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Viewpoints Our Opinions Correction Following a Houston County Board of Education meeting at which local citizens presented their arguments in favor of a new middle school in Perry the accusation was made that board chairman Zell Blackmon Jr. had asked WMAZ-TV not to cover the meeting. He denied the allegation when it was repeated in an editorial in this newspaper. Investigation by this newspaper confirms that Mr. Blackmon did NOT ask anyone at WMAZ TV not to cover the meeting...As a matter of fact, a spokesperson for the television station said that if anyone had asked them not to cover any meeting it would be all they needed to make them be present to see what was going on. True Friendship A fifth grade student in Oceanside, California, had to take chemotherapy treatment, which would make him lose his hair. So he had his head shaved. His male classmates, in sympathy with him, all had their heads shaved, too, so they would look like him. Those are the kinds of friends anyone would be proud to have. Oh, For The Old Days In 1940 teachers identified the most important problems in American schools as "talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise and running in the hall." Fifty years later, in 1990, teachers said the major problems they face are "drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, suicide, rape and assault." Isn't that a sad commentary on the direction in which our country is going? Never Happen Quote of Note: "If the people insist on pork we'll never balance the budget".—Mona Charen, syndicated columnist. We'll never balance the budget because "pork" is the only thing most people care about. litK&ir-jlotiruUll 'tyfuct 7* 74e ScU&vi. PtetuLc rfetckgM, 7 few Editor Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M Perry, GA, 31069 Deadlines For Submitting New Articles and Photographs 5 pm Monday For Wednesday 5 pm Thursday for Friday Edition 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£t mojt*- no. a/v OO- \Jk*j fit**. tiv«xea|, oa 4 <w tiv«s o/v tive- p«^j£e to ai4«m££f to-pctvl^on- a.«.'«|oA 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 **-°erryGa. 31069 Use It Wisely Quote of Note: "Despite the daily carnage, we (legislators) did nothing about guns this session. We did pass a moment of silence. Use it to pray, reflect or reload."~ Cartoon in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Edition Prejudiced Against Senior Citizens ONE OF my pet peeves is doctors who refuse to treat senior citizens. A few years ago I was looking for a doctor in Warner Robins. I contacted one who had been recruited by the Houston Medical Center and had received financial help locating here. When told that I was 70 years old the receptionist said the doctor would not accept me as a patient because I was a senior citizen...A lady I know goes to an internist in Macon and has for several years. The day this lady reaches the age of 65 the internist will drop her as a patient...lt's wrong and a black eye on the medical profession. But it is not an uncommon practice...My opinion: Such doctors should be denied hospital privileges and have their way of doing business publicized... Other doctors should realize that this practice is one of the reasons the move toward socialized medicine is so popular with the masses. * * * My car needed some new tires. The store I went to in Warner Robins, where I live, had a big sign that read, "Free cellular telephone with purchase of four tires." I have seen similar signs in many businesses around Middle Georgia. I didn't need a cellular phone. But, since I bought four tires, I said, "I'll take the cellular telephone. I may need it sometime." I was told the dealer did not have a cellular telephone to give me. "We give you a certificate to take to Bell South Mobility in Macon. You get the telephone there." rff£ F&WVT ZAU-en.'-t' "md we just gave up „ ~j>~. our right to electa NO NEWSCm° L [\ superintendent, stupid R3R SOUTH I US " HOUSTON CO . " ( j ' I " nz/KO OU& * FI | j Eviß/JWE' rn m* •!!' 1 1111 11111111111111111111 sgk Appreciate What You Have - Not What You Don't t Brigette L Loudermilk I Editor I appreciate my daughter and husband more and more each day, but sometimes one particular inci dent sticks out in my mind, or a passing thought makes me realize sometimes that they mean more than even I say or consciously ad mit to myself. Case in point: Just last week my daughter turned 10 months old. I was thinking on that day "It doesn't really seem that long ago." I caught myself during the day planning my next child-”I don't want them to be too far apart in age, I don't want to be whale during the hot summer months but I don't want to be in the hospital giving birth at Christmas either, etc." Then 1 caught myself-" What am I thinking about!?!" It's not even been