News
To annex or not: Should PTC
Council lift moratorium, add 1,549 new homes, 4,600
people to city
Lift the
moratorium and let city staff help plan the
annexation of the so-called West Village into
Peachtree City, the Westside Village Owners Group
intends to ask the city council Thursday night.
Devloper says alternate
site for jail offers much
Amid the clamor of heated
discussion over the future of Fayette County's jail
and courthouse, a local developer quietly made county
officials an offer that some concerned citizens say
shouldn't be refused.
Mayor: County did
homework on F'ville site
Now that he has seen more
details of Fayette County's plans to enlarge its jail
and courthouse complex in the heart of Fayetteville,
Mayor Kenneth Steele said he is encouraged.
Final jail site
selection set for Jan. 27
A location for a new Fayette
County jail and courthouse complex will be a done
deal Jan. 27, according to county commissioners.
Family reeling from home
fire, wrestling injury
A Fayette family was dealt its
second blow in three days after a devastating house
fire Monday night.
Fayetteville
historic law: New layer of hassles?
A proposed historical
preservation law in Fayetteville might drive away the
businesses the city is seeking for downtown, warns a
local business owner.
Packed house honors MLK
An overflow crowd of more than
250 people packed the City Council chambers in
Peachtree City Monday to pay tribute to the late Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the national holiday
commemorating his birth.
Tougher tree laws now on
books
Developers can be jailed for
wanton tree destruction under Fayetteville's new,
toughened tree protection ordinance approved by City
Council Monday.
Development can proceed in
Fayetteville
Fayetteville planning officials
aren't expecting a huge influx of new rezoning
applications now that a moratorium on new
developments has been lifted.
Grand Jury convenes Jan. 25
A woman sitting in the county
jail after an alleged murder-for-hire scheme should
know by Jan. 25 if she will be indicted for attempted
murder.
Hearing set in Watson civil
suit
Jim Watson is set to square off
against his late wife's family Jan. 25 in the next
round of the wrongful death suit filed against him.
Anti-SPLOST group turns
tables, lodges ethic charges on pro-SPLOST group
Less than a month after
opponents of last year's Fayette County Board of
Education sales tax referendum were cited for ethics
violations, opponents have filed their own ethics
allegations against pro-sales tax forces.
Bank of Georgia opening
soon
Organizers hope to open the
doors in mid-February for what will be, for a few
months at least, Fayette County's only locally owned
and managed bank.
Fayetteville investigating
worker grievance; city manager on leave
An investigation into an
employee grievance against Fayetteville city manager
Michael Bryant continues this week with Bryant on
administrative leave pending the outcome.
Tyrone mayor: More study
needed on 'Village' concept
Tyrone Mayor Sheryl Lee thinks
that developer John Callaway's proposal for a mixed
use development is a good concept, but still thinks
the project needs a lot of work.
County phones changing:
Better service at lower cost
You may soon notice a difference
in how your phone calls to various Fayette County
agencies are handled.
Commission nixes 49 homes
on 178 acres
A development firm is
reevaluating its plans for a subdivision on 178 acres
on Ga. Highway 92 south this week in the wake of
County Commission denial of the company's rezoning
request to allow 49 homes.
Store celebrates success in
finding missing kids
Wal-Mart executives visited the
Fayette Pavilion store last week along with
representatives of the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children to make a special presentation
and commemorate the recent recovery of two missing
children right here in Fayette County.
McCain's state chairman to
speak in Fayette
John D. Sours, Georgia state
chairman for the McCain 2000 Steering Committee, will
address the Veterans for McCain for President from
Fayette and surrounding counties next week.
Information offered on
hazardous chemicals
If you want to know more about
dangerous chemicals stored at local water plants,
tomorrow night is the time to find out.
Republican Women to get
primer on pending election law changes
Linda Beasley, manager of the
Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of
State's Office, will talk about pending legislation
that will affect local elections at a meeting of the
Greater Fayette Republican Women next week.
Exit identification numbers
changing
Sometime between now and July,
all of the exit numbers on Georgia's interstate
highways will change.
Dining
Guide
- Super
snacks make for super Super Bowl
-
- Is it the game or the food
that makes Superbowl Sunday an American
tradition?
-
Wild and
Crazy Foods
A veritable wealth of recipes
can be culled from various Internet sites. There are
classic collections of everybody's favorite macaroni
and cheese, decadent desserts and offbeat offerings
like those below lifted from Recipe Archives, a
compilation of odd-named treats sent in by foodies
from around the states.
Here are
more 'best' ideas
By F.C. FOODIE
Dining Critic
- Ahhh...everybody's a critic.
- Business
City restaurants are
feeling the sting of no alcohol sales
Last month's suspension of
Fayetteville city alcohol losses is causing a major
hurt at the cash register for some of Fayette's finer
eating establishments.
