Hometown Headlines Radio Edition: Local news without the static.

Today's headlines:

More than a decade ago, a local candidate was pushing a sensitive personnel report about an opponent. The document wouldn’t have changed the election’s outcome, at least in our opinion.

Basically, we reached this conclusion: Candidates can take their own trash out.

By that, we mean if an opponent has some allegedly explosive item about his or her opponent that he or she thinks needs to be made public, then do so. The concept of “leaking” it to the media sounds clandestine, perhaps even a little naughty and kind of fun.

Thanks but no thanks. In our case, at least, we’ll leave the dirty work to candidate. We’ll save our reporting to valid points of the campaign.

Our advice to "the leakers:" Make it part of the mainstream by mentioning it in the next candidates' forum or debate. Once done, you'll probably see it become part of the campaign coverage -- if and when it is verified. 

Today's headlines:

Recently,  Rome's city commissioners and senior staff members held an 11-hour planning retreat to discuss community issues and what's next.

The retreat was held at the Courtyard Rome Riverwalk on West Third Street, fitting perhaps as that area -- part of the River District -- was among the key topics discussed that day. 

City commissioners Wendy Davis and Craig McDaniel joined us on The Druck Report to share some of the key points from the retreat. Those topics included:

About this podcast: City commissioners Wendy Davis and Craig McDaniel joined us at Brand Red Studios in downtown Rome to talk about Rome's future and what's next. We thank the Brand Red folks for the production support of our long-form podcasts and Todd La Berge for another excellent job producing this conversation. The Druck Report is a production of the Hometown Podcast Network. 

Please join us for our weekday newscasts and rants as well as our expanding home for other Northwest Georgia podcasts.

There’s an 80-page giant due this Thursday, one that has a few super powers of its own. Namely, information. Critical information. A digital publication known as the “United Way of Rome & Floyd County Online Community Resource and Engagement Guide.”

Those are a lot of words. More important, the guide is packed with easy-to-digest information of what they’re calling “need-based resources available in Floyd County.” Those include an updated directory of nonprofits and service organizations.

Alli Mitchell and Hannah Cook of the United Way of Rome and Floyd County have spent months fine-tuning the guide, making recommended adjustments and updating information that went out of date for whatever reason.

On Thursday, it goes live, local and just a click away. Plus, being digital vs. print, updates can be made in seconds and not in a second or third edition print months down the road.

It will become a must-read for those helping others in need. And it also shows that many of our longstanding but unrealized goals can be accomplished -- and should be accomplished. This is a great place to start. 

Today's first headlines:

We agree it is hard to get excited about a nearly 12-hour City Commission planning retreat. But given the tone and direction coming out of the Courtyard Rome Riverwalk last Thursday, we agree with a one-word assessment from one of the commissioners: "Progress!"

A River Walk, the River District, downtown Rome and a long list of other topics got serious attention -- with the commissioners in turn giving City Manager Sammy Rich a packed to-do list. 

You can thank city voters for making it happen. There was a message in the November elections that saw two new commissioners and a third returning to the board after a few decades. With several incumbents joining the new blood team, you could almost feel a change of attitude.

We quote from City Commissioner Mark Cochran's Facebook page in a post immediately after Thursday's planning retreat:

"It’s not an exaggeration to say that the city you knew yesterday, philosophically no longer exist. Today was a watershed moment for the City of Rome. Possibly the most important day this city has had in a generation.

"Big changes are coming ... today was a great day."

Amen to that. And now tomorrow looks a whole lot better, too.

Today's headlines:

The reaction to the Hometown Headlines' story about the pending closure of Kindred Hospital Rome has been surprisingly strong. The loss of the 45-bed long-term care medical campus comes after nine years at the current building. Families of current patients are seeking other options between now and April 6; nearly 80 people are looking new jobs.

As options are reviewed on what to do with the soon-to-open space, we offer this suggestion:

Here’s hoping someone considers expanded local healthcare options for our veterans. Years ago, when the state was weighing what’s next for veterans’ medical care, we suggested the former Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital site. That made too much sense. But the shape, size and containment of Kindred? There’s an option to consider.

Today's headlines: