Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 56
Georgias Peanut
Industry Affected
By Amendment 13
Constitutional Amendment 13,
which will be voted on November
3, may give Georgia’s peanut
industry an equal break with the
industry in other states.
The amendment, if passed,
would exempt peanuts grown in
Georgia and temporarily stored
in licensed or bonded warehouses
from all ad valorem taxation.
All states bordering Georgia,
as well as other major peanut
producing states in the nation,
provide exemptions in some form
for peanut inventories.
And in Georgia, except in iso
lated cases and in token degree,
the tax has not been applied in
the past to shelters ’ or ware
housemen’s inventories. Other
wise, say peanut leaders, the
industry here could not have
advanced to its present status
of No. 1 row crop in the state
and a major contributor to the
economy.
Virtually all Georgia peanuts
going to the edible trade are
held in storage on January 1,
and are thus subject to the tax
if it is imposed.
Based on an average value of
$255 per ton, a 40 percent assess
ment value and a 25-mill tax
rate, the tax on farmers’ un
shelled peanuts would be about
$2.50 a ton. On a shelled basis
the tax would amount to about
one-fourth cent per pound for
marketable peanuts.
Georgia peanut industry lead
ers say there is not an end-user
in the United States who would
pay one-fourth cent per pound
more for peanuts just because
they were grown in Georgia.
Some agribusinessmen believe
that peanuts taxed in Georgia
would be moved to tax-exempt
states for storing and processing
there. They say that what Georgia
needs is further secondary
processing “at home’’ in order
to make a greater contribution
to the state's total economy.
Amendment 13 is an outgrowth
of work done by the Southeastern
Peanut Association's special
committee on Georgia ad valorem
tax on peanut inventories. Clar
ence Parker, state repre
sentative from Sumter County',
introduced a resolution in the
Georgia House to amend the
Constitution whereby peanut in
ventories would be exempt from
ad valorem taxes. The resolution
passed the House unanimously
and was approved in the Senate
with one dissenting vote.
Constitutional
Amendment No. 8
The Georgia Hospital Associ
ation today urged all Georgians
to vote “'FS” for Constitutional
Amendt No. 8 which will
appear the November 3 gen
eral election ballot, throughout
Georg .
Th nendment will clarify
the iption of non-profit
hospitals ad nursing homes from
ad valorem taxation.
The institutions traditionally'
have been exempt from property
taxes by city and county juris
dictions in Georgia, but Amend
ment No. 8 will spell out the
exemption clearly.
Affected are some 24 non
profit hospitals and five non
profit nursing homes in Georgia,
most of them sponsored by our
churches. Baptist, Methodist,
Catholic and Seven-Day Ad
ventist are among the churches
that sponsor health care insti
tutions in the state.
Glenn M. Hogan, GHA execu
tive director, noted, “Most of
Georgia’s community hospitals
are operated by public hospital
authorities and therefore have
complete exemption from ad
valorem taxes and practically
all other forms of taxation.
“Our church-sponsored in
stitutions operate in many of the
same communities as the public
hospitals and serve the general
public in the same manor. They
therefore deserve the same types
of tax exemption as do the com
munity hospitals that are
supported by cities and counties.
Otherwise, a property tax on
these hospitals would in essence
be a tax on the sick, averaging
about $1.50 per day for most
patients.
Wheeler County Eagle
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SIX FLAGS GETS AW ARD: Six Flags Over Georgia was one of sixteen recipients of a Discover
America Travel Organization award presented at the recent U.S. Travel Conference held in San
Diego, Calif. Spurgeon Richardson. Six Flags Over Georgia public relations and advertising
director, (c), accepts award from Robert J. Sullivan chairman of the DATO Awards Committee
and Robley L. Mangold (1) newly elected chairman of the board ot DAIO Six Flags Over Georgia
received the award for their creative, innovative and multi-faceted merchandising and public
relations campaigns, which have been overwhelmingly successful in promoting travel and attracting
visitors to Six Flags.
Hot Battle For
Top Senate Post
Is Being Waged
The powerful post of president
pro tern of the Georgia Senate
is up for grabs. At least three
senators currently' are actively
seeking it, and a fourth says he
would accept the post if it is
offered to him.
