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Rome News-Tribune
Rome Man Gets 10 Years In Case Tied To Sisters' Deaths
A Rome man acquitted of the murder of two Rome sisters in Alabama was sentenced Thursday on firearms and tampering with evidence charges relating to the case. Devin Lashawn Watts was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and an additional 10 years on probation, on charges of auto theft, making false statements, tampering with evidence, theft by receiving and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The charges relate...
Rome Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography
A Rome man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of possession of child pornography Thursday following his February arrest following a Floyd County police investigation. Matthew Wayne Cronan, 29, was arrested with two others during a joint operation involving the FCPD Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Secret Service, the Cobb County Police Department and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. Floyd County Superior Court Chief Judge John “Jack” Niedrach accepted a...
August Sees 1,400 More Jobs in Floyd as Unemployment Claims Dip
Floyd County’s workforce climbed to 47,700 people in August — tied for the fourth best over the past 13 months — thanks to 1,400 additional positions from a year earlier. The job total also was up 200 spots from July of this year. Traditionally, the workforce total begins to climb in September, peaking in December thanks to the Christmas shopping season. Another plus: First-time jobless claims dropped across Northwest Georgia...
Rome To Consider Mandatory Spay And Neuter Ordinance
The Rome Public Safety Committee recommended that the City Commission adopt an ordinance mandating that all pets be spayed or neutered to help with the record number of abandoned animals in the city. “There has been an explosion in stray pets in Rome and Floyd County in the past several years,” Floyd County Public Animal Welfare Services Director Katy Walters said. “And this city ordinance will not stop the problem tomorrow, but it will start to close the floodgates on the number of stray and...
Ossoff Introduces Postmaster General Reform Act
The U.S. postmaster general would be subject to term limits and Senate confirmation under legislation introduced Wednesday by Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga. Ossoff has been highly critical of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy since reports surfaced earlier this year of months-long delays in delivering mail processed at a new regional distribution center in Fulton County. The senator said during a committee hearing in April that only 36% of inbound mail processed...
Georgia Lawmakers Get An Earful on Private Water Systems' High Rates
Lake Oconee-area property owners complaining of exorbitant water rates urged Georgia lawmakers Wednesday to bring private water systems in Georgia under the same regulations that apply to municipal systems. Piedmont Water Co., the state’s second-largest private water system, is charging the second-highest water rates in Georgia, lower only than the private system serving the community of Big Canoe, property owner Mike Hartman told a Georgia House study committee at a hearing in Greensboro. Hartman said he was charged $19,250 to connect his new home to...
Floyd Courts Praised For Clearing Cases Amid Pandemic Hurdles
Even in the height of the pandemic Floyd County courts still pushed to clear cases from its workload, and the Judicial Council of Georgia recently recognized that effort with a Clearance Rate Excellence award. “During the years 2021-23, the number of cases disposed by our local Superior Court exceeded the number of cases filed by at least 110%,” Chief Judge John “Jack” Niedrach said. Judge Niedrach attributed the achievement to...
Floyd County Eyes Second Project Using Tire-Based Mix Paving
The first road project in Floyd County to use smart mix paving, which has a percentage of ground-up tires as part of the aggregate, has been completed, and now the county is looking to do a second project. According to Public Works Director Michael Skeen, the resurfacing of six-tenths of a mile on Terhune Road was completed in July, and all went smoothly. “We are looking to apply again for...
John McClellan's Picks For High School Football Week 6
The second phase of the Georgia high school football season gets into full swing this week as the schools that didn’t start region play last week do so now. Darlington, Model, Pepperell and Unity Christian all begin their region schedules, while Rome, Armuchee and Coosa continue theirs. Cass and Cedartown clash in an important Region 7-4A battle, while Class 3A No. 10 Calhoun is off. Armuchee (3-1, 0-1) at Chattooga...
Floyd County Voter Roll Shows Drop Since 2022
With less than three weeks left to register, Floyd County’s voter roll for the Nov. 5 presidential election is showing a decrease from two years ago. As of Tuesday, there were 59,820 active voters in the county, according to the Georgia secretary of state’s election data hub. That’s 142 fewer than in the run-up to the 2022 midterm election. Voters can check their status — and register, if necessary —...
Georgia Supreme Court Dismisses Catoosa GOP Appeal
Georgia’s high court declined to hear an appeal by the Catoosa County Republican Party regarding its failed attempt to block candidates they don’t feel represent their party’s values from the ballot. Part of that reasoning, the order stated, is because attorneys for the Catoosa GOP filed an appeal to the wrong court, and once transferred to the high court — still six weeks away from the May 21 primary election — they did not seek an expedited appeal. ...
