| News
 By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com Starting in July, the state of Georgia is getting tough on truants. That change might affect parents’ travel plans and delay teenagers getting their driver’s licenses. And you might be surprised to find out who will considered a truant. By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com Fayette County parents should know next month if they and their children will have a five-day break from school in October 2005. By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com Sales tax or bond referendum? The Fayette County Board of Education still hasn’t made up its mind. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Peachtree City’s west side could possibly grow by 364.8 acres under a proposal from John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com With a resounding “no,” the Fayette County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to oppose a request by the city of Fayetteville to annex a 108-acre tract off Redwine Road for a 94-home subdivision. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Frank Humphries, an eighth-grader at Flat Rock Middle School in Tyrone, took an interest in government earlier this year, researching legislation to help protect the HOPE scholarship, which was slated to run out of funds by 2007. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Night driving into Atlanta from Peachtree City and Tyrone is going to be a hassle every weekend for more than half a year beginning this summer. Be prepared for triple lane closures going both ways after 9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, state officials warn. By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com The outlook for the Fayette County School System’s 2005 budget appears to be getting rosier. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Fayette County firefighters rescued a Boston terrier from a Monday morning fire that caused extensive damage to a north Fayette home. A Fayetteville teen escaped injury Monday afternoon when a car he was repairing caught fire in the garage of his home at 250 Mimosa Drive, officials said. A 17-year-old Fayetteville girl was seriously injured when she was involved in a two-car collision in south Fayetteville Sunday afternoon. A Sharpsburg man was seriously injured after his motorcycle collided with a sport utility vehicle on Westbridge Road in north Fayette County Friday night, police said. By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com A Woolsey woman has died from injuries she sustained when her tractor rolled into a pond, trapping her underwater for several minutes May 11. The Marquis de Lafayette Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution recently paid homage to a man who fought for the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Jordan Meredith Worrall of Mcintosh High School has been recognized as one of the country’s most outstanding high school seniors by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and awarded a $4,000 Regional Coca-Cola Scholarship for college. The Southern Crescent Chorale has just successfully completed its second season and developed quite a large following of patrons who enjoy outstanding choral music. By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@TheCitizenNews.com Michael T. Duke, a 1967 graduate of Fayette County High School, is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Wal-Mart Stores Division. Duke, 54, is responsible for the operations and merchandising of the company’s Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets in the United States. The Fayette County Board of Education will administer the Georgia High School Graduation Test in all areas this summer. The Peachtree City Independence Day Parade and Fireworks will be held July 3 this year to avoid conflict with Sunday morning services and traditions. The parade will begin at 9 a.m., rain or shine. The rain date for the fireworks only will be Sunday, July 4. Superior Court Judge Johnnie L. Caldwell Jr. has qualified to run for re-election to the post he has held since 1995. Fayette County Magistrate Bob Ruppenthal has announced he will run for re-election to his post 3 seat. The North Fayette Community Association will convene its next meeting Saturday, May 22, from 10 a.m.-noon at North Fayette Elementary School. The Department of Motor Vehicle Safety continues to organize and evaluate our programs for ways to improve efficiency and better serve its customers amid tough budget times for all state agencies. WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) last week introduced two pieces of legislation designed to put teachers and principals back in charge when it comes to suspending unruly students and to free schools from endless federal court consent decrees that micromanage day-to-day decisions in the classroom. Question: I’m planning to take a long vacation this year. Do I need any special insurance to cover me while I’m away from home? What about protection for my property while I’m gone? There is nothing worse than taking off for a driving vacation and two hours out on the road you encounter car problems. | 