Newspaper Page Text
I The Houston Home f
Journal
Perry, Georgia's Hometown Newspaper & Houston County's Legal Organ Since 1870-A Park Newspaper
SATURDAY, JULY 1,1989-119th YEAR, NO. 52,3 SECTIONS, 30 PAGES
«■
There will be fireworks bursting In air
...colorful aerial display will be part of gala
Perryans are getting ready for
'Music Under the Stars’ July 4
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
Perryans are taking out their
picnic baskets and hosing off their
lawn chairs to get ready for the third
annual "Music Under the Stars," on
Tuesday, July 4.
From 5 to 11 p.m. at the
Westfield Schools on Highway 41
South, the traditional Independence
Day celebration will feature events
for all ages.
"Bring a picnic basket, your
City mourns passing
of ex-mayor Barton
Obituary, Page 3A
Tribute, Page 4A
The city of Perry is mourning
the death of former councilman and
mayor John Barton, who died
Tuesday of cancer.
Barton, 63, had been ill for some
time, but he retained his gentleness
and kindness right up until the end.
Friends and co-workers remem
ber him as a dedicated public ser
vant, proud of his country, fond of
veterans and veterans organizations,
ready to help anyone.
Barton, a native of Pulaski
County, moved to Perry just after
World War 11. During the war, he
Perry People: Cathy
keeping Perry's kids
By J.J. COOPER
Staff Writer
Cathy Fryer has become a
virtual fixture around the
Ochlahalchcc fields as she orginized
three girls softball leagues and
coached a team on the side.
"I'd rather have them playing
softball then doing some other
things," said Fryer on the reason for
doing it.
Mrs. Fryer also has a love for
sports and kids. "I wouldn't do it if
I didn't," said Fryer.
Fryer is the mother of two,
Jennifer and Juice, softball and
sports stars in their own rights.
Jennifer, a recent graduate of
Batman!
Caped Crusader's flick is a hit. See P-5A
lounge chairs and a blanket for an
evening of family fun," said Bill
Halhcock, music chairman of this
year's event.
The music will start at 7:30
with the Mossy Creek Band,
followed by Nashville recording
artist Hunter Cain at 8:45 p.m.
Afterwards, the First Baptist
Church choir will bring the music
segment to a close and the fire
works to a start.
But before the music starts, a
saw action in Europe with the U.S.
Army.
A former clothing shop owner
here and first sergeant of the Perry
National National Guard Armory,
Barton served on the city council
from 1968 to 1972. He was elected
mayor in 1972 and served until
1974, when he resigned for busi
ness reasons.
As mayor, Barton was instru
mental in forming the Perry Hotel
and Motel Tax Commission, which
he served as chairman until two
years ago.
Barton was a past commander
Continued on Back Page
*
Cathy Fryer
...Ochlachtee volunteer
PERRY. GEORGIA'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870-FQR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF YOUR NEWS EVENTS CALL 987-1823
Journal captures 18 GPA awards
Sandestin, Fla-For the second year in a row the Houston Home
Journal captured the coveted general excellence award at the Georgia
Press Association's 103rd annual convention here.
The Overall Excellence Award is only given to six newspapers in
Georgia. It designates those newspapers which arc considered to be he
"best of the best" in the stale.
Judges when commenting on picking the Home Journal said, This is
truly outstanding in both appearance and content. It has good sharp pho
tographs. It uses color effectively. The editorial page is interesting, the
sports coverage good and the news and articles well written. The
business section is another plus."
Perry's century-old community paper earned a total of 18 awards in
fifteen categories.
Judge will study legality
of State Patrol statute
By OLIN HUBERT
Staff Writer
Superior Judge George Nunn
heard arguments Thursday in a law
suit challenging the constitutional
ity of a Georgia law requiring State
Patrol officers to be natural-bom
citizens.
Nunn look under advisement the
case of Oscar Fernandez, 24, of
Warner Robins, who was denied the
opportunity to lake the exam for
admission to trooper training
school, which begins August 20.
Fernandez' attorney, L. Robert
Lovett, argued that the 1937 statute
violates the equal protection clause
of the 14th Amendment to the U.S.
man and woman team from the
Atlanta Skydiving Center will
parachute onto the football field at
about 5 p.m. to get the momentum
going.
A fun run for children from ages
3 to 16 will start around 5:30, and
for the older crowd, the dunking
booth will be hard to resist. Prizes
will be awarded for first place
winners.
Hathcock said that it's "hard to
Continued on Back Page
llf >vi
isl
John Barton
...a 'good, kind man'
Fryer is
active
Westfield Schools, played on the
Hornet softball team, was a
cheerleader, and was an All-star in
the Ochlahatchec League this year.
Julee, going into sixth grade,
also was an Ochlahatchec All-star,
and played recreation football last
year.
