Newspaper Page Text
o,
3ears come up short against Collins Hill |/A
THURSDAY
May 25, 2006
voLume 136, NnumßEß 102
OUR
INSIDE .
it's an honor
B Warner Robins Noon
Optimist Club hands out
annual Officer of the Year
awards to local law enforc
ment agencies.
- Page 2A
Avcid the invasion
B Columnist Foy Evans
enjoys music and can iden
tify with its powerful nature,
but writes he refuses to suc
cumb to the iPod people.
- Page 4A
IN BRIEF
Guitar performance
B A classically-trained guitar
ist is set to perform at thes
Perry Library Wednesday.
Marshall Fordham, a
Houston County native
who is earning his master'’s
in music from Roosevelt
University's Chicago College
of Performing Arts, will
perform a variety of music
appealing to all ages, start
ing at 10 a.m.
He has earned a bachelor’s
degree in music from Mercer
University in Macon, and
received the Georgia Music
Teachers Association’s
Award of Excellence while at
the school.
He has received coaching
from renowned guitarists
Sergio Assad, Antigoni Goni,
and Oscar Ghiglia. He has
appeared with members
of the Macon Symphony
Orchestra on several occa
sions.
For more information on this
free concert, call the library
at 987-3050.
- Mike George
BIRTHDAYS
Thursday
W Gerry Nall
B Denise Posey
M Doug Cross
ANNIVERSARIES
Thursday
M Allison and Todd Garrett
Having a birthaay or anniver
sary? Call Charlotte Perkins at
987-1823, ext. 234, or e-mail her
at cperkins@evansnewspapers.
com.
DEATHS
B Mary M. Jackson
B Martha Lois Bullard Nunez
Bostick
INDEX
PR . . .'ioio o B B
WEATHER ....... 3A
OPINION .........4A
SUHOOLS ~..... 8A
SPEORIS. .. ... TA
C0M1C5......... 8A
CLASSIFIEDS .... 9A
PERIODICAL
Aw:d- Winning
004
Better Newspaper
Contest
IZERS
S 5 &
20 . TN
;NEBs
| L =
o°:g
E%ofi
;503
=g
CSEQ
-‘:;z"
saPP
wx<3B .
bwiwg
SSE2eo®
SEcoey
May 25, 2006
Re T )
@he Jditedsl
~ LEGAL ORGAN FOR HousToN COUNTY,
CITY OF PERRY, CITY OF WARNER ROBINS AND CITY OF CENTERVILLE
Phoenix Gtr., River Edge could merge
Mental health and addiction rehab services
leaders look toward survival in the face of cuts
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Staff Writer
As state funding cuts continue for
programs for the mentally ill, the
mentally disabled and those addict
: c ¥
{ A e "
‘ . Fod e ok ¥
| Ui e e q ] i .',i,‘u - ¢ 8 o &
|#fTR,AN % ¥ " . L g
|v(S:i]o ¥ g ? i d & i
s . i ‘ ] g ’ e ! 3 og ot # :
’ = ¥ ‘m“\i‘.;\,xfi\\,;‘ : ?‘vat\‘m"‘w\\ &ol
q o A . 9 9 N T %JQ:\!M\‘\ o ;-;,"ll»-"f%» . "\qf‘}. @\'
: B ‘\M e 2 Do s s ¢ - el
st 4 . AR R T T ol 4
I Y 7 M’ e i 3 e 'TT T R ‘&Mw? e i ""un i’ P 8
i RS (R i . . * YR
vl,‘g‘,’w&»y:w: o ; o " W 3 ety e e ST A L it )
d 8 ioors RTR G Re R R ¢ e B Mg =
3 2 R= e s e e+ R Y
' [ e =" FUedhes. o ik T b
] B A P AR B b
Y'fl el L k- o 0 - b R 5.%&- iLt e R eol SR § o
17 ot - | W N RN i L b ; 7y 8
i i - Ry i #::_-‘*‘*.Ws;? L PR T B e e
Fr— SR e P i i, A Mw‘ ? : \ ! !
ot O I N e 4 T g L g e ! ;
AL R W TF R e V . =
P g«&f T "-“”;‘-*“wf‘;““ o ) ,‘w G i X Swr— :
;i e -, e SRR e""““ S il 5 s :
SEER TR TR ' W 4 by pllh.
Lo a3V 49 O YR Ak TN . w e
(9 Jf-* 4 MOV ‘:4,'y i Y -
[PPSR L i T vR I e g e g " B B . g
?‘?\{ ~w“* *'*e‘!”{.w:‘,l%i"v( ey SR RN . ”.'..v" ;e -
[ T L ’_{%‘f' TSN T * S ; - ’ :
QL s ek, RN LRSI . _
%‘3‘ ITR "‘»W‘}; R~L hy ¥ ‘f.m & TNI T
i R R ARG TR AR T i % L .
