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Dm Heatm Homo Journal
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PERRY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1972
Inkind Funds Included
Commissioners
Grant $25,0
To Perry Library
Haul Armitage, Gene
Smith and Malcolm Reese,
chairman and members of
the Perry -Houston County
Perry News Briefs
Clinch field Homecoming . . .
Clinchfield Presbyterian Church Homecoming
will be held May 7. Former members of the
church and the community are invited to come
and enjoy a reunion. Bring the family and a
basket lunch. The service begins at 11 a m. and
lunch at 1 p.m., and you can stay and visit as long
as you like.
Farm Hnreau Supper . . .
The Houston County Farm Bureau will meet
Thursday, May 4, at 8 p.m. at the County
Agricultural Building in Perry. Drew Bynum,
District Conservationist, Ocmulgee Soil and
Water Conservation District, has charge of the
program. The Elko Community supper committee
will serve a fresh Houston County channel catfish
supper.
Bonsai Program Set . . .
Bonsai, the age-old Japanese art of growing
living dwarfed trees in small containers, will be
demonstrated by Dr. Bill Horton for the Perry
Newcomers’ Club Thursday, May 4th at 8 p.m. in
the Security Federal's community room.
Drug Program Here . . .
Mr. Berry will be the guest speaker at the
Crossroads United Methodist Church, corner of
Glenwood Ave. and Main St., at 8:00 p.m., Mon
day, May Bth.
He will bring drug samples for observation and
will speak on drugs, youth, and parents, and will
entertain questions from the audience.
Pilot Business Meeting . . .
%
The Pilot Club of Perry will hold the monthly
business meeting at the Eastgate Brdnch of The
Bank of Perry on May 9at 7:30 p.m.
St. Patrick's (iuild . . .
The Women's Guild of St Patrick’s Catholic
C hurch will meet at 7:30 p.m., Monday evening,
May 8 at the Parish Hall for the regular monthly
meeting. Mrs. McKinley Franklin is president of
the Guild.
Second Memorial Revival . . .
Revival services will begin at the Second
Memorial Baptist Church Sunday, May 7 and
continue eachevening through May 13 at7; 30 p.m.
Rev. Doug Boss of Ft Valley will be guest
minister for the services announced by the pastor,
Rev. A. B, Barnhill. The church is located on
King’s Chapel Road.
White Elephant Sale Off . . .
The White Elephant Sale planned by the
members of Crossroads United Methodist Church
has been postponed until a date in early Fall in
order that a larger selection of items may be
collected. The response of local people and
businesses has been tremendous and very much
appreciated. Items for collection may be reported
to the Church office or George Jenkins at the
Personal Thrift Office.
Library Board, asked
Houston County Com
missioners for financial
assistance in getting the
proposed new library con
structed and furnished.
"A $150,000 bond issue was
passed in Perry two years
ago,” Judge Armitage ex
plained, “but now we find
that it is not enough to pay all
costs. Our low bid for con
struction, by Brooks-Elmore
of Macon, was for $147,000,
with several alternates in the
bid. Alternate number four
was for site work in the
amount of $11,600 for sewer,
water, electricity, grading
and paving.
“The city has already paid
$22,000 for the lot, and added
to it some land already
owned by the city. So you see
costs are exceeding the
original estimate. We are
asking the county for $25,000
to help, in cash, materials,
and in-kind help., If the
county would furnish the site
work, we would eliminate
$11,600 from the construction
bid. Then we are asking for
about $13,400 for furniture.
Furnishings will actually
cost between $15,000 and
SIB,OOO, but we feel some
funds will be raised by public
subscription to help furnish
the library.”
Judge Armitage said that
the library, which is the
county library, receives
$14,000 worth of books as a
state allotment each year,
which are distributed
throughout the county to the
local library, the Warner
Robins library, and school
libraries.
He said that if the site
work is eliminated from the
construction bid and the
county furnishes the library,
the City of Perry will still
have to pay $15,000 over and
above the original figure for
the library.
Commissioners voted to
grant the library board's
request.
Dr. R. J. Walker, Jr.,
District Medical Director of
the North Central Georgia
Health District of the
Georgia Department of
Public Health, of Macon,
brought commissioners up to
date on the health depart
ment’s many programs in
the district which includes
Houston County. He told of
the starting of a methadone
treatment program for
heroin addicts in Macon and
of alcoholic and mental
health programs in the
district.
