Redding named to Youth LEAD Georgia

Published 9:27 am Monday, December 29, 2025

ATHENS — A Colquitt County student is among 30 high school students who’ve been selected for the Youth LEAD Georgia 2026 cohort. 

Elizabeth Redding will join her peers for a transformative year-long leadership initiative facilitated by the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development in partnership with Chick-fil-A, according to a press release from Youth LEAD Georgia.

The program equips youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle challenges that impact Georgia’s vitality as future leaders of the state, the press release said. A $1.5 million pledge from Chick-fil-A to the UGA Fanning Institute provides financial support for Youth LEAD Georgia. Thanks to this support, the program is available at no cost to participants. 

These 10th- and 11th-grade students, representing 27 different counties, were reviewed by an external selection committee from a record pool of nominations, reflecting growing interest and competitiveness in the program. 

Participants will take part in four weekend retreats held throughout the year in different regions of the state, a week-long summer bus tour visiting areas not covered in the retreats and a two-day statewide youth summit in Athens. Experiential learning is accompanied by dialogue on current topics facing the state, and interaction with business and community leaders. 

Alongside hands-on learning, participants can apply for Bullard Community Champions grants, using their newly acquired skills to lead impactful community service projects in their local areas. These grants are made possible through funding from Regions Bank and Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House.  

Programming will begin in January.

Margaritas has closed its doors in Liberty Hill.

Time Out Sports Bar has announced it will also cease operations at its current location, with its final day of business set for Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Notices posted at the bar invite the community to attend a “last day of business” event that day, with all bartenders scheduled to be on site from 3 p.m. until close. 

According to the notice, customers who have funds remaining on the bar’s sweepstakes machines will be given a two-week window to cash out. Management stated that specific times for cash-out availability will be posted. 

Time Out Sports Bar also indicated plans to relocate and said information about its new location will be shared on the business’s Facebook page. 

The building housing both Margaritas and Time Out Sports Bar has been sold to a new owner. As of publication, the identity of the buyer and any future plans for the property have not been publicly disclosed.

However, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, a new Denny’s restaurant will occupy one of two lease spaces attached to a new convenience store development called Q-Mart, which is set to be located at 10280 W. Hwy. 29–is the same address as Margaritas.

Plans for the Q-Mart include an 11,766-square-foot main building, two fuel canopies, and a second lease space that remains open for a future tenant. The privately funded project carries an estimated construction cost of $3 million. Work is expected to begin in March 2026, with completion anticipated by February 2027.

A commercial demolition permit for Margaritas’ playground, covered wood deck and canopies was approved in December 2025 to occur Jan. 5.

Follow The Independent for more information on this developing story.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Akron Garfield and Euclid stole the show Sunday during the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic at Garfield Heights High School with their double-overtime thriller.

It took two buzzer-beaters by the Rams’ Rayshawn Hamilton and Monty Thompson Jr. in both overtimes to lift Garfield to a 73-71 win against Euclid. Afterward, they were greeted in the locker room by the hosts from Garfield Heights ahead of the Bulldogs’ game with Glenville.

Both share the name, Garfield, and both are in Division III for OHSAA postseason play.

They could meet in March, but both put on shows Sunday during the five-game showcase. Here are the standout performances to go with the highlights in this post:

After arriving in Fayetteville, it doesn’t take long to realize that sports are woven into the city’s DNA. From Razorback game days to the cyclists on our trails to families filling fields and courts across the region, this is a community that moves.

And that movement represents far more than recreation. It is one of the strongest economic opportunities ahead of us.

Sports tourism has grown into one of the most powerful, reliable economic engines in the country. According to the Sports Events & Tourism Association, spectator sports tourism generated $47.1 billion in direct spending last year, supporting more than 665,000 jobs nationwide. Youth and amateur sports, everything from tournaments to camps to regional competitions, contributed even more, with $52.2 billion in travel-related spending. These visitors stay in hotels, eat in local restaurants, shop in stores, and explore outdoor assets, leaving a meaningful mark on local economies.

In Arkansas, that story is magnified. Outdoor recreation alone contributed $7.3 billion to the statewide economy in 2023, supporting more than 68,000 jobs. And tourism reached $17.4 billion in economic impact in 2024, with Northwest Arkansas playing a major role in that growth.

At a time when leisure and business travel have softened nationally, sports-related travel has continued to rise, providing a level of stability and resilience that communities increasingly depend on. When communities like Fayetteville lean into their strengths — outdoor recreation, hospitality, accessibility and local culture — the returns are significant.

