Newspaper Page Text
| Perry Attorney Larry Walker Appears Front-runner
|Rumors Blossom For State Representative Post
1
Political rumors about who might run for State
Representative in the spot now held by Rep. Sam
Nunn have been floating around the southern part
of Houston County like a gunny sack full of helium
filled balloons.
The post will be wide open for the coming
elections because Nunn will not seek re-election.
He is making a bid for U.S. Senator.
The Georgia House of Representatives reap
portioned itself in the session just ending and as
the districts now stand, Houston County could
very well elect three State Representatives in
stead of the two we have had for the past four
years. Houston is split three ways. Two
Representatives will be elected from the northern
part of the County (Warner Robins) and one
representative will be elected from the southern
portion of Houston (Perry) and part of Macon
County and all of Schley County.
The strongest rumor in Perry at this time seems
to be that attorney Larry Walker is interested in
VOL. 102 NO. 12
Bids To Be Taken
City Approves
Library Plans
Perry City Council voted
unanimously Tuesday night
to approve final ar
chitect’s plans and
specifications for the
building of the new library
here.
Members of the library
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Mayor Reese Turns Over Gavel
Mayor Malcolm Reese (left) turns over the City’s gavel to Mayor pro tem
Dan Britton. Mayor Reese presided over his last City Council meeting
Tuesday night. His resignation takes place next Friday. Mayor pro tem
Britton will take over as the City government head at the first meeting in
April. Reese has served as Mayor since Jan. of 1970 and his term officially
ended this Jan. but because of a court suit contesting the December City
elections he has had to remain in office. He announced two weeks ago that he
would no longer be able to serve until the court case is settled because of
business reasons. Britton is a long time member of Council and has served as
Mayor pro tem under another administration in the past.
The Houston Home Journal
The Perry Area’s Favorite Newspaper For The Past 100 Years
board, headed by Chairman
Judge Paul Armitage, met
with Council and presented
them with architect Robert
Oliver’s final plans. Judge
Armitage asked that Council
give their approval and they
did.
seeking the post. Walker was contacted by The
Home Journal this week and said he didn’t have
any official statement at. this time but he did
express an interest in the race. Walker is
presently the Municipal Court Judge and has been
rumored as the next City Attorney. He is a native
of Perry and has been interested in politics in the
past few years, although he has never been ac
tively involved in local politics.
Sources close to Walker say he is “very in
terested” in running for State Representative
from this district and that he is now in the process
of “feeling out” his chances. The source also
pointed out that Walker has strong ties in the rural
areas of Macon and Schley and Houston Counties
because of his father, Cohen Walker, who is long
time farm equipment dealer in Perry. The senior
Walker was on the Houston County School board
for more than 20 years and retired from politics
two years ago.
Also considering running for the post is former
PAGE 1-A
After the vote of approval,
Mayor Reese told Judge
Armitage, “Judge, it looks
as though you should now go
out and build a library in
Perry.”
Judge Armitage indicated
that advertising for bids will
PERRY. GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1972
begin right away for the
$150,000 plus facility and a
date of April 25, was set for
the opening of bids at City
Hall at 3:30 p.m.
Judge Armitage stated, “I
want to thank this Council,
and especially Mayor Reese,
for the assistance you have
rendered this board in
preparing a library facility
for the citizens of Perry and
Houston County. We ap
preciate all you have done
and we look forward to
working with Mayor pro tern
Britton and the other
members of Council in the
days ahead as the library
building progresses.”
Mayor Reese said that
$23,000 has been placed
tentatively in the budget for
the operation of the library
the first year. Reese also
indicated that some
operating funds will
probably become available
from the Houston County
Commissioners but the
amount has not yet been
determined.
Council Adopts
Official Holidays
For Employees
On the recommendation of
Councilman James
McKinley, the Perry City
Council Tuesday night
adopted 8 official city
holidays for city employees.
McKinley said in the past
that the City has not had an
official listing of paid
holidays and he recom
mended the following days
off for city employees;
Christmas, New Years,
Independence Day,
Memorial Day, Veteran’s
Day, Labor Day,
Washington’s birthday and
Thanksgiving.
