Newspaper Page Text
Viewpoints
Make ’em welcome
Once again, Perry is the home of an
Optimist Club. This is the second effort at
establishing this civic and service club in the
community, and we wish the participants
well.
Members of the club subscribe to a creed
which calls for strength to avoid upsets, to
have health and happiness, to make friends
feel there is something to them, and to look at
the sunny side of everything.
They also pledge to work for and expect
the best, to be enthusiastic about the success
of others, to forget mistakes of the past, to
have a cheerful personality and give every
one a smile.
Finally, Optimists seek to give time to the
improvement of others and to be too happy to
permit the presence of trouble.
That’s a pretty big undertaking, but we
believe the 26 members of this new club real
ly want to bring that kind of attitude to their
friends in Perry.
We’re waiting with eagerness.
Thanks for tag support
Editor:
We say thanks to those in our community who
purchased and proudly display the special “Perry
...Home of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter” vehicle plates. The Kiwanis Club of
Perry, of which we are both members, sold these
plates to help promote our community and the
Agricenter.
Arthur White, President of the 1995/96 Kiwanis
Club of Perry originated and promoted this idea and
Nancy Whiddon chaired the Committee responsible
for the sale of these plates.
Word is spreading about the City of Perry and The
Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter as evi
denced by people seeing these plates throughout our
state and the southeast. We again say thanks to those
who are helping to spread the word. Working togeth
er the Perry community and the Agricenter will con
tinue to grow and prosper.
Michael A. Froehlich
Executive Director
Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter
James Worrall
Mayor, City of Perry
Getting It Right
Editor:
This past May, more than 3,000 electric coopera
tive consumers went to Washington, D.C., to deliver
a message to Congress as it begins to look at changes
being proposed for the electric utility industry. That
co-op message was crystal clear “Get it right or
don’t do it at all.”
Consumers have good reason to be concerned. In
the past, Congress has passed laws deregulating air
lines, cable television and long distance telephone
service. What do we have to show for it?
Newspapers and other media regularly report stories
about high telephone charges and cable TV bills.
Airline prices are up for many passengers, and many
communities continue to see a decline in service
altogether. Some reports even talk about the “broken
promises” of deregulation.
For the 30th year in a row, locally elected co-op
leaders and consumers from electric cooperatives
gathered in Washington to make sure that the voices
of more than 30 million consumers are heard by
members of Congress as they consider changes in
the laws governing the electric utility industry.
The pressure to change —and charge now has
been intense. For months now, big corporations,
with little concern for consumer interests, have been
lobbying Congress to pass new laws this year. The
problem is that most of the proposals they are fight
ing for would leave you paying the tab.
These big corporations had hoped to rush
Congress into passing new laws before the rest of us
found out what they were doing. However, we got a
chance to weigh in on your behalf, and with other
consumer groups, convinced Congress to look at this
issue very carefully before acting.
In late May, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott
from Mississippi added his voice to the growing
numbers of senators and representatives saying that
Congress would not pass electric utility deregulation
legislation this year.
You and I both know that we cannot afford the
same mistakes that were made with airlines and
telecommunications when it comes to changing the
electric utility business.
Congress has apparently heard the message we
have been sending. We will be there as long as it
takes so when Congress does act, we will make sure
they get it right for everyone.
Joe Cade
CEO/General Manager,
Flint Electric Membership Corp.
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • Perry, Ga. 31069
(912) 987-1823 • (912) 988-1181 (fax)
e mail jjedit@hom.net
Bob Tribble President
Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager
John Smalley Advertising Sales
Newt: Emily Johnstone, Pauline Lewis. Rick Johnstone; Spoils: Phil Claik; Classified
The year 1968 brought much change to country
1968 was an eventful year, especial
ly for me. It was the year I came to
Perry to work at WPGA radio. I’ve
never regretted it.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson
announced that he would not accept
renomination by the Democratic Party,
and the Republican ticket of Richard
Nixon and Spiro Agnew won the pres
idency by defeating Hubert Humphrey
and Edmund Muskie. It was also a year
of tragedy. On April 4, 39-year old
civil rights leader Martin Luther King
Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. The
accused slayer, James Earl Ray, is cur
rently serving a 99-year prison term.
Barely a month later, on June 5,
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a presidential
candidate, was shot in Los Angeles
while celebrating a primary victory. He
died a day later, at the age of 42.
In 1968, Democratic representative
~~Tne Pcamvt GalurV s parufwoeß Photos
■ - ||f HAS ReMAtfD AM (MT£R£STtMG
ei AWM 97
Just what is important in Georgia?
