Newspaper Page Text
WEEKEND
September 27-29,2003
Volume 134, Number 177
Award-Winning
Newspaper
2003
Better Newspaper
Contest
INSIDE lODAY
Shutout city
Houston County’s
Bears celebrated their
third straight shutout of
the season as Perry
High’s Panthers were
blanked by Northeast in
yet another heartbreak
ing defeat.
In other area action,
Warner Robins High’s
Demons crushed Morrow
42-12, and Westfield
trounced Monroe
Academy 41-7.
Sports, page 1B
1 jff
Former Sen. Nunn
takes a swing
Friday brought a close
to the 2003 Georgia
Invitational Golf
Tournament.
See page 3A
Sibyl Alligood Heard
Lt. Col. Donald A.
Utterback, USAF (Ret.)
Claudia Mae Walker
Obits, page 7A
INDEX
CLASSIFIED 6B
CLUB NEWS 7A
COMICS 4B
CROSSWORD 4B
LIFESTYLE 8A
OBITUARIES 7A
OPINION 4A
SCHOOL NEWS . . .5B
TV LISTINGS 4B
WEATHER 2A
PERIODICAL
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ATHENS GA 30602
MSIGIT 306
Serving Houston County Since 1870
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LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, '
city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
School board to raise taxes
Millage hike deemed necessary to maintain standards; only one votes against
By Jon Suggs
HHJ Staff Writer
WARNER ROBINS - It’s raise
taxes or lower standards, according
to the Houston County Board of
Education.
In a 5-1 decision Friday, the board
proposed a 13.67 property tax mill
age rate for fiscal year 2004, an
increase of 1.91 mills over the pres
ent rate.
Perry
honors
officers,
citizens
Police Sgt. Ray
Jackson receives
Purple Heart
By Emily Johnstone
HHJ Associate Editor
PERRY - The first-ever
Purple Heart recipient for
the Perry Police
Department ..racaiuad his
medal during the annual
Community Neighborhood
Watch dinner at Rozar Park
Thursday evening.
Chief George Potter pre
sented Sgt. Ray Jackson, a
30-year veteran, the award
in recognition for his heroic
actions during a domestic
that occurred in 1987.
While answering the call
to assist a fellow police offi
cer, Jackson attempted to
disarm a woman who was
pointing a gun in the direc
tion of Jackson’s partner,
Dan Bray.
Jackson was shot during
the incident.
He received a standing
ovation from the 200-plus
attendees at the dinner dur
ing the presentation.
Also honored with medals
of recognition were
Detective Sgt. Brian
Emmons for an incident he
was involved in during 2001.
Emmons found himself
face to face with an armed
14-year-old boy. The ser
geant spent about 15 min
utes persuading the youth to
put down his weapon. Potter
praised Emmons for keeping
a cool head and finding a
way to disarm the young
man without having to
shoot him.
Col. Jack Johnson also
received kudos for shooting
a knife out of the hand of a
Related photos, page 5A
1
CMSgt ALAN SHAW
www.hhjnews.com
One mill produces $1 tax for every
SI,OOO worth of property value. In
Houston County only 40 percent of
the assessed value of property is tax
able. Thus, a home assessed at
SIOO,OOO is taxed at $40,000.
At the current millage rate of
11.76 mills, that comes to $470.40 in
taxes for education.
Under the new rate, the same
homeowner will pay $546.80.
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HHJ/Emily Johnstone
Purple Heart recipient Perry Police Sgt. Ray Jackson, center, with wife, Tiny, right, and
Chief George Potter.
man who was attempting to
assault a fellow officer in
2002.
Potter called Johnson’s
actions an “act of valor.”
“It is important to recog
nize our officers who put
their lives on the line every
day,” said the chief.
He also noted excellent
work by the Perry detective
division, whose members
solved a major bank robbery
case that occurred in town
earlier this year.
After tracking numerous
leads the Perry team arrest
ed two men in Jacksonville,
Fla., for the robbery.
Potter noted the Perry
detectives’ work solved a
number of bank robberies
previously unsolved by the
Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
He mentioned two other
cases, one involving robbery
of the Dollar General store,
which led to an arrest of a
former store manager for
that chain.
