Newspaper Page Text
WEEKEND
April 22, 2006
VOLUME 136, NUMBER 73
OUR
FRONT
PORCH
WHERE NEIGHBORS MEET
INSIDE
Lady Panthers beat Peach
■ Head coach Courtney Herbert
called it a “true victory," because the
Lady Trojans are their “rival."
-Page 1B
Katrina’s impact ongoing
■ Have we set precedents that could
have long lasting repercussions as a
result of Hurricane Katrina?
- Page 4 A
SHOUT OUT
‘Thanks officer(s)’
■ He might not have wanted his
name printed, but this Houston
County resident still wanted to give a
big “thank you” to two of the county’s
finest. Officers Henry Lawrence and
Craig Fowler assisted him Tuesday
when his truck ran out of gas. Both
helped him push the vehicle off the
road and then one stayed with the
vehicle while the other took him to
the local gas station.
“It just hadn't been my day,” said
the caller, who added he was handi
capped. “But they went out of their
way to help.”
IN BRIEF
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The Cat’s meow
■ “Cats" will be performed at
Northside Saturday and Sunday in
Ray Home Theatre for Performing
Arts. Showtime is set for 3 p.m. both
days. The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for
seniors on Sunday.
BIRTHDAYS
Saturday
■ Steve Jobe
■ Lee Seymore
■ Stewart Bloodworth
■ Ronald Davis
■ Ed Stokes
■ Owen Jones
Sunday
■ Donna Bryant
■ Scott Graham
■ Chip King
Monday
■ Mary Hodges
ANNIVERSARIES
Sunday
■ Rick and Michele
Treptow
Having a birthday or anniversa
ry? Call Charlotte Perkins at 987-
1823, ext. 234, or e-mail her at
cperkins@evansnewspapers.com.
DEATHS
■ Duane W. Smith
INDEX
LOCAL 2 A
WEATHER 3 A
OPINION 4 A
LIFESTYLE 9 A
SPORTS 1 B
COMICS 5 B
CLASSIFIEDS .... 6 B
PERIODICAL
Award-Winning
Newspaper
2004
Better Newspaper
Contest
4
Georgia Newspaper Project
Main Library
UNIV OF GEORGIA
ATHENS GA 306G2-OQG2
ALL I-OR ADC 301
April 21, 2006
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LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville
Computer models reveal dark skies ahead
Unchecked development may cause tax hikes
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
The Houston County
Development Authority is
trumpeting a new web-based
statistical modeling tool that
will give local leaders a clear
er forecast on how develop
ment will help, or hurt, the
county.
Designed by researchers
at Georgia Tech’s Economic
Development Institute, the
WebFIT software program is
designed to give local gov
ernments concrete estimates
on the economic impact of
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Warner Robins’ Catherine Lanier tees off at hole No. 1 in the Houston County champion
ship held Thursday at the Landings. For more, see 18.
Things continue to look up for Westside Baptist Academy
By Kimberly Cassel Pritchett
HHJ Contributing Writer
Located on a long, winding
road speckled with homes,
a few businesses and lots of
undeveloped land lies one
of Houston County’s rare
jewels. Westside Baptist
Academy, located in north
Houston County on Dunbar
Road, is possibly one of
Houston County’s fastest
growing schools - with a
growth rate of more than
600 percent within the past
five years.
This Christian school,
which is a ministry of
Westside Baptist Church, is
continually growing, accord
ing to James Anderson, head
master/director of WBA.
In 2001, WBA was started
on Carl Vinson Parkway with
a half-day preschool pro
gram known as the “Seeds of
Faith.” Although the school
had just 35 students its
first year, since then, it has
development trends.
Robert Lann, manager
of research services with
Georgia Tech’s Office of
Economic Development and
Technology Ventures, talked
about WebFIT, which stands
for web-based fiscal impact
tool, could be used in Houston
County during a meeting of
the HCDA Wednesday.
