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- Wednesday, October 19,1994, Houston Times-Journal Page 4A Viewpoints Houston Times -Jonrnol P. O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Th« Houston Tim«*-Joum«l (USPS 000471) la publishad temi-wMkly for SIB.OO par yaar by Houston Publications, Inc., 807 Carroll Streat, Parry, Ga. 31069. Second Class Postage paid at Parry, Ga., POSTMASTER: Sand addreas changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P. O. Drawer M, Parry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874 Bob Tribble, President Jim Kerce, Editor and General Manager Sherri Wengler, Advertising Manager Newt: Vetoßoley, Pauline Lewis. Sports: Phil Clark. Composition: Lori Simpson. Cltstifltd Advertising: Melanie Bullington. Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow. Your view Comments on firefighter flap Editor: In reference to the article concerning the county firefighter walk-out, I have a few comments. For the information of your readers, Houston County Fire-Rescue Department is the sole agency providing this service in the unincorporated parts of the county. There are eight (8) fire stations throughout the county providing twenty-four (24) hour coverage for fire, medical, and rescue calls. Each station has a numerical identification. The eight (8) stations are not autonomous and are not independent fire departments. The use of geographic names is no longer officially sanctioned. The agency is headed by the Fire Chief. Each station has a Deputy Chief in charge, answerable to the Fire Chief. In reference to the walk-out at Station 800, although unfortunate, it was necessary for the Fire Chief to implement these changes. Because there was no one qualified to assume the position of Deputy Chief it was in the best interest of the public, and the firefighters, to put an experienced person in charge. Mr. Harris was offered the position of Assistant Chief until he became better trained, he refused. He said it was all or nothing. As stated in your article, the citizens in Station 800’s response area still have good fire department coverage. Stations 500 and 400, as well as those remaining at Station 800 will provide protection for the area. The county fire department also has a mutual-aid agreement with the City of Perry Fire Department. Station 800 will be rebuilding its’ staff with new personnel. Although this is an emotional issue, the hard facts must be faced. Both federal and state laws mandate certain levels of training and equipment for all fire departments, paid and volunteer. Houston County Fire-Rescue Department has grown in size and increased responses over the last decade. The future will demand even more. Sincerely, James T. Adams Deputy Chief Houston County Fire-Rescue Cleanup day help is sought Editor: Once again, the Glass Awareness Committee from Anchor Glass Container Corp. has donated prize money for “Spooky Safari Day”. The semiannual event is scheduled for October 29th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Recycling Safari located at 151 Maple Street, Warner Robins. Everyone has a chance to win a prize just by bringing glass and/or aluminum to the Recycling Safari on Spooky Safari Day. Here’s how it works. The Glass Awareness Committee has donated five S2O cash prizes. Everyone bringing recyclables to the Recycling Safari on Spooky Safari Day will receive one-half of a numbered ticket to keep. The matching half will be placed in a container. At the end of Spooky Safari Day, five winning tickets will be drawn. The numbers will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. Ist and will be posted in City Hall on the same date. Award winners may collect their S2O dollar bill by producing a matching ticket number at the Clean Community Commission office, 151 Maple Street, by the close of business on Nov. 16, 1994. The Glass Awareness Committee has also donated SSO to be given as a bonus to the organization that receives the most donations (in weight) to the account on Spooky Safari Day. The members of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church collected 532 pounds of recyclables in April and were proud recipients of the added bonus. Come on citizens and organizations of Warner Robins! Recycle on Spooky Safari Day. Increased prices will be paid for glass containers and aluminum beverage cans and you could be one of the lucky prize winners! Bill Hafley Perry Clean Community Commission Statement misquoted by writer Editor: This letter is in regards to the article that Jimmy Simpson wrote in the October sth edition of The Houston Times-Journal on local firefighters protest. The article quotes David Harris as saying “We realize that we’re untrained, but we’re willing to learn.” This statement was misquoted. David said, “He was untrained as being Chief of this fire department” as we all knew when we asked and supported his decision to become chief. Out of the 13 firefighters that walked out because of the decision of Jimmy Williams