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Viewpoints
A major day
Members of the Houston County Board of
Education have announced a major event,
the ground breaking ceremony for the new
Perry Middle School.
The event will be held at the site of the
school, near the intersection of U.S. 41 North
and the Perry Parkway. The ceremonies will
be June 10 at 10 a.m.
This ceremony is a major event in the lives
of educators, parents and students in the
southern half of Houston County. For many
years, students passing through the Houston
County public school system in the Perry
area have been enrolled at the present middle
school, a building which dates more than 40
years, which has been through several
remodeling phases, and which is too small
for the number of people attending the
school.
Despite the problems of a physical plant
which has been inadequate for many years,
the teachers at the school have consistently
proven the old saying that it’s not the con
crete block walls which make a school a
school but the teachers and administrators.
Yet, the desire for a newer, more adequate,
more attractive facility has continued. Now
that the Houston County bond issue
approved last year is providing funds, the
Houston County Board of Education is keep
ing its promise to build anew middle school
in Perry.
The facility will resemble new middle
schools which opened this year along Feagin
Mill Road and Ga. 96 near Bonaire. The new
campus will be adequate for the current
enrollment, and will provide many new
learning opportunities because of better
facilities and equipment.
We’re delighted the school board is ready
to break ground. We’re excited this ceremo
ny will allow southern Houston County resi
dents an opportunity to see their tax dollars
at work.
Telephone vote coming
A vote by subscribers to Alltel telephone
service in the 987 and 988 exchanges about
whether or not to add local dialing access to
Macon areas is coming.
Perry area Ga. Rep. Larry Walker
announced this week that the Georgia Public
Service Commission has recently ordered the
two telephone companies involved, Alltel
and Southern Bell, to conduct the study on
the Perry-Macon linkup within 90 days.
Walker worked hard during the recent ses
sion of the Georgia General Assembly to
give Perryans an opportunity to vote on this
matter. Each subscriber will receive a ballot
similar to the one mailed out almost two
years ago which resulted in the addition of
local area service dialing to Fort Valley and
Marshallville for an additional 50 cents per
month in basic service rates.
The amount of basic service increase for
non-toll dialing to Macon will be the key to
whether this measure passes. Many residents
and businesses have expressed a desire to be
able to call Macon without paying a long
distance toll. Some believe such a link-up
would be economically beneficial to devel
opment of the community, just as expanded
non-toll local dialing has been in other areas
of the state.
Others, particularly those on fixed income,
have concerns with the amount of increase in
the rate. For some, the few calls they make to
the Macon area each month would not
exceed the cost of the basic service increase
for the dialing option. For them, the change
would literally, make no sense.
Walker promises that the Georgia Public
Service Commission will study the report
which the two companies provide concern
ing increasing the basic fee to provide the
non-toll service. He has indicated the study
will be fair.
We look forward to the completion of the
study to determine the cost of non-toll dial
ing in hopes it will be low enough to gamer
community support.
Houston runes- Jeunul
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • Perry, Ga. 31069
(912) 987-1823 • (912) 988-1181 (fax)
e mail jjedit@hom.net
Bob TVibble President
Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager
John Smalley Advertising Sales
News: Emily Johnstone. Pauline Lewis. Rick Johnstone; Sports: Phil Clark; Classified
Funding for indigent health care is a major need
The way we receive and pay for
medical care is changing rapidly. No
longer are the patient and the attending
physician in charge of hospitalized
care or some important decisions.
Instead, an insurance company offi
cial in a distant city decides how long
a patient can remain in the hospital,
and whether a particular test may be
necessary.
At the same time, the cost of med
ical care continues to go up. It goes up
by multipliers greater than one most
times, thus, the cost of medical care,
and especially health insurance, seems
to be in an upward spiral with no limit.
That increasing cost has caused two
problems. One problem is that there are
a large number of Americans who do not
have health insurance. They choose not
to have insurance because they either
The Pewur Gamr?
Golf team offers thanks for support
Editor,
The Perry High School golf team,
their parents, and Coach Johnny
Barton would like to express their
appreciation for the support given to
the 1997 PHS Golf Team. The follow
ing gave generously to help make
1997 a successful year for PHS golf:
Richardson and Free Realty, Inc.,
Jones Surveying and Engineering,
Inc., The Concrete Company, A-4d-
Able Homes Inc., Wayne Morris Ford,
Cary Baxter, CPA; Patterson
Chiropractic Center, Thomas Shelton,
DMD, Rob Tuggle Jr., Robert and
Faye Doane, Ramada Limited,
Longhorn Butcher Shop, Nationsbank,
Mellco, Inc., Bridges Pest Control,
PDQ Photo Shop, Dr. Leonard W.