According to Morgan Law,
the HCDA’s executive direc
tor, the board spent $40,000
on the project, but plans to
share the tool with city lead
ers in Centerville, Perry and
Made in the shades
3 iSE >«■
INSIDE
James and Lesi Anderson return to
their Georgia roots
See 12A
grown to encompass Pre-K
3 through the eighth grade
with approximately 245 stu
dents, 28 teachers and 20
classrooms; and it is not
going to stop there, accord
ing to Anderson and his wife,
Lesi, who is the director of
curriculum and instruction.
In fact, the couple say the
board is planning to add one
grade a year until the high
school is complete.
“The school is grow
ing, but we want to
See WESTSIDE, page 12A
www.hhjnews.com
Warner Robins, as well as
Houston County officials and
the Houston County Board
of Education.
Lann’s office mapped out
some rough projections and
presented their findings
Wednesday, using popula
tion, tax digest, and a variety
of other current statistics.
As Houston County faces
an unprecedented housing
boom spurred by growth at
Robins Air Force Base and
a surge of retirees relocating
to Perry, local leaders may be
alarmed by WebFlT’s projec
tions.
Lann said his office based
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HHJ Kimberly Cassel Pritchett
Westside Baptist Academy teacher Sandra Fitts reads a book to her second grade class
in the atrium of the church.
their findings on the assump
tion that Houston County
would develop along the lines
projected in the 2005 Warner
Robins Area Transportation
Study, a future land use plan
which identifies needed road
projects and attempted to
map the county’s develop
ment.
Based on the current
trends, local leaders are
expecting a continued surge
of residential development.
According to the ini
tial WebFIT projec
tions, Warner Robins
and Centerville will see
See MODELS, page 64
They just want their
driveway repaired
Couple’s camper trapped by GDOT
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Assistant Editor
Gail and Wayne Hall
aren’t really asking for
much. They just want to
be able to use the 30 ft.
camper that serves as their
second home during the
festival season.
Wayne thinks that a
truckload of gravel and a
half hour’s work would do
the job, but he’s been calling
the Georgia Department of
Transportation for months
to no dVail. ■*
What’s the problem?
The Halls, who live in a
tidy brick home set back
from South Houston Lake
Road, are a retired couple
who have invested in a 30
ft camper. It’s one of those
that has everything from
cooking facilities, to a bath
room, to room for a king-
Want to run for office?
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Assistant Editor
Next week is the time for
all candidates to sign up
to be on the ballot in the
Republican and Democratic
primary elections set for
July 18 in Houston County
and statewide. Candidates
for primary nominations
qualify with their party
officials.
Republicans will be quali
fying as a group on Monday
April 24, at 9 a.m. in the
office of Rep. Larry O’Neal,
311 Margie Drive, Warner
50£
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TWO SECTIONS • 14 PAGES
Projected increase of
households in
Houston County by
2030, based on Georgia
Tech WebFIT
modeling
■ Warner Robins - 30%
increase from 2004
■ Centerville - 34% increase
■ Perry - 94% increase
■ Houston County-51%
'lt’s like we’ve got
enough for the
biscuits, but not
the gravy.'
- Gail Hall, on the family’s
finances
sized bed and their three
miniature dogs.
The camper is also the
mobile headquarters for
their home-based business.
The Halls are crafters and
they enjoy going to festi
vals around the southeast
to sell their wares.
Wayne, a military retir
ee, does the woodwork, and
Gail does the painting, as
well as sewing pocketbooks.
Then in the spring, they
See REPAIRED, page 7A
Robins. If unable to attend
qualifying, the candidate’s
agent may be sent with
notarized paper work and
accompanied with a cashiers
check/certified check. Judy
Goddard is the party chair
man in Houston County.
The Houston County
Democratic Committee
will hold qualifying
for candidates at 151 S.
Houston Lake Rd., Suite
100, Warner Robins,
31088, GA, at the following
times: Monday, April 24
See OFFICE, page 6A