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Volume 128, No. Si 2 Sections 16 Pages Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999 so The CrossroadsMTV This Week Calendar for holidays Often the Christmas season is ushered in with the joy of shopping, buy ing gifts for family and friends and decorating homes for all to see. Staff writer Lanorris Fleming spent part of a day checking with local churches about plans for special services marking the birth of Christ during the holiday weekend. Some area churches will be holding Christmas Eve services. Along with Christmas Eve services there will also be some New Year’s Eve services and celebrations in the area. The following is a listing of the happenings locally Dec. 24 V Perry United Methodist Christ mas Eve communion and candle lighting services. 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Open to all. V Christmas Eve family worship, 5 p.m. at Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2238 U.S. 41 north. Call 987-1577 for details. V Crossroads United Methodist Church Christ mas Eve scripture, carol ing and communion. 6 p.m. Open to all., 1600 Main St. V First Baptist Christ mas Eve communion ser vice. 6 p.m. 1105 Main St. V Houston Lake Baptist Christmas Eve service and carols, piano perfor mance by Jeff Edes from the U.S. Navy Band. 6:15 p.m. 2300 Ga. 127. V Cornerstone Baptist Christmas Eve candle lighting service. 6 p.m. A live nativity may be viewed from 5-7 p.m. Come as you are. 1618 Houston Lake Road. Dec. 25 Day v Hayneville First Bap tist communion, 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Dec. 31 V New Year’s Eve V New Year’s Eve Watchnight Service at Rehoboth Baptist Church. 2238 U.S. 41 north, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Call 987-1577. V Crossroads United Methodist New Year’s Eve service will begin at 9 p.m. Communion will begin at 11:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. V Word of Deliverance New Year’s Eve concert featuring Milton Wynn and Decision. 10 p.m. Baptist New Year’s Eve “Celebrate Jesus 2000” 9 p.m. Breakfast will be served after midnight. VHayneville First Bap (See EVENTS, Page 3A) fltoln Contact the Home Journal Contact the Houston Home Journal: Voice (9P> 987-1823 Fax (912)960 IP! email Immcjrnohom.nct Mail RO. Drawer M. Perry, 31069 Street 807 Carroll St., Perry, 31069 I r I Home Decorations® Letters to Santa * ■ IVIO I Home Journa7aSlsnn! f *** 1 * tSas I Christmas!! ““-I Houston Home Journal Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia HCHS stripped of top 50 ranking as test score fixing investigation continues STArT. COMMUMTTT REPORTS 6fficials with the (Georgia Public Policy Foundation announced Dec. 20 they were stripping Houston County High School of its Top 50 in Georgia high schools ranking assigned earlier this year. The Foundation action was the first public response to charges someone at the school may have kept some eligible students from taking the Georgia High School Graduation Test last March. Because the test scores at Hous ton County were higher tills spring than in the previous year, the school moved up in statewide rankings from 54 to 42 out of 319 high schools. The graduation test score is part of the way which the Georgia Public Policy Foundation ranks schools for their annual “report card" to par ents. Foundation officials said this was the first time a school has been stripped of ranking in the four-year histoiy of the report card. Meanwhile, the Houston County School System has completed an internal investigation into the mat ter and forwarded that report to state school officials in Atlanta. Ii i‘ f flw PAL SUCCESS Thanks to the love and generosity of many individu als, businesses, clubs and churches in the Perry area, Project Agape’ Love (P.A.L.) was a great success once more. The distribution of Christ mas toys and boxes of food took place at the former Movie Gallerp build ing in the Eastgate shopping plaza, with a smiling team of volunteers in charge. According to Tom Saul, who coordinated P.A.L., the center opened at nine a.m. and volunteers were busy steadily through the day. Shown Fleming joins Home Journal news staff From Stait Reports Lanorris Fleming has been named to the staff of the Houston Horne Journal. Fleming earned her undergraduate degree in English and journalism at Valdosta State University. She was on the staff of the Valdosta State Spectator and the Alumni Bulletin. She worked as an intern at the Thomasville Times- Enterprise during the sum mer of 1998. A native of Perry. Fleming is a 1994 graduate of Periy High School, and a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Henderson. According to HHJ Gener al Manager Jj Johnson, Fleming will report news from Perry City Hall, the Houston County Board of Education and other areas. • The Old Reliable, Serving Hooitoa Comity Since DeCv 17, 1870 According to a release from the Houston County system, officials with the Georgia