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VOLUME 137, NUMBER 148 BELOW THE FOLD: Suspect confesses to Winn-Dixie robbery ■ INSIDE: Man wanted for false report of shooting Tuesday July 31,2007 The Home Journal’s FRONT PORCH WHH?PSSSSiP&|Eff IN BRIEF Pistol safety seminar to be offered free A, according to a release, free basic pistol safety seminar will be offered Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. at the Macon County gun range in Oglethorpe The seminar, according to the release, will be given by Rudy Adams, a certified firearms instruc tor, having been trained in the Military Police Academy, the Civilian Police Academy and Bomb Squad School. Adams has also served as a deputy sheriff, city policeman and as director of the DEA Houston Peach Drug Squad. He has also served as a bomb squad member for four years. Call 478-244-0190 to register. You must be 21 years of age or older and not have a criminal record that would prevent you from owning, or handling a firearm, to register. FMMS to hold School Council election ~ Feagin Mill Middle School will hold a School Council election Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. in the school media center. According to a release, three parent representatives will be elected, with one of the parent representatives also serving as a business partner. Feagin Mill Middle is located at 1200 Fegain Mill Road in Warner Robins. For more information, con tact Principal Jesse Davis at jwdavis@hcbe.net or 478-953-0430. Perry Middle to hold golf tournament Perry Middle School will hold a two-man scramble golf tournament fund-raiser at the Perry Country Club Aug. 18. The event will begin with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Prizes will include S4OO for the first place team, S2OO for second and SIOO for third, as well as a hole in one prize of an 'OB Ford Mustang from Wayne Morris Ford. The cost is SSO per player, which includes lunch as well as door priz es. Call Randy Moss at 988-6291 or e-mail him at rdmoss@hcbe.net to register. BIRTHDAYS Today ■ Lee Baskette PERIODICAL 500 mill 8™55108 00001™ 4 Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Better Newspaper Contest iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMitimiimimiiiiiiiiiiilllli COOI * GEORGIA HE’WSP APER PROJECT Main Library UNIV OF GEORGIA a *n «r—» i r» rwwt Mincwo vjm ouauti-vuud 3-DIGIT 306 July 31, 2007 s/a'i/m, n<n s-,,»c0,™ ~±K7rm Saturday Sun and clouds High: 93 Low: 72 Weather hhjnews.com Nerve stimulation helps battle depression Whb Early retirement debate to begin If City Manager Lee Gilmour's “$4.5 mil lion-over-44-years” calculation is correct, this would mean that the cost of providing health insurance to public safety employees who have chosen the early retirement option, would be three times more than the cost of paying their pensions for the same period of time. By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Staff Writer In the month ahead, the Perry City Council will be discussing whether or not to offer an early retirement option with healthcare insurance to police officers and firefighters who have given a quarter of a century of service to the city and reached the age of 55. g—■ —-——— —* 'iy ' * C • 'JShe* r':F . | /j.J k - T pllll §1 jijiisk • < ■? i-' i f ■ ■ MSSSSBRMKBfc- • \ 'iNNWHiIIBBI Mm. H®l , '' ' s*V ' .PIT ■-■'-7 IP** -»*?> ■vlMffflm- , WttßEßM&Sms&aKr ~Jr tß| fr 1 Y I h - j M if '' '•' i ENI/Gary Harmon Tony Davis lifts 300 pounds during the clean-and-jerk portion of the Night of Champions event held at Perry High School Friday. For more, see 18. Suspect confesses to Winn Dixie robbery By RAYLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Brandon Spencer has been charged with the Sunday armed robbery of the Ga. 96 Winn Dixie. Spencer, 17, reportedly was identified as the suspect SPENCER the suspect pulled up the bottom of his shirt to display what Koch believed to be a weapon. The suspect reportedly told Koch “give me all the money. I’m not playing.” The cashier complied and gave the suspect an undis closed amount of money from the cash register. The See ROBBERY, page 8A LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville The question will be whether or not the city, and thus the taxpayers, can afford the additional cost. So, let’s take a look at the estimates available so far. $28,864. That’s the approximated additional total cost the City of Perry would bear if firefighters and police offi cers with 25 years of service See RETIREMENT, page SA by another customer in the store. He agreed to come with police when con tacted at home and reportedly confessed while being interviewed by police. Warner Robins Police officers respond ed to 756 West Highway 96 Winn Dixie, about 9:50 p.m. Sunday in reference to an armed robbery. The complain ant, Matthew Koch, a store cashier, told police a black or Hispanic male had come to his register to make a purchase and when the register drawer was opened, ltaocut ribbons on expan sions. 2n Roar like Tony www.hhjnews.com Who on the force would be eligible now? The proposed early retirement option for Perry’s public safety officers would only be available to those who have worked for the city for 25 years and reached the age of 55. There is nothing complicated about estimating this, because employees must be 30 or under at the time they start working for the city to accrue 25 years before they are 55. - Ten of the current 52 public safety employees are already ineligible because they will not have worked for the city for 25 years even at age 65. To take two examples: Public Safety Director George Potter is already 58, and began working for the city In 1996. Deputy Fire Chief Joel Gray, who is now 46, began working for the city in 2006. - If the proposal is approved, about half of the current police and firefighting personnel could be eligible to retire at 55 with pension and health insurance. - 27 would be eligible tor the proposed early retirement benefits at age 55 if they continue working as hazardous duty employees for the City of Perry. (18 of the 27 have worked for the city less than two years at this date.) - Seven would be eligible for early retirement between the ages of 60-64, if they continue work ing for the city until they have reached 25 years of service. - Six would be eligible for early retirement between the ages of 55-60, If they continue working for the city until they have reached 25 years of service. - Two older employees may have already exceeded the requirement. One is 60 years old and has put In 26 years with the city. The other is 57 and has worked for the city for 27 years. (It is not known whether they were in hazardous duty positions for that entire time) Source: These numbers are based on a survey done by the Houston Daily Journal, in which certified (hazardous duty) public safety employees were asked for their names, their birthdates and the date when they began working for the city. Hr - Hi- **** :i jjjk ' I ■ '' "" ' , . "'V , " ENI/Gary Harmon Dodgers runner Justin James slides in under the tag of the Tigers’ catcher during the two teams’ Middle Georgia Men’s Adult Baseball League playoff game. For more, see 18. SPORTS: WRUi Majors win state. WRALL 8-10- year-okts roll. Music, horse- ID shoes and mors. ID Justin time One section • 12 pages R/ 'VSa* m-, T -ff ctaft. j fAyWft. iff* sW Ni n s/'v/v A'J 3 behind bars 2 at large in home invasion By RAYLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Warner Robins Police have three of five suspects in jail from a July 23 home invasion. Superior Court war rants for the two remain ing suspects, 18-year-old Demarius Moore of Macon, and 16-year-old Renaldo Smith of 518 American Blvd., of Warner Robins, are still open. They are wanted for their parts in the home invasion of 835 Johnson Road. In that incident, the victim, 18-year-old Marcus Brown reportedly came in from work and when he turned on the light, discovered five sub jects inside his residence. Brown told police one of the five pointed a gun See INVASION,page SA