Democratic legislators have
scheduled party caucuses Nov.
5 to select new floor leaders,
but by far the most hotly con
tested race likely will be in the
Senate where Sen. Hugh Gillis
of Soperton is seeking to return
as president pro tern.
Gillis, son of State Highway
Director Jim Gillis, is being
opposed by Senators Robert
Smalley of Griffin and Harry
Jacks on of Columbus.
At the same time, Sen. Frank
Coggin of Hapeville has said he
would accept a draft for the
position if it would prevent an
internal split in the Democratic
leadership.
“I would serve at the wishes
of the Senate,” said Sen. Coggin
who is the Senate floor leader
for Gov. Lester G. Maddox.
The caucuses will be held less
than 24 hours after the polls
close in the Nov. 3 general elec
tion. Democrats in the Senate
will meet at 11 a.m. Nov. 5,
and House Democrats have sche
duled a 2 p.m. meeting the same
day.
Light but tough—that’s
wood. Pound for pound, wood
has a tensile strength equal to
that of steel. And wood
doesn’t lose strength in ex
tremely low temperatures. In
fact, it is stronger at 300
degrees below zero than it is at
70 degrees above zero.
Ray Has Collected
$12,000,000 Interest
AUGUSTA. GA. (PRN)
State Treasurer Jack B. Ray
said today that the Treasurers
office collected $3,751,305 m
interest on state deposits last
year, bringing to almost sl2
million the amount collected
since he became Treasurer.
“This is substantially all the
interest collected from
deposits by the Treasurer’s
’ Office in the entire state
JACK B RAY
history,”
[ Mr. Ray
. told a
I group of
newsmen in
Augusta.
The
veteran
state offi
, cial is run
ning for his
third full
term as Treasurer. He was
appointed to the office by
: Governor Ernest Vandiver in
■ 1961 to fill an unexpired
1 term. He was elected to a full
; term in 1962 and re-elected in
I 1966.
t Discussing the need for
fiscal responsibility in state
ALAMO, WHEELER COUNTY, GEORGIA 30411 - BOX 385
Alpha Omega
Chapter Hears
Os European Trip
Mrs. Annie Mary Hopkins of
Alamo, shared her trip to Europe
with members of the Alpha Omega
chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma
Thursday night. The highlight
of her trip was the Passion
Play in Omerammergau, Ger
many. Mrs. Hopkins used slides,
pictures and artifacts to add
interest to her report.
Mrs. Hazel Joyce presided
over the meeting which was held
at the Southern Case in Vidalia.
The chapter voted to name its
scholarship fund in memory of
Mrs. Mary Lillian Ridley, a
member who passed away last
year.
Mobile Comfort
Five new mobile comfort sta
tions are being installed in Geor
gia’s state parks, it was an
nounced by State Parks Director
John L. Gordon.
Three already are in use at
High Falls Park, near Jackson,-
and at a day-use (picnic) park
area in Hawkinsville. The other
two units are awaiting delivery
to state parks day-use areas
where the increased number of
visitors has resulted in restroom
and shower congestion.
The comfort stations, the first
mobile-type conveniences added
to state park facilities, contain
six lavatories, six water closets,
and four hot and cold water
shower stalls, it was pointed out.
The units have proved both
economical and useful where the
number of park visitors is soar
ing, Gordon said. The new facil
ities also are easy to maintain
government, Mr. Ray said
Georgia can and should
operate on a pay-as-you-go
basis in providing the
progressive programs the state
needs.
He said a constitutional
amendment is needed to limit
the amount of budget
appropriations in any year to
the actual revenue collected in
the immediately preceding
fiscal year.
“I believe limiting the
budget would keep our state
sound and strong,” he said. “It
would also be one more
guarantee against any
possibility of deficit spending
programs.”
Before becoming Treasurer,
Mr. Ray was a member of the
State Legislature for 19 years,
and served as chairman of
both the Appropriations
Committee and the Ways and
Means Committee. He is a
long-time advocate of fiscal
responsibility in state
government, and was a leader
in the move to create a more
independent General
Assembly.
