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John Harbin cleans ice from windshield on West Broad street early this mor
ning.
Gov. Busbee plans to cut
spending by sl4-million
ATLANTA (AP) — Gov. George
Busbee, citing economic uncertainty,
said today he plans to cut current net
spending by sl4 million —a step he said
would not afffect state services.
Busbee said he will make the cut by
postponing until fiscal year 1978 some
bond issues, including those for a
medical school at Mercer University
and for a cargo facility on Colonel’s
Island in Glynn County.
In addition, fewer bonds will be
issued for speeding up Interstate high
way completion, he said.
Busbee said those delays would not
affect any of the programs, however.
He said the Interstate highway com
pletion project remains on schedule,
but needs less state money because the
state has received federal funds more
Carter focusing
on revamp idea
PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — President-elect
Carter is focusing anew on government
reorganization, one of his major cam
paign promises.
The President-elect is meeting today
with Thomas B. “Bert” Lance, his
nominee as director of the Office of
Management and Budget, and
Chairman Jack Brooks, D-Tex., of the
House Government Operations Com
mittee.
The Brooks committee and its Senate
counterpart, chaired by Sen.
Abraham Ribicoff, DConn., would act
on any legislation embodying Carter’s
campaign pledge to reduce drastically
the number of federal agencies, boards,
commissions and committees.
Last month, Sen. Henry M. Jackson,
D-Wash., said after meeting here with
Carter that he was going to talk to
Brooks and Ribicoff about a Carter plan
to amalgamate the federal govern
ment’s energy-related activities.
If carried out, this would create a new
Department of Energy and
natural Resources that would give a
Cabinet slot to former Defense
Secretary James R. Schlesinger,
named by Carter as his White House
assistant for energy policy.
Carter went to the regional hospital in
neighboring Americus Ga., Sunday
afternoon to visit his mother, Lillian
GRIFFIN
DAI
Daily Since 1872
quickly than anticipated.
Busbee said his action would leave
state spending for the current fiscal
year, which ends June 30, at $1,898
billion, rather than the $1,912 billion
currently appropriated.
Although the proposal calls for a net
reduction of sl4 million in spending,
Busbee said he is reducing his revenue
estimate — on which state spending is
based —by $24 million.
Busbee said he was able to hold the
actual spending cut to sl4 million by
using surplus and additional federal
money which became available after
the current budget was adopted.
The governor said he still believes the
state will make enough money during
this fiscal year to finance the original
budget.
Carter, who is suffering from arthritis.
He reported she was “just fine,” and
that he found her condition “the best
I’ve seen her yet.” Asked when “Miss
Lillian” might be released, he reported
that her physician had not yet returned
from the University of Georgia’s Sugar
Bowl football game in New Orleans.
Georgia lost 27-3 in a nationally
televised game which Carter watched
Saturday.
The President-elect said he had spent
part of Sunday working on his
inaugural address. Asked how he was
progressing, Carter said he had “just
started.”
Carter told three reporters two weeks
ago that he was already at work on the
speech.
People
...and things
Abandoned Christmas tree on side of
street sporting natural icicles this
morning.
Motorist with kettle of warm water
cleaning ice from windshield.
Youngster looking through window of
home with that sad-glad feeling — sad
it’s so cold and wet outside and glad he
has an unexpected holiday from school.
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Monday Afternoon, January 3,1977
Burrrrrrrrr ______
School officials in the Griffin area
today kept an eye on the weather and a
thumb on the thermostat hoping a light
ice storm would go away by Tuesday.
Griffin-Spalding Schools were closed
today because officials feared school
buses might have a tough time getting
over some roads.
Schools in Pike, Henry and Lamar
Counties were closed, too.
The ice storm which caused the
Freezing rain glazes
North Georgia areas
ATLANTA (AP) — Freezing rain
glazed north Georgia today, closing
schools and some businesses and
turning many roads into skating rinks
for cars and trucks.
Most public schools in the northern
third of the state were closed as were
government offices in many areas.
Numerous minor traffic accidents
were reported on the icy streets and
highways.
The state patrol temporarily closed
Interstate 20 from the Alabama line to a
point east of Douglasville, but later
reopened it. Other major roads in the
“However, there are economic un
certainties over the impact of oil in
creases by OPEC nations and the
policies of a new administration in
Washington, among others,” he said.
“Since we can make a $24 million
reduction without in any way affecting
state services, we feel it is the prudent
action to take.”
Busbee’s remarks were prepared for
the joint House and Senate ap
propriations committees, meeting one
week in advance of the 1977 legislative
session to consider the current budget.
Sen. Paul Broun, D-Athens, chairman
of the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee, had said that a S2O million to $25
million budget cut would be necessary.
The Country Parson
by Frank Clark
“More people live com
fortably now than did in the past
— which is why those who can’t
live comfortably now resent it
more.”
First baby
at hospital
Mr. and Mrs. George Michael Jones
of Route One, Box 51-A, Milner, were
the parents of the first baby bom in 1977
at the Griffin-Spalding Hospital.
Their son, Brent Michael Jones,
arrived on Jan. 1 at 6:19 a.m. and
weighed in at nine pounds, three
ounces.
Mr. Jones is employed at the J & J
Machine Shop in Hampton.
Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
S. Thomas of Dutchman road, Mrs.
Clyde Jenkins and the late Mr. George
W. Jones.
The first baby’s sister is Robyn
Michelle, two and a half-years-old.
Ice closes schools her
closings crept in quietly last night. The
National Weather Service in Atlanta
had alerted the state as to an ice storm
possibility.
