Newspaper Page Text
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Volume 126, No. 31
2 Sections, 16 Pages
Wednesday
Aug. 6, 1997
50 Cents
At the
Crossroads
this week
Registration begins
All Houston County
School system principals
and secretarial staff are now
back on the job.
According to system
spokesman Sharon Riley,
hours parents may go to a
school to register their child
are from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
The first day of school for
the Houston County public
school system is Aug. 22.
Horse show continues at
Fairgrounds
The Southern Regional 4-
H Horse Show which began
Aug. 4, continues through
Aug. 7 at the Georgia
National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter.
The Georgia Cutting
Horse Show will be held
Aug. 8-10.
Members of the
Southeastern Wood
Producers Association will
gather for a meeting Aug. 9.
Many complete food
inspection OK
Many of the kitchens
inspected by Houston
County Environmental
Health inspectors last week
did not have discrepancies.
Completing the inspec
tion without discrepancies
were:
Baldino’s Giant Jersey
Subs, 912 Russell Parkway,
Warner Robins, 95
Chick-fil-A, Galleria
Mall, Centerville, 94
Huddle House, 215
Russell Parkway, Warner
Robins, 88
Long John Silvers, 2000
Watson Blvd., Warner
Robins, 93
Pan Am/Blimpie, 1205
N. Main St.. Perry, 90
Papa John’s Pizza, 810
Russell Parkway, Warner
Robins, 100
Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-
Q, 811 Russell Parkway,
Warner Robins, 93
Substation I, Galleria
Mall, Centerville, 96
Discrepancies which
required immediate atten
tion were found at these
locations
China Cuisine, 1365-G
Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry, 84,
problem with temperature
control of foods.
Dairy Queen, 1224
Watson Blvd., Warner
Robins, 78, problems with
temperature control of foods
and equipment problems
Hunan Lion, 2028
Watson Blvd., Warner
Robins, 93, problem with
temperature control of
foods.
Mandarin House, 401
Gen. Courtney Hodges
Blvd., Perry, 91, problem
with temperature control of
foods.
Mrs. Winner’s Chicken,
825 Russell Parkway,
Warner Robins, 85, problem
with temperature control of
foods.
Owen’s Boarding House,
106 Young Ave., Warner
Robins, 75, problem with
temperature control of foods
and equipment problems
Pizza Hut, 1406 Watson
Blvd., Warner Robins, 81,
problem with temperature
control of foods.
Popeye’s Famous
Chicken And Biscuits, 750
(See FOOD, Page SA)
Jerles running again
City Councilman will seek
re-election Nov. 4
See page 2A
Houston Times-Journal
Perryans may develop beef with Bison
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
It looks like the on-again, off
again Post Office for Perry is off
again.
The Bison Group Inc., a Siloam
Springs, Ark. company, will prob
ably not be constructing the pro
posed new facility in the 1400
block of Macon Road.
A legal advertisement that is
being published in this week’s edi
tion of the Houston-Times Journal
Development coming
to Lake Joy-Sandefur
intersection soon
By RICK JOHNSTONE
For the Times-Journal
The way has been cleared for
residential development of more
than 119 acres of land at the inter
section of Lake Joy and Sandefur
roads.
Houston County commission
ers approved a rezoning request
that would change the zoning
from R-AG (residential agricul
tural) to R-1 at the Aug. 5 meeting
in Perry.
A petition with more than 240
signatures of area residents
opposed to the move was present
ed. Opponents said their main
objection is to the possibility of
having three new homes per acre
in the new subdivision. They said
they are not opposed to anew
development, and would not
object to one new home per acre.
Commissioner Larry Snell
grove, who made the motion to
approve the recommendation of
the Houston County Planning and
Zoning Commission, said that
“he (developer) will not be able to
get three homes per acre.”
Snellgrove said rights-of-way
easements, the fact that part of the
development is in the flood plane,
and other restrictions will come
the number of homesites down.
