I was saddened to learn today that a fire has destroyed a grand old theater in my former hometown of Athens, Ga. I can't tell you how many shows and films I've seen in the Georgia Theater, but for many years it was home to a diverse range of acts, from Wynton Marsalis and Dave Matthews to the Ramones, Tom Waits, R.E.M. and many, many more.

Though investigators aren't sure what caused the fire, there's speculation that it was set off by lightning sometime this morning. Sadly, the theater's new owners were nearly finished with a $1.5 million renovation of the place.

You can read the full story online at the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper site.