Irene Flies By; Football Kicks Off

1. You’d never know our coastal friends were facing the storm of the year in Hurricane Irene from our weather today. Around here, it will be sunny and hot with a high around 95 and little or no wind most of the day, the National Weather Service says. And we’re facing another Code Orange smog alert.

2. Although we’re safely out of reach of Irene, Marietta is feeling the ripples. C-130 military cargo planes based in Savannah at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, and other planes could follow. In the wake of the storm, could play a role in flying relief missions.

3. High school football season kicks off in Marietta tonight. plays host to at 7:30; we should have coverage Saturday. plays at Langston Hughes in south Fulton at 7:30. is home against Whitefield Academy at 7:30. If you go to any of the games and have thoughts, updates, photos or videos, please send them along to share with the community through Twitter, Facebook, email or the website.

4. John Lash, a columnist for the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange at Kennesaw State University who served a quarter-century in Georgia prisons, weighs in on sentencing juveniles as adults after this week’s in the beating of a 94-year-old World War II veteran last year. In another local article of interest, the Marietta Daily Journal reports that eight firms bid for the architectural and engineering design contract for .

5. In addition to the suggestions we offered in Thursday’s and such weekly events as the and , your options this weekend include two classic love stories on the big screen at the , tonight at 8 and on Saturday at 8 ($8 for adults, $7 for children), and the from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at (free in advance, $5 at the door).