Area briefs: Hot Corner Festival in Athens, BOE appointment in Homer

This is festival weekend in downtown Athens: the annual Hot Corner Celebration continues through Saturday at West Washington and North Hull Streets, with events wrapping up at the Morton Theatre on Washington.

There is a new committee assignment for a state Representative from Elbert County: Elberton Republican Rob Leverette will serve on the House Study Committee that is looking at the exchange, storage, and coverage of agricultural products, grain, and livestock.

There is a School Board appointment in Homer, where Eli Cooper will fill the unexpired term of Banks County Board of Education member Shane Roberts, who resigned last month.

It is the second drowning in a week on Lake Lanier: a body pulled from the Lake has been identified as that of 76 year-old Jim Hansard of Gainesville. The body was found in about 13 feet of water off Keith Bridge Park in Lake Lanier.