Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY
May 11, 2005
Volume 135, Number 348
Award-Winning
Newspaper
2004
Better Newspaper
Contest
Sans becomes
Perry's new
softball coach
PERRY - Perry’s fast
pitch softball coach
Christie Wheeless is step
ping down and Warner
Robins assistant softball
coach Jeff Sans is coming
over to take the reins.
Sans taught at Central
Fellowship for 10 years
before going to Parkview
Middle School to teach in
its special education
department.
Sports, page 7A
Happy BIRTHDAY!
Brittany Fluellen
Brandon Fluellen
Mike Hale
Sheila Harris
Joe Leverette
(Surprise your friends! 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’ll do
the rest. E-mail to
hhj@evansnewspapers.com, or
mail them to us at the address
inside. No phone calls, please.
Many happy returns!)
Area DEATHS
Lillian Locke Harmon
Frances Hayes
Evelyn S. Rosenburg
Jeremy White
Obits, page 2A
INDEX
CLASSIFIED 11A
CLUB NEWS 12A
COMICS 10A
CROSSWORD ...10A
HEARTH&HOME .13A
OBITUARIES 2A
OPINION 4A
POLICE BEAT 5A
SPORTS 7A
TV LISTINGS 10A
WEATHER 2A
PERIODICAL
7*
Georgia Newspaper Project
Man Library
UN IV OF GEORGIA
ATHENS GA 30602-0002
3-DfGfT 306
Serving Houston County Since 1870
EDIMGIAFAD
Every Day In Middle Georgia Is Armed Forces Appreciation Day
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* LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
Officials debate railway project
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
FORT VALLEY - Plans
for a scenic railway and
excursion train connecting
Perry to Fort Valley are still
in their infancy, but a group
of officials with a stake in
the project has met to get
the project on track.
Representatives from
Americus-based Heart of
Georgia Railroad, the
Middle Georgia Regional
Development Center, the
Georgia Department of
Economic Development and
various other state and local
agencies met recently to
brainstorm ideas. The group
is still trying to figure out
who will run the train, how
it will be structured and
who will pay for it.
Basic estimates revealed
that the project could cost
between $3 million and $5
million, but these figures
are expected to change.
“Right now we’re trying
to figure out all of the issues
that are involved,” said Jim
Collins, Director of the Fort
See RAILWAY, page 15A
Peppy FD plans boot drive
By TERESA D. SOUTHERN
HHJ Staff Writer
PERRY - The Perry Fire
Department will hold its
first Boot Drive to raise
money for the Georgia
Firefighter Burn
Foundation from Friday
through Sunday.
The department has held
boot drives before, but this
is the first for this cause.
They hope to raise at least
$2,000.
Firefighter Kevin Ross
said the department is ask
Virtual school may become reality in Houston Co.
By TERESA D. SOUTHERN
HHJ Staff Writer
PERRY - In their work
session, the Houston County
Board of Education heard a
presentation from Dr. Mike
Mattingly, assistant superin
tendent of teaching and
learning about Georgia
UGA gymnast teaches
Houston County youth
Julie Ballard-Clark visits local YMCA
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
WARNER ROBINS - An
assistant coach who helped
the University of Georgia’s
Women’s Gymnastics
Program to a 2005 national
championship came to
Warner Robins to teach a
young group of gymnasts
about what it takes to suc
ceed in her competitive, and
often challenging sport.
Julie Ballard-Clark, a vol
unteer assistant coach with
the “Gym Dogs” program at
UGA, spoke to a group of
about a dozen young gym
nasts at the Houston
County YMCA on Moody
Road Saturday afternoon.
Clark spent more than an
hour teaching the young
girls about teamwork, disci
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HHJ Mike George
A group of railroad representatives, state and local officials met in front of the Fort Valley Main Street and Downtown
Development Authority’s offices recently, working to brainstorm ideas on the proposed scenic railway connecting
Perry to Fort Valley. The idea is still in its infancy.
ing the community to
donate to this organization
which of many things spon
sors Camp 00-U-La at Rock
Eagle Camp in Eatonton.
Ross said this camp is for
children who are victims of
fires and have been disfig
ured by them.
“A lot of times children
affected like this go into a
shell and feel isolated,” Ross
said. “The purpose of the
camp is to help those chil
dren come out of their shell
and motivate them.”
newest education initiative,
Georgia Virtual School.
Gov. Sonny Perdue signed
into law this Internet-based
public high school, which
will give students across the
state access to Advanced
Placement courses, summer
school courses, and other
ple, hard work and training.
“It takes a lot of hard
work,” Clark said. “Not
everyone can go to the
Olympics. Not everyone can
compete in the national
championships.
“But if you work hard
enough, you can get very
close and you can reach for
those stars.”
Clark told the group that
most gymnasts on the UGA
team start their day at 7
a.m., practicing throughout
the evening, stopping only
for classes, tutoring and
meals.
“Do you think if those
girls weren’t already disci
plined, would they be get
ting up at 6:30 every morn
ing?
See GYMNAST, page 16A
Ross will attend the camp
with fellow Perry firefighter
Kirk Crumpton.
The fire department is in
the process of asking busi
nesses in the area to place
boot receptacles in their
stores to collect money.
This weekend they will be
outside several local stores
collecting money for the
foundation, such as Wal-
Mart, Harveys and Kroger.
Donations can also be
made at Fire Station One on
Washington Street in Perry.
advanced science and math
courses.
Students register for
courses online, then their
registration information is
sent back to their local
school board where a desig
nated individual contacts
their school to make sure
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HIM Mike George
Julie Clark, a motivational speaker and assistant gymnastics coach at the University of
Georgia, encourages a group of young gymnasts to work together during a teamwork
exercise at the Houston County YMCA. Clark was a part of Georgia’s 1998 National
Championship team.
Tolleson to lead Cagle
campaign in Middle Ga.
Special to the HHJ
GAINESVILLE - State
senator and lieutenant
governor candidate Casey
Cagle has announced that
Sen. Ross Tolleson will
help lead his campaign in
Middle Georgia.
Tolleson, R-Perry, is part
of a group of 23 senators
from across Georgia who
are supporting Cagle in his
bid for lieutenant governor.
Cagle is the second-longest
they have the required
courses taken to take the
course they are registering
for and speaks with their
high school counselor about
whether they are capable of
taking the course.
Mattingly said this pro
gram will be open for a lim-
an Evans Family Newspaper
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ONE SECTION • 16 PAGES
serving
Republican
member of v ‘||||
the
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Senate, '■* ' •
and chairs
the power- . |
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Committee.
“This
race will be won or lost at
See CAGLE, page 15A
ited number of Houston
County students who are
“self-motivated, independ
ent learners, who are suc
cessful time managers and
have good computer skills.”
He said the board would
receive official rules about
See BOE, page 15A