Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Viewpoints Our Opinions Police research is definitely warranted Our local police department is currently researching the law to see if an individual who rents a vehicle that is then involved in the commission a crime can be prosecuted even though they did not commit the crime. This research of our local law enforcement stems from an event last weekend where four males from the area assaulted an off duty New York police officer. An individual, yet to be identified, who was not arrested for the aggravated assault reportedly rented the car the males drove to New York. We fed that such a law, if it doesn't already, should exist If an individual rents a car knowing it will be used in the commission of a crime, that is withholding evidence and allowing a crime to occur. Fbr a person to ignore the fact they know a crime is going to happen, especially when it could cost lives, as this one did (one of die youths was killed), is just as bad as committing the crime. Support should be shown by community There is an effort that has been underway for some time now to persuade the Houston County Board of Education to locate a new middle school in Perry. This is not an unwarranted plea. Records on attendance at each school in the county shows Perry Middle School is overcrowded. Visiting the facility only proves this-there seems to be as much classroom space in portable buildings as there is in the original school structure. The school board just approved two new school sites, one in Bonaire and one in Warner Robins, which will not lessen the overcrowding at Perry Middle enough to notice. Superintendent Tony Hinnant has said more than once that he believes schools should be built where growth is evident But the recent growth on Highway 96 occurred because schools were built in that area. We feel Perry has shown enough growth to warrant a new middle school, but all the school board has said we'll get is an addition of less than one dozen classrooms, and that is not supposed to happen for at least another year. Join this group of citizens and Save Our Students-let your local school board know that Perry won't stand for being overlooked! Deadlines For Submitting New Articles and Photographs 5 pm Monday For Wednesday Edition 5 pm Thursday for Friday Edition *76e ‘ityou&t&K tinted,-foun*uit 'TiJelc/mtcd tycuvi Aetten *7o *76e ScUto*. Pteo&e /4cCcotedd *76e*K: Editor Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M Perry, GA, 31069 Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association a*. tit*- aa tiv«. Afieccß* an, tile- pa«44* an, tiL, til*. p*ap£*. to, aAA*#nil£** an<L to, p«iilcon. tX«, @a^«nnm«/vt|an-a, nedann, a^^ni«^<wvcA^ Your right to rood this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Our Goal The Houeton Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc.,Perry Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication towards printing the truth. Bob Tribble President Our Staff Brigette Loudermilk Editor and General Manager Eddie Byrd Advertising Director News: Brenda Thompson, Pauline Lewis, Bill Overton Advertising:Teresa M. Gailan Classified Advertising: Melanie Bullington Bookkeeping: Judy Hubert Circulation: Donnie Forehand Our Policies •Signed Letters to the editor welcomed. Please limit to 300 words and include address and phone number. •Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. •We cannot be responsible for return of pictures or material unless stamped return addressed envelope is included. The Houston Times-Journal (USPS 000471) is published semi-weekly for SIB.OO per year by Houston Publications, Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry, Ga. 31 069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga.,POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M.PerryGa. 31 069 Daniel F. Evans Vice-President Julie B. Evans Treasurer Legalizing Drugs Is Far From Rational Answer U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elder has on at least two occasions proposed publicly that we should legalize drugs in this country. "Ido feel that we would markedly reduce our crime rate if drugs were legalized," she said. No doubt the crime rate would be reduced if drugs were made legal because people would no longer be arrested for possession, using and engaging in the sale of drugs. We could reduce the crime rates even further by making rape, robbery and murder legal, if reducing the crime rate is really what is at stake here. Police estimate that up to 70 percent of certain crimes are drug related. The Surgeon General says we can reduce these crimes also because most of them are committed in order to raise revenue to purchase drugs. She says if drugs were legal, prices would fall and the everyday working man could afford them, therefore he iiipi & - 'HHL# f. f 3 * " ■■■■ TtßEmmKT't ' ' JB L~g Perry Scrapbook The Perry Garden Club announced their new officer for 1970 during the month of March. The officers pictured Include Mrs. Gardner Watson, left, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Paschal Muse, recording secretary; Mrs. Henry Matthews, treasurer; Mrs. Yates Green, vice president; and Mrs. Martin Austin, president. STREET TALK: The recent decision by officials of the Atlanta-Fuiton County Stadium not to fly the Georgia State Flag during the upcoming Atlanta Braves season has left some Ge orgians applauding and others simply appalled. This week, we asked local resi dents what they think of the stadium board’s decision? J I A t « ■Kilt;. to! pi? HB\ j§WH I m K. M|§:;v Bernard Dixon "I think it’s alright that they decided not to fly the flag. It was their decision to make.” 