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WEEKEND EDITION 250 Perry & Houston County's official Legal Organ SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1994 Action packed! Stars , champions featured at horse futurity today BY BRENDA THOMPSON Staff Writer Champions and stars will be standing out from the rest of the herd tonight as the Second Annual Georgia National Cutting Horse Futurity and Classic culminates in an action-packed show at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. Slated to begin at 7 p.m., tonight’s show is the grand finale of the six day, $300,000 purse show and will include both a non professional and a professional final competition as well as a special star-studded Celebrity Cutting Class to be held just prior to the finals. Celebrities scheduled to appear in the Celebrity Cutting Class are country singer Lynn Anderson, country music radio broadcaster Bob Kingsley, country singer Karen Brooks, race car driver Johnny Rutherford, football hall of famer and Pittsburg Steeler Mel Blount and former Braves coach and Cincinnati Reds third base and hit ting coach Dave Bristol. Tickets for the Saturday evening performance are $lO for adults and $3 for children. All events are in the Agricenter’s Reaves Arena. Having started on Monday, the Second Annual Georgia National Cutting Horse Futurity and Classic was expected to draw more than 1,000 riders, owners and trainers from throughout the United States and Canada for the competitions. Spectator attendance was ex pected to surpass the 10,000 mark, with standing room only crowds BOE may move to non-partisan elections By VETO F. ROLEY Staff Writer If Houston County Board of Ed ucation Chairman Zell Blackmon has his way, the school board will soon move to non-partisan elec tions. "It (a non-partisan election) can open up the doors to many other people," said Blackmon, adding there was a "wealth of talent" that could be tapped by non-partisan school board elections. In particu lar, he said making the school board elections non-partisan will open the board up to Robins Air Force Base employees. "They can not be part of partisan elections," he noted. "You don't need to be Republi can or Democrat to serve on the school board," said Blackmon. Blackmon introduced his pro posal during the board's work ses sion Tuesday, Jan. 11. The board tabled until a special called board WGood morning, Perry The community's sympathy is ex tended to the families of those who recently died. They include: Mary Elizabeth Ward, Macon; Willie James Porter Sr., Macon; Mrs. Hazel Harris Jones, Newnan; Henry Clay Thornton Sr., Union Point. For more information please see Page 2A. BILL OVERTON 5A CLASSIFIED M DEATHS m EDITORIALS 4A PERRY SCRAPBOOK 4A JIM SHIPLEY 4A 'o ! MM* \ J J k *F Alan Inks, a horse trainer from Pilot Point, Texas, and champion horse Eatin’ Out prepare for the showring Friday morning at the Second Annual Georgia National Cutting Horse Futurity and Classic. The show continues through this evening at the Agricenter. predicted for the final two nights. Estimated economic impact on Perry: $35,000-$75,000 each day of the event One of the fastest growing equine sports in the United States, cutting offers tremendous excite ment and drama for horse, rider and spectators alike, the object being to select a calf from the herd and then gently guide it into the center of the arena. The entire process re quires lightning fast starts and turns as the rider attempts to prevent the meeting Tuesday, Jan. 18. School board members will also get a SSO raise to attend school board meetings. Starting Jan., 1995, school board members will receive $l5O a month, up from the current SIOO a month they currently receive. "It's been 30 years since the school board received a pay in crease," said Blackmon, who made the motion to increase the pay. "It will not affect me," he added, since he announced that he would not seek re-election later this year. In addition to the $l5O a month for regular meetings, board mem bers will also receive SSO for each called meeting, committee meeting or conference they attend. However, they will be paid for no more than four meetings. Blackmon said the increase in pay was needed to keep Houston wßm -| Hjk ft * i Tag office unveils Olympic tag Houston County Tag Office employees unveiled the new Olympic tag by wearing tee-shirts com memorating the new tag. The tag, which will be good until 1997, is Issued in conjunction with the Centennial Olympics, which will be held In Atlanta. Shown are clerics (l-r) Hazel kersey, Wanda Williamson and Clara Fowler. County residents have until May 1,1994, to purchase or renew their tags. PERRY, GEORGIA’S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870-FQR COVERAGE OF YOUR £ VENTS. f The Houston Homef Journal 1 SECTION—B PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULAR calf from ducking past the horse and escaping back to the herd. Cutting has its origins in the Old West. Ranchers used the cut ting horse to separate individual cat tle and move them into corrals or pens. When the cattle drives were formed, the cutting horse was in valuable to the trail boss in form ing the herd. Today, the sport of cutting attracts men and women alike, from across the nation and from all walks of life, and, like skating or County in line with other school systems. Beginning in February, the board decided to hold its regular work ses sion the Monday evening before their regular Tuesday meeting. The work session is an open meeting, said the board's attorney Tom Daniel. In other business, the board agreed to adopt the recommenda tions of the Middle School Grading Committee concerning minimum six week and semester grades. The committee came before the board in December with the rec ommendation that students in the middle schools be given a mini mum grade of 50 for six week and semester grades. All other grades would have a minimum grade of zero. The board sent the committee back to