Newspaper Page Text
Volume 128, No. 52
2 Sections
14 Pages
Wednesday,
Dec* 29, 1999
r
The
Crassraajlor/
This
Week
Crossroads Calendar
Dec. 31 V New Year's
Eve
V City of Perry offices
closed to observe New
Year’s Day.
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 Watch Night Service
at Perry United Methodist
Church, 11 p.m. in the
Fellowship Mall. This will
be an informal worship
service which will end
with the sacrament of
Holy Communion and
prayer. Casual dress.
Jan. 1, 2000 New
Year’s Day. Banks,
schools. Postal Service
and government offices
closed.
No change in garbage
service this weekend.
Jan. 3 V Classes
resume at the Westfield
Schools.
V Holiday for students
in Houston County public
schools for teacher work
days.
Jan. 4 V Houston
County Commissioners
meet at Perry City Hall. 9
a.m.
VPerry City Council
meets. 6 p.m.
VPerry minister John
Alexander Simpson, 111, a
former member of the
S.O.S. band, will be fea
tured on a "Where are
they now?” segment on
the video channel. VH-1,
at 10 p.m.
V Holiday for students
in Houston County public
schools for teacher work
days.
Jan. 5 v “Moms in
Touch" informational
meeting, to form group to
pray for schools, 7 p.m.,
Perry United Methodist
Church. Call Tammy
Pitzer at 988-8504 for
more information.
V Second semester
begins for Houston Coun
ty public schools.
Jan 6, 9 a.m.
V’Morns in Touch” infor
mational meeting, to form
group to pray for schools.
9 a.m. - 11 a.m., First
Baptist Perry. Call Tina
Collins at 987-1893 for
more information.
Jan. 8 V U.S. Team
Roping Championship at
Georgia Agricenter.
Farm Credit
Winter Pig Classic at
Georgia Agricenter. For
information, call
912/248-2236.
Jan. 10 - V Perry
Chamber of Commerce
Annual Meeting in the
Georgia Living Center,
Georgia Agrieenter. Con
gressman Saxby Chamb
liss will be the featured
speaker. For more infor
mation, call 987-1234.
V Georgia General
Assembly convenes in
Atlanta.
Jan. 14 V American
Red Cross Blood Drive,
Westfield Schools music
room, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Jan. 15-16 - V Georgia
Horse Fair at Georgia
Agricenter. Call (706)
542-0967.
Jan 17 - V National
Observance of Martin
Luther King Jr. Day.
Banks, schools and gov
ernment offices closed.
Jan. 18 - V Lk/. * Elimi
nation and Money Man
agement Class, spon
sored by Houston Health
care Complex at the
Happy New Year,
200(
Houston Home Journal
Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia
Local public schools don’t do as
well in recently released rankings
From Staff Reports
Yet another report card assessing Georgia
schools has been released.
This one. released by State Rep. Charlie
Smith Jr., R-St. Mary’s, ranks the number of
remedial courses necessary in Georgia tech
nology schools for state high school gradu
ates.
In this ranking, Houston County public
schools did not fare as well as they did in
the recently released Georgia School Report
Card:.
Smith’s chart compares the percentage of
Georgia high school graduates who had to
take remedial courses at Georgia technical
schools such as Middle Georgia Tech.
Of the 4,773 students researched, more
than 48 percent had to take remedial cours
es at the technical schools, Smith said.
Warner Robins High had best score
among the five public high schools in Hous
ton dounty. Warner Robins has 27 gradu
ates from 1988 enrolled in tech school class
es. Of those students. 10 are taking remedi
al classes, some 37 percent of the class. This
ranks Warner Robins 104 in Georgia out of
School Taking Failed Percent Ga. Rank
Atkinson County High School 7 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Augustus R Johnson Health 2 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Bainbridge Senior High School 4 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Buford High School 3 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Clinch County High .School. _ 8 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Fannin County Comp High Sch 15 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Frank McClarin High School 1 0 0.000% i (tie)
Glynn Academy 1 o 0.000% 1 (tie)
Henderson High School 1 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Independence High School 1 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
John S Davidson Fine Arts Sch 1 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Model High School . 12 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
North Clayton Comprehensive HS 2 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Rockmart High School 21 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Samuel H Archer Comp High Sch 1 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Seminole County High School 2 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Therrell High School 3 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Tri-Cities High School 3 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Westlake High School 3 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Woody Gap High School 1 0 0.000% 1 (tie)
Warner Robins High School 27 10 37.037% 104
Houston County High School 37 14 37.838% 107
Northside High School 38 18 47.368% 149 (tie)
Perry High School 25 15 60.000% 218 (tie)
Elberta Center 1 1 100.000% 301 (tie)
Figures for chart provided by Ga. Rep. Charles Smith. Home Journal Chari by Jj Johnson
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HONORED Members of the Perry Leadership Class,
sponsored by the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce, were
guests'of honor during a Dec. 16 reception at the Perry
Welcome Center. The reception, hosted by the Chamber
leadership, was to recognize the graduates for their work.
