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w VOLUME 137, NUMBER 166 BELOW THE FOLD: Lightning strikes cause two fires INSIDE: Perry man makes his 20th-something mission trip to Mexico Friday August 24,2007 The Home Journal’s FRONT PORCH WHERF/NeGHiafolLs^lEET IN BRIEF Superintendent seeks advisory members Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox is accepting applications for her 2007-2008 Student Advisory Council. According to a release, the members of the Student Advisory Council meet four times during the school year with Cox to dis cuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Georgia. Members are advisors and act as liaisons between the Department of Education and the students of Georgia. All students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply. Meeting dates are: Oct. 15, Dec. 3, Feb. 11, 2008 and April 28,2008. (Noted: According to the release, these dates are tenta tive and are subject to change). Applicants should be able to attend all four meetings. To be eligible, applications must be received by Sept. 7. The application and further infor mation can be found at www.gadoe. org/sup.aspx?Pageßeq=SUPSAC. Northside ES has Pre-K openings Northside Elementary School has two opening for its Pre-K pro gram. The school will fill the posi tions out of zone, on a first-come, first-served basis for those who are not currently enrolled in Pre-K. To enroll a child in Pre-K, the school needs the following: proof of residency, birth certificate, Social Security card and Immunization Forms (available from pediatrician or health department) (Georgia form 3300, Georgia form 3231). Northside Elementary is located at 305 Sullivan Road in Warner Robins. For more information, call the school at 478-929-7816. BIRTHDAYS Today ■ Meagan Langston ■ Morgan Langston ■ Casey Brogan 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 Illiill 8 ,, 5510 8 0000 l 4 Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Belter Newspaper Contest COOI * Georgia Newspaper Project Mam Library University of Georgia ATHENS GA 30602-0002 3-DIGIT 306 Aug. 24, 2007 frmim Mmrsmx ixmm SmMMM Today Mostly sunny High: 100 Low: 72 Weather hhjnews.com She’s now: “National Guard granny" Web ■B’-ii jf Kft k .. PsIPEkH cl 4} fipPPi; ■I C ■ jww* W j&Mc w" i it i/. ' ,• * Wswr %- r - - ..i- #OB Contributed Tech Sgt. Charles Anderson, with daughter Francesca in tow, is welcomed home Sunday by Brig. Gen. Richard Severson, Air Force Reserve Command assistant vice commander, following Anderson’s deployment to Iraqi Freedom. Anderson and 10 other members of the Band of the Air Force Reserve were part of “Live Round,” an Air Expeditionary Force band that entertained troops and civilians throughout the Middle East and Africa from May to August. High temps raise clean air concerns By RATLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer As temperatures have risen to 100-degree days, so have clean air concerns. “The high tempera tures raise conditions in the atmosphere to cause the creation of ozone and smog when combined with particles from burned fos sil fuels,” said County Commission Chairman Ned Sanders, who serves on the Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition. “We are doing what we can, reducing trav el, and outdoor burning to reduce smog, but if we see 85 parts per billion,” the current particulate limit, “our neighbor to the north, Bibb County could be kept in non-attainment and the EPA could bring us in as a contiguous county.” If that happens, Sanders said, “it could put limits on Lightning strikes cause two fires By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Lightning strikes caused two fires Thursday morning, said Houston County Fire Chief Jimmy Williams. Houston County Fire Department responded to both, one right after the other, Williams said. One was on Moody Road and the other on River Vulley, with two stations responding to each. The fire on Moody Road was contained LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville HEALTH: New family practitio ner joins practice in CA Perry DA American ‘band’ stand "The high temperatures raise conditions in the atmosphere to cause the creation of ozone and smog when combined with particles from burned fossil fuels.” - County Commission Chairman Ned Sanders new industries to Houston County and any new mis sions to Robins Air Force Base. “It is a very serious concern.” Sander said the EPA might also reduce the threshold from 85 parts per billion to 75 or even 65 parts per billion. It would make it even more difficult to achieve attainment. Greenspace, Sanders said, “is on of the things we can do. We can look at purchas ing more greenspace.” WWW.HHJNEWS.COM m Sanders also talked about the water situation. “We are under water restrictions now,” he said, “with outdoor watering only from midnight to 10 a.m. on an odd/even sched ule.” Odd numbered addressed can water on Tuesday Thursday and Sunday, while even numbered address es can water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. There is