'Jkjl w|9j^ LaTanya Hubbard "I recently moved here from California, so it doesn’t really matter to me. However, if I had to decide, I’d probably lean toward taking it down be cause of the racial back ground it stands for." wouldn't have to steal, assault, mug or murder a person to get the money to buy drugs with. Hogwash...most constant drug users I know or have heard about are not able to hold down a job in the first place. Elder says if drugs were made legal, then those who sell and distribute them would not make the big money anymore and would return to the work force. In other words, when there is a big difference between what one can earn by holding down a 40 hour week job and what they can earn through criminal activity (such as selling drugs), more people will move into criminal endeavors. Rational thinking to legalize drugs so folks can't make the big money selling them? Not from where I sit. Some feel that President Bill Clinton, or someone close to him, set up Elder's controversy w Bobby Tuggle "If we take down the state flag, we need to take down the American Flag, too. It flew over slavery for more than 200 years and over the degradation of the American Indian even longer-in fact, the latter is still going on.” : •%■ -Ir^‘‘ Robert Lucky “I’ve got friends on both sides of the issue and I’d rather not comment.” Houston Times-Journal Page 4A - Saturday, March 5,1994 "Houston Times-Journal concerning drug legalization as a trial balloon. When the cry went up after her proposal, Clinton had little to say other than it wasn’t the administration's position and she was speaking as an individual. As Claude Lewis said, "a sitting surgeon general is hardly an 'individual'." When speaking of Elder we need to remember she has a long history of controversy all the way back to when she served as Arkansas Health Commissioner. Over the years she has shown enthusiasm for condom distribution most anywhere and very early sex education. She says that violence in America can be effectively addressed by thinking of violence as a public health problem, and that parents should not buy toy guns for their children. Legalization is not the solution. It would only increase the number of addicts, with large numbers of people who do not use drugs now IK. lUmt, Wf Tjpfc WK...... jma iwSßfelk -k, IWte MMmm M i® ; Mike ingersoll "I’m appalled by it myself. If one stadium pulls the flag, I think it’ll open the door for anyone or any business that doesn’t like it to do likewise. I think Rick Knight of WDEN had a good idea-take your own flag to the stadium." Wm*' WMdß&>- ■, :#■ : J&M-iwM'Jp&r ■■ JflF .if k. h' % / Brian Blango "There’s nothing wrong with the flag. They should keep it up. Every other state has their flags flying, so why shouldn’t Geor gia?” I TObble I trying them because they were legal. Some alcoholics would simply trade one bad addiction for another one much worse. Finally, the last thing we need is further moral decay in this country. We don't need additional society dropouts, unproductive citizens, longer unemployment or welfare lines. And that is exactly what we will get if drugs are made legal. We cannot afford to take the risk associated with Elder's careless speculation. Brenda L jr ; Thompson! |H ji Staff writer f Ms. Kerrigan: Ice Skater Or Ice Queen? It’s a good thing Nancy Kerrigan kept her mouth shut before her per formance at the Olympics last week. It’s just too bad she hasn’t kept it shut since then. Ever since losing the gold medal to the Ukrainian skater, Oksana Baiul, Nancy has been heard to say some very unsportsmanlike things. She’s coming off as a very sore loser and is fast confirming herself as the prissy, conceited little snob that my own gut instinct told me she was in the first place. So, just what is it that she’s said that has my feathers—as well as the feathers of millions of American supporters-so ruffled? Well, for starters, just minutes after the Ukrainian skater had edged her for the gold medal in Olympic competitions, and, after being mistakenly told that the medal ceremony had been delayed because Baiul was redoing her make-up, Kerrigan was heard on television as saying: Oh, come on. So she’s going to get out here and cry again. What’s the difference?” Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Miss Kerrigan spent the next few days telling interviewers that she had skated flawlessly, but that Baiul had not-publicly questioning the judges for not deducting points for her rival’s mistakes. Now, now, Nancy, if that’s not poor sportsmanship, I don’t know what is. What happened to congrat ulating the winner? What happened to the true Olympic spirit everyone has been talking so much about and accusing rival Tonya Harding of being without ever since that little knee bashing episode initiated by her ex-husband? And, Nancy, what about your ac tions since the Olympics-actions that have, in my opinion, spoken even louder than your actual words. Leaving Norway early and skip ping the Closing Ceremonies to at tend a parade at Disney World was really not a smart thing to do. Especially considering that most everyone knows that Disney offered to hold the parade another day. I see that as nothing less than a serious marketing blunder-a blun der magnified ten-fold when that television station broadcast a video tape of you sitting next to a Mickey Mouse character in a Dis ney World parade and saying: “This is so corny. This is so dumb. I hate it. This is the most corny thing I’ve ever done.” Well, Nancy, if I were Disney World, I would fire you. I wouldn’t want you representing my business and making the sort of snide com ments that have frequented your lips lately. You, the same person that before and during the Olympics enjoyed near universal support. I mean, hey, Nancy, most pf the world saw you as an “All American Princess”. You had a great image be it real or perceived-to build upon, and, in just a few short days, you’ve ruined it My advice to you? Please see THOMPSON, page 5A t