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♦ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008
EDITORIAL
Daniel F. Evans
President
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
County commissioners share a
valuable sense of camaraderie
Our Houston County commissioners have some
thing special. What is it? Well, an argument could
be made for organization. And, they are very
organized. When they hold a meeting, it’s typically
run as scripted by the agenda - a sort of blow by
blow. There are variations (i.e. public discussion;
clarification from the legal side of the house; fur
ther explanation by the director of operations, et
cetera) when necessary/called for (as applicable
to the issue at hand) but for the most part they
remain focused on whatever task is at hand. (It
also appears most of the “homework” has been
done long before the meeting.)
This is very good business but another thing we
believe sets them apart is they have camaraderie.
They appear to really enjoy working with each
other - that showing from time to time with a little
affectionate ribbing.
For instarlce, during their last meeting, the first
item on the agenda was a resolution in support
of the American Heart Association. Once the vir
tues of everyone in the county supporting it were
exhausted, Commissioner Tom McMichael also
brought up the fact there is a blood shortage, add
ing the importance of the commissioners getting
behind the need for giving (which they obviously
did).
And in an “oh by the way” conclusion, McMichael,
who is just a bit on the “big-boned” side, added
he had just received his five gallon pin. To which
someone quipped he might have given it in “one
sitting”. Following a few grins - a chuckle or two
- all around, Sanders asked how much blood did
a typical human being have, adding/asking: “Isn’t
it five quarts.”
After a bit of conversation among themselves,
there were a few head nods in agreement. Just
when it appeared the question had been resolved,
however, one commissioner added tongue-in
cheek: “Three quarts in your case.” Sanders is
short - some would add “very” - in case you didn’t
know.
That’s the sort of camaraderie that makes this
particular group special.
Is it important?
Well, if you compare the most recent history/rela
tionship between Gov. Sonny Perdue and House
Speaker Glenn Richardson, as well as the way
House members communicated among/between
themselves when the latest session began, and
then add in “accomplishments” - or rather, a lack
of on there part - it would appear so.
Our commissioners get things done.
That doesn’t mean we (or you) always agree
with them (it should be noted that the burden of
proof that they’re wrong always lies with us ... they
are the experts and have access to more of the
types of information necessary to make respon
sible decisions), but they do make major gains on
our behalf.
Experts/doctors say laughter is very healthy.
Serving the public - our county - responsibly is
obviously no laughing matter, and one our com
missioners - if you’ve ever watched them in action
- take very serious.
But a chuckle every now and then never hurt
anybody.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
What price Oaky Woods?
The local developers of Oaky Woods have it up for sale
at S2BO million. This is a price that shows their avarice
and greed. They bought it for $32 million a few years ago
when Sonny Perdue refused to buy it for all the citizens of
Middle Georgia as a wildlife management area.
Now, Sen. Ross Tolleson.R.-Perry, is involved in the
state trying to buy it. But he wants both the buyers and the
environment to win - he is no Robin Hood! Whose side is
he on?
Is philanthropy dead? Why the huge increase in price?
Has oil been discovered? Oaky Woods is unique in so
many ways. Its development would radically change our
county and lower our quality of life. Traffic congestion and
ozone would bring on non-attainment status by the EPA
and hurt us economically. Call your state representatives.
- Frank IV, Gadbois, Warner Robins
HOW TO SUBMIT:
There are three ways to submit a letter to the editor: E-mail it to
hhj@evansnewspapers.com, mail it to Houston Home Journal at
1210 Washington St., Perry, GA 31069, or drop it off at the same
location between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Letters should not exceed 350 words and must include the
writer’s name, address and telephone number (the last two not
printed). The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject letters
for reasons of grammar, punctuation, taste and brevity.
Foy S. Evans
Editor Emeritus
Nicole Crofutt
General Manager
Don Moncrief
Managing Editor
Come on Downtown
Congratulations to Diane
Culpepper on being recognized
as the Perry Area Chamber’s
“Volunteer of the Year”. It sounds like
this is just one of Diane’s many awards
and accomplishments. I know it takes
a great deal of personal and business
time to be such a volunteer for the
Chamber. My hat’s off to Diane and
her employer, Robbins-Free Reality for
giving her the time to serve.
Rob Brooks and his staff at
Com South receiving the Chambers
“Small Business of the Year” serve the
Perry area well. In our business, we
constantly rely on Rob and his team
of professionals to keep us up and con
nected with the rest of the world via
their Internet or cable.
As a past recipiant of the Seabie
Hickson award, I know what an honor
this is. Just to be listed with past
recipients is an honor in itself. Having
Sam Nunn on the podium to congratu
late me was icing on the cake. These
awards are what make Perry stand out.
This is why I was so determined for
Perry to keep its own identity by keep
ing its “own” Chamber of Commerce
I think this year’s recipients, The
Downtown Merchants, really deserve
this award. They really work hard
to promote Perry’s Downtown area.
"I don't know about the nation's economy,
but right now any rebate will stimulate mine!"
Ghosts. UFOs. A 9-year-01d...
And the two-headed monster
Abominable snowman. Yeti.
Loch ness monster. ... and all
you other strange creatures
out there ... I bow in submission. I
throw in the towel, wave the white flag
... surrender.
You win. I cannot compete against
you.
Never was that driven so far home -
farther than an abducting alien - than
as of late.
My 9-year-old daughter found at the
local bookstore the offering entitled:
Scary States America.
