The Connection

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Connection The

Showcasing the best of Polk County September/October 2012


Welcome to Polk County

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

Polk School District

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT P.O. Box 128 612 S. College Street Cedartown, GA 30125 Mr. Marvin B. Williams, Superintendent Telephone (770) 748-3821 • Facsimile (770) 748-5131 On behalf of the Polk School District Board of Education, as well as students and employees of our district, I greet you. Polk School District has a strong vision for what it believes Student Achievement to be. It is deeply rooted in the belief that ALL STUDENTS CAN LEARN. Despite recent economic challenges, Polk School District continues to build a system that supports teaching and learning as it moves to make its vision become reality. Our aggressive approach to raising educational achievements for all students whether they be rural, minority or from low-income settings is to be celebrated. We know that students do not learn in a vacuum. They come to us with varied life experiences and it is our goal to utilize their experiences in the educational process. It is our task to provide opportunities that will increase knowledge and learning. We are grateful for community support. The many partnerships assist us in providing quality education to our 7300+ students. The school-community connection is extremely important in the process of students achieving and educators teaching. It is our goal to make our district one of distinction and not mediocre so that all of our students will be prepared for lifelong success. It is also our hope to motivate students and advance those relationships that cultivate learning. This would not be possible without the collabration of this community. The employees of our district represent what is best about education. Their untiring support for student achievement is what makes Polk School District a thriving institution. Our employees have dedicated their lives to enhancing the lives of students. For this we are eternally grateful. Our employees continue to have a powerful impact on the lives of students. The Polk School District Board of Education is committed to ensuring opportunities for all our students to be successful. Thanks to each of you for sharing in this vision. Sincerely,

Mr. Marvin B. Williams, Superintendent

Table of Contents

Welcome To Polk County........................................ 2 Events Calendar...................................................... 3 Connection News................................................... 4 Welcome New Members......................................... 7 Homespun.............................................................. 8


Events Calendar September 3

GRITS Labor Day Ride The 2012 GRITS (Georgia Rails into Trails Society, Inc.) Labor Day Bicycle and Roller Blade is Monday September 3, 2012 held in Cedartown. This is a fun event and not a race which consists of 20 mile to 47mile bike or roller blade rides, or a 62.1 mile bike ride. Planned routes will accommodate the novice to the elite participants. You can register using active.com.

September 9

Artists Reception An Artists Reception will be held on Sunday September,9 from 1 pm until 3pm at the Rockmart Cultural Arts Center for the Silver Comet/ Chief Ladiga Trail Invitational Art Exhibit that began on August 31 and will continue through October 27. Everyone is invited to attend. For more information 770-684-2707.

September 18- 22

Polk County Fair The Polk County Fair is kicking it up a notch this year with a new and exciting events! The Fair sponsored by Exchange Club of Cedartown will take place September 18- 22 and will open Tuesday through Friday at 5 pm. The Fair will open on Saturday at 3 pm with an added attraction of singer Cindy Smith, backed by the Owens Brothers Band playing from 5 pm – 6:30 pm. Cindy’s family has lived in Polk County since 1975. You can view her website at www.reverbnation.com/cindysmith. Also, new this year will be thousands of discount coupons for Wednesday night arm bands, which will be distributed through various Polk County merchants and the Cedartown and Rockmart library’s summer reading programs. Be on the lookout for more information to come in the Official Polk County Fair Catalog available in late August at the Polk County Extension office, the Rockmart and Cedartown libraries, and the Cedartown Welcome Center.

