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WEEKEND May 27, 2006 I VOLUME 136, NUMBER 104 Closed Monday B The Home Journal's front offic es will be closed Memorial Day. You may still reach a member of the news department by calling 987-1823, ext. 231. Take a pause B Americans will pause from their activities at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day for a Moment of Remembrance to reflect on the sacrifices of our Soldiers. The National Moment of Remembrance, mandated by Congress and the major initiative of the White House Commission on Remembrance, is a way for all citizens to unite in honor of those who fought for our freedom and died to preserve it. Major League Baseball games will pause, church bells will ring and train whistles will blow to signal the moment when the country will come together to show its grati tude and respect for our nation’s heroes and ensure that they are not forgotten. For more information on the National Moment of Remembrance, visit their website at www.remember.gov. It's an honor M Wamer Robins Ford will host a special promotion in honor of U.S. veterans and their family mem bers today at the dealership on Russell Parkway. During their visit, veterans, who are asked to come in their uniform if possible, will sign in and post pictures on special boards. There'll be several radio broadcasts there including Skip Holmes and special march music that afternoon. Vietnam veteran Bob Bovitch will be on site autographing copies of his new book. Also, according to the release, Warner Robins Ford will give away SSOO every hour. It’s an honor B A Memorial Day service will be held in honor of the nation’s war dead at 11 a.m. Monday at the Perry Memorial Gardens. Lelan R. Callan will be the master of ceremonies. All are invited to attend. Water will be provided, but those attending are asked to bring their own chairs/tents. Saturday W Brian Bowen Sunday W Barbara Walker; Al Stewart; Tian Foss Monday B George Neal; Sandra Faricloth Sunday W Robert and Shirley Minter Monday M Belinda and Clyde Crowe W Harry N. Foster; Lovenia L. Teel RO il 2A NEEATIIEN .. ..... 3A SINION . ......... 4A MEERTYLE. ........ DA OIS ... 1B Aw:d- Winning News wO4 Better Newspaper Contest o 400 - = | .4 Q iy e April 21, 2006 I.‘s’i-im NG Hot '.wi) N County Since' 1870 U Honston 7‘[unw[ The Joiveis LEGAL ORGAN FOR HoUSTON COUNTY, CITY OF PERRY, CITY OF WARNER ROBINS AND CITY OF CENTERVILLE Unemployment falls in April By RAY LIGHTNER HHJ Staff Writer The unemployment rate in the metro Warner Robins area declined to 4.0 percent in April, down one-tenth of one percent from 4.1 per cent in March. The area’s jobless rate stood at 4.3 percent in April of 2005 according to the Georgia Department of Houston Countyv Idol A . . hIS Name lin i . . - L 1 . . -» Q.a politics hAp Y ¢ : : -t ‘ / \ ® County M Commissioner vl Larry PTG RS w J : : ol e Thomson’s life P i R | has not always e ?s" AR B been politics 00, A S T O WW, B R B £ . e R R SRR L / and public ser ! e R L R R P e natdE B . vice Y by NEWBERE L gon® . ] p. it 4 LR Re O S In fact, at one - b PR L S 'y “‘ ; @ }“g{ N oty gts time long ago, he b) Ry B Us ML " .{,l Sk S e J |t e <0 8 made his mark as figf e -' ; ~ a successful sing- B et ie S d . Bt niiTe R T M er/songwriter, one ; o s:.-;»*fi%;»,;:ia‘ca;f-‘w.fiwfy-—, R R o . > 1 ; k’ b L with the potential to B Jmfi@ VQ ’}“.& R fl"‘ } By P , e a star. s A 3***?“ AN %*)fie\‘*w?fi‘ifié&h | ),. " ~tt SN . ; - @ ol Visiting his home in ‘ R e P’ Perry, one is introduced b OUNIRE Sfomie 4 to a library of memorabilia & e\:”fi;gm\%wvw* ; i ' complete with his own paint- SR e ] ok RN g ) ’ §2y . v i ““gfiwlf AR %& ings, writings, playbills from G ’«,l&‘\ g % > X RoE : his stint as an off-Broadway actor B : and old 45s of his own recordings. It v . is quickly realized Thomson is nothing short of a true renaissance man. et B “I wasn’t any kind of a superstar,” he said, “but I had Story by: ; a pl‘L't.tyNg(md career. I made a little money and had a big time for a Brian Shreve, | VTR . ; ; : L . HHJ Intern ! [homson, originally from Centerville and a graduate of Perry High i School, has served the County Commission since 1999. About 30 years ago, however, back when he “had much more hair,” he was See SING, page 8A ~%&‘ TR i 3 PR v g b . . . ) S O N g, . S ;_,.Y,__mf\x ” 1 i V \ 4 k. ol b§-LSR R - " U L S i e S R iR n ot i SR 5 4 il ; : AL Seßl LB LR B i | e » e gll 11 g v ] e T PRI R eel S s { { 1 i il B o i L @t”@@i&l o o ? L L g 1 SR UReee y SAT sl SR : eel i %‘m@f. SR YN 4 . e & g N & e A L WIS . 