Thursday, April 16, 2009
Speed bumps aren't among reasons for gratitude in Columbia County
I know there are many things to be thankful for in Columbia County: schools, businesses, quality of life, good jobs, etc. However, speed bumps don't make my list.
Obama's gaffes in international protocol 'pathetic, embarassing'
As pathetic and embarrassing as this is, the president of the United States now bows in subservience to an Islamic monarch.
Award honors slain student
One year ago today, Columbia County native Ryan Clark died during a shooting at Virginia Tech. Members of a youth organization hope to soon unveil an award honoring Clark and one of his passions -- community service.
Harlem Relay organizers are optimistic
Volunteers will walk with a purpose Friday evening as they participate in Harlem's Relay for Life.
Best-selling author to lead discussion at library
Beyond the thrills in the pages of best-selling author Steve Berry's books, area fans might enjoy the thrill of meeting the novelist Saturday when he will speak at the Columbia County Library for the finale of the One Book series.
Lakeside High students organize cancer benefit
Like many at Lakeside High School, sophomore Grace Bellmer wanted to be proactive after learning her beloved English teacher, Karen Chase, had breast cancer.
At chess board, opponents are pawns for River Ridge player
Noah Quesnel has all the right moves. The River Ridge Elementary School fourth-grader won his second state chess title at a Georgia Chess Association tournament held March 28 on Jekyll Island, Ga.
Book event to delve into the allure of evil
Best-selling crime novelist Kathy Reichs, the featured author for the Columbia County Reads Together program, will discuss her work and sign books 7 p.m. Saturday in the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center at the Columbia County Library in Evans.
Earth Day to be celebrated Saturday
While environmental issues continue to escalate in the global political arena, Earth Day offers Columbia County residents an outlet to learn more about the world they inhabit.
Planners will look at changes to development
The Columbia County Planning Commission will have a second opportunity Thursday to decide on site plan revisions to Marshall Square.
Family recalls kindness of Lakeside High grad
Alexis Noelle Colohan-Cannon Haworth packed a lot of experiences into her short life.
Shelter lowers fees for adoption event
Columbia County Animal Care and Control will hold a special pet adoption event Friday and Saturday at its Columbia Road shelter.
Broun sponsors essay contest
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun is sponsoring an essay contest for high-school students in the 10th District.
JROTC teams win at event
The JROTC teams from Lakeside and Evans high schools did not have to go far to take home plenty of hardware from the Army JROTC State Championships at Fort Gordon.
Spring Birdhouse Sale raises money for autism group
The Knights of Columbus Terence Cardinal Cooke Council will hold its second annual Spring Birdhouse Sale on Saturday and Sunday at its home church of St. Teresa of Avila.
Evans High students try to win with mechanics' skills
Two Evans High School juniors earned spots in the statewide Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills finals in Perry, Ga., today.
Residents clean up after severe storms
Strong storms and a tornado ripped through Columbia County Friday, leaving some homeless and causing damages estimated at nearly $300,000.
Evans Elementary School Honor Roll
Third nine weeks honor roll for Evans Elementary School.
Euchee Creek Elementary School
Third nine weeks honor roll for Euchee Creek Elementary.
Newsmakers
The Foreign Language Alliance for International Rapport (FLAIR) announces the 2008 FLAIR Outstanding Student of the Year, Matthew Timothy Shafer, a French and Latin student at Augusta Preparatory Day School.
South Columbia Elementary School Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
Time capsule
As reported 33 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News and The Martinez-Evans Times, Wednesday, April 9, 1975:
Small steps for a big cause
Karen Brazel, a kindergarten parapro at Evans Elementary School and a cancer survivor, walks around the track with pupils Emily Nicholson (from left), Francesca Fernandez and Conner Johnson.
Riverside Elementary School Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
River Ridge Elementary School Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
Evans senior helps during Masters
Evans High School senior Stephen Hargrove, 17, carries a telephoto lens and a chair for one of The Augusta Chronicle's photographers during the Masters Tournament. This is Hargrove's second year working at the tournament.
Vacation photo
John Weeks (from left), Alan Hyatt, Eric Hyatt and Kevin Hyatt (front) attended the 2009 Masters Tournament.
Shock Dance Academy receives awards
Shock Dance Academy performers received platinum awards at the Star Systems dance competition in Spartanburg, S.C.
Riverside Elementary School Honor Roll
Third nine weeks honor roll for Riverside Elementary School.
Police blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Additional reports are available at www.columbiacountyso.org:
Riverside Middle School Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
CCRD Suns win 2008 championship
The Columbia County Recreation Department Suns, ages 13-15, are the 2008 junior champions. The team had a 13-1 season.
Newsmakers
Pam Alexander, an author and illustrator of children's books about Georgia, is shown with four pupils who won a book by successfully answering a question about the books.
Greenbrier Elementary School Honor Roll
Third nine weeks honor roll for Greenbrier Elementary School.
Easter arrives
Five-year-old Carla, 2-year-old Americus and 11-month-old LeAnna Lawson, daughters of Candace and Jonathan Lawson of Martinez, enjoy an Easter morning egg hunt at the Martinez home of their grandparents, Joyce and Ronnie Cooper.
