Newspaper Page Text
MIDWEEK
EDITION
250
Perry & Houston County's
official Lega! Organ
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29,1993
HHJ, 33 papers sold to American Publishing by Park
Park Communications, Inc. of Ithaca, N.Y. and American Publishing
Company of West Frankfort, Illinois, today jointly announced the sale of
the twice weekly Houston Home Journal, and the free-distribution
Shoppers Extra to American Publishing.
The transaction takes effect December 31, 1993. Preliminary talks
began during the summer.
Park Communications has owned the Perry publications since February
1980.
The newspapers are among 33 publications that Park has sold to
American Publishing. Included are 11 dailies, four with Sunday editions,
seven paid weeklies, 13 free-distribution shoppers, and two monthlies.
New
lights?
Finally , first set of
lights installed on
Sam Nunn Blvd.
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
Holiday shoppers at the Perry
Marketplace have probably noticed
the latest Christmas decorations left
by the Georgia Department of
Transportation on Sam Nunn
Boulevard.
However, unlike most red, yel
low and green holiday decorations,
these will not be coming down.
The DOT's Christmas gift to Perry
was traffic lights at one of the city's
busiest intersections.
"The lights are up and working,"
said Perry Police Chief Frank Si
mons, adding that drivers needed to
be extra careful when going through
the area.
"There is normally a problem
with people not being accustomed
to the light being there," Simons
said. Some drivers will run the
light because they are "not cog
nizant the light is there yet," he
said. "It is a good idea to drive de
fensively, particularly now when
we have a light in place."
Even though the lights will not
come down, DOT engineer John
Marshall said the lighting arrange
ment is temporary. "There's going
to be some changes," he said.
Starting Jan. 3, turn lanes will
be added to Sain Nunn Boulevard to
lessen irallie back-up problems
from the lights.
In all, four sets of lights will be
installed along Sam Nunn. In addi
tion to the lights in front of the
Perry Marketplace, lights will be
installed in front of the Hampton
Court and at both entrance ramps to
the interstate. The lights will be
connected to a computer, with their
operation synchronized to assist
traffic flow, Marshall said.
"It (the lights on Sam Nunn)
will enhance the safety (of the
street)," said Perry City Manager
Marion Hay. "I don't know if the
Please see LIGHTS, page 10A
Good
morning, Perry
t
In Sympathy
The community's sympathy is
extended to the families of
those who recently died. They
include Martha Nottingham,
Atlanta; Lola Mae Hagan, Ra
leigh, N.C.; Vera B. Fountain,
Cochran; Willie James
Simmons, Perry. For more in
formation, please see page 2 A
INDEX
JOYCE COMPTON 4A
JAN KERCE IB
VETO F. ROLEY 4A
DEATH NOTICES 2A
CLASSIFIED 9A
EDITORIALS 4A
LEGAL NOTICES 4B
BILL OVERTON 7A
PERRY, GEORGIA 3 HuiVETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870-FQR COVERAGE OF YOUR EVENTS. CALII 987-1823
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Finally, Perry, Sam Nunn Boulevard has some lights! After months of asking and waiting, local mo
torists were delighted last week when traffic lights were installed at the busy intersection of
Sam Nunn Blvd. and Perimeter Road. Three more sets of lights as well as turn lanes will be added
along the busy thoroughfare in the coming months with all work expected to be completed by May.
Perry Players receive help from area banks
All five of Perry's banks have
committed their help to Perry
Players, allowing construction to
continue on Perry's community
theatre.
According to Dennis Hooper,
I president of Perry Players, "We
have raised half of the $200,000
needed for the renovation of the
building at 909 Main Street. We
were hoping that at least one of the
banks would be willing to loan us
the additional SIOO,OOO we need.
Our financial history has been
excellent, and we have a good plan
for both the construction and the
fundraising. It's wonderful to have
every bank in Perry willing to
make the loan!"
After each of the banks expressed
their interest in helping, Hooper
arranged a meeting of the five
bankers and representative members
of the Perry Players board. The
meeting was to hammer out the
details of the lona.
Hooper described the outcome.
"We have a six month construction
loan for SIOO,OOO. CB&T Bank
will handle the loan through the
construction phase. At the end of
2 SECTIONS—I6_PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULARS"""
In addition to Perry, other communities involved are Blytheville and
Helena, Ar.; Sand Springs and Broken Arrow, Ok.; Honesdale and
Lewisburg, Pa.; Nebraska City, Ne.; Norwich, N.Y.; Newton, N.C.;
Shenandoah, la., and Winchester, In.'
In announcing the sale, Wright M. Thomas, president and chief
operating officer of Park Communications said, "We are very satisfied to
transfer control of these 33 publications to American Publishing
Company, which has a good record for running quality newspapers in
smaller cities and towns."