Bell, Impressions, Mrs. Judy E. Free,
John and Cheryl Rich, Charles and
Teri Malone, Robert L and Patsy
Spainhour, Crossroads Bank,
Landmark Realty, Perry Brake and
Muffler, CB & T Bank, Mrs. Julie
Evans, PCC Ladies Golf Association,
Medusa Cement Sales Office, "Higgle
and O’Neal Insurance, Tolleson
Supply • Cos., Lynco Home
Entertainment, The Bank of Perry,
PCC Men’s Golf Association, Mr.
Dale Grim, Holiday Inn, Classic
Award and Trophy, Mrs. Dorothy
Swartz, Mr. John D. Moore, Sand E
Sales and Service, Paul and Lucy
Hicks, David and Donna Kennedy,
and Larry and Annette Tyson.
Patsy D. Spainhour
For the Perry High School Golf
Team
Support far Relay far Life
Editor:
Asa cancer survivor, I would like
to take this opportunity to say thank
you to all of those who participated in
the 1997 American Cancer Society
“Relay For Life.”
Those of us who assembled at the
Ads and Composition: Chad Lewis; Circulation and Photography: Eric Zellars;
Bookkeeping: Paula L. Zimmerman
Our Policies
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 include
addresses and a telephone number for verification purposes. Letters are not published with
out verification. Letters should be sent to P.O. Drawer M„ Perry, Ga. 31069, or brought to
the newspaper office at 807 Carroll St., Perry.
Our liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error.
We cannot be responsible for the return of pictures or submitted materials unless a
stamped, return address envelope is included.
Wed., June 4,1997
Page 4A
Jj
Johnson
Editor
want to spend the money on something
else or cannot afford the policy offered
them, or else they do not have access to
benefits through their job.
Despite the lack of insurance, how
ever, these Americans still need access
to health care. That’s where the rest of
us come in. According to what Dr. Skip
McDannald, the chief executive officer
of the Houston Healthcare Complex,
tells me, those of us who have insur
ance and pay for our stays generally
pay about a quarter to a third more than
Letters to
the Editor
P.O. Drawer M
Perry, Ga. 31069
track at Perry High School shared a
great evening of fellowship as we
came together to help one another
understand the great need for contin
ued research into the cause of this
dreaded disease.
Had it not been for research done by
the American Cancer Society and
other reputable cancer research organi
zations, the type of cancer I had would
probably been fatal just 10 years ago.
I doubt if there is a single person in
our community that has not been
touched by cancer in some way
family member, friend, or co-worker.
I hope when the time comes for us
to plan the 1998 “Relay For Life” that
we will have teams from every church
in the Perry area, every school faculty
represented, teams from those who
work in the courthouse, a group from
great Perry Hospital, a team from the
Houston Times-Joumal, a team from
each of the banks in Perry, a team rep
resenting the civic clubs, high school
clubs, a group from the City of Perry,
business men and women, and all
those who have been touched by can
cer.
What greater way to say “I care”
than to share an evening with your
friends and neighbors in an activity
that will eventually save lives and
reduce suffering?
Jim Worrall
Perry
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Times-
Journal served as a media sponsor
for the Relay for Life this year. The
paper staff hopes to field a team next
Houston Jim-Journal
■
the actual cost of our care to help take
care of the needs of indigents. Thus,
when I had my heart problem almost
two years ago, and the bill came to
more than $40,000, my actual cost of
care likely was somewhere about
$30,000. The rest was what the med
ical folks call cost-shifting moving
the cost of medical care for indigents
and no-pays to those who do pay.
Last year, Houston Medical Center
wrote off more than $2.5 million in
care for true, legitimate indigents.
McDannald expects the cost to be
greater this year. He also believes the
hospital provides more care for indi
gents than is included in that figure
because some people have not declared
themselves indigent according to hos
pital records.
Now McDannald is trying to do
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year.)
Hospice provides help
Editor:
We are fortunate in Houston County
to have a non-profit Hospice organiza
tion which provides a much needed
service for the terminally ill and their
families, without regard to the ability
to pay.
The staff, nurses and care givers
(sitters) provide 24-hour service as
required, providing medicine and
equipment as needed,
The patient and family are treated
with love and care, they are not an
intrusion on the family; they become
members of the family.