September 28- 29

Brent Hillburn Music Festival Friday Sept 28th, is GOSPEL NIGHT from 6-10:30 pm. LIVE ON SATURDAY, SEPT 29TH AT 9:00 pm, Nashville recording star DOUG STONE will bring his #1 hit "I'd be Better off in a Pine Box" to THE ROCK, along with many of his other hit songs. Also appearing during the festival will be Michael Jack & the Psychedelic Rodeo, as well as Nashville recording stars The Van Lears. Events on Saturday start at 12 noon. Check out Doug Stones video on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eYXrr1oF1M

October – November

Carlton Farms Corn Maze Make plans with your family and friends to attend the 11th Annual Carlton Farms Corn Maze located at 1276 Cartersville Hwy. in Rockmart. They have over 2 miles of trail and offer a night maze, so bring your flashlight. In addition to the corn maze they offer other fun farm activities such as: Hale Bale Maze, Hayride, Hay Jump, Animal Petting Barn, Corn Cannon, and Catfish Pond. For dates, time and other information call 770-546-5179 or 770-6843789. Rockmart Historical Museum The recently opened Rockmart Historical Museum is a must see for anyone interested in history. It chronicles the unique history and culture of Rockmart with heirloom contributions of items and photos supplied by members of the community. Of particular interest are the items concerning “Welsh” Rockmart, with its miners and slate industry, chapels and slate roofs. The museum is located in the old City Hall Building at 133 S. Marble Street, next to Seaborn Jones Park.

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

October Rockmart Civic Arts

The Rockmart Civic Arts Commission has activities scheduled year round. They currently offer two “Open Studio” styled art classes. (A studio or workroom which is made accessible to all comers, where artistic or creative work can be viewed and created collaboratively.) Mondays and Thursdays, Kathy Torres teaches Drawing from 5:30 – 7:00 PM. Drawing begins with a $12.00 session fee and a onetime supply fee of $10.00. Thereafter, session fee is $12.00. Students ages 13 and up, at all levels of expertise are invited to attend, from beginners to advanced. For more detailed information on the Drawing classes, please contact instructor Kathy Torres at 706-266-7554. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Paul Craighead teaches pottery from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. All ages are invited to attend as are all levels of expertise. Session fee is $15.00 and includes all materials, equipment, glazing, firing, and instruction. Instructor Paul Craighead can be contacted at 770-843-5302 for any additional questions or concerns. Classes are now being offered in Piano, Guitar and Woodcarving. Call now to reserve your space. 770-684-2707

The Rockmart Community Chorus

Debbie Miller is the Director of the Rockmart Community Chorus which is a group of volunteer singers from Rockmart, Cedartown, and surrounding communities. The group meets weekly at 7 PM on Tuesday evenings at the new Cultural Arts Center, 316 N. Piedmont Ave., Bldg. 300, Suite 203, Rockmart, GA 30153. The Rockmart Community Chorus presents two concerts each year. RCC has recently begun rehearsals for the Christmas program, “The Hope of Christmas”. The Christmas concert includes both secular and sacred selections in tribute to the season. There is always room for more singers and Mrs. Miller encourages anyone interested in joining the Chorus to contact her for more information. Her contact number is 404-219-9572. The Christmas Concert is scheduled for December 1st at 7PM and December 2nd at 2PM. Please mark your calendars to attend this annual tradition of Rockmart Community Chorus.

October 4

Small Business Expo The Polk County Chamber 2012 Small Business Expo is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 4, 11am- 2 pm, at the Historic Purks Building, 330 West Avenue, in Cedartown. The Small Business Expo gives small businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the Polk County business community and the public. For more information call Laura Bates at 770-684-8760, or email lbates@polkgeorgia.com.

October 6

Cedartown Fall Festival The Fall Festival will be held in Historic Downtown Cedartown Oct. 6, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. The Cedartown Fall Festival is an annual event which brings families from across the region to the Downtown Historic District for a day of food, live bands and old fashioned community fun. Watch the parade, listen to the live bands, enjoy a fried pie or funnel cake and purchase hand -made items. There will be something to delight the whole family from tots to gramps. For more information you can contact the Downtown Cedartown Association at 770-748-2090.


