Newspaper Page Text
Houston JLiitg Journal
VOLUME 136, NUMBER 169
Tuesday
August 29, 2006
The Home Journal’s
FRONT
TORCH
INSIDE
■ In Sports today: Houston
County's fast-pitch team improved
its record to 7-0 with wins over
Valdosta and Lowndes. Warner
Robins' fast-pitch team started off
slow at the Gwinnett County tour
nament but then finished strong.
Also, look for a story on how the
heat impacted Houston County’s
golf courses over the summer
and Braves, Georgia Tech and
NASCAR news.
- See 1B
IN BRIEF
HCBOE sets new
millage rate
In a called meeting of the Houston
County Board of Education this past
week, the millage rate for the cal
endar year of 2006 was set. A rate
of 12.50 mills was adopted Friday
which will generate $38,827,800 for
the Board of Education.
While the millage rate decreased
by .98 mills, a budget of $39,690,000
was approved for the year, which is
an $862,200 increase from last year.
The difference, officials said, will be
made up by anticipated intangible
taxes from the courts, allowing for
greater service for the county's stu
dents at a relief for tax payers.
- Kristy Warren
Journal Staff Writer
Kingston to speak at
luncheon
Congressman Jack Kingston
will speak at a luncheon hosted by
the Houston County Republican
Committee on Sept. 5 at the Wellston
Room of American's Best Value Inn,
1440 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins.
The lunch will be catered by
Sonny's Barbecue. Tickets are sl2
per person payable at the door.
Reservations should be made on
or before Sept. 3 by contacting one
of the following: judygddrd@aol.com
or 971-3254; utgrads@cox.net or
328-6435; shirleylenhart@cox.net or
923-7111.
BIRTHDAYS
Aug. 27
■ Jennifer Rich
Today
■ Brooke Maddox, 16
■ Ashley Loudin
■ Carla Pearce
DEARLY DEPARTED
■ Maxine Owens, 54
■ Charlie Tarrer, 73
INDEX
LOCAL 2 A
WEATHER 3 A
OPINION 4 A
SPORTS 1 B
COMICS 4 B
CLASSIFIED 5 B
PERIODICAL 500
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August 29, 2006
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LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
Just what the doctor ordered
Patients give Houston
By RA Y LIGHTNER
Journal Staff Writer
The latest Houston
Healthcare survey of
patients showed improved
scores in most areas.
The Women’s Center,
which outpaced the other
areas, was also one of the
three areas to have improved
score in every attributable
area.
“The Women’s Center
typically is a happy place,”
said Director of Marketing
& Community Relations
Mary Jane Kinnas, explain
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Mayor Jim Worrall wants to see more Perryans pushing their mobile-toters out of sight after trash collection.
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
If you think Oscar the Grouch
has an attitude, just get Mayor Jim
Worrall of Perry started on the subject
of people who leave their mobile-tot
ers (also known as “dumpsters”) on
the curb for days at a time instead of
wheeling them out of sight.
“I rode around town the other night
to take a look,” he said, “and it’s get
O'Dell named Georgia
Special to the Journal
Dr. Ruth O’Dell, Assistant
Superintendent for Student
Services, has been named
State Advocate of the Year
by the Georgia School
Counselors Association.
She was selected for the
2006 GSCA Professional
Recognition Award from 12
regions after being named
the winner from region
seven.
WWW.HHJNEWB.COM
ing, “people are excited to
be having a baby compared
to other areas of the hospi
tal,” where people are sick
or having surgery.
“The Women’s Center
consistently rates higher
than others across the state,
as well,” Kinnas added.
The Houston Medical
Center Emergency
Department and four Main,
a medical floor, were the
other two areas that had
improvements in every area
from the previous quarterly
survey.
“We appreciate patients
ting really bad.”
He particularly noted the num
ber of toters out along Morningside
Drive.
While some apartment complexes
have central collection points for
trash, the mayor noted that apart
ment dwellers with individual toters
are responsible for moving the toters
back from the street after collection
is made.