Worse, she was so engaged in all this
whole unexplained phenomena thing
after reading it, my wife and mother
in-law - good women that they are
- turned her onto: Weird Georgia, this
one featuring the oddest things report
ed in our great state. (No, it’s not as
thick as you would imagine.)
Now, my life is one close encounter
after another and my ability to debunk
all of this hogwash has had about as
much chance of succeeding as those
guys still to this day trying to catch
bigfoot.
Me: “Darling. Back when I was in
the Air Force (most of you have read
this story from me before - sorry for
rehashing it) and stationed at RAF
Chicksands, I used to stay in this old
priory.”
Her: “What’s a priory?”
“It’s some sort of religious place.”
“What kind of religion?”
“I don’t know it had something to do
with nuns and monks I think?”
“What’s a monk?”
“Look, it doesn’t matter. All you
need to know is it was supposed to be
haunted.”
“Haunted?”
“Haunted.”
“Yeah. Some lady fell in love with one
Danny
Evans
Editor and Publisher
devans@evansnewspapers.com
And all of Perry reaps the benefits.
Although I have my office and a busi
ness downtown, I don’t take any credit
for their success.
Marti Tolleson, Kate Lewis, Nancy
Jackson, Kim and Mike Sheridan, Amy
Davis, Betty Hoskins, Connie Potter,
Gary Diebert, Bobby Tuggle and many
more are the ones that really work
hard to make Perry’s Downtown a
“Destination to Visit”. The rest of us
are just fortunate to be a part of it.
Megan Smith at the Chamber also
works with the Downtown area helping
coordinate events around Downtown.
This brings me to what I think is
a very important topic. I would like
to invite the Perry Area Chamber of
Commerce to join us by relocating their
offices downtown. I’m sure we could
help find a place that would be well
suited for this. The old “Coffee Cup”,
Don
Moncrief
Managing Editor
donm@evansnewspapers.com
of the monks and they were supposed
to stay away from each other. So, they
killed the man (I inadvertently used
the word ‘gibbeted’, which of course I
then had to explain)..Then they put up
a brick wall with the woman trapped
inside it and made her starve to death.
“She supposedly walked the halls as
a ghost on the anniversary of her death
We (a co-worker and me) stayed there
several times (while escorting media
types as part of our job back then) but
I never saw hide nor hair of her.”
“What does ‘hide nor hair’ mean?”
“Never mind.”
“I was also stationed at RAF
Bentwaters two years before that
where a UFO was also supposed to
have landed (there was even a book
written about it ... which by the way I
later found and bought one day on the
bargain rack of a bookstore stateside)
but I never saw one. And we looked (co
workers, again) ... more than once.”
“These things just aren’t real.”
“8ut...”
Ah yes, the “but” of doubt.
“But, look. The cover (of Scary States
America) says they’re ‘true’ stories.”
“Honey. C’mon. Are you telling
me you really believe this little girl
(in Nebraska I think ... which would
explain a lot) has a portal under her
bed where she can see what has hap
pened to people that died?”
“But.”
"One voice can make a difference"
I *** V'l
Imm W
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
recently renovated and now owned
by Houston Springs, would make a
great place for the Chamber. The build
ing has offices upstairs and an open
room downstairs for meetings and
local gatherings. A great home base
for the Chamber sponsored Downtown
events.
In the years that the Chamber was
handling tourism, I could see the
need for the Chamber to be located
at the Visitors Center. But now, the
Chamber’s primary function is to cater
to its members and help promote and
build a healthy Perry business com
munity. Commerce! What better place
to do this than the Downtown area. If
this location couldn’t be worked out, I
know there are many more. I’m sure
someone could come up with some
thing suitable.
I know I would like to see this hap
pen, as well as others I have talked
to. So, I challenge Chairman Daniel
Brown, and the Chamber Board to take
the first step, and start looking at the
opportunities in Historical Downtown
Perry.
I think when the Chamber was locat
ed Downtown it was much more in
touch with the merchants. What do
you think?
“Are you telling me you actually
believe a house can actually bleed?”
(This one from Georgia by the way and
about a house, which had walls that
poured out blood ... the author saying
he almost drowned in it when visiting
to see for himself, before being rescued
by the owner.)
“But. This ( Weird Georgia this time.
And, oh by the. way, it’s written by Jim
Miles, a family friend ... my mother-in
law has an signed copy) says they’re
‘factual accounts’ - ‘not folklore’.”
“Lord give me strength. Honey there
are no New Jersey Devils (some flying
creatures). There are no lizard men, no
shadow people (not counting the FBI),
no skunk ape in Florida (unless ... How
long has Jeb Bush been out of the gov
ernor’s office?). The ghost teen who got
killed in an automobile accident but
still hitches a ride ...•He doesn’t exist.
Ghost trains. Giant water serpents.
Long-vanished Native Americans who
wail in the predawn on the Ocmulgee
Mounds in Macon. They’re not real
(although, I’d sure like to check that
out). None of them are. The people
who wrote these were just trying to
make money.”
Silence. Ah victory, I think ... but
then ...
Mom - with the mother-in-law heard
adding encouragement in the back
ground: “Shelbi. Why don’t you call
your Uncle Tim (Adams, who lives in
Forsyth) and get him to tell you about
that sasquatch (some black, hairy ape
with red eyes) he saw while hunting (in
North Georgia)?”
I stand corrected. Ghosts. Flying
saucers. Things that go bump in the
night. They’re just a figment of your
imagination.
The two-headed monster on the
other hand ...