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TUESDAY May 31, 2005 Volume 135, Number 362 Award-Winning Newspaper 2004 Better Newspaper Contest Inside TODAY * , '■v'Vv _ 1,400 graduate from public schools “Pomp and Circumstance” times five was heard at the Georgia National Fairgrounds this weekend as graduation ceremonies were held for Houston County’s public high schools. Students shouted, par ents cried, pictures were made and hugs were given as Superintendent Danny Carpenter con ferred over 1,400 diplo mas. Local, pages SA-6A Note: Coverage of Westfield’s graduation will follow later this week. Happy BIRTHDAY! Kaydee Crouch Susan Jackson (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 Linda L. Blachly Capt. Richard B. Fuchs Vallie Mae Heard Robert “Bob” Kelley Daisy Marie Steed Carol B. Whitehead Obits, page 5A INDEX BUSINESS 7 A CLASSIFIED .11A COMICS 10A CROSSWORD ...10A OBITUARIES 5A OPINION 4A SCHOOL NEWS . .5A.6A SPORTS 12A TV LISTINGS . . . .10A WEATHER 2A PERIODICAL 6* Georgia Newspaper Project Man Ltfcrarv UMIV OF GEORGIA ATHENS. GA 3G6G2-XO2 2-DIGIT 3(36 Serving Houston County Since 1870 C7sF(X pCcmsttm Qim tyimnml LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry ; cm ge Warner Robins and city of Centerville Unified P&Z board being considered Vision 2020 committee mulls pros and cons of countywide planning, zoning body By TIMOTHY GRAHAM HHJ Staff Writer WARNER ROBINS - The Houston County Vision 2020 com mittee is looking at establishing an IHLJL 4. I *3MSt ’'W?\ m \ m jcyJgT iv S "T A ly J- ipiji is - VT> As ji jwgtt r-_* - -w 11, vRB Ml : . *|H| mt mi ljAßk . Hns b Jhv - HHHekO ■ I . I H I ”V | , ?.' HHJ/Timothy Graham The Middle Georgia Honor Guard Firing Squad salutes the war dead during Monday’s Memorial Day observance at Magnolia Park in Warner Robins. Remembering our war dead By TIMOTHY GRAHAM and MIKE GEORGE HHJ Staff Writers “All Gave Much, Some Gave All.” Those words carved on the Veterans’ Memorial at Magnolia Park made the unspoken theme for Monday’s Memorial Day observance in Warner Robins. The ceremony began with the Northside High School Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard presenting the colors. Representatives of the var ious veterans’ organizations laid wreaths at the memorial before the Rev. Albert Marshall spoke for the absent Mayor Donald Walker. “I am glad you are here to remem ber the pain you have gone through and the pain others will go through in the future,” said Marshall. “We remember the events of 9/11 and the pain that happened there. “There are faces we have not seen and voices we have not heard that we should remember today. Let us never forget to always remember those who have lost loved ones through war or attrition. Let us love as long as there is life in our body and the only way you can do that is to help the living.” The Middle Georgia Honor Guard Firing Squad saluted the fallen, and blew taps to end the ceremony. In Perry, veterans and their families also gathered at Perry Memorial Gardens in a solemn expression of gratitude to those who paid the ulti mate price for America’s freedom. While some saluted the flag, other vet erans slowly removed their caps and held them to their chest, quietly remembering those they’ve lost. “Let us remember the great sacri- 'American Idol' finalist visits WR DeGarmo among several performers at benefit concert By MIKE GEORGE HHJ Staff Writer WARNER ROBINS - Seven-year-old Bethany Montjoy sat quietly at an autograph table on the sec ond floor of the Warner Robins Civic Center Friday afternoon, waiting for a chance to meet “American Idol” finalist Diana DeGarmo. Volunteers and band members who passed by joked that Bethany was ready to sign autographs herself - and she quickly www.hhjnews.com umbrella planning and zoning board for all four municipal governments in the county. Perry City Manager Lee Gilmour presented the concept to the com S Jr -mtii— .l HHJ/Mike George Chief Master Sgt. Lelan Callan places flags at the graves of veterans at Perry Memorial Gardens Sunday morning. Callan said that the flags have been posted for the last five years to celebrate the holiday, which honors the war dead. flee they made for us,” said the Rev. Rick Parker, pastor of First Baptist Church in Perry, “so that we can enjoy picked up a nearby pen to wait for her adoring public. Montjoy was one of sever al young fans who stood in line to meet DeGarmo, who performed at a memorial concert at the civic center Friday to benefit the 1033 Foundation, a local non profit group raising money to build a POW/MIA memo rial at the Museum of Aviation. Bethany’s father, Senior Airman Timothy Montjoy - who has spent two years at See CONCERT, page 3A mittee, laying out both the pros and cons of the concept. “The main issue we would need to address would be the definition of land use,” said Gilmour. “We would W B . | | HHP 1' / 9 Sb / m HHJ Mike George Former “American Idol” finalist Diana DeGarmo signs an autograph for Bethany Montjoy, 7, before the POW/MIA memorial concert Friday at the Warner Robins Civic Center. DeGarmo donated all the proceeds from her autograph sales to the 1033 Foundation, a nonprofit group working to build a memorial at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins. the scent of the cookout or the smell of fresh-cut grass.” See MEMORIAL, page 3A have to have a common definition of what R-l means in all four jurisdic tions, for example. “For most of the people of See VISION 2020, page 2A Housing permits decline ByRAYUGHTNER HHJ Staff Writer WARNER ROBINS - Permits for new single-fami ly homes are down from last month. For Warner Robins, Centerville, Perry and unin corporated Houston County combined, there were 24 fewer single-family dwelling permits issued in April than the 156 in March. While per mits remained the same in the cities, the decline came in unincorporated Houston County, with a drop to 33 in April from the 57 issued in March. The 133 permits issued in April are also below the 150 issued in April 2004. The 33 permits in unincorporated areas in April is also down from the 49 issued in April 2004. Average values of the homes permitted went up from $140,425 in March to $143,957 in April. It is also up from April 2004’s aver age of $121,394. Not only were permits down, but in unincorporat ed Houston County, the average value of the new homes was down from March’s $185,170 at $174,717 for April. The average value of the 33 homes, however, is up from the $164,144 in April 2004. Year to date, 166 homes with a total value of $30,136,090 have been per mitted in unincorporated Houston County. Permits in the city of Perry remained the same at 18 for April and March, but were up from the seven issued in April 2004. The average value of the new homes permitted dropped to See PERMITS, page 2A an Evans Family Newspaper 500 mm B"*s 5108"00001* , 4 14 PAGES