The Standard Journal
City honors state champ cheer team
Winning is becoming pretty routine for state champion Cedartown High School game day cheerleaders, but recognizing their hard work is a just as sweet. The team was presented with a proclamation from the city of Cedartown during the city commission’s...
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Extraordinary devotion
Janice Stewart admits when she gets asked to attend a local meeting she usually ends up feeding people or given a task. But this time, it was simply a way to tell her “Thanks.” For her extensive volunteer work at Camp Antioch, including managing...
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Wreaths for the fallen
An outpouring of support and the recognition of the service of so many was recently set among the graves at Rockmart’s Rose Hill Cemetery. Several volunteers committed their time to honor the more than 400 military veterans buried at the municipal...
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‘Reunification Rome’: A community hub offers holistic support
There is no fairy tale ending when a child is removed from a home and placed in the custody of the Division of Family and Children’s Services. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be a successful one. There are a lot of moving parts that don’t always...
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Spirit of the Season
Rockmart’s Morning View Baptist Church presented a labor of love and hope for the community last weekend. Titled “From Manger to Majesty,”, the drive-thru experience chronicled the life of Jesus Christ from his birth in Bethlehem through his death and...
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The court and judges tasked with weighing what’s best for children
Removing a child from a home isn’t a simple decision made by the Division of Family and Children Services. It is an extensive process that involves many people, starting with the person who made the first report, the case manager who investigated, in...
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Parades bring holiday spirit to Polk County
see pages a2 and a3 for more parade photos.
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THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF A DFCS REPORT
Along a residential street in a typical Georgia neighborhood sits a house. The house offers a neatly manicured lawn, a white picket fence and an unremarkable exterior — a description fairly common for the houses along many blocks in Northwest Georgia...
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GNTC honors Electrical Lineworker program grads
Fourteen students graduated on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker program during a ceremony at GNTC’s Polk County Campus in Rockmart. The students experienced a vigorous, 10-week training program...
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Holiday Festival takes over arts center
Those looking for unique gift ideas or touches of the holiday season were welcome to visit the Rockmart Cultural Arts Center on Saturday as it hosted its annual Holiday Festival. Handmade items from artists were on sale throughout the building and live...
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Rockmart Theatre presenting fall youth production
The Rockmart Theatre’s fall youth production of “Dare to Dream Jr.” will perform for audiences this week on Thursday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. The show, a Disney musical revue, features over 20 local young performers and crew under...
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Former Cedartown resident creates sculpture of Civil Rights icon at Alabama State Capitol
Sculptor Julia Knight, formerly a Rome and Cedartown resident, recently created a sculpture of Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks. The statue was unveiled Oct. 24 at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. Parks rose to prominence for her refusal to...
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Kids take in treats at Boo Bash
Cedartown hosted its annual Boo Bash at Bert Wood Park on Oct. 18 to ring in the spooky season and more free events are happening this week. Boo Bash brings together community organizations and businesses to provide games and candy for free to local...
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Exercise tests inter-agency coordination
A fire alarm at HON manufacturing in Cedartown is relayed to Polk County 911. The Cedartown Fire Department is called out to the scene. People are injured. Thankfully, it’s just a drill. This was the scenario that area first responder agencies...
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Brumby takes CHS Homecoming crown
Cheerleaders for one of the Cedartown Youth Football teams have fun as they make their way through downtown Cedartown as part of the 2025 CHS homecoming parade Thursday, Oct. 9. Coralee Brumby smiles at her dad, Britt Brumby, after being announced as...
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PSD sees record grad rates with class of ’25
New highs were reached for Polk School District when the graduation rates for the class of 2025 were released this week. The numbers, announced by the Georgia Department of Education, show 92.5% of Polk County students graduated ontime this past...
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Toys for Tots signup starts Oct. 6
It’s that time of year again; fall has come, and registration for Toys for Tots opens in two weeks. However, people can donate to the organization at any time. Every year, Toys for Tots helps families in Rome and surrounding areas give their children...
