WGAA 1340AM Cedartown

An assembly Tuesday morning at Cedartown High School honored the 2012 STAR student, Austin Goggins, and social studies teacher Vicki Mayes, who Goggins selected to be the CHS STAR Teacher for 2012.

A program of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the Student Teachers Achievement Program has been sponsored locally by the Polk County Chamber of Commerce for 54 years.

To obtain the STAR nomination, a high school senior must have the highest score on an single test date on the three-part SAT test and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class, based on grade point averages.

In addition to being named the CHS STAR Student, Goggins is also the Polk School District winner and will gone on to compete for the statewide honor.

       The city of Cedartown Police Department executed a search warrant over the weekend and the search brought big results.

       According to Assistant Chief Jamie Newsome, Gabriel Molina, 36, Alfredo Pineda, 26, and Amador Pineda, 26, were arrested and charged with trafficking meth, possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of meth, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

       The arrests were the culmination of a long investigation into a drug trafficking group supplying much of Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.

       Authorities seized a large quantity of meth and U.S. currency. In addition, four automobiles and four firearms were also taken from the scene.

       The search was carried out at 614 College Dr, Apt. 5. According to Newsome, that search then led them to 223 Elizabeth St.

       The Cedartown Police Department worked with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Polk County Sheriff’s Department, Rome Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Bartow County Sheriff’s Department in executing the search.

Jennifer Hulsey has announced her campaign to run for Georgia State House of Representatives as a Republican candidate.  The 16th District has recently been redrawn and includes all of Polk, and portions of  Bartow and Haralson Counties. Community members and leaders across the 16th district joined Jennifer in announcing her candidacy on January 21, 2012 at the Stone Creek Inn.  Incumbent Democrat Rep. Rick Crawford currently holds this seat.
 
Hulsey said, “I want you to know that I am a republican, but most importantly I am a (more…)

       At the January City Commission meeting, Director of Redevelopment Dr. Tommy Engram requested that the board approve several changes to the Downtown Depot on South Main Street.

       Engram made a proposal for bike racks to be placed in the downtown area and on West Avenue. The racks will be positioned were there is a heavy amount of “bicycle trade.”

       Engram also mentioned that the depot needed a wooden storage building and a security camera on the exterior of the building. There is also some much needed maintenance on the exterior water fountain.

       In his presentation, he emphasized that all projects will be completed at no cost to the city.

       All of the projects were unanimously approved.

       As county and city governmental groups continue to make changes for the 2012 year, the Polk County School Board also made necessary adjustments in electing new officers and making a calendar adjustment for the upcoming year.

       Vice Chairman Chuck Thaxton was nominated and unanimously elected to take the place of Grady McCrickard as chairman of the school board.

       Tara O’Neal was nominated and also unanimously chosen to become vice chairwoman and fill the vacancy made by Thaxton’s position change.

       Mike York was also retained as the school board attorney.

       Chairman Thaxton will now be in charge of making committee appointments for the upcoming year. Those will be announced at a later date.

       The board also voted to return to the old format of having work sessions on the first Tuesday of each month, and holding meetings on the second Tuesday to vote on agenda items.

       The work session will also be an opportunity for community input.

From L-R: Commissioner Gary Martin, Martin's mother Mary Ross, Commissioner Dale Tuck, and Tuck's mother Minnie Loyd. (Blake Dodd/ wgaaradio.com)

      City Commissioners Dale Tuck and Gary Martin were sworn in by Judge Richard Sutton at the January meeting of the City Commission.

       Tuck and Martin were re-elected to another four year term in November.

       Accompanying Commissioner Tuck was her mother Minnie Loyd, and Gary Martin was joined by his mother Mary Ross.

       Also at the meeting, new officers were nominated and elected for the 2012 year.

       Dale Tuck was nominated and unanimously elected chairwoman of the board, and Scotty Tillery was nominated and unanimously chosen to serve as pro-tem.

Dale Tuck receives the City Commission gavel from former chairman Johnny Barrett. (Blake Dodd/ wgaaradio.com)

       The Cedartown High School’s chapter of the Distributive Clubs of America will again be hosting the 14^th annual Mr. Big Dawg talent contest.

       The event will take place on Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 pm in the Cedartown Civic Auditorium.

       Each year students are selected from each grade level, and are asked to combine talent with comedy to provide for a night of fun and entertainment for the whole family.

       This event is split into two categories: Mr. Big Dawg, reserved for seniors only; and Mr. Big Dawg Jr., a competition for CHS underclassmen.

       This year’s senior contestants are Leo Cordero, Cason Davenport, Austin Vann, Ben Cates, Xavier Holmes, and Orbelin Palacios.

       For the underclassmen, contestants are Jerod Evans, Jimmy Hand, Allen Palmer, Raj Patel, Israel Battle, Will Parsegian, Seth Davis, Josh Lee, and Sam Shelley.

       Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door, and can be purchased at any school in Cedartown

       Cedartown and Polk County citizens will be voting on a continuation of the 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

       The SPLOST money is used to improve departments and infrastructure throughout the city and county.

       A recent purchase was made for the Cedartown Police Department with SPLOST dollars.

       The department was equipped with two new lasers for tracking the speed of vehicles.

       City Manager Robbie Rokovitz said that the lasers will be especially used in school zones and other heavily populated areas.