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Timn journal Photo b\ tin Zriliri
HERVIA INGRAM (LEFT) GETS THANKS
Rep. Larry Walker Offers Support
Thanks, Hervia
Long-time Perry City Councilman
Hen ta Ingram was guest of honor
for a recognition dinner Dec 20 at
the (ieorgia National Fairgrounds.
C iathered there were many community
leaders who wanted to say “thanks” to
Ingram tor his 13 years of service on the
City Council.
Ingram, who is personnel director at the
Fairgrounds, decided to leave city politics
this year and did not seek his District 1.
Post I seat during the November election.
Ingram, who has been mayor pro-tem on
two occasions, has been an excellent coun
cil member He’s one who has done his
homework before the meetings Often he
has v isited areas of interest prior to a meet
ing to discover as much information as he
could I his allowed him to speak w ith a
greater position of know ledge concerning
the issues the city faced.
He took his committee work seriously,
too His attendance record at committee
meetings was excellent, and conirtfiftce*on.,
w hich he served were well-known Tor Ffe- ~
quent meetings and discussions concerning
items on their agenda.
He's represented his district, and the
entire city. well. He's listened, he's voted
his conscious, and he's worked to get along
with all councilmen and employees of the
city.
A long-time teacher in Houston County
public schools. Ingram brought an ability to
resolve issues without bickering to the
table. He would listen, he would suggest,
and he would bargain for the best possible
decision from council
We appreciate tfu work which Hervia
Ingram has put into serving the people of
Perry. He leaves very large shoes to fill
Newly-elected council member Phyllis
Bynum Flowers will have a tremendous
legacy to follow when she takes Ingram’s
place on council next week.
Thanks. Hervia. for 13 years of solid ser
vice to the community. We look forward to
seeing you in a variety of volunteer roles in
the future.
Goodbye, Hayley
Perry loses another leader this week when
Hayley Ciodbee Greene takes her personal
items from the office at the Perry Area
Chamber of Commerce home. Greene won't
be going far. just to Flint Electrical
Membership Corp., but she won't be the
full-time executive at the chamber after Jan.
Greene came to the post just over two
years ago. During the time since, she has
given her total effort to taking the chamber
to a new level of leadership in the communi
ty. She has worked tirelessly to make Perry
better and to be a part of Team Houston.
We congratulate Greene on both her
recent marriage and her new job and wish
her well We know we'll see her as a volun
teer in the community.
Houston Times-Joumol
I'O Drawer M • 807 Carroll St • Perry. Ga 31069
email jjedtt fePhom.net
■ <#121987-1823 (voice) • (912) 988-11X1 (lax)
Huh Tribble PrcMilent
J| Johnson hditor and General Manager
Don Haumgarl Advertising Director
News i.mily Johnstone. Pauline Lewis. Kick Johnstone
Joan Dorset! Jason Pike. Sports Phil Clark. Advertising
Sherri Wenglcr. Classified Ads Jason Pike, Composition
Chad lewis Circulation and Photography F.ru Zellars
Bookkeeping Paula Zimmerman
—
The top and the not quite top stories of 1997
Selecting the lop news story lor a
year, as our news stall did lor a front
page story this week, is never easy.
We lend to look lor stories which
will have major, lasting impact.
Sometimes we ignore equally good
stories, which are one-time events in
our community
One of those one-time events did
make the top 20 stories Thai was the
election ol Hillary Smith as national
FFA president
Certainly this important honor,
being the leader ot an orgum/ation ot
more than 450.000 persons nation
wide. represents a major story in our
community.
There are other stories which are
equally important to the lives of those
involved, which did not make the top
20. Among them is the election ot fcl
low FFA meinbei Jell Wilson as the
Georgia FFA vice president
Three large local churches said
goodbye to long-time leaders this year
The Rev Michael <> Recite left Si
Patrick's Catholic Church The Rev
AC Truluck let t Houston lake
Baptist and the Rev John Yarbrough
left Perry First Baptist
Hach of these men is missed in the
commumlv and the storv ->l then leav
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Accident serves as bitter reminder
Ii wa» a Hitter cold December night
years ago. just a lew days before
Christmas
A friend ot mine and both ol our
parents went out to dinner in Warner
Robins and were driving home along
Houston Lake Road
As we made the sharp turn just alter
passing the country club entrance, I
noticed a scream from outside. At first
we all thought it vs as just a bunch ot
crazy high school kids having a good
time But my father, who happened to
be driving at the time, seemed to think
it was more.
