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Jfonsi&it' ,sni% IMfll VOLUME 137, NUMBER 147 BELOW THE FOLD: New teachers take different routes Fire departments to collect for MDA INSIDE: Miss WR contestants Weekend July 28-30,2007 The Home Journal’s FRONT PORCH IN BRIEF WR Chamber to hold Business After Hours The Warner Robins Area Chamber will hold its Business After Hours for new and established members and guests Aug. 9 from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Museum of Aviation, Century of Flight Hangar. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by 5 p.m., Aug. 7. According to a release, there will be no cancellations after that date. WRHS band prepares for new school year The Warner Robins High School marching band, according to a release, is working hard to prepare for the 2007 football season. Band Director Todd Howell, Assistant Band Director Chris Ryles, Color Guard Instructor Shae Stringer and Drum Major Brandi Reardon are leading the band into their second week of practice. The students, according to the release, have been putting in long, hot, strenuous hours preparing for the best season ever. Many sur prises have been incorporated into the show, the release also reads. The band is practicing on the field in front of the Houston County Crossroads Center from 7:30 a.m. until noon. A Family Day is scheduled for Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Demon Valley. The students will perform for their parents during that time. A good photo op - per the release - would be from 10-11 a.m. BIRTHDAYS Saturday ■ Jonathan L. Scruggs ■ Cheryl Heller Sunday ■ Stephen Hutchinson ■ Dalton Crofutt ■ Dakota Crofutt ■ Lynn Trice Monday ■ Dana Wiggins ■ Billy Vaughn ■ James M. Insko 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. PERIODICAL 500 8 IMM ; Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Better Newspaper Contest ii.llilliiiilfi.il.. }|„ c ||„ l „|, |{,„f| COOI * GEGRG4A NEWSPAPER PROJECT Man utsrary UNIV OF GEORGIA ATHENS GA 3GSG2-GGuZ 3-DIGIT 306 July 28-30, 2007 r~ ” 7. TTTnVT {Serving Houston County Since IS7O i- - - - Saturday Weather sun and clouds High: 95 Low: 73 hhjnews.com Utah Record: Drug money pays inmates Back to The Grind mmtL. •a i:.. !>■' A- wfeiSrV- '• — ij —l'i ——— i L-^„.. ■ : J&LiOiU'. — rl " Yl 1 ' ENI/Gary Harmon Perry footbattplmycr Kanorris Davis pulls a weighted down sled during The Grind held at Perry High School Thursday. For more on the annual fitness challenge, see 18. A different course New teachers aren’t all straight out of college By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Staff Writer We’re all used to think ing of teachers start ing their careers fresh from college in their early 20s, but some of the new teachers who’ll be greeting Hpuston County students on the first day of the 2007-08 term, are starting second careers, or coming back to the work world after time off for family and kids. Kerri Rocci’s a mom with three children. She earned her degree in education from the University of Mississippi a while back, but fami yH Journal/Charlotte Perkins Jamaal Garman Housing permits up in Houston County By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Housing permits are up countywide from May to June. There were 137 single-family dwell ing permits issued countywide in June, up 16.1 percent from the 118 in May. Permits were also up in the cities of Warner Robins and Perry, but down in Centerville and in unincorporated Houston County. LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, Q city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of CentervilleT * J V a Mt'jk Jam W \ - I i Journal/Charlotte Perkins Kerri Rocci Museum of Aviation camps. 7,10 A ly life took priority over a career for several years, and she even tried her hand at other jobs. Now that her children are 13, 9 and 6, she’s heading for the classroom, where she’ll be teaching life science to seventh graders. Jimmy Oglesby is starting a brand new career at 42, switching from teaching information systems in the Air Force to teaching eighth grade science to middle-schoolers. Jennifer Franklin has been in business, as a buyer and an accountant. She’s excited now about starting a new, totally differ ent career, teaching sixth grade In Warner Robins, 71 permits were issued, up 42 percent from the 50 issued in May. In Perry 26 per mits were issued, up 18.18 percent from 22 issued in May. In Centerville, there was one less permit in June with eight, from nine in Muy. The 32 www.hhjnews.com - ■PUS ’.s m ■■■ ' ■; " t Ivi + jm v SHHbeq I Journal/Charlotte Perkins Jimmy Oglesby Inside Jobs and unemployment rata Increase In June -page 12A SPORTS: Music fal In extra innings. Also WRALLers win again (parents come to aid ol umpire). 1D Much more. ID math. Jamaal Garman is a graduate of Fort Valley State University, who got into public education first as a substitute teacher. Then he became a paraprofessional, work ing one-on-one with special edu cation kids. Now he’ll be teaching social studies. Rocci, Oglesby, Franklin and Garman, who just completed a two-day orientation along with 300 other new teachers, talked about their new careers Thursday while eating barbecue together at Perry Middle School. See TEACHERS, page iiA jljyssp 1 Pi® >■■■■'■> I .1 ' l. ll I ■! • Jennifer Franklin permits issued in June in the unincor porated areas of the county is down 13.5 percent from the 37 issued in May. While the number of permits is up, the average value of the homes countywide - at $131,528.94 for June - is down 9.5 percent from the previ ous month’s $145,406.22 this May. The average value of permitted homes See HOUSING, page tiA Police nob 2 during getaway By RATLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Warner Robins Police arrested the two suspects in an early morning robbery Wednesday while en route to the scene. Officers respond ing about 12.49 a.m. Wednesday to the scene of the rob bery at a Northlake drive resi den c e noted, then stopped a vehi- •cle matching the victim’s description. The two per sons in the small gray car were determined to be the suspects and were arrested. They were reportedly found in possession of cash and credit cards belonging to the victim. The two men arrested are Terry Sharon Brooks, 26, of 218 Carol Drive in Warner Robins and Christopher Martez Emory, 17, of 223 Crescent Drive, also in Warner Robins. Both are in jail without bond on changes of burglary and robbery by force. The victim reportedly told police the two males, unknown to him, came See GETAWAY,page 11A FDs to collect for MDA By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Firefighters will be out, boots in hand this weekend collecting for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Centerville Fire Department personnel will be out collecting for MDA for four hours each day through Sunday. Firefighters will also be out the next two weekends, Aug. 3-5 and Aug. 10-12. The Warner Robins Fire Department is also hold ings its annual gospel sing MDA fund-raiser at 6 p.m., Sunday, at Southside Baptist Church. Admission is free but donations/offerings will be collected for MDA. Perry and Warner Robins firefighters will be out the last two weekends in August with their boots. Perry fire fighters will be at the Wal- Mart and Kroger. The Warner Robins Fire Department, according to See MDA, page nA mi h vans- h Atom Newspai*er\ BROOKS EMORY