Houston times-journal. (Perry, Ga.) 1994-1999, March 23, 1994, Page page 4A, Image 4
Viewpoints Our Opinions There's A Lesson When Chicagoans voted to send Rep. Dan Rostenkowski back to congress, despite his involvement in the House Post Office scandal, it emphasized a lesson all smart politicians know. If you want to stay in congress the important thing is whether you bring home the pork, which Rostenkowski does in a big way...not what kind of person you are. Politicians who try to take the high road and overlook the fact their constituents care only for what is done for them don't last long in Washington...or Atlanta. Just For Some The Georgia Legislature changed election laws so that some state officials can be elected in general elections without receiving more than SO percent of thevotes. With 45 percent of the votes the governor, lieutenant governor and U.S. senators can be elected. Democrats, who control the legislature, remember that Wyche Fowler would be a senator today if there had not been a runoff...So they are protecting their own... Major reason being given for this change is to save taxpayers money by avoiding a runoff election. But nothing was done about the primaries, which still require more than SO percent of the votes cast to win... And what about such constitutional officers as the Secretary of Agriculture and Attorney General who still must receive more than SO percent of the votes cast in a general election? No. 1 Problem What's the number one problem in our public schools today? We've talked to several teachers, principals, the school superintendent and the chairman of the board of education. The answer Discipline. And there is nothing they can do about it in today's environment. Asking some children to show respect, pay attention and stop annoying other children is a waste of time. Old timers know that spanking, paddling and other forms of corporal punishment were effective but any school official doing something like that today is committing professional suicide and probably would wind up in court being sued by parents who should have taught their offspring the proper way to act. In other words, discipline is the number one problem in the schools but parents create the problem. Contradictory Advice Did you hear what President Clinton told the Japanese? He told them they should reduce taxes to stimulate business and get the country out of a recession. He’s the same president who imposed the largest tax increase in history on the people of this country when business needed a stimulus. Wonder how much credibility his advice has with the Japanese. Deadlines For Submitting New Articles and Photographs 5 pm Monday For Wednesday Edition 5 pm Thursday for Friday Edition *76e ‘t&aod&ui 0 7i**te4rP<uin*t*l ‘WctauKet 'tyoun AeCC&t *7* Sdi&yi. Editor Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M Perry, GA, 31069 Houston Times-Joumal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association rruxiLt- rvo an. <v| <w tA* ejcAAciAe- cw ti\«- nv aA- tiv« (Vt i. peop£e to- nA4«m£t«, a/ui to pet-ctcon. tK « @ a\« 'fun«nt |o-a- a- 0«x1a««- <^a<a^o/vc«A< Your right to read this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Our Goal The Houston 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 Daniel F. Evans Julie B. Evans President Vice-President Treasurer Our Staff Brigette Loudermilk Editor and General Manager Mitch Tribble Eddie Byrd Secretary Advertising Director News: Brenda Thompson, Pauline Lewis Sports: Veto Roley Advertising. Teresa M. Gavilan Composition: Stacey Shy 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. 31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga.,POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M.PerryGa. 31069 Hard Work Is An Excellent Substitute For Ability I READ somewhere that this is music appreciation month. I appreciate music very much. But I do not have one iota of rythmn in my body. Nor can I approximate the sound of a musical note. It all goes back to my childhood. When I was in school we had a teacher who went around from class to class and taught us music once a week. I can't recall exactly what we did or what we had to learn, but I do recall that I made all A's in the course every year. My mother knew that I could not carry a note in a five gallon bucket, it bothered her that I always got these excellent grades. So one day she went to school and talked with our music teacher-Mrs. Maynard about it She asked how I could get all A's when I did not know one note from another and could not sing a note. Mrs. Maynard explained to her that she gave me those good grades for a very good reason—"he tries so hard." This taught me a lifelong lesson. If you try hard enough, regardless of your talents, there can be a reward. I have believed all these years that hard work is an excellent substitute VW£ GALLBFK'r \~7 \ WORRALL TO PALMISTS | fepif READ MV LIPS. \=5SSSjr it H M 0 FEE CHANGE, IT'S "TftyiWj ' f • NOT fN THE CfIR.ES. J | \. • P£D I\f I @ A\jMtA PH- iP^frrj Consolidation To Come Here, But In Small Bites Earlier this month Mayor Jim Worrall and Perry City Council members Charles Lewis and Hervia Ingram met with our state law makers in Atlanta to discuss consolidation. Consolidation, of course, is an issue that concerns every citizen in this county, whether you live in a rural area or developed city in Houston County. According to state lawmakers, it's coming, so we'd better get Your Opinion Recycling Does A City Good Dear Editor: Thank you-thank you. There is an ever increasing number of resident recyclers using the Perry drop-off location. Newspaper is the biggest item, but there is a lot of clear glass coming in too. Baby food jars are there by the hundreds. Babies must be eating well these days. Lots of cardboard too and steel food cans and