News
The
Watson trial a look back
Had Beverley Watson's
body been found in Fayette County after she disappeared in 1997, Fayette
County sheriff's detectives had approval to arrest her husband Jim for
murder, according to the lead investigator in the case.
Candidate
qualifying set for 2002 races
Fayette
County voters will know in late August who two of their commissioners
will be for the next four years, as the 2002 county election has turned
into an all-Republican affair.
County
to consider $66 million budget
By
late Thursday night, Fayette County should have a budget set for next
year.
PTC
development guru Williams hired as Fairburn City Manager
Jim
Williams, one of the persons most responsible for attracting quality
development to Peachtree City, plans to leave his post as the city's
director of developmental services next month.
Chamber
hosts air show preview
The Great Georgia
Air Show has signed a new agreement with Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection/Atlantic
Southeast Airlines (ASA) naming them the official airline sponsors of
the show through 2004.
Meadows
running in 34th District
Chuck Meadows qualified
today in the race for the state senate's 34th District, which includes
portions of both Clayton and Fayette counties. The Riverdale resident
is the youngest candidate in the field, but the is not without experience.
English
to appear in Columbus
Tickets are now
on sale for "Up Close and Personal, An Evening with Paschal 'Pappy'
English" Thursday, July 11, 2002, at 7 p.m. at the Columbus RiverCentre
Bill Heard Theatre in downtown Columbus.
Brooks
approves budget
After two public
hearings this month in Brooks concerning the town budget, it was passed
at the regular council meeting June 17.
FCHS
class celebrates 50-year reunion
There were 33 members
of Fayette County High School to graduate in 1952. Three of those are
now deceased and of the remaining 30, 26 were on hand for its 50th high
school reunion. All but five of them live in the general Fayette County
area.
Hartsfield
voted best passenger airport
Airport passengers
responding to a survey conducted by the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) have selected Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport
as the Best "Very Large" Airport In Overall Passenger Satisfaction.
Furman
releases dean's list for spring 2002
The following students
earned places on the dean's list at Furman University for the spring
2002 term.
Two
student receive Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarships
Trevelle Harvey
of Roswell and David Gilbert of Peachtree City have each won $1,000
Chick-fil-A® Leadership Scholarships.
Investigation
of prostitution at PTC massage parlor continues
More charges may
be coming against the those who operated VIP Spa and Massage Therapy
in Peachtree City, police indicated.
No
property tax increases in Tyrone's new budget
The Tyrone Town
Council approved their budget for 2002-2003 last Thursday night. The
total proposed budget including the Capital Improvement Budget and Sewer
Enterprise Fund is $2,749,731.00.
Starr's
Mill grad to Merchant Marine Academy
Neal Sebastian,
a 2002 Starr's Mill High School graduate, saw his dream come true. He
has always wanted to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy
and was U.S. Sen. Zell Miller's primary choice for the appointment.
The state is only allowed eight slots at the academy, and as the primary
choice, he was the first one to be given the choice of going.
Local
residents graduate from Emory
Three
more stops, higher and wider speed humps slated for Golf View Drive
Admitting defeat
in round one but committing $10,000 to a "Plan B," the Peachtree
City Council has increased its bid to slow drivers on Golf View Drive,
a popular shortcut through a once-peaceful residential neighborhood.
Local
residents earn honors at Oxford College
Oxford College,
the two-year liberal arts division of Emory University located in Oxford,
Georgia, has released it's honor and merit lists for the 2002 Spring
Semester.
Yarbrough
achives dean's list at Savannah
Evan Dean Yarbrough
of Peachtree City achieved the dean's list at the Savannah College of
Art and Design in Savannah for the spring quarter, 2002.
CCSU
gets first Fulbright Scholar
"We have made
a little history for Clayton State," said Professor of History
Dr. Robert Welborn.
Local
woman named to dean's list at UTM
Elizabeth J. Pulley,
Sharpsburg, has earned a place on the spring semester's dean's list
at the University of Tennessee at Martin with highest honors.
