SAN FRANCISCO - Artist Thomas Kinkade, whose brushwork paintings of idyllic landscapes, cottages and churches have been big sellers for dealers across the United States, died Friday, a family spokesman said.

Angel Villalona burst onto the Augusta scene in 2008 when he helped the Augusta GreenJackets win the South Atlantic League championship. He was just a 17-year-old kid then. The Dominican Republic native had signed a year earlier with the San Francisco Giants for what was then a franchise record $2.1 million.

Augusta's Jason Childers has been all over the country in his professional baseball career. But the former Westside High School star recently got a chance at the international level and helped bring a gold medal to the United States.

In preparation for this weekend's college draft, National Football League teams have measured just about everything on the players to be picked: their size, speed, how far they can kick or throw, their strength in the weight room - you name it.

Mets pitcher Tom Glavine filed provisionally for free agency Thursday, still uncertain whether he wants to stay in New York or try to go back to the Atlanta Braves.

SAN FRANCISCO - The number of people who use Craigslist.org is expanding at more than 100 percent per year - a growth rate any venture capitalist would covet.

Augusta State athletic director Clint Bryant has taken over as president of the Greater Augusta Sports Council and will serve a two-year term. He replaces local attorney Doug Batchelor.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Ray Charles, the Grammy-winning crooner who blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and ballads like "Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday, a spokesman said. He was 73.

NEW YORK -- During baseball's spring training, The Arizona Republic created interactive graphics of stadiums in the area so visitors to its Web site could sample views from various seats.\r\n

There's a summer visitor coming to The Augusta Chronicle.