Sunday Edition September 23, 2018 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER $1.50 Local entrepreneurs share growth stories at CoC event BY JAMES SWIFT Asset Management, on March 9, 2009. [email protected] “Ironically, that was the day the Dow bottomed after the global financial meltdown,” he recalled While the businesses owned by Tammy Livin- at Friday’s SBC Lunch and Learn Seminar Series good, Tom Shinall and Joshua McWhorter are event at the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber drastically different, they each share at least two of Commerce. “I always like to say we were re- commonalities. sponsible for the bull market — it has nothing to For one, each of their companies have been re- do with government or anything else, just the idea JAMES SWIFT/DTN cipients of the local Small Business Council’s to move out on my own.” State Attorney General Chris Small Business of the Year Award. And secondly? Still, Black Oak went on to be a success. Alas, Carr discussed Georgia’s Their current entrepreneurial success, in some McWhorter said the operation grew a little bit too efforts to combat the opioid fashion or another, was spawned by the Great Re- quickly and it wasn’t long before he was handling crisis at a Bartow County cession. hundreds of accounts. JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS Republican Party meeting That’s especially true for McWhorter Capital “I wanted to stay in financing, I wanted to stay Saturday. From left, Joshua McWhorter, Tammy Livingood and Tom Shinall Partners founder and president Joshua McWhorter, speak at Friday's Small Business Council event at the who launched his previous company, Black Oak SEE ENTREPRENEUR, PAGE 2A State Attorney Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce. General Will2Way addresses opioid TASSELS GOING UP Foundation epidemic in seeks Bartow County donations BY JAMES SWIFT [email protected] for Care 4 For Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, the state’s opioid crisis Carolina has gotten so bad that, at this point, he believes no possible remedy campaign should be left off the table. “We have to look at all options BY MARIE NESMITH on this issue, whether it’s behav- [email protected] ioral change, whether it might be legislation, whether it might be Through its Care 4 Carolina partnerships in the private sector,” campaign, Will2Way Foundation he said Saturday at a Bartow is collecting tangible items for in- County Republican Party head- dividuals impacted by Hurricane quarters presentation. “Whatever Florence. leads to no more deaths as a result “A part of Will2Way’s mission of an opioid overdose should be is helping those in time of need” considered.” said Pamela Whitfield, CEO and According to a recent Georgia president of Will2Way Founda- Department of Public Health tion. “What better time than dur- (DPH) report, opioid overdoses re- ing a horrendous disaster, than this sulted in 929 statewide deaths and hurricane that has demolished the 1,709 hospitalizations in 2016. state of North Carolina. We had Bartow County isn’t immune such great response last year for from the crisis. That year, the DPH Houston, and we [were] able to reports 18 people in the local com- bless over 10,000 people with two munity succumbed to fatal opioid tractor-trailer trucks delivering to and heroin overdoses. two different locations as well as “This is a real issue,” Carr said. RANDY PARKER/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS two van loads of items to Jack- “It’s an epidemic not just nation- Adairsville High Associate Principal Dr. Venita Bruton leads the Class of 2018 during its graduation ceremony in May. AHS sonville [Florida] in 2017. ally, but in the state of Georgia — saw a 7.2 percent increase in its graduation rate over last year, the biggest increase of any school in the county. “We saw the devastation on hand four Georgians are dying every- and wanted to ensure that our mis- day.” sion of serving through Will2Way That’s one of the reasons, he Graduation rates highest since 2012 Cares supports in any and all ca- said, why the state is preparing to pacities possible. We will be col- file a lawsuit against several opi- BY DONNA HARRIS first time form a cohort that is subsequently within four or five years. It is exciting to lecting for the next week listed oid-producing pharmaceutical [email protected] “adjusted” by adding any students who surpass that goal and even more thrilling items and deliver the items [during companies. transfer into it during the next three years that this means a higher number of our stu- the] weekend of Oct. 6 — if the “The whole purpose behind our It was a happy day Wednesday for the and subtracting any students who transfer dents are completing high school.” roads are open and safe in the area. lawsuit is that Georgians have been