Newspaper Page Text
Laney-Walker residents split on halfway house for inmates
By Timeothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Laney Walker Neighborhood
Association members voiced con
cerns over the possible location of
ahalfway house in their neighbor
hood. Dubbed asa “transition cen
ter,” the facility would house in
mates from the Richmond County
jail who are almost ready for pa
role. Margaret Armstrong, chair
man of the Augusta-Richmond
County Planning Commission,
said she voted to approve the cen
ter.
“Someone has to step up to the
plate and speak for those without
a voice,” she told commissioners.
“People need a chance to over
come,” she offered, adding that
Washington-based Board urges locals
to attend public meeting on SRS safety
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
. AUGUSTA
On Thursday, Nov. 30, aboard of
nuclear experts will hold a public
meeting to answer questions con
cerning safety issues at the Savan
nah River Site. And, they want
people to show up.
Known as the Defense Nuclear
Facilities Safety Board or DNFSB,
the Washington, D.C.-based outfit
has a mission to ensure Depart
ment of Energy facilities, like SRS
in Aiken, S.C., does their job effec
tively and safely, according to Rich
ard Azzaro, DNFSB general coun
sel. The DNFSB group will hold the
SOy
v v
s4§‘L¢'
. 2651 Perimeter Parkway
Augusta, GA 30909
(706) 855-8100
o= D= 1 Ny N v
X K R Y Dri=ad\ D=
Qind) P nd) 1. )et rea i
P 20000 5
74 F P
’ ~ Ballroom Package
} - : $249.00 per couple (inclusive) &= L~
o ™ . Single/Double Sleeping Room - =
o ) e e N
Extravagant Hors D'Oeuvres and Dinner Buffet - 8:00PM - 9:3OPM
Dessert Buffet with Coffee - 10:30PM - 11:30PM
Champagne Toast, Balloon Drop, and “Sparkling” Cake - Midnight
" ' Entertainment by: The Lee Griffin Band :
**Rate also includes six'(6) complimentary drink tickets, breakfast for two (2) in
Andrew’s Restaurant, a rose and a bottle of champagne with two
~ complimentary glasses in the room.**
.~ Upgrade to a Whirlpool Suite for $319.00:
Lounge Package
$179.Q0 per couple (inclusive) ¢ Single/Double Sleeping Room
. Complimentary Hors D’Oeuvres - 9:OOPM - 10:30PM
; Champagne Toast with Balloon Drop - Midnight
DJ Performance from 9:OOPM - I:3OAM
**Rate also includes six (6) complimentary drink tickets, breakfast for two (2) in
Andrew’s Restaurant, a rose and a bottle of champagne with two complimentary
glasses in the room.**
Upgrade to a Whirlpool Suite for $229.00!
CALL THE HOTEL DIRECTLY AND ASK FOR RESERVATIONS
inmates shouldn’t be ostracized
forever. But Stanley Hawes of the
Laney Walker group, presented
Augusta Mayor Bob Young with a
petition of 362 names and told the
board his neighborhood “had a
history” with halfway houses.
“Some people didn’t realized what
‘transition center’ meant,” hesaid.
Hawes said he’d prefer more posi
tive businesses locate in his com
munity “where our wives, kids
won’t have to worry about being
safe.” Richmond County Sheriff
Charlie Webster supports the cen
ter and feels it could help deter
crime in the neighborhood. The
center would be located near the
corner of Walton Way and Sixth
Street in the city’s eastern down
" town section.
Commissioner Lee Beard lives
public hearing in Aiken at The Al
ley Conference Center. The meet
ing is part of a three-day visit to
SRS by the D.C. officials as part of
the group’s oversight of DOE man
agement and operation of defense
nuclear facilities. :
The visit will also involve the
discussion of tritium activities, sta
bilization of nuclear materials and
environmental management at the
site. Westinghouse Savannah River
Company is SRS’ primary contrac
tor, along with Bechtel Savannah
River, Inc., Babcock & Wilcox and
British Nuclear Fuels.
Azzaro said the meeting offers the
Boardachanceto “providethe public
with an opportunity to discuss their
City / Region
near the proposed site and said he
“would also be concerned.” He
suggested state corrections offi
cials and site administrators meet
with concerned Laney Walker citi
zens to educate them on exactly
what will occur at the facility.
Mayor pro tem Willie Mays said
“for the record,” don’t forget the
center was denied in “five” areas
of the county by residents also
concerned about safety. Two of
those south Augusta zones were
near the city jail site on Phinizy
Road and by the Augusta Youth
Detention Center, Mays said. City
planning and zoning director
George Patty said the center is
supported by the Augusta Neigh
borhood Improvement Corp., a
housing initiative with efforts to
rebuild Laney Walker neighbor
concerns in an informal, ‘town meet
ing’-like forum.” The attorney said
DNFSBmembersmeet withthe pub
licin regions of the nation containing
nuclearsitesatleasttwiceayear. The
townmeetingapproachis “fairlynew”
and more comfortable for the public,
he said.
