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Viewpoints Our Views Fair opens Oct. 8 The time has arrived for the 1999 Georgia National Fair. It seems almost Impossible that this is the tenth fair, but the he calendar doesn't lie, and now, the only state-supported fair in Georgia is a well-known fall event, attracting thousands each year. Thanks to visionary management and workers who take great pride in their work, the grounds are very attractive. Many of the repair tasks are accomplished on “campus’’ rather than sent away for repairs. The Georgia National Fair has been a mutually beneficial partner ship for the Fairgrounds and the south Houston community paying countless dividends on the invest ment Perry and Houston County made when they bought the land for the Fairgrounds. The state of Georgia poured mil lions of dollars into converting that prime, lirst-class site into a clean, modern location which serves as a center for agricultural shows year round. That was 10 years ago. Today, the Georgia National Fair is far ahead of what anyone thought could happen. The community ben efits from the reputation of a first class fair operation and from a huge boost to tourism. Thanks to a great team of com munity leaders, state leaders and fair professionals, Georgia National Fairground and Agricenter has become a major plus for the resi dents of Perry. Lance fights for VA benefits (EDITOR S NOTE: This is a guest col umn from Idaho Attorney General and newly elected Commander of the Amer ican Legion A 1 Lance) Saving Pri vate Ryan’s health care benefits is an up-hill bat tle, an up- Capitol Hill battle. But it is a battle that the American Legion and 1 other war Al Lance American Legion Comman der veteran groups are determined to win. On Sept. 10, my first full day as nation al commander of the 2.8 million member American Legion, the nation's largest vet erans organization, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a spending bill that included a $1.7 billion increase in veterans health care spending over the administration’s budget recommenda tion. The men and women of The Ameri can Legion recommended a $1.9 billion increase, still the House took a giant step in the right direction. When I testified before a joint session of House and Senate veterans affairs com mittees on Sept. 28, I wore two hats: a lawyer with a strong case and a veterans advocate with a strong Legion behind me. Ideally, the Senate will be impelled also to provide adequate funding for veterans health care. Veterans with service-connected dis abilities and their families realize the importance of increasing the VA health care budget frozen by the Balanced Bud get Act of 1997. They know first hand that the quality of care in VA medical centers is not the problem: access to the care is. Access is driven, in part, by funding. Health care for our nation’s military veterans is the province not solely of the veterans community. It is rather the moral imperative of an entire nation nes- See LANCE, Page SA Houston Home Journal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • Peny. Ga 31069 email homeJrn@hom.net (912) 987-1823 (voice) • (912) 988-1181 (fax) Bob Tribble President Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager Ellen T. Green Advertising Director Phil Clark Sports Joan Dorsett Lifestyles Torey Jolley News and Classified Alline Kent Sports Pauline Lewis Lifestyles Rob Mead News and Circulation Charlotte Perkins News and Composition Paula Zimmerman Bookkeeping SI / / Make each day count with those you care for Time slips away too quickly. Things are often put aside for later. Family and friendships are sometimes taken for granted there is always tomorrow to say “I love you” or “thanks.” This past weekend, I have literally stopped and smelled the flowers. My daughter brought me a lovely bouquet of fall flowers. Why? Just because she wanted to let me know how much she loves me and how much she appreci ates me. She often brings me flowers or takes my hand and to give me a squeeze. My son is also thoughtful. He calls me daily and stops by often to give me a hug. Unfor tunately, that will have to change. His company is trans- ~TM P&wr Gmib# lT'g A MQ NOW. 6PEAKING ON BRAINERI P e Z*6 DECISION FOR SHOULDN’T THE PARKWAY CONCRETE HAPPEN. PLANT, MR. SCARECROW. nybramMunn.nEt I No failing schools, no school vouchers It was interesting to note that Republican presidential candi date George W. Bush has pro posed that federal funds from the worst performing schools be made available to parents for private education or tutoring. “In my administration, feder al money will no longer follow failure." the Texas governor said recently. Under the Bush plan, every school receiving Title One money would be required to test its impoverished students on basic academics each year. A warning would be issued to schools that fail to make progress toward state stan dards. After three years of no progress, the Title One money would be matched with other federal education money and given to the state, which would set up an educational account of about $1,500 a year for each affected student. The parents could keep their child in the failing school or opt for an alternative, including private school or tutoring. The plan would require states to ensure that parents spent the money on education. Bush said federal programs affecting teacher training, cur riculum, research and school safety would have to prove results, or the funding would Our Policies Unsigned editorials appearing in larger type on this page under the label Our Views reflect the posi tion of the Houston Home Journal. Signed columns and letters on this page (and elsewhere In this news paper) reflect the opinions of the writers and not nec essarily those of this newspaper. Signed letters to the editor are welcomed. Please limit letters to 300 words and Include addresses and a telephone number for verification purposes. Letters are not published without verification. Letters should be sent to P.O. Drawer M. Perry, Ga., 31069 or brought to the newspaper office at 807 Carroll St., Perw. fur liability for an error will not exceed the cost Page 4A Wed., Oct. 6, 1009 Torey Jolley Home Journal Writer ' ferring him to the Atlanta suburb of Tucker come Nov. 15. I admit I love having my family close to me and his moving (though only a couple of hours away) pains me. He works for the phone company in Macon. My children let me know they love me. 1 tell them I love them everyday. I never let a Bob Tribble Home Journal President be lost. * * The presidential candidate's brother, Jeb, who is governor of Florida, pushed through the nation’s first statewide voucher plan. There are similarities in Bush’s Title One proposal and the Florida plan. The chairman of GOP candi date Steve Forbes’ presidential campaign said the Bush plan didn’t go far enough. Ken Blackwell said he didn't believe the nation could wait three years for real school reform. Democratic presidential can didate Bill Bradley said vouch ers are not the answer to the problems of public education. William Raspberry, a nation al syndicated columnist, made some good points on school vouchers in a recent article. In his opening paragraph he said, “Florida has launched what has to be the most fascinating school voucher experiment the nation has seen. It is elegant in of space occupied by the error. We cannot be responsible for the return of pictures or submitted materials unless a stamped, return address envelope is included. Our Goal The Houston Home Journal Is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry, Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, cornmunity-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach this goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty and a strong dedication toward printing the truth. Member of Georgia Press Association and Nation al Newspaper Association. its simplicity, it speaks precise ly to those parents who believe the public schools are failing their children, and it leaves the hands of the public school sys tem the power to put the pro gram out of business." The Florida plan recently approved begins by testing all fourth graders in reading and math. If too many youngsters in a school fail, the school itself is deemed a failure. If the school fails two years out of four, stu dents become eligible for up to $4,000 a year in scholarship to attend other public or private schools of their choice. If there were no failing schools, or failing schools get their act together quickly, there would be no vouchers. In his column Raspberry pointed out some flaws in the voucher system. Only about ten percent of the parents in the first two Florida schools receiv ing the “F" signed up for the vouchers. No one knows why the 90 percent didn’t. Only 63 percent of those who signed up actually won scholarships in the lottery that is part of the plan. His other main concerns are whether or not the state can afford the $4,000 scholarships for thousands of students who See TRIBBLE, Page 5A Houston Hone Journal day go by that I don”t tell them how special they are to me. My husband and I always say I love you several times a day (in fact, it is a running joke in my family that we say “I love you" at least a half dozen times each time we talk on the phone but we are getting ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary soon). A friend of mine recently passed away. She was a lively woman with a great family. We talked not eveiy day, but often. She had a hearty, robust laugh and always did what she could to help others. When we talked, she talked of her family —their good quali ties and their accomplish ments. She loved them deeply. I regret 1 did not stop' by for a chat with her more often. There were days and some times a few weeks in-between our chats. We"d waved and shout our “hellos" across the yards as we checked our mail boxes. 1 could say I had excus es I had to get to work or clean the house or cook dinner or run to the grocery store. I valued her friendship and still I took it for granted. I just knew I"d be here and she"d be here tomorrow. Well, tomor row is here and that didn't hold true. I hope my friend knew she touched my family in a special way. I will not forget her nor the valuable lesson I have learned: stop and smell the flowers today. Charlotte Perkins Home Journal StafT Keeping up with Perry.. New at City Hall Welcome to Perry's new city manager, Lee Gilmour, whose first day on the job was Monday. He will be moving from Brunswick to Perry soon with his family. Lost kitty 1 had a call last week from Nan K. Mims, founder of the Landings Pet Rescue Fund on Skidaway Island. She wanted to thank the people of Perry for a warm welcome and rescue. She arrived here during the Hurricane Floyd evacuation after a 15 hour trip with 31 cats and dogs, and said she got great help from Cathie Little and staff of Fairfield Inn and from the Smith Animal Hospital. She lost one cat in the process a gray female named Star. If anybody has found this cat, which ran away in the vicinity of Fairfield Inn. please call Dr. Ben Smith, 987-1514. Just a reminder Flu shots are available at Houston County Health Depart ment on Kings Chapel Road, now through mid-December. Just $5. (Or covered by Medicare Part B). Why should you be miserable for a week or more and wind up spending a whole lot more than $5 on medicines when one little shot will protect you? tor Well! Perry’s City Attorney David Walker took a few days off from city work and his busy law prac tice last week to check into the hospital for an angioplasty. He’s back home and doing well, according to his brother, Larry, who “subbed" as city attorney in David’s absence. Fair Days It’s time for the 10th annual Georgia National Fair - and this one should be the biggest and best ever. Be sure to look over our special pull-out Fair Guide, so you can plan to get the most out of your time at the fair. Festival Time: The fall Mossy Creek Festival will be Oct. 16-17. For those who already know about this wonderful festival in the “deep See PERKINS, Page 5A “Congress shall make no law respecting an estab lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Your right to read this news paper Is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Houston Home Journal (USPS 000471) is published weekly for 821.40 per year (including sales tax) by Houston Publications Inc., 807 Car roll St., Perry, Qa., 31069. Periodicals Class Postage paid at Perry. Ga. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to the Houston Home Journal, P.O. Drawer M. Perry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874. jjl