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Viewpoints
Our Views
Buice excellent choice
When the name of Pat Buice was called as the recipient of
the Seabie Hickson Community Service Award Jan. 18 at the
Perry Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet, the cham
ber honored one of its own who has put large quantities of time
and effort into making the chamber a better organization.
For the past six years, Buice has headed the committee
which plans the annual banquet. This includes selecting a loca
tion, entertainment, and, on many occasions, selection of the
Seabie Hickson award winner. But not this year. This year,
Buice was left out of the selection loop as chamber members
agreed it was her turn to stand proudly.
Buice has performed many other tasks for the chamber as
well. She’s served on committees, volunteered to do whatever
was needed. She’s attended ribbon cuttings, ground breakings,
meetings and events on a very regular basis.
She's also proven to be an enthusiastic booster of Perry,
especially the downtown part of the community. As a busi
nesswoman. she has worked fervently to preserve the down
town business district and maintain a cohesiveness about the
community.
It is fitting that the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce
named Pat Buice to the highest award which the chamber pre
sents each year. She joins a list of Perryans who have distin
guished themselves through community leadership.
Vandalism can be slowed
Elsewhere in this newspaper today is a story about mailbox
vandalism. Sure, it’s easy to pass off mail box vandalism as
some teen-agers out riding around with nothing better to do
than to pick on widow ladies’ mail boxes.
But apparently these attacks were to some extent premedi
tated. The boxes appear to have been beaten with a baseball bat
or a similar object. The destruction of private property in this
case w as a considerable cost to the ow ners of these boxes, w ho
had to replace them to receive their mail.
Picking on any other private citizen without just and due
cause is not satisfactory conduct. Likely the persons involved
in these acts of vandalism didn’t know their victims, they just
knew they wanted to do something to destroy a mailbox.
Perhaps the persons involved didn't even think about the
cost of the boxes, the inconvenience which would be caused to
the owners, and the unnecessary act which they executed.
Unfortunately, the acts occurred. Probably they occurred
late at night when teen-agers and their older friends tend to get
into trouble There is little, if anything, good, legal or moral,
which cannot be accomplished before midnight. We encourage
community residents to help avoid these types of situations by
encouraging their young people to be home at an earlier hour
While such vandalism might not be stopped that way. hav
ing teen-agers at home earlier each night would likely serve as
a deterrent to many other acts which lead to teen problems.
Yes, it was cold, but...
It was cold and miserable outside Monday. School children
(and likely their teachers, too) didn't get then hoped-for vacation
due to winter weather. There were no serious problems encoun
tered in Houston County due to the winter cold front and rain
This front was somewhat different from the one which
passed our way 10 years ago this week. Then, a blast of arctic
air sent temperatures to the sub-zero range as all sorts of new
all-time low temperatures were recorded in Georgia.
Letter to the Editor
Unhappy with jail situation
Editor:
With all the warranted concern
over jail space and the rising cost of
hoarding inmates in . the j «. ountics.
there is no doubt that some definite
long-term decisions should be made
by our county leaders in the very
near future.
We would hope that there would
be some very serious talks of con
solidation of the law enforcement
agencies along with building of a bi
county or even a tri-county jail. The
total savings to all the tax payers of
the county would be astronomical.
The cities of Perry and Warner
Robins should not be in the jail
business at any time
A person under arrest should be
taken immediately to the county
jail, interviewed, and processed to
whatever court is necessary. The
Houston Times -Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069
Bob Tribble President
Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager
Sherri Wengler Advertising Manager
News: Larry Hitchcock, Pauline Lewis; Sports: Phi! Clark;
Composition: Lynn Wright; Classified Advertising: Melanie
P '! - • . rSV- »->»;, <“ 7. (•
M: ■ P holography: tuc cellars.
jails in both cities have cost the tax
payers a tremendous amount of
money in lawsuits alone. The liabil
ities of the taxpayer' would proba
bly be reduced by two-thirds.
The building of a new jail seems
to be a sideways step forward if
there is no consolidation. Public
safety is probably the single biggest
concern about the service we are
getting in the majority of our tax
payers and what better way to show
how we feel about the service we
are getting that to be able to elect
the person heading up the service.
