🌱 Paulding Top Home Flipping County + Local Students Arts Recognition

Hey, Dallas-Hiram! I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town, including updates on...

• Paulding and Douglas ranked among top U.S. counties for home flipping in 2022.
• Adopt pets from local Dallas-Hiram shelters and give them a forever home.
• Georgia ranks 9th among best states for starting and growing small businesses.

But first, today's weather: Very warm with sun and clouds. High: 83 Low: 62.

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Here are the top stories in Dallas-Hiram today:

1. ArtsBridge Foundation and Georgia Public Broadcasting recently announced the nominees for the 15th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards, known as The Shulers. The nominees, representing 39 schools from 17 Georgia counties, were selected from an initial pool of 52 participating schools. Among the nominees are two students from Hiram High School: Ashley Poole Peeler in Orchestra for "Aida" and Angelique Pierre, who received two scholarships: Broadway Dreams Foundation Summer Intensive Scholarship and Dobbs/Berntson Family Educational Excellence Scholarship. The winners of the GHSMTA will be celebrated at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and via live broadcast on GPB-TV on April 20. (The Chattanoogan)
2. According to the year-end 2022 U.S. Home Flipping Report by ATTOM, home flipping has increased by 14 percent to 407,417 single-family homes and condos in the U.S., which represents an 8.4 percent portion of all home sales, the highest level since at least 2005. Despite the increase, gross profit margins on home flips in 2022 sank to their lowest level since 2008, down to $67,900 nationwide, a 3 percent decline from the previous year, and translating to just a 26.9 percent return on investment. Paulding and Douglas both ranked among the top five U.S. counties of all homes sold classified as flips. (Longview News Journal)
3. The city of Atlanta and six metro area counties have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to recover damages from opioid manufacturers for neglecting their legal responsibilities to protect public health in favor of profit. Mylan Pharmaceuticals is the lead defendant in the case, and other companies have yet to respond. Nearly 70 Georgia cities and counties have filed similar lawsuits seeking to recoup taxpayer expenses for health care and other costs tied to the epidemic. Georgia has seen a 56 percent increase in all drug overdose deaths and a 218 percent increase in fentanyl-involved overdose deaths between 2019 and 2021. (GPB)
4. Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia, Inc. (HAGA), a manufacturer of lightweight advanced materials for sustainable technology, is investing $147 million in a new manufacturing facility in Cartersville. The facility, which is predicted to come online in summer 2024, will supply Qcells with encapsulant film, making HAGA the only company in the U.S. manufacturing solar encapsulants. The move is expected to create over 160 new jobs and will be a significant addition to Georgia's growing renewable energy sector. (Atlanta News First)
5. Georgia ranks ninth out of the top 10 best states in the U.S. for starting and growing small businesses, according to a recent study by small business loan marketplace Lendio. The state landed a spot on the list due to its high approval of small business loans, with $10.6 million worth of loans granted for every 100,000 residents. Georgia also offers more incentive programs for small business owners than five other states in the top 10 ranking. However, the state's relatively low 5-year survival rate, higher corporate income tax percentage, and the second-highest increase in cost of living in comparison to other states in the ranking, keep Georgia from placing any higher on the list. (The Atlanta Voice)

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Today in Dallas-Hiram:

• Craft Kit Friday — New Georgia Public Library (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
• Spring Swap — Dallas Public Library (10:00 AM)
• Karaoke with KJ Shaina — La Bamba (7:00 PM)
• Karaoke with DJ CHERI — BB's Sports Bar & Grill (7:00 PM)
• Drew Ashworth Live — The Box Sports Bar & Grill (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Paulding County School District: Belinda Mullins, a literacy teacher at East Paulding High School, has won the K-12 Solutions Group/Infinite Campus Classroom Makeover Contest. Mullins was nominated by PCSD Special Projects Lead Lynne Watters and was selected out of 1,580 nominees across Georgia. She received a $5,000 grant to transform her classroom, and K-12 Solutions Group/Infinite Campus will work with her to purchase and deliver the items on her list. Congratulations to Mullins on this achievement, and the PCSD community is proud of her. (Paulding County School District via Facebook)
• Dallas-Hiram Patch Pet News: Local animal shelters have pets available for adoption and they're eagerly waiting to find their forever homes. Whether you're in search of a furry ball of love or a four-legged companion, the animal shelters in the Dallas-Hiram area have dogs, cats, horses, and other pets up for adoption. Each year, over 6 million companion animals are surrendered to adoption facilities nationwide, and while about 3.2 million are adopted, millions are still waiting for their forever homes. So, if you're ready to bring a new furry friend into your life, browse through the listings on Petfinder and start the adoption process today. (Dallas-Hiram Patch Pet News)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, The Park at Cedarcrest: Bathroom Remodeling, Call Rodolfo Prim, 678-549-6533. (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Battle Gate: Precision Grading & Hardscapes. Call to receive a free estimate on your project 678-628-9471. 3D renderings of your new project - Retaining walls - Concrete & paver patios - Landscape install. (Nextdoor)

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Featured events:

• Wing Dinner Fundraiser (March 25)
• Decade Days: Spring Break Camp (April 3)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Linda Marlow

About me: Linda Marlow is an experienced writer and communications professional with a diverse background in industries such as healthcare, education, publishing, and performing arts. She is a Dallas resident who is passionate about sharing the latest news and events happening in Paulding County through her writing. Linda is currently serving as a contributing writer for the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter, where she continues to use her storytelling skills to inform and engage the local community.

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