Houston County Middle School Idol

Submitted by HCBOE

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014, 12:48pm

HOUSTON COUNTY, GA – The Houston County Middle School Idol will be held Jan. 9, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. at Feagin Mill Middle School in the cafeteria.  Tickets will be $10 at the door.

The final performers, who were chosen after two auditions, are listed below by school.

·         Feagin Mill Middle:  Taylor Johnson, Adlih Leggette, Julian Santos, Grace Thomas and

Alex Williams.

·         Mossy Creek Middle:  Cacee Clowers and Mary Grace Moore.

·         Perry Middle:  Sherlon Farmer, Madeline Geiger and Emma O’Neal.

·         Thomson Middle:  Daisy Astudillo, Taylor Beasley, Aria Buzhardt, Kiri Connell, Holden Mathison, Curtis Noles and Mishael Smith.

·         Warner Robins Middle:  De’Andria Cray, Jessi Crutchfield and Nora Wilchinski.

Feagin Mill Middle School is located at 1200 Feagin Mill Road in Warner Robins.  Dr. Jesse Davis serves as principal.  For more information, please contact Michelle Leary, Feagin Mill teacher and event organizer, at 478-953-0430 or Michelle.Leary@hcbe.net.

Photo of the Day: Perry, GA

 

Submitted by Jacqueline Harnevious, 13WMAZ Community Web Producer

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, 10:23am

Gateway Center in Warner Robins expected to open in 2015

Top technical college officials tour area, including Gateway Center site, Promise Center

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/19/2785003/top-technical-college-officials.html#storylink=cpy

WARNER ROBINS — As they stood in the middle of a Houston County field, state political and education officials couldn’t hide their excitement.

“It’s sort of like the day before Christmas for me,” said state Rep. Larry O’Neal, R-Bonaire. “It’s an exciting time.”

O’Neal and other officials were envisioning the future Georgia Military and Veterans Education and Training Support Center, which will stand near Robins Air Force Base and Huntington Middle School, and will offer educational services to veterans and active military members.

It was one stop on a tour of the area for Ron Jackson, commissioner for the Technical College System of Georgia, and other officials. The tour included stops at the Houston County Career Academy, where Central Georgia Technical College offers dual enrollment courses; the Macon Promise Center, where Central Georgia Tech runs adult education courses and other activities, and the Central Georgia Tech Milledgeville campus.

The event was a way for Jackson and others to discuss the goals of local colleges, as well as chat with the community about potential collaborations.

The military training center, also known as the Gateway Center, represents such a collaboration. With the help of land donated by the city of Warner Robins, the technical college system is partnering with the University System of Georgia to offer military-focused college classes and workforce training. The state has set aside $10 million for the project.

Officials expect to break ground soon and hope to open the center in early 2015, Jackson said.

“We want to make it a one-stop shop for military families, for veterans and for active military to get the training they need,” he said.

It will be a place where they can get job advice, as well as college courses and workforce training. Additionally, the college system is looking into offering college credit for military training. Class tuition would be the same as other technical college and university system fees, Jackson said.

“It’s very hard for veterans to navigate the transition from military life to civilian life,” Jackson said. “The higher education system in Georgia is here to support them.”

The project is not only a priority for education officials but also for leaders across the state. As far as he knows, the Gateway Center will be the first facility of its kind in the nation, O’Neal said.

“Here is Georgia, again out front and setting (an example) instead of following course,” he said.

At a Tuesday luncheon at the soon-to-open Promise Center on Anthony Road in Macon, Mayor Robert Reichert lauded Central Georgia Technical College’s adult-education endeavor there.

The center, on the south side of the Unionville community between Pio Nono Avenue and Henderson Stadium, will teach, among other things, GED preparation, reading and citizenship.

“This Promise Neighborhood center is a facility where multiple organizations can come together and do their thing,” Reichert said.

Jackson, the tech college commissioner, called it a “critically important” effort. He said more than half the people who live in the neighborhoods around the center don’t have a high school diploma.

