Looking for a photo and socks

Billy Jackson is looking for a photo. And some socks.

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First, the photo. Billy and his father, state Sen. Bill Jackson, are working on a marker to accompany the Evans High School pillars and arch that they rescued from the old school site and moved over to the Evans library.

When finished, the marker will have a photo of the original school etched onto it. But they aren't yet satisfied with the photos they have.

So: Do you have a photo of the original Evans school, preferably one in which the columns and arch are visible? They aren't looking for the building knocked down to make room for Home Depot, mind you; they want the one that burned in 1954. If you have a photo, let me know and we'll get a copy of it to the Jacksons.

Unrelated to that search, Billy also is looking for socks as a visible symbol of the acronym for Stop Obama Care.

Billy is one of the folks setting up a citizens rally at the Riverwalk Amphitheater from 5:30-9 p.m. Sept. 3, with U.S. Reps. Nathan Deal and Paul Broun already committed to speak. They're trying to get U.S. Rep. John Barrow, too.

Socks brought to the rally will be mailed to Congress to symbolize opposition to the president's health care proposals. It's all timed to land the laundry at the Capitol before congress returns to session after Labor Day.

If your dryer eats as many socks as mine does, you should have plenty of orphaned strays lying around.

Ask and receive

The other day, after making a few comments about a couple of gubernatorial candidates who've visited, I said I expect to see the others during the next few months and especially would like to see Ray McBerry and Thurbert Baker.

A couple of days later, no doubt prompted by a local fan (his, not necessarily mine), a McBerry staffer called to set up an interview. He'll be coming to visit in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey among likely Republican voters in the state doesn't give McBerry (or, really, any of the candidates) much to brag about.

John Oxendine continues to claim front-runner status, though he's only at 33 percent. While his press office cheers the news, I'm not sure knowing two-thirds of the voters like someone else is much to brag about.

In any event, since no one in his or her right mind expects any of the GOP candidates to win the primary without a runoff, the real race is to see who lands second place.

At the moment, Secretary of State Karen Handel and U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal are tied at 13 percent in the poll, while state Sen. Eric Johnson has just 3 percent. Coming in last is McBerry at 2 percent.

Actually, it's even worse than it sounds. McBerry and Johnson combined are outpolled by the 6 percent of respondents who say they'd like to see some other unnamed candidate in the race.

Getting beaten by "other" has gotta hurt.

Remember Rivers

One of our recent book-donors, Riverman, reminds me that Kyle Parker isn't the first Columbia County resident to start at quarterback for a Division 1 college team.

Parker, whose family now lives in Martinez, will be the starter for the Clemson Tigers. All of his high school ball was in Jacksonville before his family moved here, but his younger brother plays for Lakeside High.

Before Parker, though, another Panther product made it to the big time. David Rivers, a Lakeside grad, got his first and only start at quarterback for Virginia and led the Cavaliers to a 45-38 upset of Georgia Tech back in 1999.

Rivers later played professionally in Europe.

Leonard Nance

Much of the foundation on which modern Columbia County is laid was drawn, at least in part, with the guidance of Leonard Nance.

The former county engineer died last week at age 81, and saw more than most of us in his long lifetime - which included a stint in the Air Corps in World War II.

I'm sure his family would appreciate your prayers.

(Barry L. Paschal is publisher of The Columbia County News-Times. E-mail barry.paschal@newstimesonline.com.)