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VOLUME CVII — NUMBER IX
Veteran Relives Saudi Experience
By TOMMY TOLES
Editor
*
_SHE WORKED about 20 frightening hours a day and her
brief naps were interrupted by missile attacks. But looking
over a sea of young faces at Pennville School, a veteran of the
war with Iraq said that the continued freedom of the students
were easily worth her sacrifices.
U. S. Army Sgt. Rhonda Mortier relived her experiences
at Dhahran, Saudgi Arabia, and answered numerous questions
from eighth grade students at the school Thursday morning.
The students had written her numerous letters during the
military buildup and air*war :vith }raq.
SHE IS A close friend of Sandra Pless, a Pennville School
teacher, and visited the school at the invitation of Mrs. Pless.
Sgt. Mortier was accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Johnny
Shook, Rome.
The seven-year Army veteran left for Germany this past
Monday after spending two weeks leave time with her parents.
She had been based in Stuttgart, Germany prior to the war
and was transferred to Saudi Arabia with the First Infantry
Division, the “Big Red One" of World War II fame. She was
secretary to the commanding officer of the division, Gen.
William J. Mullin. She arrived in Dhahran on Dec. 1 and
departed on Feb. 19, just prior to the 100-hour ground war
that resulted in Iraq's final dffeat;
*
SGT. MORTIER learned about the air war after beinf call
ed into work at 2:30 a.m. Her boss, the general, didn’t tell her.
She heard it on the radio. ‘lt was kind of a shock,’’ she told
the students. ‘
Her office was in a converted warehouse and her tent was
pitched just outside the warehouse. Her mother was ‘‘ter
rified”’ most of the time she was in Dhahran but felt reasonably
secure about her daughter's safety because of her proximity
to Gen. Mullin. Then Mrs. Shook found out that her dau%lhter
was camped out in a tent next to the warehouse. Mrs. Shook
had four television sets.in her-bedroom;: three tuned to the
tfihree,mfijor networks and the fourth tuned to Cable News
etwork.
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Ralph Kellett, sixth from left, was sworn as Chattooga
County’s new sheriff in ceremonies Thursday morning
at the courthouse. He was sworn by Probate Judge Jon
PaYne, right. From left are the Rev. Jimmy Bryant,
Kellett's pastor; Jody Doster, Kellett's sister; Kyle
Ralph Kellett Sworn In As Sheriff
S i fifii r j
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Staff Photo
NEW SHERIFF RALPH KELLETT (R) CONGRATULATED
By Outgoing Interim Sheriff Ron Turner
State Champions
--See Page 6-B
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= © Copyright 1991 By Espy Publishing Co., Inc. — All Rights Reserved ‘
Pennville Students Ask About Iraqi Scud Attacks
SuU -, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA — THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1991
THERE WAS constant fear that Saddam Hussein would
resort to chemical weapons. Mrs. Shook recalled some World
War I veterans who had been exposed to chemicals; it would
})el tbetter tobe dead than to suffer from chemical warfare, she
elt.
Sgt. Mortier’s office was about two minutes from Dhahran
International Airport, anatural target for Iraq’s Scud missile
attacks. Sirens warned of constant impending Scud attacks,
she recalled.
* * *
“BASICALLY, I was scared to death when the first one
went off. I was scared,” she said. Sit. Mortier worked about
20 hours per day, leaving only four hours for sleeE. But Scud
alerts kept her awake even during her off hours, she said. “‘l'd
say you get used to it but you don’t really get used to it. You
learn to cope with it, I guess.”” She stilr “hears’’ the sirens
at night.
“I was scared to death when the first
one (Scud) went off. 1 was scared.”
--Sgt. Mortier
AAN NSNS NN NSNS NSNS NSNS NI NSNS NN
She was outside during one attack instead of in a bomb
missile shelter and saw tie launch of several Patriot anti
missile missiles. She saw and felt the explosions when the
Patriots demolished the Scuds. *‘it shook the ground; it was
really close,” she said a,f*ter s‘;‘)eakiilg to the youngters.
HER PLANE to the United States was in the air when one
of the final Scud attacks demolished a building housing
numerous U. S. soldiers. Some two-dozen died in tie attack.
Sit. Mortier first thought that the Scud had hit the building
where she had been housed for two weeks but found upon lan
ding in the U. S. that it had fallen across the street.
Aircraft were constantly landing and taking off from the
Dhahran Airport, she said. They were involved in sorties
against Iraqi forces. Shfi becz}‘me afcustomed to the neise.
