Newspaper Page Text
SUNDAY
April 11, 2004
Volume 135, Number 72
Award-Winning
Newspaper
2003
Belter Newspaper
Contest
Inside TODAY
1
WR edges Perry
in soccer goaifest
David Pham scored
four goals, including the
game winner, to lead
Warner Robins to a 5-4
win over Pern’ in a non
region match at Perry
High School.
“For coaches, it’s about
wining a game,” said
Demons boys head soccer
coach Andy Bailey, “but
to the players, it’s a rival
ry.”
Sports, page 1B
Happy BIRTHDAY!
April 11
Glenn Heck
Pat Patterson
April 12
Geraldine Carlton
Stephanie Franks
Robert and Chris Kinnas
Happy ANNIVERSARY!
April 11
Kevin and Robin Coy
(Surprise your friends 1 Let us
know when their birthday or
anniversary is, and we'll put their
names in the paper that day Just
send the name and date at least
a week in advance, and we II do
the rest. E-mail to
hhi@evansnewspapers.com, or
mail them to us at the address
inside. No phone calls, please
Many happy returns!)
Area DEATHS
Joseph A. Molony
Yewell Dennis Williams
Obits, page 6A
INDEX
CLASSIFIED 5B
CLUB NEWS . .BA,SC
COMICS 4B
CROSSWORD 4B
LIFESTYLE 1C
OBITUARIES 6A
OPINION 4A
SCHOOL MENUS . 8A
SCHOOL NEWS . .7A,
9A
SPORTS 1B
TV LISTINGS 4B
WEATHER 2A
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Serving Houston County Since 1870
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LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
c ity of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
Elliott named 2004 Volunteer of Year
By Rex Gambill
HHJ Managing Editor
WARNER ROBINS -
Becky Elliott was named
Volunteer of the Year
Tuesday in the 2004
Volunteer Appreciation
Luncheon.
The luncheon was emceed
by Joyce Hutcherson, direc
tor of Senior Citizen
Services, and hosted by the
Warner Robins Rotary Club
for the 12th year in a row.
Dozens of volunteers with
the Senior Activity Center
and the Wellston Center
attended.
The Volunteer of the Year
was nominated by her peers,
and received a plaque to be
displayed in the Senior
Activity Center, a gift certifi
cate to the Galleria Mall in
Centerville, and dinner for
two to Logan’s Roadhouse.
Warner Robins Mayor
Donald Walker presented
the plaque to Elliott.
Hutcherson kept the
secret until the end of the
program, dropping hints as
she led up to the announce
ment.
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HIM Jon Huggo
Taz, a Briard, gets groomed before the next round of competition at the Peach
Blossom Cluster Dog Show, which continues at the Georgia National Fairgrounds
and Agricenter through Sunday.
EPD: Houston still up in the air
County awaits Environmental Protection Agency decision on air quality status
By Jon Suggs
HHJ Staff Writer
MACON - Clean or dirty?
The Middle Georgia Clean Air
Cotnmißßion met Thursday to
review its options as the federal
Environmental Protection Agency
prepares to release its list of non
attainment counties - those not
expected to meet the federal stan
“The best word to describe
this volunteer is ‘conta
gious,’” Hutcherson said. “If
you are around her for very
long, you will hear in her
words and see in her actions
that she is passionate about
what she does, and that pas
sion is contagious. You
might say she eats, drinks
and sleeps her passion.”
She said Elliott, lead vol
unteer with the senior cen
ter’s quilting club, had been
involved since retiring from
Robins Air Force Base.
Her nomination letters
bear out her positive influ
ence at the center:
• “She makes quilting fun
for the group. She is so will
ing to go beyond the call of
duty. She checks our work
and personally corrects our
errors so the finished prod
uct is top notch. She works
more hours at home that at
the center on the projects.
We look forward to our
meeting each Wednesday.”
• “She is such an inspira
tion to work with.”
• “She makes you want to
follow her.”
Ready for his close-up
www.hhjnews.com
dards for air pollution by 2007.
Ron Methier, with the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division,
told the coalition the EPA will sign
its non-attainment list Thursday.
Houston was on the initial list the
EPA floated in December, but offi
cials were given 120 days to submit
additional material supporting their
efforts to meet the standards of the
• “Since she became the
lead volunteer our group has
grown so large we now have
a waiting list of people who
want to join.”
• “She knows everything
about quilting, and she
deserves to be recognized.”
• “She is simply a joy to
know.”
But although Elliott was
singled out for recognition
this year, she was not alone
in being recognized.
Hutcherson expressed
gratitude for Jumes Dodson,
director of the Warner
Robins Recreation
Department, who was
awarded the highest honor
given to a recreational pro
fessional in the state of
Georgia back in November.
Dodson was chosen by his
peers to be the Georgia
Recreation and Park
Association’s Distinguished
Professional of the Year. He
also celebrated his 30th
anniversary in recreation.
“Our city and our seniors
are blessed to have someone
of Mr. Dodson’s caliber as
See VOLUNTEER, page 5A
Clean Air Act by the deadline. At
that time, Jeff Carter, assistant
director of EPD, said the state
would bolster its argument that
Houston does not belong on the list.
At the meeting Thursday, Methier
said Bibb County will be on the finjji
list, but as for the rest of Middle
Georgia - “I honestly don’t know.”
Either way, cleaning up the Macon
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Warner Robins Mayor Donald Walker presents Becky
Elliott with a plaque recognizing her as the 2004
Volunteer of the Year.
Census: County
population up 8.7%
Half of the nation's fastest
growing counties in Georgia
From staff, wire reports
ATLANTA - Houston
County now has 120,434,
people according to U.S.
Census Bureau estimates
released this week.
That reflects an increase
of 8.7 percent since the 2000
Census.
The new estimate ranks
Houston 14th among
Georgia counties in terms of
population.
Also, the Census Bureau
Perry woman
earns top award
By Luci Joullian
HHJ Staff Writer
PERRY - Laura Whipple
Neeld is a born broker.
Neeld's late father. Allen
Whipple, owned Perry’s
Whipple Realty and
Insurance, and was a suc
cessful Houston County real
estate agent for over 35
years.
When she was 18, Neeld
earned her real estate
license and went to work for
her dad.
Now living in Cape May
County, N.J., Neeld remem
bers the lessons
See NEELD, page 3A
an Evans Family Newspaper
THREE SECTIONS • 22 PAGES
reported that four of the 10
fastest-growing counties in
America are in Atlanta’s
suburbs, where sprawl has
created some of the worst
traffic congestion in the
country.
Job opportunities and
affordable housing are
drawing people from around
the nation to the four coun
ties, which form a semicircle
around Atlanta. The
See CENSUS, page 5 A
LAURA WHIPPLE NEELD
“air shed” - the Middle Georgia are
surrounding Bibb - is still a necessi
ty, one the coalition is gearing up for.
The seven counties and 13 cities of
the coalition are still in the prelimi
nary stages of planning, but Methier
is hopeful of their efforts toward a
“clean-up” plan to reduce pollution
emissions in the region.
Sm AIR, page 3A
50e