Desmond
joins GBI
Vernon M. Keenan,
acting director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, has announced
the appointment of Michael Desmond as a special agent with the GBI regional
investigative office in Perry. As a special agent, Desmond is responsible
for assisting local law enforcement agencies with general investigations.
PTC
dog ordinance has teeth but may be underutilized
There's enough teeth
in Peachtree City's animal ordinances to nip potentially dangerous dogs
in the bud.
Collins
speaks out on prescription plan
WASHINGTON Calling
for a less expensive solution to address the need for improved access
to prescription drugs for seniors, U.S. Rep. Mac Collins issued the
following statement this week:
Collins
chides Army over USARSO relocation
WASHINGTON Pending
the eminent announcement by the Department of Defense of the new location
of United States Army South (USARSO), Congressman Mac Collins expressed
disappointment with the closed manner in which the Army has conducted
relocation selection.
Police
Blotter
Reagan
named to Herriott staff
A local resident
has been named to Bob Herriott's campaign staff in his bid for the 11th
District U.S. House of Representatives seat.
HealthWise
-
- Summer
plans
By
GREGORY K. MOFFATT, PH. D
Child's Play
School
has been out for about a month now. Are your kids driving you crazy
yet?
A
manly approach to staying healthy
Keeping
a man fit can be a challenge at times. Many men downplay or dismiss
their aches, pains and negative feelings with a simple "it's
nothing" or "I'm fine" when in fact they really are
not.
Tips
for surviving the heat
It's
June in Atlanta and that means it's hot.
Brain
making waves at SciTrek
The most complex
organ in the human body is the subject of a new traveling exhibit
that recently opened at SciTrek in Atlanta.
Georgia
youth tobacco survey results announced
A
survey released today by the Georgia Department of Human Resources
(DHR) shows that compared to the national average Georgia has fewer
high school students who smoke cigarettes, but more high school
students who use smokeless tobacco, such as spit tobacco.
Getting
help for hearing loss
Hearing
loss is a serious problem that deserves professional care. A hearing
loss can be a barrier between you and your family and friends, make
it more difficult in the workplace, and interfere in the classroom.
People with hearing loss tend to feel more isolated, tend to socialize
less and may even feel worse about their health.
Business
Southern
Federal getting new PTC digs
On
Monday, the Southern Federal Credit Union and Group VI Corporation
celebrated the groundbreaking of the credit union's new Class "A"
office building at the corner of Commerce Drive and Aberdeen Parkway
in Peachtree City's Westpark Office Park.
WalMart
contributes $21,000 to local groups
The
Fayetteville WalMart assosiates recently presented several organizations
with bonus and matching grants.
- Sports
Pioneers
send athletes to regional meet
The
SouthSide Pioneers competed in the USATF Georgia Association Championship
meet in Hiram, Ga. last weekend. Team member Tina Williams, a third
grade homeschooler from Riverdale, set the meet ablaze by becoming
the youngest team athlete to take first place in two events.
AFC
Lightning has five state championships
AFC
Lightning wins an unprecedented five state championships for 2002.
This past weekend in Columbus, GA, the Lightning 88 White U14 Girls,
the Lightning 87 Gold U15 Boys, and the Lightning 85 Gold U17 Boys
joined the Lightning 84 Gold and White U18 Boys and Girls in winning
a 2002 State Championship.
Clanton
Captures Seventh Victory of 2002
Hello
Citizen readers! It's so nice to have the opportunity not only
to drive for a living, but also to get the chance to talk about my
profession with my hometown community. I always seem to have good
news, and this week is no exception. We raced this weekend in Odessa,
Missouri at I-70 Speedway - a high banked and rough surfaced track.
Several calls by the ASA officials nearly prevented our winning, but
we persevered and captured our seventh victory of the 2002 season.
I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think that we have a shot
at capturing our first ASA Series Championship. Currently we have
a 195-point lead over our closest competitor.
PTC
Flash sends nine to USATF regionals
The
PTC Flash has another State Champion. Davis Fraker, Bantam (10&Under)
Boys, took first place in the mini-javelin throw this weekend at the
USATF Association State Championships. He threw an incredible 21.9M
(71'10") and no one was even close to him. Davis also qualified
in the triathlon and shot put and will be going to Regionals in all
three events.