Someone has to get off their high
horse and forget about political
ambitions and lake this thing to
task. After all. we do already vote
for you, and wc will be watching.
Curtis West
Perry
Page 4A
Chamber has enjoyed professional leadership
The recollections of the past which Pat Buice
shared with those attending the 39th annual meet
ing of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce
Thursday at the Agricenter were stimulating, to
say the least.
It was great to sit and listen as Buice recalled
the early days of the Perry chamber. She recalled
the names of prominent citizens who helped form
that organization, who provided the early back
bone of leadership for a growing and emerging
Perry.
Her emphasis was rightly on the volunteers,
the community leaders who have paid the sacri
fice of giving time and money from the business
to make Perry what it is today.
.There were others, however who helped make
the chamber what it is today who escaped men
tion. Those are the professionals the chamber has
employed to direct the volunteers and provide the
technical expertise to help recruit industries.
They lobbied for the needs of the community and
to give new thoughts to the development process.
I don't know all the former executives of the
m fbanqt gallery
(BEFORE. YOU FUSS ABOUT \
MV GRADES, REMEMBER ) h\(rs) F
DAD, VOU DIDN'T RAVE J V) -Qj /
Five years ago new shopping
center was just being planned
Compiled by Pauline Lewis from
Houston Home Journal files.
5 Years Ag 0...! Jan. 20. 1990)
The Perry Chamber would noi
sell the Washington Street Office
Real estate division head
Elizabeth Pardue of Erskinc and Co
of Acworth. cautioned that the 23-
acre development, which sources
said would be a shopping centei on
Sam Nunn Boulevard, was only in
the preliminary stages Pivotal to
the Erskine project was purchase
and demolition of the 40-unit Bel
Aire Motel.
Perry City Manager Marion Hay
said the next step for the North
Perry Bypass road would be its
design and development and con
struction drawings, and obtaining a
small portion of the rights of ways
PPG Industries began heat-up
operations Dec 30 at its new Perry
flat glass plant, according to Walter
Scott, PPG plant manager
Rodney Dill, Perry Country Club
golf pro, said that the Perry Country
Club golf classic would promote
DARE.
The City wanted to go ahead
with hiring a recreation head,
regardless of what the county did
about staying in the recreation busi
ness.
A plan to give the Houston
County Board of Commissioners a
full-time chairman would allow the
county to move more quickly on
day-to-day business, and to manage
future growth more effectively, cur
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i ne Houston 1 imes-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of
- Wednesday, January 25,1995
Remember
When ...
rent chairman Jay Walker 111 said
Monday night
Neighbors formed a Watch in
New Hope subdivision to prevent
crime Argell Jackson was chosen
as coordinator to facilitate commu
nication between block captains and
the Police Department
Mike Jackson was re-elected as
president for 1990 by the
Beautification Panel Bill Chapman,
vice president, and newcomer Linda
Locwen, secretary-treasurer, made
plans for Arbor Day. Feb 16. when
trees were distributed, gratis, to
those desiring to plant them
10 Years Ago, Jan. 24. 1985
Mayor Lewis Meeks and City
Clerk Marion Hay received a check
for the city of Perry from the State
Insurance Commissioner in the
amount of $92,256. This was part of
the $56 million which was sent to
more than 700 Georgia cities as fiart
of the State Insurance Premium tax.
Officials and residents dealt with
sub-zero cold and winds as arctic air
gripped the area. Schools were
closed Tuesday following a Monday
of stalled buses and poor atten
dance. Many record low tempera
tures were set.
25 Years Ago, Jan. 22, 1970
Nunn said that the petition circu-
Houston Times-Journal
Jj Johnson
Editor
organization but Ido know a few well enough
to call them by name. I have enjoyed working
with the present professional, now called presi
dent of the chamber, Peggie Williams.
Among the early chamber executives was
Furman Cliett, a Fort Valley native who was here
during the late 60s and early 70s. I know Furman
takes some pleasure in driving by the Heileman
plant off Georgia 247 Spur. He worked very hard
with the then current community leaders to land
that plant in this community. Today, Furman is
living in the Chattanooga area.