Murphy-Harpst Celebrates 100 Years of Caring
Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center, which offers clinical, therapeutic and residential services to foster children, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week. The center plays a pivotal role on the front lines of the state’s recent surge in foster care cases and provides services for foster children who are often not eligible to be placed in a traditional foster care home. “Murphy-Harpst’s mission is rooted in the biblical mandate to share the...
Rome Approves Pouring Licenses For Peachy Pub
The third time was the charm for the applicant seeking new beer, wine and liquor pouring licenses for 325 Broad Street. The Rome Alcohol Control Commission approved the licenses Monday for Guljar Singh, who plans to open a new establishment called Peachy Pub in the building. The application first came before the ACC in June. However, at that time the ACC was not satisfied with Mr. Singh’s presentation and requested...
GSP Releases Report From Fatal U.S. 411 Motorcycle Wreck
The Georgia State Patrol released an initial report on Tuesday from a multi-vehicle wreck on U.S. 411 in Cartersville that caused the death of a motorcyclist. Arthur Brandon Rutledge, 27, was killed in the crash that happened early on Sept. 10. According to the report, an unidentified vehicle was traveling north on Burnt Hickory Road and did not stop at a stop sign. Four vehicles were headed east on U.S....
Around Town: What's Cooking Soon in Downtown Rome. 'Signs' of Campaign Season
New restaurant on the way: It will take a few months but keep an eye out for another new restaurant coming to downtown Rome. Specific details are pending but a prime spot in the 200 block apparently is in play. It will be the latest change in what has been a busy year downtown, especially between Second Avenue and Turner McCall with major real estate sales included. Also still on...
Suspected Trump assassin had ‘delusions of grandeur,’ political views all over the map
The accused gunman suspected in an attempted assassination plot against former president Donald Trump claimed he had fought on the front lines of Ukraine, built tiny houses for homeless people in Hawaii and had a long rap sheet, including an arrest for possession of a weapon of mass destruction, according to public records. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, a former roofing contractor, is a convicted felon who had been stopped by police in North Carolina at least 100 times — including an incident in which the...
Man Run Over In Publix Parking Lot
An older man was severely injured when he was struck and run over by a minivan in the Publix parking lot on Turner McCall Boulevard on Monday afternoon. Rome Police Department officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident which involved a dark colored Honda Odyssey minivan. The minivan appeared to have struck the man near the main entrance to the store. “All we can confirm at this time is that a gentleman shopper was leaving Publix and was struck by a small van, outside of a cross walk,” RPD Public Information Officer Kelly Madden said. The man sustained significant injuries to both of his legs and was still being treated at Atrium Health Floyd Monday evening.
Man Run Over In Publix Parking Lot
An older man was severely injured when he was struck and run over by a minivan in the Publix parking lot on Turner McCall Boulevard on Monday afternoon. Rome Police Department officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident which involved a dark colored Honda Odyssey minivan. The minivan appeared to have struck the man near the main entrance to the store. “All we can confirm at this time is that a gentleman shopper was leaving Publix and was struck by a small van, outside of a cross walk,” RPD Public Information Officer Kelly Madden said. The man sustained significant injuries to both of his legs and was still being treated at Atrium Health Floyd Monday evening.
Barron Stadium Track Closed For Repairs
The track at Barron Stadium is temporarily closed for repairs after crews discovered a water leak beneath the surface of the track on Monday. “The safety and quality of our facilities are top priorities,” said Rome Public Works Director Chris Jenkins. “We understand the inconvenience this may cause to our community and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. Our goal is to reopen the track to the public as soon as we can, with minimal disruption.” ...
Children Recount Abuse At Hands of Mother's Boyfriend
The child’s voice was barely a whisper into the microphone as he described the beatings he and his siblings endured at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend over eight months. The seven siblings told Floyd County Superior Court Chief Judge John “Jack” Niedrach that Gabriel Ragland liked to beat them after they emerged from the shower because he believed it hurt more to spank children when their skin was wet. ...
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Rome News-Tribune is the daily newspaper of Rome, Georgia. Begun originally as a weekly newspaper, the paper has survived several merges with other newspapers. Aside from several months during the Civil War, the paper has been published continuously since 1843. It is owned by Times Journal Inc. based in Marietta, Ga.
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