Aaron hits a home run in
Union City
Baseball's home run champion
Hank Aaron can now add president to his title. One of
baseball's greatest players is opening Hank Aaron BMW
in Union City.
Before you
apply for a new car tag be sure to know the new rules
Officials from Georgia's Clean
Air Force announced this week that annual testing of
vehicles for emissions begins this week.
- Sports
Sandy Creek wrestler
seriously injured at meet
Sandy Creek High School wrestler
Kerry Ruffin will be moved to Shepherd Spinal Center
this week to begin the long road to rehabilitation
following a paralyzing neck injury in Saturday's
meet.
McIntosh and Starr's Mill
basketball
McIntosh and Starr's Mill
basketball teams faced some quality region opponents
Friday night, knowing that their performance had as
much importance as a victory.
Wrestling Weekend
The four county wrestling teams
stayed in the state this weekend, after an arduous
week the week before. Starr's Mill traveled to the
Dalton Carpet Classic, Fayette County wrestled at
McEachern and Sandy Creek and McIntosh wrestled at
McIntosh in the McIntosh Duals.
An enduring friendship
Scott Ludwig, Valerie Reed and
Al Barker have been friends since fall 1993.
Exchange student learns
about America through athletics
The Sandy Creek Patriot
wrestling team is more worldly this season, if a
little less experienced.
New recreation program sets
full season for challenged youth
The Recreation Departments of
Peachtree City, Fayette County and Tyrone have joined
forces to offer a new program, CO-REC (Countywide
Opportunities in Recreation for Exceptional
Children).
- Weekend
Explore what life was like
in Georgia 150 years ago
- Have you ever wondered what
life was like in Georgia around the time of the
Civil War?
- Actor's Express
handles Schenkkan's 'Handler'
- Actor's Express is known for
doing experimental theater.
-
- Weekend full of
music at Spivey Hall
- The campus of Clayton
College and State University will be alive with
the sound of music this weekend, as three very
different acts will perform at Spivey Hall.
-
Offshoot to present play
about a Titantic sized mystery
A young woman, dressed in early
20th century clothing, is found floating on an
iceberg.
Tempus fugit
By SALLIE SATTERTHWAITE
sallies@juno.com
A columnist
can't help getting a bit puffed up when she discovers
that she had anticipated a new-century quandary years
before it occurred.
Movies
Religion
Witchcraft? Rebellion in
Fayette County? Look closely...
By Rev. Dr. John Hatcher
Religion Columnist
Witchcraft thrives in
Fayette/Clayton Counties. Now, don't go looking for
an old woman scattering some bones on the ground with
incantations. Believe me. You can see that sort of
thing in many third world countries. Our witchcraft,
however, subtly operates almost legitimately.
Sometimes you have to shut
your mouth, open your mind... and just listen
By JUDY
KILGORE
jkilgore@thecitizennews.com
We talk about a lot of stuff
around here, this being a newspaper office and all,
and last week a bunch of us were discussing prayer
and the power it held. I think the topic in
particular was the healing power of prayer, but no
matter. With all the ideas and theologies held by the
different people in this office, none of us doubted
the fact that prayer could be powerful. Each of us
could relate an incident where prayer had been almost
miraculous.
Habitat for Humanity taking
application for new homes
Fayette County residents who
think they may qualify to purchase a Habitat for
Humanity home are invited to a workshop on Saturday,
March 4, at the First Baptist Church of Morrow. The
workshop will start at 9 a.m. and will end at noon.
Homeowner applications will be accepted at the
workshop. Applicants must meet certain requirements
to qualify. A spokesperson explains:
Loritts to speak at First
Baptist of Peachtree City
Dr. Crawford W. Loritts, Atlanta
resident and associate director for U.S. ministries
with Campus Crusade for Christ, will be the featured
speaker at the First Baptist Church of Peachtree City
on Sunday, Jan. 23. Dr. Loritts will speak at both
the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. His messages will
focus on marriage and family life and will serve as a
forerunner to the church's upcoming Homebuilders
Marriage Seminar on Jan. 28 and 29.
First Baptist of Peachtree
City is offering marriage seminar
The First
Baptist Church of Peachtree City is offering the
community a Homebuilders Marriage Seminar on Friday
and Saturday, Jan. 28 and 29 at the church. Those
attending will receive tools to improve communication
and to keep their romances fresh. There will also be
humorous talk, group activities and fun couples
projects.
Word of Life ladies to meet
January 27
Fellowship and a short
devotional will highlight the first meeting of Women
of the Word, the new ladies' ministry at Word of Life
Family Church. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday,
Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at the church. Ladies attending are
asked to being a finger food.
Religion Briefs
Bethany Methodist will have
'Birthday Bash' January 19
Members of Bethany United
Methodist Church will have a special celebration each
month for those celebrating special days.