Wheeler County
School Library
Committee Meets
The Wheeler County School
Library Committee held the first
meeting of the 1970-71 school
year recently to discuss
problems common to the four
school libraries in the county.
The items for consideration were
policies of selection and pro
cedures for the circulation of
materials.
It is anticipated that through
the committee, representing al)
areas of the school, there will
be better understanding of the
needs of teachers in their use
of materials, and of the prob
lems involved in providing good
library services. To accomplish
this committee members were
as ked to bring to the next meet
ing the feelings of the faculty.
In their discussion members
were in agreement on the fol
lowing:
—quality library service is
a necessity in providing quality
education
—Learning is affected by
many factors, one of which is
the planned use of many
materials, both print and non
print
—students need many books,
films, recordings, pictures,
slides, transparencies and other
media to supplement their text
books, which are only guides to
further investigation where each
can pursue his special needs
and interests.
—this way of teaching and
learning requires an effective
school library for the storage.
Use and circulation of all types
of materials.
The appointment of a library
committee is an important step
toward the realization of the
school’s goal; providing mean
ingful learning experiences for
students.
Serving on the committee are
the following: Mrs. Margaret
Johnson, Mrs. Eunice McNeal,
Jim Mullins, Norman Jarrard,
Ted Morrison, Tim Curry, Mrs.
Mary Lord, Mrs. Berthalene
Harvey, Mrs. Mattie Sue Hinson,
Mrs. Eleanor Spearman, Mrs.
Jim Mullins, Miss Julia Wright
and Mrs. Barbara Moore.
Wheeler Co. P.T.A.
Halloween Carnival
Saturday, Oct. 31
The Wheeler County PTA will
sponsor a Halloween Carnival
on Saturday evening, October 31,
from 6:00 o’clock until 9:00 o’-
clock at the Wheeler County High
School, Alamo.
There will be a concession
stand and a bake sale. Get your
week end cakes, pies and candies
at the carnival.
Georgia has 26 million acres
of forestland. This land pro
vides raw materials for an
industry whose products are
valued at more than SI billion
annually. The forest industry is
Georgia’s second largest,
behind textiles and textile
manufacturing.
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 1970
Tax Lien Against
Atlantans For
Marijuana
The Internal Revenue Service
confirmed today that four
Atlantans recently arrested by
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
for possession of over 3,300
pounds of marijuana have now
had Federal tax liens filed against
them amounting to $5,290,000.
Based on information furnished
by the GBI, IRS filed liens against
Richard F. Dimarzo, Fred C.
Hornsby, Lawrence Allen Reg
ister, all of Atlanta; and Howard
William Sherman of Decatur.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
imposed an excise levy of SIOO
for the illegal possession of each
ounce or fraction of an ounce of
marijuana. This is perhaps the
highest levy in existence. Each
possessor is liable to Uncle Sam
for this tax in addition to what
ever penalty and fine the judge
may give.
The collection of marijuana
tax is stringently enforced. If
the possessor is a person with
out funds or job, the tax bill
will remain dormantbutcollecti
ble for as long as six years
during which time close, periodic
checks are made as to a change
in ability to pay. If judgment is
secured in a federal court of
law, the six year limitation for
collection is removed and there
is no limit in the length of time
collection of the tax can be en
forced.
American Educ.
Jack P. Nix, State Superinten
dent of Schools, today urged
Georgians to make plans to visit
their schools during American
Education Week October 25-31.
“Public education in Georgia
lias made more progress during
die decade of the sixties than
at any other time, but we still
have a long way to go,’’ he said.
“This year we are celebrating
100 years of public education in
Georgia and we will be recogniz
ing this momentous occasion
throughout the year with special
events and programs highlighting
the outstanding periods in Geor
gia education,” said Nix.
Last year there were 1,220,855
children enrolled in 1,881 schools
in 190 local systems. The state
allotted over 38,000 teachers to
educate these children and the
local systems hired nearly 3,600
additional teachers tosupplement
and increase the teaching poten
tial of their staffs. “The qualified
teacher is the most important
asset to public education and
must be paid for his worth on a
level equal or tetter than other
professional jobs that require
similar background, education
and experience,” Nix said.
