Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

>2 fllttw oiH r itoiitr '— V_ Volume 138, Number 002 IMCIHEi oca * : Two return to the scene of the crime ... but with intent to rob it again! Sports: Matthew Brown on: A mis- IlivlvCi take, the NFL and the Mitchell Report Community: The Sweet Everlasting selected as ‘OB community read. More. By DON MONCRIEF Jou rrul Managing Editor The first issue of the Houston Home Journal in 2006 had a year in review featuring among other things: A visit by the President of the United States and Northside winning its first state title in foot ball. This past year? Well, it didn’t have a Presidential visit but those Eagles made history again. More on them in the year in review in sports on 18. Meanwhile, let’s take a look at some of the headlines from 2007: JANUARY O The year begins with solemn but stern news when James Phillip Brooks is denied parole - again - for the murder of his common law wife Harriett Joyce Hogan. □ It’s good to be the mayor of Warner Robins. Especially if your salary is bumped from $50,000 to SIOO,OOO a year, which is what the city council did for Donald Walker in 2007. □ Paradise Development Group, Inc., clears the planning and zoning hurdle and gets the OK to build a Publix grocery store in Perry. □ The 116th Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base is award ed the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the 13th time it has won the distinguished honor. □ Houston County School Superintendent Danny Carpenter announces he will retire effective June 30. □ The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center is selected as the recipient of the 2006 Franz Edelman Award for “achievement in operations research.” □ Larry Walker is given a seat on the Georgia Department of Transportation Board, a 13-member body that oversees policy, long-range planning and budget matters for the GDOT. □ Perry Police discover a man in his car on 1-75 who had been shot multiple times when an apparent local drug deal went bad □ The Perry City Council, after an abstention lasting 23 years, votes to give itself a pay raise. □An extensive investigation by the Warner Robins Police Department results in the arrest of nine sus pects, wanted in connection with nine robberies in the area. □ Erik Stephen Mize is indicted for the murder of Felicia Hardman and the rape of another woman. It is reported he may face the death penalty for his actions. □ Robins Air Force Base discon tinues the use of vehicle decals for entry into the installation. And why not considering they were checking everybody’s ID card anyway. □ Two women are killed at a train cross on Hwy. 247 when the driver reportedly tried and failed tp beat PERIODICAL 500 11111111 8 "55108 00001 11 4 llllllilliulilllllllllilillllll Georgia Newspaper Project Man Library University of Georgia ATHENS GA 30602 ALL FOR ADC 301 January 5,2008 Serving Hols ion. Counts' Si mi 18-70 LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, CITY OF PERRY, CITY OF WARNER ROBINS AND CITY OF CENTERVILLE the train across. □ Ethics allegations (which are sometime down the road dropped) are filed against state Rep. Larry O’Neal, complaining he allegedly got Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue a SIOO,OOO tax break. □ The Perry-Houston County Airport receives a sl.l million grant for improvements. □ Frank Field announces he will step down as president and CEO of the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce due to “personal rea sons.” □ The City of Warner Robins OKs two $1 million road projects: The widening and extension of Corder Road and the 1-75 Frontage Road between Russell Parkway and the Ga. 247 Connector. FEBRUARY □ Houston Medical Center gets the OK from the state for its new five-story Northwest tower along with the accompanying renovation. □ The Houston County Board of Education selections 13 - Gladwyn Barfield, Ruby Carpenter, Earl Cheek, Claire Coleman, Mamie Coleman, Blanche Collins, Frances Couey, Florence Harrison, Sarah Lewis, Molly Moss, Ad Redmond, Susie May Tharpe and Malissa Tucker - to its inaugural Hall of Fame. □Adesign team from the University of Georgia visits Centerville to cre ate a “conceptual master plan for a new town center.” MARCH □ The Board of Education selects David Carpenter as the next super intendent of schools. □ Strong storms, coupled with tornadoes, rage across the state. Locally it translates to trees falling on cars and houses, business signs being blown away and local fire- U/ N —— i mm w ENI/Gary Harmon Lorette Jackson and Perry Idol turned out to be one of the biggest hits in 2007. BIRTHDAYS Jan. 6 \ '«Roger Harrow > Tony Outlaw Jan. 8 • Jay Branam Jan. 7 ■ David Thompson ■ James Brian Bearden (Happy stht) ■ Ed Rodgers ■ Kimberly Couch » Patrick Ross "TQabe Holt (Happy 10thf!) B Jack Southerland T Cody QPns E-mail birthdays to: hhj@eviinanewspaporß.cpm or do n m @*vansn®W spapers. com. Mail to: 1210 Washington St., Perry 31069 atln: Don® Moncrief. Or, call 987-1823 V E« mi.