Henry County Recognizes Their Star Students

Congratulations to the Henry County STAR students.  These students are recognized for their outstanding achievements in and out of the classroom.  Teachers who inspire these students are also recognized in this program.  Learn more about the STAR program in the Henry Daily Harold.

Congratulations to Henry County’s STAR students.

At the annual Student Teacher Achievement Recognition at Eagle’s Landing County Club, Thursday morning, the young men and young ladies were celebrated for their achievements.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators recognize the students each year based on their testing scores and academic performance.

Teachers who inspire these students toward academic excellence are also recognized.
 
The Henry Daily Herald was proud to be part of the STAR student recognitions by highlighting the individual students in the Wednesday edition and providing coverage of the event in this edition.
Congratulations to Brittany Burdette, Christopher Campbell, Nash Van Zandvliet, Patrick Oney, Courtney Allen, Savannah Holcomb, Anthony Ciccarello, Collin Garnett, Ammad Ashraf, Cayla Doolittle, Sol Ah Jung, Sydney Wilson and Charlie Campbell.

We hope all of our students will be able to continue their education, pursue their dreams and hopefully many of them will choose to return to Henry County, make a living, and raise their own families here some day.

While these students are being spotlighted for the level of their achievements, they are a microcosm of the excellence than can be found in both public and private schools throughout Henry County.

While bad behavior sometimes gets the attention of the public and the media, the number of bad-behaving students is very small when compared to the thousands who go to school each day, do the things they are supposed to do and act responsibly.

Largely, those students who excel, both in the classroom and in life, have parents who are also on the job, who incubate a loving environment in the home, support the school system and celebrate successes.

While discipline and corrective action may be necessary in schools, and in life, it is equally important that whether it is a student, a friend, an employee, colleague or family member that we always try and take the time to give a pat on the back, a warm smile and say, “Job well done.”

In this case, to these classroom champions who have distinguished themselves as Henry County’s STAR students we say, job very well done.

28 and Counting

The Murphy's have been married for over 30 years.  They have four biological children and over 18 adopted children.  They have over 28 special needs children that they care for.  They care for each child as their own and bring them up in a great environment.  Keep reading to learn more about the Murphy's and their amazing life.

John Murphy and his wife of more than 30 years, Jeanette, not only share a long lasting love for one another, but a passion to care for children who are less fortunate than others.

The couple are proud parents of 28 special needs children, most of whom have cerebral palsy or various other physical aliments. And they love each and every one of them as if they were their own flesh and blood.
 
“Most of the kids were given away because their parents were either on drugs or they just could not handle the responsibility of caring for them,” Jeanette said.

Walking into the Murphy home was reminiscent of the 2003 movie “Cheaper by the Dozen,” an American comedy film about two divorcees who marry each other and face the daunting task of raising 12 rambunctious children. However, the Murphys have 17 children who can be boisterous occasionally, but for the most part they’re usually mild-tempered and well-behaved.

“They are all really great and loving children,” John said. “It can get crazy sometimes, but not too often.”

It was during the 1970s when John, a devout Catholic, and Jeanette, a hippie wanna-be, met at a home for special needs adults, fell in love and embarked on a journey to change and improve the lives of children who were discarded due to their special needs.

“We saw that the children were not being taught properly and we wanted to teach them to be self-sufficient,” said the frail, brown-haired woman.

“Most importantly, we wanted to show them love and compassion,” added John.

The duo said they had always had a yearning to work with special needs children. Their sentiment was if they could make such great strides with adults, teaching them basic hygiene skills and household tasks, then what more could they do to help children?

The Murphys attempted to open a foster home, renting a five-bedroom house. But after only a year, they ran out of funds and went back to working at group homes.

“We just found out we got approved for a child, we swallowed our pride, but we never gave up on our dreams,” Jeanette said. After several attempts of applying at foster homes for special needs children, Jeanette said one day she had an epiphany from God and told John, “Maybe God wants us to adopt a special needs child.”

They couple immediately got to work and visited a private adoption agency. The application process, the couple said, was challenging.

“The application included a checklist of various disabilities, mental and physical handicaps both mild and severe,” Jeanette said.

