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News
$101
million SPLOST vote in Nov.;1¢ tax would fund 2 F’ville bypasses;
PTC not in top 3 priorities
While no official
vote was taken, the Fayette County Commission decided during their retreat
last week to start the process for setting a Special Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax vote this fall.
School
budget crunch ‘It’s not going to be an easy year’
Fayette County schools
are regarded as the state’s best and keep getting better, members
of the Board of Education and community were told Saturday.
Lester
Rd. middle school tops list on 5-year building plan
They mostly avoided
the issue of how best to pay for it, but members of the Fayette County
Board of Education heard convincing evidence Saturday for the need to
build a new middle school and three new elementary schools as part of
the next five-year construction program.
2
arrested in north Fayette home invasion
Only one of the
three armed men who assaulted a north Fayette couple during a home invasion
last week bothered to disguise himself with a ski mask.
DAPC
on verge of lawsuit victory
A federal magistrate
judge has determined that the Development Authority of Peachtree City
did not violate the Equal Pay Act by paying former amphitheater director
Kristi Rapson less than former tennis center director Virgil Christian.
McIntosh
prepares for return of the golf carts
McIntosh High School’s
parking crunch may get some immediate relief if legislation to restore
golf cart driving privileges to teens under age 16 gains passage in
the state Senate, as expected.
County
officials predict another austere budget
Although the 2005
budget won’t be adopted for another six months, the Fayette County
Commission sent a clear message of financial conservatism at last Thursday’s
retreat.
Road
rage suspect caught driving, so back to jail he goes
A Sharpsburg man
accused of killing a Fayette woman in a road-rage altercation last May
is back in jail for failing to comply with bond conditions.
Cox
unwavered by barrage of critics
Kathy Cox remains
undeterred by the deluge of criticism coming her way from across the
nation since last week, when she suggested removing the word “evolution”
from Georgia’s proposed new science curriculum, her spokesman said
Monday.
Fuel
deal out, but Airport Authority wants to deal with company
Falcon Field’s
fuel operation will not be used as a bargaining tool to lure a maintenance
and avionics facility to the airport, the Peachtree City Airport Authority
has decided.
School
winners announced in National Geographic Bee
Japan is most similar
in area to which U.S. state? Fayette’s National Geographic Bee
school-level winners would know that the answer is Montana.
It’s
elementary: Three named TOTY finalists
Three unsuspecting
teachers got the surprise of a lifetime on Friday when the prize patrol
showed up in their classrooms to announce they had been selected as
a finalist for Fayette County Teacher of the Year.
Tobacco
control advocates honor local resident
The Georgia Alliance
for Tobacco Prevention honored Peachtree City resident Kathie Cheney
for helping to pave the way for the group’s increasingly successful
campaign to protect public health.
‘Peachtree
Pathfinder’ creator launches Web site
The Peachtree PathFinder
Web site www.ptpathfinder.com is now online, reports Tami Morris,
publisher of the new Peachtree PathFinder Map.
Money
magazine names PTC among best U. S. places to live
CNN and Money Magazine
have ranked Peachtree City among the most desirable places to live in
America.
FCHS
talent contest scheduled for Sat.
Fayette County High
School’s annual Mr. and Miss FCHS talent contest is scheduled for
Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Sams Auditorium. Students will perform
with their peers while competing for the title of Mr. or Miss FCHS.
Contestants will audition prior to the contest.
Private
school application process underway
Ready or not, now
is the time for families to be researching their children’s education
options for next fall.
Parade
honors famous Americans
Second graders at
Hood Avenue Primary have been studying biographies of famous Americans.
To celebrate the closing of the unit, students had a biography parade
for the school, parents and community.
CPR
Saturday coming back to FCHS
Would you know what
to do if a friend of family member had a heart attack? If you can’t
answer yes to this important question with confidence, CPR Saturday
is an event you won’t want to miss. You can learn the life-saving
skills of Adult CPR and know that can make a difference between life
and death when every second counts.
Westmoreland
raises over $710,000
State Rep. Lynn
Westmoreland, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in the 8th District,
reported more than $710,000 in total campaign contributions on the FEC
Quarterly report published Jan. 31.
Noel
November requests now being accepted
The Fayette County
Board of Realtors is making plans for Noel November 2004, “A Celebration
of Trees & Wreaths,” marking the 10th anniversary of this event.
This annual fundraiser benefits local organizations in need.
Park
forum set for next week
The Fayette County
Parks and Recreation Department is holding a Public Forum for the Kenwood
Park Master Plan Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 3-7 p.m. at the Fayette County
Parks and Recreation Department Activities House. Individuals interested
in attending may come at anytime during those hours. For more information
please contact the Fayette County Parks and Recreation Department at
770-461-9714.
Sams
School hosts wine tasting
The historic Hollingsworth
House will be the setting for the 8th annual wine tasting hosted by
The Joseph Sams School. Wines will be donated by the Georgia Crown Distributing
and representative Bob Jones will be on hand to discuss the various
wine that will be available.
Council
to vote on $56K stormwater study for east F’ville
A study of stormwater
flow in the east Fayetteville basin will be in the works if the $56,000
cost is approved by the City Council Thursday night.
