Scholars and Athletes on a Possibly Stormy Day

On the theory that old jokes are still good jokes, we'd like to open this morning by announcing that Generalissimo Osama bin Laden is still dead. (Too soon? Nine years too late?) We'll have a video today from a service Monday evening at Temple Kol Emeth that celebrated the U.S. military's success in eliminating the world's most wanted terrorist.

1. The rain is back, possibly in the form of thunderstorms, but nothing dangerous like last week. There's an 80 percent chance of rain after 8 a.m., the National Weather Service says, and an 80 percent chance tonight. But the rainfall totals probably won't be more than half an inch all day. The high will be about 70 and the low about 45, while winds will gust to 25 mph.

2. Congratulations to senior Michelle Lee, who was one of 141 students in the nation, and one of four in Georgia, named a Presidential Scholar on Monday. Lee and the others, including Joan Bedinger, will be honored in Washington from June 18 to 21. "The U.S. Presidential Scholars exemplify what dedication to achievement and setting high standards can symbolize for all youth," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "The Department of Education congratulates these students on their artistic and academic accomplishments."

3. Congratulations also to gymnasts Angela Stein of and Alisha Rancone of , who finished second and third, respectively, in the all-around competition at the state gymnastics championships Friday night. With Natalie Bauer also placing in the uneven bars, Walton as a team finished third, behind Tift County and .

4. The Georgia High School Association springs sports playoffs kick into high gear today. Check back with East Cobb Patch later this morning for details about matchups in tennis, girls soccer and girls lacrosse. Wheeler, Walton and Pope baseball fans will have to wait until Friday, by the way.

5. Stop us if you've heard this before, but the Cobb County Board of Education is gathering today at 6 p.m. for a special called meeting and plans to go immediately into executive session to talk about personnel matters, meaning the superintendent search that "sources" said was over more than a week ago. For those keeping score, the school board has been going through the same 17 applications (presumably) for three-plus months. In other countywide meetings today, the Planning Commission meets at 9 a.m. at 100 Cherokee St., and Keep Cobb Beautiful meets at 5:30 p.m. at the Cobb Water Lab, 660 S. Cobb Drive.