Soccer
Centre offers soccer camps
The
Soccer Centre in Fayetteville will hold an indoor/outdoor muppet camp
this summer for players 4, 5, and 6 years old. The camp will be held
July 22-26 at The Centre from 9:00 AM until 10:30 AM. This is an excellent
way to introduce youngsters to the game of soccer and also help develop
the basic skills of the game.
Cool
down at the Ice Forum this summer
As
the weather gets hotter, th search for ways to cool down continues.
One place to go that is really cold is the Ice Forum in Southlake.
The Ice Forum offers skating lessons, hockey leagues and lessons and
exhibitions and public skating times.
Weekend
Youth
ballet's hard work to be showcased Friday
Imagine having a
choice between swimming with your friends or dancing six to eight hours
a day and aching all over. Faced with such a choice, the members of
the Georgia Youth Ballet have chosen dance, dance and more dance.
Former
"Weekend Warrior" publishes first novel
Fayetteville
resident Jerry M. Moore was a Naval Reservist who missed the Cuban Missile
Crisis. Readers of his first novel, "Weekend Warriors" would
swear that he was not only enlisted during that period but that he was
in the thick of things during that tumultuous time. Moore entered the
Reserves after the crisis had passed but heard tales told by other members
of his squadron. Those tales may have been the seeds that grew into
his book.
Fireworks,
food and frolicking at Summerfest this weekend
Summerfest, the
City of Morrow's annual Fourth of July celebration, will return to the
campus of Clayton College and State University for the fourth consecutive
year in 2002.
Weekend
Warriors' a solid summer read
I"Weekend Warriors"
may be Fayetteville resident Jerry Moore's first book but, after reading
the action-packed historical novel, I certainly hope it is not his last.
I
always feel like somebody is watching me
Big Brother is watching,
which is scary because that show is terrible.
Movies
Religion
Some
suggestions for husbands and wives
By JOHN
HATCHER
Religion Columnist
When most of you
read my column, I will be flying somewhere over Africa to land in Entebbe,
Uganda where I will be conducting marriage conferences from a Biblical
view point. I am pleased that through this particular mode of ministry,
we will bring together members of the two largest churches in Kampala:
the All Saints Angelical Church and the Kampala Pentecostal Church.
Spanish
camp for kids offered at Grace Evangelical July 22-26
Ana Ivey, a member
of the Peachtree City homeschool group, will offer Camp Espanol, a weeklong
Spanish camp for children ages 6-12 Monday through Friday, July 22-26,
at Grace Evangelical Church.
VBS
Schedule
Religion
Briefs
-
Opinion
Observations
from front-row seat at Watson trial
By
JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com
When Jim Watson
took the witness stand to plead his innocence to the jury, it was the
most dramatic moment in the entire trial.
It's
hot
By BILLY
MURPHY
Laugh Lines
I am in Phoenix
as I write this and it is quite hot here. But, it's a dry 106 degree
heat. You don't sweat at all here, you parch. You bake. You come out
of the heat all shiny like one of those porcelain dolls after it comes
out of the kiln.
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Foodie
reader enjoyed Fish Co.
If it hadn't been
for the recent letters regarding FC Foodie's criticism of the Famous
Fish Company, I probably would not have gone there to eat. My family
and I thoroughly enjoyed the lunch and found the meals good value for
money.
McKinney
linked with terrorists?
US Representative
Cynthia McKinney, one of the most racially divisive and inflammatory
politicians in Congress, has accepted contributions from persons linked
with terrorist organizations. She is also facing multiple counts of
electoral fraud and voter intimidation. McKinney is infamous for, among
other statements, characterizing the united voices of most Americans
condemning terrorism as "white noise," and intimating that
President Bush was aware of the 9/11 attacks before that date, and profited
from the suicide bombings through his father's business interests. McKinney
was also one of the most vocal critiques of the November 2000 election,
calling on federal investigators to look into alleged voter fraud in
Florida. Strangely, she has not called for a similar investigation in
Missouri, where the St. Louis polls remained open after hours and other
irregularities abounded. She has also been silent about the Democrats'
attempt to have ballots from military personnel discarded. As usual,
she is selective in her outrage.