Man
arrested for calling estranged wife
A Fayetteville man
has been arrested for calling his estranged wife and her child on several
occasions by phone.
Local
drive collects over 2,300 bags for foster children
More than 2,300
new suitcases and carrying bags were collected on Martin Luther King
Jr. Day during “Totes for Tots,” a volunteer event launched
by Georgia Cancer Specialists to benefit area foster children.
Correction
Obituaries
Birth Announcements
Wedding Announcements
Home & Garden
David
Cree’s career in horticulture and landscaping began at the tender
young age of three, when he planted toothpicks in the backyard to grow
toothpick trees. David continued his work with plants in grammar school,
growing a vegetable garden in the vacant lot next to his home in Dallas,
Tex.
California’s
recent energy crisis has made conserving electricity a hot topic nationwide.
No wonder. The energy emergency is not just a California phenomenon.
The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) predicts New
England, New York City and Texas could experience electricity shortages
as well.
The
Feb. 7 session of Andy’s Garden Club, at 9:30 a.m., is a “Native
Plants and Wildlife” program presented by Kathryn Gable, Past President
of the Georgia Native Plant Society. A special slide presentation is
also prepared for your enjoyment. Come and enjoy sharing the gardening
experience with others. The program is open to everyone.
Your
Mastercard melted somewhere around the 18th Christmas-gift purchase,
and your wallet’s thinner than Calista Flockhart. Looks like that
midwinter trip to the Caribbean is out.
The
ordinary pine cone. It can be a simple symbol of winter, in a plain
basket dressed with a bow.
In
a well-designed house, the drama is in the details.
Q.
I am building an addition on my home and realize I must connect the
new foundation with the existing one. What is the best way to do this?
Is there a way to waterproof the connection? Will this connection become
a hinge point in the future, causing cracks in the walls? I am very
concerned about how to make a connection between the structures that
will stand the test of time. — P.M., Orono, Minn.
Q.
I feel our new home has some serious problems, but our builder disagrees.
The house is less than 6 months old, but we have ugly white deposits
that are leaching out of our chimney, a wing wall that juts from a corner
of our home and a retaining wall. I feel there must be something wrong
for this to happen. The more I scrub, the worse the problem gets. What
is wrong, and what can be done to fix the problem? — Andrew M.,
Loveland, Ohio.
It’s
winter, which means dry air.
Prime Timers
Business
Business
owners rally at Capitol
Small-business owners
from across Georgia gathered in Atlanta Thursday to discuss key issues
critical to their businesses, such as the need for legal and health
insurance reform.
State
To Begin Posting Names Of Deficient Taxpayers On Internet
Next Monday, Georgia
citizens with Internet access will be able to review a list on the Georgia
Department of Revenue's Web site naming individuals and business that
are not paying their state taxes.
SMC
Stages winter meeting
Members of the transportation
industry ramped up on the latest issues and developments impacting the
transportation industry at SMC’s 49th annual winter meeting January
20-21 in Atlanta.
Sports
Landmark
evens score with SACA
Now they’re
even.
Panthers
sweep area duals
The Starr’s
Mill Panthers faced five opposing teams without a loss Saturday to win
the Area 4-AAAAA duals at McIntosh.
Tigers
fare well at county meet
The Fayette County
High School swim team competed in a countywide meet this past Saturday
at Washington Park in downtown Atlanta. In addition to placing third
in all three team categories (out of six teams), many individuals turned
in outstanding performances.
Weekend
When
the Newnan Theatre Company had to cancel their upcoming production
of “Steel Magnolias” at the last minute they went
to Plan B. In the theater, that means Broadway. Thanks to a
production license conflict, the “Broadway Cafe” was
born.
This year,
you don’t have to travel to Sundance or Venice to catch
a film festival.
The Oscars,
the world’s largest mutual admiration society, is getting
ready to hold its 76th annual clap-athon, Feb. 29, leap day.
Does that mean if it doesn’t all turn out the way we
like that March 1, we can do it all over again?
Fernbank
Museum of Natural History delves deep into the world of the
chimpanzee with the special exhibition “Discovering Chimpanzees:
The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall.” On view from February
7-April 25, Discovering Chimpanzees uses the research of renowned
scientist Jane Goodall to explore some of the world's most recognizable
and beloved primates.
The Fayette
County Parks & Recreation Department is taking registration
for the following shows/events. Tickets are sold on a first
come basis, so early registration is encouraged. For more
information call 770-461-9714.
Religion
It
was a total embarrassment
By JOHN HATCHER
Religion Columnist
It was all very
embarrassing. The Super Bowl, that is. Not that I am a fanatic of football,
with the exception being Georgia Bulldog football. But some men in our
church invited me over for a Super Bowl party to see the Patriots and
Panthers have at it. Of course I pulled for the Panthers of Carolina
because I don’t want anyone from New England to win anything this
election year.
Kathie
Walters featured as guest speaker at Aglow’s Feb. meeting
Kathie Walters,
evangelist, international speaker, and a published author, will be the
guest speaker at the February meeting of Peachtree City Aglow Monday,
Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Calvary Temple Assembly of God in Peachtree
city.
