Sunday Edition October 27, 2019 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER $1.50 Community forum discusses LakePoint local youth substance use Sports BY JAMES SWIFT leadership [email protected] Cartersville High School Resource Offi cer addresses Nathan Gifford held up a “Mario Cart” at Mon- day’s Canes Navigating Reality assembly. In- side the psychedelic packaging was a small vial future containing a syrupy, amber-colored liquid. Its contents? Approximately one gram of “premi- um distillate,” measuring somewhere between growth 83-87% pure THC. As Gifford noted, that level is extremely high — indeed, even the most potent strains strategies JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS of marijuana rarely eclipse 30% THC by vol- JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS Cartersville High School offi cials said “dab pens” containing ume. Cherokee Judicial Circuit Judge D. Scott BY JAMES SWIFT extremely potent levels of THC have been uncovered on cam- Smith speaks at a Cartersville High event [email protected] pus over the last few years. SEE ASSEMBLY, PAGE 6A Monday. To put it mildly, 2018 was a roll- ercoaster year for LakePoint Sport- ing Community. Just 16 days into the new year New magnet LakePoint Land, LLC CEO Earl Ehrhart resigned. The organiza- coordinators tional shake-up continued on Feb. 28, when co-CEO Neal Freeman’s band RAND PENING employment agreement with Lake- G O Point Land was terminated. Within together the next month, LakePoint Sport- ing Community CFO Robert Zu- rcher was named the company’s to build new manager. What wasn’t publicly revealed programs until court documents emerged later that year was that California-based from scratch hedge fund Rimrock Capital Man- agement, LLC had become the BY DONNA HARRIS legal owner of LakePoint Sports’ [email protected] property and assets in Emerson in late 2016. As it turns out, LakePoint Bartow County’s three new Sports’ original ownership group magnet coordinators may come took out a $52 million loan from from different educational back- Rimrock — which, ultimately, bal- grounds, but they all have one looned into a $64.9 million debt — thing in common – helping stu- and fell about $16.2 million short of dents who are passionate about a satisfying the principal balance. specifi c fi eld succeed at the most Last spring Rimrock brought in rigorous level possible. Dan Berman of the Atlanta-based Beth Payton, Emily Thomp- fi rm GlassRatner Advisory and Cap- son and Eric Willoughby were ital Group, LLC, to assist the com- approved July 15 by the Bartow pany with fi nancial restructuring County School Board to head — essentially, aiding the fi rm as they up the new Center for Advanced sought to clean up their balance sheet Studies in Science, Technology and convert their debts into equity. and Math at Adairsville High, On June 11, LakePoint Sports of- Center for Advanced Interna- fi cially fi led for Chapter 11 bank- tional Studies at Cass High and ruptcy. At that time, Berman said Center for Advanced Studies in the proceedings hinged on $30 Medical Science at Woodland million in claims, including $22 High, respectively, and have SPECIAL million in secured debts and about spent the past few months craft- Rebel Union will open The Grand’s Century Bank Entertainment Series Nov. 16. $8 million in unsecured claims ing programs that will challenge belonging to insiders and various their students and give them an “belated parties.” edge when applying to the top Six months later, the company colleges in the country and a leg Rebel Union vocalist returns to The Grand Theatre emerged from the bankruptcy pro- up on potential career choices. ceedings — now, with an opening “Magnet programs bring op- BY MARIE NESMITH called Distinguished Young Woman of Cartersville High School. “My mom balance sheet listing LakePoint portunity for students to delve [email protected] — for 2008, and our program has been played piano for my children’s choir, Sports’ total assets at $57.6 million into a specifi c subject area with held at The Grand Theatre for many and my dad taught me to learn harmo- and its equity at about $54.6 million. great detail,” Thompson, who For Allison Laughlin, performing at years. ny parts by sight-reading the alto lines Comparatively, 2019 has been formerly taught Spanish at CHS, The Grand Theatre will be a bucket list “So, it’s really exciting to be able to from the hymnal on Sundays. I was al- a much smoother ride for the $1 said. “They are challenged with experience. Now living in Nashville, bring it all full circle. I always hoped ways involved in choir in church and billion sports complex in south a specialized curriculum that Tennessee, the former Cartersville I’d be able to play my original songs — in school, and was a part of Georgia’s Bartow. Former