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Best of Polk voting starts Sept. 17
Whether it’s showing appreciation for the hard work of a dedicated teacher or giving some love to that restaurant that never fails to appease, the 2025 Best of Polk contest is the place to do it. Local businesses and professionals from all types of...
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Farm life, rides on display at fair
Brave riders take a turn on the Drop Zone at the Polk County Fair on Thursday, Sept. 4. The Polk County Fair, presented by the Exchange Club of Cedartown, settled into its annual stay last week at the Polk County Fairgrounds and brought with it...
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Pathways to Empowerment participants earn healthcare training certifications
Six participants from Bartow, Floyd, Gordon and Polk Counties have reached an important milestone in their career journeys, completing healthcare training through the Pathways to Empowerment Workforce Development Initiative program through Tallatoona...
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CHS marks future, past and present
Cedartown High School celebrated Legacy Night during pre-game activities at Friday’s varsity football game against Berkmar. All football players and cheerleaders with the Cedartown Recreation Department and Cedartown Middle School walked the track at...
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Heart of healing
Even as steel beams rise from the red Georgia soil, AdventHealth Redmond’s new Heart and Vascular Institute reached a symbolic milestone last Wednesday with an age-old “topping out” and blessing ceremony. “Topping out ceremonies date to ancient...
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A request for clarity
Local election officials recommended a series of changes to state election laws Friday aimed at restoring public trust in the voting process. “Nothing bothers me more than knowing that the process is not trusted,” Deidre Holden, elections director in...
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GNTC Lineworker program graduates tackle electric challenges
Ten students graduated on Wednesday, July 23, from Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Electrical Lineworker program during a ceremony at GNTC’s Polk County Campus in Rockmart. The students experienced a vigorous, 10-week training program...
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Toys for Tots partners with Rad Toys
In the spirit of giving during the Christmas in July season, Rome Toys for Tots partnered with Rad Toys, collecting more than 120 toys in just two days. The partnership was formed when Jamie Odell Baker, one of the owners of Rad Toys, reached out to...
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ROCKMART ROCKS THE FOURTH
Independence Day got a big glow up in Rockmart this year as the city presented a Fourth of July celebration at Hilburn Field. Organized by Rockmart’s Downtown Development Authority, the event featured performances from Flashback and Them Mixon Boys...
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Local river outfitters keep people cool on the water
There’s no better way to avoid the summer heat in Georgia than drifting down one of our local rivers with a group of friends and watching the day slip past. Georgia is known for its rivers, and Rome and Floyd County have their share, with several...
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Dixie Ramblers open 2025 Peek Park Summer Concert Series
The 2025 Peek Park Summer Concert Series got off to a toe-tappin’ start with a performance by The Dixie Ramblers on June 21. Visitors were able to enjoy a small break from the heat by sitting in the shade of the park’s trees and listening to some...
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Atrium Health awards grants to local groups
The Atrium Health Floyd-Polk Foundation has again awarded $1.3 million in grants to Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center and Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center that will be used to support 43 community agencies working to positively affect the...
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Summertime fun
Summer brings the heat and outdoor family events for those feeling the need to enjoy some food, music and fun across Polk County. This year sees the return of Cedartown's Peek Park Summer Concert Series while Rockmart is presenting Food Truck Fridays...
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Fishing rodeo continues to grow
Ashley Stocks walks back to his family with a fish caught at Saturday’s fishing rodeo. It was the first fish he had ever caught.
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Downtown Cave Spring is ready for summer
After working for his family's printing company for decades, Terry Parker felt it was time for something new in his life, but he had no idea it would be running a pizza shop. “To this day, I can't explain why my wife and I decided to open Stagecoach...
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A DREAM COME TRUE
ROME — The time for second guessing and asking “what if” came to a celebratory end for the Rockmart High School baseball team last week. After coming close to being able to reach the highest summit in Georgia high school baseball in...
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Lankford Corner nearing completion in Cedartown
Crews are in the final stages of completing the new Lankford Corner events center on South Main Street in Cedartown according to city officials. Cedartown City Manager Edward Guzman recently joined Georgia Department of Community Affairs District 1...