Connection News

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

Cherokee Welcomes the iPad! Cherokee Elementary School is a perfect place to combine traditional schoolwork with iPad technology. Currently there are iPad labs in each grade level from Kindergarten to 5th grade. Each lab has 25-30 iPads that are used each day to enhance instruction. Teachers use a variety of apps to motivate and reward students and the use of these iPads provide students with the opportunity to practice the skills they need most in an independent and fun format. Cherokee’s goal is to have iPads in all classrooms in the next two years. This would provide students with daily access to this incredible technology and provide teachers with tools to motivate and encourage student achievement. So far students have loved the technology and teachers are encouraged by student gains in the classroom and on standardized tests. Cherokee Elementary will continue to look for ways to introduce technology in the classroom to both enhance instruction and improve student achievement.

Eastside Students Are So “SMART”

Students at Eastside Elementary School have a variety of SMART technology pieces and Renaissance Learning Responders to use in their classrooms each day. Each Kindergarten through Fifth Grade classroom is equipped with a SMART Board and projector as well as a set of Renaissance Responders. Both pieces of equipment can be used in both whole group and small group instructional settings and can be used in every subject area. In addition to those items, we have 3 SMART tables to use for small group instruction. This allows up to 8 students to work cooperatively to achieve various objectives. This year we have also added 7 iPAD labs that teachers incorporate to encourage math and reading fluency by using various applications through Apple. Students really enjoy using the various available technologies to accompany the many wonderful things they are learning each and every day!


Connection News

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

Cedartown High School State Winners were recognized at Board meeting on May 8, 2012 State Champions: Maria Rodriguez – FBLA State Marketing Team Ree Palmer – Retail Merchandising National Winner: Top 10 Role Play Finish at National DECA convention in Salt Lake City. Mary Paige Gray & Valerie Dewandel – Business Law & Ethics Decision Making Cody Lumpkin – Skills USA - Criminal Justice Zach Bright - Skills USA – Welding Leo Cordero – AAA Wrestling Champ 152 lb Jordan Watkins – AAA Wrestling Champ 195 lb

Governor’s Honors Nominee Alondra Guzman – Governor’s Honors Communicative Arts Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship Winner - $250,000 scholarship Andrew Arencibia - Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship $250,000 scholarship They give 1000 scholarships nationwide 24,000 students applied for this scholarship.

CEDARTOWN HIGH SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY IN THE MUSIC CLASSES

This is a typical setup in a music class that includes a piano keyboard that is connected to the computer via MIDI (Musical Insutrument Digital Interface)

This is an example of "Smartmusic". The student's music appears on the computer screen as the computer plays the solo or accompaniment part.

“Smartmusic” is a computer program that is installed on three computers available to our music department. It is a program designed to assist the music student in a wide range of opportunities. It can provide tutoring for beginning and intermediate instrumental and vocal students to the more advanced level of providing accompaniments for soloists. “Encore” is a music notation program that allows the teacher and students to enter and create music in a musical notation they will understand and then allows the music to be printed so that hard copies can be available for the students. “Encore” will also allow the teacher to input the accompaniment music for choral classes. These accompaniments can be used to “warm-up” the choral classes or even be apart of the musical performances at concerts.

Two students practicing with the computer assisted program known as "Smartmusic."

Each design (or picture) shows the accurate spacing of all individuals in the marching band. Note the different labels for each section: (G=Color Guard, T=Trumpet, B=Baritones, etc.)

With the "PYWARE Virtual 3D" Drill writing program, the band director can create the formations for the marching band. Each design can then be animated to show the flow of the drill from beginning to end.


Connection News

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON “Making Connections with Writing and Technology” “Three for One” might be a good title for some of our second graders who have incorporated writing skills, technology and career choices into a year -end project. Students in Molly Jordan’s second grade classroom recently recorded a short story they had written into a powerpoint presentation. They could choose their favorite story to read and record for their parents. Many students selected stories describing “what they want to be” when they grow up. This culminating activity parallels the Northside Elementary School theme for the 2012-13 school year of “Oh the Places You’ll Go”. Included in their presentations were photos of the student and a scanned copy of their writing.