“But you put a program this close to them and you do an outreach and you grab them and catch them,” Jackson said.

The courses are set to start in January. Organizers expect an enrollment of about 50.

“But the sky is the limit,” said Brenda Brown, Central Georgia Tech’s vice president for adult education. “If 100 show up the first day, we’re going to serve them.”

Telegraph staff writer Joe Kovac Jr. contributed to this report.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/19/2785003/top-technical-college-officials.html#storylink=cpy

 

Veterans wins state cheerleading championship

Veterans wins state cheerleading championship second year in a row

BY ALLINE KENT

Sun News correspondentNovember 18, 2013 Updated 19 hours ago

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/18/2782679/veterans-wins-state-cheerleading.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

Veterans High School won the 2013 AAAA state cheerleading championship at the GHSA state competition held in Columbus Saturday.

It was two in a row for the Warhawks, who also won the 2012 state championship.

Veterans, which is in its fourth year of existence, has established itself as one of the dominant cheer programs in the state.

Mollie Lauritsen, one of the Veterans team captains, said the squad entered the season knowing it had the unique opportunity to start a school tradition.

“The seniors, we were the first freshman class to go all the way through,” said Lauritsen. “We took it as our job to start a tradition of winning that will last through the school’s history.”

Head coach Maryann Fincher said that hard work paid off for the Veterans team.

“They just went out there and did their best,” Fincher said.

Members of the 2013 AAAA state championship cheer team include Lauritsen, Taylor Liszewski, Shannon Lowry, Makayla Pierce, Cortney Spraggins, Kaley Mixon, Andi Horton, Breann Bowden, Rachel Allen, Kiera Salone, Jaeda Boyd, Kaitlyn Fowler, Ashley Theus, Haylee Duck, Jahnae Jones, Britteny Dostie, Raven Bissette, Natalie King, Baylor Zuniga and Hannah Tapp.

Community coach Susan Nowak has been working with Veterans for the past two years. She said the season started off well, but then injuries plagued the Warhawks.

“We had to change our routine six or seven times to adapt to changing people in and out,” Nowak said. “Strengths and talents are different, and it is hard to swap one person out, but they kept fighting through.”

Nowak explained that along with cheer basics, judges at the state competition look for sharpness and a high energy level.

Houston County High School, last year’s AAAAA state champion, finished behind McIntosh High School for second place honors at the 2013 state competition.

Coach Jessica Brown said it is a combination of things that allowed her team to place at state. “The girls just have a drive within themselves,” said Brown. “Also everybody — the athletic department, the school — is behind them, and that pushes them to continue to be successful.”

With Houston County High’s loss in the state football playoffs Friday night, cheer season for the school, which has one team that cheers competitively and at games, comes to a close. But while the official season is over, the work is not. Brown said members of her team take private gymnastics lessons and have individual workouts.

The Houston County school system was well represented at the state finals. Along with Veterans High’s state win and Houston County High’s second-place finish, Warner Robins High School was a region finalist and advanced to the first day of state competition. Perry High School, competing as a co-ed team, also went to the first day of state competition.

Veterans High has only five seniors graduating, so expectations that the school will repeat its success a third time are high.

“They will have to work for it, but they have so much talent,” said Nowak. “They have the skill and the talent and the heart.”

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/18/2782679/veterans-wins-state-cheerleading.html#storylink=cpy

 

My Favorite Things (For Organizing): Over the Door Organizers

My Favorite Things (For Organizing): Over the Door Organizers

Submitted by Andi Willis – Good Life Organizing, Professional Organizer

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013, 3:30pm

In November I am sharing a few of my favorite things with you. I hope they become your favorites too!

 

I love over the door organizers. Originally designed as shoe holders today you can find over the door organizers in all colors, shapes and configurations. One particular brand that I like is Simply Stashed. They are bright, colorful and well made. They feature see through pockets so you can see what you have and there is also a place to put a small label or tag to make things extra easy! I’ll have some for sale at Mistletoe Market and you can visit www.simplystashed.com for their complete line of products.

