Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY
August 12, 2005
Volume 135, Number 415
Award-Winning
Better Newspaper We y>7
Contest
inside TODAY
People power puts
steeple in place
Perry Chapel A.M.E.
gets long awaited steeple
in place.
Family&Faith, page 6A
Happy BIRTHDAY!
Mari Emily Greene
Houston
Jalen Harden
Diane Squires
Oscar Upshaw
Happy ANNIVERSARY!
- - . - -
Richard and Susan
Ganus
(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
Yvonne Mae Sisson
Joe Smiley
Obit, page 2A
INDEX
CLASSIFIED 9A
COMICS 8A
CROSSWORD ... .8A
FAMILY&FAITH .. .6A
OBITUARIES 2A
OPINION 4A
SCHOOL NEWS .. .5A
SPORTS 10A
TV LISTINGS 8A
WEATHER 2A
PERIODICAL
5
Georgia Newspaper Project
Main Library
UN IV OF GEORGIA
ATHENS GA 3G6G2-COG2
ALL FOR ADC 301
August 12, 2005
Serving Houston County Since 1870
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W LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
Agricenter looks to pave roads
RV rally had S2O million economic impact; ag authority wants them back
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Hll.l Mike George
Michael Froehlich, executive director of the Georgia National
Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry points out plans for paving new
roads on the fairgrounds.
HCDA issuing bonds for Westfield expansion
By RAY LIGHTNER
HHJ Staff Writer
The Westfield Schools is expand
ing again, and again has gone to the
Houston County Development
Authority for funding.
The authority recently voted to
issue a $3.5 million bond for the
school’s latest expansion project.
“The bond would be similar to the
one the authority did for the school
three or four years ago,” explained
HCDA attorney Mike Long.
Long said the bond may also be
used for re-funding the previous
expansion. Westfield Headmaster
Michael Franklin said the $3.5 mil
lion will be used for a new arts and
sciences center “and wrapping up all
current debt over a 30-year period.”
Authority member Larry
Snellgrove made the motion to
authorize the chairman to sign con
tract for the bond issuance, which
was seconded by authority member
Draper Watson.
Authority member Tee Tolleson
noted that he was chairman of the
Westfield campaign and for that rea
son abstained from the vote.
“The school looks to expend $2.5
million for arts and science class
rooms, a recital hall and hopefully
an athletic component,” Tolleson
said, adding the improvements
would have “a domino effect on the
school in a good way.”
Franklin said the expansion will
deepen the private school’s instruc-
Family plans memorial for slain child on Saturday
Boy’s family invites public and friends to attend prayer service for victims of violence
By RAY LIGHTNER
HHJ Staff Writer
Christian Edward
Martinez was murdered a
year ago.
At 4:30 p.m. Saturday, his
family is having a public
memorial and prayer service
for Christian at his gravesite
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REP. JIM MARSHALL
www.hhjnews.com
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Above shows the proposed expansion buildings at the Westfield Schools in yellow.
tion program.
He said the new building would
have eight specialty classrooms,
including two science labs. It will
allow the school to expand its sci
ence, music and art offerings and
in Magnolia Park Cemetery
in Warner Robins.
“We want to thank the
community for the outpour
ing of thoughts and
prayers,” said his grand
mother, Nancy Kirkendall.
“We would like to invite the
entire community to come
Marshall speaks to federal retirees
Congressman Marshall addresses benefits, Iraq, Social Security reform
By TIMOTHY GRAHAM
HHJ Staff Writer
U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall spoke in
Warner Robins to the National Active
and Retired Federal Employees
(NAREE) Chapter 1020 on Wednesday
and told them that he would work to
make sure that they did not lose any of
their benefits as former federal
employees.
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
When more than 10,000 motor home
enthusiasts descended upon the
Georgia National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter in March, they brought an
estimated S2O million to the state of
Georgia.
Now, fairgrounds officials are con
sidering an estimated $340,000 road
paving project designed to bring them
back again and again.
The Family Motor Coach
Association already plans to return to
Perry in 2007, having signed an agree
ment last week. But fairgrounds offi
cials want the group back in 2009, and
may have to pave more than a mile of
roadway to make that happen.
The project was tackled during a
meeting of the Georgia Agricultural
Exposition Authority at Reaves Arena
Wednesday.
The FMCA first came to the fair-
expand foreign language instruction
to the elementary grades.
There will also be separate music
and art programs for the lower and
upper schools. The expansion will
make that possible, Franklin said.
out and remember Christian
and others that have lost
their lives to violence.”
Kirkendall said she, her
daughter and husband will
speak at the memorial.
“It is way past time that
society comes together to
fight for our rights to pro
When asked how he would react to
efforts to move federal retirees from
the Federal Retiree Health Plan to
Medicare Part D, Marshall said: “I will
try to protest those programs that civil
servants have come to depend upon.
After years of service and expectations
it is wrong to pull the rug out from
under you.’
“Some congressmen want to spend
tect our children and loved
ones,” she said. “We need to
stand up and let our govern
ment leaders know that our
laws are too lenient for child
molesters, child abductors
and murderers.”
Houston Circuit District
Attorney Kelly Burke plans
an Evans Family Newspaper
ONE SECTION *l2 PAGES
grounds in 1996, and have brought an
estimated average of 6,000 people
when they returned in subsequent
years. But rain before and during this
year’s international convention left
the fairgrounds wet and muddy in
some well-trafficked areas.
“Our facility works out well for
them, but we just have a lot of grassy
parking areas,” said Michael
Froehlich, executive director of the
Georgia National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter.
The county has already begun
paving Agricenter Drive, which will
eventually cut across the fairgrounds
from the east gate entrance on Larry
Walker Parkway to connect to the
South Perry Parkway. The county is
also paving two roads that will stretch
out from the new Agricenter Drive,
one connecting to the main fair
grounds area and another to Elko
See AG, page 12A
He said the school’s board of
trustees “still has some decisions to
make on the project, but if things go
well we’re looking at late October
for a ground breaking.”
See HCDA, page 3A
to seek the death penalty in
the trial of Gregory Class,
who was indicted this month
for the murder of 16-month
old Christian Edward
Martinez.
Class, 26, 501 Leisure
Lake Drive, Apt. D-15,
See MEMORIAL, page 3A
more money on federal retirees, while
others want to spend less. Right now
our budget is in a mess and we are
passing on huge deficits to our chil
dren. For that reason I can’t justify
spending more but I do hope we can
keep spending where it is,” said
Marshall.
The Macon Democrat represents
See MARSHALL, page 12A
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