Houston home journal. (Perry, Houston County, Ga.) 1924-1994, December 26, 1990, Image 1
® Merry Christmas, Perry, Qa.
MIDWEEK
EDITION
250
Perry & Houston County's
offical Legal Organ
Gh
HOME JOURNAL
HIGHLIGHTS
Deaths
Douglas F. Mcßae. For a
complete listing, please see
3 A.
Merry Christmas 48th
... We hope you are enjoying
being with your friends and
family during your leave from
active duty.
Recycle your Christmas
tree in Perry
Instead of throwing your
Christmas tree into the
landfill, why not try recycling
the tree into mulch? For a
story, please see 3A.
Making Christmas
brighter
Jerry Hayes helped drive
members of the 48th
Brigade home to spend
Christmas with their families.
It was a special mission for
him since his wife is serving
in Saudi Arabia with the
guard. For a story, please
see page 3A.
Toxic Waste
Will toxic waste dumps affect
the quality of drinking water
in Houston County? For a
story, please see page 3A.
INDEX
MARK BLUMEN IB
CALENDAR 3A
CLASSIFIED 8B
DEATH NOTICES 3A
EDITORIALS 4A
FOOD FEATURE IB
LEGAL NOTICES SB
LIFESTYLE IB
SPORTS 8A
STREET TALK 5A
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987-1823 -
Westfield girls
will be traveling
to Cotton Bowl
By ANDREA SELLERS
Special HHJ
Eight Westfield girls will be high
stepping in Dallas on New Year's
Day as they dance in the 1991 Cot
ton Bowl Parade and Ihe Mobil
Cotton Bowl Classic Halftime Ex
travaganza.
The eight are a part of Westfield's
Vespidaettes, the dance team tha
performs during events at the
school. During the Superstar
Dance-Drill Team summer camp,
the team was one of several award
winning ones.
From this came the opportunity
for the eight to dance at the Cotton
Bowl. It also provided the opportu
nity for the officers to dance in the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in
New York earlier this year.
Heading for Dallas on Dec. 28 are
team sponsor Glynellc Bccland and
members Amtela Goodwin. Lane
Please see COTTON, Page 2A
■The Houston Hornet
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Annette Samples, Ernest Eubanks and Joe Williams get a hug from one of their
favorite people. The group says that Christmas lives inside the heart of mankind.
Christmas experts: How to
capture true holiday spirit
By JAN HAMPTON
Managing Editor
The years may pass, the number
of presents under the Christmas tree
may change but the spirit of
Christmas is a constant, never end
ing force according to four Christ
mas experts at the New Perry
Nursing Home.
And Charlie Hose, 104; Ernest
Eubanks, 97; Annette Samples, 49
and Joe Williams, 75 arc truly ex
perts on the subject of Christmas.
"When you add up all our ages
we're almost as old as Santa
Claus," Ernest chuckled. "I think
we could even give Moses a good
run for his money."
The four "cxpcrls"gol together to
discuss Christmases past after tak
ing part in the nursing home's
spectacular Christmas parly Thurs
day.
Joe was surrounded by boxes. "I
think this is one of my best
Christmases," he said. "Look at all
this stuff. When I was young I did
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Westfield High School senior Key Club members lend a helping hand loading PAL
food donations for the poor, pictured are Phil Kennedy, Jamey Watson, Drew
Talton, and Rick Tresco.
well to get a stick of candy."
"I don't remember the presents I
got when 1 was a child," Ernest
said. "When I think back on
Christmas as a child I remember
having a wonderful lime with my
brothers. I remember my Mom and
Dad. It takes me back to a secure,
great time in my life. 1 think that's
what endures about Christmas, the
memories, wonderful memories."
Charlie remembered one special
Christmas when Santa brought him
"a little boy wagon."
"I was so happy to get my little
boy wagon," he said. "Sometimes
at Christmas I got oranges, apples
and candy. Once when I was real
young, about three years old, Santa
Claus brought me a little short suit
like I could wear to church. That
was something."
The youngest of the "experts” at
a mere 49 years old, Annette says
she looks forward to Christmas ev
ery year.
"It just keeps getting better for
me," she said. "I'm thankful for this
Christmas. It has been wonderful."
With thoughts this Christmas on
American soldiers in the Middle
East, Ernest can remember a lime
when he 100 was a soldier away
from home at Christmas lime.
"In 1918, I spent my Christmas
in a good warm hayloft in Ger
many," he said. "I felt lucky to
have the hayloft for comfort. I
know a lot of our soldiers weren't
as lucky. I'm praying for our sol
diers. I know what it's like to be
away on foreign soil."