to place Jim Adams as our Chief 11 out of 13 firefighters had 10 or more years experience at firefighting, rescuing and first responders. David Harris has over six years experience. I would like to set the record straight and let the community know that we are trained firefighters, and rescue specialists with a combination of over 130 years of experience and I feel that for Jimmy Williams to let that much experience and training, training that was paid for by citizens of our community, to go by the wayside is and will be a big mistake not only to the members of the community but also to the members of the Meadowdale Fire Department who volunteered their time to train and to serve die community in emergencies. We apologize to our community for the decision that we made in this matter and we ask for your support so that this matter can come to an end quickly, and we can return to our duties and continue serving our community. Sincerely, Freddie Little Meadowdale Volunteer Fire Department 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. 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. Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redree of grievances." Your right to re art this newspaper is protected by the eirst Amendment of the United States Constitution. ~TH£ PiANVT &ALUM —~ HOSPITAL AUTHORITY'S SALARY CAP yL'/i OOO V\ ' - L s 4 ° A week ' I \ ■ .... mini _" Liberty has some strange outcomes Monday, as so often happens, I got a call from a man disturbed at what was going on in his commu nity. Seemed one of his neighbors would curse the neighborhood kids. After this had gone on for some years, with the man working to get the neighbor to stop his cursing of his children. Finally, with little recourse, the man took his neighbor to the Magistrate Court in Warner Robins. There the judge scolded the neighbor, but did little else. The man called me Monday complaining that the court system did nothing to stop his neighbor from cursing his children. And, although it’s frustrating to the neighborhood, I don’t think that there is anything that the judge could have done. We live in a highly rights-ori ented society. We understand per fectly when someone says that it is my right to do something. In the 60s and 70s, the United States Supreme Court ruled that language that was offensive could not be banned simply because it was offensive. There had to be a compelling state interest before a government could order someone to keep their mouths closed. Obscenity laws, which were chal lenged by the radical left, were, for the most part, thrown out. The theory is simple. In order to make sure the rights of the major ity, the mainstream in America, the Remember when: A view 5 Years Ago 10/17/89 The USAF Thunderbirds per formed at the Robins Air Force Base Open House, Oct. 21-22. Work begins on a 50-bed min imum security addition to Houston County jail on Kings Chapel Road, Perry. The Perry City Council voted to spend $95,000 to monitor gas. The first plans commissioned by Macon architect Charlie Wolf on the Perry Welcome Center are shown to the Convention and Visitor Bureau Committee. The Mossy Creek Festival is recognized throughout Southeast after first 10 years. Paul Warner, Perry craftsman, will show his wood-turned items. 10 Years Ago 10/17/94 Fifty members of PHS band played for U.S. President Reagan in Macon, on his campaign swing Chamber involved in many activities The new membership direc tory update will be available within three weeks. The directory is used by newcomers and chamber members to do business with chamber members. Refer to it often, and support your fellow businesses. Location map marketing opportunity: For business mem bers to advertise on two signs at the Georgia Agricenter to the thousands of people that attend events throughout the year. Check the north wall of the clock tower to sec one of the signs. Leadership in Perry: Nominations are being accepted for the 1905 class. Details on the pro gi.nu available by calling Ih Chamber. Industry Appreciation Day Veto Roley Staff Writer rights of the fringe had to be fer vently protected. And, there is some truth in that theory since the erod ing of liberty will not take place in the mainstream, but on the edges. It could get to a point where "mainstream" is so defined as to make some groups, like the reli gious right or the liberal left, fringe groups. Some groups, in fact, are arguing today that there is a move in today's society to move the reli gious right out of the mainstream of American society. But that doesn't take care of neighbors cursing children on the street. If anything, that makes the problem worse since it appears that there is nothing that we can do to protect our children from such be havior. And we grow frustrated. And we start to believe that the system is against us. And we wonder what happened to this great country of ours. And, like the truth found in the argument that fringe liberty must be protected, there is some truth in this also. We sometimes imagine that the law is fair, that it does not favor through the South. Perry Players’ “Oklahoma” blew the house down. Jeanne B. Deibert was director, Carol Strandburg, mu sical director and Sally Stanley, choreographer. Houston County BOE received $3,879,262.25 from a one percent local option tax collected between November 1983 and July 1984. The Perry chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership was one of the state's largest at 160 members. The annual banquet and auction was held. Bobby Tuggle, past president, was named a national trustee. There were 237 active members in Greenwing Program. 