Thursday's headlines

Please click www.hometownheadlines.com:

 

Breaking news: It's official. Franco Perkins named Rome High Wolves' head football coach; Kevin Strickland named athletic director> Football Report

Rome's own Sweet 16 hit the court(s) today

-The Southern States Athletic Conference's men's and women's basketball tournaments begin today in Rome with 16 teams (eight men, eight women) including Shorter College. The men's games at The Forum and women's games at Darlington. The winners advance to the semis on Friday; championships Saturday.

-Today's expanded schedule, updates. Click Downtown.

-Both Shorter teams play early today> Click

-Check back for Web casts later today> SSAC

-On the radio: Both Shorter games on 95.7 FM The Ridge. Radio Web cast

Politics

411 Connector, Northern Arc simmering in GOP governor's race:

-A handful of reports are out today about opponents to the one-time Northern Arc linking interstates 75 and 85 alleging the highway is back for consideration-- and now entangling the long-stalled 411 Connector (click Google News). Republican hopeful Karen Handel has joined arc critics while U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, in today's Rome News, questions her comments. Gingrey -- a longtime proponent of the connector -- already has endorsed Nathan Deal in Georgia's GOP gubernatorial primary. And Deal, who's exiting Congress on Monday, lives in Hall County, which would be among the areas benefitting from the cross-state highway.

-March 9/Rome Young Republicans meeting: It begins at 6:30 p.m. at 333 on Broad. Guest speaker: Gerry Purcell, candidate for insurance commissioner. Also: election of club officers. Details:  romeyoungrepublicans@gmail.com

Chilean, Haiti earthquakes register on Tellus seismograph:

-Northwest Georgia's 13-month-old science museum registered both the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that shook Chili last Saturday as well as the devastating trembler that killed more than 200,000 in Haiti in January, according to radio station WBHF 1450 AM> Click

-1.5-magnitude quake hits close to home last week: A quick check of the United States' earthquake map shows one occurred just over the Alabama-Georgia line two miles Menton on Feb. 24. It was a minor quake, 1.5 on the Richter scale, and struck around 9:02 p.m. The epicenter was 32 miles from Rome. A quake registering 4.6 struck that area seven years ago> Details

March 4/Planning commission meets at 2:30: Light agenda> Click

Thursday's Buzz

Booth turns to new media to bring you the Old West

-The seventh edition of the Southeastern Cowboy Gathering at Booth Western Art Museum (March 11-14) is turning to new media to let fans know about this annual celebration of the Old West. A Booth-produced, nearly two-minute-long online video appearing on YouTube gives viewers a closer look at what to expect next weekend, from dutch oven cook-offs to concerts and scheduled performers. (YouTube). For a traditional preview, please click Schedule

-GHC rallies today to protest projected budget cuts: A rally to protest the deep budget cuts proposed for the University System of Georgia is set for 10 a.m. until noon at the Floyd campus of Georgia Highlands and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Bartow Campus. Planned are remarks from students, faculty, staff and alumni.

-Latino health fair at West Rome Boys & Girls Club Saturday> Details

-CRBI's Waterfest X set for April 16-17; includes Billy Jonas concert> DH

-Dinner theater returns to 333 on Broad with A.R.T.'s Murder at the Tony (Lou) Awards March 12, 13, 20> Downtown Headlines

PowerBall jackpot climbs to $139 million Saturday> Lottery

-Wednesday's numbers: 7-9-14-45-49 and PowerBall 23.

Your latest forecast

-Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Gusts to 20 mph.

-Thursday night: Clear skies, low of 25.

-Friday: Sunny with a high of 57. Gusts to 15 mph.

-Friday night: Clear and cold, low of 25.
-Extended forecast> Click  / Regional radar

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey

-Who told biggest tales: Mark Twain or Mark McGwire? Words of wisdom from Mike Vick.