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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 V V Jd,\. If,. , -A w BHBPHSw * HR.y &WUM #*■ Vru .An b jL ft ♦Vk I IV- JBK * n ■ mmgm - ■ hk f vpr&JPp EvbJHp- P M I 111 l 4 I llii-. JhL. mHLaßMrjßiwrak " s< ‘ ’v/yy;.:'' I 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