Ho said the district had the
first drug program in the
slate using young men with
long hair for assistance.
Now. he said, another first
has been initiated here in the
hiring of a black man in the
family planning department
to talk to men about family
planning. He said that while
there have been programs
informing and instructing
women, no department has
taken the approach from the
man's angle before.
Dr. Walker said that 17
heroin addicts are receiving
methadone in Macon now.
He said he would estimate
there are between 300 and
500 users of heroin in Bibb
County and couldn't attempt
to guess the number in
Houston County.
“With the proximity of
Sumner Bound Over In
Controversial Case Here
Clyde Kevin Sumner, 1108
Kenwood Drive in Perry,
was bound over to the State
Court of Houston County at
the conclusion of a com
mitment hearing last
Saturday before Justice of
the Peace Alton Rainey on a
simple assault warrant
obtained by a local
businessman on behalf on his
fifteen year old son.
The juvenile testified that
Sumner forced him and four
companions to lie face down
in a ditch with a shotgun
pointed in their direction on
Morningside Drive the night
of March 24 following an
incident in which the
automobile in which they
were riding allegedly ripped
the name plate off Sumner’s
mailbox. According to the
boy’s testimony, it was an
accident; (Sumner declared
it to be deliberate van
dalism. )
The youth said that he and
the other boys were “just
riding around.” first in
Duncan subdivision, then in
Camelot. He said the car
bumped the mailbox; that it
was not operating properly
at the time and would only go
in reverse. After hitting the
mailbox, he said, the driver
backed the car away down
Kenwood to Morningside
where Sumner subsequently
found them parked, still in
reverse.
Under questioning by
Thomas Jackson of Macon,
Sumner’s attorney, the youth
said that one of their number
intended to “fix” the car
when they reached one of
their homes where there was
sufficient light; that they did
not make the repairs in front
of Sumner’s house because
they had no flashlight and
didn’t know anyone in the
neighborhood from whom
they might borrow one.
He said that after Sumner
made them lie in the ditch
and asked a passerby to call
police, upon arrival of the
police one of the boys
borrowed a flashlight from a
policeman and made the
necessary adjustment which
allowed the automobile to be
driven forward to the police
department.
He also testified, under
oath, that when one of the
boys raised his head,
Sumner told him to get his
head down or he’d shoot. The
boy had propped up his head,
he said.
Sumner started testimony
with papers in his hands, but
when asked if he intended to
read a prepared statement
he tore the papers in several
pieces and dropped them on
the table.
He stated that on the night
of March 24, between 9:30
and 10 p.m. he and his two
year old daughter were alone
in the house. He said he was
lying on the living room
couch in his pajamas, that he
had been sick with flu for
three days, and that the
living room was dark except
for a night light; his porch
light was out, and one car
was missing from the
Atlanta - an hour and a half
each way and the easy
availability of drugs there,
you can see why the number
would be high."
He said that probably only
about ten percent of those
who smoke marijuana go on
to heroin. ‘ But here's
something else - nearly all
heroin addicts start first
with marijuana. You can’t
say that all marijuana
smokers will become heroin
addicts, but nearly all heroin
addicts started with
marijuana."
Answering questions by
commissioners. Dr. Walker
said the usual heroin addicts
are a little past the beginning
pot-smoking age. They’re
around 21-22 or up.
“In New York City,” he
said, “the highest death rate
is in the 15 to 21 year old age
bracket - from drugs.”
premises.
At about 9:45, he said, he
heard a loud clanging noise
out in front of the house and
immediately dashed to the
window. He said he saw a car
parked well away from the
curb, well away from his
mailbox; saw two persons
standing five or six feet
away from the mailbox,
white, weight about 190 to 160
pounds, and that they looked
young. He said he saw a third
person on the far side of the
car, which had all four doors
open described as an old
black Chevrolet, and other
heads inside the car.
He said he then went to the
back of the house to see if the
baby was all right, and found
nothing disturbed. He said he
heard strange voices and
scurrying sounds and looked
out again and saw the two
boys who had been at the
mail box running across
lawns toward Morningside
on foot, and the car, doors
still open, being backed in
reverse.