Current events
Grovetown gears up for a week of events leading up to the annual Heritage Festival.
Newsmakers
The 2009 FCCLA State Leadership Conference was held April 19-21 at the Classic Center in Athens.
Jump Rope for Heart
Cedar Ridge Elementary School third-graders Carter Coile and Jordan Jarrard participated in Jump Rope for Heart on March 20. Students in the school raised $5,000 in one week to help with research for heart disease and stroke.
Current events
Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church, 703 Furys Ferry Road, Evans, will hold its women's conference and revival at 7 p.m. Friday at the church, and a retreat at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Gordon Club at Fort Gordon. The revival is free; the retreat costs $30. Call (706) 860-7091.
Masters patrons
John Weeks (from left), Alan Hyatt, and Kevin Hyatt (front) stand in front of the clubhouse at Augusta National Golf Club.
Martinez Elementary School honor roll
Third nine weeks honor roll for Martinez Elementary School.
Pet of the week
This female shepherd mix is very friendly. She 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.
Get up and go
Carol Jackson, 4-H program assistant and "The Bat Lady," will present a free program on bats from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday at Reed Creek Park. For information, call (706) 210-4027.
North Columbia Elementary School Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
Parts of Speech Pageant held
The Parts of Speech Pageant was performed at River Ridge Elementary School on March 28th.
Police blotter
A seventh-grade special education teacher at Grovetown Middle School died Monday in a single-vehicle wreck in Appling.
North Columbia Elementary School
Third nine weeks honor roll for North Columbia Elementary School.
Editorial cartoon
Editorial cartoon for Wednesday, April 16, 2008.
Are the guests gone? Then let's talk
Could anything possibly be better than spring break and Masters Week? OK. Enough of that. Have the visitors left town?
Traveling road less recalled
Because the middle daughter is partially following in her dad's footsteps and planning to attend Valdosta State University, we took a day-trip last week down south for a college visit.
Pay to write it, pay Corps to read it?
Columbia County taxpayers paid for a consultant to conduct an environmental assessment at Wildwood Park. But now that the assessment is complete, Columbia County taxpayers will have to fork over $20,000 just to get the corps to review it.
In search of an honest politician
The fourth-century B.C. cynic Diogenes and the ancient Greek fabler Aesop had something in common: Both men, tradition says, spent their lives searching for an honest man. Tradition does not record their success.
Drinking tea, or Kool-Aid?
At 5 p.m. today, hundreds of people will gather in downtown Augusta and other communities for "tea parties" to protest the runaway federal budget. The local event is being organized by Columbia County's Young Republicans.
Editorial cartoon
Editorial cartoon for Wednesday, April 15, 2009.
Tax Day 'tea parties' turn up the heat
To show their pain, many Americans will protest high taxes and record spending at Tax Day Tea Parties - 21st century versions of the Boston Tea Party. Tonight, I will join Augusta-area residents at one of the Tea Parties at Augusta's Jessye Norman Amphitheater.
Little league teams get boost from Betsy
The original attraction of Betsy Bingo has been retired for five years, but the premise still makes event coordinator Doug Miller laugh.
Sports calendar
The Columbia County Storm 9-under travel team is seeking players. To be eligible, players must be 9 years old by May 1. Call Shayne Vining at (706) 306-3728.
Paralympics group works to reach out, add activities
Champions Made From Adversity recently received a boost when it was named one of 34 founding Paralympic sports clubs by the U.S. Olympic Committee's Paralympic Division.
Belcher returns to old form for South Carolina
Through his first six appearances on the mound in a South Carolina Gamecock uniform, former Greenbrier High School star Nolan Belcher did not seem like himself.
Gordon Park Speedway Race Results
Gordon Park Speedway Results
Tommy Snell won the first points race in the Crate Late-Model Division at Gordon Park Speedway on April 12.
Wind, competition made event tough
COLUMBIA --- The spot on the podium for the sixth-place finisher was empty Saturday as Anna Bowles' name was called.
Sports calendar
A Grovetown High School Athletic Booster Foundation meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Columbia County Board of Education office on Hereford Farm Road. For information, call (706) 823-6062.
Athlete Spotlight: Alex Cassagnol
It was a frigid day for a track meet when Columbia County girls teams met on April 3 to decide the best in the area. The cold, damp weather led one coach to dub the event the "Pneumonia Invitational."
Athlete Spotlight: T.D. Davis & Ben Morgan
They have opposite roles, differ in physical makeup and have different ways of doing business on the baseball field, but Ben Morgan and T.D. Davis share the same purpose for the Greenbrier High School baseball team this season.
Stampede win tournament
The Stampede Baseball 9U Team won the Midland Spring Fling NIT Tournament held in Lexington, S.C.
Lakeside falls to South Effingham in makeup game
Lakeside High School pitcher Ryan Shipp throws to a South Effingham High School batter. At left, Lakeside's Collin Parker lays down a bunt against the Mustangs during Diamond Day, held Saturday at Evans High School.
Player of Year leaving hoops behind
Augusta Prep senior Jim Hull, The Columbia County News-Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year, completed his standout basketball career and turned his focus to running.