She added they were instructed to check the disabilities they felt they could handle.

“As I skimmed through them, I felt in my heart that it would be wrong to check a single box, so we left it blank,” she said. “We wanted to trust that any child sent to us was meant to be a part of our family, no matter what their disability.”

Shannon was the first child to be adopted by the couple.

“After this, we never sought out children,” she said. “We always trusted God would present to us every child who belonged in our family. Boy, did He ever!”

In three decades, the couple have four biological children — Shawn, 36, Christan, 33, Josh, 27, and Bethany, 25 — and adopted 18 more — Angela, 44, Shannon, 36, Angel, 29, Josiah, 28, Jimmy, 27, Jeremy, 27, Brandon, 27, Julia, 26, Amy, 26, Lindsey, 25, Cody, 22, Callie, 22, Noah, 20, Emily, 18, Nathan, 17, Mia, 17, Nicholas, 11 and Kristina, 10.

Except for Brandon, all the Murphys’ adoptive children suffer from acute neurological damage, Down Syndrome, and autism. Six of their adoptive kids passed away, due to medical complications. That includes Jon Boy, who they describe as their “little piglet,” who died of leukemia at 8 years old and Nikki, their golden haired blue-eye angel, who died from complications of a staph infection. She was 9 years old.

“While I can’t say that we conquered every medical and emotional challenge laid before us, with God’s help we have survived them all,” said the couple.

“I like to think that God blesses special needs children to special people and if we didn’t have them this would be a miserable world to live in,” Jeanette said.

You can follow the Murphy family on their blog at www.28blessings.blogspot.com.

For more information see the Henry Herald.

Apartment Organization Tips and Tricks

Your apartment can be tough to organize when you have a lot of stuff.  Here are some great tips to on how to organize your apartment with what you have to work with.  

Tip #1 Since the floor plan may seem small, the best way to add storage as well as décor to your apartment is through wall shelving. By adding shelves, you're able to make use of wall space by storing CD's, books, videos or any other collections on the shelves and off the floor. Wall shelves are also a great way to display framed photographs or other knick-knacks.

Tip #2 As an avid shoe collector, I know that small closet space can be a problem in most apartments. A great way to get shoes off the floor and allow space for other items is to purchase a shoe organizer. They can be found just about anywhere, and are a great low cost alternative to closet clutter. The best ones hang right over your closet door, allowing easy access to your favorite pair of shoes. By organizing your shoes, it also cuts down on time spent looking for them, especially when you're in a hurry!

Tip #3 Another great way to make the most of limited closet space is to buy adding an additional closet rod. This apparatus is simply hung from both sides of your original rod by 'hangers', allowing for a second row of clothing to be added below the first. A great space-saver, this item can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond for a low price.

Tip #4 Depending on available floor space, a common storage unit can come from the form of a trunk, or chest. These are good for putting away seasonal items or even extra towels for the guests. They're also a great additive to room décor, and can also provide additional seating in a bedroom or be used as a table for pictures or flowers.

Tip #5 In the living room, store books or games in storage furniture like Ottomans or coffee tables with drawers and shelves. Ottomans are essential for living rooms in that they provide a leg rest instead of the coffee table, and they can store things away from sight. You can also use them to store everyday items like the remote controls, or a TV Guide to reduce clutter in the living space.

Tip #6 Another good space for storing items is under the bed. While most people do hide things under the bed, most often they're not stored properly and items can get dusty and sometimes damaged. Plastic bins are an easy way to store winter sweaters, extra bedding or items you just don't know what to do with. There are specially sized plastic bins that are made thin enough to fit right under the bed, allowing for easy accessibility and freshness when particular items are needed.

Tip #7 If you have extra space on your closet floor, adding plastic drawers can organize and reduce clutter from other areas of the house. Organize belts, scarves, ties or anything else in the plastic drawers to make room in your regular drawers for clothing or undergarments. You can also use these drawers to hold gym clothing, extra shoes or slippers, or laundry supplies to keep with the laundry pile. These drawers, as with any size or type of plastic bin, can be found at discount retailers like Target or Wal-Mart for a low price.