Bartow County and Cartersville school sys- out. But breaking the 90 percent mark wasn’t We have partnered with [an] out- harmed by what we believe are the tems. The graduation rate for last year’s seniors accomplished just through the school dis- reach ministry in New Bern who unfair business practices of manu- That was the day that the Georgia De- shows that 91.3 percent of Cartersville stu- trict’s efforts, Feuerbach said. provided us the list of items that are facturers and distributors,” he said. partment of Education released the gradua- dents and 87.1 percent of Bartow County “When a student completes high school, needed, and we will also prepare “And we believe that there is a cost tion rates for the Class of 2018 and that both students walked across the stage last spring it is a result of the caring attention invested hot meals each day while there to to the state of Georgia that has been school districts found they had the highest to receive their diplomas. by families, community members and every feed the community as well,” she associated with that, and [we] want rates they’d had since 2012, when the state Both systems exceeded the state gradua- staff member who has impacted that student said, referring to the North Carolina to make sure the state is able to best began using the adjusted cohort calculation, tion rate of 81.6 percent — a 1 percent in- throughout their K-12 experience,” he said. riverfront city, which continues to approach a result that will help experience flooding. now required by federal law, to align Geor- crease over its 80.6 percent rate in 2017 and “We are thrilled to break the 90 percent those who have been impacted by Through Sept. 28, donations gia’s graduation-rate calculation with na- also the highest ever under the adjusted co- mark because it is not only a win for this crisis.” will be accepted at Cartersville tional standards. hort calculation — and all four high schools Cartersville High School but for the entire Carr gave no timetable for when Child Care Center at 325 Old Mill The four-year adjusted cohort rate is the saw increases in their individual rates. community. Greater student success leads the lawsuit will officially be filed, Road from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon- number of students who graduate in four “Four years ago, I realized it was entirely to a stronger community.” but he said he expects the suit to be day to Friday. finalized “in short order.” years with a regular high school diploma di- possible for CHS to graduate 90 percent or Principal Shelley Tierce called the Carr did not mention any spe- vided by the number of students who form more of our students,” said Cartersville Su- achievement “a proud moment for SEE CARE, PAGE 7A cific companies targeted by the the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. perintendent Dr. Marc Feuerbach, who was Cartersville High School.” From the beginning of ninth grade, stu- principal of the high school then. “At that SEE , PAGE 5A SEE CARR, PAGE 5A dents who are entering that grade for the time, I felt we could reach this objective GRADUATIONS Transportation department awards $3.2M US 41 resurfacing contract BY JAMES SWIFT The project will consist of milling, inlay and plant [email protected] mix resurfacing. The start date and completion date of the project, GDOT spokesman Mohamed Arafa The Georgia Department of Transportation said, hinges on several factors, including weather, (GDOT) announced Monday that Marietta-based contractor resources and mobilization dates. C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc. has received a Still, he said construction will wrap up on the contract to resurface almost 11 miles of US 41 in project by July 2019. Bartow County. As to when repaving can get underway, however, RANDY PARKER/DTN The $3.2 million project will cover a roughly 10.8 is still to be determined. JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS Will2Way’s mission director, Bartow County Administrator Peter Olson said road mile stretch of roadway extending from Piedmont “While we include a completion date in every Tina Williams, looks over some infrastructure improvements along the US 41 corridor won’t just Avenue in Adairsville down to Kingston Highway, of the organization’s donations SEE , PAGE 6A improve safety — they could also spur economic development. just north of the US 41/US 411 interchange. US 41 for its Care 4 Carolina campaign. INSIDE TODAY Mostly Obituaries . .2A Around Town . .1C sunny VOLUME 72, NO. 121 Bartow Bio . .3A Entertainment . .7C High 88 Blotter . .7A Business . .1D www.daily-tribune.com Sports . .1B Classified . .3D Low 70 2A Sunday, September 23, 2018 • www.daily-tribune.com Local The Daily Tribune News ContactUs OBITUARIES The Daily Tribune News clock in the morning on Wednes- daughter of the late Thomas C.