(June 21)-- Rainfall and water restrictions are apparently reducing the demand for water in Vidalia. Roland Keating oversees the OMI Inc operation of the city water system and says demand is down by about 200,000 gallons per day in June. He reports demand was extraordinarily high in May at about 3 million gallons a day, but has fallen to 2.8 million gallons per day. He also notes it will take much more rain to replenish the underground water supply. Keating says thirsty lawns and plants are consuming most of the recent rainfall and it's done little to help long term water needs.

(June 21)-- State health officials are asking you to be on the lookout for dead birds. Jill McNally of the Toombs County Health Department says officials are trying to determine if birds infected with the mosquito-spread West Nile virus have migrated down the East Coast. Last year in New York, the virus caused an outbreak of encephalitis, a disease which causes inflammation of the brain and can, in rare cases, cause death. If you see dead birds around your yard, contact your county health department.

(June 20)-- Lyons city employees are getting a pay raise. Mayor protem Carlton Robbins says the city finanace committee has approved an average pay raise of three percent.

And in Washington, Senator Paul Coverdell reports the Vidalia Airport is among 85 in the state approved for annual funding assistance in the transportation appropriations bill passed by the Senate. He says $150,000 will be allocated to the city for airport improvements in each of the next three years. The city has plans for a runway extension and a new terminal building to make the town more attractive for economic development.

(June 19)-- The Georgia Professional Standards Commission is investigating four Montgomery County school system officials based on a complaint from a parent. Mary Brantley's son attends Montgomery County Middle School and she alleges he has been denied adequate school care under provisions of the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act. She says her son suffers from Attention Deficit Syndrome. According to Brantley, the PSC investigation focues on special education director Sabrina Calhoun, program coordinator Ethylynn Underwood, recently retired school principal Betty McClendon, and school superintendent Jim Paul Poole. Poole says he's confident that investigators will clear all concerned once they've examined documentation in the case. Investigators have interviewed school officials and Brantley and now must determine if there's probable cause to proceed. That process could take months.

(June 13)-- The Vidalia Board of Education has approved a nearly $13 million budget for the new school year and is maintaining its local property tax at 15 mils. School superintendent Dr. Tim Smith reports revenues are up, expenses are down, and the school board is now planning to replenish some of the nearly $1 million dollars in reserves expended this past year to pay salary increases and benefits. He reports the system still has about a million dollars in reserve. Vidalia city schools have formed the school councils mandated by the new state education reform bill. At Vidalia High School, the council includes Phyllis James, Carol Hansley, Mitch Harrington, Karen Jackson, Marsha Suber, Allen Rice and Wendell Dixon. The J.R. Trippe Middle School council is made up of Laverne Mobley, Lee Montford, Gwen Warren, Judy King, Shiela Urqhart, Dianne Born and Pam Ledford. At Sally Meadows Elementary, members are Theresa Durden, Patricia Melton, Cheryl Newsome, Brian Frederick, Michael Williams, Freddy Thompson, and Ron King. The J.D. Dickerson Primary School council includes Skye Jordan, Barbara Cowart, Robert Warnock, Rodney McClain, Mandy Carroll, Kenneth Wilhite and Massie McIntyre.

(June 13)-- Georgia residents are prohibited from outside residential and commercial watering for six hours daily starting Monday. The state Environmental Protection Division says citizens statewide will not be allowed to water outside from 4 til 10 p.m., and that the odd-even system for other watering will be implemented. That means if your home or business has an "odd numbered" address, you will only be allowed to water on "odd numbered" days on the calendar. The same applies to even numbered addresses. Vince Dollar of the EPD says citizens must start conserving water in the face of a drought which the National Weather Service predicts will last all summer. This is the first time the EPD has imposed statewide restrictions, and Dollar says local governments will be in charge of enforcement.

(June 12)-- The names of some 90 Vidalia residents who have failed to pay their city property taxes are being published in this week's Advance-Progress newspaper. They owe the city over $34,000 in back taxes, and if they don't pay up after publication, the city will sell their property at public auction. Meanwhile, Mayor ProTem Chip Matheson told Monday night's meeting of the city council that city sales tax collections are up this year, and so are water and sewer fee collections. The council also instructed its street committee to meet with the Downtown Vidalia Association to discuss downtown parking problems. Local merchant Martha Horne complained to the council about merchants using customer parking spaces on downtown streets. One option is to impose time limits on parking. The committee will make a recommendation to the full council.

(June 12)-- The Georgia Department of Transportation has approved funding to resurface 16 area roads and streets. Included are portions of the Old Normantown Road in Toombs County, seven streets in Vidalia including parts of Edwina Drive, Lugina Boulevard, Hilda Drive, Madison Street, Randolph Drive, Teston Drive and Woodlawn Drive. Also seven streets in Lyons including segments of East Gordon, East Oglethorpe, North Gwinnett, North Washington, West Gordon, West Lincoln and West Toombs. And in Santa Claus, part of Candy Lane. The work should be completed by January 31, 2001.