Comments from readers:

TO THE PERSON WHO ranted about Sonny Perdue: Katrina did not tell the people she was coming. What if she had come through Georgia? You would not have a baby sitter, a day care center, school or home to go to or sit on its roof, would you? God allowed us not to have such a disaster at this time. And you complain about two days out of school, and those people are living on the streets for weeks and weeks. Stop complaining ... .

A BIG RANT FOR THE Rhodes Furniture Co.'s going-out-of-business sale. Today I saw the identical sofa I purchased in June for $600 "on sale" for $1,300. How do you explain that?

A RAVE FOR THE Augusta Chronicle opinion editor on the writing about the high number of students who were passed on, even though they failed the CRCT. And a rant against Richmond County. I am a teacher. They have at my school for the last eight years never failed a single eighth-grade student. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Richmond County No Child Left Behind means pass them all no matter what.

IN RESPONSE TO THE person not wanting Columbia County to be associated with Augusta: Hey, we can do without you in Richmond County, but you can't do without us. If it weren't for the old, established Richmond County, most of you wouldn't have anywhere to work or anywhere to shop. You'd still be riding around on dirt roads. Good riddance.

AUGUSTA COMMISSIONERS find money to support any project they so desire. Why can't they find money to give the employees a raise? The only ones making a decent wage are the directors and their assistants. If the underpaid employees walked off the job, Augusta would come to a complete standstill. Augusta can do better by these hardworking citizens.

THIS IS FOR THE PERSON with the negative comment about Cindy Sheehan. She does have a lot of respect for her son. She doesn't want anybody else's son killed in George Bush's moronic war.

WITH THIS ECONOMY being as screwed up as it is, I predict that crime will rise drastically unless they help people who are struggling to pay their bills, because people are going to do what they have to do to eat. And it's becoming harder and harder to eat.

THIS IS A RANT TO the individual who said no one in Columbia County wants to be associated with Augusta. If that's the case, why don't you stay exactly where you are? Don't spend any money in Augusta. Don't come to any events in Augusta, including the Futurity and any other events at the civic center or Bell Auditorium. Keep your money where you are, and we will be glad to let you stay in Columbia County.

PARTRIDGE INN, I THINK it's great you're renovating your building. But please don't forget to renovate the menu. Twenty-five dollars for breakfast on Sunday is too much. Please renovate that.