Students in Rockmart High Science teacher Shea Floyd’s Biology class are participating in a pilot of Polk School District’s Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) program. Current education policies prohibit the use of personal electronic devices in the classroom, but PSD received a waiver which allows students in designated classes to bring and use their own internet devices in the classroom, such as mp3 players, iPads, laptop computers, and even selected game systems that have internet access. Mrs. Floyd’s students were able to use their artistic talents to create biology advertisements using Animoto, a free internet program that turns photos and video clips into professional video slideshows. Principal Teresa Treadaway stated that the BYOT pilot has been a success. “Students are more engaged in their learning and they produce higher quality work when they are allowed to use the technology that they are already familiar with in their every day lives,” she stated.

This past May, twenty-three members of the Rockmart High School’s environmental club, Kappa Pi Beta (KPB), were able to get up close and personal with a tropical environment when they visited Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. At Discovery Cove, under the supervision of club sponsors Shea Floyd and Kyle Stephens, students participated in a Dolphin Swim Experience. In small groups, they worked with a trainer and one or two dolphins, gaining “hands-on” experience as they learned to signal, touch, and even ride on these amazing mammals. Other activities included snorkeling with stingrays, tropical fish, and sharks at the Grand Reef, strolling through a tropical aviary, and floating down the Wind-Away River. Science teacher Shea Floyd asserted that “this was an amazing opportunity for these students—they got to see first-hand some of the content that they’ve learned in class. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!” Mrs. Floyd hopes to make this an annual trip.


WELCOME NEw members! INNOVATIVE PAYROLL SERVICES, Inc. Jonathan Thomas 316 E. 7th Street Rome, GA (706) 295-4595 VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH Joseph Davidson 14 Hendrix Rd. Rockmart, GA (770) 324-2819

RICHARD L. LONG, SR. 533 Adams Rd. Cedartown, GA (770) 855-4504 ROCKMART PUBLIC LIBRARY Sharon Cleveland 316 N. Piedmont Ave.Bldg. 201, Rockmart, GA (770) 684-3022 ROGER WALDROP 48 Ridgewood Drive Rockmart, GA. (770) 684-4748

D & M CUSOM CABINETS David Fincher 1115 Collard Valley Rd. Cedartown, GA (770) 748-5777

TOP THIS! Cindy Dingler 557 N. Main Street Cedartown, GA (770) 748-6233

FREDDIE LEWIS 180 Flint Hill Rd.Aragon, GA (770) 684-5992

HILLS CREEK EVENTS LLS Sharon Rakestraw Morgan 1291 Braswell Rd Dallas, GA (404) 580-5241

CEDAR SPRINGS INDUSTRIES Lara Walton 321 West Avenue Cedartown, GA (770) 749-2282

SECURITY FINANCE OF GA LLC Kathy Pace 407 North Main St. Cedartown, GA. (770) 748-1133 DARLINGTON SCHOOL Darla Betts 1014 Cave Spring Rd. Rome, GA. (706) 232-3600


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THE CONNECTION September/October 2012


Attractions Guide Landmarks and Historic Areas Cedartown

POLK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY/MUSEUM Formerly Hawkes Children’s Library, the mu­se­um contains the history of Polk Coun­ty. The building was designed by J. Neel Reid, famous Geor­gia architect, and was built in 1924. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

POLK COUNTY COURTHOUSE #2 At 100 Prior Street, this building was designed by Otis Clay Poundston in Neoclassical Revival Style and constructed in 1935. It was originally City Hall, but is now used as a courthouse annex.

CEDARTOWN MURAL

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

Landmarks and Historic Areas Rockmart/Aragon

VAN WERT

Created in 1832 from the village of Cleantown, Van Wert was made the seat of Paulding County. It was known for slate, iron, gold and fertile farmland and served as the county seat until Polk County was formed from part of Paulding in 1851 and the county seat was moved to Cedartown. Van Wert was awarded a Historic Township of Georgia by the Department of Community Affairs.