All four of the Christmas
"experts" say they still believe in
Santa Claus.
"You know as Christians, Christ
works through his believers,"
Ernest said. "Santa Claus works
through his believers too. You
don't have to wear a red suit to be
Santa Claus. You just have to care
about somebody and do something
for them. Thai's Santa Claus."
Please see SANTA, page 2A
I A Park Community Newspaper—© 1990 |
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City considers
various avenues
of trash disposal
By ALAN WILLIS
Staff Writer
"1 always enjoy talking garbage,"
Harp Suggs told the Perry Ex
change Club. Through the past j
year, however, many people in
Houston County have not enjoyed
listening to what the Bonaire busi
nessman has to say. ■
According to Suggs, and many I
other experts, the United Slates is
in serious trouble. "The Garbage
Crisis" has prompted the Stale of
Georgia to mandate a 25 per cent |
decrease. The plans for reduction ;
must be submitted by January.
1992.
Houston County has already be
gun working on the project.
"Perry is somewhat unique," said
Bill Haflcy of the Clean Commu
nity Commission. Perry established
a dry trash landfill and has begun
separating dry trash from garbage.
"I don't know of any other cities
that have this separation," noted
Hafley.
The distinction between dry trash
and garbage is based on substances
resulting from decomposition.
Garbage consists of any substance
which produces either methane gas
or lechate upon decomposition.
The Perry idea has spread. Ac
cording to Hafley, Macon, Bibb
County and Houston County have
all investigated the possibility.
In addition, Perry recently ap
proved the funds for an industrial
chipper. The chipper composts the
dry trash, greatly increasing the life
of the dry trash landfill. Moreover,
the mullch created by composting
is a usable soil enhancer.
According to Hafley, three meth
ods must be used to bring about the
25 per cent reduction. They arc: re
duction of the materials themselves,
reuse of materials, and recycling.
Reduction of waste is essential.
According to a video tape Suggs
presented to the Exchange Club,
Americans produce three and a half
pounds of garbage per day, per per
son.
When people think of recycling,
they lend to think of curb-side
recycling. However, "curb-side re
cycling will not work in Houston
County,": according to Suggs. He
pointed to the vast rural areas of the
Please see TRASH, Page 2A
Christmas cheer can
also bring depression
By MIKE PRINCIPATO
Staff Writer
Christmas lime, while being a
season of joy and good will, is also
a very stressful lime for many
Houston county residents.
The National Bureau of Statistics
show a dramatic increase in reported
instances of deep depression and
holiday suicides.
According to Peachbelt Mental
Health Adult Service Coordinator
Bob Gray, Houston Countians arc
no exception.
"Many residents place stress upon
themselves they really don’t need,"
said Gray.
"Some become stressed from try
ing to please everyone with the
perfect gift; while others strive for
the perfect Christmas experience.
This creates a very stressful atmo
sphere."
Mental health nurse Pam Keys
says those who find themselves
alone at Christmas arc strongly af
fected by the season.
"Christmas is a season of gather
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■
Jean Baxley
Baxley retires
after 31 years
with the city
By ALAN WILLIS
Staff Writer
"I started crossing school children
in 1959," said Jean Baxley. That
was 31 years and eight mayors ago.
But Baxley will add no more years
or mayors to the list, as she hangs
it up" at 3 o’clock on the afternoon
of December 28.
Three years after she began
crossing school children, Baxley
began working full time checking
Perry's parking meters. When the
parking meters vanished, Baxley
worked marking tires on cars that
had overstayed their lime.
"One man was watching me mark
tires," Baxley recalled, "and hit a
telephone pole. I felt bad because he
messed up his nice truck."
Baxley then relumed to part-time
school crossing and became a part
time radio operator.
"I have been a full lime radio op
erator for 12 years," Baxley noted.
"I have enjoyed working here,"
Please see BAXLEY, Page 2A
ing together with friends and fam
ily. Those who are alone feel it
more at Christmas," said Keys.
There are ways of alleviating
Christmas stress.
Singles arc encouraged to gel in
volved with a local church or join
in many of the civic activities.
"Church activities are a good
source of companionship. They can
be a home away from home," said
Gray.
"One may want to volunteer their
services to charitable organizations.
Anything that makes you feel good
about yourself is a positive step."
Other ways of alleviating feelings
of loneliness include walks in a
shopping Mall.
" Christmas enthusiasm is catch
ing. One can not be around it for
long before feeling as those around
you feel," said Keys.
Both agree, when stress of the
season becomes 100 much, re
member to lake lime out for your
self . It's your Christmas 100.