Scheduled topics targeted for dis
cussion are: Utilization of F-and H-
Canyon facilities; stabilization,
packagingand storageof plutonium
bearing materials; stabilizinghighly
enriched uranium solutions; man
aging high level waste and alterna
tive salt processing technology. Al
though words like plutonium, ura
nium and stabilization can trigger
red flags for CSRA inhabitants,
hoods in targeted areas where the
center would be located. City offi
cials refrained from action until
the Tuesday, Dec. 3 meeting. The
board also suggested state offi
cials meet with residents and ex
plain their plan.
Also duringthe meeting, a group
of Deans Bridge Road residents.
said they objected to being charged
fees for street light installation.
Resident Florine Taylor expressed
her concerns, but commissioners
Mays and Marion Williams said
lights are good for added security
and eventually, will be needed.
The board voted for city attor
ney Walltoreceive a two-year con
tract extension while remaining
in his currentrole as the city tran
sitionstoan in-house legal depart
ment approved earlier this fall.
Azzaro said DNFSB members take
a neutral stance in such instances.
“Clearly, thesematerialshave been
recognized as presenting potential
challenges to public health, but,
we’re here to make sure the job is
being done right,” Azzaro said.
DNFSB is a five-member board
appointed by the President and
approved by the Senate. Their ex
pertise liesin physics, nuclear engi
neering, environmental sciences
and radioactivity, the lawyer said
from his D.C. offices. “It’s a very
hands-on group,” Azzaro said in
describing the Board. Overall, SRS
contractors have done a “good job”
when it comes to safety concerns,
Azzaro added.
o ST : Ve, gyrhal? Bic giloi op GIL " sWi VLG, o
INev%s“; 12j Special’ Assignments,
R N Xt: Wiee I ' Bl -
= OAL
Bfi% LT - % "q
. Monday'6pm g—.
" eO YN .”% - if % |
NewsY2's'*aurie'Ott hits'thelroad to'show¥
YWw N e SRR
W=l OCEE W e
S/ Lauric Ott “ ——
Mnay-hursdy |
Wineminalan WNihde)
Enarriosgprche (elan |
qrEee @R E® l
12[On\YourfSide;sYTracylSadeghian
Een e IREER prde QEURE |
www.wrdw.com |
AUGUSTA FOCUS
Paine coach reaches
400th hoops victory
From page one
Division I institutions like Geor
gia or Georgia Tech, Spry uses a
special approach to attract play
ersthat ultimately, help continue
his recruiting process. “It’s sort
of likellet the players themselves
actasarecruitingtool,” said Spry.
In explaining, he says that ini-.
tially, players may not enjoy liv
ing in Augusta. Ultimately, it’s
the players that realize they’re
receiving quality education while
learning from a coach who cares
about the players’ future: well
being. Eventually, they goout and
sell the same program to future
prospects, Spry said.
On the same weekend Duke
coach Mike Krzykewski notched
his 500" gem, Spry found himself
faced with options of winning two
games for 400; winning one or
none and not reaching the big
goal. Fortunately, the purple Li
ons’ attack was good enough to
oust Kennesaw College on Friday
night while knocking offtwo-time
Peach Belt conference champion
Ga. College 80-76 on Saturday
while the Lions won their Paine
College Hall of Fame Classic at
the Carter Gymnasium.
Anative of Princeton, Ky., Spry
is proud of Paine products that
have succeeded after leaving his
program. Namely, Terry Palmer,
head womens hoops coach at Lane
College (Jackson, Tenn.); Shawn
Parks, head basketball coach,
Stillman College in Tuscaloosa,
SHOP AUGUSTA FOCUS CLASSIFIEDS
NOVEMBER 23, 2000
Ala.; Robert Skinner, head bas--
ketball coach at Albany State and:
Carol Washington, head womens'
basketball coach, Kentucky State-
University.
Spry earned an undergraduate:
degree from Campbellsville Col
legeandamaster’sdegreeincoun-
seling from Murray State Univer- -
sity before taking a job at St
Catherine’s College (Ky.). After"
two years of counseling at
Paducah Junior College (Ky.),"
Spry’s first and only coaching gig"
started with the Lions. Balancing"
his 400 wins is about 203 losses,'
Spry said. A 9
Although he considered: leav-+
ing the Augusta campus a few"
years ago, Spry reconsidered and
credits Paine president Dy. "
Shirley A.R. Lewis for her sup-'
port of the basketball program. Iv*
changing his mind, Spry said he"
and his wife of 15 years, Audrey,
took their daughter Shaßon inte'
consideration and her developing’
school relationships. “We also -
thought about the good people ifi*
the community and our Paine™
family,” he said. W
“No, I have no plans to leave.
Just to continue touching young
people’s lives in a positive way,”""
said Spry, who also instructs:
physical education courses at the>"
college. ol
Through the years, coach™
Ronnie Spry has always led a spit- *
ited attack in developing a win®
ning attitude among his Paine Y
College Lions. L
3A