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Volume 129 Number 19
Town Crier* -J
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Perry Library
The Friends of the Perry Li
brary held their annual old
book sale May 4- May 6. The
book sale was held in the old
Movie Gallery Building at
1309 A Main Street. The pur
pose of the yearly event is to
raise needed funds for the
Perry library. The group
works together year round to
secure these funds to help ob
tain books, audios and other
needed items for the city’s
library. Page SLA
Day of Prayer
in Perry
A large crowd gathereed at
Perry city hall May 4 to be a
part of a nationwide Day of
Prayer.
During the service, local
pastor Keith Ivey led those
gathered in prayer and in
vited attendees to come for
ward to participate.
Also, PeriyArea Chamber
of Commerce Chairman Doug
Barnett spoke of the impor
tance of prayer... Page 9 A
ROTC honors
young cadets
On April 27 the PHS
AFJROTC hosted its annual
awards event. Parents and
other guests were on hand to
witness and congratulate the
young cadets who received the
prestigious awards.
The F-15 “Eagle” Award
sponsored by the 39th Eagle
Flight, Order of the
Daedalians was presented to
Cadet Jessica .....Page 11A
Westfield
Banquet
The Westfield Quarterback
Boosters Club honored spring
sports teams Monday night at
an awards banquet held at the
school’s cafeteria. Boosters
Club president Phil Brannen
served as master of ceremo
nies, and coaches in the four
spring sports recognized then
teams Page IB
Great
American
Cleanup
Perry had a great cleanup
day. In fact it was a great week
of cleaning up residential de
bris all over town. During that
special day of April 29, our
crews loaded trucks 14 times
and hauled over 31 tons to the
landfill. Pictures accompany
ing this article show the story
that was repeated many
times Page 6B
Index
OPINION PAGE4A
CLASSIFIED...PAGE 7C
LIFESTYLES....PAGE 6A
SPORTS PAGEIB
LEGALS PAGE 1C
NEWS BRIEFS..PAGE2A
Nunsense
See Page 5B
Legal Organ For Houston County, City of Perry and the State of Georgia
County mourns loss of longtime chairman
By Emily Johnstone and
Charlotte Perkins
HHJ Staff
Houston County Commission
Chairman J. Sherrill Stafford
died from an apparent heart at
tack he suffered while driving to
Perry for a meeting May 9.
According to reports, Stafford
was traveling south on Houston
Lake Road when he apparently
began having medical problems
and ran off the road near the in
tersection of Feagin Mill Road.
Houston County Fire Chief
Jimmy Williams, who was first
on the scene of the accident, said
the chairman was unconscious
when he was pulled from the
vehicle. CPR was initiated, said
Williams, with he and Assistant
Chief Ronnie Register working
until ambulance personnel ar
rived on the scene. Personnel
from Stations 500 and 200 also
responded to the scene.
The chairman was transported
to Houston Medical Center
where he was pronounced dead.
“You do this daily and prepare
for it, but when you walk on the
scene, especially if it was your
boss, it’s hard,” commented Wil
liams.
“He will be missed by members
of the fire department,” added
the chief.
Rep. Larry Walker called
Stafford’s death “The biggest loss
the county has suffered in many
years.”
“I have never known a finer
public servant for integrity and
County lot sizes to
be increased by
state law
By Charlotte Perkins
Staff writer
Developers may object and
homeowners may cheer, but like
it or not - a change is coming, and
that change will have a direct
impact on the future density of
housing development in Houston
County’s unincorporated areas.
According to Jason Smith,
Environmenal Health Officer,
new state regulations mandate
increasing the minimum size for
lots with septic tanks in order to
prevent groundwater pollution.
Smith spoke to the Houston
County Board of Health on May
4 and explained the require
ments of new policies handed
down by the Ga. Dept, of Human
Resources, the Ga. Dept, of
Natural Resources, and the Ga.
K*
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Houston County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Alexander is ready to
patrol for drivers under the influence of drugs. Alexander is one
of three deputies with the department that has gone through an
intense training course to learn how to detect what drug a person
may be using by evaulation of physical reactions. For complete
story, see page 3A.
Thursday. Ma\ I 1. 2000
attention to the job,” Walker
said.
“He was what every politician
ought to be,” commented Perry
Mayor Jim Worrall, a long-time
friend of Stafford. “He had a tre
mendous vision for the county.
We need more men with vision,”
added Worrall.
Mayor Mary Ann Weigand of
Centerville said, “It’s such a loss
for Centerville,and for the
county and the state.”
“ He was our first mayor,” she
added. “ He used to say that
when he became mayor, city hall
was a briefcase and the budget
was $15.”
Pearlie Tackett a longtime
friend of Stafford’s, who worked
with him at Robins Air Force
Base and later had his ongoing
support for her work with the
Family Support Alliance for the
Mentally ill, attributed the Com
mission Chairman’s success as
a leader to “his high moral and
ethical standards,” and his soft
spoken manner.
“He was so nice to people,” she
said. “I don’t remember ever
hearing him raise his voice.”