Georgia has a salary schedule
for teachers that begins at $5,-
600 for a professionally qualified
teacher who has completed four
years of college. The average
salary for all teachers during
the 1970-71 school year is $7,-
370.
Diverted Acres May
Now Be Grazed
Grazing on acreage diverted
under the 1970 feed grain and
wheat program is now permitted,
according to Gene Harris, Chair
man of the Wheeler County Agri
cultural Stabilization Conser
vation ASC Committee.
At the same time, he pointed
out to farmers that no grazing
is permitted on acreage still
under contract in long-term land
retirement programs, except in
counties designated for emer
gency assistance because of
natural disaster.
Today’s announcement affects
only livestock grazing operations
on land diverted under the 1970
feed grain and wheat programs.
No diverted acreage may be
harvested, again with the excep
tion of those counties designated
for the emergency programs be
cause of natural disaster.
Diverted acreage is land set
aside from 1970 crop production
by farmers participating in the
wheat and feed grain programs.
Diverted acreage must be kept
in conserving uses, which, among
other provisions, means no live
stock may graze during the grow
ing season.
fluto Traffic Wrecks Kill
People On Wholesale Plan
Traffic accidents are respon
sible for killing people on Geor
gia’s highways and streets on
wholesale terms.
Proof of this is found in a
State Patrol statistical report
released by Col. R. H. Burson,
director of the Georgia Depart
ment of Public Safety.
For example, multiple-death
accidents (wrecks in which two
or more persons are kilted in a
single accident) claimed the lives
of 389 persons in 158 such acci
dents during the first nine months
of 1970.
This represents 29 per cent
of Georgia’s traffic death toll
during the 9-month period when
Confed. Prison
The Confederate prison at
Andersonville, has been added
to the National Park system as
a National Historic site in bill
just signed by President Richard
M. Nixon.
The site will consist of 495
acres, including the federally
owned prison park and the Ander
sonville cemetery. Expenditures
of $362,200 are provided to
acquire private lands connecting
the two areas and another sl,-
605,000 for visitor facility
development.
The prison held some 50,000
Union prisoners during the War
Between the States in a 28-acre
stockade. Approximately 11,000
of them died from disease and
malnutrition, according to the
records.
,^X
AY 1
J ■
Il I
JjtuU
Shown above, Mrs, David Williams, Chairman of Wheeler
County March of Dimes (on left) and Kathy Spires before leaving
for the National Institute of Health at Bethesda, Md.
Kathy Spires Seeks Help From
Crippling Disease At Bethesda, Md.
By Normalene Hartley
Kathy Spires, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. W. J. Spires of Mcßae,
is at the National Institute of
Health at Bethesda, Md., seeking
at least a name for the disease
that has crippled her since birth.
Nine year old Kathy stood on
her feet only a short while when
she first learned to walk as a
baby. Then the muscles in her
legs gradually collapsed until
she could not stand at all. As
she grew older and the disease
progressed, it became necessary
for her to use a wheel chair.
Doctors from around the state
have been unable to diagnose the
case. The symptoms are similar
to several of the muscular dis
eases but her case history does
not fit any one disease. Many
doctors at several hospitals have
studied the case but the general
conclusion is that it is either a
new disease or one that is ex
tremely rare.
Meanwhile, Kathy’s muscles
slowly but progressively give
way to the disease. Beginning in
her tegs and moving upward,
the muscles of her stomach and
chest yielded. Her spine is af
fected also. For a white she
wore a plastic cast to hold up
the trunk of her body but it
became so uncomfortable she
had to discard it.
Although she does experience
some discomfort, Kathy is not
in severe pain. Mrs. Spires says
she never complains but simply
asks for her medicine.
SINGLE COPY 5C
1,344 fatalities were recorded
as the result of auto-truck ac
cidents.
The worst multiple-death type
accident claimed the lives of
nine persons. In another single
accident of this type six persons
were kilted.
The scoreboard of other multi
fatal accidents reads like this:
Four accidents caused the
death of five persons in each
mishap —a total of 20 fatalities.
In 12 crashes, four individuals
lost their lives in each —a
total of 48.
In 26 other accidents, three
deaths resulted in each —a
total of 78.
There were 114 accidents in
which two persons hadtheir lives
snuffed out in each —a total of
228.
