Newspaper Page Text
MIDWEEK
EDITION
25C
Perry & Houston County's
official Legal Organ
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1993
Community mourns death of leader and former editor
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Mrs. John A. Hodges
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morning, Perry
- - -
Deaths
Ruby Couch Hodges, Perry;
Wyndell Keith Clark, Moreland;
Lucille Coates, Kathleen; Tho
mas E. Brummitt, Kathleen;
Elton Thomas, Alamo;
James Leroy Boswell, Perry;
Jerry Dean Williams, Roberta;
Robert W. Morris, Fitzgerald.
For details, please see page
3A.
INDEX
AGRICENTER EVENTS 11A
PEGGY BLEDSOE IB
CLASSIFIED 10A
CALENDAR EVENTS 11A
JACKIE COOPER 3B
DEATH NOTICES 3A
EDITORIALS 4A
BRIGETTE HAMILTON 4A
LEGAL NOTICES 3B
LIFESTYLE IB^
TIM LEWIS IB
GUEST COLUMN 4A
POLICE REPORT 2A
REMEMBER WHEN 4A
SPORTS 8A
BRIAN LAWSON 8A
Applications are
being accepted
for Head Start
The Middle Georgia Community
Action Agency is currently accept
ing applications for Perry Head
Start through May 22, 1993 for the
1993-1994 school term.
All children must be three years
of age on or before Sept. 1, 1993
and meet Head Start eligibility re
quirements. Parents with special
needs children are encouraged to ap
ply.
Please see START, page 10A
Sports Center
owners plan to
re-locate soon
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
Owners of the Sports Center,
coming to the former Kmart Shop
ping Center, plan to be completely
moved to their new location within
the next month.
“We will begin moving in the
next 10 days to two weeks,” accord
ing to part-owner Ed Barfield.
The owners plan to move the
boats from their old location on
Valley Drive to the new location
some time in July, Barfield said.
“We plan to display the boats in
a 40,000 square foot area,” he said.
The inside of the new location is
currently being re-constructed so
half will be office space, and the
other half will be retail space.
Please see CENTER, page 10A
PERRY, GEORGIA'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870--FQR COVERAGE OF YOUR EVENTS. CALL 987-1823
■ The Houston Home!
Journal
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
Mrs. John A. “Ruby” Hodges, a
92-year-old Georgia journalist and
noted Perry historian, died Tuesday,
Feb. 23 at the Perry Hospital of a
heart attack. Funeral services will
be held at 3 p.m. today at Perry
United Methodist Church. The
Revs. Jim McLendon and Tom
Johnson will officiate.
Although married, Mrs. Hodges
was known as “Miss Ruby” to ev
eryone in Perry and south Houston
County. She was widely revered for
her commitment to Perry and her
involvement in civic and political
affairs.
Formerly of Talbotton, Miss
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(HHJ photo by Eric Zellars)
Kids welcome Mr. Sunshine
Phillip Thomas, Dallas Carter and TJ Ross take time out to enjoy an early
spring day at Meadowdale Learning Center. The warm weather gives the
students a chance to go outside and take a break from the cold, winter days.
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Mayor Pro Tem James Moore signs a proclamation at Kings Chapel this week In
honor of Exceptional Children's Week. Principal Kim Shoening and some of the
school's students are pictured with Moore.
School recognizes special students
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
Exceptional can mean different
things to different people, but to
Houston County educators, excep
2 SECTIONS—IB PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULARS
"She was a very strong-willed person who
would do anything she could for Houston
County and Perry. She had a razor-sharp
mind and a natural instinct as a journalist.
She was a collector of facts who prided
herself on being extremely accurate. "-Jim
Kerce, HHJ editor and general manager.
Ruby first came to Perry in 1924
when she married John Hodges,
then editor and publisher of The
Houston Home Journal. Upon her
arrival, she became the associate ed
itor of the paper and spent the next
22 years working to make the paper
tional refers to children requiring
special educational -vices.
Because the Cit, of Perry and
the Houston County School Sys
a mainstay of Perry. When her hus
band was elected to the ordinary
court system, Miss Ruby became
the editor of the paper, a position
she held until the paper wls sold in
1946.
Although the Hodges sold the
tem are committed to providing
special services to exceptional chil
dren, the week of Feb. 22-26 has
Please see SPECIAL, page 10A
[PERRY, GA.
newspaper in 1946, James B.
Kerce, editor and general manager
for the Journal said she continued
her daily association with the paper
until the 1960 sand was a regular
contributor to its pages until just
prior to her death. She is credited
with producing an award-winning
centennial edition dealing with
Perry’s past, present and future.