When Atlanta hockey fans recently
received news that an NHL expansion
team was coming to town, the question
on everyone’s mind was, “What will
we name them?” The Atlanta Kudzu?
The Humidity? One wag even suggest
ed the Atlanta Traffic.
It seemed everyone had an opinion
on what the team’s name should be. In
the end, it was team owner Ted Turner
who decided to honor Georgia’s state
bird, the brown thrasher, by naming the
team the Atlanta Thrashers.
While most Georgians recognize the
name, few can actually identify or
describe characteristics of the brown
thrasher. A strong, aggressive bird
measuring about 10 inches from the tip
of its beak to the end of its tail feathers,
the brown thrasher is mostly brown on
top with stripes over a lighter chest.
Selected as Georgia’s state bird by
school children in 1935, the brown
thrasher was one of Georgia’s first
state symbols.
As Secretary of State and custodian
of Georgia’s state symbols, I receive
hundreds of letters each month from
students requesting pictures of the
brown thrasher and information on the
history of Georgia’s state symbols.
Since it began designating natural
resources, agricultural products and
wildlife in 1916, the Georgia General
Assembly has specified 18 official
state symbols. Can you name the first?
It was Georgia’s state flower, the
Cherokee Rose, in honor of the
Cherokee Indians who first distributed
the plant in Georgia.
Most Georgians, and anyone who
has ever seen a Georgia license plate,
can guess our state fruit, the peach.
This symbol has also given Georgia its
unofficial nickname, the “Peach State.”
Many of Georgia’s early symbols,
including our state tree, the live oak,
are widely recognized throughout the
state. However, few can name those
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-Journal. 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., July 16,1997
Page 4A
Shirley Chisolm of New York became
the first black woman elected to
Congress. She wasn’t the only woman
making news, though. Jacqueline
Kennedy married Greek shipping mag
nate Aristotle Onassis, on the island of
Skorpios.
The Detroit Tigers beat the St. Louis
Cardinals in the World Series, four games
to 3, but it wasn’t the Tigers’ Denny
McLain or the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson
who made the headlines. Detroit left
hander Mickey Lolich had three victories
to lead the Tigers to the championship.
Lewis A
Massey
Georgia Secretary
of State
enacted within the past 25 years, such
as Georgia’s state fish or our state
marine mammal.
To test your knowledge of Georgia’s
state symbols, or for a fun family
brainteaser, try to answer the questions
below. (Hint: a list of all our state sym
bols is available on the Secretary of
State Home Page located at www.sos
state.ga.us)
1. A relatively common fossil, you
may encounter one while searching
Georgia’s coastal plain.
2. On March 7, 1979, Ray Charles
performed this song before a joint ses
sion of Georgia’s State Senate and
House of Representatives.
3. Not only is this Georgia’s state
fish, but the world record of its kind
was caught in Georgia waters.
4. Often called bush honeysuckle,
this flowering shrub is native to
Georgia.
5. Known worldwide for their sweet
taste, they generated more than $53
million in revenues last year.
6. This insect contributes to our
economy in the production of honey
and aids in the cross-pollination many
Georgia crops.
7. The only great whale native to
Georgia’s coastal waters.
8. Grown in southern portions of our
state, Georgia leads the nation in the
export of these nuts.
9. Popularly called “Fairy Crosses”
or “Fairy Stones,” you may carry one
of these in your pocket for good luck.
10. This year Georgia farmers will
harvest an estimated 160 million
pounds of this fruit.
Phil Clark
Reminiscing
Houston Jims-Journal
It was the year, too, that Joe Namath
made good on his guarantee. Namath
had vehemently promised that the
upstart New York Jets of the American
Football League would win the Super
Bowl by beating the NFL Baltimore
Colts. The result? A 16-7 New York
win! (Technically, it was the '69 Super
Bowl, between the 1968 champions).
Elvis Presley and his wife, Priscilla,
announced the birth of their daughter,
Lisa Marie, on Feb. 1. It would be their
only child. The off-Broadway musical
‘Hair’ opened at the Biltmore Theater
on Broadway. It was billed as an
American tribal love-rock musical
amid considerable controversy, but it
went on to run for 1,742 performances
on Broadway, and later was made into
a motion picture. In July, the musical
group Yardbirds disbanded, and their
leader, Jimmy Page, retained rights to
0
11. This reptile is the oldest living
species native to Georgia.
12. Minerals in Georgia’s coastal
waters cause ocher striations in the
sand colored, semigloss surface of this
shell.
13. Callaway Gardens boasts an
extensive collection of this species of
lepidoptera.
14. Sportsmen worldwide visit
Georgia hunting preserves in pursuit of
this game bird.
