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Viewpoints
Our views
Really big show
Members of the Perry Area Chamber of
Commerce can be quite proud of Karen
Nikitopoulos and the members of the
Dogwood Festival planning committee. They
did their jobs well and the 1995 festival was
quite a success.
After midweek reports of the demise of
clear skies sent a chill through even the
strongest of believers, the weather cleared and
the Dogwood Festival played before one of its
most enthusiastic crowds ever.
The two days of activities were well
planned, well attended and appreciated.
Nikitopoulos and her volunteer staff can take a
deep bow for their efforts. The festival was
fun, and we thank them for their efforts.
At the same time, the paid and volunteer
workers with the city of Perry and its auxiliary
groups deserve a bow also for their hard work
in preparing the city for visitors, for cleaning
up after our merry-making, and for helping
provide the lunch at Rozar Park Sunday.
Perry was on display this weekend and
passed with flying colors.
Matter resolved
Editor:
I would like to compliment the mayor and city .
council on their persistence and resolve to find a
solution to the parking problem for downtown Perry.
As one of the people located along Ball Street, I am
grateful to be able to park by my office.
Hopefully, this realistic approach will give relief to
the downtown merchants on Carroll Street. I extend my
continued support to the second reading for a change in
the parking ordinance for downtown Perry.
Bill Lavender
Perry
Thanks for the help
Editor:
I am writing this letter to thank someone for their
help. Last Wednesday, about 7 p.m., my greyhounds
got loose on U.S. 341 in front of my home. My
husband and I frantically were attempting to catch them
with no luck.
Out of all the cars which passed, one person stopped
to help. That’s what I'm writing about. It’s nice to
know that there are people in this world who will still
stop and help when someone needs it.
So to the man in the Ford truck, thank you again for
your help. We did manage to get our dogs home safe
and sound. Rest assured, they won’t be loose again.
Lori Simpson
Perry
Changes are needed
Editor:
I am 90 years old, a retired school teacher and a
semi-retired minister. I have served churches
throughout middle Georgia for more than 53 years.
I am afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease, and I am
legally blind. I know my lifespan is short, but I hope to
live long enough to help get Bill Clinton out of the
White House. A man who supports abortion and
homosexuality is not fit to be the president of the
United States.
Let’s pray for a God-fearing man to be the next
president.
I can’t think of anything more dishonorable than to
murder babies at or before birth. What will we do for
soldiers 15 to 20 years from now should our country be
invaded by some country which let their babies live?
There could be a shortage of doctors, lawyers and
workers of all descriptions if abortion is allowed for
several more years.
Now speaking in general terms of corruption in our
country, it is high time for all of us to repent and serve
the Lord. The Sabbath Day is being abused by millions
of people. The Bible tells us to remember the Sabbath
Day and to keep it holy.
The Bible also says the nations which forget God
will be turned into Hell. Please remember that the
United States is a nation. We have already felt some of
this hell with rivers running down our streets,
tornadoes striking in different areas, together with
earthquakes which are examples of God’s wrath.
Some people say there is no God. IF there is no God
and if this be true then in turn there is no earth, no
oceans, no sun, no moon, no stars. Above all that is
said or done, there is a God, a loving God, and they
who believe in Him and obey Him will be blessed
beyond measure.
What our country needs is God-fearing men to be
our leaders and to make our laws. They would be far
(See LETTERS, Page SA)
Houston rimes -Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • Perry, Ga. 31069
(912) 987-1823 • (912) 988-1181 (fax)
Bob Tribble President
Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager
Sherri Wengler Advertising Manager
News: Larry Hitchcock, Pauline Lewis; Sports: Phil Clark; Composition:
Lynn Wright; Classified Advertising: Sue Sapp; Circulation and
Photography: Eric Zellars; Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow.
Page 4A
Perry Middle goes beyond average to reach students
Several days ago I visited the eighth
grade language arts classroom of Sonja
Peterman, recently named the best first
year teacher in the Houston County
school system.
Peterman joins a select group of
people who have received this honor.
Since the award was established five
years ago, three Perry Middle School
teachers have ciaimed the honor.
That says something about the way
that PMS Principal Bobby Pennington
and his staff work together in selecting
teachers for the school.
Pennington explained the hiring
process begins with teachers at the
school. The instructional coordinator,
the counselor, a teacher from the team
where a vacancy exists and one other
teacher chosen at random serve as the
screening committee.
