For those who fried a turkey on Thanksgiving and now need to dispose of the used cooking oil, Columbia County wants to dispose of it and help keep it out of the sewer systems.

Columbia County Water Utility will have a free recycling center set up for used cooking oil from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the offices at 4325 Evans-to-Locks Road, according to an announcement from county officials.

In addition to providing a place to dispose of the used oil safely, recycling also helps prevent blockages in sewage systems, the announcement says.

Twitter @DonnieFetter

When Marcia Hardy started driving school buses six years ago, her new occupation soon turned into a form of grief therapy.

The impetus for Hardy to seek the job started when her husband died of an aneurism in December 2005.

“I had to make some life plans,” the 49-year-old Evans resident said. “I opened the paper one day, asking God to point me in the right direction. I happened to see that (advertisement) for a bus driver.”

One hospitalized after fire rescue

A Martinez woman pulled from her burning apartment late Thursday remained in critical condition at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center on Friday morning.

Demetria D’Antignac, 31, was in critical but stable condition, said hospital spokeswoman Barclay Bishop.

Firefighters responded to D’Antignac’s Petersburg Circle apartment at about 11:20 p.m. They broke down the door of the apartment and found her collapsed near the back door, said Battalion Chief Danny Kuhlmann of Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue.

Twitter @JennaNMartin

Alfredo Rodriguez came away with more than just slacks after a routine shopping trip at an Evans department store.

Months after purchasing three pairs of Haggar pants from Kohl’s, Rodriguez tried the trousers on for the first time at the request of his wife.

“When I shook one of the hangers, something fell on the floor,” the Grovetown resident said. “I said, ‘What in the world is that?’ and it was a ring.”