Newspaper Page Text
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2 Sections
18 Pages
Wednesday,
June 9, 1999
50
Cents k
Home of the A
Georgia
National Pair I
and AgriceeT
The
Crass*
roads
This
Week /PP^
Campers and cows at
Georgia Agricenter
Members of Campers
on a Mission continue
their rally at the Georgia
National Fairgrounds
and Agricenter through
June 10. About 1,000
persons are visiting the
center for this event.
An estimated 1,000
visitors per day are
expected for the Georgia
High School Rodeo
Association finals, to be
held at the Agricenter
June 11-13.
Also taking place at
the Agricenter this
weekend is the June 12
4-H and FFA Livestock
Judging contest.
Bake sale set
Meals on Wheels will
have a bake sale on
June 26, at the Perry
Big Kmart. All bake sale
items will be homemade
and proceeds will pro
vide services for the
elderly. Donations will
be accepted. Contact
June Vogt at 987-2172.
Rec Department to
receive grant from state
House Majority
Leader Larry Walker, D-
Perry, has announced
an SB,OOO grant from
the Governor’s Discre
tionary Fund for recre
ational programs in
Perry. Walker aid the
use of the funds would
be determined by the
recreation department
and the Perry City
Council.
It was also
announced this week
that Walker has been
named to the Georgia
Tobacco Community
Development Board, a
committee which will
make recommendations
on the allocation of the
multi-million dollar
financial settlement
reached between Geor
gia and the major tobac
co companies.
Woman arrested in
stabbing incident
A 22-year-old Perry
woman was arrested on
June 4 following the
stabbing of a younger
woman in an incident
on John Kirkley Street,
police said.
LaTonya Katrina
Smith was charged with
aggravated assault after
allegedly stabbing 18-
year-old Ayanna Harris
in the arm with a knife.
Harris, who has taken
to the Perry Hospital
emergency room, had
seven stitches in her
arm and was released,
said Lt. Heath Dykes.
(See FOOD, Page SA)
Contact [
"the i J " 1
Home • I nOUSuXI
Journal || 1
Contact the Houston Home Jour
nal:
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Fax (912) yo 3 !!?!
email homejrn@hom.net
Mail P.O. Drawer M,
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Street 807 Carroll St.,
Perry, 31069
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JNIVERSITY Of 6A LIBRARIES
4TTN: 801 HENNEBERGER 9&2HH
ATHENS, GA 30602
i :
Houston Home Journal
i
Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia
Drought causes fire hazard, demand on water
From Staff Reports
With the extended drought, citi
zens are being urged to be cautipus
with charcoal fires and any
machinery which could throw a
spark and ignite dry grass or
leaves. Meanwhile, Houston Coun
ty water customers are being asked
to restrict their evening water use
voluntarily.
“The fire danger is extremely
high, despite a few showers in
recent days,“ said Houston County
Chief Ranger Ken Hanson. “We re
not issuing any permits."
Hanson said “quite a bit of the
Police enter
two homes
seeking drugs
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Perry police executed two
search warrants for drugs last
week, with one arrest made
and two suspects on the run.
On June 3, police
entered the home of John
Thomas Evans, -- 51, where
they found approximately
28 grams of crack cocaine.
Evans was arrested and
charged with sale of
cocaine and with posses
sion of cocaine with intent
to distribute.
Police also seized a num
ber of items in the house,
including a television set,
stereo and some new, still
packaged merchandise.
According to Det. Lt.
Heath Dykes, the depart
ment will begin condemna
tion procedures on these
items, under a law which
provides for the seizure of
property along with drug
related convictions.
On June 4, police
entered the home of
Nicholas Felder, 20, and
Shayla Fann, 22, at 707
Star St. Two pounds of
marijuana were found in
gallon plastic sandwich
bags, and several items
were seized for condemna
tion. Felder and Fann were
not in the house and are
presumed to be “on the
run,” Dykes said.
He added that Nicholas
Felder was arrested about
two months ago on a traffic
stop, and found to be in
possession of two pounds of
marijuana. He was out on
bond.
The U.S. Marshall’s fugi
tive squad is searching for
Felder and Fann.
Irvin expresses fear
about long drought
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Home Jotohai Staff
Tommy Irvin, Commis
sioner of the Georgia
Department of Agriculture,
recently visited Perry and
was guest speaker at a
meeting of the Houston
County Democratic Party
held at the Ag Extension
building on Carroll Street.
