http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/ Floyd County, GA News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/85d4dbf3685469bad994dd2b6b061075.html Seventeen North Georgia cities counties and communities were awarded 3 million in grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission ARC http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/a968618628967ec701b3cbddd4021f6a.html Gov Sonny Perdue announced Wednesday he will lead an economic development mission to Spain from Sept 27 to Oct 3 Republican state Sen Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga has been tapped by the governor to accompany this trade delegation representing the state Department of Transportation mdash; but more importantly Northwest GeorgiaMullis who represents Senate District 53 which includes Walker and Catoosa counties is chairman of the Senate Transportation CommitteeHe is also director of the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority whose purpose is to bring business into the fourcounty region it represents mdash; Walker Catoosa Chattooga and Dadeldquo;I am honored the governor would recognize me to go with him on this trip which not only gives our transportation initiatives a big boost but also helps Northwest Georgiarsquo;s possibilities when it come to traderdquo; Mullis saidThe delegation will meet with economic development prospects during the trip as well as visiting some of the worldrsquo;s top companies in transportation infrastructure and financingMullis said specific businesses are being pursued by the delegation ldquo;The identities of the businesses are being held close to the vest by the governorrsquo;s office and we wonrsquo;t know them specifically until he discloses them during the triprdquo; Perdue explained his reason for the trip ldquo;Our nationrsquo;s softening economy has intensified the competition among states for economic development prospects We will continue our successful push for new jobs and investment from European companies eager to invest in the American marketrdquo;Mullis said while the governor will be exerting his influence to bring business and industry to the state he will be doing what he can to specifically bring them to Northwest GeorgiaThe triprsquo;s itinerary covers stops in Barcelona Madrid Lisbon and Milan where the Georgia delegation will meet with companies and government officialsMullis said the governorrsquo;s trip would not only focus on trade but also on transportation issues facing Georgialdquo;Europe has some of the worldrsquo;s most innovative ideas on financing transportation infrastructurerdquo; Perdue said ldquo;We will see some of these ideas firsthand in order to understand what approaches could be used here in Georgiardquo;Mullis agreed ldquo;They truly have some unique aspects we are looking into like publicprivate partnerships for new thoroughfares for Georgiardquo;Mullis explained that the creation of a new eastwest connector linking I75 with I85 north of Atlanta is an idea the state is considering but is looking for a way to funding the project Some European countries allow private dollars for funding such a project and use a tolling system for the private dollars to be paid backldquo;The governor and I are both against existing roads being tolled but new roads that could be built by the private sector but owned by the public sector the state maybe considered as a publicprivate partnershiprdquo; Mullis said ldquo;So they private companies would build the road and set a toll for use of the road according to market price and with a contract over a period of years so the state would eventually take it over or continue the contract with its private partnerrdquo;Mullis said he would push for the creation of any such a connector to be located as far north of Atlanta as possible to encourage its benefits being enjoyed by North Georgia Also accompanying Perdue on the trip is a delegation of government and elected officials including Commissioner Ken Stewart of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Gena Evans of the Georgia Department of Transportation and Executive Director Dick Anderson of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority House Transportation Committee chairman Vance Smith as well as Mullis will also join the delegation for the transportation portions of the itineraryIn Barcelona Perdue and the delegation will call on company officials and meet with President Joseacute; Montilla of the Catalonia region The governor will give a keynote address at an ldquo;Invest in Georgiardquo; seminar hosted by the USSpain Chamber of Commerce to an audience of Spanish companies interested in bringing business to GeorgiaAt the same time the American Chamber of Commerce in Madrid will host a business roundtable on energy and technology where Commissioner Stewart will speak on a panel titled ldquo;The Evolving Energy Model in the United Statesrdquo;The Madrid portion of the trip includes a number of transportationrelated meetings including a visit with executives from Cintra a Spanish company that is a world leader in developing transportation infrastructure The delegation will also tour two Spanish publicprivate road projects and meet with SEOPAN the Spanish Transportation Association Perdue will also call on a number of Spanish companies in the regionFrom Madrid Perdue will make a stop in Lisbon where he will call on Portuguese manufacturer EFACEC Group which is building a manufacturing facility in Effingham County and Brisa one of Portugalrsquo;s top highway management companies After leaving Lisbon the governor will meet with Pirelli officials in Milan Pirelli operates a tire manufacturing facility in Rome GaMullis said the cost of his trip is being paid out of his pocket but believes the investment dividend is worth the money to possibly bring more jobs into Georgia especially into Northwest Georgia during this economic slowdown gripping much of the nation This mission marks the 16th overall international trip and third to Europe of Perduersquo;s 68 months in office Previous visits include: Germany and the United Kingdom June 2003; Japan and Korea October 2003; El Salvador Guatemala and Honduras May 2004; Brazil Chile and Argentina June 2004; Mexico September 2004; Canada July 2005; Japan October 2005; Israel November 2005; Korea March 2006; Ireland the United Kingdom France the Czech Republic Germany and Belgium June 2007; Japan and Korea October 2007; Canada November 2007; China MarchApril 2008; and China August 2008 The governor also visited with US military personnel during a Thanksgiving 2005 trip to Iraq Kuwait Qatar Afghanistan and Pakistan CLICK ON THESE LINKSFEEDBACK: Send a letter to the editorSUBSCRIBE: Get The Catoosa County News each WednesdayGO BACK:Return to our homepage http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/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/floyd-county/content/286bbf38941193568abcc061a80c9be6.html A Northwest Airlines flight traveling from Orlando to Detroit was diverted to Atlanta after a warning light indicated a mechanical problem Northwest spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo Shannon says in a statement that Flight 423 landed without incident Monday afternoon and was being inspected by mechanics http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/aae1c695fda3838ac3ea55c98957b207.html One by one nine witnesses took the stand against Troy Davis to say he was the man who gunned down an offduty Savannah police officer In 1991 their testimony helped send the Georgia man to death row However in the years since seven of the nine have recanted their testimony and his attorneys claim others say another man pulled the trigger http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/1d0b57a7e7899e390ddc05b8db9efe85.html A Northwest Airlines flight traveling from Orlando to Detroit was diverted to Atlanta after a warning light indicated a mechanical problem Northwest spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo Shannon says in a statement that Flight 423 landed without incident Monday afternoon and was being inspected by mechanics http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/72f982d9252bb279ecc8838ce711900d.html ATLANTA mdash; Roddy White began his day with six career 100yard receiving games http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/floyd-county/content/624086924365385bb7445f7947052232.html ATLANTA mdash; The Kansas City Chiefs' defensive plan was obvious: Stop the run