WRGA Rome's NewsTalk

01/28/2025

Tuesday, January 28, 2025--10:00 a.m. -GNTC News Release- Chef Greg Paulson, program director and Culinary Arts instructor at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), will appear this week on “Family Feud.” Paulson, his wife Beth, and stepchildren Matthew, Keel,y and Julie will ap

01/28/2025

Our top local stories for Tuesday…..The Rome News-Tribune is reporting that the Floyd County Board of Education on Monday announced that it will not opt out of HB 581, allowing county residents to take advantage of the homestead tax break on school taxes; qualifying for the upcoming special election for Post Four on the Floyd County Commission is underway, and five candidates signed up to run on Monday; the Floyd County Police Department and the Defenders for Children organization presented a new electric detection canine team on Monday; Floyd County Commissioners will consider a number of recommendations from the planning commission when they meet today; and a West Rome man was arrested Saturday after allegedly barricading himself in his Leon Street residence. These stories and more at wrganews.com

01/27/2025

On Monday afternoon the Floyd County Police Department and the Defenders for Children organization presented Floyd Counties’ new electric detection canine team. The team is led by Floyd County Police Captain Ojilvia Lom and canine “Billy.”

Please visit the WRGA News article linked here to see our video story:

January 27th, 2025 - 4:47 PM Ethan Garrett - WRGA Digital News Editor & Video Reporter - https://youtu.be/H08s4TfgWIU?si=pZMVQD_XC2FiNJiQ On Monday afternoon the Floyd County Police Department and the Defenders for Children organization presented Floyd Counties’ new electric d

01/27/2025

Our top local stories for Monday….Two alcohol ordinance amendments are slated for First Reading during Monday’s Rome City Commission meeting; Rome City Schools will Pre-Kindergarten registration today; Corey Townsend, Senior Vice President at Ameris Bank, has announced his candidacy for Floyd County Commission Post 4 as qualifying begins today; the Floyd County Police Department and Defenders for Children organization will present and demonstrate its new Electronic Detection Canine team this afternoon; and two people have been arrested on felony charges of 1st-degree cruelty to children and aggravated battery. These stories and more at wrganews.com

01/24/2025

The Rome Police Department is reporting that a traffic accident has occurred near 18 Shorter Avenue (area of Big Dan’s Car Wash) affecting traffic in all directions.

Another traffic accident has also been reported on Turner McCall Blvd in the Taco Bell / Zaxbys area and is affecting traffic in both directions.

Please avoid these areas until the accidents are cleared.

01/24/2025

Our top local stories for Friday….Starting today, crews will be relocating utilities as part of the Second Avenue widening project; federal and local law enforcement officers arrested a Floyd County man Thursday who allegedly conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Rome as well as Tennessee and Alabama; the City of Rome has announced the launch of its new text messaging platform designed to help residents stay informed and engaged with the latest updates from the city; a West Rome woman has been has been arrested on three counts of the abuse of a disabled adult; and the ex*****on of a search warrant at a residence on Harper Avenue ended with the arrest of two Rome residents on drugs and weapons charges. These stories and more at wrganews.com

01/23/2025

Our top local stories for Thursday……Synthica Energy has announced that Clark Water, the water and wastewater infrastructure construction arm of Clark Construction Group, has been contracted to lead the construction of their new anaerobic digestion and renewable natural gas facility off of West Hermitage Road in Floyd County; two alcohol ordinance amendments are headed back to the Rome City Commission for reconsideration; two local women are accused of helping an inmate who escaped from the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections back on January 15; after two years off, the Wings Over North Georgia Airshow returns to Rome’s Richard B. Russell Regional Airport this fall; and faculty and staff at Georgia Northwestern Technical College have nominated five of their peer instructors for the Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction competition. These stories and more at wrganews.com

01/23/2025

Rome and Floyd County are back in session on a normal operating schedule for Thursday

01/22/2025

Our top local stories for Wednesday….It’s another cold morning and Floyd County Schools will operate in a one-hour delay while Rome City, Calhoun City, Gordon County, Bartow County and Polk County Schools are on a two-hour delay; the warming shelter at Wilson Activity Center at Anthony Rec Facility at 2901 Garden Lakes Blvd is closed. All operations there have been moved to Community Kitchen, located at 4 Calhoun Avenue; February is recognized as African American History Month across the United States, and Floyd County would like to recognize members of our community who have made an impact; and the Business Outlook Luncheon at Berry College returns later this month. These stories and more at wrganews.com

01/22/2025

The shelter at Wilson Activity Center at Anthony Rec Facility at 2901 Garden Lakes Blvd is closed. All operations there have been moved to Community Kitchen, located at 4 Calhoun Avenue.

The partnership with Rome Community Kitchen best serves the public due to its access to the bus line, showers and washing facility, as well as their separate dining facility. Thank you Community Kitchen for being a leader in Floyd County!