\ ; W Saturday, January 5, 2008 REWIND 2007 This week in HHJ history: 50 years ago: Houston County ranked equal or better than the state average in terms of Maternal and Child health. That is according to Dr. Helen W. Bellhouse, director of the Maternal and Child Health Division of the State Health Department. Houston County also ranked less than the whole of the U.S. in only one categroy: Unwed mothers. Also, then Perry Mayor Stanley E. Smith signed a proclamation making it Jaycee Week in the city. Along with that, the then-National President of the Jaycees, Charles Shearer, came to town to inspect the State Headquarters of the Jaycees, located here. 30 years ago: Perry dentist Dr. William R. Jerles is presented with the “prestigious” H.H. Johnson Trophy, naming him Man of the Year, by the Central Georgia Dental Association. According to the newspaper article, the award recognizes the person for his work within the community and his contributions to dental health. Some things never change ... The Houston County Property Owners Association hold a meeting at the courthouse in Perry. The purpose: “generate methods of combatting the probable revaluation of property in the county.” 10 years ago: Houston County Commission Chairman J. Sherrill Stafford announces he will seek a third term. “I’m still not ready to go home and do nothing," he says. In other news, gangs are reportedly moving from big cities to rural Georgia communities. “Right now our biggest problem with gangs is probably Criminal trespassing and tagging - painting the gang graffiti,” says Karen Stokes, Gang Intelligence Officer for the Warner Robins Police Department. (And in (act the picture accompanying the story has Perry Police Officer Craig Smith looking at a building with “Crips" and other stuff painted on the walls.) - Complied by Don Moncrief fighters deploying to Americus - one of the locations hit hard by torna does/strong winds - to help out □ Sacred Heart Catholic Church dedicates its massive‘and beautiful church just off Davis Drive. □ Warner Robins Police Department begin investigating a shooting between two brothers in which it appeared one shot the other then committed suicide. □ Perry pretty much doubles in population when members of the Family Motor Coach Association - billed as 12,000 strong - make their annual trek to the fairgrounds. □ The state of Georgia and the Air Force - the impact of course coming via Robins Air Force Base - form a partnership. The land mark event, according to Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue will allow more Georgia companies to win contracts under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. □ Perdue makes the announce ment that Houston American Cement Company - a S2OO million industry - will be built near Perry. □ “Cat woman”, a Warner Robins woman, faces charges of animal cru elty when 133 cats are found in two apartments she is connected with. (Note: In her defense she said some one else left them there, she had just learned of them, and was there - the day police arrive - to try and do something with them.) Of the 133, 112 were euthanized that night. APRIL □ The Houston County Board of Education votes to move two poll ing locations and consolidate several others, reducing the number of pre cincts to 24. □ Perry Idol, which began back in early March - and turns out to be a smash hit - culminates in a finale where 20 of the county’s best sing ers go head-to-head. The winner: Mother of five and supply technician at Robins Air Force Base Lorette Jackson. □ Perdue Farms earns Manufacturer of the Year; the award presented by Perdue (the governor, of course). □ Perdue holds a “kickoff rally” to begin his campaign for re-election. □ Houston County mandates water use restrictions. □ The governor and Walker, on behalf of the city, sign a land swap for an area adjacent to Robins Air Force Base. “The swap is a See RE WIND, page 6A ’1 tried to go in holding a garden hose, but the ceiling started falling in. Then I went to the back and called and Cuddles came out." - 69-year-old Jim Funderburk, on getting his blind dog out of a burning house Couple loses everything in fire By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Staff Writer Mary Funderburk can tell you all about the fire that destroyed the home she’s lived in since the 19705. She seems stunned with the way the house turned into a con flagration in a matter of min utes, but the tears don’t come until she talks about losing her mother’s family Bible, and the irreplaceable family photos. Jim Funderburk, who is nearing 70, and has to have oxygen steadily for his bron chitis and emphysema, is still going over and over the ■ .■ -- •.- v'... -gigs* JIM lit m sb Lc K'':t. ? MAY JUNE Journal/Charlotte Perkins Mary and Jim Funderburk, their grandson, Josiah Nelson, and their dog Cuddles, are staying at a local motel since their home on Klondike Road burned to the ground last Friday. www.hhjnews.com ' " 1 1,11 “l f here neigh/fors inee/ .y. l-.v ,i- uni /Si a- -,j>v ; 'S }'?;] sequence of eveijts. “We heard a popping sound, ” he says, “and I went to check on the breaker, but there was nothing wrong there. Then I saw smoke coming out from under the living room floor and a fire already going in the corner of the room. “Fire!” he yelled. Mary tried to take time to call 911 but the ceiling was already falling. Jim knew that they had to get out fast because there were 24 oxy gen tanks in the house. Their grandson, 13-year-old Josiah ran out and used his cell phone to call 9-11. See FIRE, page SA MBBPfW *jPJ Know someone or an agency that could use a pat on the back? Send your “Kudos" to hhj@evansnewspapers.com. INDEX OBITUARIES 3A OPINION 4A SPORTS 1B COMMUNITY. 3B COMICS 5B / Award-Winning Newspaper Better Newspaper Contest w