Thursday, June 7, 2007
Citizens should oust 'liars, imposters and thieves'; start with Chambliss
At last month's Republican Party breakfast, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss emphasized that he "has nothing in common with Ted Kennedy."
Brett McGuire is in the race for Georgia Senate 'for all the right reasons'
Have you ever considered why someone would want to get involved in politics? Most politicians have large egos and seem to enjoy the rush of notoriety more than the sense of accomplishment over taking the proper actions.
Anti-war protester 'resignation' a relief; 'little more than a waste of time'
I am so deeply relieved by the so-called resignation of Cindy Sheehan. She has bogged the entire country with her radical, impractical and simply unimaginable hatred for our president and this country for far too long.
Radio host to hold seminar
Noted author and Catholic family values radio and television host Johnnette Benkovic will present a seminar Friday and Saturday at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Grovetown.
Private companies benefit after landfill closing
Nearly a year since the closing of the Baker Place Road Landfill, phone calls continue to pour in daily to Columbia County's information line from residents wanting to know where they can take certain types of trash.
Augusta Prep grads hope to leave mark on school
Thirty-one students graduated from Augusta Preparatory Day School on Sunday, the first such commencement to occur in the school's Boardman Athletic Center, which was built in the fall.
Lifesaver will locate missing people
A special bracelet could be all that's needed to help locate a family member with a medical condition who gets lost.
Grovetown summer camp has good response
Grovetown's annual summer day camp is headed for a bigger and better location this summer.
Graduation newsmakers
Kira King, daughter of Andrew and Rae-Anne King, graduated with summa cum laude honors from Augusta State University with a bachelor of music. She is pictured with her grandmother, Mary Kamaka.
Banks, restaurants chase county growth with new sites
The headquarters for a new addition to the Augusta area banking community is one of several new businesses taking root in Columbia County.
Signs in county rights of way have become more prevalent
As the June 19 congressional election draws closer, county officials say political signs are becoming an ever-increasing sight alongside county roads.
Get Up and Go
Johnnette Benkovic will be the featured speaker at the Women of Grace conference Friday and Saturday at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 4921 Columbia Road.
Time capsule
As reported in The Columbia News-Times, Wednesday, June 7, 1989:
Photo: Augusta Runners win
The Augusta Runners won the 2007 Kenny Smith Invitational and the 2007 Charleston Super Regional.
Current events
Absentee voting is now available for the June 19 special election. Voters may cast ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday through June 15, at the Board of Elections office in the Columbia County Government Center, Building E, adjacent to the Board of Health.
Photo: Beauty pageant
Rachael Rae Starkey, of Evans, a freshman at Augusta State University, was named Sunburst Georgia State Miss Queen in a pageant May 18-20 in Atlanta. She also won the title of "Prettiest Eyes," and was named first runner-up in the Model and School Fashion categories.
Police blotter
Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who threw an object at a fire truck, injuring a firefighter Friday night.
Photo: Springtime in Italy
A group of friends visited Italy for ten days during Spring Break. The group included: Shirley and Tony DiRenzo (from left), Donna and Russell Jones, Helen and Russell Morgan, Laurie and Michael Myers and Janet and David Haburchak.
Things to Do
The new Evans Lions Club will hold its inaugural Dog Walk from 9 a.m. to noon June 16 at the Columbia County Memorial Gardens. Entry fee is $10 per dog, and proceeds support Project Courage and Leader Dogs of America.
Pet of the week
This male terrier mix is very loving and friendly. He is about 2 years old and is available for adoption from Columbia County Animal Care and Control. For more information, call (706) 541-4077 or visit www.columbiacountyga.gov and follow the links to Animal Care and Control.
Perdue rains on vacation
This past week, the family hopped down to Hilton Head Island for a few days. The weather was phenomenal until Friday, when Tropical Depression Barry - I'm sure they named it after me - brought a downpour.
Help find person who hit fire truck
In the never-ending search for the lowest form of life on the planet, there's no need to send deep-ocean craft into the Mariana Trench.
Fight break-ins by locking your car
It is truly a blessing to live, work and raise a family in Columbia County. We enjoy an outstanding quality of life, a very low fear of crime, an excellent school system, a growing tax base and one of the lowest crime rates in the nation.
Belcher a standout ball player, gentleman
Nolan Belcher was seemingly born to play baseball. His dad had a batting cage in the family's backyard, and when he got home from work Nolan was there ready to hit a bucket of balls before dinner.
Teams set for summer tourney at Evans High School
Though the 2007 baseball season ended last week with Greenbrier's state championship, the 2008 season has already started. Evans High School will hold the annual Evans Classic Summer Tournament this weekend at baseball fields around the county.
Greenbrier claims state title
When a large crew of Greenbrier High School baseball players hoisted another state championship trophy Friday, it was an image most Wolfpack fans have seen before.
Athlete Spotlight: Phillip Baldowski
Two tables in the Baldowski living room in Harlem don't offer near enough space to house the trophies, awards, plaques and ribbons that Phillip Baldowski has earned over his high school career.
Sports camps offer variety of choices for athletes
With school out and the final high school sports season finished, local athletes are now fully in summer mode.