"It runs in the family. My father
played semi-pro baseball. My
grandmother was on one of the first
women's college softball teams,"
she said.
"I've always loved sports but 1
didn't have the opportunities. The
opportunities offered now are
almost unreal."
Protect our flag
Amendment is a patriotic move. See P-4B
Your HometownNewsDaDjLsince 1870,
Constitution.
Lovett also staled that the law
violates 1981 and 1983 civil rights
laws, which provide that naturalized
citizens be free from employment
discrimination because of their na
tional origin.
Lovett pointed out that the gov
ernor of the state, members of the
General Assembly, U.S. represen
tatives and senators are not required
to be natural-bom citizens.
Born in Cuba in 1964, Fernan
dez came to the United Stales in
I97T* and is a naturalized citizen.
After working as a deputy in the
Houston County Sheriff’s Depart-
Continued on Page 2A
Authority
allows pets
for elderly
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
Elderly residents living in public
housing will now be allowed to
have certain kinds of pels, but a
SSOO deposit will be required to
have a dog or a cal.
At Thursday's meeting of the
Perry Housing Authority, the
members reviewed the resolution of
the pel policy, which they passed
last month.
In the resolution, the authority
members staled that it was "in the
best interest of the elderly residents
of the Housing Authority to have
certain pets."
But the rules will be strict in
order to protect the rights of the
other tenants, and only those con
sidered "elderly" will be allowed
pets.
Allowable pels arc dogs, cats,
birds and fish. But, residents will
Continued on Back Page
n 11
Delivery as usual
The Houston Home Journal will
be delivered, as usual, on Wednes
day, July 5. The newspaper also
will be available in the boxes
around town early Wednesday
morning.
Local death notices
John W. Barton Jr. Wesley
Ramage Tabor John Holliday.
Sallye Foster Jacobs Julie
Bembry Pinkston Robert John
Mac Neill Jr. Death notices ap
pear on Page 3A
Index
CLASSIFIED 6.78
EDITORIALS 4A
PERRY WOODS ’N WATER 4,58
SPORTS IB
WEEKEND EDITION-250
In the area of overall excellence the Journal picked up nine awards
including three first, four second and two third place honors. In addition,
the newspaper staff and editor walked away with nine individual awards
for writing and photography.
By winning these 18 awards the Houston Home Journal placed second
only to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, which gamed 19 awards,
according to Jim Kerce, editor and general manager, during a telephone
interview following the event.
He credited Journal staffers, readers, advertisers, and community
support for the newspaper's strong showing in this year’s contest.
"Because we know Perry subscribers and advertisers expect and
appreciate a quality newspaper each staff member of the Journal strives
Continued on Back Page
mBsSSKIm* Jm
Center of attention
That is exactly what Reta Murman was at recent Murman
family reunion held at Houston Lake Country Club. Ralph and
Reta Murman have nine children, 22 grandchildren, and 11
great-grandchildren. Reta holds the youngest great grand
son Thomas and standing beside her is her oldest great
granddaughter Kathy Leitch. See story on P-2B
PPG plant to gain
from bridge work
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
Georgia's Department of Trans
portation has agreed to assist the
City of Perry in strengthening the
Valley Drive bridge so that PPG
Industries' trucks will be able to
cross safely.
During the council's called
meeting Tuesday evening, City
Manager Marion Hay announced
some "good news," that the city
will not have to bear the total cost
of raising the capacity of the city
owned bridge from 23 to 40 tons.
Principals allowed
to hire 'B9-'9O staff
By MELISSA CRADDOCK
Staff Writer
The Houston County Board of
Education agreed to allow school
principals to go ahead and hire staff
for the 1989-90 school year even
though next year's budget has not
been approved yet.
During a special called session
Wednesday night in Warner Robins,
superintendent Harold Chapman
asked the board to allow the princi
pals to hire teachers, counselors and
assistant principals for next year on
the assumption that the budget will
be passed in July.
But, the board members stressed
that only "non-controvcrsial" posi
Going once...
Auction to fund cancer research. See P-3A
The city will have to contribute
about SSOOO in materials and some
labor.
The plant requires the repairs to
the bridge because it would be
dangerous for the trucks, which
exceed the present weight limit, to
pass. When the plant starts
production late this year, the trucks
will carry loads of the float glass.
Hay said that the DOT agreed to
assist in the repairs after state Rep.
Larry Walker spoke to department
officials.
lions could be filled before the bud
get is officially approved. Only one
"controversial" position remains:
The language arts coordinator.
But, two areas must be resolved
before the budget will be approved.
"I think we can work those out,"
said Board Member Skip Talbert.
The two items that are in the
way of final approval are the hiring
of the language arts coordinator for
the central office, and the supple
ments for central office workers as
compared to principals and teachers.
The source of the language arts
coordinator controversy is the pro
posed salary for the position, which
Continued on Back Page