Across the area

About 60 soldiers of Fort Gordon's 67th Signal Battalion left Augusta on Tuesday before the battalion's deployment next week, the fort said.

The battalion will hold a ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Barton Field before its second deployment to Iraq. The soldiers previously deployed to Iraq from January 2004 to February 2005.

In September 2005, members of the battalion deployed to Camp Shelby, Miss., and New Orleans, La., to help bring communications services needed by people aiding in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

At a candidates' forum at Paine College on Tuesday night, Mayor Deke Copenhaver was the lone mayoral candidate who didn't appear at the event.

Contacted at his home Tuesday night, the mayor said his staff might not have been notified of the event.

The other Augusta mayoral candidates, former fire chief Ronnie Few, William "Gil" Gilyard and Steven Kendrick, attended.

Richmond County Board of Education authorities are investigating an altercation involving a substitute teacher.

The altercation between a pupil and a substitute teacher occurred Tuesday afternoon at East Augusta Middle School, said Richmond County School Superintendent Charles Larke.

At Tuesday's board meeting, Mr. Larke said no additional details were available, but the incident was being investigated.

Aiken County School Board chairman Dr. John Bradley requested a re-evaluation of school emergency preparedness procedures Tuesday after learning new information about cell phone use during bomb threats.

Recent bomb threats at Silver Bluff High School and other area schools prompted parents' concern over the response to emergency situations.

Wesley Hightower, a Midland Valley parent and Savannah River Site employee, said SRS does not allow cell phone use during threats because it could trigger a bomb.

Mr. Hightower's remarks prompted Dr. Bradley to propose a re-evaluation of emergency procedures. Preparedness plans were recently re-evaluated, but cell phones were not considered.

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bill Gallman said student code prohibits cell phone use on campus during school hours unless a student has permission, so students shouldn't use the cell phones in the first place.

An Augusta bank teller was arrested Tuesday after authorities accused her of taking money from her branch.

Nekita Rochelle D'Antignac, 23, of River Ridge Drive, was arrested Tuesday in connection with $6,000 that was missing from her money-till, said Richmond County sheriff's Investigator Horace Anderson.

The teller admitted taking funds from Bank of America's branch at 2853 Washington Road, where she worked for less than a year, Investigator Anderson said.

Bank officials said they noticed the money was missing after a dye pack accidently exploded inside her money bag.

She is charged with felony theft by taking and remained in the Richmond County jail late Tuesday, a jail official said.

Authorities investigated a two-vehicle accident involving a school bus Tuesday afternoon.

At about 4:45 p.m., a Toyota didn't stop at a stop sign and was struck by a bus driven by 34-year-old Toshua White.

Bethany McLeroy, 28, was driving the Toyota and was found to be at fault for failing to obey a stop sign, according to a Richmond County Sheriff's Office report.

However, Deputy Richard Fishel chose not to cite her.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Adelia Road and Windsor Spring Road, police said.

No injuries were reported, Deputy Fishel said.

Richmond County sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of a large number of vials and syringes filled with drugs from a cart at Doctors Hospital on Monday, a police report states.

Hospital staff held two people, one of whom was a patient, suspected of taking the items until deputies arrived. They found a vial of Phenobarbital, a barbiturate, inside the patient's purse, the report said. No one was immediately charged.

The other items, various opiates and stimulants, were not found.

Residents of the 2400 block of Old Barton Chapel Road reported several shots fired in their neighborhood Monday, according to a Richmond County sheriff's report.

Deputies found four shell casings in the road but couldn't find anything hit by the bullets.

The CSX Railroad Crossing at Fifth Street and Laney Walker-Boulevard will close from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday to replace a broken rail, according to the Augusta Engineering Department.

Drivers can use Gordon Highway, Fifth Street, New Savannah Road, Seventh Street and Walton Way as detours.

Augusta Regional Airport will hold a disaster drill today, according to an airport news release.

Passengers and motorists driving by the airport should not be alarmed by the emergency vehicles and there should be no delays to airport patrons. Officials expect the drill to be completed by noon.

For more information, call (706) 796-4002.

The Aiken Environmental Committee and the Aiken County Litter Task Force will hold a public litter reduction symposium from 9 a.m. to noon today at the City of Aiken Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave. S.W.

Government and environmental leaders will discuss ideas about four topics - publicity, education and public awareness; enforcement, penalties and rewards; funding and resources and coordination with existing programs.

- From staff reports