Newspaper Page Text
WEEKEND
EDITION
250
Perry & Houston County's
official Legal Organ
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1993
Health care reps, question state bill
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
Representatives of several mid
state agencies met at the Houston
County Annex Thursday night to
examine the ramifications of two
new pieces of legislation, House
Bill 100 and Senate Bill 49. Both
of these bills deal with the delivery
of services in the mental
health/mental retardation/substance
abuse field.
Parents concerned
about language
classes will meet
BOE chairman invited to attend
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
Many parents in Houston
County are expressing concern
about the county’s new approach to
teaching language skills and are
searching for ways to get the sys
tem changed.
Parents argue that the whole
language approach currently taught
in elementary classes is not ade
quately equipping their children
with reading and writing skills. The
concern of the parents has led them
to question to die school board and
the schools as to the effectiveness
of this program.
The Houston County School
Board heard from a representative of
the company publishing the reading
program used in the schools on
Tuesday, but the parents are still
not satisfied with the response they
have gotten from the system. Be
cause of that dissatisfaction, con
cerned parents will meet Thursday
at 7 p.m. at the Leisure World
clubhouse in Warner Robins to dis
cuss action to be taken in the mat
Dogwood pageants to
be held April 1 and 2
This year’s Dogwood Pageants
are scheduled for April 1 and 2, ac
cording to Elaine Stephens, chair
man. The events are held annually
under the auspices of the Perry
High Athletic Department and in
conjunction with Perry's Dogwood
Festival.
"This year we have added more ti
tles and age divisions. Last year we
felt that narrowing the age groups
would be a good idea and would al
low more entrants the opportunity
of receiving a title,” she said.
Categories include: Little Miss
Dogwood-grades kindergarten
through first and second; Junior
Miss-grades three, four and five;
■:lk Hr tH
Houston County Library Director Judy Golden says
goodbye to L.Cohen Walker after 18 years of service
to the Houston County Library Board.
Walker retires after 18 years of
service on county library board
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
The Houston County Library
Board received a S2OO donation
from Partners for Progress and said
goodbye to L. Cohen Walker as he
attended his last meeting as a board
member Thursday nighL
During the 1992 General
Assembly, the Senate Bill 811
Commission was established to
look for ways to re-organize the de
livery system for mental health,
mental retardation and substance
abuse services. That commission
has now produced pending legisla
tion that has advocates of health
care concerned.
Because area health care represen
ter. For more information, call Kim
Sadler at 929-4906.
The presentation to the school
board demonstrated the whole-lan
guage approach, which teaches read
ing and writing as an integrated
skill, rather than using isolated
concepts. The approach also allows
students to use creative spelling in
kindergarten and first grade, while
corrections are made in their
spelling beginning in second grade.
Teachers and principals of
schools using the new methods
spoke highly of the results at Tues
day’s meeting, but many parents are
still not comfortable with the ap
proach.
Board Chairman Zell Blackmon
has been invited to attend Thurs
day’s meeting and hopes to return
from an Athens meeting in time to
be there. Blackmon said the con
cerned parents have also been in
vited to speak at the next meeting
of the school board to be held
March 9.
Pre-teen Miss-grades six and seven;
Teen-grades eight, nine and 10;
Miss Dogwood-grades 11, 12 and
through age 23.
Forms will be available through
the high school and local busi
nesses beginning the latter part of
February.
Competitions for Little Miss and
Junior Miss will be held Thursday,
April 1. The remaining contests
will be held Friday, April 2.
For more information, interested
persons should call Elaine
Stephens, 987-0822 (evenings),
Perry High School, or Dee Hayes at
987-1711 (evenings).
Walker has been on the board for
the last 18 years. He received a
money clip "for all his money"
from the board members. Houston
County Library Director Judy
Golden said, "I don't know what I'm
Please see RETIRES, page 6A
PERRY, GEORGIA’S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870--FOR COVERAGE OF YOUR EVENTS, CALL 987-1823
I The Houston Home!
Journal
2 SECTIONS—tO PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULARS
"Our hope is that the legislature will send the'bill
back...for further review before approving
measures that might cause more problems than
we already have. "-Dr. Dale Harvey.
tatives question many of the provi
sions included in the new legisla
tion, a question-and-answer session
.• lip---- 3jMi
(HHJ photo by Eric Zellars)
Perry High warms up for spring
Perry High pitcher Jason Sikes pitches during the
first day of baseball practice this year at PHS.
Behind the plate is senior Alan Rowell. The Panthers
open play March 4 against Bleckley County and will
try to practice around the rainy days ahead.
Grief support group begins this month
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
Losing a loved one can often be
a devastating experience, and First
Christian Church will begin a 10-
week grief support group Feb. 18
to help people cope with their loss.
