GNB Update

Halfway through the work week...Here's the news...

The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame becomes the latest casualty of statewide budget cuts. Macon.com reports that the sports museum will close on Sundays and Mondays as part of the cutbacks. The moves will also cost two full-time, and four part-time employees their jobs. Executive Director Jackie Decell told Macon.com that the cuts coincide with such moves made earlier this year. State funding for the sports hall of fame will now be disbursed once a month. Funding for June was cut by one-fourth.

More evidence of cheating on standardized tests. The Associated Press reports that an investigation by Glynn County school officials revealed "test improprieties" at a Brunswick elementary school. That knowledge became public as part of a statewide probe into the CRCT cheating scandal that resulted in the arrest of two former DeKalb County administrators late last week. A state audit released earlier this month revealed that elementary schools in the Atlanta and Fulton County, along with those the DeKalb and Glynn school districts, were identified as those who had answers changed on the CRCT math test. The state Board of Education will vote next month on whether or not throw out the tampered scores from Glynn County.

The quest to see who will become Miss Georgia 2009 begins Wednesday night in Columbus. Ledger-Enquirer.com reports that tickets were still available at the River Center for the Performing Arts earlier Wednesday afternoon. A total of 35 young women will compete for the Miss Georgia title, while 31 contestants will vie for Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen 2009. For more information, log on to missga.org, or click here for live coverage of all four nights of the competition.

That's the news. GNB is available online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com, and on Twitter at twitter.com/georgianewsbeat. Enjoy your Wednesday night.