http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/ Bainbridge, GA News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/46898c4e8dcb9702e275c050a0ce6939.html Tropical Storm Fay is soaking southwestern Georgia with heavy rain and blowing down trees and power lines though officials say no major damage or injuries have been reported Georgia Power spokeswoman Lynn Wallace says about 6100 homes and businesses were without electricity Saturday in cities near the Florida border including Valdosta Waycross Tifton and Bainbridge http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/9aa91798e926b1cfa7bff23b90c5f573.html The Route 27 Association an 18county alliance that includes Catoosa Walker Floyd Chattooga and Polk counties expects to learn in September whether a OneGeorgia Authority grant will fund a 78000 strategic marketing plan for the corridor The highway which is Walker Countyrsquo;s main corridor is one of two highways in Georgia designated as alternative tourism routes through the state ldquo;The Georgia Department of Economic Development already has identified key assetsrdquo; said Lloyd Frasier planning director for the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center ldquo;This study will identify more along with the best ways to promote them to vacation travelersrdquo; Photo:Representatives of the Route 27 Association counties stand with Walker Countyrsquo;s Virgil Sperry who was recognized for his leadership in the alliance Pictured from front to back are: Denise Clopton Sen Isakson field representative; Jerry Jennings Floyd County Commission chairman; Bill Collins Rome city commissioner; Sperry atlarge RDC member; Bebe Heiskell Walker commissioner; Billy Croker Polk commissioner; Mark Fletcher Catoosa RDC member; Scott Tillery Cedartown commissioner; Martha Eaker Catoosa Chamber of Commerce; Mike Garrett atlarge RDC member; and Lloyd Frasier Coosa Valley RDCThe study will take six to eight months to complete Frasier said Meanwhile signs already are going up along the route to mark a historic courthouse tour that starts in Ringgold and winds down along US 27 to Bainbridge in South Georgia The 15yearold signs found in storage last year belonged to the original Highway 27 Association formed to push for fourlaning of the entire length of the road On Thursday the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center gave its ldquo;Distinguished Coosa Valley Citizenrdquo; award to Virgil Sperry of Walker County for his work in reviving the alliance to take advantage of the completed widening ldquo;Hersquo;s been a shining star for usrdquo; said Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell ldquo;This new marketing initiative ought to take us to the next levelrdquo; The Regional Development Center also quickly and unanimously appointed Polk County Commissioner Billy Croker to a privatesector seat on the board effective in January Crokerrsquo;s term on the board would have expired with his county Commission term in December mdash; but Regional Development Center representatives from the 10county region said they did not want to lose his experience and statewide connections Bill Steiner executive director of the Regional Development Center said continuity will be especially important next year as the regional planning agencies reorganize New legislation combines the Coosa Valley and North Georgia Regional Development Centers but North Georgia members have so far declined to sign a resolution accepting the statemandated change Croker has been in talks with the Daltonbased agency trying to work out a smooth transition It is unclear what will happen if they balk but Steiner said a loss of state funding is likely http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/97167d865049fb090d3223f75faec37f.html The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Georgia high school football preseason poll of the 2008 season with firstplace votes in parentheses and total points: http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/841f20b74ff9d58fd8156132ecf30bb5.html The butterflies will come during pregame infield on the smoothed dirt http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/b1c8e6eb48423c39017c711c37724c26.html Steven and Janis Swit of Atlanta announce the engagement of their daughter Staci Maris Swit to Jacob Walther Brinson son of George and Carolyn Brinson of Gainesville http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/15343007c91d4f2b6ce740eb9ca51f09.html Baccari Rambo moved into a backup role at safety alongside John Knox for Georgia when Quintin Banks suffered a torn MCL http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/bainbridge/content/7cdcb122be7be04f311cd30642a6df9e.html No good deed goes unpunished Recently I mentioned that Sen Saxby Chambliss wanted to hear from you regarding the current energy crisis A lot of you wrote him and many of you sent me a copy I found your letters a lot more thoughtful than the reply you received from the senator's office