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-THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1992
Perry viewpoint
, '
The Houston Home Journal
OFFICIAL ORGAN, CITY OF PERRY AND HOUSTON
COUNTY, GEORGIA. SINCE 1870
PUBUSHED EACH WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING
807 CARROLL ST., P.O. DRAWER M, PERRY, GA. 31069
TELEPHONE: (912) 987-1823
The Houston Home Journal (USPS 252-780) is published semi weekly for
$lB per year by the Houston Home Journal, Inc., 807 Carroll St., Perry, Ga.
31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga. POSTMASTER: Send
address change to The Houston Home Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga.
31069.
ROY H. PARK, President & Chairman ol the Board, Park Newspapers
JAMES B. KERCE
Editor & General Manager
BRIGETTE HAMILTON TERESA HAWK
Managing Editor Advertising Manager
For Bush: too late
The recovery most economists and experts believe to be
now underway comes too late to effect the fate of President
George Bush.
When Mr. Bush told Americans during the recent cam
paign things weren’t as bad as they were being painted,
that message didn't sell.
It now appears he was right. The number of Americans
working today, even with many unemployed, is at an all
time high.
But though things may not be as bad as some depicted
them, the federal budget deficit, the fault of Congress, un
der Democratic control for so long, is out of control.
It may be necessary for the new Congress, still
Democrat-controlled, to avoid for a brief time deficit re
ductions. But that should be the long-term goal of the
Clinton Administration and Congress as soon as it's
certain economic recovery has been achieved.
If by 1994 and 1996 if this newly-elected Congress
hasn't made visible progress in reducing the deficit, voters
are likely to turn more members out, and refuse Clinton
re-election.
There is simply no more time for excessive spending
and excessive annual increases in the national debt, which
has already penalized future generations of Americans.
Democrats won this year on economic issues. They must
now achieve something, to deserve their success.
A U.N. precedent
A precedent is being established in Somalia, where
U.N. military forces are moving into the country to
alleviate domestic chaos.
It's a humanitarian effort, well-intended and idealistic.
The intervention, however, is military, armed forces being
guided on the spot by U.N. observers.
Food is desperately needed by starving inhabitants.-
Hopefully, fighting w ; ll be minimal and the mission suc
cessful.
The disquiet caused among some is that there has been
no invitation by the Somalian government. Nor is this a
U.N. effort to reverse aggression, as in Kuwait.
A desirable place to aid hungry people today, from the
self-interest standpoint of Americans, is in Russia. There a
reformed democratic government is desperately seeking to
make democracy work. Food and other aid is desperately
needed. If such aid isn't forthcoming soon, hardline ex
communists could regain power.
With a nuclear arsenal and vast army, navy and air
force, U.S. aid there might pay tremendous dividends to
the free world- by preventing a return of rightwing dicta
torship in this heavily armed nation.
Moscow has asked for U.N. help. Military forces are
not needed there. Somalians are torn between gangs and
warlords and what can be accomplished there is problemat
ical. Also, one must question whether the U.N. can per
manently police the world with military operations of this
kind.
Do we want diplomats in New York to deploy military
forces internally, anywhere in the world? If so, why hasn’t
more been done in the Balkans?
Musselwhite thankful for
Good Samaritans
Dear Editor:
Sometimes in the the hustle and bustle of the Christmas
season, we forget to remember the story of the Good
Samaritan.
On Thursday, Dec. 17, while driving home from my job
at Crestview Christian Care Home, I hit a puddle of water
and hydroplaned my car 120 feet on the right side of the
road only to enter the highway again and I was headed
straight for a Houston County school bus. Had it not been
for the quick thinking of the unknown bus driver, 1 would
have hit it broadside head-on. My Good Samaritan is also
unknown, a lady in a small white car stopped and went for
help. Also a man from Perry’s Board of Education stopped
and offered to take me to town but most of all, he allowed
me the comfort of his car out of the rain.
Many heart felt thanks are extended to these people who
did not have to stop, but did.
Sincerely,
Sharon Musselwhite
I f
“Alright, Kid... This Is The
The Way It’s Going To 8e...”
Development a major concern in 1982
10 years ago
Dec. 30, 1982
Officials from local government
and the chamber of commerce re
flected on the past year saying
things could have been better, but
they could have been worse.