"The sale insures the continuation of good community journalism in
those 13 locations, serving in the communities' best interest," he added.
the six months, if we have to
renegotiate, all five banks will
participate jointly. It's an excellent
arrangement for Perry Players and
for the banks."
Hooper and others are working
to prevent the need to renegotiate
the loan. They intend to raise the
remaining SIOO,OOO before the
summer. Anyone wanting to
support this community effort, send
a check to Perry Players Building
Fund, P.O. Box 143., Perry, Ga.
31069.
The Perry Players hope to pay
off the loan quickly so that they can
get back to doing what they enjoy
and do well-creating high-quality
live theatre.
The next opportunity to see a
Perry Players production will be
"The Music Man" on the last
weekend in February and the first
week in March. "There were 70
talented individuals who showed up
for auditions two weeks ago-clearly
a record turnout!" according to
Hooper.
"The auditioners were so good
that it was difficult to determine
who to cast!"
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Perry Players President Dennis Hooper, left, and Players’ secretary, Carol Howard, seated, show
local bank representatives plans for their new facility. IL-r are Wayne Lowrey of Bank South,
Eddie Wilson of Trust Cos. Bank, Jimmy Faircloth of Bank of Perry and Mike Jackson of CB&T
Bank. A representative for Crossroads Bank was not available for the phqto.
Ywnometown I
newspaper since 1870 [
Thomas said the transaction would allow Park to "continue to focus
resources on larger publications."
Larry J. Perrotto, president and chief executive of American Publishing,
said: "The Houston Home Journal and its sister publication have a long
history of service to the Perry area, and we look forward to working
together with the staff and management to continue this tradition."
The sale leaves Park Communications with 112 publications, including
30 dailies. The company also owns and operates nine television stations
and 22 radio stations. Its operations are spread over 21 states.
The purchase brings American Publishing's total publications in the
United States to 265 in 30 states, including 98 dailies with a combined
paid circulation of 2,145,790.
Looking back at
events in 1993
The Year in Review:
The first six months
January
• Calvin Maye and Jay Walker
prepare to take office as county
commissioners. Maye started his
first year in office, while Walker re
turned to the commission after a
stint as state representative.
• The Houston County Board of
Commissioners approved paying
$50,000 to pursue the execution of
Travis Hittson. Hittson was con
victed of a 1992 murder in Bonaire.
• The Georgia Environmental
Protection Department held a public
meeting at Perry High School on
Midusa's request to incinerate
waste.
• Perry Hospital announced that
the first baby of the year, Amber
Elizabeth Fair, was born to Coel
and Angel Fair on Jan. 7.
• Rev. John Yarbrough became
the pastor of First Baptist Church.
• Perry Fire Chief Gary Hamlin
said that National Fire Service
Yearbook had not been authorized
by the city to do fundraising for the
Perry Fire Department. The Na
tional Fire Service Yearbook had
been calling local residents, telling
them that they were collecting
funds for the Perry Fire Depart
ment. Later telemarketers contacted
area residents claiming to represent
the Perry Police Department.
• Perry High School junior
William Sundquist aced the second
hole at Houston Lake Country
Club.
• Local legislative representa
tives introduced legislation that
would allow the Houston County
Board of Commission to approve
the spreading of sludge and to
charge fees for spreading sludge.
• The family of Anthony Hill
filed suit against Perry Police Offi
cer John Hardage over Hill's shoot
ing death in an incident May 10 on
Bonner Drive. Houston County
District Attorney Ed Lukemire and
123RD YEAR—VOLUME 103
the GBI determined there was "no
criminal intent in crime."
• Perry Police Investigator Bill
Phelps recaptured John Sorrows
after a brief foot chase. Sorrows,
who was waiting to be transfered to
a federal prison to serve a 30 year
sentence for robbery, escaped from a
Houston County Detention Center
work detail.
February
• Perry resident Mary Jane
Sanders won the Ms. Senior Geor
gia title making her eligible for the
national title.
• Perry City Council tabled a
proposal to rename either Elko
Road or Houston Lake Road after
Martin Luther King because of citi
zen support for naming the North
Perry Bypass after the civil rights
leader.
• Kellwood scaled back its pro
duction from two shifts to one
shift, affecting more than 30 work
ers.
• The Perry Middle School stu
dents suffered minor injuries in At
lanta when three young males threw
beer bottles at their bus The inci
dent occurred as a PMS Field trip to
Atlanta was concluding.
• Jimmy Faircloth was elected as
the new Perry Area Chamber of
Commerce president.
• Georgia State Patrol Officers
Steven Jobe and A.D. Mathis were
injured when a tire blew out in the
middle of a chase, causing their car
to flip several times.
• Houston County Commission
Chairman Sherrill Stafford was
named conservationist of the year
by the Ocmulgeee River, Soil and
Water Conservation District.
• L. Cohen Walker retired from
the Houston County Library Board
after 18 years service.
• Contract worker Mark Conyers
was injured when he fell inside the
Please sea REVIEW, page 10A