DESPITE THE Scud attacks and falling debris from
New Sheriff Sworn
Kellett, his son; Blake Weaver, a nephew; Mrs. Ralph
Kellett Sr., his mother; Sheriff Kellett; Heather Hall, his
dzll‘ughter; Aleta Kellett, his wife; and Payne. (Staff
Photo).
Tax Questions
--See Page 6-A
He isn’t yet ready to name
his chief assistant in the
sheriff's office, according to
nele sworn Chattooga Coun
ty Sheriff Ralph Kellett.
He confirmed at noon Tues
day that he had not yet named
his chief assistant d};‘l’:lty but
promised to notify the news
media when he makes the
appointment.
Kellett was sworn in as
sheriff moments after 9 a.m.
Thursday in the courthouse
courtroom. Chattooga Superior
Court Judge Joseph Loggins
called court to order and
recessed it seconds later, turn
ing the proceedings over to Jon
Payne, probate judge.
FAMILY
Kellett, who was seated on
the front row of the courtroom
with his uncle, former Commis
sioner Harry Powell, came for
ward with his mother, Mrs.
Ralph Kellett Sr., and his wife,
Aleta, and children, along with
a sister and nephew, for the
swearing in ceremony behind
the judge’s bench. He was also
accon:f;amed by his pastor, the
Rev. Jimmy Bryant of South
see RALPH KELLETT, page 14-A
Patriot ex%:sions, Dhahran wasn't heavily damaged. Her
base was the first fired on by the Iraqis at the start of the
air war. ‘I didn't see that much damage in the City of
Dhahran,” she said. “‘I saw a little but it wasn't much.”
One teacher wanted to know if Sgt. Mortier had time to
shop while in Dhahran. But she was restricted to the base;
because of Saudi customs against women appearing in public
without being covered head to toe, it wouldn't have been possi
ble f(()ir her to “‘shop’ in the traditional sense of the wors, she
noted.
In response to questions from the students, Sgt. Mortier
said she saw ‘‘a few"’ camels. ““It’s hot,” she said, noting that
the arid region is mostlz sang witl}: a few palm trees.”
SGT. MORTIER passed around Saudi cash. Each riyal is
equivalent to about $3 U. S. dollars, she explained. Each multi
colored bill featured the likeness of Saudi King Fahd. ‘lt kind
of reminds you of Monopoly money,” she said.
She hadn’t received ;fi) her mail, including letters from the
Pennville students, when she left Dhahran on Feb. 19, Sgt.
Mortier said. ‘“There was so much mail there wasn't enough
aersonnel to take care of it,”” she said. The number of
hristmas packages added to the load, she said. *‘Your let
ters are getting there,” she said. “‘lt just takes awhile.”
One warehouse the size of a football field was stacked full
of mail to be distribute(l, Sgt‘.: Mox;tier added.
HER UNIT WAS involved in unloading some 200 ships
full of tanks, ammunition, trucks and other supplies for use
by the 540,000 troops in Saudi Arabia, she said.
Her father was the long-time band director at West Rome
High School, she said, and she entered Berry College to ma-
Jor in music. “'I guess I wasn't ready for college,”” she grinn
ed, so she‘joineg‘tl:he Army. Her parents didn’t think she'd
last in the Army, Sgt. Mortier saié), because ‘‘l didn’t like for
anyone to tell me what to do, how to do it, or where to
go . .. but I fooled them; I m;ade i&."
THE HARDEST part is not being able.to be with her fami
ly very often. She couldn’t celebrate Christmas so her parents
left up their tree and she enjoyed a belated holiday with them
on Sunday, March 3. “‘I had a tree and everything. Mother
kept the tree up the whole time I was gone.” :
Approximately 20 members of the Pennville class indicated
see VETERAN, page 10-A
Questions On Prom,
Coaches Face Board
Reasons For Resignations Requested
By BUDDY ROBERTS
Associate News Editor
One parent of a Chattooga
High School (CHS) student
registered complaints to the
Chattooga Board of Education
on Mongay about the cost for
students to attend the school's
annual junior-senior prom.
- And another questioned the
reasons behind the resigna
tions of three CHS coaches.
William Humphrey told the
board that he wanted “‘to get
to the bottom of how the prices
for prom tickets came to be,”
citin%)e the fprice of $42 for
members of the junior class
who did not meet a fund
raising quota.
The matter was discussed
by Humphrey, the board, a
Trion resident, and a teacher
and student who attended the
meeting.
