Wednesday's updates

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Calhoun High grad who's spent 15 years as a missionary in Haiti detailing destruction, concerns in Facebook posts to Rome mother, family friends: Local missionary Ed Lockett has helped build a school and home in Petit Goave, about 50 miles from Port-Au-Prince. His Facebook updates to his mother, Carol Lockett of Rome, say the school is damaged but standing. But his concerns are over what comes next as food and water run short, and crime spreads throughout the ravaged nation> Haiti

-View several dozen aftermath photos taken by Lockett

-Information on how you can help with recovery efforts there.

Weather service/Flooding possible as 2-3 inches of rain forecast:

The National Weather Service's "hydrological outlook" says two to three inches of rain is possible, which could trigger flooding because the ground already is saturated. Details Updates all day from Hometown. Also: Latest forecast:

-Today: 60% chance of showers, mainly after 1 p.m. High near 58.
-Tonight: 100% chance of showers. Low around 50. Rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible. 

-Thursday: 90% chance of showers, possibly a thunderstorm. High near 61.Gusts to 15 mph. Rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. 
-Thursday night: 30% chance of showers, thunderstorms by 1 a.m., low of 45.
-Extended forecast> Click  / Regional radar

Wednesday's Buzz:

-Cartersville's Anheuser-Busch brewery sending 600,000 cans of water to Haiti> Click

-Gingrey quickly sends congrats to Mass. senator-elect Brown: Within minutes of news of Scott Brown's election, U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey was on Facebook sending congratulations his way> Click

-Gingrey, GOP Doctors Caucus to examine healthcare bills: On Thursday at 9 a.m., the GOP Doctors Caucus will host the first public open hearing on the House and Senate health care bills now before Congress. U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey co-chairs the caucus> Doctors

-Lanes on I-75 in Catoosa to close Wednesday, Thursday for repairs: The Georgia Department of Transportation is advising motorists in Northwest Georgia of lane closures on I-75 between Exits 345 and 348, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.  The right lane of I-75 northbound between mile markers 347 and 348, and the left lane of the interstate southbound between mile posts 344.2 and 345 will be closed Wednesday from 1:30 until 5 p. m., to allow the department's maintenance crews to work on repairing deteriorating asphalt patches.   The two left southbound lanes of the Interstate between mile markers 346 and 347.4 will also be closed for maintenance work on Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. www.511ga.org

Thursday update on tennis proposal set; who pays the bill?

-A media briefing designed to update the community on the proposed 74-court tennis center off the new Armuchee Connector has been organized by a "joint partnership" of  Rome, Floyd County, Convention and Visitors Bureau, chamber and Berry College representatives. The meeting is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at The Forum.

-We expect to hear the findings of an economic impact statement solicited by Berry College, which committed 30 acres valued at $1.5 million to the project.

-One estimate from Berry puts the overall project price at $13 million to $14 million--including the 30 acres. It would include 14 "quick-start" courts for youth and a large clubhouse.

-The key item to watch: who pays for the project. A SPLOST option is off the table, at least for now, as local voters just approved a 2009 project list worth more than $42 million.

-State funds in play? In a recent interview with Hometown Headlines, state Rep. Katie Dempsey said, " I am also excited about the potential of the regional tennis center. I have already been working on that and speaking with House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin and other members of state leadership." Any state commitment would come under scrutiny because of the continuing budget shortfalls and Gov. Sonny Perdue's announcement last week of even more cuts in public education funds (click AJC).

-Full court press? Thursday's briefing comes a week before an executive with the U.S. Tennis Association is to deliver the keynote address at the chamber's annual meeting (chamber); the tennis proposal has earned early support from the USTA.

Norman Arey's Sports Roundtable> Arey

-Right to bear arms is getting expensive; Sarah Palin will run (at Daytona).