Across the area

Icy road blamed on sprinklers

Some icy patches were reported on roads Wednesday morning, caused by the spray of errant sprinkler heads.

Sheriff's deputies could be seen monitoring the intersection of Wrightsboro and Jackson roads, and in Columbia County officials urged businesses and homeowners to disengage the automatic controls on their sprinkler systems while freezing temperatures persist.

Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker said a business' sprinklers "bleeding over" into traffic forced lane closures Wednesday in the area of Evans Town Center Boulevard and Washington Road. Mrs. Tucker said sprinkler controls should be set to manual and watering should be suspended until temperatures rise.

1,800 wooded acres burn at Fort Gordon

A controlled burn involving about 1,800 acres at Fort Gordon began Wednesday, according to Pam Tucker, of the Columbia County Emergency Services Department.

She said her office was notified of the burn by the Georgia Forestry Commission, which supervises such activities.

Prescribed burning of Georgia's pine and hardwood forests is conducted periodically to reduce the buildup of fuel that could accelerate future forest fires. The burning also stimulates new growth in the spring and summer, which in turn benefits wildlife species such as quail, wild turkey and whitetail deer.

Grovetown Councilman Daughtry still in coma

A Grovetown city councilman remained comatose Wednesday after being hospitalized for more than three weeks.

Councilman David Daughtry has been transferred from Doctors Hospital, where he was initially being treated for an infected leg wound, to a rehabilitation facility in Augusta, former Mayor Dennis Trudeau said. Mr. Daughtry was hospitalized in early December for complications from his diabetes.

Mr. Trudeau said Mr. Daughtry's city council seat has not been relinquished.

Congressman will speak at King tribute

The city's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tri-College Celebration will be at noon Jan. 18 in Augusta State University's Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre.

The guest speaker will be U.S. Rep. John Lewis, an advocate for human rights and civil liberties.

Recognized as one of the Big Six Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in 1963, he served as an organizer and speaker at the historic March on Washington. Mr. Lewis was elected to Congress in 1986 for Georgia's Fifth Congressional District. The annual event is hosted by Augusta State University, the Medical College of Georgia and Paine College.

Two acts join Hootie to benefit First Tee

First Tee of Augusta has announced that Colbie Caillat and Josh Kelley will join the South Carolina rock combo Hootie & the Blowfish on the 2008 Drive for Show, Rock Fore! Dough bill.

Ms. Caillat's single Bubbly has become symbolic of music's new digital age. A product of MySpace, she was signed to Universal after dominating the popular social site's Best Unsigned Artist category for several months. Last week, the song was No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

An Augusta native, Mr. Kelley initially received notice for his 2003 album For the Ride Home. He is scheduled to release his fourth album, Special Company, next month. In December, he married Knocked Up/Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl.

The Drive for Show, Rock Fore! Dough concert will be Tuesday, April 8, at First Tee of Augusta, 3165 Damascus Road.

Proceeds benefit First Tee programs. Ticket prices have not been announced.

Elementary school is damaged by arson

Police are investigating a break-in and arson at an Augusta elementary school.

The incident occurred between Dec. 27 and Tuesday at Dorothy Hines Elementary School on Windsor Spring Road, according to a Richmond County sheriff's report.

Police found that someone entered the school's library through a window and damaged the interior library door, the report states.

The burglar also entered two portable classrooms, and several walls in both were damaged by fire.

Lunch program will focus on dementias

Dr. Suzanne Smith, the director of the Memory Disorder Clinic at the Medical College of Georgia, will discuss "Clinical Diagnosis: Dementias" at the January lunch and learn program held by the Augusta Alzheimer's Association.

The program will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Medical College of Georgia Alumni Center at 919 15th St.

R.S.V.P. by calling Dr. Shirley Poduslo at (706) 721-0609.

Learn about Aiken's Winter Colony history

The Aiken County Historical Museum and the University of South Carolina Aiken Office of Continuing Education are presenting a five-part lecture series on the county's history.

The Many Facets of Aiken will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays from Jan. 22 to Feb. 19 at the museum on Newberry Street.

The program will feature lectures on the Winter Colony and its people, and the history of the Savannah River Site.

The fee to attend the series is $30, which includes a $15 donation to The Friends of the Aiken County Historical Museum and a one-year membership for new members.

-- From staff reports