“Forty-two dollars is ‘Fret
(ti}i'nsteep,” Humphrey said, ad
%’that he was not concern
ed about his own child, but for
;%ose who may not be able to
ord to attend the prom. *‘l
paid the $42 for mine to go,” he
told the board.
MAGAZINES
Expenses related to the
prom are defrayed bi; a
magazine sales campaign held
each year by the junior class.
Junior class sponsors, two
students from each junior
homeroom, and magazine sales
representatives determine in
the fall how much profit will be
made from the sa.fias, and how
much each student must sell to
attend the prom free of charge.
The price of admission is bas
ed on those determinations and
estimated expenses.
Students who do not sell
magazines, must pay the full
admission price, and those who
sell less than the quota, must
pay the balance of what was
not sold, said teacher Wylene
Selman. . s :
“So 20 kids, 15, 16 and
17-year-old, set this up so kids
who don’t have $42 can't go,”
Humphrey said. Mrs. Selman
repeated that the price is deter
mined by teachers and the
sales representatives. She said
that proms usually cost several
thousand dollars, and fees are
required because ‘‘there are
some students who sell and
make all the money for
everybody.”
Building Codes Awaited
Commissioner Reviews Enforcement Issue
Building codes for the incor
porated and unincorporated
areas of Chattooga County
that will go in effect
automatically on Oct. 1 are be
ing studied to determine if a
local enforcement mechanism
will be established.
Jim Parker, Chattooga
commissioner, said Tuesday
that he and William Hgden,
county attorney, are studying
the 1989 legislative act that set
up the statewide building
codes. : oy
If an enforcement provision
is adopted locally, Parker said,
he feqf)s_ it would be wise to set
up a joint inspection program
with Summerville, Trion, Lyer
ly and Menlo, rather than each
government establishing a
separate mechanism.
1989 REPORT
The uniform codes were
first featured in a report by
The Summerville News on Ju
l&' 27, 1989. The Georgia
eneral Assembly that spring
mandated the statewide codes.
Burglaries Probed
--See Page 14-A
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_ Staff Photo
SGT. RHONDA MORTIER SPEAKS
Addresses Pennville Students
Humphrey said that other
obligations ~may have
grgvented some I‘luniors from
eing able to sell magazines.
“What about those students
who leave school and go to
work until nine o'clock at
night?”’ he asked.
“They have jobs, so they
gafiéheir way,” answered Mrs.
elman.
He again said that $42 is an
expensive price. “‘lt's
outrageous,”’ said Lewis
Strange, Trion and Atlanta.
“It eliminates the riff-raff.”
Sen. Waymond “‘Sonny” Hug
%ins and then-Rep. John
rawford voted for the
provisions.
Contractors and builders
will be obligated after Oct. 1 to
build in compliance with the
codes in Chattooga County,
regardless of whether the coun
ty adopts any local regulations
or permitting system. At this
time, onldy the City of Summer
ville and the Town of Trion
have builv:l.ifil codes. Neither
town has a full-time inspector.
The 1989 legislation
authorizes counties and cities
to adopt regulations for enfor
cing the seven mandatory
buifding codes. But they aren’t
required to set up an enforce
ment program.
It appears, however, that a
builder or contractor is liable
for his failure to comply with
the state standards and a pro
gerty owner Oor consumer may
ring legal action against a
builger for damages or losses
caused by substandard
construction.
STILL
ONLY
25¢
Humphrey also indicated
that many students were
unaware of the fee required for
not selling magazines. Answer
ing a question from
Superintendent Don Hayes,
student Jason Espy said that
the arrangement was explain
ed and announced ‘“‘two or
three times” on the school's
daily student-produced televi
sion program, *‘Good Morning,
Chattooga.” Espy is a member
of the school’s broadcast jour
nalism staff.
see QUESTIONS, page 11-A
CONTROVERSIAL
Building codes and zoning
have traditionally been con
troversial topics in mostly
rural areas such as Chattooga
County. However, the state
has mandated that codes will
go in effect statewide in Oc
tober. The legislature through
the Growth Strategies Com
mission legislation, will also re
quire counties to set up zoning,
also sometimes referred to as
“land use planning.”
The standard codes that
will go in effect in the fall, 1991
include: Standard Building
Code, Standard Gas Code,
Standard Mechanical Code,
Standard Plumbini Code or
Georgia State Plumbing Code,
National Electrical Code,
CABO Oneand-Two-Family
Dwelling Code (excluding its
Elumbjng provisions) and the
eorfa tate Energy Code for
Builders.
Optional codes that coun
ties and cities are authorized to
adopt include the Standard
see BUILDING, page 10-A