He turned all si\ of un around and
we parked on the side of the highway.
Like a horrible nightmare. I saw a car
turned upside down, a mother scream
ing for her children, and bodies lay ing
in the grass, blood soaked and freez
ing.
We were the first ones on the scene
so we knew we needed to call an
ambulance and fire truck: alter all. the
car was possibly a sitting tune tomb
ready to go off at any minute
But that's when we found the
father Obviously drunk out of hi»
mind, he staggered to Ins feet and told
us that we were not going to call the
authorities He wanted a cousin ol his
Our Policies
I nsigned editorials appearing in larger type on this page
under the label Out Views reflect the position ol the Houston
Times Journal Signed columns jnd letters on this page land
elsewhere in this newspaper) reflect the opinions of the writ
ers and not necessarily those ol this newspaper
Signed letters to the editor are welcomed Please limit let
ters io JOO words and include addresses and a telephone
number loi vcriliialion purposes tattlers are not published
without verification l etters should be sent to PO Drawer
M. Perry. Ga . 0069 or brought to the newspaper office at
807 Carroll St Pcrrv
(lui li.ibilns loi an error will not exceed the cost ol space
PAGE 4
Wed., Dec. 31. IW7
Jj
Johnson
Lditor
ing is important
An important transition took place
at the Perry Area Convention and
Visitors Bureau, where Bill Westbrook
left to manage a local motel property
He was replaced by Jenny Andrews
She becomes the fourth director ol the
CVB since the organization was
founded seven years ago
An important story to hundreds in
the community was the death ot
Monica Allen. a Morningside
Flementary student, last winter
Hundreds turned out lor her luncral.
and the school held appropriate cere
monies lor students
Deborah Roberts came home to
Perry to speak to the Perry Area
Chamber ol Commerce Roberts, a
childhood resident ol the community,
is a national newscaster
Long-time former school superin
tendent David A Perdue Sr died, leav
ing a gap in the history ol Houston
Chad
Lewis
Staff Writer
to just come hy and pick them up
It was obvious as to why he didn't
want us to call the police because he
was certainly the one to blame, but we
weren't going to let these kids die just
a few days before Christmas.
As someone went to call an ambu
lance. the rest of us tried to keep
everything steady T.e mother was
screaming for her baby girl; she had
apparently been thrown from her vehi
cle and lost in the dark of the night
I then stumbled upon her little
body. If she was five years old she
must have just had a birthday
I knew not to pick her up. fearful of
spinal injury, so I just laid my coat on
top of her and did every thing I could to
help her stay warm without moving
her too much
Because of the cold, her teeth were
chattering too much to speak But she
did say one thing to me Staring up at
the dark sky sprinkled with white
occupied by the error
We cannot be responsible lor the return ot pictures or sub
milted materials unless a stamped, return address envelope is
included
Our Goal
The Houston TimevJournal is published proudly lor the
cilt/.ens of Houston and adjoining counties bv Houston
Publications Ins Perry. Ga Our goal is to produce quality,
profitable, community oriented newspapers that you. our
readers are proud ol We will reach this goal through hard
work, teamwork, loyally and a strong dedication toward
printing the truth
Member ol Georgia Press Association and National
County education, especially during
the 1970 s
The first use ol the John Houser ter
minal building at the Perry-Houston
County Airport took place Houser a
long-time Airport Authority member,
was honored lor his work with the
authority
Jim Worrall not only was re-elected
mayor, he was named the Seabic
Hickson award winner Worrall com
mented it was important to him to be
named winner ol an award for a long
time friend
That's just a sample of the impor
tant stories during 1997 which didn't
make the top 20 list, but which are
important to those people involved,
and in many cases, to large segments
ol the community
Here's a rundown ol some other
interesting stories trom 1097 which I
noted while doing research lor that
article
. Tommy Morris became the Perry
City Recreation Department director
. A 5400.000 ladder truck arrived
lor the Perry Fire Department
v The annual Dogwood Festival
was a success
Bobby Pennington retired at Perry
Middle School and was replaced by
i
stars, she asked. Why did daddy have
to go so fast
hnally. the ambulance showed up.
