By Donnie Fetter< Columbia County Bureau The inability of some special-education teachers to meet a Thursday federal deadline to prove their highly-qualified status might not matter in Columbia County.

By Donnie Fetter, The Augusta Chronicle, Ga. Oct. 27--A growing percentage of teacher retirements plagues many school systems throughout the country, but not Columbia County.

"If sludge is so good, why don't you spread it in Columbia County?" one Jefferson County resident asked, as several more echoed they didn't want to become the "bathroom of Augusta." That was the consensus of the vocal portion of the nearly 75 people who attended a recent meeting and public hearing about the possible land applications of Columbia County's treated sewage sludge as a nitrogen supplement on a Jefferson County hay farm.

Ever since I can remember, I have looked forward to the beginning of a new school year with both excitement and anxiety.