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Houston limes-Journo! Volume 124 No. 32 2 Sections, 16 Pages I Inside I Today | Calendar 3A Classifieds 8A Editorials 4A Legal Ads 3B Lifestyles IB Sports 7A New owners of Holiday Inn will renovate motel By BRIGETTE LOUDERMILK Editor Sale of the Perry Holiday Inn was finalized Thursday, April 14, and the new owners, Natala Corporation of Tifton, began a major renovation project this week which is expected to last anywhere from six months to one year. "This major renovation will include the exterior and interior of the motel and is a $1 million plus project," company spokesman Emerson Hoffman said Monday, April 18. Hoffman said other changes will include some additional hiring and an aggressive promotion geared towards building up the restaurant's business. He also said several key employees will remain at the motel including Manager Allan Read. "We bought the motel because we believe very strongly in the Holiday Inn system. We're committed to upgrading the motel and making it number one in the Southeast,” Hoffman said. The company also owns a Holiday Inn in Tifton and one in Atlanta. McKibbon Brothers, former owners of the Perry Holiday Inn, are still owners of Days Inn, Denny's, Shoney's, Fairfield Inn and Captain D's in Perry. Club is gearing up for annual ball to be held April 30 BY BRENDA THOMPSON Staff Writer Warm up your dancing shoes and get ready. The Perry Balvaunuca Club’s famous Dogwood Ball is just 10 days away. Slated for Saturday, April 30, this year’s sixth annual dance will be held in the Georgia Living Cen ter at the Georgia National Fair grounds and Agricenter. Festivities get under way at 8 p.m. and will continue through midnight. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at several Perry loca tions including the Perry Area Chamoer of Commerce on Wash ington Avenue, Impressions in downtown Perry, Jesup Furniture on Valley Drive and Stanley Furni ture on Macon Street Tickets may be purchased individually or in groups of eight per table. As the club’s primary fundraiser for the year, all proceeds from the ball will be utilized to support a number of local charities. Last year, the event netted some $6,000, all of which was funnelled right back into the community through the support of several worthwhile causes from the sponsorship of several children through the Department of Family and Children Services to contribu tions to charities such as the Salva tion Army Safe House, the Rain bow House, the Perry Ministerial Association and the Perry Hospital Children’s Ward. This year, club members arc hoping to at least meet that same Please see BALL, page IQA Page 3B Tag time! Tags for vehicles must be purchased by Monday, May 2 BY BRENDA THOMPSON SUff Writer So, you’ve filed your income taxes and are breathing a sigh of re lief this week? Well, don’t get too comfy, be cause there’s still an annual deadline looming. According to Houston County Tax Commissioner Juanita Mason, time is running out for tesidents to purchase their 1994 tags. The dead line is Monday, May 2. “We’ve been steadily busy, but we still have a long way to go,” Mason said earlier this week while working at the Perry tag office on Jemigan Street. “And, the longer people wait to come in and buy their tags, the longer the lines will be. It happens every year.” Speaking of lines, Mason added that up until this week, there have been no more than four to five peo ple in the Perry office at one time. By the start of next week, however, those lines are expected to start growing with deadline day traditionally producing lines that stretch down Jemigan and around the comer onto Carroll-Street The average wait last year on deadline day was three hours. Mason said. Aside from the long lines, an other reason for not waiting any longer to purchase tags is the availability of the special Olympic tags. The sale of these colorful tags, which are available for an additional Community leader Marion Brown passes away By PAULINE LEWIS Staff Writer Marion L. Brown, 77, 706 Ever green Street, Perry, active in church and civic affairs, retired business man and beloved Perry an, passed away on Monday, April 18, at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. Bom November 30, 1916 in Fort Valley, he was the son of Robert E. Brown Sr. and Coralie Scroggs Brown. When he was a boy, his family moved to Perry, where he lived most of his life. He graduated from Perry High School in 1934 and Emory Univer sity School of Law in 1939. He was a Special Agent for the Perry Hospital opened its doors on Wednesday, April 2,1969-one hour ahead of schedule. The hospital's first patient, Mrs. Mary Jo Offenberg, could not wait for the 8 a.m. scheduled opening time and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy shortly after the doors to the new hospital were unlocked. "The thing I remember most about that day was Mrs. Offenberg, her husband and mother standing outside the hospital waiting for the doors to open," said Alberta Jarres, Perry Hospital's first Director of Nursing. "One of the nurses tried to tell her that we weren't quite ready to open yet, but Mrs. Offenberg shook her head "yes" with such urgency that we had to open the doors.” Mrs. Offenberg, who was under the care of Dr. H.E. Weems, wanted her second child to be bom in the new hometown hospital. Having spent most of her life in Peny, Mrs. Offenberg found it comforting that her family would not have to travel out of town to be by her side. "Because the hospital was than a mile from my mother's Official Organ For Houston County, City of Perry & State of Georgia Remembering 'Day One' at Perry Hospital Wednesday, April 20, 1994 • v / Wm • i|r|y W- ' u ■ a.