01/21/2025

Due to the cold weather advisory in effect for our area until tomorrow morning, FCS will implement a one-hour delay on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. School will start one hour later than usual, which means a shift in the regular schedule by one hour.

Some examples include:

If you normally drop your child off at 7:15 a.m., you may drop them off at 8:15 a.m. tomorrow.

If the bus typically picks up your child at 6:45 a.m., the bus will arrive at approximately 7:45 a.m.

If the first bell rings at 8:05 a.m., it will ring at 9:05 a.m.

The CCA morning classes will still take place, but they will also follow the one-hour delay. For example, if your child drives to CCA and typically arrives at 8:20 a.m. for morning classes, they should plan to arrive at 9:20 a.m. tomorrow. If they take the bus from their home school, they will depart one hour later than usual. The first block bell will ring at 9:30 a.m. and the morning student dismissal bell will ring at 11:15 a.m. Afternoon classes will operate on a normal schedule.

In light of the ongoing cold weather expected for the rest of the week, our transportation team and bus drivers will exercise extra patience and allow additional time at each stop. As mentioned in the message from Sunday evening, students may wait in the warmth of their homes or vehicles until the bus arrives, but please be looking out and ready as the bus approaches.

Breakfast will still be available and served to students upon arrival.

FCS is committed to making the most out of each school day, while also ensuring the safety of our students, staff, and parents. As we gathered information today, we wanted to be sure to relay this information as soon as possible to allow proper time for planning and preparation as needed. Thank you, stay warm, and have a great rest of your day.

01/21/2025

All Rome City Schools will open with a delayed start on Wednesday, Jan. 22. This means all bus routes, school openings, and start times will be shifted forward two hours from the regularly scheduled times. For example, a 7:00 AM bus pickup will now be a 9:00 AM pickup, etc.

All elementary staff will report at 9:15 AM. All middle school and high school staff will report at 10:00 AM. No breakfast will be served, and lunches will be served at regular times. There will be no changes to the dismissal procedures.

With cold temperatures expected this coming week, our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and students during their travels to school through our Keeping Schools Safe Initiative. To help protect them from the cold conditions.

We encourage all students to be prepared for the cold weather by:

- Dressing warmly by wearing layers, hats, gloves, and scarves
- Minimizing time spent outdoors
- Bringing any necessary supplies such as hand warmers or extra layers to stay warm outside

We appreciate your understanding as we take these precautions to keep our staff and students safe and comfortable during these cold mornings.

Thank you for your continued support of our students.

01/21/2025

Tuesday, January 21, 2025--5:30 a.m. -National Weather Service- A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. Monday until 9 a.m. Tuesday and again from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 9 a.m. Wednesday. For Monday night, it will be very cold wind chills as low as 2 above expected for the high

01/21/2025

Tuesday, January 21, 2025--5:30 a.m. -Staff reports- The following Schools have announced closures for Tuesday Rome City Schools - Independent Learning Day for staff and students No after-school activities. Floyd County Schools - Closed. All afternoon and extracurricular activities will

01/21/2025

Updated: The following Schools have announced closures for Tuesday, January 21st, 2025:

January 20th, 2025 - 8:00 PM WRGA Staff Reports - The following Schools have announced closures for Tuesday, January 21st, 2025: "After a recent weather update and out of an abundance of caution, Rome City Schools will move to an Independent Learning Day for staff and students tomorrow,

01/21/2025

In light of updated inclement winter weather forecasts, Georgia Highlands College will move to remote operations on Tuesday, January 21, out of an abundance of caution.

Key details for Tuesday, January 21:

In-person classes will convert to remote instruction. Each instructor will provide details on how learning will proceed. Students should refer to course syllabi or D2L for specific information on remote course delivery.

Online classes will continue as scheduled.
In-person activities are canceled for the day.

All in-person campus operations will transition to virtual services. Instead of traveling, please reach out through our call line at 706.802.5000 or visit the Virtual Hub for support.

01/21/2025

Floyd County Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, following information provided this evening by Georgia Emergency Management officials. While current weather forecasts suggest precipitation will remain south of Floyd County, the potential for a shift in weather patterns, combined with freezing temperatures, could create hazardous travel conditions later in the day. Given that Georgia is currently under a State of Emergency, we are prioritizing student safety in making this decision.

We recognize the inconvenience this closure may cause for families, but please know that student well-being is at the core of every decision we make. We will continue to closely monitor the situation with Georgia Emergency Management officials and provide updates as needed.

A decision regarding Wednesday, January 22, 2025, will be made once more information is available.

Additionally, all afternoon and extracurricular activities will proceed as scheduled on Tuesday.

Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our students and community. Stay warm and be safe!

01/21/2025

After a recent weather update and out of an abundance of caution, Rome City Schools will move to an Independent Learning Day for staff and students tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 21, in keeping in line with our Keeping Schools Safe Initiative. Students and staff don't report to school. There will be no after-school activities on Tuesday. Please stay safe and remain weather-aware during this time. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff.