Archive for Wednesday, March 31, 1999

Wednesday, March 31, 1999

News

Fayette rings up new $1 cell phone tax: Each cellular phone you have will cost you an additional dollar a month, starting in about six months.
Fulton DA to getevidence in Watson case first: Officials in Fulton County, where Beverley Watson's remains were discovered more than a week ago, are moving forward with their investigation and hope to make a presentation to the Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard within another week.
Commissioners confess to violating open meetings rules: Fayette County commissioners were caught red-handed, but not by an investigative reporter or federal agent: they caught themselves.
Local solons on '99 session: Some good, some bad: The Georgia General Assembly's 1999 session drew mixed reviews from the Fayette County delegation following last week's closing gavel.
Local votes on three key issues: Fayette County legislators gave five "yes" votes and three votes of "no" on three key issues in the 1999 session of the General Assembly.
Truck fire closes Hwy. 74 South for 6 hours in PTC Monday: Peachtree City firefighters extinguished a cotton-bale fire inside a tractor-trailer truck Monday, but had to close Ga. Highway 74 in both directions just south of Ga. Highway 54 for about six hours, from rush hour to midnight.
F'ville couple charged with mistreating foster kids: A Fayetteville couple acting as foster parents for two Clayton County children faces multiple charges resulting from their alleged treatment of the children, according to Lt. Mahlon Donald of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.
PTC Council to consider 4 alcoholic licenses: Four separate locations will be considered for alcoholic beverage licenses at Thursday night's regular meeting of the City Council of Peachtree City.
Plan for 100 homes on 20 acres back on council agenda: Bob Adams Homes' controversial plan to put 100 empty nester homes on 20 acres in south Fayetteville is back on the City Council agenda for Monday.
F'ville adopts new zoning laws: Developers who don't like Fayetteville's new, more restrictive building standards have a way around them. They can redevelop an existing facility.
Church of Christ rezoning clears hurdle: A new 600-seat sanctuary for the Fayette County Church of Christ has cleared one hurdle and faces two more rounds of public hearings.
Board expected to approve DeCotis as school chief today: The Fayette County Board of Education is expected to approve a three-year contract this morning for Dr. John DeCotis, who has been selected as the county's new superintendent of schools. According to Debbie Condon, school board chairman, a separate contract will be drafted for Dr. Dave Brotherton, retiring superintendent, who will finish out the school year as a consultant to DeCotis.
Woodcreek expansion on county P&Z agenda: Plans to add 40 homes on 77.47 acres to Woodcreek/Jefferson Woods subdivision on Redwine Road will be on the agenda as the Fayette County Planning Commission convenes tomorrow.
Land use plan changes to get more scrutiny from county P&Z: Proposed changes in the Fayette County land use plan affecting property along Ga. Highway 85 north and surrounding Fayette Community Hospital will get more scrutiny before the county Planning Commission acts on them.
Tyrone Principal Perry fields parents' questions: Dr. Mary Perry, principal of Tyrone Elementary School, fielded questions from parents from across the United States, while attending the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) last week, and discovered their concerns were very similar.
Couple on trial charged with defrauding Medicaid of $500K: Testimony is now underway in a health care fraud trial in Fayette Superior Court.
PTC Council hears that teen center would be nice, but would teens attend?: There's no doubt that Fayette County teens would appreciate a safe place to "hang out" on weekends, the Peachtree City Council was told at its retreat, but a teen center for the city or county is still only a possibility.
Rep. Collins 'pleased' with work on Budget Committee: "Very pleased" is how U.S. Rep. Mac Collins described his first stint as a member of the House Budget Committee.
Electric vehicle incentives proposed: Electric vehicles won't solve Atlanta's air quality problems, but they can help, said U.S. Rep. Mac Collins this week.

Opinion

Let's hope all ends well in Yugoslavia DAVE HAMRICK Editor-at-large: All's well that ends well, or so they say.
Phobia phear: pick your own BILLY MURPHY Laugh Lines: "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself." Teddy Roosevelt was said to have uttered these famous words at the first grand opening of a Denny's Restaurant.

Letters From Our Readers

Clinton's Kosovo crusade not worth one U.S. soldier's blood: After seven years of lies from our impeached and disgraced President, William Jefferson Clinton, how can he expect the nation to believe his argument that the Kosovo problem is of such great importance that he needs to send the U.S. military to bomb the Serbs?
After Kosovo, it's all downhill from here: Well, Bill Clinton has finally got himself a real war, the final outcome of which is seriously in doubt, and certainly its lingering repercussions are even more ominous. But, Brodderick and Chinagate are off the headlines, the economy is good, so what is the beef.
Bonds better choice to pay for new jail: The need for a new jail and a new courthouse in Fayette County was apparent five years ago, when some of our shortsighted politicos were still fighting the state court (which now seems to be a resounding success).
Panasonic disputes article about timber cutting next to plant: In response to your article in The Citizen entitled: " Planners eye Panasonic tree cutting proposal," please print a correction due to the following inaccuracies found within the article:
Thanks to city foresight, the right equipment was available: I am a volunteer firefighter in Peachtree City. Last week, I was in charge of an entry team at a residential house fire. This is what we train for.
Fayette curriculum: Is it 'character training' or indoctrination?: Our children are "learning" in a whole new way these days. In what are called nothing more than new "teaching techniques," the teachers are being trained to teach your children appropriate "social behavior" through means which include much more than posting positive character traits on the classroom door.
Teacher: 'New education' still emphasizes learning: We need to reassure the Fayette parents who are concerned about the "new education" plan of superintendent-elect John DeCotis.
Grieving has no agreed-upon time limit: I do not know if there is a place for this in your paper, under "opinions" or "letter to the editor," but these are some things that have been on my mind.
'I'm the driver who killed the cat': I read with interest the letter from Alisa Weronick - "Here's a reason for a leash law" - for I am the person who had the misfortune of hitting this cat.

Business

Southlake wins national awards: The Southlake Mall management team received five national awards in General Growth Properties, Inc. annual management and specialty leasing conferences in February.
Fayette County has the state's second highest percentage of households with incomes over $100,000, according to a study released last week.: Arkansas-based Acxiom Corporation, which stores and processes data from hundred of sources, said more than 114,000 Georgia households have incomes more than 100,000.
Refund can help cut debts: In a recent survey of clients receiving credit counseling, 71 percent reported they would use at least a portion of anticipated tax refund towards reducing debt.
Gold's Gym adds weight to Creekside: Gold's Gym Peachtree City West, formerly GymXpress, recently donated over $5,000 of weight lifting equipment to Creekside High School.
Business Briefs

Religion

'Resurrection man' still lives, of course: The death that occasioned the Easter resurrection has never been so real to me as this year.
New interim worship, music minister named: Scott Clevenger has been named interim music and worship minister of Heritage Christian Church in Peachtree City.
Good Friday Service: Peachtree City churches are uniting for the 18th annual Community Good Friday Service April 2 at 12 noon at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 101 Walt Banks Road at Ga. Highway 54.
Religion Briefs

Sports

Local hoop star is now All-American: Carlton Griffin, a sophomore at Atlanta Christian College, was recently named a first team All-American in the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Coach Crane to assist Lady Lakers: Sandy Creek's girls basketball coach, Doug Crane, will be leaving the team at the end of this school year and joining the assistant basketball coaching staff for the Lady Laker basketball team at Clayton College and State University.
Help out and volunteer at Special Olympics: The Fayette County Special Olympics Track and Field meet will be held Thursday, April 1, at the Fayette County high School Stadium. Volunteers are needed to help at this event.
Soccer nearing end of season: Time is running down in this soccer season, yet it feels as if it just begun.
Sports Calendar

Weekend

Blue Moon: What's happening tonight is a genuine once-in-a-blue-moon event, and it's got me humming:
Bump-a-doo-da, bump-a-doo-da, Bump-a-doo-da, bump-a-doo-da...
Art Show: U.S. Representative Mac Collins, R-3rd District, recently sponsored the Third Congressional District Student Art Awards and 19 schools responded by sending entries from more than 100 students.
Hopping down McIntosh Trail: Breakfast Munchies with the Easter Bunny will be Saturday, April 3, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at The Gathering Place, 203 McIntosh Trail, Peachtree City.
Spring Garden Tour: The Peachtree City Elementary PTO will sponsor a Spring Garden Tour on Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
GOP Convention: More than 160 Fayette County Republicans met March 20 at Fayetteville Middle School to select the party chairman.
Military Briefs
Natchez Under the Hill: Peachtree City author Dr. Stan Applegate led young readers on a sensorially guided tour of the Natchez Trace Saturday, using descriptive passages from his newly released historical novel, "Natchez Under the Hill."
Time Change on Sunday: Spring is here and this weekend we "spring ahead" to daylight savings time. Before retiring for the night Saturday, be sure to set your clocks ahead by one hour.
"Next Victim Please": Fayette Commnity Theatre, Inc. will hold auditions for their upcoming adult mystery/comedy dessert presentation of "Next Victim Please" on Friday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Home and Garden

MASTER GARDENERS: Washington State University decided in 1972 to create a unique new program in which individuals could learn about grasses, vegetables, shrubs, plants and flowers, diseases and insects.
Plants for a butterfly garden: The following is a brief list of plants you might want to include in a butterfly garden. Your garden center or landscape professional can suggest other varieties appropriate to your climate.

HealthWise

Surviving breast cancer: This October, Cathy Gailey of Peachtree City plans to celebrate a two-year victory. She is a survivor, so far, of the disease that kills about 44,000 women a year.
How does your hearing loss affect your family?: Hearing loss affects your ability to communicate with family and friends and can affect performance at work and at school.
Working mothers: I read a report from CNN several weeks ago that quoted a new study in the academic journal "Developmental Psychology" that said that a new study showed no long term affects of working mothers on their children.
Safety for your children: Did you know that nearly 300 children under the age of four die every month in the United States because of accidents - most of which can be prevented.
Peachtree Regional Hospital offers state-of-the-art emergency room service: In the emergency room at Peachtree Regional Hospital, an elderly woman nervously awaits stitches to sew up the delicate skin of her hand, cut in a household accident.