-, .. .yiSKKt sJOUM Bok | I Deputy Tax Commissioner Judy Kluge puts a new 1994 tag on her car. Remember, the deadline for purchasing *94 tags Is Monday, May 2. Decals go In the upper right hand corner as Mrs. Kluge points out. one-time charge of sls, have been going “extremely well”, according to Mason, and supplies are limited. In addition to the Perry tag of fice, which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and which primarily serves tag buyers from the south end of the county, Houston County tags can also be purchased in the Warner Robins of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, 1939 to 1946. As a businessman in Perry, he was owner/operator of Perry Veneer Co. from 1946 to 1980. Civic involvement included being President of Perry Jaycees, Presi dent of Perry Kiwanis Club (1953), Kiwanis Man of the Year 1963). He had held every office in the Perry Kiwanis Club including, in 1994, serving as Advisor to Perry Kiwanis Club President Earl Cheek, a position created just for him by Mr. Cheek. He also served as Chairman of the Community celebration to be held Perry Hospital is holding a community celebration on the grounds in honor of its 25 th aniversary Saturday, April 23 at 1:30 pjn. Featured guest speaker during the celebration will be State Representative Larry Walker. Festivities include guest speak ers, performances by Perry Players, Westfield cheerleaders and a Happy Birthday performance by babies bom at Perry Hospital. There will be a ribbon cutting for the new lobby and hospital gift home, everyone was able to come visit me and Warren," Mrs. Offenberg explained. "Besides, once the baby was on its way, there was no time to go to Fort Valley." Company was something that Mrs. Offenberg did not lack. Shortly after Warren came into the world : he and his mother were thrust into instant stardom. A re For News And Subscriptions Call 912-987-1823 Sports Page 7 A flee located at the Houston County Annex on Carl Vinson Parkway. For those who do not make the May 2 deadline, a penalty equaling 25 percent of the purchaser’s tag fee, 10 percent of their ad valorem taxes and a $1 sheriffs fee will be assessed by the county tag office. Additionally, after-the-deadline tag buyers also risk the possibility Nominating Committee for 1995 Officers, Chairman of the Kiwanis Interclub Committee and a member of the recent Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast Committee for the Dogwood Festival. Other positions he held were: President and Chairman of Federal- Security, Federal Savings and Loan Association, Director of Georgia Federal Savings and Loan Associa tion, President and one of the founders of Perry Country Club. He served on the Perry Planning and Zoning Commission, Perry Beautification Commission, Hous ton County Board of Tax Appeals shoppe, tours of the hospital and several activities for children includ ing clowns, face painting, story telling, puppets, Moon Walk, dunking booth and hula hoops. Refreshments and gifts for the community will also be provided. The celebration is the hospital's way of thanking the community for its support throughout the past 25 years. Everyone is invited to take part in the fun. In case of rain, the event will be held in the Momingside Elementary School cafeteria. porter from The Houston Home Journal rushed over to capture on film the first baby bom at Perry Hospital. He joined an already full room of doctors and nurses that were there for the hospital's first day. "It was like giving birth in front of an audience," proclaimed Mrs. OficnUsg. "I didn't mind m<: the at Classified Page 8A of being cited for operating a vehi cle with an expired tag by law en forcement agencies tlfroughout the state. Fines for expired tags vary from law agency to law agency, with the City of Perry Police Department’s fine being set at $55 per citation. Mail-ins postmarked by May 2 will not be penalized by the county and Houston County Hospital Au thority. He was a member of Perry United Methodist Church where he was a member of the Howell Cobb Sun day School Class, had served as a Sunday School teacher, Superinten dent of Sunday School, Choir member, Finance Chairman, Chairman of Administrative Board, Chairman, Board of Trustees and as a member of South Georgia Pen sion Board of Trustees. His friends and neighbors spoke highly of him as a caring person, always willing to do his parL Please see BROWN, page 2A F : The first patients et Perry Hospital on April 2, 1969 were Mrs. Meek Offenberg and her newborn son, Warren. The hospital had to open Its doors ahead of schedule to welcome Warren’s arrival. tention though, it was like being part of hist< y " Mrs. Offenberg feels that Pony HoFpiia! is sp. imperial part of her •iiM'*;. V'a«yn has iwc children. Perry, Georgia - 25 Cents - • - tag office, but could leave the pur chaser at the mercy of law enforce ment during the time that it takes to receive tags by return mail. Whether transacting by mail or in person, proof of ownership (a previous tag receipt, for example) and proof of insurance is required for tag purchase. HI M|| h Marlon Brown Ashley Marie, three years old, and Katlyn Brook, 10 months old, both boro at Perry Hospital. Mrs. Offcnberg’s tiaughtct. Laurie, has a_ Please see Day ona, page 6A