Representative D. C. Peterson of Kathleen.
Peterson, a retired school teacher, previously
served in the Georgia House for three terms but
was defeated two years ago by Vince Moyer of
Warner Robins. Peterson, contacted by The Home
Journal, said he is “thinking seriously” about
getting back into politics and he expressed an
interest in the Representative post in this area.
Peterson indicated he was “talking to some
people” to find out whether or not he will run.
Perry Mayor Malcolm Reese, who resigned
effective the last day of March, has been a
rumored candidate but he told The Home Journal
this week he has no plans at this time to seek the
post.
Reese stated, “My plans right now are to run
Security Federal to the best of my ability and I am
not considering any political races right now.
However, November is a long way off and I
wouldn’t want to make any decisions at this time.
But as of this date I can say that I am not planning
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Ribbon Cutting Opens Grant’s Store Here
Mayor Malcolm Reese cut the ribbon Monday
morning officially opening the new 50,000 square
foot W. T. Grant’s Store at the Grant’s Plaza
Shopping Center here. Taking part in the
ceremonies are from left, sales personnel, Agnes
Wilson and Martha Wilson, assistant managers
Grant’s Store Opens
Hundreds Attend Sneak
Preview Grand Opening
The new 50,000 square feet
W. T. Grant’s Store officially
opened here Monday mor
ning with ribbon cutting
ceremonies. The store,
however, held a “sneak
preview” grand opening on
Sunday afternoon and
hundreds of shoppers filled
the store to take advantage
of the grand opening
specials.
The opening of Grant’s
marks the beginning of
business of the largest store
in Perry and the first
complete department store
in the City. Grant’s is the
third store to open in the new
Grant’s Plaza Shopping
Center. Winn Dixie Food
Store and Health Cross
Drugs opened their doors for
business 3 weeks ago.
Grant’s will be open for
business 7 days a week and
will be one of the stores
joining other Ferry stores in
opening on Sunday. Their
Sunday business hours will
be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mayor Malcolm Reese cut
to run for State Representative.”
Reese indicated that he would not rule out
political races in the future. He said there is a
possibility he will get actively involved in politics
in the future but he would not say in what area.
Reese is now serving as local treasurer of the
Nunn For Senate Campaign.
From what The Home Journal can learn, Larry
Walker seems to be the top prospect for the
Representative post. Although Walker has not
made any announcements about his intentions,
sources close to the Perry attorney have indicated
that he will probably be near the courthouse when
the Democratic qualifying opens on May 15.
The Home Journal also attempted to learn if the
upcoming elections in Houston County will be run
on a plurality or majority basis. Some officials
seem “in the dark” about the way the races will
be run. The Home Journal has not been able to get
a definite answer but it appears the County races
will be run on a majority basis, at least at the
present time.
Delores Distefano and Bill Gregory, store
manager Don Simmons, Mayor Malcolm Reese,
saleslady Doris Ralston, personnel manager Alice
Roasio, saleslady Bernice Morton and Perry
Chamber of Commerce President Joe Poole.
the red ribbon to officially
open the new store Monday
morning and he was assisted
by store manager Don
Simmons. Simmons said the
store opened for business
with some 85 employees,
most of which have been
hired locally in the past few
weeks. A number of
Perryans have been hired by
Grant’s as department heads
and in other jobs.
To kick off their grand
opening, Grant’s is running a
full section of advertising in
this week’s Home Journal in
section C of this week’s
paper.
3 SECTIONS 44 PAGES
Simmons said the new
Grant’s store is looking
forward to a successful
operation in Perry and that
they will strive to serve
Perry and Middle Georgia
shoppers in the best possible
manner with prices and
merchandise second to none.
A number of other stores
are slated to open in the
shopping center soon.
Crumpton’s Shoes, a ladies
and men’s store, a jewelry
store and a fabric shop are
among those that are sup
posed to locate in the new
Grant’s Plaza Shopping
Center along with the other
stores already open.