Industrial development was a major
concern with several new industries
added to the county.
* * *
A fire early Christmas morning
destroyed a home in Westwood
Trailer Park. According to Perry
Fire Department, the trailer's occu
pant, William Good, awoke shortly
before 2 a.m. and smelled smoke.
He found a sofa burning in the liv
ing room. Good escaped without
injury but by the time the fire de
partment arrived it was too late to
save the trailer.
* * *
Two people were killed in a head
on collision on Interstate 75 Dec.
22. Fred Cannon Jr., 48, of Macon
and Ennis Grape, 26, of Fort
Pierce, Fla., were killed in the acci
dent which happened at about 8:05
p.m. two miles south of Perry just
past the Georgia 127 exit.
15 years ago
Dec. 29, 1977
Perry City Hall had been the scene
of intensive interior construction,
as the former attic area was trans
formed to a productive second floor
with offices. The renovation was
expected to cost $22,000. The
money was not to come from taxes
but from a long-held savings
account.
* * *
On at least three different evenings
during the previous week, Perry
country Club was vandalized caus
ing thousands of dollars worth of
Life is too short not to make changes
Only a year ago I was taking
final exams at Auburn University
looking forward to my final quarter
as a burned out journalism major.
I had no way of knowing a year
later I’d be in Perry, Ga. writing for
the Houston Home Journal. The
things we don’t know. It’s kind of
scary to imagine what next year’s
end holds. There’s no way to know.
Not even Jean Dixon can tell us.
She rarely gets her predictions
right.
The old saying goes “One day
at a time.” That’s true too. We
can’t worry about what’s going to
happen in the future. We’ll die at an
early age if we worry too much.
A lot of people continuously
say “I can’t wait until so and so, or
I can’t wait until a different phase
Remember L
whett? I
News items from past issues
damage to golf carts, signs and the
course. Eight golf carls were driven
into the lake, flags were torn off
greens poles and poles were used to
punch holes in the greens. Several
course signs were also removed.
The case was being investigated by
the local police, who say one lead
pointed to at least two juveniles be
ing involved in the incidents.
* * *
At approximately 1:25 a.m. Dec.
21, The Houston Home Journal of
fice on Carroll Street was burglar
ized. According to Publisher Bobby
Branch, a small sum of money was
taken. Branch said the perpetrators
may have been forced to leave be
fore they could fully explore the of
fice when a police auto came by on
patrol.
25 years ago
Dec. 28, 1967
Long-term employees of the City
of Perry were honored with service
pins presented by Mayo Richard
Ray.
Willie Bodie, utility department
employee, was recognized as having
the longest tenure on the city's
staff, 18 years. Others receiving
pins were Chief B.E. Dcnnard, po
lice department, 14 years; Assistant
Chief of Police R.E. Shellnut,
seven years; Ruth Griffin, city
clerk, 13 years; Ed Warren, mainte
nance superintendent, 14 years.
* * *
Houston County school taxes
were below the average for the
of my life.” The instant I hear
somebody saying these humdrum
phrases a red alert goes off in my
head. I want to tell them to quit
wishing their life away and live for
today. Enjoy yourself today. We
aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow.
One thing I wish for all people
is complete happiness in their life.
stale. A state list of taxes paid by
the 159 counties in Georgia showed
Bibb County had the highest school
levy of 26 mills and Irwin County
had the lowest at 6.6 mills.
Houston County's levy for mainte
nance and operational costs was
12.5 mills.
* * *
The Perry Garden Club announced
the following homes as winners the
the home Christmas decorating con
test sponsored by the club. First
place winners included: Mr. and
Mrs. Hubert Aultman, overall effect
and Elizabeth Hancock, best door
way.
50 years ago
Dec. 31, 1942
Mobilization of Georgia youth for
more extensive participation in the
war effort was the aim of the new
High School Victory Corps. The
purpose of the new units wee
twofold: (1) to prepare young peo
ple for a larger service in the war ef
fort after they leave school and (2)
to mobilize them for more effective
participation in the community war
program while they were in school.
* * *
Director Walter S. Brown of the
Georgia Agricultural Extension
Service said the most serious diffi
culties in agricultural production in
Georgia in 1943 would be a defi
nite shortage of farm labor, reduced
supplies of certain farm machinery
and fertilizer materials and limited
transportation facilities.