He said his wife and 11
year old daughter were shop
ping and would soon return
along that route; in concern
for their safety he put on
clothing, took “Protection”
with him, locked his two year
old daughter in the house
alone and drove after the
boys. He said he found them
parked on Morningside and
parked in front of them. He
said he made them lie down
on the sloped side of the road
until he could get someone to
Perry Seeks County Aid
In Resurfacing Streets
Houston County Com
missioners heard a request
from Ferry City Councilmen
Henry Casey and D. K.
Houghton for assistance in
getting roads resurfaced in
the city in the areas of three
schools.
Casey said that ap
proximately 4100 feet on
Morningside Drive, in the
area of the hospital and
Ferry Junior High School,
needs to be widened and
provided with turning lanes
as well as resurfacing. He
mentioned that with three
new doctors soon to open
offices across the street from
ths hospital, traffic would be
increased in the area, and
that many complaints were
already received about the
narrow road.
He said that 1.3 miles of
resurfacing was needed
around the Perry High
School area, and 1.5 miles in
the Tucker Elementary
School area from Tolleson to
U.S. Highway 341
“We’re only talking about
work around schools and
school bus routes,”
Houghton said. He said that
no more right-of-way would
be needed on any road.
The councilmen asked
commissioners to request
the State lo pave the total of
3.7 miles, possibly apart
from their regular priority
list. Commissioners said that
they plan to visit the office of
the state highway depart
ment later in the week, and
will submit the Perry
request plus updated priority
requests of the other cities in
the county at that time.
Commissioners also
agreed to furnish county
prison labor to assist the city
in correcting a drainage
problem in the area of
Duncan, Elizabeth, and
Godfrey Place. Prisoners
will work under the super
vision of the city engineer,
and will assist city em
ployees.
Commissioners accepted a
low bid of $5,508.60 each for
three new dump trucks for
the county, a total of
summon the police. He
stopped a woman who was
passing and asked that she
do so, and said that they
arrived some 10-15 minutes
later, at which time he
turned the boys over to them.
In answer to a question to
his attorney, Jackson,
Sumner said that, he did not
threaten to shoot anybody.
Sumner unwrapped the
name plate from his mailbox
from a towel, saying that
although the post was not
damaged the plate was
sheared off and the only dent
was on top of the mailbox.
Solicitor Kemp picked up
the plate, dropped it on the
table, and asked Sumner if
he knew whether the dent
could have been caused by
the name plate itself falling
on the top?
Sumner replied that he did
not know. Kemp asked if he
saw any instrument in the
hands of any of the boys.
Sumner’s answer was “no”.
He also said the boys had
made no verbal threats, but
that he was “very much
alarmed.”
“Did you first ask the boys
to get out of the car without
the gun?” Kemp asked.
“No,” Sumner replied.
“Did any of the boys make
any threatening overtures at
any time 1 ?” Kemp asked.
“No”, Sumner replied.
“And you felt you were
justified in taking a shotgun
and going after these boys?”
Kemp asked. Jackson ob
jected to the question, was
$16,525.80, fron Ijewis Truck
and Tractor Company of
Perry. Delivery date is
expected to be some 30 days
from the date of the order.
They granted the request
of Recreation Director
Claude Lewis of Warner
Robins that the Recreation
Department be given one of
the old dump trucks to use
in the upkeep of the county
recreational areas. Lewis
said that if the county would
donate the truck he would
ask the City of Warner
Robins to have it put in shape
to operate.
Lewis and his assistant,
Rhett Milam, also asked
permission of the com
missioners to start taking
bids on items needed to
Perry Chamber Enters
Stay And See Contest
The Perry Area Chamber
of Commerce with Joe L.
Poole, President, will par
ticipate in the 1972 Stay and
See Georgia Program,
sponsored statewide by the
Travel Council of the
Georgia Chamber of Com
merce. The announcement
was made by Clason Kyle,
Travel Editor, The
Columbus Ledger and
Enquirer and Third District
Stay and See Georgia
Chairman.
Stay and See Georgia is a
statewide program designed
to help communities
promote and develop their
tourist industry. Through
local Stay and See
Hometown Programs,
citizens work together to
make their communities
better places to visit and in
turn make their com
munities better places to
live.
overruled by Judge Rainey.
