Monday, January 19, 2004

Warning to men: Don't make the same mistakes
This is a letter every man should read. As we all know, once in your life you meet the one true woman you are supposed to be with. She is the woman you dream of through your entire life. She is beautiful, and her beauty to you is different than anyone else. You see her for her and only her, and nothing will ever change that. She is smart, and just when you think she is not listening she repeats what you said.

Wolves' rescuer punished for being responsible
I thought it was extremely ironic that the Jan. 4 News-Times featured a story on the front page about a responsible pet owner, while the back page, as always, featured pictures of pets that were in need of homes due to irresponsible pet owners.

Longest-serving commissioner wins No. 2 post
Consider Diane Ford the Susan Lucci of the Columbia County Board of Commissioners.

Local crime drops for eighth year
For the eighth year in a row, reported criminal activity in Columbia County fell.

Cities question fire-service plan
Funding fire service through property taxes still concerns Harlem and Grovetown officials, and they expressed those concerns to Columbia County leaders Wednesday.

Business' success is icing on the cake
Life is sweet for Debbie Spangler.

Visit sparks interest in learning fire safety
Hannah Holland felt like a celebrity Tuesday.

Principal resigns abruptly
Evans Middle School Principal Myrel Seigler immediately resigned from his job Wednesday, leaving officials to look for a replacement in the middle of the school year.

Tangle resumes over stormwater fee
The school board and the county wanted to start the new year off on a good foot when they met Wednesday. However, the stormwater utility fee hangs over both government bodies like a dark cloud.

City honored for historic preservation
Harlem received its first recognition for historic-preservation efforts Friday from the Georgia Historic Preservation Division.

Sister act succeeds on council
They have made it into the history books at Augusta Preparatory Day School. Sisters Lauren and Lindsey Bigham are the only siblings to serve on the school's Honor Education Council.

Club donates Fire Fest proceeds
Money collected at last October's Fire Fest was distributed to Columbia County fire departments and charities at a Rotary Club breakfast meeting Wednesday.

New school site chosen
Columbia County has found a site for its next new elementary school.

School lunches
Columbia County school lunch menus

Police blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Evans student selected for national forum
Evans High School student Kellie Marie O'Rourke, daughter of Kevin and Rebecca O'Rourke, of Martinez, has been selected to participate in the People to People Student Ambassador Program and the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine.

Divorces
Tina Rowe and Timothy Scott Rowe, Dec. 22.

Columbia county newsmakers
Piedmont honors The following students from Columbia County have been awarded academic honors for the recently completed fall semester at Piedmont College.

Get up and go
Columbia County libraries will be closed Monday as the state and regional library computer database is updated. The Gibbs Library Book Discussion Group will meet as scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday.

Horse trails open at park
The Columbia County Recreation Department officially opened eight miles of horse trails at Wildwood Park on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Property transfers
Louis Mulherin Jr., Donald Grady and Louis Mulherin III to Michael V. Grady and Sean P. Grady, 705 Industrial Park Drive, $520,000.

Time capsule
As published 36 years ago in The Columbia News, Jan. 18, 1968:

Blue Ridge Elementary honor roll
The following pupils have been named to the second nine weeks A honor roll at Blue Ridge Elementary School:

Liberty Tax Service opens
James Brown, the owner of Liberty Tax Service on Washington Road, is dressed as Uncle Sam and flanked by April Cofer one of his tax preparers, dressed as the Statue of Liberty and his wife, Gale Brown, as they cut the ribbon to open their new tax- preparation business in Martinez.

Westmont Elementary honor roll
The following pupils have been named to the second nine weeks A honor roll at Westmont Elementary School:

Direction is forward
Unless we've reached that semi-blessed age when our memories begin to fail naturally, "forgetting those things which are behind" is easier said than done.

Is long shot a suicidal leap?
On Thursday, Lewis Blanchard is scheduled to make the long-expected formal announcement that he is committing political suicide.

Keep school membership honorary
Ask just about anyone in public life to name Columbia County's biggest attraction to new residents, and to the businesses that are drawn to those people, and the answer usually is the same: Good schools.

Prep swimming results
Results from recent high-school swimming and diving meets at Augusta Aquatics Center:

Sports briefs
The 2004 Lakeside Women's Soccer Alumni Match will be Feb. 7 at Lakeside High School. Game time at Panther Stadium is 2:30 p.m., and the cost is $25.

High school sports schedule
Monday Wrestling: Richmond Academy at Evans, 5 p.m.

Sight in your putter before you hunt for the hole
Avid hunters often prepare for the hunting season by firing rifles at targets, with the purpose of getting the scope and the aim dialed in.

School bids farewell to in-state region
There was an end of an athletic era last week in Columbia County.

Banquet honors rec-league coaches
Many of Columbia County's best and most dedicated coaches won honors Monday night.

Lions enjoy roaring hoops season
It seemed that basketball wasn't the only game being staged last week at Augusta Christian Schools.

Move to Louisville could be a Dunn deal
The Greenbrier High School football team enjoyed an outstanding campaign on the gridiron in 2003, finishing 7-3 in the regular season and advancing to the Class AAAA state playoffs.