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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Heather Tucker speaking for those who cannot speak for ftemsslvas How many of you have a child who has ever asked Santa for a puppy? Santa said each year he receives millions of letters from chil dren asking to find a puppy under their tree Christmas morning. Our daughter, Lauren, didn’t leave it to chance. She asked Santa specifically for a female, black tri-colored Sheltie named Dixie with a candy cane striped collar - and somehow good ol’ Santa delivered. But, what about the pup pies and dogs left in shelters who had hoped to be adopt ed this Christmas? That is where Heather Tucker comes in. Heather is the daughter of Tamra and John Tucker and a 2006 graduate of the Westfield School. Heather attends the University of Georgia but misses her family and her pets. Last year, Heather decided she needed a “furry” com panion to keep her company. A friend encouraged her to New kid on the block named Linux Some of the junk mail I don’t immediately throw away are the ones that have anything to do with computers. I was really surprised on one of the brochures when I saw that Dell was selling comput ers that don’t have Windows. Instead, they have a brand of Linux called Übuntu. What no Windows. Well they still do have some with Windows but moving into the Linux market says a lot about the operating system. Linux is an operating sys tem just like Windows and Mac. It is not very old; the very first release of Linux came out in 1993. The Linux operating sys tem has a record of being solid as a rock. It never crashes and it is so well writ ten that distributors state you don’t even need any anti virus software. But the best thing about Linux is that it is free. That’s right you don’t pay a dime and they encourage you to make copies and give it to your friends. Linux is free not only for the operating system but also for all the programs that are loaded on it. It has a full office suite that is com parable to Windows. It has a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software that you can do slides on just like Power Point and a drawing program that works like Visio if you need to flowchart. It has e-mail and a web browser to get onto the Internet called Mozilla Fox LETTER From page 6A Friday brought more walk ing to no avail. My tears fell hard, and I walked and prayed out loud. A fellow Cardigan owner had phoned to say that she had sold Cardigan’s to three families in this area and they were willing to bring their dogs and help look. Sure enough Jackie came from Perry, we walked and talked and found a track. When she had to go more help came the same day - Megan from Warner Robins, and a mother of four children came to bring dogs and walk. Later that day, Lucy, another Cardigan owner, phoned to say she would bring her dog and walk and look with me. My husband and I had agreed that on Saturday by 6 p.m. we had to go back to Illinois. Friday after a day of work, my husband drove all night and into the morning to come get me. I only had this day to find her. After another long search with no sign, I was making my way back toward the apart ments. I just dropped to my knees. With tears falling from my face, my voice sounding sore, I raised my hands to the sky and asked God to give me a sign - a sign of The Lesson Plan ftp Jffi "Miss Lee" aka Sherri Lee research local shelters for dogs in need before going to a breeder. This search sent Heather down a path that would change her life forever. She has since changed majors, started a new busi ness, won a scholarship and found the furry com partion she was searching for, a Siberian Husky named “Jack”. Jack was one of 10 Huskies scheduled to be euthanized. Heather immediately set out on a mission to save the dogs. After discovering there were no Husky rescues in Georgia, the Huskies were turned away by 10 states until eventually Heather was put in contact with The PC Doctor r^ggjgg|f|jj|g| Randy Trahan Columnist and literally thousands of free games to choose from. It also has a command-line util ity where you can type in the commands instead of click ing on the icons. That’s com parable to DOS and is mostly for you hard-core computer types. All of these programs are compatible with Windows. So you can do a word pro cessing document on Linux, save it as a Word document and read it on any Windows machine. So how did this obscure piece of computer program ming make it all the way to the commercial world. It started in 1991 by a guy in Finland named Linus Torvalds. He was studying in Helsinki and had bought himself a desktop PC. But the PC did not come with an operating system so, it would not do anything., His choices were limited. He could buy DOS or a program called Minix and he chose the latter. Minix was a clone of a very popular operating sys tem at the time called Unix. Unix was on large computers in business and universities including those at Torvalds. which way to walk or a sound; confirmation that I had done all I could do. The tears were rolling down my face. Suddenly the sound of bark ing was right in front of me! I could not believe it! Soon I could see her, down deep in a waterway. It was like a 15 foot wall of clay. She was on the other side barking at me like: “Where have you been, I’ve been looking for you.” I slid down and she tried to climb her side. I once more asked God to help me get out, and Jessie was already in tall grass like weeds and getting out of the mud. I begged her not to run and to come to me. I got up and out of the waterway and she, so much faster than I, came running towards me, jumped into my arms and all I could do was hug her and cry. Now how can we tell the people of Houston County thank you? We have never experienced hospitality, kind ness; true caring from a community like this area has shown us. You each should be so very proud of the area you live, and with this New Year coming upon us, please remember that a family from Illinois will always be thankful to you all. - Tom and Kerri Carter... and Jasale too! 198 wrfn ' 4; H Contributed Heather Tucker and her adopted Huskie “Jack”. the director of the Siberian Husky Rescue of Florida who drove 18 hours round trip to save the dogs. Heather didn’t just stop after finding homes for the Huskies, she was on a mis sion! She began fostering for Patriot Lab, all Breed Rescue, Versions of Unix were avail able for desktop PC’s but. it was hard to come by and very expensive. Torvalds liked Unix because of its power and he like Minix because it ran on his PC. Torvalds had issues with some of the tech nical aspects of Minix and did not; like paying a