"Tit rum nmtrp=. - . ■ =; —■—— —i
I PittY GREETS BAIT I
W£ / TO TUB Kj-Y J
f WAK/T you TO \ r ,1 —U> V CITY 7 J
THIS. @R [/ ——— 7
Water services are taken for granted
There are numerous city services
which are taken for granted. They are
not noticed until the service is
interrupted or quality is affected. Water
and wastewater treatment are two such
services. Citizens are accustomed to
turning on their faucets and not having
to worry about the supply or the safety
of the water they drink.
Once people understand all that is
involved in assuring an ample and safe
supply of water, a new appreciation of
those services can be developed.
The city of Perry Water Treatment
Department is made up of two plants.
Plant No. 2 is designed to treat up to 4
million gallons per day, while Plant No.
1 will treat 1 million gallons of water
per day.
A total of five wells supply water to
the plants. These wells are
approximately 650 to 700 feet de§p and
supply from 900 gallons per minute to
1,500 gallons per minute.
When water reaches the treatment
plant the first treatment received is
called aeration. Aeration is performed to
remove sulfur compounds and excess
carbon dioxide from the water. These
compounds cause rotten egg odors and
low pH levels.
Once aeration is completed most of
the treatment chemicals are added.
Those chemicals include lime, which
raises the pH level and makes the water
less corrosive; sodium chlorite and
chlorine gas, both of which disinfect and
help to oxidize any iron; and phosphates
which inhibit corrosion of the water.
All of these are mixed in the water
before it reaches the settling basins
which allows time for the chemicals to
do their job and settle out any large
amounts of iron.
Next, the water flows through sand
filters to remove any iron and other
filterable deposits. Finally, fluoride is
added before the water is pumped into
the distribution system for consumption.
This process continues 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. Five state of
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Unsigned editorials appearing in larger type on this page under the label of
Our Views reflect the position of the Houston Times-Joumal. Signed columns
and letters on this page (and elsewhere in this newspaper) reflect the opinions of
the writers and not necessarily those of this newspaper.
Signed letters to the editor are welcomed. Please limit letters to 300 words and
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Perry, Ga., 31069, or brought to the newspaper office at 807 Carroll St., Perry.
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Our Goal
The Houston Timcs-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston
- Wednesday, April 5,1995
Jj
Johnson
Editor
These four interview the prospective
teachers and, after asking each potential
teacher the same questions, rank the
applicants based on their own feelings.
Pennington reviews the applications
and the reports and invites the top three
candidates for interviews with him. He
then makes his decision and
recommendation to the school
superintendent based on his feelings for
what is best for his school.
Pennington says the teachers at the
school have a pretty good idea of the
Daniel F.
Walker
Water Supervisor,
City of Perry
Georgia certified plant operators staff the
plant. They constantly monitor water
quality and tank levels to ensure an
ample supply of a safe product is ready
to use.
The state of Georgia Environmental
Protection Division of the Department of
Natural Resources also monitors all
public water systems. During the past
several years they have mandated many
additional tests, such as lead and copper,
volatile organic contaminants, and other
bacteriological tests which assure public
health is upheld.
Wastewater or sewage treatment is
also a service easily forgotten. Since the
early 19705, stream and river quality has
greatly improved due to wastewater
treatment plants being monitored, greatly
decreasing the pollutants being
discharged.
The city of Perry Wastewater
Treatment Plant, located at the end of
Frank Satterfield Road, has designed
treatment capacity of 3 million gallons
per day. The treatment scheme consists
of grit removal, suspended solids and
8.0. D. reduction, disinfection and
discharge into Big Indian Creek.
The treated sewage, which is released
from the plant, must meet guidelines set
forth by the National Pollutant Discharge
and Elimination System. The NPDES
permit sets levels on pH, nitrogen,
biochemical oxygen demand (strength),
suspended solids, bacterial content and
chlorine residual.
While the sewage is not treated to 100
percent purity, it is treated to such a level
that no ill effects will be created in the
discharge area to fish or wildlife.
Next time your utility bill comes in,
type of people they wish to have join
their staff and he’s pleased to have them
become part of the decision making
process.
