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B" 1 B R
At the
Crossroads
This Week
SCLC plans King
observance Jan. 14
Members of the Southern
Christian Leadership
Conference will host a commem
oration service for the late Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. at the
Greater Union Baptist Church of
Pern Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.*
According to spokesperson
Jackie Singleton, the speaker for
the service will he the Rev. Keith
Anderson, pastor of Greater
Union Baptist.
Singleton said all ministers in
Houston County are invited to
lead in the processional for the
service.
For more information, contact
Singleton at 923-3042. Arthur
Head at 929-4903. or Emmett
Smith at 923-40X6.
Sanderjur Road to close
Sanderfur Road in central
Houston County will he
closed Jan. 8-15. according to
Ellis Scarborough of the Houston
County Public Works
Department.
The road will he closed from
Lake Joy Road to US. 41 for
bridge repairs. The department
expects to complete the repairs
within a week. Scarborough said.
Middle School open
house is Jan. 14
Principal Tom Gupton and
faculty members of the
Perry Middle School will he on
hand for an open house and a
lund-raising barbecue dinner Jan
14.
The dinner will he served
from 5-6:45 p.m. in the school
cafeteria. The meal will include
Charlie Parrish-prepared barbe
cue pork, chips, slaw, bread and
dessert The platdk. to cat at the
school or lake home, arc $5 each.
Tickets arc available from faculty
members. Perry Middle School
Booster Club members, or any
athlete or cheerleader
Gupton said money raised
faun the event will he used for
numerous projects at the new
campus
The open house begins at 7
p.m. with ample time planned for
visitors to tour the new school.
The campus is located at 1098
N Perry Parkway, one lot east of
the intersection of the Parkway
with U.S. 41 north
Feh. 13 yard sale to
benefit Tres Sinyard
Scholarship Fund
Perry High School officials
have announced plans for
a Feh 13 yard sale. Proceeds
raised will benefit the Tres
Sinyard Scholarship Fund.
Siny ard was a popular teacher
at the school who died last fall
The fund honors his memory .
The yard sale will begin at
9a.m and will end at 12:30 p.m.
It will be held at the Perry High
School Gymnasium.
For more information on the
scholarship contact Hazel
Jackson at 988-6298. For more
information on the yard sale con
tact Rohm Dorman at 988-6298.
Ecumenical prayer
service planned Jan. 19
Members of Union Grove
Missionary Baptist
Church of Warner Robins will
host an ecumenical prayer service
with Sacred Heart Roman
Catholic Parish at 7 p.m. on Jan
19.
For more information, please
call 922-5514.
R.D. Wade, missions
leader, to speak at
Crossroads Baptist
The Rev. Dr. R D Wade
will spc_' " Crossroads
Bapust Church at 7 p.m. Jan. 6.
Wade has been pastor of
Pleasant Grove Baptist Temple in
Dallas. Texas, for more Chin 20
<Se* FOOD, Pa«r SA)
I 1
99/09/09
UNIVERSITY Of DA LIBRARIES
Houston Times -Journal
Centerville fire plan draws sharp criticism
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Times- Journal Stafj
A plan for a new fire station in
Centerville which would be paid for
jointly by the city and the county has
drawn criticism from county fire
fighters.
The project contract, which will
probably he voted on at the Jan. 19
meeting of the Houston County
Commissioners, outlines a plan to
improve fire service in Centerville by
the creation of a joint fire district
which would include residents of the
Courthouse work
still a year away
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
TiMBS-JotmNAL Staff
Preliminary planning for the new
Houston County courthouse and jaH
is continuing, hut a date for ground
breaking is at least a year off,
according to Sharon Schmitz, a rep
resentative of the architectural team
in charge of the massive project.
Schmitz, who spoke at the Jan. 5
meeting of the Houston County
Commissioners, said the architects
arc surveying conditions at the site,
engaging in "programmatic activi
ties". talking wirtr those who will
use the facilities and continuing to
arrange lours of dHter facilities.
The goal is for the county's elect
ed and appointed officials to have “a
common vocabulary” with the
architects in making final decisions.
She said she expects the architec
tural team to come up with a “com
mon schematic design next month"
and a "site utility package by
September, with bid documents by
this time next year."
It has apparently been necessary
to increase the square footage of the
proposed county courthouse from
the original specifications.