“We try to be good stewards of
the taxpayer dollars,” said
Snellgrove. “I know how we
stand from the legal standpoint.”
County attorney Mike Long
had stated that since the guide
lines for the zoning petition had
been adhered to, there would be
trouble with defending a denial of
the motion in the courts.
At that same meeting, commis
sioners OK’d a request from the
city of Perry that the county con
duct the November municipal
election in Perry.
Under terms of the election
agreement, Houston County per
(See COUNTY, Page SA)
Charter member
of Agricenter
Authority dies
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
“I called him Mr. Bill.”
That is one of the memories
Perryan Foster Rhodes has of a
special friendship he shared with
Bill Roquemore, one of the char
ter members of the Georgia
Agricultural Exposition Authority.
Roquemore died July 29 at age
73 from complications of emphy
sema. He was at his home in
Lakeland at the time of his death.
Rhodes, who is a member of
the Authority, said Roquemore’s
“sharp mind” helped make the
present success and beauty of the
Georgia National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter what it is today.
Roquemore’s caring touch will
be seen in far into the future, said
Johnny Webb, deputy director of
the Agricenter.
“He was a valued member on
the original board and was instru
mental in a lot of the landscaping
Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia
gives notice that the 4.2 acre prop
erty is being foreclosed on.
Barring any unforeseen hap
pening, the property will be sold to
the highest bidder at a Sept. 2 fore
closure sale on the steps of the
Houston County Courthouse.
The property is being fore
closed on by Zions National Bank.
According to the legal notice
The Bison Group owes the Bank
$1.5 million for that property.
The Bison Group was contract
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. Times-Journal Photo by Eric Zellars
TWIRLING PRACTICE Perry High School Band feature twirler
Shannon Lanier concentrates on her routine for the opening football
game Sept. 5. Lanier, a senior, is a member of the Pride of the
Crossroads band which will take a trip to Chicago later this year for
a Christmas parade.
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Times-Journal Photo by Emily Johnstone
NAMED IN HONOR The Roquemore Conference Center at the
Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter is named for long-time
fairgrounds supporter Bill Roquemore.
for the facility,” said Webb. “His
legacy will live on for a long
time.”
Rhodes remembers Roquemore
donating 100 acres of centipede
grass for the Agricenter during its
birthing days.
That came from his turf sod
. growing business that has opera
tions in Georgia, South Carolina
and North Carolina.
cgttron time
football practice
begins
See page 6A
ed by the United States Postal
Service to build a 14,000 square
foot. facility.
Workers abandoned the project
in mid-June, many qf them saying
they had not been paid for services
rendered.
U.S. Postal Service
Communications Specialist Michael
Miles said the deadline for The
Bison Group to respond to a show
cause letter asking them to give rea
son to avoid default procedures
“He helped a lot during the
early days. He helped get us
through some tough times with his
vast amount of experience,” said
Rhodes. “He saved us and the
state a lot of money.”
Executive director of the facili
ty, Michael Froehlich, agreed that
Roquemore had a very positive
(See ROQUEMORE, Page SA)
pj
passed last week without a reply to
U.S.P.S. from The Bison Group.
“They are now in default,” said
Miles. “Our hope is that the bank
will be able to find another con
tractor” to take over the project.”
“Otherwise, we could be in a
position where we will have to cut
our losses and move on,” said
Miles.
Perry Building Official Steve
Howard said he believes if this
problem cannot be resolved.
UPS strike affecting
local businesses
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
The strike of the United Parcel
Service workers is being felt by
local businesses and industry.
Riverwood Inc. Purchasing
Agent Christy Ware said that plant,
located at the Perry Allied
Business Park, began preparations
as soon as they realized there
could be problems with shipping
and handling of materials and
products usually delivered by
UPS.
“We are trying to dance around
but not let this stop us,” she said.
Many transportation needs for
the plant are provided by courier
or trucking service, but companies
such as UPS are used for shipping
of parts, said Ware.
