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VOLUME 137, NUMBER 150 BELOW THE FOLD: Another arrest made in home invasion B Local hospitals part of nationwide effort B WRPD to hold police academy Thursday August 2,2007 The Home Journal’s FRONT PORCH whSSSSSSPEt IN BRIEF Governor’s annual fish fry slated Gov. Sonny Perdue's annual fish fry will be Aug. 11 from noon-2 p.m. at the Georgia National Fairgrounds. Last year, according to a release, more than 1,500 people attended. Admission is $lO, which includes the catfish dinner. RSVP by calling 404-260-5941, or going online at www.gagop.org. HC Board of Health to meet today The Houston County Board of Health will meet at noon today in the conference room at the Houston County Health Department, which is located at 98 Cohen Walker Drive in Warner Robins. Center to hold business plan writing The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center will offer the following continuing educa tion program: Writing an Effective Business Plan. It is scheduled for Aug. 14, from 6-8 p.m. at 151 Osigian Blvd., in Warner Robins. The cost is S4O pre-paid. According to a release, the course details are as follows: “A business plan helps you start, build and man age your business. This course will explain the sections of the business plan, what information is required for each section, and the general format needed. You will receive a detailed planning outline and other informa tion to help you develop an effective business plan right away." Register enline at www.geor giasbdc.org/ce/macon or call 478- 751-6592. BIRTHDAYS Today ■ Gwen Ross ■ Jolandery “Pete” Raines 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. News tip 6 a.m.-4 p.m: 987-1823 Ext. 231 4 p.m.-until: 397-8811 PERIODICAL 500 111111 l 8 "55108 0000l 11 4 Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Better Newspaper Contest COOI * GECROA NEWSPAPER PROJECT Main Library UN IV OF GEORGIA ATHENS GA 3G6G2-GCG2 3-DIGfT 306 Aug. 2, 2007 i.x<, Ilt/i srox Cot \i y Sisci-: 1870 Today Sunny High: 93 Low: 71 Weather hhjnews.com Police thwart plan to steal baby from womb web County to increase tax rate Several voice opposition By RATLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer County taxpayers will be paying a little more in taxes when the tax bill comes. How much is a little? $3 more for a SIOO,OOO house and $7 more for a $200,000 home. Commission Chairman Ned Sanders said the “slight, marginal increase” in the millage rate to 9.45 mills is up 1.39 per cent from last year’s rate of 9.32 mills and 1.6 percent Local hospitals part of nationwide effort to reduce medical errors From staff reports Houston Healthcare, including Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital, has launched an initiative to raise patient safe ty awareness among its staff, physicians, patients and community through charter membership in the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Stand Up for Patient Safety program. This program, according to a release, is part of a nationwide effort led by the NPSF and leading hospitals and health systems to WRPD Citizens Police Academy set to begin From staff reports The Warner Robins Police Department will be con ducting a 12-week Citizen’s Police Academy starting next Thursday. The classes will be Thursday evenings begin ning Aug. 9 and running LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville above the rollback rate of 9.3 mills. The Houston County Commissioners set the mill age rate Tuesday following the third public hearing on the tax rate increase. The final hearing was also the most attended, with six members of the public and four members of the media on hand. Four of the residents also took the opportunity to speak out against the tax increase. LEGALS. HOB Getting ‘sprayed’ by the Hour reduce medical errors and improve the qual ity of patient care. As part of the Stand Up for Patient Safety program, Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital will: • Support educational and training oppor tunities to make patient safety a top priority for all staff members; • Provide patients and their families with information on how to make their healthcare safer; and • Encourage patients to ask questions 4 See EFFORT, page SA through Oct. 25, and will meet at the Warner Robins Police Department Training Center located on Stalnaker Avenue off Ga. 247 South near Northrop Grumman and Cascade Corporation. The purpose of the acad emy, according to a release, is not to teach attendees to be www.hhjnews.com “It’s just $3. It’s just $6,” said Walton Wood, “It is just a tax increase.” Maurice Braswell said, “it seems the county responsi bility has decreased through annexation, but you keep asking for more and more. We have to accept increas es in taxes, and tax assess ments and fuel costs, which you say you can’t do any thing about.” Braswell was also critical of new equipment purchases versus, he said, other coun ties which buy used. David Wittenberg said “people in the county try police officers, but instead, the release reads, it is an opportunity for them to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities and challeng es of the police profession. Participants learn about the criminal justice sys tem and how they can work See ACADEMY,page SA SPORTS: WRAU. preps for Southeast Regional; 9-10-year-oHs earn finals berth; Tennessee edges WRNL world horse- 1P shoe results; Music. More. I v "People in the county try to make ends meet and sometimes have to make priorities... it doesn't seem you have to prioritize in the county" - David Wittenberg to make ends meet and sometimes have to make priorities,” telling the com missioners, “it doesn’t seem you have to prioritize in the county.” Wittenberg referred to the increased tax digest, which Commission Chairman Ned Another arrest made in WR home invasion By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer The fourth of five sus pects front a July 23 home invasion is now in jail. Demarius Lamon Moore, 16, of Macon, turned himself in to Warner Robins Police Tuesday and remains held with out bond in the Houston County Jail on charges of burglary, theft by taking motor vehicle and armed robbery. The fifth suspect, 16- year-old Renaldo Smith of 518 American Blvd., in Warner Robins, remains at large. Smith is wanted for, and Moore and the oth ers have been charged for, their parts in the home invasion of 835 Johnson Road. In that incident, the vic tim, 18-year-old Marcus Two sections • 22 pages Sanders said has grown $1.3 billion or 59 percent from five years ago. “The county is getting a 9 percent pay raise every year and you are spending every bit and asking for more,” he said. “I’m not getting any more See INCREASE,page SA Brown came in from work and when he turned on the light, reported ly discov ered five subjects inside his resi dence. Brown told police one of the five pointed a gun at him and demand ed money. He said he com- plied and the suspects left with his money, items from the residence and See ARREST, page SA 1V l A INS /'u/in \IMSrAH K fjj Susan Schultz slides into the water during Happy Hour Service Center’s annual picnic. The event, accord ing to a release, was to mark fin ishing up their sum mer pro gram. For more, see Friday’s Houston Daily Journal. ENlGary Harmon Behind bars * . * MOORE At targe I SMITH