Supt. D. B. Christie of the Griffin-
Spalding School System decided to call
off school today when he heard from
Claude Dukes. Mr. Dukes is in the
maintenance department which takes
care of the systems fleet of buses.
He telephoned Mr. Christie before
state remained open.
The National Weather Service in
Atlanta reported accumulations of one
or two inches in the Atlanta area,
calling it “more ice pellets than snow.”
The weather service said tem
peratures would not rise quickly today
but that “driving conditions should be
better by late this afternoon.”
The freezing rain was expected to
continue through at least early af
ternoon.
A state patrol spokesman said
Atlanta-area roads were in “pretty
good shape, but 20,30,40 miles out in all
directions it gets a little bit worse.”
“All state roads are passable if
drivers use caution, and I emphasize, if
they use caution,” said a spokesman for
the state Department of Trans
portation.
He said there were reports of some
snow and ice on roads in far north
Georgia, “but nothing severe enough to
close a state highway.”
The weather service continued an
“ice storm warning” for much of north
Georgia — the area north of a line from
LaGrange in west Georgia to Augusta
and including Atlanta and Athens.
The weather service also issued a
travelers’ advisory for north Georgia,
cautioning motorists about possible ice
on bridges and overpasses.
The freezing rain was expected to
turn to rain by afternoon in most areas
of north Georgia and then to taper off.
Partly cloudy and slightly warmer
weather was forecast for Tuesday.
Farther north, roads in Tennessee
were reported hazardous and more
snow was moving into that area.
Dog days
Linda’s troubles started two years ago;
now puppy is fullgrown and woman is in jail
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Linda
Ingram’s troubles started more than
two years ago with a legal squabble
over her purchase of a puppy. Today,
the dog is fullgrown, and Mrs. Ingram
is in jail.
Court records show that in April 1974,
Mrs. Ingram, 33, answered an ad and
agreed to purchase a Rottweiler, a
popular breed of German cattle dog, for
S2OO from Sherri I-ee Charles of Cin
cinnati. She sent a check for SIOO as
down payment.
The dog arrived by air freight on May
23, as did a notice that a shipping
charge of $50.45 was due, along with the
SIOO balance. Mrs. Ingram felt the
shipping cost was not part of the
agreement and refused to pay it.
Mrs. Charles flew to Augusta, hired
an attorney and swore out a possessory
warrant. Accompanied by Columbia
County sheriff’s deputy Alex Shuma
ker, she went to the Ingram residence.
Mrs. Ingram and her husband,
Walter, said they did not have the dog.
Shumaker searched the premises: no
dog.
After a court hearing the next day,
Mrs. Ingram, at the suggestion of the
court, wrote a check for the full
Vol. 105 No. 1
sunup to say some of the highways and
roads were icing and might be
dangerous for buses.
Mr. Christie has relied on the
judgment of Mr. Dukes for years and
called off school after getting his
report.
Griffin Christian School, Griffin
Academy and Flint River Academy at
Woodbury called off classes today also.
The forecast called for precipitation
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County work crews put sand on steps at courthouse to help prevent people from
slipping.
balance, including the disputed ship
ping cost. Mrs. Charles refused it,
saying she wanted the dog, not cash.
That same day, Shumaker obtained a
warrant and searched the property a
second time. Again, no dog. This war
rant charged Mrs. Ingram had per
jured herself by denying knowledge of
the dog’s whereabouts.
The deputy returned later with two
arrest warrants: one alleging perjury,
the othdr charging Mrs. Ingram with
theft by deception. Shumaker charged
that while he was attempting to serve
those warrants, Mrs. Ingram pointed a
shotgun at him. He swore out a third
warrant charging aggravated assault.
Four months later, a grand jury
indicted her. She pleaded guilty to
assault and no contest to the other
charges on Oct. 16.
Superior Court Judge Edwin D.
Fulcher sentenced her to five years
probation on each charge, to run
concurrently. As a condition, she was
fined $250 and instructed to pay SSOO to
Mrs. Charles.
Fulcher ordered Mrs. Ingram to
return the dog within 30 days or to
submit evidence she didn’t have the dog
and couldn’t deliver it.
Weather
ESTIMATED HIGH TODAY 40, low
today 31, high yesterday 33, low
yesterday 15, high tomorrow near 50,
low tonight near 30.
FORECAST: Precipitation ending
this evening followed by partial
clearing later tonight. Tuesday partly
cloudy and not as cold.
EXTENDED FORECAST: Chance of
rain Wednesday then fair and colder
Thursday and Friday.
to end this evening and clearing latej
tonight. The low for tonight in this are i
has been forecast for the low 30s.
This led most school officials t
believe that they could resume classe
Tuesday. Students had been on holiday
since before Christmas.
If there are no more school closings
Mr. Christie said he would recomment
to the school board that students attent
(Continued on page 2.)
The case lay dormant until April 1976,
when Mrs. Ingram was arrested on a
petition to revoke probation. It was
based on affidavits alleging that she
possessed the dog in violation of her
probation.
At a probation revocation hearing
that month, a Greer, S.C., man testified
that in late 1975 he had paid Mrs.
Ingram S7OO for the dog.
Mrs. Ingram was confined in the
Richmond County jail and has been
there since. Her attorney filed a habeas
corpus petition to have her freed on
bail, but a state court denied the
motion.
Mrs. Ingram, who becomes eligible
for parole in February, has asked the
Georgia Supreme Court to overrule the
lower court and grant her habeas cor
pus petition. She also has filed a
SIOO,OOO civil rights complaint against
Mrs. Charles and Deputy Shumaker,
contending that they “acted in concert
... to deprive the plaintiff of liberty and
property" when they obtained the
warrants.