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- THP HOI ISTON HOME JOURNAL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3. 1988
a The Houston Home a
I Journal
THE HOUSTON HOME JOUHHAL
OFFICIAL ORGAN, CITY OF PERRY AND HOUSTON
COUNTY, GEORGIA, SINCE 1870
PUBLISHED EACH WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING
807 CARROLL ST., P.O. DRAWER M, PERRY, GA. 31069
TELEPHONE: (912) 987-1823
The Houston Home Journal (DSPS 252-780) ts published txweenly (or $lB
oer year by the Houston Home Journal. Inc., 807 Carroll St, Perry, 6a.
31069 Second Cass Postage oad at Perry, Ga POSTMASTER Send
address change to The Houston Home Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga
| 31069
ROY H. PARK, President & Chairman of the Board, Park Newsp^jers
JAMES B.KERCE
Editor & General Manager
DAVID VON ALMEN RANDY REESE
Advertising Manager Managing Editor
N 4
; - .
Delaying Agricenter fair
is probably a good move
Agricentcr officials ended weeks of debate and spec
ulation over exactly when the center and this city would
host its first National Fair and Exposition when they
decided to postpone the event for one year.
The delay is the result of extensive road work just
getting under way in the area, and the board's concern
that construction would create traffic snarls and a bad
first impression of the center by visitors. Also they are
concerned the short span of time between completion of
the facility in the summer of 1989 and the original
opening date of the fair may not give center officials
time to "work out the bugs" in the new state attraction.
But, uppermost in board members' minds are the
traffic snarls and unfavorable impression road
construction could cause if the fair were opened in the
fall of 1989. Those projects include the Golden Isle
Parkway extension and reconstruction of the Interstate
75 interchange leading to the Agricenter's entrance.
Department of Transportation officials say work on
the freeway and 1-75 interchange will not be finished
until October 1989-one month later than the originally
scheduled opening date for the fair.
As strong supporters of the Agricenter following its
conception several years ago, we have mixed emotions
about delaying the state fair until 1990. We have
watched the facility go from an idea on paper to build
ings rising out of a flat soybean field south of town,
and have looked forward to the day Perry would host
the first official Georgia state fair.
But, although we would like to "hurry" the project
along, the board's caution is understandable. Traffic
snarls due to construction certainly would cause a bad
first impression on visitors, and if the facility did not
operate in a smooth "world class" manner it would turn
tourists off. Both of these factors would certainly attract
the attention of out-of-town media who were originally
opposed to locating the center in Perry.
We don't need an unfavorable public attitude toward
the center. Nor, do we need "bad press.” So, deciding
to delay the National Fair and Exposition for one year is
a sound move.
The delay will afford visitors easy access to Agri
center grounds, and most likely leave them with a fa
vorable impression of the center and Perry. Plus, it will
give center officials plenty of time to prepare for an 11-
day event which will truly be a "world-class” state fair
showcase for Georgia agriculture.
Softball girls play just as hard
as football playing boys do
Softball season got underway this year eariler than
football did and local teams look like they may be in for
some tough times.
But that doesn’t take away from the fact that these
girls and coaches work extremely hard preparing for the
season.
The girls are proud of their accomplishments and want
to win just as much as the boys on the football team.
The girls of Perry and Westfield are all too often ig
nored and left to fend for themselves and that's just not
fair.
Coaches Joy McNeil at Perry and Donna Campbell at
Westfield know what it takes to field a softball team and
none of it is easy.
We think these girls deserve your support this year so
go one out and see them play. The teams play during the
week on Monday through Thursday.
Sunshine law has officials
scrambling to inform press
The sun doesn't necessarily shine on everybody all of
the time and Georgia's new and fortified open meeting
law is a good example of sunshine being misunderstood.
The new slate law went into effect on July 1 of this
year and government officials throughout Georgia have
been srambling since then to abide by it.
The open meeting law has been dubbed the sunshine
law since it allows the people to see through clouds of
political smoke to guarantee that govemements will not
act without their knowledge.
In a nutshell, the law tells governments to notify the
press in writing or by phone of any meetings where a
majority of the members are present.
The law hopes to keep any kind of closed door meet
ings from occurring.
But, the law has caused problems already for local of
ficials who say it's just too early to tell if it's going to
work.
These officials say it's a headache to have to contact
the press cvcrytime a quorum of councilmen or com
missioners get together.
We believe these officials are employed by the people
through tax money and should be held accountable for
every action.
We think we have the right to know what happens in
any meeting and it's our (the press) job to let the public
know about it.