America's
Christian heritage has been edited out of textbooks
Did you know that
52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were orthodox,
deeply-committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible
as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.
It is the same Congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately
after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress
voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people
of this nation.
Community
character still counts
When I talk about
character, I am talking of the character of our community. Fayette County
is unique in the Metro area, because of the character of our citizens,
both those who live in the cities and in the county. You have worked
hard to improve and protect our community. The cities and the county
both have their distinct identities, which give Fayette County our overall
character. I have always said we are only one or two rezonings or one
or two annexations and one election away from losing all we have built
with our dedication. Greed can destroy all of our work. The developers
keep saying we are not growing fast enough and we need to grow faster
to make more money. The taxpayers will pay for that kind of growth.
So many of the suburbs of Atlanta look alike, you can drive around and
never really tell them apart. I know one thing, once it is over-developed
you can never replace it. I do not want to look like the rest of metro
Atlanta.
New
laws and new lawmakers
With election season
now upon us, it may be a good idea to look at what our state legislators
have accomplished earlier this year. It may help us understand what
our legislators mean by a "busy session," and it may give
us ideas on what to look forward to when the legislature meets again
next year.
Teen:
Metro traffic problem 'massive'
The problem of traffic
in Atlanta is massive. Every person driving in Atlanta is wasting hundreds
of gallons of fuel and thousands of dollars per year sitting in traffic.
If we don't stop this soon, the Atlanta metro area could take a pounding
blow.
Political
correctness gone too far
Before reading this,
be it known that this letter is rated PC-13 (anyone over the age of
13 who is politically correct shouldn't read it). I am a white male,
which for some is politically incorrect in itself in our day and age.
A
call to respond to recent gay TV program
Nickelodeon network
went ahead and aired their pro-homosexual, antifamily program [last
week].
'Glad'
about Watson verdict
I am personally
glad Jim Watson got what he deserved. It was a shock to first hear the
story when it happened. I went to school with both Jim and Beverley
many years ago. Although I didn't know them personally at school its
still a shock that someone you went to school with could do this to
another human. I know Beverly is in a better place, but I hate she didn't
leave him sooner for her kids sake.
Keeping
up with sign rules
Mr. Wheat and Mr.
Stephen's campaign signs are already out in Fayetteville, even though
the sign ordinance as printed in one of the local newspapers says they're
only supposed to be out thirty days before the election in that city.
I guess as the former Mayor of the city Mr. Wheat feels entitled to
bend the rules, or break the rules? I also found it interesting that
the same folks who write and vote on the rules have Mike's sign in their
yards.
Apology
to Fulton jury
The wheels of justice
grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.
Tyrone
councilman raises questions
I'm
not sure how Commissioner Pfeifer took the facts that I presented to
Mr. Beverly and The Citizen as a personal attack, unless he has a problem
with the people of this county being informed with the truth. At no
time in that article did I attack him or other members of the current
County Commission. My letter was an attempt to clear up the accusation
by The Citizen that Tyrone continues to "annex, annex, annex."
In his response, he stated that my story was "incomplete, leaving
out important details." I challenge him to show where any of the
details of my article were false or incomplete. I also want to know
if he has read the county document that I referred to entitled "Highway
74 Corridor Sewer Study." I would assume he has taken the time
to "dig" into the study. I also hope that he has gotten a
copy or even asked for a copy for himself. And while he is "digging"
maybe he could inform the rest of the county citizens and myself, how
much was spent to compile this study?
Dunn
has fans in Fairburn
Due
to the intent of Williams Energy Company to try and locate in this area,
we have had the privilege of meeting and working with Greg Dunn. We
have high regards for his knowledge and resources and desire to work
relentlessly for the residents of Fayette County.
Reader
misses Hamrick
Having
just read Cal Beverly's ranting editorial regarding the "Peachtree
City squabble," I'm sadly reminded of just how much I and our community
miss the reason, journalistic integrity and intellect of Dave Hamrick.
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