VAN WERT METHODIST CHURCH

Built in 1857 by Rev. Wm. Simpson, Van Wert Methodist Church is one of the oldest structures in Polk County. The Van Wert Church Restoration Group, led by Greg Gray, is renovating the structure.

Completed in 1999, the mural is located on Main Street. The project was designed and completed by local artists and volunteers from The Art Lover’s League of Cedar Valley. The mural is a collage of well-known structures in Cedartown including many historic sites such as Hawkes Children’s Library and County Courthouse #2.

ARAGON-EUHARLEE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL

Outside Courthouse #2 is a Confederate monument erected in 1906 by United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Confederate veterans.

The mural was created in 1997 and painted on the side of Morgan Hardware on Marble Street. The mural was created by 180 volunteers over a three week period and was part of a celebration of Rockmart's 125th anniversary.

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH

THE GOODYEAR MILL

Built on West Avenue in 1883, this is the oldest church still in use in Cedartown. The church has been maintained in its original state except for the outside color. Sterling Holloway grew up in this church.

BOOZ HOTEL This structure was built in the 1800s and operated as a hotel in the 1890s. Located across the street from the Polk County Historical Society.

BIG SPRING Located on Wissahickon Avenue, this was the site of a ballground and ceremonial dance ground of the Cherokee Indian natives until the early 1800s. It is the second largest limestone spring in the South and produces an average of 4 million gallons of water per day.

WEST THEATER Built in 1941 on West Avenue, this structure was designed in the Art Deco Style and has been maintained in its original design. It is one of the finest examples of Art Deco style in Northwest Georgia. 770-748-3090.

DOWNTOWN CEDARTOWN In 1988, Cedartown became a “Mainstreet City” and is a registered site in the National Register of Historic Places. The last decade has seen much renovation in the down­town area including second floor residential availability, new businesses and remodelings. 770-748-2090. HIGHTOWER FALLS

In Aragon, the oldest church still in use in the County.

ROCKMART MURAL

In 1929, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company selected Rockmart as the site for one of its clearwater mills. They built a multi-million dollar plant on what is now Goodyear Street and gave Rockmart "the biggest boost it has ever received in its history." Goodyear sold the plant in 1987 and it is now owned and operated by Meggitt Polymers & Composites.

GOODYEAR MILL VILLAGE

In the 1930s, Goodyear built a modern village with approximately 180 homes, two tennis courts, a baseball field and a golf course directly across the street from the mill.

CITY HALL

The Rockmart Municipal Complex located on N. Piedmont Ave, is now considered "City Hall". The complex includes the Administrative Services Building, Cultural Arts Center,Recreation Department, and Rockmart Police Department. The complex is located on what was originally the site of the Piedmont Institute College, which was replaced later by Rockmart High and Middle Schools which later became known as Rockmart High School.

ROSE HILL CEMETERY/GAZEBO

On Elm Street, the land for the cemetery was donated to the town. The gazebo, constructed in 1891 is now considered one of Rockmart's most recognizable historic landmarks. The cemetery site also offers a spectacular view across Rockmart.

EUHARLEE CREEK/SEABORN JONES PARK

A city park, Seaborn Jones Park sits in the middle of downtown Rockmart along the banks of the Euharlee Creek. The name Euharlee comes from the Cherokee or Creek Indians and means "she laughs as she runs."

Originally the site of a wooden grist mill purchased by Elias Hightower in 1846 and con­vert­ed into a facsimile of the Whitney cotton gin. Mr. Hightower also constructed a three story mill on the site in 1850 using the 60 foot Falls for power. The mill was once a vibrant mercantile center near Cedartown. Sherman’s men ate and slept here on their march through the state, but spared the mill from the fate which befell so many others. Hightower Falls is presently a private group facility available for special occasions. Call (770) 748-8588 for more information.

