Gus the Groundhog Forecasts a Late Spring in Athens, Ga.

Better batten down the hatches: we're in for several more weeks of cold winter weather. That forecast came on Saturday from Athens' own animal prognosticator, Gus Morax, the resident weathergroundhog at Memorial Park.

So convinced was Gus of the inclimate weather to come that he didn't even emerge from his warm nest of a box on Groundhog Day. Shadow, what shadow? Instead of venturing out into the chilly Saturday morning, Gus issued a proclamation. Athens Clarke County Commission Mike Hamby read it to an expectant--and somewhat disappointed--crowd.

Meanwhile, on Pennsylvania's Gobbler's Knob, Punxsutaney Phil predicted an early spring for his many followers. Phil has been known to be wrong, but Gus?

We'll have to wait and see.