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.
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:
Mekhi Asberry, Euclid
Had Akron Garfield not hit so many clutch shots, it would have been Asberry’s shooting that lifted Euclid (5-3).
The Panthers’ sophomore guard scored 19 points and knocked down five 3-pointers in their double-overtime loss. He played off junior guard Tyree Williamson and 6-foot-8 forward Kye Owens, who scored 18 points with 10 rebounds.
Dereon Barber, Richmond Heights
His older brother, De’Erick, is Ohio’s all-time leader in assists after starting four years at Richmond Heights. Now a sophomore, Dereon follows in his footsteps as the Spartans’ starting point guard on a new-look team for first-year coach Mel Burke Jr.
The younger Barber controlled the tempo early in Richmond Heights’ 74-56 win against Orange to start Sunday’s showcase. He finished with 21 points and three assists, including two to senior guard Khyell Moreland, who scored 20 points and hit four 3-pointers. The Spartans (5-5) returned to .500 and bounced back from a seven-point loss last week to defending Division III state champion Louisville.
Rayshawn Hamilton, Akron Garfield
Hamilton’s 27 points carried the Rams for much of their thriller vs. Euclid. The 6-4 guard also grabbed nine rebounds, as Garfield outmuscled a lengthier Euclid team.
Chris Hill, Lutheran East
Lutheran East beat Warrensville Heights at its own game with a tenacious defense and quick passing offense. Hill led the Falcons (6-0) in both of those aspects for their 60-38 win, as he dished out seven assists with three steals and 11 points.
Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights
Mr. Basketball is out to keep his crown this season, and Sunday’s 40-point effort is another addition to the resume. The Bulldogs’ standout guard and South Carolina commit knocked down seven 3-pointers in a 74-70 win against Glenville. Three of those 3s came in the fourth quarter, as the Bulldogs (4-4) built a 15-point lead.
Johnson scored 17 points in the fourth quarter.
Aaron Lewis, Orange
A freshman guard, Lewis came off the bench to score 22 points in the Lions’ loss to Richmond Heights. He is the nephew of Trey Lewis, who starred at Garfield Heights before a professional career that now has him playing overseas and most notably a run with the Utah Jazz.
Greg Price, Hawken
Hawken (8-1) held off Rhodes’ rally, as four of its starting five led the way. Price earned MVP honors from the Hawks’ 87-80 win, as he scored 24 points and made repeated trips to the free-throw line down the stretch. He also dished out five assists.
Sophomore guard Ice Taylor scored a game-high 25 points, while Daron Hill added 12 and Charlie Mallett had 10, but Price set the tone early and took responsibility for his team’s turnovers that led the Rams back into it.
Hawken is playing back-to-back games against Cleveland Senate League teams and has a rematch from last season’s Division IV state semifinals coming Sunday against Glenville at Euclid for the Scholastic Play By Play Classic.
Gio Ramos, Glenville
Ramos is a newcomer for the Tarblooders, who made it to last season’s Division IV state finals. The junior steps into the big forward spot for a Glenville team that graduated leading scorer Xavier Vickerstaff and played a role similar to him against the Bulldogs with 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Monty Thompson Jr., Akron Garfield
Thompson, a junior guard who came off the bench for coach McNeal Thompson III, is quickly developing a reputation as a clutch shooter.
He made some big shots this summer at the Midwest Live showcase in Sandusky and continued Sunday in one of the Rams’ biggest tests to date. Thompson scored 17 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third quarter and his baseline jumper to beat Euclid in the second overtime.
Dylan Zeigler, Lutheran East
The sophomore guard, who has big offers including Ohio State, led the Falcons with 20 points in their revenge game against Warrensville Heights after the Tigers beat them last year at this showcase.
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.
Ryan Hauck
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.
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.