Known statewide for his lead
ership abilities, Stafford was re
cently elected president of the
Georgia Association of County
Commissioners and was sworn
in at the Association’s confer
ence last month.
Jerry Griffin, ACCG Execu
tive Director, said on Monday
that Stafford “will be missed by
all who knew him.”
Dept, of Community Affairs, in
accordance with the 1989 Geor
gia Land Planning Act.
Smith said that the deadline
for increasing the minimum lot
size is Feb. 2, 2002.
Houston County’s minimum
lot size for lots with septic tanks
is set by the Health Department,
and is now 15,000 square feet,
or approximately a third of an
acre.
This could be raised to a half
acre or even an acre, because of
the large amount of land in the
county that has already been
established as having high sus
ceptibility for ground water pol
lution from septic tanks. (Lots
with water and sewage lines do
Continued on Page 3A
Photo by Emily Johnstone
Smoldering
See Page 10A
“Not only has Houston County
and Middle Georgia lost a great
leader,” Griffin said, “but so has
all of Georgia. Sherrill was a man
who lead with quiet persuasion.
We will surely miss his wise
counsel as we move forward.”
Stafford, age 68, held several
other state offices as well.
He was a member of the state
Mental Health/Mental Retarda
tion and Substance Abuse fund
ing Advisory committee, the
State Welfare Reform Advisory
Commitee, the State Environ
mental Advisory Council and the
Elected Officials’ Policy Council
to the Georgia Regional
Transporation Authority.
He was a member of the Geor
gia Future Communities Com
mission and co-chair of the Geor
gia Water Management Cam
paign.
A lifelong resident of
Centerville and a graduate of
Perry High School, Stafford
served for two years in the U.S.
Army before entering federal ser
vice. He worked at Robins Air
Force Base, spending over 20
years in management. He earned
over 1500 classroom hours in
management at the base, and
also earned his Associate Degree
in Business Administration.
Prior to being elected Chair
man of the County Commission
Continued on Page 3A
Perry officer recovering
after being struck by vehicle
By Emily Johnstone
News Editor
Perry Police Officer Eddie Tho
mas is recovering after being
struck by a hit-and-run driver
May 7.
According to Capt. Bill Phelps,
Thomas was making a routine
traffic stop on Sam Nunn Boule
vard near the intersection of Air
port Road when the incident oc
curred.
Thomas was standing near the
stopped vehicle that was parked
beside the highway when he was
BOE forums
conclude
By Lanorris Fleming
Staff Writer
The Houston County Board of
Education concluded its last
scheduled facilities need forum
on May 4 at Perry High School
with yet another small audience.
The intent of the BOE and
other school officials was to ex
plain and answer any questions
about the proposed funding and
planning of new educational fa
cilities for the county. They also
said they would like to convince
the citizens of Houston County
of the need.
Whether or not this last point
was achieved will be decided in
June.
According to Charles
Holloway, Superintendent of
schools, the board will look at all
of the compiled information and
the final decision will be made
in the June board meeting.
For those citizens who are still
worried about the raising of
taxes, Holloway promises that
the tax levy will change only if
the SPLOST extension is not ap
proved in 2006.
As with the forums prior to
May 4 there were individuals on
both sides of the issue.
According to one resident he
doesn’t think that going into
$153 million worth of debt over
projections that may or may not
come to be is very smart.
“The schools may not be in
perfect shape,” he said, “But,
Continued on Page 3A
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Photos by Charlotte Perkins
Flags at the county annex building fly at half-staff in memory of
Houston County Commission Chairman J. Sherrill Stafford who
died May 9.
struck in the left side. Upon im
pact, Thomas was spun around
and fell to the ground, according
to reports.
He was later taken to the Perry
Hospital emergency room where
he was treated and released, said
Phelps.
“It could have been worse ifhe
had been hit with a solid impact,”
said the captain. The officer’s cloth
ing was tom during the incident, he
added.
Perry police are working with Fort
Valley authorities to find the vehicle
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The Blackstock family stands in front of a plaque displayed on
the front of the new Flint Energies building located on the Perry
Parkway. The plaque honors the memory of Vivian Blackstock, a
long time Board member. She served as a director for 16 years.
A ceremony was held May 10 for the grand opening of the building.
A large crowd attended the ceremony and ribbon cutting. State
Rep. Larry Walker said electricity has changed lives and lifestyles
in the South. He also congratulated the company on their
expansion in the Perry area. Trudie Warren of Flint Energies said,
“I’ve waited 34 years for this day!" Pictured: Bill Blackstock,
Maggie Blackstock, Lauren Blackstock, Will Blacstock and Dozier
Blackstock.
*exton
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that struck the officer, said Plielps.
“The vehicle, that was traveling
west apparently stopped several
hundred feet up the road after strik
ing Officer Thomas,” said Phelps.
‘TTien, they took off toward Fort Val
ley.”
The only description police are pro
viding about the vehicle they are
searching for is that it was a small,
compact car.
Anyone with information about
the incident is requested to contact
Phelps or Lt. Tfer-ry Stinson at 986-
2800.
500
Photo by Emily Johnatonc