Answers: 1. Shark tooth - Official
State fossil
2. “Georgia On My Mind” - Official
State song
3. Largemouth bass - Caught July 2,
1932, the bass weighed 22 pounds. 4
oz. Official State fish
4. Azalea - Official State wildflower
5. Vidalia onion - Official State veg
etable
6. Honey bee - Official State insect
7. Right whale - Official State
marine mammal
8. Peanuts - Official State crop
9. Staurolite crystals - Official State
mineral
10. Peaches - Official State Fruit
11. Gopher tortoise - Official State
reptile
12. Knobbed whelk - Official State
seashell
13. Tiger swallowtail butterfly
Official State butterfly
14. Bobwhite quail - Official State
game bird.
(Lewis Massey is Georgia Secretary
of State.)
Letters welcomed
The Houston Times-Joumal wel
comes letters to the editor. Letters can
be sent to the paper at P.O. Drawer M,
Perry, 31069, or brought to the office
at 807 Carroll St. Letters can be sent
via email tojjedit@hom.net.
Our Goal
The Houston Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoin
ing counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry, Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, prof
itable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach 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 right 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 Fust Amendment to the United
States Constitution.
The Houston Times-Journal (USPS 000471) is published weekly for $21.00 per year
by Houston Publications Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry, Ga., 31069. Periodicals Class
Postage paid at Perry, Ga. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to the Houston
P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874.
the name. He formed another group
and called them New Yardbirds, with
out success. Later, after adding John
Paul Jones, Robert Plant and John
Bonham, the group changed their
name to Led Zeppelin. After a tremen
dously successful run on Capitol
Records, the Beatles formed their own
label, Apple Records. Their first
release on the label, ‘Hey, Jude’,
became one of the Beatles’ biggest hits
of all time.
Kenny Rogers, who had spent a
year with the New Christy Minstrels,
formed the First Edition. Mama Cass
Elliot recorded her first single as a solo
performer. Country singer Tammy
Wynette had her first ‘cross-over’ hit
D-I-V-O-R-C-E, after several hits on
the country charts. Simon and
Garfunkel won record of the year with
“Mrs. Robinson”
From
Where I Sit
Bob Tribble
President
Tyson shouldn’t
box as pro again
Much as been written and many
opinions have been expressed about
the ear-biting incident during the
Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield fight a
few weeks ago.
Sportscasters and fans were
shocked and outraged about the inci
dent. The crowd screamed and made
obscene gestures at the 31-year-old
ex-world champion.
Tyson has made a public apology
to Holyfield, admitted that he had
momentarily snapped and promised to
seek help. He has pled his case to the
Nevada Boxing Commission, asking
that they allow him to box again.
Pardon me, but Mike Tyson is plead
ing that he be allowed to box again? I
don’t think so. In fact the man is a con
victed rapist and should never have
been allowed to return to the ring after
he was convicted of that felony crime.
He has served his time and paid the
penalty, you say. So what. A convict
ed felon cannot even vote, and if he
were to move on your street without
registering with police, he would be
breaking the law. But yet, he’s
allowed to go back into the ring, be
the box-office attraction and bide a
good man’s ears half off.
Tyson was convicted of the rape of
Desiree Washington during 1992.
Back then, crowds cheered the camp
and looked at Washington as either a
woman who brought the rape on her
self or a racial traitor attempting to
bring another black man down.
Ellen Goodman, a columnist for the
Boston Globe, put the situation in per
spective. Here is what she wrote in
part: “From the day in 1995 when the
Indiana prison doors opened and Tyson
was treated as if he’d come out of
retirement, not out of jail, to the hero’s
welcome he received in Harlem that
was billed as a “Day of Redemption,”
though he was redeemed without ever
admitting wrong.
Remember the children who
danced and sang to the “Mike Tyson
Rap.” “True, he’s not your mom or
your pops, but in some households,
he’s got more props,” meaning
respect. The rapist was a role model.
Those of us who hoped the unre
pentant fighter would be shunned by
fans and such moral forces as
Showtime or MGM were drowned out
by the sound of the cash register ring.
The ex-con was an even bigger draw.
Well, don’t bite my ear off, but
they’re a touch late here. Assault a
woman and you can still be a con
tender. Gnaw a tidbit off a man’s ear
and it’s a career-suspending injury.
Desiree Washington knew Tyson a
long time ago. Funny, but it wasn’t
until a piece of Evander Holyfield’s
cartilage ended up between Tyson’s
teeth that the fans heard the message,
Goodman concluded.
Many of you will disagree, but
From Where I Sit, Mike Tyson should
have been banned from the ring after
(See TRIBBLE, Page 54)
Ppp' 4m