Another executive with whom I am acquaint
ed is Elwyn McKinney. Although 1 didn’t work a
great deal with him, I got to know him through
lating to move the county seat was
inflaming people He made the sug
gestion last fall that consideration
be given to the construction of a
county complex which would he
convenient to all citizens of
Houston County.
Such was also recommended by
a citizens committee set up by the
three members of the Houston
County legislative delegation the
proceeding fall
Nunn stated, “Logic and reason
should prevail in this matter con
cerning our county facilities. We
should seek and take the advice of
outside experts in arriving at any
decision on where our county facili
ties should be located.'
J Sherrill Stafford of
Centerville, chairman ol the
Governmental Study Committee, a
county advisory group, said he was
concerned about the wedge being
driven between Perry and Warner
Robins He referred to the current
school situation (integration) and
the petition being circulated to
move the county seat from Perry to
Warner Robins.
Mayor Homer J. Walker of
Warner Robins blasted the Houston
Home Journal editor, Bobby
Branch, for criticizing Walker’s atti
tude toward Perry. The Warner
Robins Advisory Council also
struck out at Branch.
The Save our Schools
Committee of Perry filed a lawsuit.
Jaycccs held their annual Bosses’
Night. Pete Diearo, innkeeper of the
Perry Holiday Inn, was Jaycee Boss
of the Year. Robert Baggett was
Jaycees' Outstanding Young
Layman of the Year.
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reading (before I arrived in Perry) the Houston
Home Journal stories written by Bobby Branch
about McKinney’s efforts. I also worked with
McKinney briefly when he was acting chamber
executive during 1989.
The third chamber professional I know is Ann
Story, who was present at the banquet Thursday.
She worked long and hard to keep the momentum
going which her predecessors established. She is
a valuable resource of Perry information for me,
and I appreciate her continued presence in the
community.
Of course working with Peggie Williams has
been a delight. She’s always available, always has
a happy voice and a smile on her face and makes
those who work with her quickly at ease and
ready to get down to business.
On the basis of these four. I’d have to say the
Perry chamber has experienced some super pro
fessionals who have provided excellent leader
ship and support for the strong community net
work of volunteers who make the chamber a suc
cess.
Larry
Hitchcock
News Editor
New Georgia
beverage offers
me some hope
I'll admit I'm one of those folks
who have had it with cola-style bev
erages.
The heavy use of artificial sweet
eners and carbonation turned me off
a long time ago. I became a coffee
and iced tea drinker. It was rare for
me to have a soft drink, unless I was
dying of thirst and nothing else was
available.
Then the juice-based, non-car
bonaled drinks came on the market
Snapple’s kiwi-strawberry is my
beverage of choice for now.
This week, I got wind of a new
brand that should he coming to the
Perry area that I can t wait to try.
Not because of the taste, because it
will be made in our backyard.
The announcement in December
that the G Heiieman brewery
would be reopened was good news
for the Perry area It meant that
close to 100 residents would be
hired, including several who
worked at the brewery when it
closed in 1989.
But there wouldn't be any beer
coming out of the plant this time
Instead, a relatively new company's
line of ready-to-drink iced tea bev
erages will be on those trucks you’ll
soon see leaving the company
grounds
AriZona brand beverages, mar
keted mainly in New York, New
Jersey, Michigan and Florida, has
six flavors of iced tea lemon,
raspberry, peach, tropical, diet
lemon and the newest, ginseng
The company also makes a line
of juice-based drinks called
Cowboy Cocktails There are
lemonade and pink lemonade fla
vors as well as mucho mango, kiwi
strawberry, strawberry and grape
kiwi For the diet conscious, there’s
also a no-fat cowboy-style choco
late flavored drink.
I'm looking forward to trying the
ginseng-flavored tea. It will come in
a cobalt blue bottle that’s being
made at the Anchor Glass plant just
south of Warner Robins. The bottle
should become a collector’s item.
From the pictures I’ve seen, the
entire line of AriZona bottles and
24-ounce aluminum cans are unusu
al and attractive enough to make
one think twice about adding them
to the recycling bin. The bottles
have already been turned into
flower vases and lamps in some sec
tions of the country. With the wealth
of crafts people in our area, you
may soon see a lot of AriZona crafts
on the market at flea markets, crafts
(See TEA, page A 5)