Tip #8 Cut down on clutter by adding hanging hooks to the living room, kitchen or bathrooms. These inexpensive items allow for usable wall space to be turned into a storage area for day-to-day items like your cell phone, keys or hats. Use hooks in the bathroom to hang bathrobes or wet towels, or even decorative towels can be used for both display and practicality. In the kitchen, hang dishtowels or spare keys for easy accessibility or organization.

Tip #9 An easy way to store a lot of items is to have a TV entertainment center with lots of drawers and shelves. Since they are usually large, make the most of the space it takes up by storing DVDs, CDs, books or video games. Try to find enough shelves to fit the electronics, and when you're all finished setting everything up, clip together the electrical cords to make it look more neat and clean. By clipping all the cords together, it's also easier to vacuum and reduce the amount of dust buildup behind the furniture.

Tip #10 The last tip is to shop around for furniture that has multiple uses. You have a limited amount of space to work with, so make the most of it. Most bedroom sets offer beds with drawers, so this is a great way to attain additional storage. Ikea is a great store to shop for storage solutions for affordable apartment settings. Coffee tables, end tables, and even miniature bars all have shelves or storage space, so use it wisely!

For more information see yahoo.

Mardi Gras Party in Your Apartment

Mardi Gras parties are great for friends to get together and enjoy some great food.  Here are some great tips on how to prepare your apartment for the best Mardi Gras party of the year.  Make sure to use purple, gold, and green throughout the apartment and to make a King Cake for all of the authentic Mardi Gras themes.

Krewes: The fixture of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades since the mid-1800s, each krewe has its own unique history and theme. Dedicate your party to your favorite krewe – like Rex, which is credited with introducing the official colors of purple, green and gold – or have each guest come dressed as their favorite. Making up your own krewe and backstory can also be a creative and humorous ice breaker.

King Cake: In addition to being delicious, this dessert dates back to the 1700s in New Orleans and even further back in Europe. It has also taken many forms, but King Cake usually consists of a twisted cinnamon roll with icing died purple, green and gold. As for the plastic baby inside (or bean in some cultures), whoever finds it is crowned king or queen for the day. Buy a crown and sash for your lucky party guest.

Beads: Although these colorful necklaces have come to be associated with some R-rated behavior, it is by no means a requirement to getting them, and can in fact lead to an arrest in New Orleans. Keep your party clean and give a string or two of beads to everyone who comes in; the Rex krewe also gets the credit for starting this tradition.

Drinks: One of the biggest parts of any Mardi Gras celebration are the tasty cocktails. Use New Orleans as your inspiration and mix up some Hurricanes (Emeril’s recipe calls for light and dark rum, passion fruit liqueur, orange juice, sour mix and sugar) and Sazeracs (rye whiskey, Herbsaint, bitters, lemon peel and a sugar cube), and check your local liquor store for some Louisiana-brewed Abita Beer.

Pre-Lenten Celebration: A party is that much better when you know it’s the last time you can truly let loose for a while. Even if you’re not giving anything up for the next 40 days or going to church on Ash Wednesday, think of Mardi Gras as incentive for doing some good in the coming month, whether for yourself or others in your community.

For more information see Living Apartments.

Congratulations to these Local Wrestlers!

Congratulations to these local wrestlers!  These are doing great in tournaments, and over 70 local wrestlers have qualified for state sectionals. Come support these local teens and schools!

Henry County had three wrestling teams win traditional area tournaments and over 70 wrestlers qualify for the state sectionals Saturday.

Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (5-A), Locust Grove (4-AAAA) and Ola (4-AAAAA) each won their respective area tournament Saturday.

Here’s a list of the 76 wrestlers who qualified for state sectionals which start Friday. The top eight wrestlers in each weight classification advance to the state tournament in Macon on Feb. 14-16.
Dutchtown’s Lewis Howard (182) qualified for the Class AAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAA tournament on Saturday.

Eagle’s Landing had nine wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAA tournament on Saturday: Louis White (106), Richard Parker (113), Mark Tran (120), Howard Edwards (132), Sherrad Gordon (145), Stephen Maynard (152), Quinn Thomas (170), Xavier Fye (182) and Shawanye Lawrence (285).

Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy had 11 wrestlers qualify for the Class A state sectional at the Area 5-A tournament on Saturday: individual champions Trent Johnson, Josh Palmer, Morgan Alexander, Josh Garcia, Dalton Hardeman, Griffin Alexander, Christian Spencer and Chase Burdette, and Bryce Rush (2nd), Matthew Cathy (3rd), Nick Partain (3rd) and Las Cho (5th).

Locust Grove won the Area 4-AAAA tournament and qualified 11 wrestlers for the Class AAAA sectional: individual champions Peter Baus (132), Brandon Benson (145), Emilio Conde (152), Chaz Brown (160), Jacob Austin (170) and Tyler Rapes (220) as well as Alex Upchurch (106), Monye Tucker (120), Jacob O’Neal (126), Joseph Farrell (182) and Andrew Turner (285).

Luella had six wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAAAA state sectional at the Area 2-AAAAAA tournament on Saturday: Daniel Williams (106), James Sweatman (132), Chase Kourjian (138), Travis Smith (182), Ryan Trussell (195) and Trevor Mickles (220).

Ola had 13 wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAAA tournament on Saturday: Seth Osborne (106), Jett Joyner (113), C.J. Collier (120), Hunter Hogan (132), Jordan Germany (138), Ean Wilson (145), Blake Meadows (152), Brandon Beasley (160), Aaron Branch (170), Jaden Smith (182), Jimmy Carman (195), Hunter Watkins (220) and Aaron Thomas (285).

Stockbridge had four wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAA tournament on Saturday: Jonathan Simmons (106), Ian Weiss (126), Landon Haralson (220) and Kwasi Murphy (285).

Union Grove had nine wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAAA tournament on Saturday: Tyler Mosely (113), Noah Craft (120), Griffin Higginbotham (126), Tyler Patterson (132), Luke Parker (138), Kai Kizzie (152), Hunter Fleming, A.J. Spencer (182) and Tyler Cooley (195). The Wolverines finished third in the team standings.

Woodland had 10 wrestlers qualify for the Class AAAA state sectional at the Area 4-AAAA tournament on Saturday: Gabriel Gray (120), Josh Shelton (126), Chad McGraw (138), Kyle Haney (145), Colby Shropshire (160), Austin Hudson (170), Mark Hall (182), Ryan Thompkins (195), Cody Brown (220) and Ryan Rasar (285).

For more information see the Henry Herald.

A Great Chili Recipe

How to Make a Very Good Chili

Makes 8-10 servings
What You Need

Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground meat or chuck roast (beef, buffalo, turkey or other) or vegetarian protein (tofu, Boca crumbles, or other) — slice roasts into cubes
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1-2 other vegetables (like celery, carrots or zucchini), diced (optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings (choose 2-3): 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon ground chipotle peppers, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 cup amber or brown ale or red wine
3 cups chicken, vegetable, or beef broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 cups (2 16-oz cans) cooked black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (optional)
To serve: Shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocados, chopped scallions, hot sauce, chopped cilantro

Equipment:
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Large Dutch oven or soup pot
Instructions

1. Brown the meat. If using meat, warm a teaspoon of oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and brown the meat. Break up ground meat as it browns, leaving pieces as large or small as you like them. If you're using chuck roast, make sure all sides of the beef cubes are seared dark brown. Transfer the browned meat from the pot to a clean dish.

If you're making a vegetarian chili with tofu or other protein, add it along with the beans in Step 6. Reduce the amount of stock and the cooking time by half.

2. Cook the vegetables. In the same pot used to brown the meat, warm a tablespoon of oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the other vegetables and continue to cook until softened, another 5-8 minutes. Clear a space in the middle of the pan and add the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir into the vegetables. It's normal for a dark sticky crust to start forming on the bottom of the pan.

3. Add the seasonings. Add the seasonings and 2 teaspoons of salt to the pan. Stir until the vegetables are coated and the spices are fragrant, another 30 seconds.

4. Deglaze the pan. Pour the beer or wine into the hot pan. Scrape up the dark sticky crust as the liquid bubbles. Continue scraping and stirring until the beer or wine has almost evaporated.

