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'■mMmw w 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" jflr JgSP ip •. / '*H&&ffi*** : * ■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)