aluminum drink cans. Happy Hour Workshop clients collect the materials every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Cardboard and newspapers are baled in their shop and solf to Macon markets. Glass and cans are sold loose in one yard boxes in either Warner Robins or Macon, depending on current prices. This is a win-win situation. Valuable recyclables are kept out of the waste stream and the landfill, and work and income is provided for the mentally handicapped Houston County citizens. The Perry City drop-off started in July 1993 and has been growing each month. It was around 20 tons a month at first and mostly newspapers from the previous site which was a Kiwanis project. Adding aluminum and steel cans and clear and colored glass has started to catch on and more people are rinsing out and saving these items for recycling. It really helps cut down on the garbage. Try it-youll like it. Now we are seeing almost 25 tons a month come through the drop-off recycling site. Still mostly newspaper and cardboard by weight, but all good. When you figure each ton kept out of the waste collection process t Houston Times-Journo! for ability and often produces better results. • • * WHEN I was about to graduate from high school and we were practicing the inevitable "Welcome sweet springtime" song Mrs. Maynard called my good friend Edward Lipford and me aside and asked us, "Do you two boys want to help make this graduation program a big success?" We both answered, "Yes." "Well," Mrs. Maynard told us, "both of you can make a big contribution by just moving your lips and not letting anything come out while the class is singing." We did just that and I am told that the program went over very nicely, indeed. It was many years later, after I was grown, that I told my mother about this incident I do not believe that she ever forgave Mrs. Maynard for saying (hat to her only son. Mothers are '.hat way. • • * BECAUSE my vocal chords will not...apparently cannot...produce one true note I enjoy the opportunity in church to sound off, because most of the people around ready. Consolidation will one day effect every area of government ser vice, from water services to recre ation to building codes. Worrall was pleased to report that consolidation will move for ward but will be "taken in small bites". Not only with this slow the pro cess down from what was originally thought, or intended, but it will "give the public confidence” that consolidation can and will work. Wednesday, March 23,1994 - me seem to have a similar problem, though not as noticeable. Of course, there has always been the solitude of the shower, where nobody hears my efforts to discover a talent that has escaped me all these years. For some reason, I sound pretty good to me in the isolation of the shower. But when I attempt to sing in the presence of others, something...actually every thing...seems to be missing. * * # FOR SOME reason, when Danny was a baby, he liked my attempts at singing. There was this song, "Davey Crockett, king of the wild frontier" that was the rage at the time and when he cried I sang this song to him. He stopped crying immediately. Friends, who knew of this phenomenon, insisted that I frightened him so badly that he became quiet for fear there would be more serious punishment if he didn’t And there were other friends who insisted that there could have been no worse punishment for anyone, child or adult. That was their opinion. I had For our elected officials to come out and say "We’re going to com bine all law enforcement agencies in Houston County" would defi nitely scare most of us. I know it would me. But, this way, smaller areas, such as purchasing, can be consoli dated and when it comes time for the bigger, more important areas to become consolidated, we'll be more prepared. By the way, Worrall says total and the landfill saves about 60 dollars overall, the benefit is excellent And you know where the City of Perry drop-off recycling site is located. Where Swift Street runs into Houston Lake Rd. Right at James Street which goes down to the Middle School. Robert Lumpkin's Shell Gasoline Station is on the comer. You can't miss if Come on out and take part in recycling for all the good it does. Bill Hafley Citizens To Meet With BOE (Editor's Note: This letter was recently submitted to School Superintendent Tony Hinnanl by Tom Whitten on behalf of a group of concerned citizens.) Dear Superintendent Hinnant, The purpose of this letter is to confirm the meeting between yourself and the Concerned Houston County Citizens Group on Thursday, March 24th at 7:30 p.m. in the Perry Middle School gymnasium. We request access to the gym sometime between 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Thank you for mailing the middle school facilities available on that evening. We would also like to reiterate our invitation for Mr. Blackmon, Mr. Hutcherson and/or any other Board of Education Member to join us. Per an earlier conversation, you have informed me that the information we require (see our letter of March 11th) will not be available on March Please see L9tt»n, page 9A page 4A mine. • * * SEVERAL years ago I had the idea I wanted to learn to play the organ. So I bought one. And took lessons from a very talented teacher. One day I sat down to the organ and played five songs that I had learned and I was proud of the accomplishment My wife, who was in an adjoining room, called out, "It wouldn't be so boring if you didn't play the same thing over and over." That ended my attempt to be a musician. * * * IT HAS been said that I can't even play a radio, my ear for music is so bad. Perhaps that is why I listen to "talk radio" most of the time. |^^^Xo^dermilk| consolidation should not be a major concern since it's likely to be 20- Piease see Loudermilk, page 9A