As Kmart locations close, Academy stores soon rise -- as in Cartersville. July employment report for NW Georgia. Thunderstorms possible all weekend. Later today: Bartow County Jail reports, Cartersville Police updates.

Get Bartow's news today, not tomorrow, at www.bartowheadlines.com:

 

Ware Mechanical's forecast:

• Thunderstorms likely throughout the weekend; highs around 90. Weather

Today's first headlines:

• Business: Another former Kmart falls as Academy announces Florence, Ala., store. No plans announced for Rome -- at least now. Kmart
• Jobs: First look at the July employment report for Northwest Georgia. Jobs
• Supporters 'hashing' it out before tonight's #harbinherochallenge deadline. Leaders: Summit Quest, Hospitality House, YMCA, Harbor House, Open Door Home. Hashtag time
• Gordon sheriff: Ellijay woman dies after fleeing car runs off road, crashes; second passenger hospitalized. Fatality
• Health: Redmond reaches settlement over concerns about hearing-impaired, to pay $50,000. Second such case here in 10 months. Redmond
• Weekend: Forever Plaid at the DeSoto; Rome Celebrity Dance Challenge Saturday night; community health initiative that morning. Weekend
• Forget Pokemon: The critter you want to track -- or avoid -- on your lawn is the dreaded armyworm. Mickler column
• Remembering Mr. Thomas Hunter, Leon Parker Lupton, Mr. Marshall Van Shelton, Mrs. Mary D. Wright. Obituaries
• Public Health restaurant inspection scores.  Dining
  
• Area arrest reports brought to you by Dr. Miniyar's Pediatrics. CrimeWatch

Also today:

• Traffic: Georgia DOT, Google Maps or Waze.
• State business headlines: Georgia Trend
  
• Northwest Georgia jobs: Career Builder
  

Chick-fil-A Dwarf House Sports Report

• John McClellan's high school football report: Season opening wins for Darlington, Calhoun, Adairsville; Cartersville to fall to Allatoona; rough night for Rockmart, Cedartown.  Click McClellan
• Georgia High School Football Daily.
• Rome Braves announced 2017 schedule; home opener April 13. Schedule
• Rome Braves double header tonight vs. Hagerstown. First pitch: 5 p.m.
• Mills Fitzner's Rome Braves' home game photo gallery.
• Atlanta Braves: Host Nationals today through Sunday.
• Berry, Shorter counting down to opening weekend of college football.
• Former Shorter Hawk Paul Chelimo will run for the gold on Saturday night.

Hometown Headlines Radio Edition, 7-9 a.m., WRGA 98.7 FM.

• At 8:10 a.m. Erin Hernandez, executive vice president at Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition, on Saturday's Health Initiative for Men Plus (women, too).
• At 8:40 a.m.:  Frank Stephenson, Professor of Economics and chair at Berry College.