After all, if the press doesn't do its job, then all of us
suffer.
i * - FERRY, HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1670~FQH COVERAGE OF YOUR EVENTS. CALL 967.1823
yjr TjV THE SUH SURE
15 VICIOUS TODAY I
LAW
T .
, HO. CO.
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Optimists eye state champ title
before toe first meets the leather
With the start of the football
season Friday night, many of us
began thinking about the years
past when the sport reigned
supreme in many state cities and
towns.
And, I'm no different than the
next joe when it comes to that
almost blind loyality to the game
and the home team.
I remember many a crisp, au
tumn night when my favorite
team teed the tall up for the first
kickoff of the year.
It was a magical time. A time
when slate championships
seemed possible and tons of
touchdowns seemed to be right
around the comer.
But, all of those thoughts al
ways appear to come before the
first kickoff. When toe finally
meets leather to start the game,
most fans are brought quickly
back to earth with a resounding
thud.
Before the season starts each
year, every team thinks it has a
shot at the playoffs.
I’ve seen teams begin the sea
son with 10-0 records seemingly
in sight, only to end up on the
opposite end of the spectrum at
0-10.
But that’s part of the fun of
high school football-everybody
thinks they have a chance.
In Georgia public school
football, only four teams can
claim a state title out of over 300
that start the season.
Thai's pretty tough odds.
About 75 to one odds on winning
Tanner dies while serving warrant
Ten years ago: September
7, 1978—Deputy Sheriff Jesse
E. Tanner Jr. was shot to death
while serving a warrant on
Melvin Lemley of Clinchfield
Friday. Lemley was arrested and
charged with murder. Rags at all
county buildings are being flown
at half-mast. • Motorists are call
ing the Perry area a “speedtrap” as
state troopers crack down on vio
lators of the 55 m.p.h. speed
limit. The State Patrol post in
Perry made 1,309 arrests and is
sued 258 warnings in August. •
Mayor James McKinley presented
a valuable collection of memora
bilia of Commodore Oliver Haz
ard Perry to the Perry-Fort Valley
Library. • Texan John P. Kane,
45, has been appointed postmas
ter of Perry. • Both Perry and
Westfield took losses in season
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Perry viewpoint
Local editorials and columns on events in Perry & S. Houston
r&n
Randy Reese
HHJ Managing Editor
the state crown and that's not
good, even if your name's Jimmy
the Greek.
No matter the record, the high
school football season is the one
many of us look back on with
fondness.
There's just nothing quite like
early October games when the
chill of winter has just begun to
sneak into the air.
There always seems to be the
smell of cigar smoke and roasted
peanuts lingering in the air and
there's the endless trek of teens
walking back and forth between
sides of the stadium.
All of them just wanting to be
seen and to see who might or
might not be there.
The bands always seem to
strike up a tune at the most
awkward time, but the kids in the
group always seem to give
everything to the game, no mat
ter the score.
I've seen some great bands in
my day and some that shouldn't
ff— -
Remember
when?
A look back at the people
and events which shaped
Perry. Compiled from past
Houston Home Journal is
sues by Rob Collins
openers against Mary Persons and
Baker Academy. • Mayor
McKinley has published a book
let, “Industrial Location Fac
tors —Perry, Georgia,” in an at
tempt to lure new industry to the
city. • Former Perryan Douglas
have even played in the shower.
There was one band director
back when I was in school that
actually played the trumpet right
along with the band during foot
ball games.
Not so bad, you might be
thinking.
Wrong. The director was head
and shoulders above his students
and all you could hear was his
intrumenl above all else.
He was good, but the band
was lousy.
Cheerleaders also play a big
part at the games. They're always
smiling and cheering no matter
what the score is. You can al
ways count on them to keep the
crowd in the game.
And, cheerleaders also played a
big part in my teen years.
Just like thousands of other
young fellows, I had a crush on
the captain of the cheerleading
squad.
I'll not soon forget her.
But, just like state titles for
my high school team, the cheer
leader also was out of my reach.
But, hey, you can't blame a
guy for trying even if you can t
always get what you want.
State championships can be
won, though, and my school
proved it the year after I gradu
ated.
The school went all the way
and won it all. The town went
crazy.
With that dream firmly en
trenched in reality, I wonder
where that cheerleader is today....
Seay has been commissioned to
serve two years with the United
Stales Embassy in Ankara,
Turkey.