North
Fayette’s ‘The Grove’ celebrates 2nd anniversary
More than 100 people
gathered in the Activities Center at North Fayette United Methodist
Church last month, as The Grove, a new, contemporary service offered
by the church, celebrated its second birthday, complete with birthday
cake.
Bert
Sandler to demonstrate Passover meal, traditions at Crosspoint Community
Church
What do the Jewish
Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper have in common?
Jonesboro
1st Baptist plans student/parent conference
Jonesboro First
Baptist Church will host a Song of Solomon Conference for students and
their parents March 12-13 at the church.
Golden
Bells to perform at FUMC
The Golden Bells,
Atlanta’s premier professional handbell choir, will perform in
the sanctuary of the Fayetteville First United Methodist Church Sunday,
March 7, at 6:30 pm. There will be no charge for admission though a
love offering will be taken.
Newnan
UMC plans fun run February 21
The Newnan First
United Methodist Church will sponsor a one-mile Fun Run and Chicken-Q
Saturday, Feb. 21, at the church, 33 Greenville St. in Newnan. All proceeds
benefit The Angel’s House, an emergency shelter for children in
Coweta County.
Religion
Briefs
Opinion
The
truth about state’s new history curriculum
By
KATHY COX
State
School Superintendent
A Georgia teacher
[Joseph J. Jarrell, world history teacher at McIntosh High School in
Peachtree City] claimed that our new social studies curriculum would
not serve the state’s students well [The Citizen, Jan. 28, 2004].
- LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
-
- What
should we do about bare breast?
Janet Jackson’s
publicity stunt during the Super Bowl has had its desired effect: People
are talking about her again. “Outrageous” conduct by people
in the entertainment industry is a tried and true method of attracting
attention.
Flight
from Clayton driven by school, property values
As a former resident
of Clayton County (1993-2001) I’m writing in response to both the
recent article by J. Frank Lynch about Clayton County schools and the
response to it from Mr. Foster of Riverdale.
Why
always the race card?
I am a French-Polish-Irish-Anglo-Dutch-American
(I hope I didn’t miss one of my decendants) and am writing in response
to the letter by Mr. Foster.
Anti-Target
letter fueled by hoax
It has come to our
attention that a recent letter in your paper is actually a misleading
e-mail campaign, that we here at Target, have been battling for the
past two years. In fact, the letter submitted to your paper isn’t
even the original letter that started the campaign.
Paper
should have done some fact-checking
I am aware that
letter writers are entitled to their opinion and free expression, etc.
However, such a letter, with so many negative “facts,” especially
against a local merchant, that has no apparent documentation, should
draw some attention from your staff before being printed.
Writer
should have done some fact-checking
J.R. Young, shame
on you. Before sending stories like the one you submitted about Target
Stores to a widely read local paper like The Citizen, you should check
out the facts more thoroughly. Had you done so prior to submitting this
story you would have found that this claim, like many of the stories
knocking corporate America, are nothing more than Internet garbage.
Target
is really a great neighbor
Once again somebody
gets an e-mail that says they heard something from someone who heard
something from someone’s cousin’s hairdresser and it becomes
fact. No effort to verify any facts, just believe anything you hear.
Urban
legends easily checked on many Web sites
I recently moved
to Fayetteville and have been receiving The Citizen, which I appreciate
as a way to get to know the community in which I now live. However,
I must take exception to your printing the letter to the editor entitled,
“Target is not a good neighbor,” without doing some fact-checking.
‘French-owned’
added as twist
A few months ago
I received an e-mail similar to the one J.R. Young wrote about. The
e-mail I received was a copy of a letter written by a Vietnam veteran.
The basis of the e-mail was that Target was anti-veteran, French-owned
and basically anti-American.
Not
pro-Target, but stay factual
I receive many e-mails
with claims that seem a little strange or too good to be true (i.e.,
the Gap will send you money, “Touched by an Angel” will be
cancelled). This letter struck me the same way, so I did what I do in
all these cases. I looked up the claim on www.snopes.com. This is a
reliable website which investigates urban legends and provides the documented
“real story”.
Target
HQ was very helpful
We received the
same e-mail. However, I really do like to shop at Target, so I decided
to e-mail Target’s corporate headquarters myself to verify all
of this information. If all of this information were correct, I would
not want to support their ideas and policies by shopping there.
F’ville
sign rules show anti-business leanings
I opened the Mr.
Transmission in Fayetteville in March 2003. The Fayetteville sign ordinance
is anti-business.
Uneducated
educator dooms students
Georgia is in a
time warp: Many of the public debates resembles those of the Dark Ages.
Back then, you decided whether you or your spouse had more or less teeth
by reference to the sacred text of the time. You opened your copy of
Aristotle and read and believed men have more teeth than women.
A
theory by any other name is still . . .
So let me get this
straight. Kathy Cox is proposing that Georgia schools continue to teach
evolution, but refrain from teaching “evolution”?
History
curriculum changes sickening
The article written
by Joseph Jarrell disturbed me immensely! I am a veteran educator with
24 years under my belt as a former social studies/English teacher and
presently a media specialist.
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