Newspaper Page Text
I The Houston Home f
Journal
Perry, Georgia'* Hometown Newspaper & Houston County's Legal Organ Since 1870-A Park Newspaper
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28,1989-119th YEAR, NO. 51,4 SECTIONS, 26 PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULARS
Funding is the next step for proposed Perry Bypass
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
Cily officials have obtained almost all of the right of ways for the
proposed Perry Bypass road, but now must gain funding for the project
designed to case the flow of traffic through the city.
During a special called meeting of the Perry City Council, most of the
major properly owners involved were present to hear an update on
proposed 150-fool wide loop road.
Former Mayor Lewis Meeks presented some background on the road,
which was originally proposed about two and a half years ago. Meeks
Scouts
'rough it'
at camp
By J.J. COOPER
Staff Writer
Boys Scouts from Perry Troop
777 are spending a week "roughing
it" at Camp Benjamin Hawkins in
Byron.
The twelve scouts are working
on merit badges in different areas
ranging from archery and rifle
shooting to crafts and wildlife
management
For three scouts, Joey Hawk,
An MeSwain, and Vince Golden,
the camp lakes on added
signifigance as they attempt to
become Eagle Scouts.
Several of the Perry scouts are
attending the Ranger Course, held
at Hawkins. The course is a "Miny
Marine" advanced class that includes
rappelling and other challenging
skills that the scouts complete over
the week.
"I’m kinda scared (about
rapclling). I think everybody is."
said seventh grader Michael Davis.
Scouts who complete the class
are given T-shirts and are recognized
at awards night Friday.
The campers are under the
supervision of Pete Powell, their
scoutmaster, who is assisted by
Rick Davis.
Troop 777's campsite is the
Continued on Page 7A
Nunn says priorities must be set
in battle to stop drug epidemic
By OLIN HUBERT
Staff Writer
Sen. Sam Nunn called for a
mulli-pronged attack on Middle
Georgia's drug problems Monday,
he sees some encouraging
signs in the battle.
Nunn, chairman of the Senate
Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations, heard testimony
from Middle Georgia leaders in
business, law enforcement, and drug
treatment, in a hearing focusing on
the problems rural areas have with
drugs.
"There's no doubt about it. We
have a drug epidemic. We have a
crack epidemic," Nunn said.
"Today’s hearings have made it clear
we have a significant rural prob
lem."
"We're trying to decide how to
Board's action may
lead to more signs
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
After much debate, the Perry
Planning and Zoning Commission
allowed Hamby Chevrolet to pul up
a fourth free-standing sign at the
dealership, which could cause an
influx of sign variance requests.
At the commission's Monday
night meeting, Hamby's attorneys
argued that denying owner Larry
Hamby's request to erect the sign
for a newly acquired "Geo" franchise
would be unconstitutional. "You
would be restricting this man's
right to make a living," said one of
Hamby’s attorneys Andy Aultman.
In order to acquire the franchise
from General Motors to sell the
'Our Kids' group forms
Committee aims to help youth. See P-3A
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HHJ Staff Photograph By Eric Zellars
Joey Hawk, Paul Kemp, Art MeSwain, Chris Talley, and Vince Golden learn archery
...They are part of a group of scouts attending a week-long camp at Ben Hawkins
mSW S \
- -•- W,
Sen. Sam Nunn
...Speaking to media
Geo automobiles, Aultman said
that a free-standing Geo sign must
be installed on the premises.
The dealership, which is com
mercially zoned C-l, already has
three free-standing signs: a Chevro
let sign, a used car sign, and a parts
and service sign. Under the zoning
ordinance, the properly is allowed
only one free-standing sign, but
others are permitted through vari
ances particularly to cover both di
rections on the highway.
When asked if the existing signs
could be altered to accommodate the
new logo, Hamby said that because
he leases the signs, he cannot
change them.
Continued on Page 10A
called transportation "one of the biggest challenges of the future." The road
is meant to relieve traffic through Perry, particularly truck traffic.
"We came to you folks here," Meeks said to the property owners
gathered at the meeting. "We said, 'Here's our dream will you give us
right of way?"' He said that he received positive responses from all of the
owners. Representatives from the Georgia Department of Transportation
were present at the meeting and have been helping with the right of way
acquisitions.
The next major step is to fund the project, the first phase of which is
expected to be completed in five years. The completed project won't be
spend federal money," he said.
"Priorities are very important."
Nunn said he thought the public
would support a tax increase if it
were carefully constructed so that
the money would go to fight drugs.
Nunn praised Macon’s strategic
plan to fight drug use as outlined
by Mayor Lee Robinson.
"Law enforcement alone would
not succeed," Robinson said. "Now
we understand that a total commu
nity war on drugs is essential."