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Get on the ROAD
Whether you have kids or you're looking to get out with friends, there's so much to see and do this summer, and you really don't have to go far. Calhoun is the perfect jumpingoff point for day trips to outdoor destinations or a few nights away. Here...
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Arts festival draws big crowds to Peek Park
housands of visitors filled Cedartown's Peek Park over the final weekend in April to take in the sights and smells of the 60th Cedar Valley Arts Festival. Numerous crafts and food vendors offered plenty to shop for and sink your teeth into over April...
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ART THROUGH SPORTS
Capturing the emotion of an athlete or the inner struggle of a famous actress are just some of the challenges tackled by the group of art students at Rockmart High School this past year. Art teacher Kristain Branham praised her students for accepting...
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Three arrested at Marjorie Taylor Greene town hall in Acworth
Within minutes, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's Cobb County town hall last Tuesday turned combative, with three arrests made, two people tasered by police and least nine protesters escorted out of the building before the event's end. The...
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CHS cheerleaders get Capitol spotlight
The Cedartown High School game day cheerleading team was recently honored at the Georgia State Capitol for winning the 2024 GHSA Class 4A state championship. State Rep. Trey Kelley, R-Cedartown, welcomed the team to the Gold Dome on April 2 where...
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DOWN ON THE FARM
Third-grade students from across Polk County spend last Thursday getting upclose with farm animals and learning about how farming impacts their day-to-day life while at the Rockmart High School Agriculture Building during Farm Day. The event was...
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‘It was her mission’
Aafterlong-time board member of the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority, Lee Hight, has retired serving almost 20 years with the agency. Hight’s family and co-workers surprised her with a luncheon Wednesday afternoon at the Willingham Gymnasium and...
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Voters reject school bonds measure
A final tally from last Tuesday's special election overwhelmingly showed Polk County voters are not for county schools taking out $34 million in bonds to help improve facilities. The city of Cedartown's attempt to introduce a new tool for commercial...
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Pageant provides moment to shine
Children got to shine in the spotlight Friday evening to help them build some confidence and keep the program they attend throughout the week going strong. Parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors packed into The Grace Place at Cedartown Church...
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Celebrating citizenship: North Georgia hosts Naturalization Ceremony
The United States District Court Northern District of Georgia hosted its Naturalization Ceremony on Friday, during which several local residents became United States citizens. Judge William M. Ray II signed the order. Following the ceremony, the League...
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Floyd may join Polk, Bartow in new board
Floyd County officials are weighing plans to join forces with Bartow and Polk counties to form a joint development authority. Missy Kendrick, president and CEO of the Floyd County Development Authority, discussed the possibility with the Floyd County...
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KPB plants tree seedlings
The temperature may have been a little chilly but a dedicated group of volunteers set out Friday morning to add some vegetation to Polk County’s Potts Hollow Trailhead. In recognition of Georgia’s Arbor Day, Feb. 21, Keep Polk Beautiful planted and...
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Ga. Senate OKs 11-day gun sales tax break
The Georgia Senate’s Republican majority passed legislation Wednesday, Feb. 12, seeking a waiver on sales taxes for firearms over an 11-day period in October. It now moves to the House. Senate Bill 47 passed 31-21 in a party-line vote following a...
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Rockmart to get new soccer mini pitch
New mini soccer fields will be built in Rome, Trion and Rockmart thanks to funds allocated by Atrium Health Floyd and Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center with the help of a grant from the Atlanta United Community Fund. AUCF, an associate-led fund...
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Spike in sickness leads to canceling classes
Local school officials decided to cancel classes last Friday in an attempt to curb the spread of illnesses throughout the system. Polk School District announced last Thursday that they would be holding a Learn-From-Home day for all students on Jan. 31...
