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WEDNESDAY June 14,2006 volume 136, no. 116 OUR FRONT PORCH Got the blues? ■ We've got the recipes. Our weekly food section outlines the best dishes for blueber ries. and blackberries, too. - Page 1C IN BRIEF Reporting for duty ■ Air Force Airman Ist Class Alexandria D. Blackmon has arrived for duty at Ramstein Air Base, Kaiserslautern, Germany. Blackmon is the granddaughter of Ernes R. Childs of Belmont St., and niece of Elizabeth R. Thomas of Elm St., both of Bonaire. She is a 2005 graduate of Warner Robins High School. SHOUT OUT Thank you ■ "Perry Country Club would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped, participated, or made a dona tion to our second annual . ‘Making Miracles Happen A for Kids' Golf Classic. "We exceeded our goal for last year and the money we raised goes directly to the Children’s Hospital. “Your names will be dis played on a sign at PCC to show your support of this tournament. We could not have done it without your donations and help. “It is so gratifying to have special people who are willing to contribute to such a worthy cause. “Thanks again for your sup port." - Perry Country Club staff BIRTHDAYS ■ Doug Brock ■ Evelyn King ■ Jessica Kozak ANNIVERSARIES ■ Malcolm and Linda Davis DEATHS ■ Jennie Goodwin Robuck INDEX LOCAL 2 A WEATHER 3 A OPINION 4 A LIFESTYLE 9 A SPORTS 1 B COMICS 4 B CLASSIFIEDS .... 5 B PERIODICAL Award-Winning Sewspaper 2004 Better Sewspaper Contest Imllillimi 11..11 1.111. ..11 tllllllllllllllilll COOI 0 GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT Man Library UNIV OF GEORGIA ATHENS GA XMS-QQQa ALL FOR ADC 301 Shr visa HfU sto\ Coi vn Si\a IS7O (Ehe dj SxiTM LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY, city of Perry, city of Warner Robins and city of Centerville t f*’ 'A v ‘ \ M j ’ it Nk A JB \ JZAHBk Jm ft M i mtr i / ’ J I I *■ V, ' . ’ A I -Osi % I * -jfjW I jjpli * A\l ■ atm f | M; . a&Mm v ¥ _. . aF' ’jWL ar fl ■ I B I '■' aJEtL lABm i ; M| i, JSk l:|p I . yim.M Langston Road annexation sparks debate By MIKE GEORGE HHJ Staff Writer Local homeowners con tinue to rail against annex ation along Langston Road. Discussion of the annex ation of roughly 44 acres along Langston Road turned contentious at the Perry Planning Commission’s regular meeting Monday evening. Dee Allison and her neigh bors along Langston Road have been fighting annexa tion in the area for nearly a year. According to city planners, more than 1,000 homes are already on the slate for the area.Concems over traffic, stormwater runoff and the changing nature of the area have been unsuccessful in con vincing city leaders to deny several recent annexation requests. But their comments Monday convinced Commissioner J fm Mehserle to vote against the commis sion in their recommenda tion supporting the annexa tion request. A final deci sion on the annexation will be made by the Perry City Council. Allison said that develop ment in the area will create a “mess” of traffic, flooding and other problems. Although Perry Community Planner Mike Beecham said in his report to the commission Monday that the area is experiencing growth, with new subdivi sions south of the property, M.L. Dukes, who lives along www.hhjnews.com A dog’s best friend k Soldier honored for p saving dog in Iraq By Brian Shreve HHJ Intern To Staff Sgt. Christopher McCleskey, Katja is not a dog, but another soldier he would never leave behind. McCleskey, a member of the 78th Security Forces | Squadron, was honored this past Friday at Robins Air Force B Base for risking his own life to save his military canine part- H| ner while stationed in Iraq. The Vietnam K-9 Handlers Association presented an award Eg to the 29-year-old McCleskey, an Alabama native who has |H served in the Air Force for eight years. When his living quarters caught fire, McCleskey hurriedly ■ crawled through the burning building, pulling the dog to «■ safety. Langston, said the area is not developed, and does not have the infrastructure in place to handle growth. Dr. E.R. McDannald, who owns roughly 6 acres directly southwest of the property, said he’s filed roughly a dozen formal complaints with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division over flooding on his property. Although McDannald has lived on his property since 1994, he said that flooding on his prop erty has been spurred by the recent development of the Notting Hill subdivision nearby. Lindsay Bailey, an annex ation and