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♦ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 6A LS D LESCHC •jt Submitted Warner Robins Middle School recently held its sec ond annual Miss WRMS Pageant. Seventh-grader Blaire Bagwell won the title. Alyssa Gisseman, Ashlyn West, Heather Coy and Maria Lopez were runners-up with Averi Hess winning Miss Warrior Spirit. The event was a fund-raiser sponsored by the Drama Club whose school sponsors include Ms. Bagwell, Ms. Taylor, Ms. Campbell, Ms. Banks, and Ms. Hart of the Gifted Department and teachers Mrs. Alman and Mr. Jones. NEIGHBORS From page lA Natural Resources. Killmaster said that black bears tend to live along river corridors where there are lots of hardwoods, fruit bearing trees and berries, and that the area around the Ocmulgeee in Houston County is home to numerous bears. “They are in the North Georgia mountains, the Okefenokee area and in Central Georgia in the Oaky Woods and Ocmulgee areas,” Killmaster explained. “Central Georgia has the best bear habitat.” While there is no official Count of the bears in the Oaky Woods WMA, the wild life management staff in Fort Valley is working with experts from the University of Georgia to collar bears and track them for an accu rate count, Killmaster said. First traps are set and baited with corn sweetened with raspberry honey. When a bear sticks its paw into the corn, the paw is caught with a snare something like a handcuff. A tranquilizer gun is then used to immobilize the bear, which is marked with an ear tag or lip tattoo and then fitted with a radio or global positioning collar, so that its movements can be tracked. “So far, we’ve got about 30 bears collared,” Killmaster said, “and there’s a lot more out there. Regarding the possibility of residential development of the area,” Killmaster said. “Obviously the state would like to continue to supervise the land as a wildlife man agement area, but we don’t own it.” GRANT From page 1A assuring that their commu nities have adequate protec tion from fire and fire-relat ed hazards. The SAFER grants sup port two specific activities: the hiring of firefighters, and recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The AFGP was created to improve the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, and to establish or expand fire prevention programs. BAY From page 4A details. Jamil’s “burning Sunnis” story now appears to be rather dubious smoke. However, its horrifying head line has magnified a percep tion of sectarian terror, one advantageous to Saddam’s “former regime elements” and al-Qaida terrorists. MNCI could be wrong, but the distinct possibility exists He noted that the bears could respond in two ways to encroachments on their habitat by humans. “Some bears may feel pres sured and leave,” he said, “and others may become nuisance bears, getting into garbage cans and bird feed ers.” Regarding danger to pets or humans from the bears, Killmaster said that bears are “very shy of people,” and that there have been “very, very few bear maulings in the Middle Georgia area.” “Bears are omnivores,” he said, “Their primary source of protein is insects and grubs, although they will eat small animals or road kill. They’re opportunistic eaters.” He noted, however, that they can be dangerous, especially for those who get between a mother bear and her cubs. Bears can also be endan gered in the human habitat. The most well-known black bear in Houston County was a creature who ventured too far into human territory. The bear who inspired the Georgia National Fair mas cot, was spotted frequently from 1980 to 1993 along 1-75 in the area of the Georgia National Fairgrounds before it was struck by a car in 1993. It was taken to a taxi dermist and now stands in the lobby of Reaves Arena. The future is uncertain for the bears and the deer, quail, squirrels and wild turkeys that inhabit Oaky Woods, because while the proposed residential community could irrevocably alter their natu ral environment, it is by no means a certainty at this point that it will ever be built. Developer Charlie To qualify for funding, applicants must demonstrate financial need and articulate the benefits they will get if awarded the grant. U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) announced the award of the grant earlier this week. “This grant fills an impor tant need for first respond ers in Warner Robins. This funding will go a long way to help ensure that Georgia’s first responders have the resources necessary to pro tect families and communi ties across the state,” said Isakson. that the AP has been mis led by its own stringers or duped by an enemy propa ganda operation. If Jamil is another “Jimmy,” the AP’s story - as a weapon in a war of per ception _ is far more dam aging than Janet Cooke’s Washington fiction. Jamil and his various stories require investiga tion and substantiation; an AP self-investigation will strike many as inadequate. Miss WRMS Pageant WMWcm&iKdm * MIDDLE SCHOOL , i - ' ff* # ' ' mSgst: •" HV H '■wll H l ■/ . f i f * ■l mmfm ' 1 ' 1 MU McGlamery came to the county commission earlier this year with a request for sewer service in the area. He was willing to build the system and asked the coun ty to sign off on the deal, because private companies by current state law, cannot create their own sewerage systems without the backing of a local governmental body willing to take it up should the private enterprise fail. County officials told McGlamery it is not in the sewage business and does not want to be. Legislation proposed by State Senator Cecil Staton and State Representative Larry O’Neal last session would have permitted pri vate cities under rural devel opment districts. It would permit the developer to cre ate his own tax district and issue bonds. Because it would be a private enterprise, the actions and records of the private city would not be open to the public or media. It was opposed by the local cities and the county and died in the House last year. The lands in question are designated on the county’s new land use plans as rural residential not mixed use. The county does not have a mixed-use designation. There have been no plans for development or rezon ing submitted to the coun ty building office, accord ing to building official Tim Andrews. The bears, of course, know nothing of these complexi ties and will soon be finding sleeping places for their win ter hibernation as they have for thousands of years. “They’re a natural part of this ecosystem,” Killmaster said. “They were here before we were.” Chambliss said, “I look for ward to continuing to work with local fire departments and emergency responders across the state to ensure they have the resources they need. Local firefighters and emergency workers provide our first defense to natural disasters, accidents and ter rorist attacks. It is because these brave men and women are often the first on the scene of any incident that we must continue to ensure they have the tools and train ing they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently.” Twenty-five years ago, The New York Times dismissed the National News Council as unnecessary. “Jimmy’s World” proved the Times wrong. We need to revive the National News Council - and have it investigate “Jamil’s World” muy pronto. To find out more about Austin Bay, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. LOCAL ARREST From page tA 9 p.m., Oct. 16, at the Wachovia Bank, 1205 Watson Blvd. The victim told responding officers she exited her vehicle and approached the night deposit box when a black male stepped out of the darkness and produced a handgun. The suspeqt demanded the victim to relinquish her deposit bag, to which she complied. The suspect then fled the area. There were no injuries sustained during the incident. Anyone with infor mation concerning the aforementioned incident is encouraged to contact Curnutte at 918-2977 or 929-1170. gEIRSf Wigs. Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Krissmas lITTN: FIRST CHRISTMAS Washington Street, Perry, GA 31069 5 MUST BE RECEIVED BY I 06, BY END OF BUSINESS DAY. , j wilt be amiableJin pickup at our Perry office after January 2, 2007, or mdutb a self addressed, stamped enirlopefir photo return. The Houston Daily Journal is not liable Jar lost or damaged photos/m,nL TEEN From page tA on the marijuana posses sion. On Nov. 19, he was driving southbound on Old Field Court in a 2003 Nissan Sentra and at about 12:15 p.m., when he crossed the centerline, and struck a small electric toy car, killing the 7-year old and injuring another 12-year-old driver. He received bond later that day after paying $3,700. Char-Broiled Sizzling Steaks gresndertoy 1-75 Cxtt 136 • 987-8677 40Q13 HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Great Deals Free AD for items under SSO Call 987-1823 for details Mmshm&ib