Fayetteville is uniquely positioned to lead the state and region in this space. We’re home to a thriving SEC city, incredible year-round weather, world-class outdoor recreation, a variety of indoor sporting facilities, and a welcoming culture that makes competitors and travelers feel instantly at home.

Our community has also invested intentionally in the infrastructure that makes sports tourism possible. Centennial Park is a perfect example. Purpose-built to host world-class cycling events, it has already welcomed the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championships and will host the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships this December, and again next year. These events don’t just bring athletes. They bring national attention, media coverage, and significant economic impact for our hotels and hospitality businesses.

And that momentum extends well beyond cycling. In the past year, organizations such as the Women’s Football League, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, and the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation have approached us about hosting events in Fayetteville. Their interest reinforces what the sports community already knows: Our city is emerging as a national-caliber sports destination.

But the value of sports tourism extends beyond visitor spending. It strengthens identity and builds civic pride. It brings families together. It activates public spaces and showcases the best of who we are. In my previous role in Cody, Wyo., I saw firsthand how powerful it can be when a community rallies around its strengths and invites the world to experience them. In Fayetteville, that same opportunity is in front of us, and we are already leaning in.

The path is clear: We need to continue investing strategically. That means purpose-built sports facilities and deeper partnerships across the region. If we continue investing with intention, collaborating across sectors, and telling our story with clarity and authenticity, Fayetteville can set the standard for what a modern, movement-driven destination looks like.

The momentum is already here. Our job now is to harness it and to make sure the world knows exactly why Fayetteville is a place worth traveling to, competing in, and coming back to again and again.

Editor’s note: Ryan Hauck is CEO of Experience Fayetteville, the city’s tourism marketing agency. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

Related

Omar Sy is one of those personalities who brings people together.

At 47, the internationally acclaimed actor is stepping into a new role – one firmly rooted in real life. 

Already the star of productions that have left a lasting mark on audiences worldwide, Sy will now become one of the faces of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event to be staged on African soil.

Known for his roles in hit films, the actor first established himself as one of the most popular figures in French-language cinema with The Intouchables in 2011. His global profile grew even further thanks to the Netflix series Lupin, which helped expand his audience well beyond Europe.

His appointment as an ambassador for Dakar 2026 YOG on Monday, 29 December, marks another step in his growing international influence. He shared his feelings upon the announcement of this new role.

“I am proud and honoured to be an ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games that will take place in 2026 in Senegal. These Games represent values that are close to my heart: sharing, solidarity, pushing beyond one’s limits, and intercultural encounters,” he said.

He also underlined the symbolic significance of the event: “Seeing the youth of Senegal and the entire world shine together on the land of Teranga is a powerful symbol of unity and hope.”

Born in France to a father from Senegal, Sy maintains a close personal connection with the country.

This bond has influenced some of his artistic choices, as reflected in his roles in Yao (2018) and Father & Soldier (Tirailleurs, 2022). In January 2025, he was also received by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, further highlighting his commitment to Senegal and its youth.

DICKINSON — It’s no secret that hockey is a huge part of my life. I’d even say it is my life.

When I was interviewing for this job at The Dickinson Press in 2024, the editorial staff said that they’ve never had someone with a lengthy track record of covering hockey. From that conversation, I knew I would have a big role once the puck dropped.

When I returned to Dickinson from Thanksgiving that year, I was told that I was going to be getting a hockey show. I was stoked.

It took me some time to come up with a name. I even bounced around some name ideas with my mom. Let’s just say some of her suggestions weren’t ideal.

Once I settled on The Breakaway, I slated for it to start at the beginning of 2025. The first episode I did featured Kyndall Peterson and Sarah Menge taking on each other in a faceoff competition. I’ll never forget seeing one of the first comments on the video — “this is amazing!”

But this show is more than about me sharing my immense passion for hockey with the Dickinson community. It’s about showing off what these athletes are capable of on the ice. This year I plan on expanding the show beyond the on-ice skills.

I want to get to know them on a personal level and find out more about their hockey background. One of the biggest things I especially want to do this year is get more involved in the hockey community. Those ideas are currently in the works and you’ll have to stay tuned to find out more.

I hope everyone has enjoyed The Breakaway since this started and I can’t wait to see what this season holds.

See you on screen – and on the ice!

Jacob Cheris covers a variety of high school and college sports. A graduate of Penn State University’s class of 2023, with a degree in broadcast journalism, he covered Penn State Men’s Hockey for three years. Jacob also covers Big Ten Hockey for College Hockey News.