Historic Preservation.
If elected, Ira looks forward to serving the citizens of Rome and Floyd County, applying his business experience to help assure the successful growth and development of the community. He believes that wise planning is of the utmost importance in maintaining the wonderfully unique environment that makes Rome and Floyd County such a special place to live.

TOM SALTINO, POST 1 COUNTY COMMISSION
Tom Saltino, 68, has qualified as a Republican for the Floyd County Commission, Post 1. The seat is being vacated by Republican Tom Bennett.
Native Georgian and thirty-five year resident of Rome, Tom Saltino has qualified to fill the vacancy created on the Floyd County Commission, Post 1 as Tom Bennett steps down. Saltino says he has been urged to consider public office by people who recognize that his business background and his keen knowledge of the community make him ideal for the job.
Sixty-eight year old Saltino recently retired from a life long career in sales and marketing with major American corporations. His work was quartered in the Southeastern United States giving him opportunities to study other communities and counties in the South and their quest for progress in today’s world. “I am proud,” he said, “of the job done by the present Commission and I wouldn’t want that momentum to stop. By stepping in, perhaps I can make a seamless transition to help the Commission continue to move forward in building Floyd County, Rome and Cave Spring into not just the geographic center, but the economic and cultural center of Northwest Georgia.”
Named as Campaign Chairman for the Saltino candidacy is veteran Rome Republican Gardner Wright and noted CPA George Slickman, treasurer.
Saltino attended West Georgia College and Georgia State University. Saltino and his wife Emily have lived in Floyd County for the past 35 years. He has been active in the Floyd County Republican Party for over the last 20 years. He has been a member of the Rome Rotary Club for 25 years. He is a member of the Jake Puryear Marine Corps League. He is a founder of the non-profit organization Trees Rome, a member of the Tree Board of the City of Rome and a charter member of the Italian Rome Club and past president of the (historic) College Heights Neighborhood Association.
His wife is a member of a family dating back to the founding of Rome in 1834. Their children are Thomas Saltino of Marble Hill, Georgia and Jill Graham of Rome, with two grandchildren, Davis and Clara Graham. Emily and Tom Saltino are members of Rome’s First United Methodist Church.
Saltino cites the long time living motto of Rotary clubs worldwide---“Service Above Self.” He says “Anyone offering for public service would do well to consider that motto and place behind them any special interests or personal opportunities that may conflict in any manner with the job of serving the public. Accepting an office such as County Commissioner gives one the opportunity of working in total dedication to the needs and wishes of the people. I pledge to do just that.”
Saltino added, “Every time I look at those two grandkids, I realize we are building their world, and we must do everything in our power to make it the best possible world, with the greatest possible opportunities. If elected, that is my pledge to the people of Floyd County.”
For further information contact:Tom Saltino: 2 Berckman Lane, SW Rome. Home phone: 706/238-8284 Email: saltino9529@comcast.net

CHAD WHITEFIELD/POST 1 COUNTY COMMISSION
Chad Whitefield has qualified to run as a Republican for the Post 1 seat on the Floyd County Commission. His announcement follows:
"Chad Whitefield, co-owner of Advance Rehabilitation, has qualified as a Republican for the Floyd County Commission, Post 1. The seat is being vacated by Republican Tom Bennett.
“First, I would like to thank Commissioners Tom Bennett and Chuck Hufstetler for their service to Floyd County. They have been excellent leaders who have proven that our county government can be competent, well organized, effective and fiscally disciplined,” stated Whitefield as he qualified. My goal is to continue the progress that this commission has made.
"Whitefield continued, I am running because I believe we must make Floyd County even better. I believe that working families deserve an active voice for their values and ideals”.
"If given the honor and responsibility of serving as your next county Commissioner, I will work tirelessly for positive and constructive solutions to the challenges of our community and to be a Commissioner of whom you can be proud.
As a family man and a business owner, I know what it is like to live on a budget. As a county commissioner, I will make sure that the county’s spending is prioritized and if taxes exceed the basic service needs of our community, they should be returned to the people.
Recently, we have seen an attack on our values right here in our own back yard. As Commissioner, I will work diligently to make sure that we stand up against the filth that seeks to destroy families and erode our community values.
A graduate of Southern Union and the University of Alabama in Birmingham with a degree in applied science and a certificate in Physical Therapy, Chad is married and has two children. He has co-owned Advance Rehabilitation since 1996. He is an active member of West Rome Baptist Church, Rotary International, and the American Physical Therapy Association.

BILL WHITENER, POST 1 COUNTY COMMISSION
Bill Whitener, a 32-year veteran of the Floyd County Police Department, has qualified to run for Post #1 on the Floyd County Board of Commissioners. Today he entered the Democratic primary seeking the seat being vacated by Commissioner Tom Bennett.

"Bill serves our Community each day as an officer with the Floyd County Police Department, as he has for the past 32 years. Formerly a patrol officer, Bill then served as an Investigator and as the Commander of the Rome/Floyd Drug Task Force. Today Lieutenant Whitener is the Director in the Administrative, Internal Affairs and Personnel Units.

"Bill is a Floyd County native who graduated from Model High School, Floyd College and Berry College. His training in law enforcement and security issues is extensive. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for six years, graduated from the F.B.I. National Academy and has completed the requirements to be a Georgia Peace Officer Instructor.
"His experience in law enforcement has involved him in almost all types of criminal and civil cases. He has dealt with important personnel issues and administrative duties. Also, he has worked on a major drug case that led to numerous arrests and seizure of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, vehicles and real property. The proceeds from this major case included enough money to start the first 911 Center in Rome/Floyd County.

"From his home in Summerville Park, Bill is close to the paths and trails of Rome where he runs and bikes. He enjoys being a member of the Coosa Valley Cycling Association, Rome Runners Club and the Fireside Investment Club. In addition, Bill belongs to the National and Georgia Associations of Internal Affairs, and the Northwest Georgia Law Enforcement Executives Association.

"Bill will commit to serving the citizens of Rome and Floyd County, as he has as a police officer. When he first went to work as a police officer, he was asked why he wanted to be a police officer. Bill's response was that he wanted to help people and make a difference. Bill wants to carry over that responsibility in a leadership position and continue to help others.
"Bill has held jobs since his early teenage years, and he understands the needs of men and women who work long hours to earn a living. Bill will be responsible both financially and with our human resources. He is dedicated, resourceful, and will work hard for you.

"Please support and elect Bill Whitener as your next County Commissioner from Post #1. "