They are able to make the final dec
laration, which relieves the family of
the dreaded 911 call, letting the pass
ing be a quiet, family affair.
Sending flowers has been the tradi
tional offering of condolence and love
for the deceased and family. However,
making a gift to Hospice will keep this
needed service available to the termi
nally ill and their families.
The families of Harry W. Capps will
forever be grateful to Hospice of
Houston County.
Ray Whitney
Perry
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Hospice of
Houston County can be contacted at
2066 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins,
31093, or bv phone at 922-1777 for
information about donations.)
Letters welcome
The Houston Times-Joumal wel
comes letters of community interest
from readers. Letters should be mailed
to P.O. Drawer M, Perry, 31069, or
delivered to the office at 807 Carroll
St. Letters can be sent via email to
jjedit@hom.net or faxed to 988-1181.
All letters must be signed for con
sideration.
Our Goal
The Houston Times-Joumal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoin
ing counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perey, Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, prof
itable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will teach this
goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty and a strong dedication toward printing the truth.
Member of Georgia Press Association and 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 of the tight of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of griev
ances.” Your right to read this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment to the United
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The Houston Times-Journal (USPS 000471) is pubUsbed weekly fpr $21.00 per year
by Houston Publications Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry,
Postage paid at Perry, Ga. POSTMASTER: Send addreas changes to the Houston
Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874.
something about it. Because of ever
and ever tighter budgets, the Houston
County Commission (read county tax
payers) no longer contributes to indi
gent care. In years past, the commis
sion provided as much as a quarter of a
million dollars for indigent care.
Based on a recently completed
study, funded by the county hospital
authority and the county commission,
McDannald is seeking help from those
who do pay and can pay to balance the
financial load.
He proposes to build an indigent
care medical facility adjacent to the
Houston Medical Center in Warner
Robins. His reasoning is that most
indigent patient care takes place in the
two county hospital emergency rooms.
(See JOHNSON, Page SA)
Ricky
Wheeler
Houston County
Extension Service
Yard after rain
Seeing the rain fall on Houston
County has been wonderful. The dry
period we have been experiencing has
been tough on plants, and lawns alike.
The rain is great to help flowers and
trees to grow. There are however,
other things we need to look out for.
I have received numerous calls
during the last week concerning dark
streaks forming across yards. This has
turned out to be slime mold in every
case. Slime mold can strike anywhere
and affect any variety of grass. The
wet, rainy weather conditions we have
experienced lately are very conducive
for the disease to develop.
People calling describing long,
black streaks across their yards are
also reporting other symptoms. The
grass blades can be covered with
bluish-gray, black, tan or yellow fruit
ing bodies. From a distance the grass
may appear to be covered with soot.
Early stages of the mold can appear as
a greasy covering of spots of grass
which later form the “sooty” stage.
Slime molds grow on the surface of
the grass blades, but do not infect
them. The fruiting structures can be
removed by simply brushing the grass
with a broom or washing it off with a
garden hose.
Another disease which has been
showing up in the area is fairy ring.
Fairy ring may affect all turfgrasses.
Centipede and zoysia are very suscep
tible with bermuda grass being some
what less susceptible. Moist warm
weather in the spring, summer and fall
are favorable conditions for fairy ring.
Once the fairy ring becomes estab
lished, it can grow and increase the
size of the ring.
The first indication of a fairy ring is
a circular or semicircular band of
stimulated grass a couple of inches
wide. The band of grass forming the
ring is usually greener than the grass
in the center.
The stimulation of grass is due to
the availability of nutrients resulting
from the decomposition of organic
complexes in the soil by the fungus.
Grass inside the vigorous area is usu
ally in the state of decline.
In young rings, the grass on the
inside of the ring at times will die. On
old fairy rings, there may be a dead
band of grass, a few inches to several
feet wide, forming a partial or com
plete ring.
The ring gradually enlarges, form
ing an even larger circle. Increase the
watering and fertilization program to
stimulate the declining grass inside
the ring for low maintenance turf
areas. In high maintenance areas, use
a pitch fork to aerate the area.
Puncture the soil as deep as possible
and water the area heavily where the
fairy ring appears.
Several other diseases and fungi
can attack your yard. Some of these
you can live with, others you may like
to be rid of. If you have any questions
on slime mold or a fairy ring, call the
Houston County Extension Office at
987-2028.
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