“It’s the little stuff, the gears
and stuff that keeps the machines
operating,” she said.
Local Hamby automobile deal
ership spokesman Mark Hamby
said that car dealership is also
learning to cope with the strike.
“We are trying to keep Federal
Express in business this week!” he
said with a laugh.
On the serious side, the delivery
of parts is strongly effected, he
added, causing a delay in the
repair of some vehicles.
A Carroll Street business is also
feeling the effects of not having
those big brown panel trucks
rolling along the nation’s high
ways.
Hi Notes owner Jim Schaeffer
said he has customers for his elec
tronic equipment world wide and
he is “very concerned.”
“There are many thousands of
dollars of my products sitting
someplace,” said Schaeffer.
The cost to use some shipping
companies is cost prohibitive, he
said.
Perry Postmaster, James E.
Area city leaders study
potential service changes
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
Municipal leaders from the
mid-state gathered at Macon
College July 31 to discuss poten
tial changes in the way they pro
vide services.
Under a measure adopted dur
ing the 1997 legislative session,
each county and the cities within
the county will be required to
adopt a service delivery strategy
by July 1, 1999.
Perry Mayor Jim Worrall said
he believes most city and county
leaders are in favor of such a
development.
“It seems to be the ideal oppor
tunity to eliminate duplication of
services and cut expense,” said
Worrall.
The legislation calls for the
development of 159 service deliv
ery strategies, one for each county
in the state.
Counties will be required to
Car wash time
Perry Band raising funds
for Christmas parade trip
See page 7B
Home of the Georgia National
Fair and Agricenter
U.S.P.S. may have to “start the
project over again.”
That could mean looking for
another piece of property.
Meanwhile, the Perry site is
apparently not the only site in
trouble.
“As of now Perry is not the
only postal job they are in default
on,” said Miles.
He declined to comment fur
ther, but did say the other job site
is not located in Georgia.
“Butch” Kirkley, said the U.S.
Postal Service is attempting to
help customers with their needs.
“We in the postal service want
to accept as much new business as
possible without compromising
existing service,” said Kirkley.
All new U.S. Postal Service
customers are being asked to limit
packages to no more than four
parcels per person per visit, he
said.
This is not being asked of those
who have been regular customers
of the Post Office in the past, he
added.
“We expect to see a higher vol
ume of parcel retail units and don’t
want to disrupt service for regular
customers, so we developed poli
cies to handle this,” said Kirkley.
Weight limits, size, and dimen
sion requirements for the Post
Office differ than those of UPS.
Kirkley urges anyone with
questions to contact him at 987-
2038.
Mailers of Priority Mail letters
and flats will not be effected and
there are no restrictions of Express
Mail, he said.
Also, regular delivery service in
Perry should not be disrupted, said
Kirkley.
“Service may be slowed down
somewhat, but please bear with us.
I do not expect it to effect us to a
great extent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tracy Daye said
she is attempting to maintain ser
vice to her customers at Master
Mailers Inc., 719 Commerce St.
Daye, who provides a shipping
point for UPS, Federal Express
and Airborne Express, said she is
working to provide alternative
shipping services to persons used
to using United Parcel Service.
Negotiations between the union
and UPS management have bro
ken down completely.
start the process by Jan. 1, 1998.
Worrall said he believes since
the county and cities of Houston
have begun talks of consolidating
such departments as planning and
zoning and tax collection, this will
be viewed as part of that process.
This is not a mandate for con
solidation, he said.
But, “this could be the first step
for consolidation,” added Worrall.
Implementation of a strategy
could result in a change of who
delivers fire and police protection
to certain parts of a county.
“Police chiefs and sheriffs are
very turf-oriented,” said Worrall.
“If we are asked we will provide
protection” into an extended area.
That is as long as a funding
source is made available, he added.
Failure to adopt the Strategy
will result in the loss of eligibility
by that city or county for all state
administered funding or permits,
according to the Strategy Act.
JL