25 Years Ago 10/15/69 The Houston Home Journal is sold. Bobby Branch became the edi tor - publisher. The new owners were Bobby Branch, Lewis Meeks and Ogden Persons. Crossroads United Methodist CV Peggy Williams President, Perry Art a C of C will be held Oct. 25. The Perry and Warner Robins Chambers and the Houston County Development Authority will host a golf outing and dinner for county industries to show support and appreciation. By the way, 80 percent of new jobs created come from existing indus try. The Goals Conference will me i Nov I 5 for Chamber board members, committee chairmen, city officials and other key community 4A —Houston Times-Joupubi one group over the other. But, the law is never fair. The law always favors one group above other groups. Property owners, for in stance, are favored above thiefs. The law rules that property owners have a right to their possessions, and punishes those who try to steal those possessions. Sometimes, those on the fringe are favored above those in the mainstream. And, all a cursing neighbor gets is a scolding from a judge who can do nothing more. All that does is frustrate the main stream neighborhood, which dews not want the man to curse. But, it’s really not the law’s re sponsibility to regulate such behav ior. It used to be common courtesy that we, as Americans, did not go out of our way to offend each other. Sure, we had the right to offend; but, we did not exercise that right. And, that, in many respects, is a big problem in America. We know that we have the right to do some thing regardless of how it might impact our neighbors, and we do. Our neighbors can either move or get used to our boorish behavior. * * * Ever so often, I get on a single track, and lose the forest for the trees. Such a time happened Monday afternoon, as I went about to take street talk. I took my camera and my pad, and walked down to the Post Office, where I asked five gracious Perry Please see ROLEY, Page 8A of the past Church launched a campaign for funds to aid in construction of first unit of its new building. Perry issued building permit for East Gate Shopping Center. Owners are H. P. Persons, Jr. and Thad Murphy of Macon and archi tects are Terry and Kiley of Savannah. Cost of the project is $300,000. 50 Years Ago 10/18/94 The Sorosis Club discussed plans for a community club house. The 89th exhibition of Georgia State Fair was held in Macon, Oct. 23-28. PFC J.D. Stembridge became the second Houston County man killed in action in WW 11. J. W. Watson, Perry, wrote “It is not smart to cuss; let’s check our vocabulary and find words more be coming to mankind and more pleas ing to our Heavenly Father.” Gray’s Service Station installed a large truck tire vulcanizer. teaoers to estaonsn tne chambers' priorities for 1995. A ribbon cutting will take place Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. at the Butler Brown Gallery. Join us and welcome this new business to Perry. Welcome new members for September: the Butler Brown Gallery, Butler Brown, owner; The Regal Touch, Julie Brown, owner; Decorating Den, Pam Crosby and Becky Griffin, owners; Hamby Automotive Network, Inc., Larry Hamby, owner. Thanks to all our chamber members that invest their re sources of time and money to pro mote business and enhance the qual ity of life for the Perry area though their chamber of commerce. We ap preciate you! Street talk! The fifth annual Georgia National Fair was the most successful i n history. This week, we asked area residents what they thought of the fair: 1811181 T, KM I mm Holly Burkett (holding Andrew) “It was a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed themselves.” / Adam and Jeremy Burkett "It was fun." (Adam) "It was nice." (Jeremy) innmir r jjf ™ imp** i Ron Nolen "I thought it was wonderful. A great family outing. Something that our community should really be proud of. It was a nice time.” Tom Whitten "I thought it was great. I worked the (Perry) Chamber of Commerce booth and the Northrop booth. It seemed like people had a real good time. I think it was good wholesome family fun. I didn't see too many people who weren’t having a good time.” *> ; ........ Rodney Davis “I think it was fun, especially for the kids. It should've been in the summer; but, it was great.” ■ -'WHhptt JaKea ’S-, _v;. Frederick Williams "It was great. It was fun. I especially liked the waterslide.”