Lakeview girls finish regular season with loss at Rabun Gap

Taylor Handte scored 11 points for the Lakeview Academy girls (16-9, 10-4) and Kaylee McClendon added seven in a 70-43 loss to Rabun Gap on Saturday in Clayton.

Local college scoreboard: Feb. 11

The North Georgia College & State University men's basketball team improved their postseason hopes by taking down Clayton State for the second time this season, 74-62, Saturday evening in Dahlonega.

Local golf: Pair of teams tie for 1st at Chicopee Woods

Greg Lee, Jeff Frasier, Gayle Gibson, Roger Stapp and Karl Stiegle, Geoff Archibald, Terry McFarland and Vince Jonte' (21 under par) tied for first place for team results in Wednesday's Dogfight at Chicopee Woods Golf Course. Chris Jones, Paul Gibson, Terry Clegg, Darrel Pinner (19 under par) finished in third place.

Stewart, Brewster lead Truett-McConnell baseball to wins

The Truett-McConnell College baseball team won the opening game of their three-game series Friday night at Clearwater Christian College by a final score of 6-4.

Marine from Gainesville seriously injured in Afghanistan

A 2011 Chestatee High School graduate was severely injured Friday by a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan, but family members say he is expected to recover.

Caldwell-Pope, Georgia upset No. 20 Mississippi State in OT

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 points, including a crucial 3-pointer late in overtime, and Georgia beat No. 20 Mississippi State 70-68 on Saturday.

North Hall swimmer Powers wins state in 50-yard freestyle

ATLANTA -- North Hall sophomore Paul Powers won state Saturday at Georgia Tech in the 50-yard freestyle, swimming the event in 20.62 seconds, just .16 off of the state record.

Firefighters battle chimney blaze on Ledan Road

Emergency crews blocked part of Ledan Road in Gainesville while they battled a chimney fire at residence in the 3700 block.

Pastor, retired Marine takes on the role of actor to deliver his message about God

Ken Bevel may have starred in movies, but he doesn't want you to look at him as a movie star.

Yarbrough: Some applause, please, for the State of the Column

In order to keep my national certification as a modest and much-beloved columnist, I am required to submit annually a State of the Column message. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please stand and applaud if you hear something that floats your boat or look bored if you don't. You may be on television.

Area swimmers qualify for state swimming finals

After a day of preliminaries at the Class A-AAAA portion of the state swim meet at the Georgia Aquatic Center in Atlanta, a number of area athletes are still alive.

Lakeview boys top Riverside 83-64 to finish regular season

Gingrich to visit Forsyth County GOP meeting on Feb. 18

CUMMING - Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich will be headlining the Forsyth County Republican Party's mass precinct meeting Feb. 18.

Winter coming back with a bite

Freezing temperatures this weekend will replace the recent warm, springlike weather of the past few weeks.

Bill could smooth path for liquor sale votes

Residents in unincorporated areas of Hall County might gain easier access to a liquor store if a law proposed in the Georgia General Assembly is successful.

Flowers have long been a symbol of love in bloom, but many say much more

This Valentine's Day, before you hand that bouquet of flowers to your significant other, you may want to take a minute to consider what message you're conveying.

Get your game on at the Holly

If you want to go to the Super Bowl on Sunday but can't make it to Indiana, the Holly Theater in Dahlonega is offering the next best thing.

Stringfever’s frantic, fun rhythms begin Pearce concert series

The Arts Council launches its Peace Series with Stringfever at 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at Brenau University's Pearce Auditorium.

‘Barbershop Punk’ draws filmgoers into Web rights debate

"Barbershop Punk," the fourth of six films in The Arts Council's The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers series, will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Gainesville State College.

The Capitol Steps bring their DC digs to Athens

Just in time for an election year, the UGA Performing Arts Center will present America's foremost political satirists, The Capitol Steps, at 8 p.m. Feb. 10 in Hodgson Concert Hall.

Athens Guitar Trio to pull some strings at Piedmont

The Athens Guitar Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, in the Piedmont College Chapel on the Demorest campus.

Habersham theater holds auditions for ‘A Month of Sundays’

Auditions for the Habersham Community Theatre production of "A Month of Sundays" are set for 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, and Monday, Feb. 6, at the theater just off the square in Clarkesville.

Super Bowl Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

Super Bowl Stromboli

1 tablespoon olive oil

Score big with your party crowd; make manly cupcakes and a super stromboli

Super Bowl Sunday may only be a few days away, but there's still plenty of time to come up with a winning game plan for your party menu.

Seniors learn to connect with the latest gadgets with relative ease

Today, they are members of the "active generation," who are all too often regarded as opponents to technology.

School News

The following local area residents graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia during the fall 2011 commencement ceremony.

Gainesville family renovates space for learning at Good News at Noon

Although Cora Lanning walked purposefully across the painted sidewalk decorated with colorful promises of God's love to the front entrance of Good News at Noon, she wasn't completely sure why she was there.

Good news

The United Methodist Women of St. Paul on Summit Street won the humanitarian award on Jan. 15 at the Martin Luther King Jr. program in Jefferson.

Uniform news

Maj. Dan Woodall of Demorest has retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of service.