DODGE & DAVIS AT PEEK SPRINGS

OLD MILL

The recently opened Rockmart Historical Museum is a must see for anyone interested in history. It chronicles the unique history and culture of Rockmart with heirloom contributions of items and photos supplied by members of the community. Of particular interest are the items concerning "Welsh" Rockmart, with its miners and slate industry, chapels and slate roofs. The museum is located in old City Hall Building at 133 Marble Street, next to Seaborn Jones Park.

Located on Hwy. 27 South, this structure was built by slave labor in 1848 for Asa Prior who came to Polk County in 1837. The first miller was a slave named “Old Allen” and the structure was operated as a mill until 1945. It was renovated and operated as a restaurant by Mr. And Mrs. Robert Stephens from 1960-1991. It was purchased by Ann and Jimmy Madden in 1997.

Near Aragon's City Hall, camping place of General Grenville Dodge's 16th AC of McPherson's Army of Tennessee. Later, Brig. Gen. J.C. Davis' 2nd division, 14th Corps Army of the Cumberland camped here en route from Rome to Dallas, Ga. These troops were part of the right wing of General Sherman’s forces moving to outflank General Johnston’s army at Allatoona Pass. This resulted in 10 days of battle at New Hope Church, Dallas and Pickett’s Mill in Paulding County.

ROCKMART HISTORICAL MUSEUM

THE CONNECTION September/October 2012 -

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Connection News

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON

River’s Alive A major goal of Keep Polk Beautiful is the ongoing monitoring of Polk County’s water ways and water supplies. The protection from pollution of our water resources is the responsibility of all Polk citizens. The Rivers Alive Program is an annual clean water activity sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division during each fall. Keep America Beautiful, Keep Georgia Beautiful and Keep Polk Beautiful are national participants in Rivers Alive. Polk County’s citizens / volunteers target all waterways in Polk County including rivers, streams, lakes, beaches and wetlands.

Euharlee Valley Historial Society Inc. will present the Annual Veterans Memorial Service on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the Historic Van Wert Church and Cemetery just south of Rockmart, GA. The Sons of Confederate Veterans and The Daughters of the Confederacy will be providing the Memorial Service starting at 10:00 am. Contact Information, Greg Gray 770-748-5657.

Keep Polk Beautiful’s Sixth Annual Rivers Alive Cleanup will be Saturday, October 6. Hundreds of citizens have volunteered to address water pollution throughout the county. This year’s event kicks off at Seaborn Jones Park in Rockmart on Saturday, October 6, at 8:30am. Tons of debris are collected from our water ways each year; making Rivers Alive one of the most important environmental projects in Polk County and Georgia. Rivers Alive projects provide people of all ages the opportunity to participate. Families, churches, civic organizations, municipal and industrial employees, scout troops, and school classes are just a part of the volunteer efforts of this important event. Citizens of all walks of life find Rivers Alive to be a very meaningful, family activity. To volunteer and for further details, contact Vance Voinche or David Promis at kpbeautiful@polkga.org or 678-246-1083.

14th Annual Small Business Expo The 14th Annual Polk County Chamber’s Small Business Expo is set for Thursday, October 4, at The Historic Purks Building, 330 West Avenue in Cedartown. The hours open to the public are 11am – 2pm. The purpose of the Small Business Expo is to allow small businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the Polk County business community and to the public. It allows new and old businesses the opportunity to become reacquainted with the community and new businesses a way to introduce themselves and meet their future buyers and competition. The Expo is also another great networking opportunity offered by the Polk County Chamber. Small businesses are the driving force that fuels our country’s economy. Polk County Annual Small Business Expo is the venue that will get your company in plain view of this powerful community. The benefits that your company will receive are immense. For more information, call the Chamber office at 770-684-8760 or email lbates@polkgeorgia.com.

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THE CONNECTION September/October 2012


Polk County at a Glance LOCATION AND LAND AREA Polk County, consisting of a 312 square mile area, is near the center of the South's three largest industrial centers: Atlanta, 45 miles east; Birmingham, 85 miles west, and Chattanooga, 83 miles north. Surrounded on four corners by mountains, Polk County is a land of dramatic contrasts - from the city of Cedartown which lies on a gentle plain to Rockmart with its rocky hills and deep valleys.

