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Web posted October 12, 2000

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From Staff and Wire Reports

GEORGIA
Regents approve academic reviews

DOUGLAS - The University System of Georgia will begin regular review of all academic programs under a schedule approved Wednesday by the Board of Regents.

Every seven years, undergraduate academic offerings will be reviewed and evaluated and will include external reviews by accrediting agencies. Graduate-degree programs will get the review every 10 years.

The system has never had a formal policy requiring such program reviews, although officials said many of the 34 schools already require a rigorous audit.

``This policy will assure that the academic programs in place on the campuses are relevant to the needs of the people and the economy of Georgia, that they are high-quality programs and in adequate demand,'' said Daniel Papp, senior vice chancellor for the University System's academic affairs.

Each school must submit a plan for the reviews for approval and will be require to submit the findings of the evaluations.

COLUMBIA COUNTY
Vandalized goal post repaired

The uprights to football field goal posts at Lakeside High School were restored this week after being damaged by a vandal.

The bent uprights were discovered by a Columbia County sheriff's officer Sunday. The school is scheduled to have a home football game Friday, but the damage was repaired in time to prevent a delay, said Judy Burroughs, the school's secretary.

According to a report filed with the sheriff's office, the contents of a fire extinguisher also had been sprayed into school bus No. 9124 during the same incident.

Damage to the goal post was estimated at $400. Sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said there have been no arrests in the case, which is considered criminal trespass.

ANIMAL CONTROL
Officials urge spaying, neutering

Columbia and Richmond county animal control officials agree that spaying and neutering animals is the most humane way of controlling the animal population. Getting the public to do it is the hard part.

Animal control officials from both counties met Wednesday to discuss ways to encourage people to have their animals spayed and neutered during November.

Augusta-Richmond County Animal Control Director Bonnie Bragdon and Columbia County Animal Control Director Linda Fulmer will ask local veterinarians to offer a 25 percent discount during the month.

``We all have similar problems. It's rare that two counties can come together on a program like this,'' said Columbia County Emergency Management Agency Director Pam Tucker, who coordinated the meeting.

The Columbia County Humane Society already offers low-cost spay and neuter certificates, which are on sale to the public. The group offers free certificates to the poor and the elderly who meet income guidelines.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Mental health director named

COLUMBIA - The chief executive officer of a system of mental health facilities in Ohio has been named the new director of the South Carolina Mental Health Department.

The South Carolina Mental Health Commission offered George P. Gintoli the job Wednesday. Mr. Gintoli will replace the interim director, Dr. James H. Scully Jr., who took over after Dr. Stephen M. Soltys resigned in April.

GEORGIA
Crash kills teacher, daughter

ATHENS - A teacher and her 7-year-old daughter were killed in a two-vehicle crash.

Carol Ann Colquitt and her daughter Katie, of Winterville, died Tuesday evening when their car pulled into the path of a van, said Hilda Sorrow, spokeswoman for Athens-Clarke County police.

Firefighter Dwayne Epps said he has seen four fatal accidents at the same intersection.

``It's got a blind stop sign,'' he said. ``They don't see the stop sign until they're almost across the intersection.''

Ms. Colquitt was a behavior disorders teacher at Winterville Elementary, where she was teacher of the year last year.

GEORGIA
House fire kills man, grandson

BAINBRIDGE - An early morning fire killed a 78-year-old man and his grandson in Decatur County, authorities said.

Joe Carlton and Bernard Hutchinson, 25, died in the fire at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in a house in Bainbridge in southwest Georgia. The fire was accidental and started in the home's attic, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine said.

He said the home, which was destroyed, did not have a smoke detector.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Ex-legislator loses law license

COLUMBIA - The state Supreme Court has revoked the state law license of former state Sen. Ty Courtney, convicted in June of federal fraud charges.

The court ordered that the former lawmaker from Spartanburg County be disbarred - the toughest disciplinary action against lawyers who break ethics rules.

Mr. Courtney, who received his law degree in 1975, consented to the punishment. The Supreme Court placed him on interim suspension Feb. 9.

On June 15, a federal jury in Spartanburg convicted Mr. Courtney, 48, of committing fraud to obtain two loans totaling about $500,000. His sentencing has not been set.

Mr. Courtney said he would resign his Senate seat, which he had held for two terms. He now works as a sales manager at a Toyota dealership near Atlanta.

GEORGIA
Massage therapists decry laws

CANTON - The state has no laws licensing massage therapists. The result is a hodgepodge of county laws - and some therapists say not all of them are fair.

Massage therapists in Cherokee County, for example, say a change in the county ordinance equates them with prostitutes.

The amendment passed in May required new therapists applying for licenses to pay $200 for a criminal background check. They also must have windows in their massage rooms and are not allowed to massage members of the opposite sex without a doctor's prescription.

In addition, they must be fingerprinted by police.

Cherokee County Attorney Mark Mahler said the county's previous requirement - a diploma from a recognized school - might have been too lenient. He said a woman who met that standard was arrested for prostitution during the summer.

COLUMBIA COUNTY
Two charged with drug possession

Two men who were pulled over by police at an Interstate 20 rest area Tuesday night after being chased from McDuffie County were charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Cimon McBride and Ricky Blanding are being held on $25,000 bond each for the drug charge.

Mr. McBride was also charged with eluding an officer, reckless driving, speeding and driving in an emergency lane. Columbia County put a hold on Mr. Blanding for a pending an aggravated assault charge.

Both men led police on a car chase that traveled from McDuffie County into Columbia County at about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday.

The chase, which was drug related, ended when the men pulled into the rest area at mile marker 181, Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.

McDuffie County sheriff's Deputy David Perkins said Mr. McBride jumped out of his vehicle and ran. Mr. Blanding slid over into the driver's seat and tried to run Deputy Perkins down, the deputy said. The deputy jumped out of the way, and Mr. Blanding drove the car into the woods, according to a report filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Mr. McBride and Mr. Blanding were arrested and taken to the McDuffie County jail.

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