zoning specialist with Ocmulgee, an engi neering firm in Perry, said the 44-acre property will be developed into 120 lots, with a 40 foot wooded buf fer around the property. More than 40 percent of the property will be set aside for greenspace, with mini mum 14,000 square foot homes. The firm developing the property, The Knight Group, Inc., is based in Jonesboro. Bailey said the group plans to begin con struction in March 2007, with a completion date set for 2010. Jay Knight, president of the group, said they have every intention of building, despite the contention, of being good neighbors. The Perry City Council could hold a public hearing on the annexation July 18. See ANNEX, page 6A A Blackhawk helicopter then flew him and the unrespon sive Katja to the Baghdad Airport, where the dog received treatment before completing a successful rehabilitation period. Receiving the award from the Vietnam veterans was something McCleskey said left him “lost for words.” l “It’s a tremendous honor,” he said, “Not only to have my base commander here, but to have men who pounded the ground long before I did. They set the standard for K-9 handlers throughout the service.” McCleskey became partnered with Katja a month before being deployed to Iraq. While there, the See DOG, page 6A Staff Sgt. Christopher McCleskey is congratulated by his canine partner, Katja, during an award ceremony last week. McCleskey rescued Katja ENi/Gary urmon\ from a burnin 9 building in Iraq. Primary deadline approaching By Charlotte Perkins HHJ staff writer Have you changed your address since the last elec tion? Have you never got ten around to registering to vote? If you want to vote in the July 18 primary elec tion and aren’t registered yet, now’s the time to get moving. You must regis ter on or before Monday to vote in the primary. Name or address changes must be made before Monday, too. In the primary election, candidates will be cho A ‘Head’ of the game ' JS- jk t 4’ j HHJ Don Moncrtef Tyler Head delivers a pitch to the plate for the Mariners on Monday at Whitaker Field in Warner Robins. The game was part of the Warner Robins Recreation Department’s postseason play. For more see 18. THREE SECTIONS • 18 PAGES sen to run as Democrats or Republicans in the gen eral election in November. Voters may choose the ballot of either party, regardless of past choice, but may only vote in one. Key races in this pri mary are for governor, Lt. governor, the U.S. House of Representatives, a number of top state posts such as super intendent of schools and secretary of state, and two county commission posts. If a runoff is necessary, it will be held on August 8. Only those registered by tv h v.t ms f \ un\ A n m Is there a gun where your child plays? June 21 is National Asking Saves Kids Day By RAY LIGHTNER HHJ Staff Writer “Is there a gun where my child plays?” Safe Kids of Houston County joins gun safety advocates across the coun try in urging parents to ask whether firearms are present in the homes where their children play. National ASK Day, on Wednesday, is pro claimed by the Asking Saves Kids campaign to remind parents to ask that question: “Is there a gun where my child plays?” Approximately one out of three U.S. households with children contains at least one gun, and according to Safe Kids, each year, in the United States, approximately 60 children ages 14 and under are killed by accidental gunshots and more than 730 go to the emergency room with injuries from gun-related accidents - not counting approximately 6,600 injured in acci dents involving BB guns and other air-powered arms. “Children should not have access to guns,” says Patsy Zoumberis, Safe Kids Houston County coordinator. “More than half of the parents sur veyed who own guns and have chil dren ages 4-12 said they keep a load ed or unlocked gun in the home.” —* According to a 2002 survey commis sioned by the ASK campaign, 97 per cent of parents who own guns “would feel comfortable if another parent See GUNS, page 6A Monday will be eligible to vote in the run-off. Registration forms are avail able at Centerville, Perry and Warner Robins city halls, all public libraries, the Houston County Annex Building in Warner Robins and the Board of Elections office in the Houston County Government Building in Perry. For further information call the Houston Board of Elections at 987-1973 or visit wwww.houstoncoun tyga.org and click on the Board of Elections link on the left side of the page. 50^ Mllll | 8 "*55108*00 001"" 4