Twenty years ago;
September 5, 1968—Con
struction of St. Patrick’s
Catholic Church is expected to
begin in 30 days. • The first
known joint Democratic-Repub
lican primary election in Houston
County will be held Wednesday. •
The Perry City Council voted to
close City Hall on Saturdays on a
trial basis. • Marine Sgt. Stanley
T. Gill, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Kenyon Gill of Bonaire, received
the Purple Heart Medal for
wounds sustained in combat with
the First Marine Division in
South Vietnam. • Sign-ups for
Continued on Page 6A
The best of Bobby
f—————— —>
-Bobby
OUT ON A \ .
BRANCH
I J
(Editor's Note: "The Best of Bobby" is a
regular feature on the Houston Home Jour
nal's Saturday editorial page. The columns
which appear here were written by former
HHJ editor Bobby Branch during the IS
years he ran the paper. Branch was a popular
personality and civic leader in Perry. We be
lieve these old columns will spark memories
for local "old timers" and will provide new
comers an insight into recent Perry history.)
Wake up Perry
Thursday, August 28, 1975--Here it is the end
of a much too short summer and hardly a breeze of talk
or rumors about the Perry city election only about 90
days off. Can this be? Is this the old, political Perry we
have known so well in the past?
I cannot recall any time during the past decade that
not even a whisper of political activity did not erupt
during the summer preceding a December election. But
that is what has happened here and with three council
seats and the Mayor's job up for re-election on the first
Tuesday in December, there seems to be hardly a sole
interested.
Incumbent Mayor James McKinley appears to be a
solid favorite for re-election with no visible opposition
on the horizon.
It is not as difficult to understand the Mayor not be
ing opposed as it is the general lack of interest in the
city council seats. Incumbent H.H. Hackworth and
Henry Casey will not even be offering for re-election in
December, with Hackworth deciding to retire and
Casey moving to Americus, Ga. Incumbent Alton
Hardy has said he plans to seek re-election but he has
not had any serious opposition in his last several out
ings.
It bothers me a great deal that such an apathetic atti
tude has risen an ugly head in the upcoming election.
Hardly anyone is willing to get involved in the govern
ing body that determines the very future of this com
munity. That is a dangerous precedent to set. Elections
were set by the foundling fathers in order that the peo
ple who elect their governing officials would have a
choice in the matter. When the people do not care, the
Democratic process falters.
There are so many people here in Perry qualified to
hold a position on the city council who do not realize
their capabilities. Sure, there is a lot of work involved
in serving on the council and the pay is meager ($l5O a
month) for the work load. But serving on city council
is an honor and a privilege, as I see it; and more im
portant it is the duty of citizens concerned in the future
of the community.
Get up off your apathy Penyans and get involved in
the upcoming election. Talk to your friends and neigh
bors and get behind a candidate. Look, a person does
not have to be well known to run for a local office.
That is a misconception held too long by many people.
You do not have to have your picture in the newspaper
50 times to run for city council. And where your chil
dren attend school in Perry has absolutely nothing to
do with running for city council. What a ridiculous ex
cuse.
Let's see some action. These are trying times and by
all that is right, involvement in our political system is
most crucial during this period. Get involved now be
fore it is 100 late.
Thursday, September 11, 1975-Bill Rogers.
Publisher of The Swainsboro Forest-Blade, says:
"Some times it isn't what you say that makes the
difference-it's how you say it."
Bill was referring to those folks around the newspa
per office that write headlines and here at The HHJ that
me, Joe Hiett and Phil Byrd. Sometimes
headlines can even be hazardous to your health.
Headlines are difficult to write and the writer must
lake care to make sure the proper message comes
through in the headlines. Obviously it does not always
occur that way. We use all sorts of formulas here at
The HHJ to make sure we get headlines that will fit into
the proper spot allocated.
Once in a while, in an effort to make the headlines fit
properly, a mistaken impression conveyed that goes by
us writers unnoticed until after the paper is printed.
Then, as always, it's too late to change anything until
the next edition and by that time all is forgotten—usu
ally.
Bill Rogers compiled the following from some
newspapers that clearly point out what a headline can
do for the writer and the newspaper.
Lawyers To Offer Poor Free Advice.
Mother 18 In Trouble Again.
Sale of Liquor to Indians Occupies Much of the
Judge's Time.
New Snow Plow Clears Way for Street Walk.
Beauty Unveils Bust at Ceremony.
Girls Win Chicago Trip With Their Fat Calf.
Missouri-Pacific to Drop Passengers From Three
Trains.
Wife Saved From Fire as Husband Pulls Behind.