Schmitz noted that while “we've
added square feet, we ve also cut
(square feet) in some departments,
so the net gain is not that great, and
it is still within budget even with
increases in square feet."
She said some questions
remained to he answered, such as
which departments will remain in
the old courthouse, which is to be
renovated, and what changes will
(See COURTHOUSE. Page SA)
Nelson: Perry Middle campus off to smooth start
By STACIE M. VU
Tmgs-JtK'KNAL Staff
Students of Pern' Middle School
returned from Christmas break with one
more present to open from the Houston
County Board of Education. On Jan. 4 stu
dents opened the doors to their new school
located at 1098 N. Perry Parkway at the
crossing of U.S. 41.
The students toured the school prior to
vacation and were assigned lockers at that
time. On the first day back some students
had forgotten where to go, some didn’t.
According to Instructional Coordinator.
Gail Nelson, "The first day was very
smooth. The kids were wonderful. The
teachers were not stressed, they were glad
that we moved mid-year versus a summer
move. Some teachers had apprehensions
about the mid-year move.
‘The main problem that we had was
traffic problems where parents were drop
ping students off for school." said Nelson
US 41 was backed up North and South
with cars to drop off students. It is expect
ed the traffic problem will correct itself
over tunc. Other problems were minor,
such as no heal in the rooms, and light fix
tures not yet m place. Ail of the minor
problems have been rectified. “We haven't
had any reports of heating problems
today " Nelson said Jan. S.
Teachers went in during the Christmas
Panthers pick a peach '
Perry takes, pair of bas
’ •"ball games from
ich county
Details, page 6A
Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia
city *and unincorporated Houston
County.
Under the terms of the plan, the
city and county would split (he cost
of land needed to build a fire station
and would also split the cost of con
structing a fire station with two pull
through hays for fire vehicles.
The land and building would be
jointly titled to the city and the coun
ty and the city of Centerville would
have the option of buying out the
county’s interest in the facility.
Centerv ille would pay "a portioit"
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■Jk ‘' 1|
Timas-Jeumal Photo by Kric Zatiars
COLD IN PERRY Overnight temperatures near 20
degrees caused the city fountain to freeze Jan. 4. After
weeks of unseasonably warm weather, temperatures in
the midstate plunged Sunday, and have continued cool
since then. Some parts of the nation have experienced
record snowfalls during this time. The temperature sank
to 16 degrees Jan. 5, and was expected to do the same
Jan. 6. There is a warming trend coming this weekend.
vacation to ready the school and prepare
for classes in the new school.
According to Principal Tom Gupton
“Teachers have been busting their
humps.” The Media Center started with
about 650 boxes to unpack, hut have
unloaded several.
The students’ first lunch at the new
school consisted of pizza, sandwiches,
fruit and vegetables. The lunch was served
on paper plates, because the kitchen did
not get the OK on the equipment until 10
a.m. after all of the fire alarms and fire
equipment could be checked.
Lunchroom Attendant. Retha Bennett
said “I’m thrilled to death " The kitchen
area is approximately twice as big as the old
school. The food court has three lines for
students to select food. The old school cafe
teria could not seat each grade all at once.
According to Nelson three classes had
to eat lunch and then the other three class
es could attend lunch. The new school has
a larger cafeteria so that all students can be
seated and have lunch together.
Perry Middle School will host a ribbon
cutting ceremony on Jan, 6. in front of the
new school at 9 a m Parents are invited to
attend the ceremony
An open house will be held Jan. 14, at
7 p m. A barbecue will take place the same
day at 5 p.m at the school and parents will
be able to tow the building at the open
Sit\ in*; I louslrm ( miniv Niin rlh t I U*7(f
of the operation and maintenance
costs based on the percentage of fire
calls within its jurisdictional bound
aries from the last fiscal year, and
would «lso provide all fulltime and
volunteer personnel.
The county, in addition to provid
ing half the costs of the land and con
struction. would provide a new 1.250
gallon-per-minute Class A Custom
Cab Pumper vehicle to replace the
1981 vehicle now used by city.
Steve Engle, Management
Services '‘■Director for Houston
house ceremony. For more information
about the barbecue contact Danny Shelton
at 988-6285.
“The cost is $5 per plate and there are
only a few tickets left" said Nelson.
Moving to a New School
By Nicky Meads
7th Gmor. Student at Perky Middle School
Moving to a new school in the middle
of the year is a tough, yet fun experience.