This violent type of traffic
accident that liquidates two or
more persons in a single crash
is largely responsible for Geor
gia’s high traffic death toll, in
the opinion of state public safety
officials.
“This is wholesale slaughter
of human lives and there is
absolutely no justification for
it,” declared Col. Burson.
“Speeding, which results in head
on collisions, running off the
road and other explosive crashes,
is a leading cause of these tragic
accidents.
“One of the saddest aspects
of this situation is the fact that
many of these people involved
are the innocent victims of a
rash act on the part of a thought
less, foolhardy driver. Until the
She attended school for two
years but it became too stren
uous for her and she had to drop
out. Her education has continued
however by means of television
; and home study. She reads well
and enjoys it.
Kathy spends much of her time
। watching television. And she es
pecially enjoys embroidery. Part
of her time is spent working
with puzzles or, in little girl
fashion, playing with dolls. How
ever, as the disease progresses,
she tires easily and has to rest
often.
Her parents try to treat Kathy
as normal as possible. Her seven
year old brother, James, is good
to her and helps keep her com
pany.
The Spires family live ..st
inside Wheeler County near Mc
। Rae. They operate a fruit '-’and
I at the junction of Highway?. 280
. and 441.
Kathy’s medical expenses at
the Institute are free and they
are receiving financial assis
i tance from the Wheeler and Tel
i fair County chapters of the March
of Dimes for their plane fares
I and for her mother’s expenses
white they are in Bethesda.
: Although they have had andare
> receiving assistance from these
t agencies, the expenses havecon
s tinued to mount. A special fund
has been established for Kathy
: at the Wheeler County State Bank
t in Alamo. Contributions may be
i sent to: The Kathy Spires Fund,
' % Wheeler County State Bank,
Alamo, Ga.
NUMBER 30
individual driver — every one
of them — makes up his mind
to obey our traffic laws, and to
drive carefully and sensibly at
all times, these needless killings
will continue.
‘‘We of the State Patrol, work
ing day and night, will continue
to do everything within our power
and resources to reverse this
trend. But, in the final analysis,
it is squarely up to the drivers
themselves to put a stop to it.
We implore them to do it — and
do it immediately.”
Rev. William Key
Revival Minister
At Alamo Baptist
fll
fl
^^x
Rev. William L. Key, pastor
Green Acres Baptist Church
jf Warner Robins, will preach
it revival and evangelistic ser
vices to begin Sunday, November
1, at Alamo Baptist Church. Mr.
Key is a graduate of Norman
College and Mercer University.
He also studied at Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary.
Raymaid G. Johnson, pastor of
the Alamo church, states that
Bro. Key is a warm hearted
Gospel preacher whose ministry
at Green Acres has been richly
blessed.
The special revival emphasis
begins with Sunday School this
Sunday at 10 a.m. when a high
attendance is anticipated. At the
11 a.m. worship service the
pastor will preach and the visiting
evangelist will begin his ministry
at the 7:30 p.m. service. Ser
vices will continue throughout
the week at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30
p.m. Provision will be made in
the nursery for the tiny tots at
all services.
The music during the revival
will be under the direction of
Arthur Waite, Minister of Music
at First Baptist Church, East
man, with Mrs. William Sightler
and Miss Jennifer Fulford ac
companying. The church choir
will sing at all services. Bro.
William Key will deliver his
final message of the series on
Sunday morning, November 8,
at the morning service.
loans Available
To Veterans
Veterans holding GI Life In
surance Policies may use those
policies to secure loans. Georgia
Veterans Service Director Pete
Wheeler said. "Veterans may
borrow up to 94 per cent of the
cash value of their GI insurance
policies. Even though borrowing
on the insurance will reduce the
total amount of protection due
the policy-holder, the policy will
remain in force.” Wheeler did
add a word of caution. He said,
“Veterans should remember that
protection ceases once a policy
is surrendered for cash, and it
cannot be renewed nor re
instated.”
Interest on loans made on GI
■ insurance policies is 4 per cent
on the unpaid balance. Payments
on the principal sum may be
made in the amount of $5.00
or any multiple thereof, and at
any time prior to the expiration
date for payment of premiums.