What can you put in over the door organizers? How about dolls, craft items, gloves and scarves, belts, socks, pantry supplies? The list goes on and on. What do you put in your over the door organizers?

 

 

_________________________________

Want more quick tips to get organized in a snap? Check out Good Life’s Two Minutes to Organized Ebook. Now also available for Kindle and Nook.

Andi Willis is a Professional Organizer and the owner of Good Life Organizing based in Perry, GA.  She is a home organizing expert who loves to help people find creative solutions to organize their homes and simplify their lives. Andi can help you get past the clutter and get on with your life!

Find Andi at Good Life Organizing, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. You can also contact her by email or (478) 550-1969.

Listing in Bonaire, GA

Check out this listing in Riverbend Plantation!

Bonaire, GA

 

http://www.visualtour.com/show.asp?t=3173117

 

 

Survey Shows Strong Support for Financial Regulation

09/12/2013BY: TORY BARRINGER

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As the calendar approaches September 15, marking the anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the nation is reminded of that historical event which severed the very fabric of our financial system.

It’s been five years since that fateful day, and the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) says Americans-regardless of political party, age, race, or locale-overwhelmingly support financial regulation, and in particular, increased consumer protections.

CRL and Americans for Financial Reform contracted a research group to poll 1,004 likely voters on their feelings toward Wall Street, reform measures that have been implemented, and reforms that have been proposed. They found consumer support for tough financial reform and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) remains strong.

While the issue of financial regulation has been an area of contention in Washington, the survey actually found that the electorate overwhelmingly favors it, with 96 percent of Democrats, 95 percent of Independents, and 89 percent of Republicans saying they believe financial regulation is “important” or “very important.”

Overall, 83 percent of voters (including 89 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of Independents, and 75 percent of Republicans) said they favor tougher regulation of “Wall Street financial companies” when that statement is presented alongside the alternative of “their practices have changed enough that they don’t need further regulation.”

Meanwhile, 64 percent of voters said they see a need for an agency charged to protect consumers from dangerous financial products. By contrast, 26 percent agreed with a counter-argument depicting the CFPB as an example of expensive and unnecessary federal bureaucracy. Notably, though, 40 percent of respondents said they have no opinion or have not heard of the new consumer protection agency.

Nevertheless, after hearing arguments both for and against financial reform, 63 percent of voters agreed that Wall Street should be held accountable and prevented from repeating past actions, and 67 percent held a favorable view of the stepped-up oversight of mortgage brokers and other financial industry players.

Support for financial regulation, however, coexists with a widespread view of debt problems as a reflection of “personal irresponsibility.” When asked to choose, 30 percent of voters point to personal irresponsibility, while 44 percent prefer an alternative statement that “lenders need rules” and should have to provide clear information “so people can make wise choices.” At the same time, 22 percent of voters say they support both propositions equally.

 

Is Your Babysitter Driving? Follow These Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe in the Car

Is Your Babysitter Driving? Follow These Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe in the Car

For some parents, just leaving the kids with a babysitter or nanny can be a nerve-racking experience. When the babysitter is also responsible for chauffeuring the kids around town, it can be even more distressing. Here are several steps parents can take to ensure their children’s safety while they’re in the care – and cars – of others:

1. Ensure the caretaker has a valid driver’s license and a solid driving record. Be on the lookout for reckless driving citations; cell phone tickets, excessive speeding and driving while intoxicated. Furthermore, don’t discount even smaller traffic violations. No red flag is too small when the safety of your children is at stake.

2. Check the babysitter’s references. There’s a peace of mind that comes with knowing other parents in your community have relied on the babysitter to drive their children around.

3. Decide what car the babysitter will drive. It’s ideal to lend your own vehicle so you’ll be able to make sure that it is in good condition and has all of the features needed to keep your little ones safe. If that’s not an option, have a trusted mechanic check out the nanny’s car.

