Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Pool for Columbia County should be 'a state-of-the-art complex'
Columbia County citizens have a wonderful opportunity to enhance the recreation venues and quality of life for everyone at the Nov. 4 vote. Marcia DeHaven, Evans

County is 'wasting' stormwater money with 'needless clearing'
I enjoyed Barry Paschal's recent column about the stormwater issue. While I agree with the general concept of having to maintain these areas, apparently the new mandate coming down the pike is profoundly different than what we have experienced in the past in Columbia County. Greg Mangum, Evans

GOP women's religion comments at luncheon were 'offensive'
On Oct. 11, I attended the Greater Columbia County Republican Women membership luncheon in Harlem. This included the president and membership chair of the GCCRW. Karin Helton, Harlem

Aquatic center would address 'unmet medical need' for county
Regarding the referendum for a aquatic and tennis center, Columbia County has an unmet medical need. Ross Meschke, Evans

Grovetown plans to build sidewalks near schools
Grovetown plans to build nearly 2,000 feet of sidewalks near two schools.

Evans church sponsors health fair
Achieving health in mind, body and spirit is all part of an Evans church health fair.

Show series called successful
After presenting eight concerts at the Columbia County Amphitheater, For the Fans Entertainment partner Jayson Sabo deemed the Music Evolution Series a success.

Planners might change design rules
Design guidelines for commercial developments near the intersection of Evans to Locks and Furys Ferry roads might soon undergo changes.

Byrds make joyful noise for 50 years
After 50 years of singing gospel music, the Byrd Family has managed to keep their music ministry a family affair.

Activities will have Halloween theme
Parents wishing to avoid the hassle and possible hazards of escorting costumed children from home to home on Halloween might consider an alternative event at the Evans library.

Animania Pet Fair to be held Saturday
Many people believe pet owners look like their pets. On Saturday, Animania could test that assumption.

Annual It's Spooky to be Hungry food drive begins
Volunteers for the 14th annual It's Spooky to be Hungry food drive will be collecting donations this month for the Golden Harvest Food Bank in many Columbia County neighborhoods.

Time Capsule
As reported 28 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News and The Martinez-Evans Times, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1980:

Class Reunions
The Harlem High School class of 1998 is holding its 10-year reunion at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at Windmill Plantation Clubhouse in Evans. For information, contact Stephanie (Gunn) Lewis at srlewis1@bellsouth.net, or (706) 869-7898.

Police Blotter
No one was injured in a fire Saturday night that destroyed a house near the Columbia and Richmond county line.

Pet of the Week
These male domestic short hair orange tabbys are 5 months old. They are available for adoption from Columbia County Animal Care and Control. For more information, call (706) 541-4077 or visit http://www.columbiacountyga.gov and follow the links to Animal Care and Control. Adult animals cost $25 to adopt, and puppies and kittens cost $20. Adopted animals must be spayed or neutered. Visitors must wear closed-in shoes to visit the kennel area, which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Anniversary trip
Bill and Marcia DeHaven celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary Sept. 4, in Banff, Canada. They enjoyed a ride on the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain and the dinner show Oh Canada, eh? The trip also included a visit to Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefields, Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Waterton National Park and Glacier National Park in Montana.

Scouts earn badges at Stone Mountain
The Dragon Patrol of Pack 620 Cub Scouts from Greenbrier Elementary School went on a two-day trip to Stone Mountain, where they earned geology activity badges and hiked three miles, including to the top of the mountain.

Haircut benefits cancer research
Robbin Johnson gives Ashley Devoti a haircut at Retreat Spa and Salon during the annual Cut for a Cure event to benefit breast cancer research.

Center celebrates 29 years
The PHC Weight Loss Center on Bobby Jones Expressway recently celebrated its 29th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce.

School Councils
- The Lakeside High School council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, and Jan. 12, Feb. 23 and March 23 in the school conference room.

'Chronicle' cartoonist speaks to pupils
Lorraine Hall, an Evans Middle School seventh-grade social studies teacher, invited Augusta Chronicle editorial cartoonist Rick McKee (foreground) to make a presentation on the history of political cartoons. The seventh-graders are studying political cartoons as part of a unit on the election.

Get Up and Go
The MCGHealth Children's Medical Center PRIDE class (Parents Reducing Incidents of Driver Error) will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Wesley United Methodist Church, in Evans. For information, call (706) 721-7606.