fee to use it, so he decided he would write his own operating sys tem and called it Linux, a spin off combining his name Linus and the computer pro gram Unix. From day one he intended his creation to be free and shared between anyone who wanted to use it. He encour aged people to copy it and give it to their friends. The idea behind it was people could take the code and improve it. This was a brilliant move and soon people from all over the world were asking to help. Soon he was a leader of a team of programmers that used the infant Internet to communicate and share ideas. Torvalds dream of a free operating system came true. Today Linux is a thoroughly modern and capable operat ing system, some considering it the most sophisticated in the world yet simple to use. Because its programming code remained free, millions of programmers were able to improve on it. Now it can run on the smallest computers in the world as well as the big gest. Several of the top super PUBLIC NOTICE INFORMATION CONCERNING AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS AVAILABLE AND RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN This notice is given to furnish citizens of the City of Warner Robins (City) information concerning the amount of funds available from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Community Development Block Grant program for Fiscal Year 2009 and the range of activities to be undertaken. To obtain citizens comments a Public Hearing is scheduled for 10:0Cf AM, Thursday, January 8, 2009, in the Community Development Conference Room, Second Floor, City Hall, 700 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, Georgia. It is unknown at this time the exact amount HUD will allocate to the City through the Community Develop ment Block Grant Entitlement program. We anticipate receiving $465,000. In addition, program income is anticipated from housing rehabilitation activities and the sale of real property. Estimated amount of program income is approximately $240,000 bringing the total estimated operating budget to $705,000. A minimum of 71 % of these funds must be used for activities that benefit low and moderate income persons. The range of uses of funds is very broad and includes, but is not limited to, the following: - Program planning and administration - Acquisition and disposition of real property - Code enforcement - Clearance, demolition, and rehabilitation of publicly and privately owned commercial and residential structures - Fair housing - Removal of architectural barriers - Public facilities and improvements - Public services - Historic preservation - Economic opportunity - Activities undertaken as part of a Consolidated Plan Further information concerning this program is available upon request from the City of Warner Robins, Department of Community Development, 700 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, Georgia, or by calling (478) 929- 1118 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday star Bright Rescue Centers, Warner Robins Animal Shelter and Athenspets.net. She and Jack came in third place in the “Dawg Jog” for the UGA pre-vet club 5k marathon to benefit the needy dogs in Athens. This past semester, she fostered and transported for MUSH computers of the world run Linux. Companies like IBM and Novell have embraced the philosophy that Linux code is free and have teams of programmers working on new applications. Also, it has become more popular on desktop PCs because of its sturdiness and ease of use. Dell is using one version called Übuntu and HP is using a version of Linux called Red Hat. So if you are looking for an alternative to Windows try Linux. You may con tact Randy Trahan at mattie2B94o4@gmail.com. City of Centerville 2001 SPLOST PROJECT REPORT The City of Centerville, in accordance with O.C.G.A. 48-8-122, publishes this 2001 SPLOST project report for FY 2008. NAME OF PROJECT: Centerville City Hall Original estimated cost of project: $2,035,000.00 Current estimated cost: $2,144,044.00 Amount spent on project prior to 2008: $2,121,111.00 Amounts expected to be spent in 2008: $ 18,280.00 The City of Centerville will use the proceeds from the tax in excess of the estimated cost to fully fund the project and the project is not behind schedule. The city does not anticipate any WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008 ♦ Rescue, Hogan’ Husky Heroes apd South Paw Animal Rescue Sanctuary. Heather still felt there was more she could do for animals in need. She applied for the Humane Society’s Scholarship; Taking Action for Animals. Heather, one of only 10 students in the entire nation to receive this award, was flown to Washington D.C. to be presented with the scholarship and a four day all-expense paid trip to, Washington D.C. While attending the con ference, Heather met with Georgia Representatives in the U.S. House and Senate to discuss legislation on ani mal cruelty and advocacy. After leaving the confer ence, Heather knew she had a different perspective on "Hm Cameras, Will Travel" Ok w turner YV?s RUTCURARUr Aerial Photography Erad turner • 47VW2-ICJ3 cr 475-4C4-CS6I I Yvonne Edwards & Tracy Westmoreland announce BHOVV music-drama-fun Register Now For Spring Session Feb. 3 rd - May 21 st , 2009 hurr^’ Limited Space ShoWKtJl Preschool (ages 3to 5) ShoWKldj Elementary (K 5 -5 m Grade) Weekday Morning Classes Weekday Afternoon Classes Tubs, or Thurs. 9am-10:30am/ 10:30am-12N Tubs, or Thurs 3 45pm-spm / spm-6:lspm Live Community Productions * Focused Curriculum ShowKids' mission is to inspire children to find their personal BEST through performing arts while cultivating imaginatjpn, creativity, and team-building The Perry Arte Center«lt 21 Macon Road, Parry, QA 31089 FOR PRICING 8, AVAILABILITY: Yvonne Edwards, 478 397.3716 Tracy Westmoreland, 478,542:2397 • Email: perryshowkids@aol.com www.perryshowkids.com surplus funds. life and what she wanted to persue. Arriving back in Athens, she changed her mayor from pre-med nutrition science to biological science pre-vet with a minor in nutrition science. She plans to apply for vet school her Senior year. She has applied to start her own rescue center, The Husky Haven of Georgia Inc., which by the way, cur rently has six Huskies ready for adoption if Santa passed you by. Heather said she loves the idea of giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves and her new life motto ... “Why wait around for someone else to fix the problem when you are capa ble of doing something about it yourself”. ETS?" “'"S'if' —■■■ MB EL- OnjO|P'*n i • SEK’Xki mmM 1 Open House ‘ Registration fit tin (try l.ilh & / )th 4:MI - ft: flil J 7A 163306 72983 ■72881