Around Town: Extra Eyes on Floyd GOP Rally at Fairgrounds This Saturday. Barnsley Celebrates 25 Years

Look for some extra eyes and ears at the Floyd County Republican Party’s annual rally at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds this weekend to see if the state GOP is unifying.

The rally is designed to be something of a pep rally for Donald Trump’s third consecutive presidential bid. But given the former president’s renewed blasts at Gov. Brian Kemp over the 2020 results in recent weeks, will the Rome rally take sides or stay in the center lane?

What to watch at the annual Tillman Rally beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday:

Marjorie Taylor Greene♦ , who’s listed as the keynote speaker. Her congressional campaigns have mirrored Trump’s brand of politics since day one.

♦ Lt. Gov. Burt Jones,♦ also a Trump supporter, who was one of the “fake electors” in Georgia in 2020.

♦ State GOP Chair Josh McKoon, whose latest efforts include trying to ban former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan from ever running as a Republican again. It has to do with Duncan’s dislike of Trump and his endorsements of Joe Biden and later Kamala Harris.♦

♦ Former Congressman Bob Barr, who’s serving as president of the National Rifle Association.♦

♦ And a stack of local Republicans, including several Rome City commissioners (all nine members are elected as nonpartisan).

That’s quite a list for the free event with doors opening at 10. The party’s website says food trucks will be on hand as well.

Who’s missing: Most likely Kemp who, per an earlier post from the local party, was invited. We have notes in to his campaign office on whether he’ll attend after being referred there by his office media staff.

Our guess is Kemp will have a scheduling conflict and one reason might be that Greene is the headliner. She is seen as Kemp’s primary challenger for a potential U.S. Senate bid in 2026 (he isn’t eligible for a third term as governor). They’d be after Democrat Jon Ossoff’s seat.

More popcorn & politics

Democrats plan watch party for Harris’ nomination speech Aug. 22: The Floyd County Democratic Party plans a free watch party beginning at 8:30 that night as Kamala Harris accepts the party’s nomination for president.

The party is pitching it as a ringside seat to history as Harris would be the first “woman of color” to accept the nomination.

The event is on the third floor of Mellow Mushroom at 238 Broad St. Refreshments will be served and a cash bar will be available.

Business, Inc.

Barnsley Resort to celebrate 25 years over Labor Day weekend: You know it as a weekend escape, perhaps a milestone meal, a pristine golf venue or a Christmas memory keepsake.

Barnsley’s owners are planning a field party, fireworks, demonstrations and other events Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 to celebrate its silver anniversary. All events are fee-based but those living in Floyd, Bartow and Gordon counties receive a 20% discount.

A move — with moves: Scramble BJJ & Wrestling of Rome has moved from Broad Street to 5 Coosawattee Ave. in West Rome, a switch that doubles the size of the operation.

Scramble “offers a safe place to train for all, from 4 years of age to adults. Jiu Jitsu is lifechanging, whether you are looking just to be fit or fit-to-fight shape,” says a company release. Jason Hamilton, a first-degree black belt with more than 25 years of experience, is joined by other coaches with sessions throughout the week.

Peaks & Valleys

The highs and locals of Northwest Georgia

Peak to Rome High bus driver Nikita Strickland: What happened Thursday night chills every parent and educator. What didn’t happen was even more critical as injuries were kept to a minimum thanks to bus driver Nikita Strickland. A Rome City Schools’ Facebook post says it best: “We would also like to give a special thank you to bus driver Mr. Nikita Strickland. Strickland’s fast thinking and safety-first mindset kept the crash from becoming far worse.”

Valley to a two-laned Ga. 101: So now we have another close call on one of the most dreaded roads in Northwest Georgia. Aside from passing lanes, it is a mostly two-lane ribbon connecting Rockmart and Aragon to Rome. Too often, it is the site of some sort of collision. How many more are needed before the north-south highway is four-laned? A dozen years ago, voters rejected a transportation special tax that would have funded more than $100 million worth of improvements. We’ve heard nothing really “concrete” since then.