Some people are apparently leaving
O’Dell was nominated
for the award by a com
mittee of Houston County
School System counsel
ors. She will receive the
state award, as well as
the regional award, at the
GSCA conference on Nov.
7, 2006, in Savannah, Ga.
She is now eligible for the
American School Counselor
Association’s Advocate of
the Year Award.
Healthcare 3 tums up
Survey sez ...
Overall results of the Houston Healthcare
survey of patients conducted by Salesquest
of Atlanta
Area of interest
Quality of physician
Customer service
Quality of nursing
Willingness to return
taking the time to partici- “The top priority of our
pate in the phone survey,” organization is patient sat-
Kinnas said, conducted by isfaction,” Kinnas said.
Salesquest of Atlanta. See PA TIENTS, page 6A
Advocate of the Year
“This award means a
great deal to me because it
was initiated by the coun
selors in Houston County,”
commented O’Dell. “We
have a wonderful group of
professionals committed to
providing a quality educa
tion to all children regard
less of the challenges they
face. Whatever accomplish
ments I may have made, the
counselors and the teach
Satisfaction rating
93.5
91.3
91.2
90.8
the toters on the curbside permanent
ly, creating what the mayor considers
both a beautification problem and a
traffic hazard.
The mayor is ready to get tough
with the toter-offenders and said that
he plans to bring up the subject of a
strict enforcement of the city’s toter
law at the Sept. 5 city council meet
ing.
That would mean the guilty
See CHANGE, page 6A
ers were the key players in
making it happen and the
children were the beneficia
ries. It is a blessing to be
part of that picture.”
Professional Recognition
Award honorees were
selected based on pack
ets submitted first to
the Region Chair and
Professional Recognition
chair for screening,
See YEAR, page lA
TWO SECTIONS • 12 PAGES
Below the
fold
■ Dr. Ruth O' Dell Named
Georgia Advocate of the
Year
■ Robins Air Force Base
officials to offer free finan
cial education forum (for
those with access to base)
Group offers
a chance to
'unwind'
By KRISTY WARREN
Journal Staff Writer
Friday, as they have been
each evening of that day
during the summer, friends
and family of the aviation
community were out at
the Perry-Houston County
Airport for a time of “food,
fun and flying.”
In an effort “to put some
life back into place,” Coy
Goff, with the help of airport
mechanic Jim Wells, has
developed “Unwind With the
Pilots,” which gives families
who share a love of flying a
chance to socialize and catch
plane rides.
The event takes place each
Friday from 6 p.m. until
“dark 30,” Goff said.
Goff, flew in the 1960 s
when he worked for Tifton
Air Service.
He says that back in those
days, folks used to hang
out at the airport and eat
pizza or hamburgers. Goff
misses the old camaraderie
and friendships of his flying
days.
Having quit flying before
he married his wife, Carlene
in 1970, Goff has enjoyed
introducing his wife and
children to flying.
He got back in the pilot’s
seat in March of 2002 when
he purchased his own plane.
Lately, there has been a
crowd of approximately 60
people out at the airport for
the weekly event, with about
12-15 planes on hand.
“People just look so for
ward to it,” says Carlene.
The event has gotten a
bunch of people to fly again
and has given the opportu
nity to woman and children
who may have never flown.
One of Carlene’s favorite
attendees is 82-year-old Bob
Gilmore who is still flying
and performing aerobatics.
She says he tries to prac
tice at least 15 minutes per
day.
Jennifer and Bradley Webb
See UNWIND, page 6A
Robins AFB to
offer financial
education forum
Special to the Journal
A free financial education
forum for anyone with access
to Robins Air Force Base is
scheduled to take place Sept.
6 in the base theater.
The National Association
of Securities Dealers’ educa
tion foundation in partner
ship with the Robins Airman
and Family Readiness Center
is hosting the event to equip
attendees with the tools and
resources they need to make
sound financial decisions.
There are two sessions to
choose from. The first ses
sion begins at 8 a.m. and
ends at 11:45 a.m. with the
second session beginning at
1:15 p.m. and ending at 5
p.m.
See FOR UM, page 6A