take another look at the gymnastics, is judged by a panel of experts who rate the horses’ performances in points. Each judge’s point rating may range from 60 to 80 points. This week’s show in Perry is presented by the Peach State Cut ting Horse Association headquar tered in Americus and is sanctioned by the National Cutting Horse As sociation in Fort Worth, Texas. Local and area sponsors include, the City of Perry, Sooner Trailers, Please see FUTURITY, page 8A recommendations before the January meeting. Dr. Bill Adams told the board Jan. 11 that the committee's recommendations had not changed. However, the committee did rec ommend that the grading procedure be adopted as an administrative pro cedure’rather than a board policy. Committee member Mary Mantiply said the difference was that hoard policy set the direction for the school system, while administrative procedure "is more specific than policy is." The board also voted to accept Gary McLure to fill out Eddie Causey's unexpired term on the board. McLure, a vice president with C.B.&T. Bank in Warner Robins was chosen after Causey was forced to resign because he moved his residence outside of his post's boundaries. PERRY, GA. | American Publishing Company--©19941 306 12/01/99 GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT U. GA MAIN LIBRARY ATHENS GA 30602 Blackmon reflects on BOE tenure Board chairman Zell Blackmon discusses past and future of BOE By VETO F. ROLEY Staff Writer When Zell Blackmon ends his term this year, the Houston County Board of Education will lose eight years of experience, the last two coming as chairman of the board. Blackmon surprised his col leagues on the board announcing Jan. 11 that he would not run for re-election. "It's been a complete joy for me to serve," he said. "I don't believe that I should be jelfish for those years (four more should he win re-election). There are other people out there who have the en ergy and who would like to con tribute. Eight years is enough." Contributing to his decision not to seek re-election was the fact he has three children in college next year. Also his business. National Bank Products, was expanding beyond its current 14 states. "It’s a huge responsibility," he said. "I feel like I've got to give more (the business)." In addition to serving on the school board, Blackmon serves as the Chairman of the Georgia Pro fessional Standards Commission, a position where he reports directly to the governor. As the chairman, Blackmon signs every teaching cer tificate awarded in the state. "We had great teachers and staffs," said Blackmon of his seven years on the board. "We had a good basis and foundation for a good education system." Blackmon said one of the first challenges faced by the school board when he was first elected in 1986 was the passage of and underfunding Just a call away... Contact representatives on important issues •Johnny W. Floyd (D) represents the 138th House District which includes parts of Houston, Crisp and Dooly counties and Pulaski County. Elected in 1989, Floyd is a member of the following committees: Natural Resources & Environment, Retirement and Agriculture & Consumer Affairs of which he is a vice-chairman. A businessman from Cordele, Floyd's capitol address is 401D Legislative Office Bldg., Atlanta 30334 and his phone number at the capitol is (404)656-0152. •Robert Ray (D) represents the 128th House District which includes parts of Houston, Bibb, Peach and Crawford counties. Elected in 1982, Ray is a member of the following committees: Appropriations, Industry of which he is secretary; Agriculture & Consumer Affairs. A farmer from Fort Valley, Ray's capitol address is 601 H Legislative Office Bldg., Atlanta 30334 and his phone number at the capfiol is (404)656-0254. •Larry Walker (D) represents the 141st House District which includes parts of Houston, Crisp and Dooly counties. Elected in 1972, Walker, besides having the distinction of House Majority Leader, is a member of the following committees: Judiciary, Appropriations, Ethics, Rules and Special Rules (policy). An attorney from Perry, Walker's capitol address is 415 Capitol Bldg., Atlanta 30334 and his phone number at the capitol is (404)656-5024. •Roy. H. "Sonny” Watson Jr. (D) represents the 139th House District which includes part of Houston County. Elected in 1975, Watson is a member of the following commit tees: Industry, of which he is chairman; Appropriations and Rules. From Warner Robins, Watson's occupation is insurance, real es tate. His capitol address is 226 Capitol Bldg., Atlanta 30334 and his phone number at the capitol is (404)656-5115. •Sonny Perdue (D) represents the 18th Senate District which includes Houston, Bleckley and Pulaski counties and part of Bibb County. Elected in 1990, Perdue is a member of the following commit tees: Finance & Public Utilities, Appropriations, Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs and Higher Education of which he is the chairman. A Bonaire resident, Perdue's occupation is Agribusiness. His capi tol address is 327A Legislative Office Bldg., Atlanta 30334 and his phone number at the capitol is (404)656-6892. 124TH YEAR—VOLUME 5 HJR Wjgm I Zell Blackmon of QBE. He said the county had not built any new schools in two decades. One of the mandates of QBE, said Blackmon, was smaller class room sizes. That combined with the growth of the county forced the board to build new schools and renovate existing classrooms and schools. While the board was building the new schools, Blackmon said the board was also able to work on air conditioning the schools in the sys tem. Blackmon said the board paid special attention to the need "to teach technology and using tech nology to teach." He said the board put a sizable portion of the budget into technology. "The board has evolved to a point where we try to stay out of administration," said Blackmon. He added that the board tried to set policies, while letting the superin- Please see BLACKMON, page 8A