Mizuno USA, Inc. allows them to learn in-depth resident is one of the lead vocalists music I had written — in a venue that All-State choir fi ve years. CEO Mark O’Brien was named material in an area that interests in Rebel Union, which will open The has had so much infl uence on me.” “When I got to college at the Uni- LakePoint’s new president and them; they can focus their edu- Grand’s Century Bank Entertainment Along with Laughlin, Rebel Union versity of Georgia, I met Zach, who CEO in April, and outside of a few cation on a specifi c subject. In Series Nov. 16. consists of her husband, Zachary, lead is now my husband and bandmate, at updates here and there on the ongo- my opinion, magnet programs “I grew up doing plays at The Grand vocals and acoustic guitar; Suzanne orientation. After we started dating, ing development of the company’s are an excellent way to challenge Theatre, starting with ‘Oklahoma’ Dennis, lead vocals; and Blake Mohler, we both loved to sing so we would just 500-acre northern campus, very high-level learners and create a when I was eighth grade to ‘Godspell’ lead vocals, and acoustic and electric learn songs together. Eventually, we little news — positive or negative venue for them to make them- as a senior in high school,” said Laugh- guitar. had enough material that we started — has trickled out about the future selves more competitive among lin, who performs under her maiden “I have loved singing and making playing in downtown Athens as a duo.” of the development. their peers. They graduate from name, Allison Johnson. “I was also up songs for as long as I can remem- the program with a unique and Bartow County’s Junior Miss — now ber,” said Laughlin, a 2008 graduate SEE GRAND, PAGE 8A SEE LAKEPOINT, PAGE 2A valid experience that not many others do, and they are cultur- ally aware, socially responsible and highly educated individuals that will go into the world and make a positive impact on soci- Georgia Life Alliance director ety.” Taking rigorous classes tai- lays out legal game plan in Bartow lored to their specifi c interests often will help high-perform- ing students who lack direction BY JAMES SWIFT a baby in the womb and a newborn baby, and or opportunity fi nd their niche, [email protected] therefore personhood is too vague of an argu- said Payton, a former science ment?’ … they’re going to overturn this ruling.” teacher at AHS. Joshua Edmonds, executive director of the According to Edmonds’ political playbook, “Colleges are looking for, Georgia Life Alliance, says he wholly expects that scenario puts organizations like Planned and asking more often, if stu- the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties dents have been a part of mag- Act — more commonly referred to as the “heart- Union in a position to “make the most criti- net programs because it shows beat bill” — to be struck down by a federal court. cal, most dangerous decision they’ve ever had that they have been exposed and And that, he said at Saturday morning’s Bar- to make” — appeal that ruling to the Supreme dedicated to a particular area of tow County Republican Party meeting, is by de- Court of the United States or leave the law of the study for a sustainable length of sign. land in such a way that, potentially, every state time,” she said. “These students “When we get to the Eleventh Circuit Court of legislature could pass a “fetal heartbeat bill” JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS are less likely to change majors Appeals and they take a look at this law and say comparable to Georgia’s. District 15 State Rep. Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville) speaks ‘Wait a second, you’re trying to argue that there’s at a Bartow County Republican Party meeting Saturday morn- SEE MAGNET, PAGE 6A no substantive biological difference between SEE GOP, PAGE 7A ing. INSIDE TODAY Partly VOLUME 73, NO. 150 Obituaries ............................. 2A Sports ................................... 1B sunny U.S. & World .........................4A Around Town ....................... 1C High 70 www.daily-tribune.com Blotter ................................... 7A Entertainment ...................... 7C Weather ................................ 8A Classifieds............................ 4D Low 49 2A Sunday, October 27, 2019 • www.daily-tribune.com Local The Daily Tribune News ContactUs OBITUARIES The Daily Tribune News years doing data processing First Congregational Methodist and several nieces and neph- friends from eleven o’clock in Address: Nan E. Brideau and was a member of the EZ Church, now LifePoint Church, ews. Nan is predeceased by the morning until the service 251 S. Tennessee St. Mills Women’s Basketball throughout the years. During her parents Albert and Rhoda hour on Monday, October 28, Cartersville, GA 30120 Nan E.