WSR ST e e ST P TAT Nl Tit D T 5
F ig LR Y e Y N R T D e T R S AL ._;.-.r”fi,fr,g.\.
‘ti'»' e R ’»’%nfi" Gz N Tgdely ERORER o T Yt a 8 oY e, vfik&&&’“fifit
S‘:j R 0 N T el iy ""“.‘{'l“ A ogh LG # b
o ‘gi\"'}*i oe i »fl‘\'fi i oS ‘L"'m‘ Ie SR Le o e el Som Ti S T T
A o - 3 Ll 58 [T P B iAT SRR RS Savaith N 8 B e R A TR Rt iy
" i Yk@@é‘ B e N ””m’f‘fl“" e B ’g*g‘ AR it ST
2PR oI M S Bil-i, A T DR A T o %,‘{«? At W@\‘W Ty R T
L g S ?«" 4 ‘(,Mv\,»}: AR »‘*\«j& b L e ,‘N@:';",,li-"w.;'}‘;“‘"‘:'f‘&"%““‘* SR B i
T B g R R TTR S e AR oPR G R 8 R IR R
& i :f'{'t.j > ’.%‘ %L ","\_i‘,.‘}. "Q’;p’?‘ ~9&“:@4‘*“‘{{?"- z Mil o, '?-f LA A h"‘f“"fl%: ‘:;?.\.t*%#g a,\\‘,,: i ("\17:':"»}?-. i " "
£G S e T e L Tt B ke A Re N R g 1
oe T PR AU g W LR R T NLt R Y VR ol
."”"’ 53‘"3}3,?‘3‘ ol ‘?;\fi;":eqi{g ! 2 j:“ ’P%\\ "}%t \%&v-’l‘v(}{ vffis?f“ o i'b"’ % o:‘ () i': s h&‘g\’% ; b g ’;\?X’“Am i
A R TS %&” (A "& Ne T eAT kAR PR R K TR T S |
AR PR MG PO R b RIS, SRS, (S A G (o . 7 ANI 2 g }.s’ N S RTETRBIE oi
RS L Pel T R P R il ik M O
[SS T a IRROREY ¢LN LT S . e g Ps N TSRS T A R B T O, Ls o RSN e R e
Three people were injured, none seriously, in this wreck on Russell Parkway at Elaine Drive on Wednesday. The
two occupants of the truck and the driver of the car were taken to Houston Medical Center with minor injuries,
according to Warner Robins Police Department’s Tim Pippio. The driver of the white Ford F-150, Flora Ramirez,
was cited for driving while unlicensed, failure to yield right of way and child restraint violation because the 5-
five-year-old girl in the truck should have been in a car seat, Pippio said. He added the truck was traveling south
on Elaine Drive and attempted to cross Russell Parkway. The Honda Accord traveling eastbound on Russell
Parkway and driven by Gordana Mihalic-Mackee, struck the pickup, which rolled over four times.
Duhart awarded for
work with seniors
By RAY LIGHTNER
HHJ Staff Writer
“You've done us all proud,”
Mayor Donald Walker told
Carolyn Duhart.
Duhart was given an
award recently for creative
leadership by the Georgia
Association of Homes and
Services for the Aging for
her work at Springfield
Gardens Apartments. “The
award she’s won, is the
highest award we give for
creative leadership,” said
Walter Coffey, president of
Dennard honored for 35 years of service
By RAY LIGHTER
HHJ Staff Writer
When Harry Dennard
began with the Warner
Robins Police Department in
1971 Homer J. Walker was
mayor and “Pip” Rape was
police chief.
“Just to tease him, I remind
him I was 3 years old when
he started,” said Maj. John
Wagner, who Dennard called
his “right hand.”
Mayor Donald Walker pre
sented Dennard with a cer
tificate for his 35 years with
the police department at
Monday’s City Council meet
ing. Walker gave a run-down
of Dennard’s career.
He was hired in 1971, pro
ed to drugs, two Middle Georgia ser
vice providers are quietly discussing
a merger aimed at cutting admin
istrative costs while maintaining
essential community-based services
Minor injuries in Russell wreck
the Georgia Association of
Homes and Services for the
Aging.
Springfield Gardensapart
ments is an assisted liv
ing facility off Alberta Road
near Greater Springfield
Missionary Baptist Church.
Walker presented Duhart
with a key to the city, and
told her for her work: “The
city is proud of the job you
do everyday. You are a bless
ing for this community.”
See DUHART, page 5A
Councilman Terry Horton
moted to sergeant in 1976
and served as the night shift
commander. He was promot
ed to captain in 1985 and was
commander of the training
division. He was patrol com
mander in 1994 and later
promoted to major to com
mand the narcotics unit.