After a conference between
Jackson and Sumner,
Jackson stated that Sumner
did not have to answer that
question in a commitment
hearing.
At the close of the hearing
Judge Rainey bound Sumner
over to State Court.
On Tuesday Sumner gave
the following statement to
the Home Journal:
“We did not expect a fair
hearing and were not sur
prised. The unfortunate part
of this matter is that it might
give these misguided people
new courage to pursue other
acts which can only end in
their utter and complete
embarassment.
1 personally hold no malice
towards any of these people
but would like to say that I
shall not be intimidated, I
shall not become afraid, and
1 shall not quit working for a
better life and equal justice
City Warns Sunday
Parkers At Post Office
Church goers who have
been parking in front of the
Post Office during the ser
vices will have to stop doing
it beginning this Sunday.
Perry City Council decided
Tuesday night to post a
policeman at the Post Office
during church services to
keep persons from parking
in the spaces unless they are
going into the post office.
complete Moody Park.
These would include fencing,
backstops, bleachers, and
playground equipment.
Commissioners gave them
the go ahead on taking bids.
lewis’ request for county
assistance in locating a
contractor who would take
on the small job of con
structing a small storage
and restroom building
resulted, he stated, from
finding that larger con
tractors had so many large
jobs ahead they wouldn’t
touch a small one. Two
commissioners suggested
names of small contractors,
and indicated a few others
might be found. Lewis said
he would try to obtain at
least three bids on the
Participants can choose
their tourist activities
from among the areas Stay
and See outlines as pertinent
to the development of
Georgia’s Tourist Industry.
These areas include:
‘‘Clean-up and
Beautification” which
makes the community as
attractive as possible to
visitors; ‘‘Points of
Interest” which develops
and promotes the com
munity’s Points of Interest;
“New Attractions” which
develops new attractions;
“Courtesy and Hospitality”
which makes visitors feel
truly welcome; “Ac
commodations and
Facilities” which makes all
places to lodge, eat, and shop
first class; and “Publicity”
which tells the “good news”
stories about the local at
tractions, events and ac
tivities.
The Perry Chamber will
work in three main Stay And
See Georgia areas this year
for all the people. If anyone
thinks differently, they are
in for a big surprise because
I have definite and im
mediate plans to conduct
activities which will reduce
intimidation in this com
munity and pave the way for
justice to prevail in lieu of
politics, pride to replace
fear, and the emergence of
strong and fair people to rule
in lieu of those who would not
understand fair play and
common justice if it hit them
square between the eyes.
Suffice it to say that I am
still completely and totally
unimpressed by these people
and their shenanigans and
that there is sufficient legal
recourse for me that they
should merely sit and
wonder until such time as it
is explained to them in a
court of law - which may
take awhile but will occur
and will take full measure of
their acts, legal and illegal.”
Council had received a
number of complaints from
citizens that they could not
find a parking place to get
their mail on Sunday mor
ning during the church
services. The police officer
will be at the post office for
the next 4 Sundays and then
after that persons violating
the 5 minute parking will be
given a ticket.
building.
He also asked that com
missioners consider in
creasing the recreation
department’s budget next
year, due to the increase in
population creating greater
needs.
Asked how the recreation
program in Ferry is coming
along, Milam stated, “We’re
getting together with the
City of Perry and the
situation looks good. We’re
using the Houston High
School gym, and working
with Councilman (D. K.)
Houghton.”
WHERE WHAT YOU WANT
TO KNOW COMES FIRST •
YOUR HOUSTON HOME
JOURNAL
to help develop Georgia’s
Tourist Industry: “Clean-up
and Beautification,” “Points
of Interest” and “Ac
commodations and
Facilities.” The Chamber is
working on a master plan for
downtown improvement and
beautification. Fifty
thousand new color
brochures are in the process
of being printed and will be
ready for early summer
distribution. The Chamber
has also produced a new
Accommodations and
Facilities brochure listing all
of the motels, drive-ins,
restaurants, overnight
trailer parks, golf courses
and nearby tourist at
tractions. These brochures
are available for tourists in
all of the State Welcome
Centers. Perry, ‘‘The
Crossroads of Georgia
cordially invites tourists to
stay and see and make Perry •
their regular stop over en
route.