http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/ Cartersville, GA News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/9e544ef5207b0eef430d544012de473c.html ATLANTA mdash; Four weeks into the schedule has Class A and AA welcoming two new members each into this week's Associated Press high school football poll http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/0061507832a30a7223a4ebed0814f765.html ATLANTA mdash; After losing to Class AAAAA No 3 NorthsideWarner Robins Class AAA CarverColumbus drops to No 2 and makes way for Cairo to top the poll in this week's Associated Press high school football poll http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/0059d24eaeb8e3136009e80f36e30939.html In terms of rankings two things occurred Friday Buford proved itrsquo;s worthy of itrsquo;s No 1 ranking and Gainesville proved that it belonging in the top 10 http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/56fb68855af4702742b1d0875288834a.html The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Georgia high school football polls of the 2008 season with firstplace votes in parentheses and wonloss record and total points: http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/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/cartersville/content/ccc1938e7c0028390031254b3bc2d374.html INCLUDES VIDEO: Craig Lesser talks about the Volkswagen plant coming to Chattanooga and how that affects Northwest GeorgiaROCK SPRING Leaders from the four counties that make up the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority converged Tuesday afternoon to discuss bringing a Volkswagen supply facility to Northwest GeorgiaThe discussion took place at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring with delegates from each of the Development Authorityrsquo;s counties mdash; Walker Dade Chattooga and newly enlisted Catoosa mdash; being in attendanceCraig Lesser former commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development spoke to a crowd of business and education leaders and elected officialsLesser was one of the key players who landed the KIA Motors manufacturing plant deal in West Point in 2006Lesser emphatically declared in his opening remarks ldquo;Volkswagen coming to Chattanooga is incrediblerdquo;Lesser described the work that Chattanooga officials had committed to bringing Volkswagen to the city as being admirable and said it should be applauded by the Northwest Georgia community as a very unique opportunity for this area to grow its economyldquo;Tennessee has done a brilliant job in bringing Volkswagen to our areardquo; Lesser said ldquo;They showed Volkswagen that they were serious about the company coming to Chattanooga Look at what they did to market themselves to the company But now it is up to us to bring these investors to this side of the state linerdquo;Time of opportunitySince Volkswagenrsquo;s announcement to come to Chattanooga back in July local leaders have recognized the possibility of bringing a Volkswagen supply facility into the Northwest Georgia areaDuring the hourlong discussion Lesser spoke of the need for the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority to begin assembling a team that would directly negotiate with Volkswagenldquo;They Volkswagen must have a point of contact with this area through this agency and under the direction of Jeff Mullis as executive director a team must be assembled to market the value of the areardquo;VIDEO: Craig Lesser talks about VW plantTo launch external video player click hereMullis said he is already talking with county leaders about putting together a team to negotiate with Volkswagenldquo;We are already working on plans of going to Virginia Volkswagenrsquo;s American headquarters and marketing the areardquo; Mullis said ldquo;A trip to Germany has been discussedrdquo;Mullis said the trip would be paid for with donations from private businesses and industryLesser said such a trip could speak volumes to company officials looking to place its support facilitiesldquo;You must realize that the competition to land this support industry is greatrdquo; Lesser said ldquo;Other locations in Tennessee and Alabama are already working to bring the company into their communities Northwest Georgia must visit with the company Officials in Alabama are already planning a visit You have to seize this opportunity and get there fast to build the type of relationship that will bring Volkswagen here Volkswagen must know that this is the best place to continue investing in Americardquo;Lesser said that building this relationship with company leaders is the true key for successfully bringing support companies to Northwest Georgialdquo;Relationship is the key to the future investment of any companyrdquo; Lesser said ldquo;People simply do business with people they know and trustrdquo;Mullis said that his office has already been contacted by a party interested in looking at sites available in the area for a possible support facility siteThe company is already looking today to find locations for their supply facilitiesMullis said to the crowdMullis said the company was actively looking at several locations along Interstate 75 even as far south as CartersvilleShowcase your areaLesser said it is not enough for residents to know that a great area for the company exists hereldquo;We know what we have here so we assume that others know as wellrdquo; Lesser said ldquo;You have to pitch the value of the longterm investment that exists in this community We have to show off the achievements of our students our programs and the quality of our workforce If we canrsquo;t supply these things someone else will gladly step in to fill the void We have to showcase our businesses our companies and our people as being the best We have to show these new investors why this in the best place to live and to workrdquo;Mullis spoke of the commitment that all the agencies represented at the discussion would have to make to bring support companies to Northwest Georgialdquo;It will take the complete commitment of this community hellip;rdquo; Mullis saidLesser agreed with Mullisrsquo; assessment of the communityrsquo;s commitment and added that the magnitude of this economic opportunity could potentially dwarf many expectationsldquo;It has been a long time since we have seen an opportunity like this for the area maybe in a generationrdquo; said Lesserldquo;Patience and diligence will pay off in timerdquo; Lesser said ldquo;Donrsquo;t be afraid to invest in this opportunity Don't be afraid to invest in Northwest Georgiardquo;US Sen Johnny Isakson responded to the afternoon meeting saying ldquo;Volkswagenrsquo;s selection of Chattanooga for its new assembly plant offers vast economic opportunities for Northwest Georgia Irsquo;m pleased the regionrsquo;s leaders are already coming together to see how this growing area can benefitrdquo;Mullis said that after local leaders have had time to assemble local delegations the Development Authority would begin to try to set up meetings with VolkswagenMullis concluded the meeting by saying to leaders on hand ldquo;We must invest in our area to reap the dividends of this wonderful opportunityrdquo;CLICK ON THESE LINKSFEEDBACK: Send a letter to the editorSUBSCRIBE: Get the Walker County Messenger each Wednesday and FridayGO BACK:Return to our homepage http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/b7e0e13fc70a5fecaef2a7a7132eaa29.html A 19yearold student is accused of hacking into the Georgia Highlands College computer system The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Cartersville police arrested Christopher Fowler of Cartersville on Friday on charges of computer trespass and unlawful eavesdropping http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/cartersville/content/00acc703c0bbe2e6539afc49255f0714.html New numbers from the US Census Bureau show population growth locally ranging from 183 additional residents in Chattooga County to 2114 more people in Bartow CountyCatoosa County grew by 1157 people The numbers are for July 2007 compared to July 2006 The city with the most growth was Dalton with 677 Calhoun grew by 531 people and Cartersville gained 523 people Population in Fort Oglethorpe grew by 187 and in Ringgold by 48This chart shows population changes city by city in eight counties in Northwest GeorgiaCLICK ON THESE LINKSFEEDBACK: Send a letter to the editorSUBSCRIBE: Get The Catoosa County News each WednesdayGO BACK:Return to our homepage