The father, more worried about being
arrested than taking care ot his wife
and three children, made a run for it:
fortunately, he was caught
As they put the little girl in the
ambulance, they handed me my coat
so they could wrap some warm sheets
around As they drove off. I looked at
my coat to sec that it was soaked in the
blood ol an innocent little girl that
would likely spend Christmas in a hos
pital.
I don't drink alcohol ladies and
gentlemen And its not that I’m trying
to say how a great a person that makes
me I don't mind il other people drink
either This is just a personal decision
for me. due in some part to that night
years ago
I'm not going to use this column to
preach to you about how you shouldn't
drink this New Year's Eve. after all.
most ol you are adults who are capable
ol making vour own decisions.
Please remember that I'm not try ing
to scare you with my own stories But
il they make you think twice about
drinking and driving this holiday sea
son. then I'm glad I shared it with you
Houston raws- Journal
Tom Gupton
\ Perry policemen received bicy
cles tor a special patrolling program
V A celebration at County Line
Baptist Church honored Mattie G
Sinyard on her 100th birthday
v Perry Middle School was named
a (ieorgia School of F.xcellcncc for the
second time
v The Perry Convention and
Visitors Bureau purchased and put to
use a low -powered AM radio station to
give traffic directions in the city.
\ Ground was broken for a state
diversion center along Perry Parkway
\ Farl Check was named the
Georgia Retired Teacher of the Year
s Members of the Perry High
School class of 1947 held their 50th
reunion
v Ihe Houston Times-Journal was
named Best ol Trib in recognition of
taking top honors among 34 Trib
Publications newspapers
\ A drug dog became a member ol
the F’erry Police Department
v The eighth Georgia National F air
attracted the most visitors ever. 351.
35X During the lair, a new gate and
street was named for former Gov Joe
(See JOHNSON, Page 3A)
Pauline
Lewis
l ifestyle I ditor
Thinking about
a new year
The year 1997 is almost a year of
the past
W hat did we accomplish this year'
Are we better persons for having 1997
in w hich to improve ourselves and our
surroundings ’ Did we do all that we
were physically, mentally, morally
and spiritually capable of doing ?
Did we serve our fellow beings as
we should have ’ Did we complete all
the resolutions we set for ourselves on
January 1. 1997 1
It our answer is "no . we have been
given another opportunity to make
good on all these goals we set lor our
selves
Perhaps you had some bumps
along the way. as I did. But those
can be used as opportunities to
re-think your resolutions and goals lor
the New Year*
Go ahead and make resolutions or
set goals Try to meet them II you
tall short, don't think that you are a
complete tailure Regroup and try. try
again Success comes with persever
ance
Place your written goals/resolu
tions on the refrigerator and check
them each time you open the retriger
ator’door Aim high and may you
meet all your resolutions and goals lor
1998'
Happv New Year'
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Pauline
Lewis, our lifestyle editor, remaias
on personal leave while recovering
from a minor stroke on Labor Day.
During the Christmas holiday,
she visited our office and bright
ened our lives with her appearance.
She is much stronger than she was.
She is now writing personal notes
by hand, and her writing has
improved dramatically during
recent days.
Additionally, she is fully alert
and getting much stronger. She has
her happy smile, which was missing
for a few days during the early
going, and she’s hack to inquiring
about everyone and everything
w hen we talk with her.
We know you join us in hoping
that the year 1998 brings joy to all
of us. and that it brings complete
healing to Pauline Lewis so she can
get her life back to normal. I
New spajKr Association
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this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment to the
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Houston Publications Inc.. 807 Carroll St.. Perry. Ga..
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