Dennard currently com
mands the Administrative
Service Division. He oversees
the Records Section, School
Liaison Unit, Training
Division, C.A.R.E.S.,
Municipal Court, Community
Initiatives, Computer
Forensic Unit, and several
others,
Dennard has been named
officer of the year and super
www.hhjnews.com
| S s fi?“?a'fi“-‘fi%}fi?“?:‘«-fii-%‘ T e .
& eRN et g s (At 8
sAe R e N
ads P aDE N s‘e“%“k‘?fi?*’i“?fifi 2 i ""‘x‘*&«’&‘fii“"a‘g“?
I R Le S Tke e
i R e ‘W L R W;fl‘&
kos G G e 9 o
L B eoG R I T &
5 e o P \;‘é t
¥ L e G S S R
PR g T e e
; S v L Al
|4 JRNE 1 so
| ot b
R " s el
| e - ! it ol
|B, 1 4 iLR
(& N ; Ede
|g n v
8 feor - .
| 1058 " i R UNG SR
| W ’ SN TR
(& i d [Sriae
| A i e o
-& ¥ e
Sl R e L
|# i R
1823 y i & ; R
‘» oy T
L S Mo
I 8 {xgga | g & S','Qu%’
HHJ/Ray Lightner
Carolyn Duhart, left, shakes hands with Mayor Donald
Walker, who presented her with a key to the city. With
her are her parents Truman and Margurite Duhart and
Walter Coffey, president of the Georgia Association of
Homes and Services for the Aging.
visor of the year and was an
original member of the STAR
(special tactics and response)
team.
“Law enforcement is in his
blood,” Walker said, noting
Dennard’s father was the
police chief in Perry.
Dennard thanked his wife
of 36 years for her support.
And he thanked, “my two
children and my best buddy,
right here,” he said, patting
his grandson Cody on the
shoulder.
Dennard then thanked the
mayor and council, Major
Wagner and Chief Brett
Evans. “We've never had a
cross word. We never left a
meeting without the same
to those in need of care.
Don Blair, CEO of Phoenix Center
in Houston County, and Frank Fields,
CEO of River Edge in Macon, have
been in discussions for months, and
their Community Service Boards
have also met to discuss the possibil
ity of a merger this summer, which
would be in time for Blair’s planned
understanding.
“Five years ago, 1 said
when I reach 55, I'm gone,”
Dennard said. “I'm 57 now
and I'm not going any
where.”
Walker thanked Dennard
for his “35 years of influence
of the people of the police
department and this city.”
.Councilman Clifford
Holmes nad Doug McDowell
also had high praise for
Dennard.
“I'had the pleasure of work
ing with him for six years as
an auxiliary police officer,”
Holmes said.
“I never met a finer per
son than Major Dennard,”
McDowell said.
TWO SECTIONS * 22 PAGES
retirement, and make Fields the
administrator for the consolidated
program.
The joint boards voted to have a
“due diligence” audit of both opera
tions before making a final decision,
primarily to assess the economic
impact on River Edge.
See MERGE, page 5A
working
zoning
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
City planners in Perry
are working to create two
new zoning categories, one
designed to accommodate the
development of healthcare
facilities like hospitals and
nursing homes, and another
that will give developers lee
way to build on smaller lots,
in exchange for more open
spaces for things like parks
and walking trails.
Discussion of the two new
districts took up a signifi
cant portion of the Perry
Planning Commission’s
meeting Monday.
With the new institu
tional district (IN), zoning
will allow planners to define
where the city hopes new
healthcare facilities will be
built, including hospitals,
nursing homes, medical and
dental offices and pharma
cies. According to Perry
community planner Mike
Beecham, the zoning will
also help city leaders protect
the surrounding community
from the hazards these facil
ities bring, including added
traffic. Beecham said many of
these facilities like a nurs
ing home which may operate
24 hours a day and maintain
a full-time staff, like other
business, but patients stay
there sometimes indefinitely
do not fit standard zoning
categories, exhibiting both
residential and commercial
traits.
Commission members did
raise concerns over zoning
small parcels for things like
pharmacies, but Chairman
Martin Beeland said the com
mission will decide rezoning
requests on a case-by-case
basis.
The city already gives
developers the option
to build more homes on
See PLANS, page 5A
{ S BRI H Ry
. L e e et
5 / Sk
’ #*
e
1 ¢
e ;
e
BUE
i
!
. ’ pE
HHJ/Ray Lightner
Warner Robins Police
Department Maj. Harry
Dennard accepts a cer
tificate for his 35 years of
service with the city from
Mayor Donald Walker.
AR '1721 A t@l
8'551(!)0001'I4