4. Install child safety seats. The car that your sitter will use should have appropriate child safety seats that are properly installed for each child who needs them.

5. Have the sitter take a defensive driving class. Some nanny agencies require this already. However, if you’re not going through an agency, or your sitter hasn’t taken a class, your insurance agent can help you track one down. You can also find a class through your local DMV.

6. Use technology to keep tabs. Parents can install a diagnostic tracker that monitors the car’s speed, location and performance. Apps and other technology can also be installed to restrict the driver’s smartphone usage while driving.

Get Your Home Ready for Fall With These 10 Maintenance Tips

Get Your Home Ready for Fall With These 10 Maintenance Tips

With summer wrapping up, now is the perfect time to prepare your home for the fall. These 10 simple tips will help you make quick fixes around the house to ensure your home is ready for the cooler season. Preparing both inside and outside will make your home feel clean and organized for the fall.

Inspect your roof
Check your roof for any damage that may have been caused by summer storms. Replace shingles to avoid leaking or further damage.

Wash all rugs and carpets
Give your home a clean feel by washing the carpeting and rugs.

Check your smoke detectors
Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and test to make sure they work properly.

Clean out the refrigerator and freezer
Go through the refrigerator and freezer to get rid of any expired food. Also, clean the shelves and reorganize the food.

Check your home’s insulation
Inspect the insulation and replace any wet or damaged pieces.

Test your garage door
Ensure that your garage door opener reverses when it hits an obstruction or when its sensor beam is interrupted.

Clean out the dryer vent
Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint, dust and other debris.

Check electrical outlets
Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs.

Inspect the walls
Touch up the paint on the walls in your home for a fresh, clean look. By touching up the paint occasionally you can avoid having to repaint entire walls at once.

Test your sump pump
To avoid flooding in your home, test your sump pump to make sure it is draining properly.

By following these simple tips, you will be well on your way to having your house ready for the fall!

Consumers Still Confident Prices Will Rise Despite Hike in Rates

08/07/2013BY: TORY BARRINGER

American consumers grew increasingly positive in July, according to results in Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey.

Undeterred by rising mortgage rates, the majority of consumers polled expressed belief that the market will continue to improve, with 53 percent saying they expect home prices will go up in the next year—though that figure does represent a decline of 4 percentage points from June’s high. The percentage of those expecting prices to drop fell to a survey low of 6 percent.

The average home price change expectation over the next 12 months increased slightly to 3.9 percent, matching the survey high first achieved in May.

At the same time, the steady rise in mortgage interest rates over the past several months didn’t go unnoticed. The share of respondents who believe interest rates will continue to rise over the next year increased another 5 percentage points over June to a new survey high of 62 percent.

Perhaps motivated by ongoing gains in interest rates and home prices, 74 percent of respondents said now is a good time to buy a home (up from 72 percent in June), while the share of those saying it’s a good time to sell increased to 40 percent, matching May’s survey high.

“Consumers have taken the interest rate rise in stride. Expectations for continued improvement in housing persist, and sentiment toward the current buying and selling environment is back on track from its dip last month,” said Doug Duncan, SVP and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “These results are consistent with our own analysis of previous housing cycles, which finds that interest rates and home prices are not strongly correlated.”

Still, consumers find themselves stymied by a tight credit environment. Forty-five percent of those surveyed said they believe it would be easy to get a home mortgage today, down 2 percentage points from June.

Americans offered lukewarm sentiments on economic topics. The share of those who said the economy is on the right track increased to 40 percent in July, while the share of those saying it’s on the wrong track fell a single point to 54 percent. At the same time, however, the share of people who expect their personal financial situation to improve over the next year fell 3 percentage points—resting at 43 percent.

As far as personal finances go, 26 percent of respondents said their household income is significantly higher than it was last year, unchanged from June’s record high. Meanwhile, 30 percent said their household expenses are significantly higher than they were a year ago, a decline of 6 percentage points.