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Voters At Southern End Os County Taking A Long Look At Races
Political Rumors Focus On County Commission
Political talk and rumors continue to be a strong
topic of conservation among local politicans as
Houston County creeps into the biggest political
year since 1968.
Voters in Perry and the southern end of the
County are taking a long look at the races
developing on the Board of Commissioners.
Serving out the last months of their four year
terms as Commissioners are Alton Tucker of
Centerville, Edward Bryant of Warner Robins
and Frank Rozar of Perry. Rozar is the only
member on the board from Perry and the
southern portion of the County. Voters from this
area of the County feel they should have
representation on the board and many are already
at work to help insure that Perry keeps a board
member.
Commissioners now run “at large” in the
County, since a bill was passed in the General
VOL. 102 NO. 13
Perry Police
Nab Robbery
Suspect Here
Perry Police officers
arrested Horace Clarington,
colored male, of Route 3, Box
68, Fort Valley, on the
grounds of the Robert
Thompson Warehouse last
Thursday night at 11:10 p.m.
and confiscated a large
number of stolen items from
his car and residence.
Patrolman Gene Langston
made the arrest, assisted by
Cpl. Eddie Findley and
Patrolmen Kermit, Beasley,
Willie Coats, and Roy
Mathis.
Police Chief B. E. Dennard
said that when Clarington
was arrested he had a loaded
.22 caliber pistol in his
pocket. He also had burglary
T ini g
Larry Walker, partner in the law firm of Walker and Richardson in Perry,
was named Boss of the Year by the Houston County Legal Secretaries at their
annual award banquet last week. He was nominated by his secretary, Lois
Athon, shown presenting him with a placque.
The Houston Home Journal
The Perry Area’s Favorite Newspaper For The Past 100 Years
tools in his possession, in
cluding a flashlight ,
screwdriver, and hammer.
When Clarington was
taken to City Hall after his
arrest, officers found that he
had in his automobile ar
ticles stolen in Warner
Robins the same day, in
cluding two tape decks, four
speakers, and clothing
burglarized from Star
Cleaning and Laundry.
Also in his possession were
a clock taken from Thomp
son’s Warehouse in an
earlier burglary, one $lO
bills, and $9.85 in silver.
A search warrant was
obtained for his residence,
and a number of other stolen
items were recovered there.
Assembly more than two years ago wiping out the
old “Mossy Creek Line” that once served as
dividing line in the County for political offices.
The voting power lies in Warner Robins, with all
county officers having to be elected on a county
wide basis.
Rumors are that Frank Rozar will seek re
election and he seems to be a strong candidate
with his popularity good in both Perry and Warner
Robins. Some political observers say that Warner
Robins voters also feel that Perry should have
representation on the board and it is not expected
that Rozar will have any strong opposition for his
post.
Long time Commissioner Alton Tucker has not
said whether or not he will seek re-election to the
board but he has been a strong rumored candidate
for Sheriff. His name has also been mentioned as a
candidate for one of the State Representative
posts from the northern end of the county. Tucker,
PAGE 1-A
Included were saws, a large
car buffer, automobile
“mag” wheels, tires, tape
recorders, tape players,
guns, one camera, an
assortment of tools and a tool
box, .22 caliber ammunition,
gas cans with siphon hose,
and a clock stolen from Lee’s
gift shop Tuesday night,
March 21.
Chief Dennard said that
Clarington has been charged
here with theft by taking,
carrying a concealed
weapon, and carrying a
weapon without a permit.
Warrants were also being
issued in Warner Robins.
Clarington posted bond and
was released from custody
until his trial on the charges.
PERRY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1972
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Perry Police Look Over Confiscated Stolen Goods
Perry Police officers are shown with some of the stolen
items confiscated after the arrest of Horace Clarington.
Some items were in his automobile, and others were found at
his home after a search warrant was obtained. Shown are
* Downtown Study Pushed *
The downtown develop
ment committee of the Perry
Chamber of Commerce met
Tuesday afternoon and
adopted a resolution to be
submitted to the City
Council calling for joint
effort and study to be made
on the downtown parking
problem. The resolution
called for Carroll St. to be
made one way to create
angle instead of parallel
parking in the downtown
with his county-wide popularity, could very well
seek any of the political races. But he has not yet
told his plans.
Commissioner Edward Bryant, who is also
serving out his term, has already announced his
plans to try and unseat Mayor Homer J. Walker of
Warner Robins. That puts Bryant out of the
county political picture, at least for the time
being.
Commissioner Henry Cullen Talton, who has
two more years to serve on his term of office, has
also been a strongly rumored candidate for
Sheriff. He has not told any plans as yet but many
observers believe he will run against Sheriff
Albert Hudson in an attempt to unseat him.
However, it is not expected that both Alton Tucker
and Talton would seek to run for the Sheriff’s
office. It seems to be a strong possibility, at any
rate, that Sheriff Hudson will have opposition
from one of the two men now on the Board of
business section.
Louis (Smokey) Harper,
chairman of the committee,
pointed Out that the solution
to the downtown parking
problem should be the
number one priority and the
committee agreed.
The group also discussed
the possibility of improving
the looks of downtown by
redesigning the store fronts
in a central theme and ad
ding specialty shops in the
Patrolman Kermit Beasley, kneeling; standing from left are
Ptl. Arthur Buckles, Cpl. Eddie Findley, Sgt. Pat Padgett,
radio operator Bennie Redmond, Chief B. E. Dennard, and
arresting officer, Patrolman Gene Langston.
area. Barbara Jones noted
that many of the stores
already have a colonial type
architecture and that such a
theme may be worth con
sidering.
Chamber president Joe
Poole suggested that the
chamber sponsor a bus tour
of some of the towns in
Georgia that have rebuilt
their downtown areas. He
said the tour should be made
up of downtown merchants
Commissioners.
Former Board member Stewart Bloodworth of
Perry, has also been rumored as a possibility to
run once again for Commissioner. Bloodworth
was beaten by Commissioner Robert Byrd two
years ago but he has kept in close contact with
local politics and may very well be a candidate.
He has not made any public statements but The
Home Journal has learned that Bloodworth is
“interested' 1 in making a political race this year.
Warner Robins Recreation Director Claude
Lewis has also been a rumored candidate for the
County Board. Lewis has been silent on his plans
but there are many voters in Warner Robins that
believe his popularity would make him a strong
candidate in the race for County Commissioner,
no matter which candidate he ran against
So, the Houston County political pot is beginning
to warm up and it looks like it is going to be a very,
very hot summer.
and property owners and
other interested persons.
The committee is com
prised of chairman Louis
(Smokey) Harper, Calvin
Mclyendon, Bill Overton, Ed
Beckham, Barbara Jones, A.
C. Pritchett Sr., Lewis
Meeks, Jimmy Stubbs,
Malcolm Reese and Coun
cilman James McKinley.
Joe Poole said the purpose
of the committee is to in
vestigate and motivate
32 PAGES
business property owners
into undertaking a new look
at themselves with the idea
of improving shopping in the
business district. He also
said the idea of forming a
downtown business im
provement association
should be explored.
The committee will meet
again next week to further
discuss plans of a schedule of
city-wide promotions during
the coming year.