GOVERNMENT Polk County is governed by a six member Board of Commissioners elected for four-year staggered terms. The chairman is elected from the board for a one-year term. Cedartown, the county seat, is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners who elect a com­mis­sion chairman from amongst board members and appoint a City Manager. The city of Rockmart is governed by an elected mayor and five council members who elect a City Manager. Aragon is governed by a mayor and four council members. Full-time police and fire departments are maintained in all three areas and the county for the pro­tec­tion of all residents.

INDUSTRY Polk County boasts a wide array of existing industry and takes pride in its success in new industry recruitment in the last decade. The top ten industries employee some 3,700 people and include both manufacturing and service.

CLIMATE A moderate climate with seasonal variation creates an excellent environment for outdoor activity through­out most of the year: January average minimum/maximum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32/55 degrees July average minimum/maximum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67/83 degrees Average annual rainfall is 50" based on ten year data. Relative humidity is 69.7%.

POPULATION 42,709 people reside in Polk County including 10,021 in Cedartown, 4,242 in Rockmart and 1,039 in Aragon.

TRANSPORTATION

Major trucking lines and both CSX and the Norfolk Southern Railway system link Polk County to points in all directions. Hartsfield/Jackson International Airport is only one hour away while Cornelius Moore Airport in the middle of the county provides a paved and lighted 4,000 ft. runway. The new $15,000,000 state of the art Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport is only 8 miles from Polk County. Four lane Highway 278 east links Polk County to Atlanta via I-20. Other main arteries include U.S. Highway 27 and 113.

Advertisers Index:

CEDARTOWN • ROCKMART/ARAGON COMMUNICATIONS

Two newspapers, the Cedartown Standard and the Rockmart Journal, and two radio stations, WGAA Cedartown and WZOT Rockmart, keep county residents informed of local, regional and na­tion­al hap­ pen­ings.

EDUCATION Educational institutions in the county include six elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and a regional vocational-technical school. Two private schools are maintained and county res­i­dents have easy access to three additional private schools in a neighboring county.

UTILITIES

Georgia Power and Carroll EMC service electrical needs in Polk County and gas is distributed by Atlanta Gas Light Company and sold by several suppliers. The cities of Cedartown and Rockmart operate sewage treatment facilities and have their own water supply via a spring-fed gravity ­system in Cedartown and Euharlee Creek in Rockmart. The county’s water supply originates with three springs and one well. BellSouth pro­vides a first-rate tele­com­mu­ni­ca­tions sys­tem and cablevision is ­provided by Charter Communications.

HEALTHCARE

Polk Medical Center is located in Cedartown. Numerous physicians, dentists, chiropractors and other health care proviers are throughout Polk County. Immediate Care facilities are also available.

POLK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The main office of the Polk County Chamber of Commerce is located at 133 South Marble Street in Rockmart. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm. The Chamber also main­tains a Cedartown office in conjunction with the Cedartown Welcome Center at 609 S. Main St.. Cedartown office hours are Mon.-Fri., 8:30 am-5:00 pm. Call the Chamber office at 770-6848760.

Connection The

Showcasing the best of Polk County

Polk

Chamber of Commerce

& Development Authority www.polkgeorgia.com

Coosa Dental ..........................................7 Georgia Power.........................................7 Redmond Physician Network..................7 Harbin Clinic..........................................12

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

133 South Marble Street Rockmart, GA 30153 770/684-8760 Fax: 770/825-9002 609 S. Main St. Cedartown, GA 30125 www.polkgeorgia.com

Published by: News Publishing Company P.O. Box 1633 Rome, GA 30162 For Advertising Information call Jennifer Futch at 770-748-1520 or LaDonna Mears at 770-684-7811 Editorial Content by: Polk County Chamber of Commerce 770/684-8760

THE CONNECTION September/October 2012 -

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