Pamela Harvey-Church, execu
tive director of the Houston Drug
Action Council, testified that a pri
vate, non-profit model such as
HODAC offered the best hope of a
solution.
Continued on Page 10A
Thought for the day
"Some people miss too much
oecause they aim too high.—
Butch Moore, Perry, Ga.
Index
CLASSIFIED SB
EDITORIALS 4A
ENTERTAINMENT SC
LEGAL NOTICES 8A
LIFESTYLE 1C
POLICE NEWS 2A
SOCIAL NEWS 6A
SPORTS IB
Girls go 'British'
Read about People and Places. See P-6A
m 870, m
MIDWEEK EDITION-250
V 1 4 *•' I m—ta
Winston Series drag racing
N.H.R.A. points and cash were at stake
over the weekend a Warner Robins Drag
way, as hundreds of drivers and cars
competed for the top winning positions that
would bring them fame and fortune. The top
"Alcohol Funny Car" winner was Terry
Correctional Institution inmates
will no longer operate vehicles
By OLIN HUBERT
Staff Writer
Inmates at the Houston County
Correctional Institution will no
longer be allowed to drive dump
trucks and other county vehicles
while on work details. Commission
Chairman Charles Stewart said
Tuesday night.
The action, triggered by the es
cape last week by Donald Darwin
Thompson, has been under consid
eration for some time, Stewart said.
Thompson drove away from a
work detail in a county dump truck
last Wednesday, but was recaptured
in Camcsville the same day.
It's not so much a matter of se
seen for at least ten years, he said.
Meeks said that the county has agreed to grade the road from 41 North
to 341 South. The road, which will not be a limited access, will start at
Valley Drive crossing Interstate 75, 41 North, 341 South and should
follow around to the south end of the city.
In addition to the major property owners, there arc eight minor property
owners along 41 and 341, who have not been approached yet. City
Manager Marion Hay said that the city will wail until it gains approval
from the four remaining major property owners until anyone talks to the
Continued on Page 10A
Raise splits
budget vote
By OLIN HUBERT
Staff Writer
Houston County commissioners
Tuesday night split 3-2 on passage
of a $13.7 million budget for the
1990 fiscal year, when two com
missioners voted against the budget
because of a controversial SIO,OOO
pay raise for State Court Judge Bob
Richardson.
Commission Chairman Charles
Stewart cast the deciding vole to
adopt the budget, after Commis
sioners Sam Buzzell and Houston
Porter voted no, while Gene Har
rington and Jay Walker voted for
approval.
In budget hearings, the commis-
Perry Council approves
three new water projects
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
Perry's City Council approved
three city water projects to expand
service for new businesses and to
rebuild worn ct dreinag struc
tures.
During its called meeting Tues
day, council members approved the
$9,289 extension of a water line to
the new Wayne Morris Ford loca-
curity as of liability, he said.
"What if he’d had an accident and
killed somebody while he was
away?" Stewart said. "Not only
would the county be liable, but the
commissioners, as well."
Stewart said the inmate had ad
mitted making several unauthorized
trips into Perry in addition his es
cape attempt.
Inmates perform free labor on
work details throughout the county,
under the supervision of Roads and
Bridges Department employees,
who are also certified correctional
officers.
They previously have operated
- ■ - ■ ■■
Reunion takes flight
Planning - -
sioncrs agreed to increase Richard
son's salary to $68,838, only after
Richardson proposed lo change the
way fines are levied against persons
convicted of crimes, thus putting an
extra $130,000 in the county trea
sury.
The commissioners had turned
down requests from other depart
ment heads for similar raises and
showed no inclination to agree to
Richardson's request until he made
the proposal.
Buzzcll came out against the
raise earlier in the week, and Porter
voted with him at Tuesday’s meet
ing.
Continued on Page IDA
lion on 341 North; the $760
relocation of a fire hydrant on Swift
Street to allow for an entrance to a
car wash being built; and the
$3,430 rebuilding of a Duncan Av
enue drainage structure.
Funding for all projects will
come out of the city's fiscal year
1990 budget. Work on the projects
will start as early as this week.
Mullins of Oak Ridge, Tenn. who crossed
the finish line with an elapsed time of 4.170
seconds, topping 178.80 miles per hour in
one-eighth of a mile. More photos in article
on championship series can be found on
Page 4B
dump trucks and heavy earth-mov
ing equipment.
Warden Larry Fairchild said
Thompson was serving two weeks
in isolation, at the end of which he
would be transferred to a state
prison with a higher security
classification.
"We want to make sure the other
inmates realize what they can ex
pect if they should try the same
thing he did," Fairchild said.
Another HCCI inmate, Herman
David Standridge, escaped in Jan
uary by driving off in a Mercedes
Benz which had been seized in a
drug arrest