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Conviction secured in 2022 murder
A single fingerprint found on tape sealing the body of a murdered Cedartown man led to the conviction of his killer. That fingerprint unlocked the case of 40-year-old LaChancey Colon Dayton Williams, whose body was found stuffed in a toolbox on Esom...
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Detours in place around Cedartown road work
The closure of a portion of Main Street in Cedartown is forcing drivers to find alternative routes to get from one end of the busy road to the other. The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that part of the U.S. 27 Business route through...
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Cedartown MLK Day Walk marking 20 years
Calls for brotherhood and equality will once again take center stage in downtown Cedartown on Monday as the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Walk returns for its 20th year. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Organization of Cedartown holds the event...
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Rep. Greene backs Johnson in key speaker vote
The House of Representatives on Friday voted to reelect House Speaker Mike Johnson to lead the 119th Congress after several Republicans, including 14th District U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who changed course and voiced support for...
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New year brings new laws for elections, taxes, health
Most new laws the General Assembly enacted this year took effect in July. But some significant legislation or portions of legislation lawmakers passed pertaining to elections, taxes and health care don't become operative until New Year's Day. The list...
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GESTURE OF THANKS
An outpouring of support and the recognition of the service of so many was recently set among the graves at Rockmart's Rose Hill Cemetery. Several volunteers committed their time to honor the more than 400 military veterans buried at the municipal...
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Toys For Tots busier than ever
The number of local families that have registered for Toys For Tots has doubled since last year, according to coordinator Linda Hatcher. “We'll have over 1,000 families in Floyd County alone this year,” Hatcher said. “Plus we also help families in...
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Area Calendar of Events
FHF Hair Design is partnering with West Cinema and the American Legion Women's Auxiliary to sponsor a toy drive for Polk County children. new unwrapped gifts or toys can be dropped off by Dec. 18 at FHF Hair Design, 305 Main St., or West Cinema, 112...
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Grant to help with CPAC updates
The city of Cedartown has been selected to receive a $1 million dollar grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, Department of Community Affairs, for renovations to their performing arts center. The grant funding will be used to complete Phase I...
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Excitement around new RHS fine arts facility
The journey to provide Rockmart High School with its own fine arts facility was not an easy one, but its completion was met with plenty of excitement. School officials joined faculty and community members for the official opening and ribbon cutting...
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Area Calendar of Events
The Cedartown-Polk County Humane Society will host an official dedication of The Winn Clinic for Spay and Neuter on Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. at the group’s facility at 3416 Rockmart Highway in Cedartown. The public is invited for the dedication as well as a...
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New truck range expands GNTC offerings
A paved pad next to the Polk County campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College is ready to add to the school’s expanding workforce development programs. Community and industry partners gathered at the Rockmart campus last Wednesday afternoon for...
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Company boosts its investment in Polk
Demand for solar panel recycling services has grown so much that a solar recycling company is accelerating its planned operations in Polk County, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday. SOLARCYCLE will invest an additional $62 million to increase its...
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State to roll out health insurance exchange
For more than a decade, Georgians have been able to sign up for health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act on the federal government's healthcare.gov website. That's about to change. Starting Nov. 1, a new state-based exchange — Georgia...
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Polk voters turn out for early voting
Polk County followed the trend statewide last week as voters turned out in record numbers during the first days of early voting for the November general election. A total of 5,858 people had cast their ballots in person through Saturday, with another...
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Group to unveil memorial for Aragon bus crash
A memorial honoring those who died in a catastrophic school bus crash in Aragon will be unveiled at a special ceremony Saturday. The event will take place at the Aragon Historical Society Museum, 105 New Prospect Road, at 11 a.m. The public is invited...
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Just the beginning
A brand new building at the corner of Turner Street and Jefferson Street in Cedartown is only the start of a revitalization of the city-owned Turner Street Park, according to officials. The neighborhood has a new place to host their friends and...
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Polk left mostly unscathed by Helene
Hurricane Helene moved out of Georgia on Friday morning, leaving in its wake 11 dead, toppled trees that caused widespread power outages and massive flooding. The storm took a different path than had been anticipated, Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters...
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