It works. Peterman seems to have a
real handle on her efforts to help eighth
graders develop a greater appreciation
for reading and writing. She spends
much of the class time encouraging them
to write a variety of pieces both for class
work and for use outside the room.
Several of her students have
experienced the thrill of seeing their
work in print, others have participated
successfully in oratorical contests and
other events with her supervision.
I spoke with some of her students.
They were enthusiastic in their praise for
Peterman and the way she encourages
them to develop an appreciation for
language, for writing and reading.
take a moment to think about all that is
involved in producing the water and
treating the sewage. It should make you
appreciate the effort and expense which
is involved.
(Daniel F. Walker is supervisor of
water and wastewater treatment
operations for the city of Perry. This is
one of a continuing series of columns
prepared by city of Perry department
heads about the operations of city
government. To address questions to
these writers, contact the Houston
Times-Joumal.)
Second try
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Last week, city
utilities superintendent Harold Deal
prepared a column as part of the
continuing series about the city of
Perry. Unfortunately, Deal’s column
did not fit in the space for it on page 4,
and the column was jumped to page 5.
Or at least it should have been. The
jump part of the story didn’t make the
page. Here, with apologies to Deal, is
the remainder of his column.)
Our water and gas crews typically
work a 40-hour week. However, in the
event of a problem, long hours, including
nights and weekends, are sometimes
required to keep services up and running.
Every effort is made to make repairs as
quickly as possible with little or no
interruption of service, and these men do
an outstanding job in meeting this goal.
In addition to my responsibilities with
the water and gas crews I am also
involved in the preparation of the yearly
budget for each department. This
includes budgeting tools and equipment
as well as proposing gas, water and
sewer projects to be let out for bid in the
coming fiscal year. It is our goal to plan
ahead to meet the future utility needs of
the City of Perry,.
Another area I am involved in is
(See DEAL, Page SA)
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31069. ISSN: 1075-1874.
I was impressed but I’m impressed
every time I visit Perry Middle School.
From my first visit there several years
ago when Ketus Cawthon was the
instructional coordinator, I have felt
there was a great deal of learning taking
place in that building. I have never
changed my mind.
No, no school is perfect, no system
produces all good results, but it appears
the folks at Perry Middle are doing a
pretty good job of reaching out to the
students at that school, and their parents,
and involving them in the education
process.
That’s about all one can ask of
teachers and principals, isn’t it to get
the students and the community to work
together for the betterment of the
students. Seems like a formula which
produces great results.
Larry
Hitchcock
News Editor
Karen throws a
heck of a
dogwood event
“Boy! Do I know how to throw a
party or what!”
That’s how Karen Nikitopoulos,
coordinator for the Dogwood Festival
greeted me Sunday at Rozar Park.
And, yes. Karen, I agree. It was one
heck of a party.
The crowds were just the right size,
although I’m sure the vendors would
have preferred thousands more so they
could sell more.
But for people to come out and enjoy
themselves, without having to elbow
their way through mobs of people, you
couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.
The weather cooperated. Predictions
of rain Saturday has everyone worried,
but wasn’t it nice that the weatherman
was wrong for once.
Dogwoods will be more in evidence
in a few years, at least at Rozar Park.
The Perry City Council will be
seeking a grant that will allow purchase
trees for the park and Councilman James
Moore said dogwoods will be at the top
of the list of species to be planted.
* * *
This has been an unusual year for
spring flowers. The dogwoods hit their
peak at just the right time.
I’ll admit it has been 25 years since I
was last in this area, but I don’t ever
recall seeing more beautiful azaleas this
side of Calloway Gardens.
You can’t help but marvel at the
spectacular displays of color as you
drive through our residential
neighborhoods and out the country
roads.
Maybe we should change the festival
name to the Azalea Festival.
* * *
The festival had one casualty,
however.
The pansy beds along Carroll Street
look like some elephants stomped
through them.
Maybe they’ll rebound, but all that
hard work by the Perry High Future
Farmers of America sure looks like it
went by the wayside.
All in all, the seventh annual Perry
Dogwood Festival was a tremendous
success.
Yes, Karen. You threw one heek-of-a
party.
r i
Drop us a note, we'd love
to hear from you.
Send letters to the editor
to P.O. Drawer M, Perry,
31069, or better still, drop
those letters by our office
at 807 Carroll St. in
downtown Perry. The
welcome mat is out.
L 4