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ff The Houston Home f I Journal Perry, Georgia's Hometown Newspaper & Houston County's Legal Organ Since 1870-A Park Newspaper WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21,1989--119th YEAR, NO. 49,4 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULARS Bureau to tackle I-75 exits confusion By MELISSA CRADDOCK Staff Writer In addition to organizing subcommittees and setting priorities, the Perry Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB) decided Monday to work on straightening out the confusion over Perry's three Interstate 75 exits. The discussion started after City Manager Marion Hay reported that the electric "Perry" signs were still under construction, but will be posted along the highway soon. Going north on 1-75, the sign will read, "Perry: Next Three Exits." But the one on the southbound side will read, "Perry: Next Two Exits” because the only available location was between the Thompson Road and Sam Nunn Boulevard exits. "It's not fair to those people paying taxes just like we are," said com mission member Dot Roughton on excluding the Thompson Road exit from the signs. The question of asking the Georgia Department of Transportation to fljLp/'" r Il ' ~ ni " u ’ “'£& Cannery opens Food processing students and teacher Argene Claxton stand in front of the new cannery at Perry High School. The cannery, which has been under construction for a Board authorizes chairman to enter airport agreement By OLIN HUBERT Staff Writer Houston County commissioners Tuesday night authorized Chairman Charles Stewart to sign a contract with the state Department of Transportation on behalf of the Perry-Fort Valley Airport Author ity, for construction of a safety area and updating of the airport layout plan. Construction is slated to begin before the end of the month on the 500-foot unpaved safety area at the south end of the runway, the first phase of a planned million dollar Era ends for brewing beer here By OLIN HUBERT Staff Writer The G. Heileman Brewery on Highway 247 Spur will probably be shut down by the end of the week, according to Don Brannon, president of the local brewery workers' union. Brannon said Tuesday about 10 employees are still working in the shipping department. The union concluded negotia tions on a shut-down agreement with the company Sunday, he said. Brannon would not divulge the terms of the agreement, but an em ployee said the contract included the right of first recall for the workers, in the event the plant is sold to an other company or reopened by Heileman. Brannon said the union has Continued on Page bA expansion. The authority last month ac cepted the low bid of $52,173 for the construction, from Abner Pope and Son Co. from Ocilla. The layout plan update will cost about another $15,000. Ninety percent of the funding will come from a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, 10 percent from the DOT, and 10 percent from the authority. Authority member Dennis Her bert, of Fort Valley, appeared at the commission meeting for the second Continued on Page 8A I | 1 It's play time The Perry Players started dress rehearsals this week for the play "Never Too Late." The comedy will be performed at the Perry Annex June 22-14 beginning at 8:15 p.m. nightly. Tickets are $6 at the door and PERRY. GEORGIA'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870-FQR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF YOUR NEWS EVENTS CALL 987-1823 change exit 43A to exit 448 has been discussed, but officials say that it would disturb the succession of exits along 1-75. But, the southbound exits arc particularly confusing to tourists who are looking for exit 43, which is the Perry exit on most maps. "Using 43A' is causing folks problems," said commission Vice- Chairman Lewis Meeks. "It's upselling tourists. All you have to do is sit up there and watch them." Other options offered were placing another sign north of the 43A exit, which would explain which exits led to downtown Perry and which were industrial areas. Members of the commission voted to ask the Mayor and City Council to approach Larry Walker about the situation, and request that signs des ignating which exits arc which be posted if the exit numbers cannot be changed. The commission outlined its priorities and subcommittees responsible for each task. Bill Westbrook will head up the personnel committee year, finally opened this week. The public Is welcome to bring all their fruits and vegetable by to get processed. See story on P-IC. Rezoning approved for Jacoby project By MELISSA CRADDOCK Staff Writer Jacoby Properties crossed an other hurdle in its effort to build a shopping center and park in Perry when the City Council unani mously approved a request Tuesday to re-zone approximately 55 acres for commercial