Irvin told the gathered
Democrats that he had
spent part of his day in
Houston County looking
over drought-damaged
Thi. Old Stftliahl*. S*rvi«* HnnKtan Caanty Sines Dftfc. I
district’s equipment is in south
Georgia because of the wildfire in
the Pinhook swamp that has moved
into the Okefenokee Swamp, burn
ing 58,000 acres.”
According to a report from the
Georgia Forestry Commission,
there were more than 780 wildfires
in Georgia during the month of
May, with 38 fires reported on
Memorial Day alone.
The fire season is continuing
beyond its normal time period,
according to Lynn Walton, a
spokesperson for the GFC, who
said, “Fire season is usually con
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WOW, IS THAT REALLY FOR ME? Tuck
er Elementary School first graders cele
brate Sports Day with a hot dog cookout
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•■vP^Sj»»&jssy jBmH ? y/ % \s^~
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fields.
“It makes tears come to
your eyes," he said, “but
even if the crops were to
turn out good, you could
not project a profitable
year."
He criticized current
farm programs, saying that
they did not offer “freedom
to farm,” but “freedom to
fail."
Irvin also spoke briefly
on the plight of Georgia’s
See FARM. Page 5A
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Diploma
time
Perry High
seniors get
diplomas at
Agricenter
ceremony
see page 8;
sidered to be from winter through
spring when dormant vegetation,
combined with low humidity and
high winds, make the potential for
wildfires high.
“These conditions have usually
subsided by this time of year, but
as the summer approaches, fire
activities in Georgia have increased
due to a worsening drought situa
tion." Walton said.
The prolonged dry period is also
creating a high demand on Hous
ton County's water supply during
critical periods of the day, resulting
in low water pressure in many
Home Journal Photos by Alline Kent
at the school campus. Sports day
exposed students to different kinds of
sports. See story, page 7A.
[Bible school time
Perry Presbyteriari^^^a
Church *r**%SBM MMU
i hosts large
school this liijgyl
week mS |
Photos, a
mbit "
areas served by the county.
The County Commission is ask
ing water customers to voluntarily
restrict their use of water in the
evening hours, between 5:30 p.m.
and 9:30 p.m., until rain occurs.
According to Sherrill Stafford,
Chairman of the Cot*nty Commis
sion, “A continued lack of rain will
cause a mandatory restriction if the
volunteer restriction does not ade
quately relieve the problem."
Stafford said Houston County is in
the process of erecting two new stor
age tanks, which wilt provide relief
when completed and in operation.
WATER DAY
While some
Tucker stu
dents tasted
hot dogs, oth
ers got to
splash in a
cool pool. Stu
dents
Stephanie
Bozeman (left)
and Madolyn
Bryant cool
their heels
while taking a
break from
Mrs. Thom
spon’s Pre-K4
water day.
PARTY GATHERING Agriculture Com
missioner Tommy Irvin, third from left,
■ recently spoke to the Houston County Demo
jerotic Party.. Shown with Irvin are (from left)
Bill Pelham, regional party chairman; Rita
j Simon, first vice president of the Houston
County Democratic Peaty, and Michael Dink
ins, Chairman of the Bth Congressional Dis
trict Democratic Party.
School Board
looks at new
morning school
start times
By Torey Jolley
■
Members of the Houston
County delayed changes In
school start times but did
increase the price of school
lunches during their June
8 meeting.
Discussion of new school
morning start schedules
has some members unhap
py-
During the board meet
ing, Houston G. Porter,
Houston County Board of
Education transportation
director, told board mem
bers that due to the system
being short 11 bus drivers,
the school board needs to
change the starting times
for the schools.
Porter recommended the
board start both the middle
schools and the high
schools at 7:30a.m. and to
“tier the 14 elementary
schools into two groups."
Half of the elementaries
would begin school at
8:15a.m. and the other half
would begin at 8:45a.m..
based on Porter’s recom
mendation.
He explained this would
cut the need for additional
buses and additional dri
vers. Porter said the need
for 63 buses would be cut
to “about 45” and that the
school system was already
having trouble keeping or
recruiting drivers.
Shirley S. Lowery, vice
chairman of the school
board, objected to Porter's
See SCHOOLS, Page 5A