Seated (from left) are Julie Evans, Town Crier; Julie Davis,
Weyerhaeuser; Jody Strickland, Weyerhaeuser; Bonnie
Blackmon, Robins Federal Credit Union; Carolyn Brewer,
Alltel; Jill Buchanan, Houston County Development
Authority; Beth Burris, Houston County Board of Educa
tion. (standing) Jim Moore, The Bank of Perry; Therisa Pat-
The Old Reliable Serving Houston County Since Pec. 17, 1870
319 high schools.
Houston County High, among the top 50
in the state on number of students passing
the Georgia High School Graduation Test,
finished 107th in this ranking. HCHS had
37 students in tech school classes. Fourteen
were taking remedial studies, almost 38 per
cent.
Norlhside finished in a five-way tie at 149.
Some 38 graduates are enrolled, 18 are tak
ing remedial work. This is a 47-percent rate.
Also in at 149 were Jackson County, Put
nam County, Tattnall County and Vidalia.
Perry ranked fourth among county high
schools and finished in a eight-way tie at
218.
Perry had 16 of 25 students surveyed in
remedial courses, a ranking of 60 percent.
Tied with Perry were Jonesboro, Roswell,
South Atlanta, Academy of Richmond Coun
ty, Columbia, Fayette County. Warren
County and Central of Macon.
Twenty Georgia high schools produced a
100 percent rate, meaning every graduate
See SCORES, Page 5A
Home Journal Photo by Charlotte Perkins
ton, Alltel; Andrea Padgett, Bell South Mobility: Kick Davis,
Georgia National Fairgrounds & AgriCenter; Frances
Stripling, Perry Hospital; Wayne Williams. Northrop Grum
man; Steve Feitshans, Alpine Valley; Lee Gilmour. City oj
Perry; Liz Jones, Jones Surveying; Steve Smith, Smith
Healthcare Services; and Kathy Love, Middle Georgia
Technical Institute. Participating but not pictured are
Shannon Hargrove, Hargrove. Inc.; Richard Vandel,
Northrop Grumman; Kate Harper. Houston County Board
oj Commissioners; and Betty Douglas. Perry Hospital.
Arrest made
Police charge Pennymon
with Christmas slaying
From Staff Hi.port,
James Edward Pennymon
of Macon has been charged
with murder, aggravated
assault and two counts of
using a Firearm in the com
mission of a felony in a Dec.
25 shooting at 63 ) Howard
St. in Perry.
According to Perry Police
Chief George Potter. Penny
mon and othei Macon resi
dents were escorted to the
Christmas party at 639
Howard St. by an acquain
tance. Melissa Drazney. 20,
of 1438 Elizabeth Ave.
Perry.
“Within five minutes of
their arrival an argument
ensued and the group was
asked to leave the premises.
Pennymon then fired 17
nine-millimeter rounds into
the crowd of 30 party goers
striking the house several
times and two of the party
goers,” said Potter.
Adrion M. dfthmnn, 18,
died when he was struck
once in the chest with a bul
let as he attempted to avoid
the shooting. Earnest
Roberts IV of 1102 Forrest
St. Apt. B, was shot once
through the left arm and
was treated and released
from the Perry Hospital.
Potter did not believe
Perryans express hopes
for 2000 improvements
By Lanorris Fleming
Home Journal Staff
It goes williotii saying
that with the winding down
of the current yeai there is
always a number of wishes
and resolutions for the
future.
Whether it is to drop a
either of the young men
were part of the altercation.
“Johnson, a former resi
dent of Perry, was visiting
for the holidays and was
invited to the party,” said
Potter.
According to Potter the
case was put to resi quickly
because of the combined
efforts of the Macon and
Perry police departments
which worked in conjunc
tion until the suspect was
apprehended.
Pennymon was arrested
in Macon by the Macon
police along with Perry
investigators.
Sakeisha Billings, 19, of
1438 Elizabeth Ave.. Perry
and Drazney have both been
charged with hindering the
apprehension of a felon. The
two allegedly left the party
after the incident, taking
witnesses with them and
assisted in hiding the shoot
er.
“Both the MPD and GB!
agent Bruce Willis, who
processed the crime scene,
provided invaluable assis
tance which led to the solu
tion of the crime so quickly,”
said Potter.
Potter said the case is sti!'
under investigation an<
more charges may be filed
few pounds, learn a second
language or just become
closer with one's family a
new year brings hopes of
better things to come. As
the year 2000 approaches
rapidly, wishes for the city
of Perry and its citizens are
on the list ol things to do.
Alvalyn Pope of Loaves
and Fishes Ministries wish
es for unity among those
who need services and
those who are able to pro
vide services.
“As Perry grows, and it is
growing and will continue
to do so, the needs of the
people grow as well," said
Pope. “My wish for Perry in
the year 2000 is for the
establishment of a clearing
house where people who
need help with small jobs
can call and get those ser
vices provided without
great expense.
“I have been thinking
about this project for a long
time and it will be dis
cussed at the Jan. 4 Perry
city council meeting. Some
businesses have already
been contacted to see if
they would lend support
and they have agreed. The
project should not be an
expensive one and is great
ly needed," Pope said.
Thelma McCoy, retired
educator, wishes for peace,
happiness and good health
to the citizens of the city.
Chris Kinnas, president
of the Perry Area Chamber
of Commerce, wishes for
quality economic growth,
sustained viability for
Robins Air Force Base, con-
See 2000, Page 5A