School board will be honored in December

The Richmond County Board of Education will be recognized as a 2008 Board of Distinction by the Georgia School Boards Association during its winter conference in December.

The association recognizes school boards that comply with its standards for local boards of education and distinguish themselves in additional areas of organizational structure.

"This is indeed an honor not only for each board member, but for the entire Richmond County School System," school board President Jimmy Atkins said in a news release. "The fact that we are being recognized by the GSBA as being both effective and efficient in our operations encourages us that we are doing what we believe is right to continue to move the district forward."

The conference will be held at the Waverly Hotel in Atlanta on Dec. 5.

Columbia County to discuss renewing tax

With the general election a week away, Columbia County officials will play host today to a public meeting to discuss renewing a 1-cent sales tax and a bond referendum for an aquatics and tennis center.

Columbia County voters will see both items on the Nov. 4 ballot.

At stake is a potential $180 million in capital improvement projects and an $18 million project to build a natatorium with adjacent tennis complex.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in meeting rooms B and C of the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center at the Columbia County Library, 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans.

Aiken approves name for campus roadway

The Aiken City Council approved Perimeter Boulevard as the name of a road that crosses the University of South Carolina Aiken campus from the Robert Bell Parkway to University Parkway.

The request to name the road, which runs alongside student housing and a day-care center, came from Aiken Public Safety and Aiken County E-911. The agencies said they wanted to name the road for emergency purposes because three student housing complexes are located on it.