Rivers, creeks still high after 5.5 inches of rain last week; great weekend forecast. Rome's Doug Shows calling SEC hoops tournament, hopes for big dance. Weekend guide

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Today-Sunday: Eighth Annual  Cowboy Gathering continues through Sunday at Booth Western Art Museum: Busy weekend ahead with demonstrations, cooking contest, cowboy church, poetry and more. Details

Now & April 15-16: The Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter is accepting items for its' spring "Have a Heart for the Homeless" Rummage Sale to be held April 15-16 at the ATCO Clubhouse. 

What's ahead from the chamber of commerce. Click

Thursday's Bartow County Jail reports: Jail Intake Report   // Incident Reports

-Links: Local police scanner.

Rome's Doug Shows holding court at SEC tournament; NCAA next?

-Doug Shows probably has called more than 70 games this season and right now, he's in the middle of helping officiate the SEC Tournament at the Georgia Dome.

-The Rome resident has helped call the Final Four before and is hoping for another call to help officiate the NCAA Tournament, which starts next week. His goal: To call the National Championship game.

-In 17 years of officiating, he's seen plenty of changes. "The players have gotten bigger and stronger and faster over the years, so that makes it a little bit more difficult to officiate than 10 or 15 years ago," says Shows. Fans also have changed.

-Meet Shows in today's profile by Michelle Picon. Click

Weekend preview:

-Tough Mudder, Cowboy Gathering, Redneck Rummage and more: Saturday is one of those days in Northwest Georgia where everything seems to be happening. From Cedartown to Rome to Cartersville, check on a big list of weekend events.

-Latest public health restaurant scores: Updates from Floyd, Bartow, Gordon, Polk, Chattooga counties. Dining

-Weekend entertainment report by Bryan Mullins. Downtown

Latest on high water:

-Oostanaula River, Rome: 23.6 feet, flood stage is 25 feet. Rome

-Oostanaula River, Calhoun: 22.55 feet; flood stage is 20 feet. Calhoun

-Armuchee Creek: 20.95 feet; flood stage is 19 feet. Creek

-Coosa River, Lock and Dam: 26.7 feet; flood stage is 24 feet.

-Coosa River, Plant Hammond: 571.8 feet, flood stage is 570 feet.

-Chattooga River. 9.35 feet; flood stage is 14 feet. Click

The forecast:

-Freeze watch tonight-Saturday morning. Details
-Friday: Sunny, with a high near 55; clear and cold, low of 30.

-Saturday: Sunny, high of 70, low of 40.

-Sunday: Mostly sunny, high of 68, low of 43. 20% rain chance.

 

Norman Arey's Sports Commentary. Arey 

-Gators close practice doors; has Muschamp become paranoid?