Odds & Ends Police blotter A Superior Court judge on Friday rejected a request to reduce the sentence of a former Augusta gynecologist convicted of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl. Current Events Beginning salsa dance classes will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Wednesday starting today at the Augusta Jewish Community Center, 898 Weinberger Way in Evans. Pet adoption showcase These kittens are available for adoption from Columbia County Animal Services. Contact your lawmakers State Sen. Bill Jackson, R-Appling Time capsule As reported 44 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News, Thursday, Feb. 17, 1966: Class reunions - The Academy of Richmond County class of 1963 will hold its reunion March 20. It's breakfast time Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross presents a proclamation in honor of National School Breakfast Week to Rita McDonald, the lunchroom manager at Stevens Creek Elementary School and the president of the Columbia County School Nutrition Association. Time for a pickup game Harlem Globetrotter MooMoo Evans spins the ball on his finger as he stands for a photo with deputies of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. MooMoo was making appearances around the county to promote Friday's show at James Brown Arena. Sea Chanters The U.S. Navy Band chorus, the Sea Chanters, performed at the Jabez S. Hardin Performing Arts Center on Thursday. A handful of people listened to the chorus from the lobby when the auditorium filled to capacity. County organizers feared a large overflow crowd after the performance was moved from the amphitheater to the theater because of cold temperatures. On vacation Laura Gill (from left), Tara Morgan and Lauren Miller, of Lakeside High School, finished The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer in Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 21. The marathon was part of Miller's senior project. School menus Menus for area schools. Let's go to the hop Nancy Turner helps her aunt Sydney White to her seat at the head of the table for a sock hop at Elmcroft. Second Wind Dreams for Seniors provided the party after White stated that she wanted to go to a sock hop.

Nation:   Catholic hospitals support health care bill   Suicide attackers hit Afghan city; at least 30 die   Al-Qaida suspect from US tricked his Yemeni guard   New Sen. Brown bashes Obama's 'bitter' health push Do you prefer the revised Columbia County school calendar to the old one? Yes - I like having the entire Thanksgiving week off No - I would rather have kept the fall break Don't care View Results Current Conditions Mostly cloudy, 54 °  Humidity: 56% Area forecasts -- GA -- Athens Augusta Columbia County -- S.C. -- Aiken County Columbia January S M T W T F S           1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31