Some students have a hesitant attitude
toward our new school because they made
some memories at the old school. Wc
should be proud because we have a brand
new building while some schools are still
in building like our old one, or worse. I
think that having a new school can boost
our school spirit. It makes me proud to
have such a nice school. Compared to our
old one, it’s excellent. It's bigger, nicer,
and more high tech. I personally will miss
the old school. There were so many mem
ories in that building, but I am excited
about being in our new school. When wc
grow up we will remember this school and
will tell our kids. ‘That was a brand new
and nice school and it still looks the same!"
Hopefully, everyone will take care of this
building. Right now I’m wondering what
the other schools will think when they
come here for a home game. I hope they
arc impressed. I would be.
Charlie Walker honored
Civilians name Walker their cit
izen of the year for his efforts
in education
Details, page 1B
County, has described this draft plan
as "a more efficient and equitable
means of providing fire protection
services" for both the city and the
unincorporated areas within the area
of protection.
Contrary to that opinion. Deputy
Chief Jim Adams of the Houston
County Fire Department calls it "a
welfare check for the city of
Centerville.”
Adams, who was among a num
ber of firefighters present at the Jan
5 County Commission meeting in
Perdue takes new
political link to Atlanta
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Times-Jwrnal Staff
When the 1998 session of the
Georgia Genera! Assembly closed.
State Senator Sonny Perdue. R-
Bonairc, was a Democrat. President
pro tem of the Senate and a key play
er in the majority party.
Since that time, he's changed par
ties and he'll begin the 1999 session
in a new role in the minority party
with a new DcnkK'ratic governor and
a new Democratic lieutenant gover
nor ‘ T
Relaxing iruhis office in Bonaire
last week, he oUn't seem at all wor
ried about the changes and chal
lenges ahead
“First of all." he said, "if I'd want
ed power. I could have stayed secure
ly where I was. My decision was
based on my principals."
Looking ahead, he sees a number
of major issues coming up in the new
session, starting with the problems
related to Georgia's rapidly growing
metropolitan centers.
“Urban sprawl is a big issue,” he
said, “and it's one of Gov. Barnes'
top issues to work on. We ll be con
cerned with traffic congestion and
potential air pollution.
“Statewide, however, wc need to
balance the problems of urban sprawl
with the problems in other areas that
don't have enough growth. That's a
critical issue - balancing the two
needs."
Perdue uses his own senate dis
trict as an example - a “microcosm of
the slate."
Perdue s district includes Houston
-igL g~ - tK
Tim*»-Journal Photo by Irk ZoMar*
TEACHING TIME - Perry Middle School
eighth graders settle into their first day of
dosses in the new Perry Middle School.
Instructor Undo Williams conducts the lan
guage arts dass.
Perry, claims further that the plan
will lake the extra taxes paid by
county dwellers for lire protection
and put that money into lire protec
tion for the city of Centerville.
"They're going to get a $200,000
lire truck paid for with the county
tire tax." Adams said.
Residents of non-incorporated
cities in Houston County pay an
additional property tax levy to cover
the costs of lire protection.
(Sec EIRE, Page >A)
County and southern Bibb County,
both of which arc lacing problems
related to rapid growth and prosperi
ty
At the same time, he represents
Pulaski and Bleckley counties, which
he describes as “looking to us for
leadership and direction."
Some of his district is urban,
while the southern pari is distinctly
rural and dependent on agriculture
“As the ag economy goes, so go
Pulaski and Bleckley." Perdue said
Rural or urban, some of the proh
lerns and concerns of citizens are the
same Education is one of those con
cerns.
“Education will be a big issue in
this session," Perdue said. "We ll he
considering funding for alternative
schools to deal with disruptive stu
dents. with discipline and safety and
w ith the matter of teachers teaching
outside of their fields."
He also anticipates that school
vouchers will he up lor debate —hut
the voucher system lie's expecting
would he one which would allow
inner-city students to choose other
public schools if test scores indicate
the schools thc\ arc attending arc noi
successful.
"That would give parents a
choice," he said, "and all parents are
concerned about their children's cdu
cation.-both rich and poor."
He would also like to see more
emphasis on workforce development
and vocational training in the stale.
Regarding crime and the "no
(Sec PERDUE. Page SA)