a year and I've already forgotten the six months of morning sickness, the swelling of hands, feet and, especially, stom ach; the three weeks after my due date wailing to go into labor and it never happening, the week in the Inconvenient, but still a free cellular phone was not to be sneezed aL Then I read the certificate. It would cost me $l5O up front to get the cellular phone and have it activated. I also would have to sign a contract to use a year of service. If I broke the contract within a year I would have to pay a SSOO penalty. What a deal! Free cellular phone? Not on your life. It was a gimmick unworthy of those many businesses who participate in this deal. Did I get my "free cellular phone?" No. Did I buy into that deal? No. * * * Isn't it strange that Atlanta Braves baseball players are complaining that "baseball is just a business" after the team released Ron Gant? As you may recall, Gant had a $5.5 million contract for this season and blew it when he had an accident riding a trail bike and broke a leg. The Braves still gave him almost $1 million when they let him go. Wouldn't you like to receive $1 million for a job you were unable to perform? For the players to complain about baseball being a business is ludicrous in view of their multi-million dollar hospital with induced labor, the epidural, stitches, forceps, vacuum extractor, and pain and swelling afterwards. Then there's the 2 a.m. feedings (Lauren has slept straight through the night for the past six months U ! TT I i ? > iff 1 s -3±j"" : Ultfe SIWNSE.THE WHITE WEE JIIST CALLED THET VUNT USp HEN/ UPTHE WBBNHRHEWMf Houston Times-Journal Page 4A salaries... Sure it's a business. And you get the idea when you read about the huge salaries being paid to mediocre players that the owners aren't very good businessmen. * * * The legislature passed Gov. Zell Miller's crime bill. Led by Rep. Tyrone Brooks, blacks are being critical of the crime bill as being racist". You just have to wonder why black leaders cry out in anguish everytime someone tries to do something to stem crime with the claim the law is "racist". Since black on black crime is one of the major problems of the day it seems they would be out front to get legislation that would send criminals to prison. * * * Potential opponents of Gov. Zell Miller in his campaign to be reelected this year are focusing on his effort to change the Georgia flag last year. Though he has been quiet on the subject this year, he still carries a lot of baggage because of it. The lottery has been giving the governor so much money to spread around that the lottery issue, which seemed to be a handicap a year ago, has about disappeared. His ultra liberal bias shown early in his term in office now has been replaced with leanings toward conservatism. Observers wonder whether he will revert to liberalism once elected to what has to be his final term in office. * * * It is hard to believe that school choice continues to receive so much support. In my opinion, anyone luckily), colds, ear infections, dia pers, mixing formula, baths, intro ducing foods (which can get messy at times) and once the crawling starts saying "No!" and "You can't have that, play with this toy in stead" countless upon countless - Wednesday, March 30,1994 "Houston Times-Journal favoring this hasn't thought about the consequences. ILa law was passed permitting parents to select the schools which their children attend it would be devastating to public school education in our state. On the surface the idea sounds appealing, but any attempt to implement school choice would be (1) prohibitively expensive, (2) make it impossible to set up a bus system that would work and (3) result in more lawsuits than the courts could handle. Assigning students to schools according to the districts in which they live works far better than any alternative. * * * Opponents of paddling students might consider this: One of the most beloved school teachers in the Houston County school system since I came here 45 years ago was Joe Musselwhite. He was assistant football coach at Warner Robins High School and later principal at Warner Robins Junior High. He was a strict disciplinarian and never hesitated to lay the paddle on recalcitrant students. They all loved him and, in my opinion, appreciated the love and affection he demonstrated by giving them the kind of discipline they needed. The kind of discipline, incidentally, many of them did not receive at home. Though he has been dead many years I still hear former students speak of him with real affection...and a reminder that they were recipients of his kind of discipline. times every single day. And that's just the every day re ality doses. It doesn't even cover the worries and fears of what they will go through as they grow up-" Will she handle school ok? How will I Please See Loudermilk Page 11A