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Local lines • City of WR awards multimil lion, 10-year contract • For Vincents, firework shows are a family tradition • Woman dies in car crash BELOW THE FOLD: Windstream buys SI,BOO stabilizer struts for Centervill<| Firv' Department li —if J J3ottSllttt MfiWlt Volume 138, Number 52 F/icf FRONT DOOR "Always open" “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confi dence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.” - 1 John 3:21-22 FRONT PORCH "Where neighbors meet" HHJ history 50 years ago: Houston County’s commis sioners - all five of them - are notified they must now furnish bond in the amount of $2,500. Previously the commissioners didn’t need to be under bond, but the voters change that when they vote to change the form of government for the county. Also, then-sheriff C.C. Chapman pays back $10,315 overpaid him during a period of eight years. An official audit determines the county overpaid Chapman $14,239 in jail board and turnkey fees but underpaid him $3,726 in other fees. He then writes a check for the dif ference. 30 years ago: County commissioners, after hearing concerns, votes to put Whistler's Road on the county priority list for paving. Also, Briggs and Stratton Plant donates land - how much is not specified - where a non-direc tional beacon can be placed for the airport. 10 years ago: Perry City Council awards a contract to Sullivan Environmental Services out of Kathleen to perform residential garbage pick-up services. The city maintains pickup of yard waste. - Compiled by Don Moncrief Birthdays June 26 ft s Marlene Otto s ft July 2 ft Amy Ganus ft ■ft Dot Moore ft July 3 ft Brandon Williams ft ft Taryn Hill (Happy Ist birthday!) ft ft Bristol Purvis ft E-mail birthdays to: hhj@evansnewspapers.com or donm@evansnewspapers.com. Mail to: 1210 Washington St., Perry 31069 attn: Don Moncrief. Or, call 987-1823, Ext. 231. Award-Winning Newspaper Better Newspaper Contest PERIODICAL 500 Illilil 8 ~15 51081 10 0001 l 4 COOI * Geroigia Newspaper Pr-ojacl Main Library University of Georgia ATHENS GA 306G2-00G2 3-OiGiT 30c July 2,2008 aaMs'BaaagasMsai LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, CITY OF PERRY, CITY OF WARNER ROBINS AND CITY OF CENTERVILLE Operation Safe Streets WR police initiative living up to its namesake "It was designed to accent current manpower. When we come out now, there's already a shift working the road, but now we have 10, sometimes as many as 20, extra officers so that is a force multiplier." - Warner Robins Police Department Lt. Todd Edwards By DON MONCRIEF Journal Managing Editor It’s a far cry from dinner and a movie - dinner and “moving” is more accurate - but on this particular eve ning, this past Friday, that’s the way it begins. At 7 p.m. a dozen law enforcement officers that make up the once-a-month Operation Safe Streets, along with Warner Robins City Councilman Bob Wilbanks, who is (and often does) going out this par ticular group (it typically rotates each month between police squads), meets at a local eating establishment. Wilbanks also pays for the meal on behalf of the city (a show of support). (Note: Councilman Tom Simms Jr. has also gone out with them.) There is “shop talk” around the table from the men and women in blue who have taken up the call on this particular night. Two speak of an unfortu nate accident that has just happened that claims the life of an unborn child. One shares a story about how he responded to a call about a possible fight in one of the local department store parking lots. He responds, he says, to find about 28 people, their Windstream buys SI,BOO stabilizer struts for Centerville FD By DON MONCRIEF Journal Managing Editor It’s almost funny how things turned out for the Centerville Fire Department. As « Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jones puts it: “Somebody , from Windstream just hap pened to call the chief (Ken Matthews),” he said. “As it just so happened our inter net service was down, so he said: ‘Are you calling to come and fix, my inter net?”’ Sure, but this particular person, Local Manager Jay Murkerson, was mainly call ing to offer something much for welcome than that. He was calling to ask the fire department if there was any equipment they needed and then take that one step further by offering to buy it. “Windstream realizes See WINDSTREAM, page 9A Star quality Life, liberty and the pursuit of hamburgers - Recipes for the Fourth, July gardening tips and more. Food&Home Wednesday, July 2, 2008 » wil K-LHil 'f.ffir'C, L 'K ,-y .«/: a 'yWi WKmmßtm Journal/Don Moncrief Pictured above and below: Warner Robins policeman Juan Herrera, left, processes a man arrested by Warner Robins Police Sgt. Brian Smith, at right, during Operation Safe Streets Friday in Warner Robins. The man, Smith said, had just gotten out of prison from a robbery of Morrison’s Cafeteria in 1997. He was pulled over for a tail light that wasn’t working but was arrested Smith said, for driving on a suspended license. cars parked in a circle to form a ring, fighting it out with baseball bats, et cetera. They scramble, he says, when he hits his blue lights, adding with a grin of satisfaction that some of those that got away were dumb enough to show up at the hospital for care later on. Camaraderie is clearly . „ ... ... p* • ;j|n „ ; ik niklife 1 1 & ' : . WmjSMmk i £■- I.v ®:jp&f I I •Sir-’ i..--,: Journal.* Don Moncrief Windstream Area Manager Paul Dean, Windstream Local Manager Jay Murkerson Centerville fireman Brent Howell, Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jones and firefighter Chad Kahley stand in front of a firetruck and Windstream’s familiar green truck during a presentation of special struts (one held by Howell, the others in the bag in front) Windstream bought and presented to the department Thursday. Comings, goings BASEBALL: Perry goes deep and wins; HC edges its tournament opponent. Also, McCook is leaving HC for WR; Burch will take over Bears soccer program. Spoffs r HHH "■ V evident. So is morale. In Hf 1 High School and iilomentary School Honor Rolls "lb Pages4and 108 JJuwtutl fact, it’s very, very high. Especially considering the fact the majority of the offi cer’s look to be in their early 20s at best. You wouldn’t know that each one of these is a volunteer who very well could be out watching a movie instead. They’re here, in force and in great spirits, explains See INITIATIVE,page 7A iMHHHMMHMdL.- ---i 1 A— mil www.hhjnews.com BOE, judicial ballots set Hill, Judge Nunn face opposition By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Staff Writer Three members of the Houston County Board of Education will have new four-year terms without a contest. At the close of qualify ing for non-partisan can didates on Friday, only one of the board members who had earlier announced their intentions of seek ing re-election, had com petition. Dan Murray of Warner Robins, who works at Robins Air Force Base, will run against incum bent Charles M. (Toby) Hill. Pamela Greenway, who is current chairman, has no opposition. Nor does Tom Walmer or Skip Dawkins. The election will be See BALLOTS, page SA Man changed with false report From staff reports Robert Paulk of Warner Robins, according to a release, has been arrested and charged with false report of a crime, false statements and writings and theft by taking from his employer. The charges are relat ed to an incident at 2726 Watson Blvd. on June 23, in which Paulk contacted police and told them that he had been robbed. According to Police Chief Brett Evans, Paulk told police that a Hispanic male had approached him asking* for a ride, and then had pointed a weap on at him and demanded money. See REPORT, page SA Family Ntivs si>ai>hk|