🌱 Man Pleas + Blood Donors Needed + Dooley Speaks On Opioid Crisis

Good morning, neighbors! It's me, Josee Noble, your host of the Cartersville Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in the community today. Today we'll cover...

• Man facing a life sentence for sex crimes pleas to 13 years.
• Blood Assurance recruits donors as spring break approaches.
• Dr. Thomas P. Dooley speaks at Booth about opioid crisis.

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But first, today's weather:

Cloudy with afternoon rain. High: 60 Low: 49.

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Business owners and marketers in Cartersville: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

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Here are the top three stories today in Cartersville:

1. A 46-year-old Cartersville man has pled guilty to charges of sex crimes against an elderly relative. The defendant was facing a possible life sentence for the crimes he was charged with, but a plea deal was made due to the death of the victim, which was unrelated to the crimes against her. The defendant will spend 13 years behind bars with the remainder of his sentence on probation. (Subscription: The Daily Tribune News)
2. Blood Assurance is looking to recruit donors to fill up the local blood supply before spring break. While most blood types have a five day supply in stock, Dr. Elizabeth Culler, Blood Assurance's chief medical officer, says "O negative was at 2.1-day supply and O positive at 2.1 day." As traumas will rise over spring break, Dr. Culler encourages donors to give before the holiday period. "Our shelves need to be fully stocked ahead of time to support patients at our local hospitals." (Subscription: The Daily Tribune News)
3. On March 2, Dr. Thomas P. Dooley spoke to an audience at the Booth museum on one of the final days of its "Portraits of Hope" exhibit. He touched on his own experiences with the loss of his 24-year-old son to a fentanyl overdose in 2017. Dr. Dooley encourages us to have compassion with those struggling with opioid addiction. "Listen to their stories and ask them questions and then take some action based on that." (Subscription: The Daily Tribune News)

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Today in Cartersville:

• Business After Hours Series: Co-Presented by Rome Floyd Chamber - Barnsley Resort (4:30 PM)
• Knit & Crochet Group - Cartersville Library (6:00 PM)
• Ladies Bunco! - Olive Tree & Vine (6:30 PM)
• An Evening with the GM Archives - Savoy Automobile Museum (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• "This week Bartow County Government honored employees for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service, presenting them with pins! We thank all of our deputies and administrative staff for their continued commitment to serving our community." (Bartow County Sheriff's Office (Official) via Facebook)
• "BCFES would like to congratulate the following employees as they were recognized, Tuesday, March 7, at a pinning ceremony for their years of service and dedication to Bartow County." (Bartow County Fire & Emergency Services via Facebook)
• "April 29 is our Third Annual Red Apple Run 5K and Walk, presented by Glenda Mitchell Law Firm. This 5K and walk will be held at Hamilton Crossing Park/Cass Middle School and is a Peachtree Qualifier." (WBHF via Facebook)
• "A big thank you to Shaw Industries for your Silver Sponsorship for the 2023 CSL Golf Tournament! We are so appreciative of our event sponsors! As a reminder our golf tournament is Monday, March 13. There's still time to sign up, sponsor or purchase ball drop tickets." (Cartersville Service League via Facebook)
• "Join us Friday at 12 PM as Matthew Thomas, our Workforce Development Director, shares the details, successes and best practices behind Project Purpose - one of the Chamber's flagship workforce development programs!" (Cartersville-Bartow Chamber via Instagram)
• "CHATTAHOOCHEE TECH OPEN HOUSE" (Bartow County College and Career Academy via Facebook)
• "Harvesting Scholars and Goodwill of North Georgia are partnering to host the 7th Annual Harvesting Scholars College & Career Fair on Saturday, March 18th from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at Georgia Highlands College! (Cartersville-Bartow Chamber via Instagram)
• "Unusual and unexpected – that's what you'll find in Cartersville. From delicious food to unique adventures, Cartersville is a one-of-a-kind experience." (Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau via Facebook)
• "Southland Engineering is searching for a Civil Engineer with good technical skills in the civil engineering field." (Cartersville-Bartow Chamber via Instagram)

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More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

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Featured events:

• The Piedmont Division Model Train Show (March 11)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll see you around!

— Josee Noble

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Cartersville Patch newsletter? Contact me at Cartersville@Patch.com