use. Representing the Atlanta-based development company, Charles Malone came before the council to ask that two parcels of land be re zoned from R-3 to C-2. The company is scheduled to 1 $5.50 in advance. The play cast includes Michael Kinsley, Dianne Scruggs, Diane McArthur, John Murphy, Mike Slater, Mari anne Swank, Chris Clayton, Bill O'Neal and ' Blake Ramey. c i Nr, 6* Ll **4y vJ VjH ||| k M MIDWEEK EDITION-250 start construction in 90 days on a shopping center and a park, which it plans to donate to the city. The company's next step is acquiring the re-zoned land. Ceaser Gorman, a citizen who attends council meetings weekly to inquire about the project, asked for a description of the property in volved. "I don't want blanket ap proval (for re-zoning) from Perime ter Road down to the creek through the Five Points area," Gorman said. "I'm just remembering the past on Continued on Page 8A charged with looking for the executive director for the PCVB. Other members on the committee are Catharine Ingram and Marsha Sutherland. After agreeing to a job description for the director of the PCVB and lo cal welcome center when it is built, the members present decided to spend no more than SSOO to run ads in a combination of newspapers and trade publications. Resumes will be accepted until July 31. with an executive director "coming on board" by the end of September. The building committee, comprised of Dot Roughton, Bill Westbrook, Ann Storey (ex officio), and chaired by John Sle/.ak, will look for a site and a design for the actual welcome center building. In charge of the commission's portion of the hotel-motel tax revenues and creating a budget will be the finance committee and chairman Derry Watson. Other members arc Robert Lumpkin Jr., John Slezak, and Mar ion Hay (ex officio). The committee will open an interest-bearing chcck- Continued on Page 8A City Council OK's budget for $9 million By MELISSA CRADDOCK Staff Writer Perry's City Council passed the city's $9 million budget for fiscal year 1990 Tuesday night, including some increases in service fees for residents. Councilman Ralph Gentry, chairman of the Administrative and Finance Committee, gave the ordi nance its required second reading Tuesday before the council unani mously approved it. But Councilman Eddie Wilson warned the other members not to move to fast on the city's new recreation program, and to work with the county in starting the pro gram. "We have a county govern ment we all pay taxes to, and they are responsible for recreation in the city," Wilson said. "I'd hate to see our citizens double taxed in this area." Other councilmen offered their support and words of caution. "We need more public recreation," said Mayor Pro Tern Hervia Ingram. "We need to take our lime and work out that taxation is shared," said Councilman Jim Hendrix. "But, I think we're going in the right direction." Water, sewer and sanitation fees were increased Tuesday night by Council members. Water and sewer fees will go up about 10 percent, and sanitation fees will rise from $6.75 to $8.50 all starting July 1. In other matters discussed Tues day: -City Council members ap proved the request that the mutual aid agreements between the city of Perry and Houston County, the Continued on Page 8A Out-of-town low bid is discussed By MELISSA CRADDOCK Staff Writer Perry City Councilmen debated whether it is more important to "shop Perry first" or go with a low bid on equipment or services pur chased by the city. The discussion started Tuesday night at the City Council's regular meeting when Councilman Jim Hendrix proposed that the city ac cept the low bid of $12,210 on a new Chevrolet Caprice for Fire Chief Gary Hamlin. Nash Chevrolet of Lawrenceville, north of Atlanta, offered that bid, while the low bid in town, $12,900 was given by the Sullivan Family dealership. "I think we ought to try every way we can to try to buy locally," Continued on Page 8A ibdessbesi Of •} If; , i/l Judge Herb Wells ...speaks to Rotary Club Justice for juveniles is rehabilitative By OLIN HUBERT Staff Writer There were 1,222 juvenile com plaints filed in Houston County in 1988, Juvenile Court Judge Herb Wells told the Perry Rotary Club Monday. Wells said that the best interest of the child and protection of soci ety are the two guiding principles behind the system. "The whole thrust of the juve nile court system is rehabilitation," Continued on Page 8A 8881 Thought for the day "The person who waits until he is sure he is right is nearly always left."— Michael Andrew*, Perry, Ga. Local death notices Thomas Jefferson Smith, 85 —Archie R Thompson Sr., 51—Edward 800 Vansom, 68—Azie Taylon Weal— Rachel Leigh Lowe, infant. Death no tices appear on Page 3A Index CLASSIFIED 5B DEATHS 3A EDITORIALS 4A ENTERTAINMENT 5C LEGAL NOTICES 9A LIFESTYLE 1C SOCIAL NEWS 6A SPORTS 1B