Potter noted the outstand
ing work of detectives Leyon
Roberts, Drew Dodson,
Brian Emmons, Calvin
Proffitt, Ken Ezell, Capt.
Heath Dykes and their
administrative assistant
Gail Price.
Perry Animal Control
Officer Happy Shenal and a
number of volunteers for
the animal shelter were also
recognized for their out
standing service, as well as
leaders of local neighbor
hood watch groups.
Shaw receives Bronze Star
By Heather Fasciocco
HHJ Staff Writer
ROBINS AIR FORCE
BASE - Chief Master Sgt.
Alan Shaw was honored in
front of his peers Thursday
for an above-and beyond
performance during
Operation Enduring
Freedom near A 1 Udeid Air
Base, Qatar.
“Chief Shaw represents
every man and woman in
the squadron,” said Lt. Col.
The increase is a move to offset
state funding cuts, and local officials
say it is necessary, if Houston
County students are to continue to
receive the same quality of educa
tion.
State cuts for the past fiscal year,
this year and next year are expected
to cost the system $16.6 million.
The only way to make up that dif
ference is to approve an increase,
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Perry Police Detective Sgt. Brian Emmons receives a
medal of valor from his chief, George Potter, in recogni
tion of how he handled a volatile situation.
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HHJ/Joan Dorsett
Perry Officer Jack Johnson is recognized by Police Chief
George Potter during the annual Neighborhood Watch
dinner. Johnson’s actions during a situation saved a fel
low officer from serious injury.
Michael England, 19th Air
Refueling Group’s 19AMXS
commander. England said
five 19th Air Refueling
Group personnel were
scheduled to arrive that day
from serving overseas, “with
11 more to arrive home
hopefully by the end of the
year,” England said.
While stationed for two
and a half months overseas,
Shaw oversaw the complete
setup of all facets of the
Joint Surveillance Target
Attack Radar Systems
(Joint STARS) maintenance
branch under bare-base con
ditions.
Under his leadership, as a
Squadron Maintenance
Superintendent for the 12th
Expeditionary Airborne
Command and Control
Squadron, 366th Air
Expeditionary Group and
366th Air Expeditionary
Wing, he and 63 mainte-
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TWO SECTIONS • 18 PAGES
according to Danny Carpenter,
interim superintendent.
“We still need to provide the same
quality of education for the young
people of Houston County,”
Carpenter said.
Houston is not the only system
facing such a decision. School sys
tems across the state have felt the
budget bite, and are confronting the
See TAXES, page 2A
C'ville
chief
opts
out
By Emily Johnstone
HHJ Associate Editor
CENTERVILLE - Former
Centerville Police Chief
Michael Sullivan signed a
severance agreement
Thursday.
Sullivan had been on leave
since late August.
According to the agree
ment, Sullivan wishes to
pursue other interests and
is giving the city notice so
“it can facilitate transition
of the Centerville Police
Department to a new chief.”
The agreement also states
the city recognizes
Sullivan’s “desire to pursue
other interests, but wishes
to have him available as a
resource during the transi
tion of the Centerville Police
Department to a new chief.”
Part of the terms of the
agreement specifies that
Sullivan shall maintain cer
tifications required of a
police chief and be “reason
ably available to the City of
Centerville.”
Sullivan’s retirement date
is effective March 1, 2004.
After Sullivan uses his
annual and sick leave, he
will begin receiving a
monthly salary of $1,311,
which will continue through
Feb. 29, 2004.
The agreement also speci
fies Sullivan will not bring
lawsuits against the city in
the future.
Though he signed the
agreement Thursday,
Sullivan can revoke the
agreement within seven
days.
Capt. Ernie Pardo, who
was acting chief during
Sullivan’s leave earlier this
year, is filling in for
Sullivan.
nance personnel led the first
combat sortie to be launched
within 48 hours of arrival.
Which inevitably led to an
unprecedented 247 consecu
tive combat launches with a
100 percent launch rate and
a record setting 98 percent
combat mission effective
ness rate.
“I have always known how
proud he is to do his job,”
Jackie Shaw said of her
See SHAW, page 5 A