Newspaper Page Text
ptmtsicm —1
\olumc I,'H Xumlx'i T (1
lain Crier*
INSIDE THIS WEEK
JVews Flash!
Larry Thomson
will run
County Commissioner
Larry Thomson will run for
the position of County Com
mission Chairman. Thomson,
who is currently serving his
first term on the Board of
Commissioners, made the an
nouncement Wednesday
morning. When he qualifies
for the position next week, his
current post will be automati
cally vacated.
Class of 1955
Reunion
5ee..—.... .... Page BA
D.A.R.E.
essay winner
recognized
Each year the D.A JR.E. pro
gram holds an essay contest
for its participants. Each el
ementary school is repre
sented. The essays are to in
clude what the students have
learned during the year and
what they would do if a friend
were to approach them and
ask them to try drugs. The
essay finalists are chosen and
assembled in a program
where they read their essays
aloud to judges and
parents <****«««M**«MM**M« Page 9B
Financial
help for
crime victims
Violent crimes frequently
result in serious irqury, lost
work, traumatic symptoms
that require counseling, and
sometimes even death. The
victims and/or family mem
bers are left with unexpected
financial burdens in the after
math, often with limited re
sources. The State of Georgia
helps these victims and their
families through the Crime
Victim Compensation
Program .Page 8B
Good-bye to a
new friend
I lost a new friend last week.
To many of you, Sherrill
Stafford, was an old and re
spected friend. I had only
known him a few short
months. However, during
that period of time, I grew to
admire and enjoy this special
man. I know that this column
usually talks about fashion,
cosmetics and dresß styles,
but this week, I wanted to ex
press a few thoughts about
friendship.™ -Page 7A
Index
OPINION PAGE4A
CLASSIFIED....PAGE 70
LIFESTYLES....PAGE 6A
SPORTS PAGEIB
LEGALS PAGE 1C
NEWS BRIEFS..PAGE 2A
Huff& Puff
See Page 118
Legal Organ For Houston County, City of Perry and the State of Georgia
Group
By Emily Johnstone
News Editor
Concerns of keeping downtown
Perry attractive with the current
Department of Transportation
work going on, searching to bring
in more tourists and improving
the upkeep of the area were just
a few topics discussed by the
Downtown Development Author
ity May 11.
That afternoon, members
donned their walking shoes and
took a close look at the heart of
Perry’s business district.
During the tour, the group ex
amined the present designated
downtown business district
boundaries and walked around
town examining lots, structures
and landscaping, among other
things.
Member Kim Mullins led a dis
course of how DOT work may ef
fect streets.
Currently, DOT is digging up
portions of downtown street cor
ners. The corners will be recon
structed with handicap-acces
sible ramps.
Mullins said he hopes the
ramps will be constructed in such
a way to blend in nicely with the
current downtown atmosphere.
And, a lively discussion took
place of how to improve the ap
pearance of the downtown area
and possible ways to attract more
tourists to the area, including
ideas of extending the present
district to encompass some resi
Special election for Commission
Chairman will be held on July 18
By Charlotte Perkins
Staff Writer
Meeting in regular session for
the first time since the death of
Commission Chairman, Sherrill
Stafford, the Houston County
Commissioners voted to hold a
special election to fill the late
chairman’s post and also unani
mously approved a motion to
name a new building in his
honor.
The election will be held on
July 18, in conjunction with the
Primary election already set for
that date. Qualifying will take
place May 22 through May 24 at
the Board of Elections office in
Perry. The qualifying fee will be
$2,574. The salary has been set
at $59,940.
Later in the meeting the Com
missioners approved a motion by
Commissioner Larry Thomson
~ SB
-firAs '■’’■'r s£&xffi'n&uA '■" &
ASs&swaM&Sy ’jsnflr •>. .-<ridKE&HEßildlES^
Bearly visible - Lora Arledge accepts a contribution of stuffed
bears for Project Agape Love (P.A.L) from students at Perry
Elementary School.
Stuffed bears, donated by Belks, were dressed by children in the
after school program at Perry Elementary School. The project
was coordinated by HODAC, Volunteer Houston County and
Region 8 MHMRSA.
Vhui stlav. Mas IS.. 2000
gets to heart of problems
dential areas, installation of a
“pedestrian area” that would en
courage more walking about
town and possible future park
ing garages..
On the subject of present lim
ited downtown parking, Mullins
said he has some problems with
courthouse employees having
designated parking spaces in
the courthouse square areas.
Those spaces could be used by
shoppers, he said.
Member William Jackson said
he favors a pedestrian area that
would connect shops located on
different streets and provide a
scenic walking path for shoppers
to stroll.
Street vendor licensing may
be another subject to visit,
agreed the members.
Perry city council is seeking
ways to upgrade current regu
lations regarding transient mer
chants following complaints of
such practices taking place in
the downtown area recently.
Councilman James Moore
said some people are concerned
that transient merchants may
come into the downtown area
and “take business from” shops
already located there.
“We do not want to do away
with your food and fruit vendors,
but we do not need to have
people selling recliners “ on
street corners, he said.
In another area regarding aes
thetics, it was decided an ar
to seek an architect to design a
new health department build
ing.
Thomson , who had pointed
out that the project was “close
to Chairman Stafford’s heart”
then proposed that, the building
be named in Stafford’s honor.