3 A S i O%“E"¥-g; e i ‘ ] 3w =4 ! 2 1 il R N T n ; e« s6O T e iI \ R ) 1713 § Fengingh gy ‘ = W : HHE | I . [ i HE 8 #iiE i Mo " i £ e tq A 3 ‘ g : ¢ i o e iy " 8] __“ i i‘:& 3 i ] e : | i LTS 800 - v % 5 ; : “' b » l Wt " "5 gy : - - . v \\‘\‘ '\ 1 " mea:' e st Tel g, - - ]\%\ & p i S | oo g L. .co sl i R s B s —— A fi*@mfi% i ._ it . TSI T % el is i R i—— . B M = WRPD, HCSO to split $19,160 grant By RAY LIGHTNER HHJ Staff Writer The Warner Robins Police Department and the Houston County Sheriff’s Office will split a $19,160 grant they received recent ly. The money, which was handed down from the Department of Justice, is designed to aid in local law enforcement needs. Melanie Byer, administra tive operations manager for the Warner Robins Police Department wrote a joint grant application for both departments. R www.hhjnews.com R O Labor. The Warner Robins Metro Service Area includes all of Houston County . In April there were 304 initial claims for unemploy ment insurance, down from the 312 in March but up 30.5 percent or 71 claims from the 233 in April 2005. In comparison, the unem ployment rate in the metro Macon area declined to 5.1 Byer said the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program is a combina tion of two local assistance block grants it replaced. “The grant is for a year,” Byer said, then we have to reapply.” The JAG program allows local governments to sup port a broad range of activ ities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. The Department of Justice will distribute the funding See GRANT, page 8A percent in April, also down one-tenth of one percent, from 5.2 percent in March. The metro Macon area’s job less rate stood at 5.4 percent in April of 2005. Metro Macon Service Area includes Bibb, Crawford, Peach and Twiggs coun ties. Macon had 1,020 ini tial claims in April, down See RATE, page 8A Citizens learn about police work By RAY LIGHTNER HHJ Staff Writer The latest graduates of the Warner Robins Citizen Police Academy included a councilman, three wives of policemen, a husband and wife, a mother and daughter, seniors and some graduates of other WRPD classes. “You are our eyes and ears out there,” said Maj. John Wagner. “You can tell people what’s going on.” Wagner is very familiar with the class. “I sat in you shoes, 17 years ago, as a col lege student,” he told the graduates. “My future wife was in the class as well.” Wagner later interned and was then hired by the See GRADS, page 8A Warner Robins MSA Employment {ln Thousands) | g + 200 jobs s2s %2 533 . S 8 S2B gay 5% 535 638 gaa SO4 8y S 8 QG ‘.‘.\ ‘~: &"' _" o ! ; o e ,‘l‘ x -L‘_~ ; , o SR PR ‘l‘“-‘. Ealarirr . | f | 'ii { b § ¢ Age Moy v Sl Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Note: Wermer Robing MSA comprises Houston county. Sowce Gevrge Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmsond, Comnissioner ~ENTGary Harmon ary Harm s g T ki iy { s o eSI A e g«;.;w“ LR s RO SRRy g B R e L o e o 5 S 9 e L" H *K‘ Ty - L | it Pt o 0 T ; sy b ‘ id : \ i {¢ i " } j 4 < { f SE { . " ol ix .‘1 | Ll D e f S G ks | B sst : % g i R A e R Te R T S LAt Warner Robins Police Capt. John Clay speaks to the grad uates of Citizen Police Academy, which began March 7. “I won’t know what to do on Tuesday nights,” Clay said. AN EVANS FamiLy NEWSPAPER] TWO SECTIONS * 16 PAGES I ABOVE: Two of Larry Thomson'’s 45-RPM records, including a copy of his first single, “Country Songs Really Are True.” LEFT: Thomson plays his guitar among many pieces of his memorabilia, including a poster during his tour in Asia. I 8™55108"00001%"4