5. Add the broth and simmer. Add the browned meat back into the pan. Pour in the broth. Bring the chili to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat has is very tender (cubes of chuck roast may take a bit longer). The chili will still look soupy.

6. Add the tomatoes and beans to the chili. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn (if using), and vegetarian protein (if using) to the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste and add more seasonings or salt to taste.

7. Serve with garnishes. Chili is often best the day after it's been cooked. It will also keep for up to a week and freezes well for up to three months. Serve with cheese and other garnishes.

 

For more information see The Kitchn.

Hollywood is in McDonough

Hollywood is moving into McDonough again for Tyler Perry’s new Holiday movie.  The movie is wrapping up today on the square.   The movie filmed in the downtown square, and they have also filmed outdoor shots at the Welcome Center.

McDonough native Beau Kelley was filled with a sense of pride as he snapped photos of filmmaker Tyler Perry’s crew at work Tuesday. Kelley said he was able to get closer to Perry than many others during the filming.

“I was actually an extra in a few scenes and got to read lines in front of Tyler Perry,” said Kelley. “It was intimidating but it was also exciting.”

Perry is expected to wrap up scenes for his movie, “A Madea Christmas,” Wednesday on the Square.

Kelley said the film has shined a spotlight on the city he calls home.

“I think we take for granted how charming it is,” he said. “It speaks to how special this town is for Tyler Perry to want to use it as the backdrop for a major motion picture.”

The movie has been a hot topic of conversation at downtown businesses this week.

Bob Knowles, owner of Blumen Trio, said he is looking forward to seeing the impact the film will have on the city.

“It’s great for McDonough,” he said. “The fact that they chose us, I’m thrilled.”

Knowles said business at his flower shop is typically slower in January. He hopes tourism in McDonough will get a boost from the movie.

“People will come to see where the movie was made,” said Knowles.

Several businesses on the Square got a facelift Tuesday as movie crews worked to transform the area for the movie. Knowles said the look of his business has remained intact.

“They don’t have to do anything with our windows,” he said. “They’re changing everybody else’s. They’re either putting in window displays or tweaking the others.”

Frank Leo owns of Mr. Leo’s Wonder Emporium, which shares space with Blumen Trio at 19 Griffin St. Leo said the movie is exciting for McDonough and that it will likely bring more business to the area in time.

“Everybody thinks that because they’re bringing a movie here, it’s going to bring business in that day, but it should bring it in the future,” said Leo. “It can put McDonough on the map.”

Jennifer Price, tourism director for the McDonough Hospitality and Tourism Board, agrees.

“This is huge,” said Price. “A great deal of visitors from all over the U.S. will want to visit McDonough to see where the movie was filmed.”

Earlier versions of the movie script called for scenes to be filmed at the McDonough Welcome Center. However, Price said that has changed.

“They are no longer going to be filming at the actual Welcome Center,” she said. “They’ll be filming on the downtown Square and there will be shots of the exterior of the Welcome Center. Beyond that, I’m not sure because the script is continuing to change.”

Greg Berkes, owner of Gritz Family Restaurant, welcomed the film’s location manager, Jason Underwood, into his eatery for lunch Tuesday. Berkes said the movie will give exposure to McDonough, while helping Tyler Perry Studios at the same time.

Underwood said Wednesday will be the studio’s last day of filming in Henry County and that the project has been a positive experience.

“Everybody’s been pretty great,” said Underwood. “It does, to some degree, energize the commerce center where filming is taking place. Especially in small towns, there’s a lot of local pride and it’s a talking point for the community.”

While most downtown merchants have spoken well of the film’s effect on business, the same is not true for Katherine Yancey, co-owner of Party Time. She said customers have not been coming to her store as regularly this week as they normally do.

Brandon McKeown helps with inventory and merchandise at Party Time. He agreed with Yancey about a decline in business during filming.

“The first two days, that’s when we saw the traffic,” said McKeown. “After that, it’s been few and far apart.”

McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey said Perry’s team will shoot scenes Wednesday at a house on Griffin Street and behind Gritz. The chief said traffic won’t be as bad as originally thought.

“We redesigned the traffic plan to make it more friendly to the businesses downtown,” said Dorsey.

For more information see Henry Herald.