“She was a very strong-willed
person who would do anything she
could for Houston County and
Perry,” Kerce said. “She had a razor
sharp mind and a natural instinct as
a journalist. She was a collector of
facts who prided herself on being
extremely accurate.”
When asked once what her main
Marketplace turns
Nunn Blvd. to bad
place for wrecks
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
Wreck number 11 occurred on
Sam Nunn Boulevard last Friday
since the opening of Perry Market
place on Nov. 17.
Lillian Lewis of Unadilla was
crossing the south side of Sam
Nunn Boulevard to enter Perry
Marketplace when Vance Roosevelt
of Perry, traveling south on Sam
Nunn Boulevard, hit her right side.
Lewis was charged with failure to
yield the right of way according to
police reports.
Annual rodeo is coming
to Agricenter this week
By ROBIN BOOKER
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again where
Perry, or at least part of it, is trans
formed into part of the Old West as
the rodeo rolls into town.
The Georgia National Fair
grounds and Agricenter will host
the third annual rodeo Thursday
through Saturday with six competi
tive events scheduled and three
country music concerts on tap.
Since ticket sales are up and a large
crowd is expected, promoters say
this year’s rodeo will be the best
yet.
“We have somewhere between
200 and 300 participants scheduled
this year,” said Johnny Webb,
deputy director of the Agricenter.
“We have a lot of local participa
tion this year, as well, which is al
ways good for us.”
Webb said there is more excite
ment about the rodeo this year be
cause there is added prize money in
volved. With six events scheduled
and prize money at stake, Webb ex
pects the competition to be top
rate.
“Everyone seems to love the
Hardage files response
to $8 million lawsuit
By ANISSA CLEMONS
Staff Writer
In an official response to a civil
lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court
Jan. 21, Perry Policeman John
Hardage answered allegations con
tained in an $8 million lawsuit filed
on behalf of the children of An
thony Hill.
Hill died from a gunshot wound
fired by Hardage after Perry Police
were called to Bonner Drive Satur
day, May 10, at 7 p.m. in reference
to a vandalism/domestic dispute be
tween Hill and his girlfriend.
Hardage denies Hill attempted to
withdraw from an oral confrontation
or that he prevented Hill from doing
so. The lawsuit claims Hill held a
metal folding chair in front of him
self for protection from the blows
of Hardage’s night stick. Hardage
123RD YEAR—VOLUME 16
accomplishment was in the news
paper business, Miss Ruby told re
porters her “claim to fame” was
keeping the paper running during
the Depression and World War n.
Miss Ruby always had a love for
Perry and a desire to see the town
grow and prosper. Those who
knew her loved and respected her,
not only for her contributions to
Perry but for her outstanding char
acter.
“To me, Miss Ruby was the
epitome of the perfect lady,” said
Frances Annis, judge of Probate
Court. “She was a loyal friend, and
I was proud to have her as a friend.”
Judge Annis said Miss Ruby
Please see LEADER, page 12A
This time last year, Sam Nunn
Boulevard had only two wrecks
since Nov. 17. Despite plans to
place three separate traffic lights on
Sam Nunn Boulevard since con
struction of Perry Marketplace, con
tinuous roadblocks have plagued the
project.
According to District Engineer
Van Etheridge, when the project
was originally bid, the prices were
too high. Since that time, the pro
ject has been bid with another pro-
Please see WRECKS, page 10A
rodeo,” he said. “People dress up in
their country and western outfits
and seem to really enjoy them
selves, so we expect a great week
end.”
Wanda Evans, a Perry resident
competing this weekend, said the
added prize money provides much
higher interest in the rodeo.
“You can make a lot of money
in the rodeo if you win,” Evans
said. “You have to have a good
horse and a great run to win, but if,
you stick with it, you can bring in
a lot of money.”
Evans also said the lifestyle of
people involved in the rodeo is en
joyable and attracts a lot of specta
tors.
“The people in the rodeo are the
nicest people you’ll ever meeL The
competition is always tough, but
you make a lot of friends along the
way.”
The rodeo will begin at 7:30
each evening. Three events will be
held and then there will be a concert
during the intermission before the
Please see RODEO, page 12A
answered, “It is admitted that the
plaintiff did at some point have a
metal chair in his grasp, but it is
denied that the chair was for protec
tion.”
Hardage also denies using exces
sive force which the lawsuit al
leges. He also denies other allega
tions listed in the lawsuit.
According to police reports,
Hardage fired after being physically
assaulted by Hill. Reports also
stated Hardage called for back-up,
but the shooting occurred before
another police officer could arrive at
the scene.
Houston County District Attor
ney Ed Lukemire and the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation determined
there was no criminal intent in the
crime.