no outdoor water ing permitted on Fridays. to the attic of a two-story building under construction. “Everything is still stand ing, we did a pretty good job on that one,” Williams said. “We had to close the road down to run the lines since the hydrant as one the other side of the road,” Williams explained. Stations 2 and 5 responded. The damage to the structure on River Valley was estimated at less than SSOO, Williams said. Stations 7 and 5 respond ed to that one, Williams said. SPORTS: Perry horseshoe pitcher earns first, award; voOeybaH results; golf tourney results. Til More. in Robbery suspect arrested on 1-75 Perps still at large in Krystal heist By RAYLIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer Perry Police caught a fleeing robbery suspect at the top of the median on Interstate 75 Wednesday. Capt. Heath Dykes said the suspect, Xavier Tracey Hickey, 41, of 510 Boy Scout Road, Byron, fled from the scene of the Dollar Tree on St, Patrick’s Drive. “He ran up behind the Burger King, crossed over the exit ramp and ran to the top of the median where he was appre- Hospital Authority moves to privatize By RAY LIGHTNER Journal Staff Writer The Hospital Authority of Houston County will be privatizing the operation of its two hospitals. The authority voted Wednesday to form non profit corporations as part of a reorganization effort in which the non-profits will aquire, by lease or transfer, the assets and operations of the authority. Houston Healthcare CEO Dr. Tony Alford said the issue has been discussed in detail at strategic planning sessions and the resolution starts the process of reorganizing into a 501(c)(3) non-profit. “We are one of the last in the state to do this. It is nothing new, it has become the standard,” Alford said of the privatization. “There is a lot of discus sion in Atlanta about Grady having to do this to save the hospital,” he said. It is a move to take us to the next level,” said Authority Chairman Sonny Watson. “It will allow us to compete for medical busi ness as a whole.” Alford said the move “gives us a lot more flexibil ity. Right now we’re limited statutorily in what we can do. This gives us additional business options.” Those possibilities include home healthcare, durable medical equipment. “It broadens our legal protec tion and gives us more lat itude, Alford said. It sets the stage for success in the future.” Watson said he has dis cussed the move in detail with county commissioners and the mayors. “They are all aware of what’s going on,” he said. Watson said he wouldn’t speak for them, but said there was “a lot of favorable comments.” The resolution contain ing “whereas” 17 times and “resolved further” five times over four pages explains the authority can lease operation of the hospitals by others for up to 40 years and a lease ONE SECTIONS * 10 PAGES hended,” Dykes said. Hickey is charged with armed robbery of the Dollar Tree. About 5:30 p.m., the subject walked in and bought a small item. When the clerk opened the register, Dykes said, “the suspect pulled out a Leatherman (a util ity knife), pointed it at the clerk and snatched money out of the drawer. No one was hurt.” Dykes said Hickey matched a composite drawing of See ROBBERY, page iA and transfer, “being part of an overall plan of reorga nization, will promote the public health needs of the citizens of Houston County by making additional health care facilities available.” The leasee will be required to operate on a non-profit basis and act in a manner so that no portion of net profits benefit any private person or individual. The hsopitial will be required to operate in a manner to generate suffi cient revenue over expenses to provide proper mainte nance of the hospitals and facilities and provide for any revenue anticipation certifi cates issued. The hospital will still be required to provide indigent care, and operate emergen cy facilities available to all regardless of ability to pay. The leasee will be required to continue to participate in Medicare and Medicaid, and continue to maintain the same level of services as are currently provided, unless an alteration in such services would benefit the citizens of the county. The leasee will also have to employ all current employ ees of the authority and be required to indemnify and hold harmless the authority and comply with provision of the state Open Records and Open Meetings acts. Financial statements will also be available for public inspection. Any lease of the hospitals has to have approval of the state Attorney General and has to be approved by the Hospital Authority at a pub lic meeting. The resolution authorizes and directs the authority and its employees to execute and deliver to the Georgia Secretary of State the articles of incorporation of each such corporation created and file the neces sary paper with the Internal Revenue Service and state Department of Revenue. Language in last month’s bond resolution allowed for Houston Healthcare to con vert to a private non-profit See PRIVATIZE,page lA M’ Family wsr in k\ pjjj