Optimists raise funds for cancer clinic
The Martinez Evans Optimists present a $1,000 contribution to the Children's Cancer Clinic at MCG. Pictured are Jim Tingen (from left), Optimist vice president; Richard Muns, Optimist president; Jim Mumsford, administrative director of the Pediatric Clinic at MCG; and Alicia Rhoads, Optimist community project chairman. On Oct. 15, the Optimists held the 10th Annual Rudy Goldman Golf Tournament at the Bartram Trail Golf Course. Money was raised to help provide putters and pitching wedges to children being treated for cancer at MCG and other youth projects. For information or to contribute, call (706) 799-1236.

Newsmakers
Ernie Blackburn (left), of Ernie Blackburn Home Builders, and Jake Ivey, of J.W. Ivey & Associates Inc., present a check for $9,000 to Millie Schumacher, the Family Y public relations director. The donation will go to fund the building of a Miracle League baseball field, a specially adapted field for disabled players, at the Wilson Family Y.

Current Events
The Columbia County Merchants Association 2008 Miss Columbia County Fair Scholarship Pageant will be held 7 p.m. Saturday at Greenbrier High School. For information, call Pat Becton at (706) 863-7645 or Debbie Zapata at (706) 863-3754.

Martinez Elementary School
Joshua Anderson, Zachary Canterbury, Elinita Pollard, Britttany Rooks, Mitchell Smeak, Ashmini Sookraj, Justice Fabyunkey, Noah Horning, Christian Watson, Erik Fulton, Morgan Kenney, Baylee Newton, Catherine Rimbey, Marlie Robert, Jeremy Weight, Morgan Anton, Thomas Grant, Evan Hoffa, Reagan Stith, Ethan Conger, Kylee Earnest, Kayli Hendricks, Kallie Lane, Dayton Mathis, Kelly Nguyen, Gray Nichols, Joshua Scharff and Rachael Wideman.

Book contest winners
The Augusta State University students who placed in the Arts in the Heart children's book contest, judged by local writer Cathy Fishman and local artist Raoul Pacheco, are Martha Deller (front, from left), James Kitchens, Rita Vasquez and Allison Neff; Diane Williams (back, from left), Sierra Graves, Ashley Smith and Brittany Hirshorn.

Short-cutter needs a flat
Where's Joe Cooler when we need him?

Editorial Cartoon
Editorial cartoon for Wednesday, October 23, 2008.

Please be generous for 'Spooky'
The aptly named It's Spooky to be Hungry food drive this year couldn't have a more prophetic name.

Pigskin Picks
Week Eight of the Pigskin Picks contest saw a total of 109 entries with three qualifiers getting all 10 correct; 36 qualifiers got nine correct; 39 qualifiers got eight correct; and 21 qualifiers got the minimum seven correct. There were 10 entries that did not get at least seven correct.

Injury-plagued Panthers manage two-score triumph
Lakeside High School bounced back from its worst loss of the season with a 14-0 win over Cross Creek on Friday night.

Wolfpack bring home championship
The Greenbrier Wolfpack's Volleyball team won the 2AAAAA Region at Luella High School. The Lady Wolfpack remained in the winner's bracket throughout the double-elimination tournament. The final match came down to a battle between Greenbrier and Houston County High School, Warner Robins, Ga. The final match went five games, with the Wolfpack winning the final set 15-8 in the 3-out-of-5 match. See Athlete Spotlight on page 22.

Knights stay on track for title
When Evans coach Marty Jackson turned the lights on at the school's football stadium two Fridays ago, he blew a transformer. The Knights were forced to play at Westside later that evening.

Athlete Spotlight: Molly Buckner and Kailyn Blackmon
Greenbrier volleyball coach Debbie Born feigned concern earlier in the season when it was pointed out the Wolfpack's previous four region championships this decade had come during odd-numbered years.

Sports Calendar
The Evans High School Touchdown Club is inviting anyone associated with the original football team, established in 1958, to join it for the Knights' final home game of the season on Nov. 7. Team members are invited to a pre-game meal at West Acres Baptist Church at 2:45 p.m. For information, call the Evans Touchdown Club at (706) 863-1198 or Terri Freeman at (706) 829-2226.

Football in community came from hard work
The Columbia County of today is not what it was in 1958 when the Evans Knights played their first football game.

Knights hope to keep up solid defensive effort
Evans (7-0, 6-0) vs. Hephzibah (5-2, 5-1)