NEWLY ELECTED COUNTY OFFICIALS SWORN IN THIS A.M.

No one fainted. Civilization didn't end (we think we would have heard). No one protested, though a woman in the front row got a little twitchy. End result: practically every elected official in this Republican-majority county is now a Democrat.

Sworn in today:

County Commissioners
Mary Moretz
William Ralph Winkler III (returning for his second term)
John Cooper

Sheriff
Len "L.D." Hagaman

Clerk of Superior Court
Glenn Hodges

Also sworn in: three members of the Board of Education and two Water & Soil Conservation Dist. officials.

Jim Deal was prompted reelected Chair of the Board of Commissioners and William Ralph Winkler, Vice Chair.

And they got down to business ... which included hearing that some $95,000 annually is being spent out of county coffers to deal with diseases associated with obesity and a resolution from the Economic Development Commission to make "finding water" a top priority.