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JfillttggtfWE JmiHiail VOLUME 137, NUMBER 124 BELOW THE FOLD: Traffic stop results in 50-pound pot bust ■ Commissioners attend ACCG policy meeting HHHk Tuesday June 26, 2007 The Home Journal’s FRONT PORCH vmuJ?RSSIBSS??SEEf IN BRIEF Fort Valley to give away snow cones Fort Valley Main Street/ Downtown Development Authority will, according to a release, be giving away free snow cones in Fincher Park July 7 from 1-3 p.m. To get the snow cones, the release states, patrons must visit downtown Fort Valley merchants during the week of July 2 and obtain a free ticket. They may then redeem the ticket for a snow cone July 7 at the bandstand. American Red Cross looking for ‘heroes’ The Houston-Middle Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross is currently taking applications for “Hero of Middle Georgia.” Hero per their release - but not full limited to this description - is: “A person who risks his or her life to save another; a person of admi rable courage: anyone regarded as an ideal or model. To that end, they are asking people to nominate the person who comes to mind when you think of the word “hero.” The nomination deadline is July 2. Aug. 16, according to the release, the Heroes of Middle Georgia Coordinating Committee will honor six local heroes from Robins Air Force Base, Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski or Wilcox Counties. Visit middlegeorgiaredcross.org to download a nomination form or call them at 478-923-6332 for more information. BIRTHDAYS Today ■ Coe Leavengood ■ Debra Cralley ■ Macey Noles E-mail your birthdays to: hhj@evansnewspapers.com or donm@evansnewspapers. com or send them to: 1210 Washington St., Perry 31069 attn: Don Moncrief. You can also call him at 987-1823, Ext. 231. ANNIVERSARY Today ■ Sarah and Adam Hawk ■ Jana and Eddie Coatney PERIODICAL 500 8 Hi 4 Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Belter Newspaper Contest COG! * GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT Wain Library UNIV OF GEORGIA ATHENS GA 3G6G2-GGG2 3-DfGJT 306 June 26 2007 Ser\ i.\(i lloLsroN Cot vn Since 1870 Today Sunny High: 99 Low: 73 Weather hhjnews.com Augusta leads free voter card issuing Web Base unit earns community service award By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer The 19th Air Refueling Group has once again won the Community Service Award, presented annually by the Military Affairs Committee of the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the organization that has done the most to preserve and enhance the positive relation ship between the civilian com munity of Warner Robins and Robins Air Force Base. Col. Theresa Carter, 78th Air Base Wing commander, said “the award recognizes civilian and team members’ efforts to help McNees reflects on some pretty dark nights "l saw a lot of horrible things and after the war I used to have all kinds of bad dreams. So many won't talk about it at all." -John McNees -. HHQ& : \ . */'<|#«« -^Bpf l »5 f !*J«MgMfe¥»^'^ {<?-;V "' ' ' J iL.jtfi.tfiilii fci r* i f >l *¥'W-'-: - -ar -y : - "- ■-. : ' 3 w ~'<*, rs „. srtjtf * '* ■ mJWBK'' 1 iIWPT I & j| . - li Iffil §T f ■ f 3R ‘‘y’-’isy j|>“ ■■■ 4s JH T^JL iff ?• .*" jEs- JH ' v , ’^ : ..?^'M“S^l' ; ;>- ; ; ;'. 1 ; : ; ••$•:• jPHHPWr” *%<P ; v '■* Donna Wilson of Warner Robins, stands between her parents, John and Marjorie McNees of Perry. Wilson organized the recent reunion of the 68th Medical Regiment. At 86, McNeese was the youngest of the men from the regiment who attended the event. Traffic stop results in pot bust By RAYLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer A traffic stop Friday afternoon led to the seizure of about 50 pounds of pot and drug trafficking charges for two Florida residents. According to Houston County Sheriffs Narcotics Sgt. Manny Quinones, there were two big bundles and 10 one-pound bags. “The bundles were too big for our scales,” Quinones said, “so they are being sent to the crime lab for testing.” Aaron Timothy Orr Jr., 23, of Tampa and Jaleesa D. Munford, 18, Dade City, were each charged with trafficking marijuana LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville ‘Racing with the Moon’ AgGeorgia Farm Credit breaks ground on new (acM- our community. It evidences our true dedication to the community. We care for one another and we care about each other.” The 19th AFG was hon ored again for its fund-rais ing effort, the annual Haunted House held before Halloween at the American Legion Post 172. The $5,000 raised was divided up with $3,000 given to Heart of Georgia Hospice and $2,000 to the American Legion post. It is the third time the Black Knights have won the award, “unfortunately, with the stand down of the 19th leav ing the base, there will not be another,” said Lt. Col. Blaine and are being held without bond in the Houston County Jail. At 2:24 p.m . , Deputy Wayne Mitchell was working Interstate 75 just north of the Perry Parkway when he noticed a Chevrolet Malibu See BUST, page 6A www.hhjnews.com Holt, acting commander of the unit. “We start the one year countdown on 23 June,” Holt said. “The unit is BRAC’d. Our final aircraft leaves 23 June 2008.” The deactivation is part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decisions. Holt said, “the unit will deactivated for a time, until a decision is made where the flag will be unfurled.” The Black Knights have an 80-year history and have been at Robins since 1967, Holt said. “We have air crews over the skies of the Middle East right now and they take See A WARD, page 6A ■ ■ ORR MUNFORD SPORTS: Robert Sapp base ball camp. Also, Music, Perry Horseshoe Pitcher's Club and HR mere. # H y-jy '■ 'Jjf.’aij' ■ Bt” tl x ligSH ’ By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Lifestyle Editor Ask John McNees what his favorite song was back in the 19405, and he’ll think a little and come up with “Vaughn Monroe. Racing with the Journal/Charlotte Perkins Commissioners attend policy meeting From staff reports Houston ( County Commissioners Tom McMichael and Chairman Ned Sanders participated in an Association County Commissioners of Georgia committee meeting June 21. Sanders and McMichael along with more than 50 other county commissioners and officials from across the state met June 21, at the Little Ocmulgee State Park near Mcßae to discuss issues affecting counties throughout One section *lO pages 1 ’ il ml Moon” He’s remembering the time when he was a young soldier with a sweetheart named Marjorie who wrote to him every day, but it’s a fitting song in another way, too, because there were dark nights in McNees’ life, nights of black-outs, when he would have welcomed some moon light to race with. That was when he was doing his best to get wounded fellow soldiers to the First Army’s evacuation hospitals. A member of the 68th Medical Regiment, which landed on Omaha Beach just a week after D-Day, McNees was an ambulance driver who had to get the job done, black-out or not. “It was like putting on a blindfold and driving,” he remembers. At 86, he laughs a little as he explains that he navigated by bump ing into trees on one side of the road and then the other, but he gets serious again explaining about the nature of the job during the battles that raged across Europe as the Allied forces drove the Germans back. “We’d have four on lit ters (stretchers) and five sitting,” he says, and he doesn’t shrug off the impact of his close encounters with so many who were wounded in action. “I saw a lot of See MOON, page 6A the state. The ACCG Revenue & Finance Policy Committee members discussed develop ment policies that will aid counties in providing services efficiently and cost effectively. In particular, the committee discussed proposed statewide tax reform and infrastructure development districts among other issues. “It is critical for our county officials to have an active level of involvement in ACCG’s policy committees,” said See MEETING, page 6A a a Evans Family Newspaper Lt Col. Blaine Holt, acting commander of the 19th Air Refueling Group, talks with the media while holding the community service award. The annual award was presented to the unit by the Military Affairs Committee of the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce. Journal/Ray Lightner