Southwest Christian
Hospice's Hope House receives $30,000 donation
A recently-established
scholarship foundation has presented its first major
donation to a local non-profit organization. The
Evelyn Vellguth Foundation made a donation in the
amount of $30,000 to the Hope House, a ministry of
the Southwest Christian Hospice.
Word of Life's School of
Ministry begins 2nd year
Word of Life Family Church's
School of Ministry began its second year on Jan. 9.
However, those interested in attending may still sign
up for the second trimester. The deadline is April 26
Fayetteville United
Methodist starts monthly ministry for 'Prime timers'
“Third Thursday” is
the new ministry program for the Prime Timers of
Fayetteville First United Methodist Church. Prime
Timers are those who are over 60 years of age or who
have entered into full time retirement.
River's Edge plans
Valentine supper
Members of River's Edge
Community Church will have a Valentine supper Sunday,
Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. River's Edge is located at 1091
Jeff Davis Dr. South in Fayetteville. For more
information, call the church at 770-719-0303.
Opinion
PTC's West Village: it's
all about sewer, money, power
Well, the other giant shoe just
dropped with a thud in Peachtree City — plans to
annex the empty west side of Peachtree City and stuff
5,000 more people into a traffic corridor already
groaning with overgrowth.
Walk a mile in the other
person's shoes
By DAVE HAMRICK
Editor-at-large
It's no wonder that race
relations don't progress any faster than they do.
M.L. King was more than
just a dreamer
By LEE N.HOWELL
Politically Speaking
This past
Monday was a national celebration of the birth of the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the only Georgian
ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize — but as far
as most folks, black as well as white, are concerned,
it is just an excuse to be off from work.
- Presidential
time machine...
BILLY
MURPHY
Laugh Lines
-
- I had a dream that some of
our most famous and infamous presidents got
together to discuss the election process and
campaign reform for the President of the United
States. So, on this 4th of July the father of our
country and poster child for orthodontic termite
control, George Washington, is sitting with our
16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who in high
school was voted, “Most Likely to
Emancipate.” Next to Lincoln we find the
last president who was a member of the Whig Party
and died after just one month in office, William
Henry Harrison. He reportedly caught a cold after
his inaugural address while walking to the White
House in the snow, which developed into a fatal
case of pneumonia.
Letters to
the Editor
PTC city attorney vote
raises conflict issues
A city attorney is paid to
represent the interests of our city. Whether it is to
do battle to defend our ordinances, or to provide
legal opinions to our city council that will affect
how they vote on an issue, the city attorney is often
our front line of defense against those who may be
more interested in their profits than in what is best
for the citizens.
Why not more time for jail?
It amuses me that what I heard
said at the Fayette Commissioners meeting is such a
contradiction to what I read in The Citizen regarding
the jail issue.
Developers, please take
note: We like those trees
It is so unfortunate that some
developers consider trees to be such a nuisance when
they are trying to build.
Thanks for online daily
news
Cal, congratulations! I keep up
with news of my old friends and happenings with The
Citizen Online and now you have refined and improved
that.
Well, F'ville? How about
it?
Is the city of Fayetteville
attempting to do anything about the traffic gridlock
at the intersection of Ga. highways 85 and 54 that
occurs during traffic peaks, which began when the
one-way streets were implemented?
Cities reap sales tax
bonanza at expense of county residents
So you buy a shiny new car for
$30,000, and of course expect to pay an extra $1,500
for the sales tax, which includes $300 for the
Fayette local option sales tax (LOST, big brother to
SPLOST), also known as “the penny tax.”
(This must be where the expression “paying a
pretty penny” comes from.)
Come on, get off Rocker's
back and let's play ball
I am not an advocate of anyone
who verbally attacks, insults, or degrades another
person for any reason. When we open our mouths before
putting our brains in gear, there are always
consequences to face. However, I am more concerned
about special interest groups who are so thin-skinned
that they take offense at the least infraction of
decorum. Calls for punishment, boycotts, and/or
apologies only give credence to the remarks. “I
think thou doth protest too much.”
Cost of lack of big-box
planning now evident
If you will remember, several
members of our Peachtree City Traffic Task Force had
implored Mayor Bob Lenox and city staff members to
provide them with much needed information on the Ga.
Highway 54 West corridor.
School survey is back-door
way to get SPLOST approved this time
Many children were sent home
with a Citizen/Staff Survey paper last week for
parents to fill out and send back to school.
Chipper
campaign results in record number of trees recycled
Keep Fayette Beautiful would
like to thank all who participated in the Christmas
tree recycling event. At six Fayette County drop-off
centers, local residents made the effort to
“Bring one for the Chipper,” in record
numbers. Over 6,000 trees were brought to an
environmentally friendly conclusion.
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