Within minutes of my Sunday column hitting the printing press on Friday, Ron Cross announced that he was going to announce his re-election.
That's the way it works these days. Candidates don't just announce that they're running. They issue a press release announcing their intention to announce their intention to run. I expect the day to come soon when a candidate announces his intention to announce his intention to announce his candidacy.
OK. I'm dizzy now.
Anyway, the story Sunday was about Brett McGuire filing an "intent" card, which is the first step to running for office because it allows a candidate to accept donations. McGuire is running for county commission chairman.
Before the ink on the column was dry, Cross and County Commissioner Scott Dean sent out a notice that they planned to hold a joint re-election announcement Tuesday morning (as luck would have it, their announcement was set for about the same time this particular issue headed to the printer).
It seems a little unusual for the two to announce together, mostly because candidates generally avoid mixing up their campaigns with any others. But last time out, Cross' son-in-law, school board member Mike Sleeper, served as Dean's campaign manager, so there's an obvious link.
Cross already knows he'll be challenged by McGuire. But a note from Cross to supporters in advance of the announcement also speculates on a potential challenger for Dean: Barry Davis, a member of the Grovetown City Council. It's been a open secret for quite a while that the political we're-against-everything operatives were looking for someone to run against Dean, and Davis is just one of the names tossed out.
But the letter also speculates on whether District 1 Commissioner Ron Thigpen will run for re-election next year. Thigpen doesn't particularly make waves on the commission - let's face it; none of the members of the Columbia County Commission make waves - but he typically is the smartest guy in the room on any given issue, especially on financial matters (which you'd expect from a banking executive).
My guess is that he'll run again. In fact, with my luck, he'll probably announce that he plans to announce before this is printed.
Watch out, speeders
Speaking of announcements, the county also announced that they'll hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning for the new Georgia State Patrol station in Grovetown.
The station has been open for several weeks. No word yet on whether the troopers have written enough tickets to pay back the county's $2 million investment.
Morning tea
Still more announcements: Local tea-party folks plan another rally next Tuesday morning at the Augusta Commons. Information is available at www.teaparty.org.
But I'm wondering: Who in the world, other than maybe a few disgruntled retirees, is available to come to a rally on a Tuesday morning?
Congress in Thomson
Not sure if U.S. Rep. Paul Broun will be available for the rally next Tuesday, but we know he won't be at his office's event Friday. His staff is holding one of his "Congress on the Square" sessions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Depot in Thomson.
The idea of these sessions is to give other communities in the 10th District the opportunity to interact with congressional staffers who can help with such things as getting a passport or Social Security benefits.
The sessions are held in communities without a congressional office, which is why they aren't held in Columbia County.
Not enough stars
Apologies to retired Lt. Gen. Robert Gray, of Evans. I inadvertently demoted him to major general in my Sunday column when I pointed out his recent election as chairman of the Columbia County Democratic Party.
(Barry L. Paschal is publisher of The Columbia County News-Times. E-mail barry.paschal@newstimesonline.com.)
icon.