The motion was approved
unanimously.
The Commissioners also read
and approved a resolution com
mending all Vietnam veterans
and their families on the occa
sion of the 25th anniversary of
the ending of the Vietnam War.
In part, the resolution stated
that more than 228,000 men and
women from Georgia served
during the war. that 1,584 Geor
gians were killed in action, 8,534
were wounded in action, 21 were
held as prisoners of war, and 39
are still unaccounted for.
Photo* by Charlotte Perkin*
Miracle
See Page 8B
borist will be brought in to give
counsel on what to do about the
Japanese Oak trees that line
Carroll Street.
Now approaching the two de
cade age mark, there is a possi
bility that another type tree
might be better suited to the
area, according to Public Works
Director Hugh Sharp.
Several years ago, there was
some dialogue among city offi
cials concerning the removal of
the trees because of interference
with street lights and causing
possible damage to store fronts.
However, it was decided the
trees would be spared with the
city halting trimming of the
Oaks to allow them to grow
above the light poles and store
roofs.
Jim Mehserle, chairman of the
group, said the group was able
to accomplish much during the
tour.
“We got a lot accomplished and
were able to see first-hand de
tailed things we need to look at
to beautify downtown,” he said.
“Overall, we are pleased with
the downtown area,” said
Mehserle.
As to the group discussing
plans for the existing court
house that will be vacated by
its present tenants when the
new courthouse is finished,
Mehserle commented that “we
will have to wait until the
county figures out what to do.”
At Vice-chairman Jay Walker’s
request, a number of Vietnam
veterans in the audience stood
and were honored with applause.
A moment of silence was ob
served at the beginning of the
meeting in honor of the late Com
mission Chairman, and his chair
remained empty.
Council agrees to pay now, talk later
By Emily Johnstone
News Editor
Perry City Council made a de
cision to pay now and talk later
during their May 16 meeting.
In response to a request from
the Perry Area Chamber of Com
merce to renew a contract that
provides $12,000 of city money to
the Chamber each year, council
Perry High Band on the march
By Lanorris Fleming
Staff Writer
The Perry High Pride of the
Crossroads band is on the move
again. This time the group has
been afforded the opportunity to
march in the Boscov Thanksgiv
ing Day Parade in Philadelphia,
according to Band Director Joe
Hutcheson,
Huchteson said this is the big
gest trip they have ever taken.
The trip will include a plane ride
to Philadelphia, sight seeing, the
parade, a bus trip to New York ,
and a plane ride back home.
“We expect to have about 200
people go on this trip,” said
Hutcheson. “About 150 students
and 50 chaperones.”
Once a theme for the parade
has been decided upon, a letter
will go out to all of the partici
pant schools so music can be pre
pared.
"Special music will be com
posed for our band by a composer
in Atlanta,” , said Hutcheson,
Hutcheson has been the Direc
tor of Bands at Perry High
9 ffjjS ■ w
lTi '»WBWr kk 1
•- »-M.4 J»sfc l ßj
Photos by Emily Johnstone
Authority members: Carl Lumpkin, William
Jackson, Ron Tuggle, Kim Mullins, Jim
Meshserte, Nadine Weems and Pearlie
Dixon.
A time of political
uncertainty
Who will be on the ballot wnen
voters choose a new County
Commission Chairman on July
18 for the unexpired term of the
late J. Sherrill Stafford?
The only thing certain at this
point, is political uncertainty.
member James Moore said he
would like to table the request
so it could be discussed during a
later work session. Fellow mem
ber Charles Lewis agreed with
Moore.
Members Billy Jerles and
Ralph Gentry opposed the mo
tion. Perry Mayor Jim Worrall
said he would break the tie by
School since 1995. Under his
guidance, the band has grown
from 42 members to its 1998 en
rollment of 165.
Under his leadership the band
has received performance invita
tions to: the Grand Bahaman
Islands: the Brach’s Children’s
Christmas parade in Chicago,
Illinois; the Eagleston Children’s
Christmas Parade in Atlanta,
Georgia; the Salute to America
Parade in Atlanta, Georgia; the
1997 Georgia Day ceremonies at
.-.■** *m*"mr»«*>-m«** i wfn>»*•»* 1 ■ •<:-•"’'
xEotry?EfffWF3^M..V'' ~• _ . ■•• 'iwi i ; i ■ i^^^v^Wa^A/^rYMBMEawI
Batter-up
See Page 2B
Hire*' St>< lionv 32 I’ajji s
City building official
Steve Howard, right
and Downtown
Development
Authority members
inspect the rear of
Carroll Street shops
during a recent tour.
Commissioners Tom
McMichael and Larry Thomson
have each acknowledged that
they are considering a run for
the office but have not yet made
final decisions.
Their decisions are compli-
Continued on Page 2B
voting “no.”
“Mayor, you’re opening a can
of worms, you know that,” re
plied Gentry, who asked what
needed to be discussed about the
matter.
Worrall said the amount of
money had nothing to do with
Continued on Page 3B
the State capitol in Atlanta,
Georgia; Georgia Southern Uni
versity; the Shenandoah Apple-
Blossom Parade in Washington
DC; and the 1996 centennial
Olympic games in Atlanta.
This list of achievements con
tinues to grow.
According to Hutcheson fund
raisers are being planned to help
with the cost of the trip which
Continued on Page SB
500