Board of Education will review that Dec. 10 report and determine what, if any. action will be taken in the test score episode. The investigation began after someone challenged the scores and the top 50 ranking in the state which Houston County High earned earlier this fall. The investigation revealed there were some testing irregularities at the school. County school officials said there were viola tions of eligibility rules for the grad uation test. All Georgia high school students must score a passing grade on five different areas of learning including writing, language arts, mathemat ics, social studies and science. Stu dents are required to take the test during their junior year. All juniors should take the writing test in the fall of their junior year, and the other four parts in the spring of their junior year. According to various reports, most schools also offer the test to third-year high school students who are registered as sophomores but See SCORES. Page 3A V. ■v* - : ■;* Kf SI 5 ... '—•a,-- .veHti/fe 7 . WkL LANORRIS FLEMING School, City Beats “She is bringing talent and an excellent educational background to the Home Journal ,” Johnson said. “We are pleased to have her join our staff." Fleming began her duties Dec. 20. To contact her with story ideas, call 987-1823. Home Journal Photos by Charlotte Perkins here, hard at work, are Alvalyn Pope, Thelma McCoy, Lora At ledge, Micheele Sanders, Courtney Jackson, Bethany Swem and others all part of the P.A.L. effort to bring a Merry Christmas to those in need. Limited services will be available during long holiday weekend By Lanorris Fleming Home Journal Staff It's that time of year again, and as Christmas day gets closer and closer the hustle and bustle for last minute essentials looms ahead. While businesses and services are going full blast now, availability of goods and services changes the closer to the weekend. Employees of the Houston County Court House will settle in for a long holiday weekend by closing their doors at the end of the busi ness day on Dec. 22 and reopening on Dec. 27. The City of Perry will remain open until noon on Dec. 23, but will be closed on Dec. 24 reopening on Dec. 27. If you are still looking for that perfect gift, the city's retail stores will be closing early on Chnstmas Eve and News bulletin from the North Pole Santa Claus confirms Dec. 24 visit to Perry From Staff Reports "there's good news this week fqr children of all ages in Perry. Santa Claus has confirmed that he is definitely coming to town. “I always make Perry one of my first stops in Georgia." Mr. Claus said in a Dec. 22 telephone interview. “There are so many good boys and girls that my sleigh is a lot lighter when I leave. “My reindeer like that," he added. Mr. Claus said that he has already made his list and checked it twice, and that he and his reindeer will be arriving in the skies over Houston County sometime late in the evening of Dec. 24 He added that he will not make any rooftop or front yard landings until the children are all nestled snug.in their bed. Mayor Jim Worrall of Perry said, “We’re all looking forward to this visit from Santa. I hope that he can take time to stop at City Hall so that we can give him the key to the city.” “That would be very nice." Santa said, “but I’ll be in too much of a hurry. Maybe the mayor could just get his wife to bake me a nice plate of chocolate chip cookies. Ho, Ho, Hoi" closed on Christmas Day. Wal-mart will close its doors on Friday at 6 p.m. reopen ing at 6 a.m on Dec. 26. Kmart will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 reopening at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26. While Santa's checking his list, double check yours too to make sure all your gourmet goodies are stocked up because the grocers, like most others, will also be closing early. Kroger will close at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 and will reopen at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26. Harvey's will close at 7 p.m. on Dec. 26 and reopen at 7 a.m. on Sunday. If you are not preparing a big holiday feast but are still looking for a good meal this Christmas, choices are lim ited but, the downtown New Perry Hotel and the Waffle House locations on Sam Hfe;: _ . • .... mm Ki ■ ■ y»ft Wgsßjjiß3f&&fo ■, ' * < ; BHK. ‘|| SANTA CLAUS Expected Here Dec. 24 Nunn Boulevard and Lect Drive will be opened for reg ular business hours. The main offices of finan cial institutions will be clos ing early on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas day but will have full service automatic teller machines opened for your conve nience. The Home Journal offices will be closed Dec 23-26. For emergencies, call (912) 736-5663 and leave a num ber for a return call. Trash collection will be picked up on the usual scheduled days with no pickup on Friday. The Houston County 911 office will be fully staffed during the holiday Any emergency may be directed to that number.