Monday, April 24, 2006
Short library hours leave patrons in the cold
Library is 'true example of great things,' but hours should reflect needs
As residents of Evans for almost 13 years, my family and I were thrilled to see the new library finally opened to the public. It is a beautiful space and a true example of the great things that Columbia county is capable of on behalf of its citizens.
County should implement impact fees before seeking property tax hike
This is in support of Angela Mathews' letter in the April 16 News-Times, and The News-Times editorial on the same date.
Augusta Prep student makes community service a priority
Rachel Marks has made the mark as far as one of her teachers is concerned.
Convention, Visitors board wants to create its own logo
Columbia County's Convention and Visitors Bureau is looking to make a name for itself and will do so with its very own logo.
Rezoning denied on Hereford Farm Road; Gibbs will be sold
A rezoning request for property on Hereford Farm Road was denied Tuesday night by the Columbia County Commission after a discussion about the development that would go there and access to another roadway.
Grovetown sets election to fill vacancy
Grovetown city officials have set a special election to fill the vacant city council seat of the late Grovetown City Councilwoman Marjorie Adams.
New oaks will fit in with road's other trees
Motorists on Ronald Reagan Drive might have noticed the absence of eight flowering Bradford pear trees in front of a building that will become the new Columbia County Emergency Operations Center.
Howitzer moves into place as military park's focal piece
Grovetown brought in its big gun April 12. As part of a planned military memorial park, workers hoisted a several-ton, 105 mm demilitarized howitzer with an earth mover onto a slab of concrete in front of Grovetown City Hall.
Spectators catch a glimpse of Tour de Georgia
At 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in Grovetown and just minutes later in Harlem, if spectators lining the course of the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia had blinked, they might have missed the whole thing.
Mustang Club to show off cars during Spring Fever 2006 show
The CSRA Mustang Club will be showing off a lot of American muscle during its annual Mustang and Ford car show Saturday in Evans.
Students excelling in medicine
Award-winning medical students exist beyond the confines of the Medical College of Georgia.
Brookwood Elementary honor roll
Brookwood Elementary School's A and A/B Honor Roll
Current events
The grand opening festivities at the new Columbia County Library in Evans continue today, with book signings and talks from children's books author Carmen Deedy at 1 p.m., and best-selling novelist Terry Kaye at 3 p.m. The authors will appear in the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center.
Students counted as winners
A group of home schoolers traveled to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech High School Math Competition. Students making the trip were:
Euchee Creek Elementary honor roll
Euchee Creek Elementary School'a A and A/B honor roll
She the Queen of Punctuation
Ruth Masella (third from left), a kindergarten teacher at River Ridge Elementary School, reacts after being named Queen of Punctuation during a Punctuation Pageant at the school.
School lunches
Columbia County school lunch menus
Bel Air Elementary honor roll
Bel Air Elementary School's A and A/B Honor Roll
Future leaders
Augusta Christian School's Barbie Bufford (from left), Timothy VanVliet and Alison Blair recently attended a Youth Leadership Conference sponsored by the Augusta Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars.
Places to go
The Lakeside High School spring dessert theater, a chorus fundraiser featuring desserts, will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 4 and 7 p.m. May 5 at the high school auditorium. Tickets cost $5 in advance at the school or from a chorus student, or $6 at the door. Lakeside High faculty and children younger than 3 are admitted free. For information, call chorus director Stacy Branch at (706) 868-3669.
Time capsule
As reported 32 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News and The Martinez-Evans Times, Wednesday, April 24, 1974:
ACS students attend Math Olympics
A group of Augusta Christian School students were recent participants in the Association of Christian Schools International Math Olympics.
Divorces
Matthew McDade and Brandy K. McDade, March 31, 2006.
Scenes from the Masters tourney
Erin, Shannon and Dillon Bruer pose with golfer Vaughn Taylor at the Par-3 Contest at the Masters Tournament.
Property transfers
John S. Day and Marka R. Day to H.E. Rutty and Mary L. Rutty, 4583 Oxford Drive, $200,000.
Things to Do
The Grovetown Heritage Festival, celebrating the 125th anniversary of Grovetown, will be held Saturday in downtown Grovetown and at Goodale Park. For information, call Marsha Keating at (706) 650-9279 or Rosa Lee Owens at (706) 863-1867.
Police blotter
The following accounts are taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office:
Riverside Middle honor roll
Riverside Middle School's A and A/B honor roll
Greyhound of the week
Blake Underwood is fostering Luke, a dog who as a puppy was blinded in one eye.
Chorus tours the Capitol
The Blue Ridge Elementary Chorus recently sang at the Capitol in Atlanta.
Ugliness can scare off good candidates
Columbia County meets an important period in its history this week as qualifying begins for public offices.
I know who I am, not why I'm here
Readers have asked for my bio. I would like to respond, cantankerously, "Know thyself, busybodies." But then, this column would fall short of word count requirements. So, for the sake of people's morbid curiosity, I will perform a painful self-examination.
Crying wolf, crying racism
When something happens and racial differences really are the cause, will we even notice any more?
Lakeside boys stake out territory on tennis courts
Lakeside High School wrapped up another region tournament championship Tuesday as the Panthers' reign over Columbia County tennis continued. The Lakeside boys team has won every region title since the school opened in 1988.
Football rivalry is still alive in Europe
Within the confines of our fair county, there's no comparison to a great rivalry game. Whether it's Greenbrier/Lakeside, Evans/Greenbrier or Lakeside/Evans, it's bound to be a memorable matchup. Throw Harlem into the mix and anything goes.
Greenbrier shuts down area teams
Chalk up one more accomplishment for the Greenbrier High School baseball team this year - a Columbia County sweep.
Sports Calendar
The second annual Daniel E. Hall III Memorial Golf Tournament will take place Saturday at Jones Creek Golf Club with a shotgun start at 2 p.m. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Daniel E. Hall III Scholarship Fund, Augusta Area Junior Golf Association and the Greenbrier High School Golf Team. Call (706) 863-3162.
Augusta Prep girls conquer setbacks on, off pitch
During the minutes leading up to Augusta Preparatory Day School's Senior Day game against John Milledge Academy, girls soccer coach Forrest Wimberly could only smile.
USC Aiken pitcher closes in on national record
Former Greenbrier High School star Nick Wandless continues to rewrite the USC Aiken record book, and now he is closing in on a national record.