Pastor Ron Nolen said the
church has had a support group for
divorce recovery for the last two and
a half years. "We saw another seg
ment of our church not being met.
There is a need for those who have
lost a loved one to have support.
"The purpose of the group is to
help a person grow through their
grief and continue with their life,"
he said.
The reason death is a devastating
crisis, according to Nolen, is be
cause "We are overwhelmed with
the situation, and ordinary problem
was held to try to alleviate their
concerns. Stan Jones, chairman of
the Senate Bill 811 Commission,
solving doesn't work through a cri
sis. It blows them away."
He said the group will offer a
supportive environment to express
grief and give interaction with
others in the same situation. "We
want to offer them anew direction
and a hope for tomorrow."
Nolen said, "Recovery will come
regardless of how you feel now.
Eventually sadness will become
pleasant memories."
Ronnie Shivers will lead Hope
for Tomorrow. Nolen said, "He's a
good listener, and he's compassion
ate. He will truly understand the
pain of losing someone close to
you."
Hope for Tomorrow is open to
the public. Nolen encourages
anyone to come by First Christian
PERRY, GA.
A Park Community Newspaper—©l993
explained the proposal and offered
to answer any questions.
The main concern voiced at the
meeting was that local programs
would suffer financially due to re
gional boards being established to
oversee services. As the structuring
stands now, county health boards
have more control of services.
While many felt the structure of
the plan was better understood fol-
HF Good
morning, Perry
I
ESXXZ& Sk
MISS YOUR PAPER?
We hope not, but if your carrier
should err, please call early.
987-1823
Our circulation department is
open from 8-10 a.m. to help.
.TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL:
987-1823, OR 987-5203
READ IT, THEN RECYCLE!
%5P
This newspaper is
printed, in pert, on re
cycled paper and is re
cyclable. For locations
of recycling stations, cal
987-1823
Church for a pamphlet or to find
out more. The group will start a
second phase after the first 10
weeks. There will be a social
activity once a month during the
second phase.
There are several ways friends
can help friends through their griev
ing process Nolen said.
•Friends show they care by at
tending the funeral.
•It's also important to be there
after the funeral and show under
standing.
•Cliches are not helpful. Words
like: "You're doing so well, Others
have lived through it, I know just
how you feel, Be strong. You'll get
over it and Time will take care of
everything" may make survivors
more alone and misunderstood.
123RD YEAR—VOLUME Is~
lowing the meeting, most attendees
left still feeling concerned that their
local programs would suffer finan
cially and that the new organization
would cause more problems than
benefits.
A main concern of Houston
County representatives at the meet
ing was that the county would fall
into a regional organization with
Please see QUESTION, page 6A
HCDA votes
to donate
land to state
for center
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
The Houston County Develop
ment Authority voted unanimously
Friday to pass a resolution convey
ing land in Technology Park in
Warner Robins to the state of Ge
orgia. The conveyance of the prop
erty is contingent upon Georgia be
ing chosen as a regional pay center
site.
The state has already approved
the appropriation of $l4O million
in 20-year bonds to pay for the con
struction of the center. Addition
ally, Gov. Zell Miller signed all the
necessary legislation Friday morn
ing that will enable Georgia to be
included in the Defense Depart
ment’s final consideration.
Development Authority Director
Dick Ulm said the resolution passed
Friday was the final step in getting
the package together to send to the
Defense Department.
“We have everything ready to be
sent out Monday morning," he said,
“ and now all we have to do is wait
for March IS to come to hear the
decision as to whether or not we
were selected.”
If Georgia is not selected as the
pay center site, the Houston
County property will continue to
be owned by the county.
Police are
Investigating
shooting
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
Chris Willis, 27, suffered multi
ple gun shot wounds Thursday
night during a fight at his apart
ment.
Perry Police arrived at 9-B
Perimeter Circle about 7:30 p.m.
after shots were fired. Detective
Steve Heaton of the Perry Police
Department said they aren't sure
why the two were fighting. Perry
Police are in the process of arrest
ing Bernard Dove and possibly
others. Willis could be arrested
also, Heaton said.
Willis is currently in the
intensive Care Unit at the Medical
Center of Central Georgia. The case
is under investigation.
•Help the bereaved express their
emotions by saying: "What are you
feeling? Tell me what's happening
with you. It must be very hard for
you."
•Don't force the bereaved to share
their innermost feelings.
•Don't be afraid to cry with
them.
•It's okay to laugh when they
laugh.
•Don't be afraid to touch them.
A squeeze on the hand or an em
brace can show how much you care.
•Sending a donation to a mean
ingful charity of the bereaved is a
fitting memorial to the one who
died.
•Remember their holidays, birth
days and anniversaries.
•Encourage than to get support
0