Who's in and who's out in the Rome City Commission race + spotlight on Chenrui Zhang

Henssler 15 From the Ingles Studio this is The Northwest Georgia News Podcast from the Rome News Tribune, Calhoun Times, Catoosa Walker News, and Polk County Standard      Today is Saturday, August 5th, and happy 60th birthday to NBA Great Patrick Ewing ***Ewing***   I’m Brian Giffin and here the stories Northwest Georgia is talking about presented by Drake Realty   Who's in and who's out in the Rome City Commission race   Floyd County Elections Board adopts new voting precinct maps   And Airshow Management says moving Wings Over North Georgia to 2024 a 'business decision'   And a little later, we’ll spotlight our video director Chenrui Zhang   the US dept. of Agriculture on that same topic These stories and more are coming up in today’s edition of the Northwest Georgia News podcast   Commercial :   Drake   STORY 1: race   In the upcoming November election, six out of nine Rome City Commission seats are up for grabs. Incumbents from Ward 1 and Ward 3 are planning to run for re-election, while potential newcomers Harry Brock, Charles Love, and Wayne Robinson have expressed interest in joining the race. The election is nonpartisan, and qualifying will take place from August 21 to August 25. The qualifying fee is $360, and candidates must file their financial disclosures the day after qualifying. The top three vote-getters in each contest will win the seats....…….get more info at northwestgeorgianews.com   STORY 2: maps   During a called meeting, the Floyd County Elections Board unanimously approved changes to the voting precinct map. The changes involve consolidating several precincts and combining city and county voting precincts. The new precinct map will be in effect for the November election. Some voters expressed opposition to the changes during a public participation period after the vote, stating they felt their input was not considered. However, the board had conducted two prior public participation sessions to gather input about the proposed changes to the map…..read more and see the maps at northwestgeorgianews.com   STORY 3: Airshow   The Wings Over North Georgia airshow, which was scheduled for this year, has been postponed to 2024 due to ongoing construction at Floyd County's airport and the company's engagement in another new show elsewhere. The airport is undergoing significant improvements, including a runway extension and taxiway work, making it a suitable time for the airshow's hiatus. The show has been a significant economic contributor to the area, with its last edition in 2020 generating an estimated $2.7 million impact on the local economy. Despite the postponement, the airport continues to host other events, such as aerobatic competitions and the TigerFlight program.   Back in a moment   Commercial: ESOG-Omni   Angel Rejoiner   STORY 4: covid   The latest COVID assessment for NW Georgia shows an increase in reported cases after a one-week break in updates. Polk County reported 90 new cases, followed by Bartow with 76, Floyd with 48, Gordon with 19, and Chattooga with 17. The 14-day regional total of 250 cases is higher than the usual seven-day average seen during the summer. Floyd County reported another "probable" COVID death, bringing the total to 115 such fatalities since the state began classifying virus losses. Statewide, there were 3,186 additional virus cases and 25 deaths recorded since July 19. Health officials are monitoring the situation, especially with the start of the new school year in the region.   STORY 5:  SPLOST   Gordon County officials are