* * *
H.L. Wingate, president of the
Georgia Farm Bureau, was sched
uled to discuss the Pace Peanut
Bill, the Cotton and Peanut
Programs for 1943 and the Farm
Labor Situation at the Perry School
auditorium Jan 1 at 8 p.m.
I hate to see people spinning their
wheels in situations that make
them hate to be alive. Life is too
short to mess up, but if you do
make mistakes try and change the
situation.
It’s also time for a yearly state
of being examine. Ask yourself
“Do I like my life?” Write down
what you don’t like about it and
then write changes you can make to
make your life more meaningful
and enjoyable.
I wish to all Perryans a won
derful 1993 that will make you
wiser and happier. Make 1993 a
year of change for your own
personal health. Quit saying “One'
day I’m gonna...” Just do it.
Celebrate safely. See ya next year.
a The Houston Home f
Journal
Farewell 1992,
you sure were
memorable
With the close of 1992, people are
reminiscing about their personal
triumphs and defeats and remember
ing the hot issues of the year
whether it be internationally, na
tionally or a little bit closer to
home.
As a new reporter beginning at the
Home Journal last November, I've
been remembering my past year in
Perry, and for a small community
there's been plenty of news.
Os course the first thing that
comes to my mind is the re-dis
tricting massacre in Houston
County and the half dozen or so
stories I wrote on the subject. Os
course the Justice Department's re
quirements caused the county to
lose one of its reps, Jay Walker
who was re-districted out (and
Congressman Richard Ray).
And, Perry's own Larry Walker,
house majority leader, had to fight
tooth and nail to keep our town
somewhat normal. Os course, as
powerful as Walker is, it's only
natural that some of the other reps
wanted him out. But, Walker came
through in the end although he
probably had a few bruises and
scrapes after the dust cleared, leav
ing the county in five districts. But,
as they say, every cloud has a silver
lining and we now have five votes
in the state house.
Also, I'll never forget covering
my first drug bust. That was really
exciting. As a matter of fact it was
bigger than last week's bust. Still,
it shows our police department is
committed to rid the streets of
crack, even though Simons himself
admits there's always someone out
there waiting to take the place of an
arrested dealer.
I remcrribW'being at the E—9ll
center in Warner Robins for the
first call. The system has almost
been operating a whole year now.
Although there have been some
problems to work out, which
should be expected, the system is
another way our city and county
leaders have worked together for the
benefit and well-being of us all.
Then April rolled around and I was
on to bigger and better things.
Beginning as managing editor, I
missed running the beat and writing
stories, but I learned that from
where I sit I have a much better
grasp on the big picture and not
just the particular stories I worked
on alone. Now 1 have input into
everything printed.
Several big stories have run across
my desk in the past eight months,
the most memorable being the
Anthony Hill shooting in the mid
dle of the L.A. riots. That has to be
the most memorable local story.
Then, who could forget the volun
teer fireman being arrested for ar
son? What a story. What a concept.
According to Fire Chief Gary
Hamlin it really isn’t too uncom
mon. Firemen get bored he told me.
It seems that the training gets them
pumped up to fight fires and when
it's quiet for long periods of time
they get ansy, like they're itching
for something big to happen.
There have also been some big
stories from the state level. Two
particular issues come to mind. One
is Gov. Miller's suggestion to
change our state flag. With the
Olympics coming to Georgia, our
governor thought having our cur
rent flag may offend some countries
because of its racial overtones or
undertones, whichever the case may
be.
Then, who could forget the
controversy surrounding the lottery?
Even though it passed, Perryans
said "NO" loud and clear.
Well, as a community vote, we
did not fare so well. I guess we'll
have to wait and see what happens
in the next year or so to see if we
were right to go against the major
ity.
Elections were held this year, and
the anti-incumbent theme rang loud
and clear. This could not have been
more evident anywhere else than it
was here. We had record crowds
show up to vote, with many com
munity members joining the rest of
Middle Georgians in voting very
conservatively. Typically the South
is thought of as being a Democratic
region, but several Perryans voted
Republican and Bush carried
Houston County, even though
Please see HAMILTON, page 12A