The Whitewater High School Technology Student Association (TSA) participated in a national competition in Nashville, Tenn. in June.

Fayetteville Girl Scout Troop #260 worked hours of community service for a local library to help with the summer reading program. Pictured are: (front row from left) Hannah Parker, Courtney Graves, Hannah Turner, Mikayla Level; (back row from left) troop leader Susan Graves, librarian Sherry Turner, assistant Toni Turner, and teen helper Brandy Graves. Photo/Special.

Justin Buchanan, L, and Shawn McVicker set up for the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair in Athens, Ga. They took third place in the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Division with their project, which compared the electrical output with the number of blades on a windmill. Buchanan and McVicker are both ninth-graders at Starr’s Mill High School. Photo/Special.

Katie Cassidy, daughter of Shawn and Elizabeth Cassidy of Fayetteville, poses with Zoo Atlanta’s new costumed characters: Savannah the Warthog and Kala the Meerkat. Cassidy won a contest to name the mascots. She was able to meet the characters when she attended the grand opening of the warthog and meerkat exhibit at the zoo. Cassidy entered the contest last year as part of a school assignment while she was a student at Whitewater Middle School in Lisa Pitman’s social studies class. Photo/Special.

Jack Masters, president of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association (SEBA), recently announced a first in what could become a regular concert series in Fayette County, Fayette Bluegrass Jamboree. This initial concert will take place Friday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m.

The annual meeting of the Coweta-Fayette Auburn Club will be held at Flat Creek Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 6 in Peachtree City. A number of special guest speakers are planned for the evening including Dr. James R. Hansen, who has written about aerospace history for the past 26 years. His most recent book, “First Man,” the only authorized biography of Neil Armstong, spent three weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. Hansen is the director of the honors college at Auburn. Mike Griffin, head coach of men's golf, and Kim Evans, head coach of women's golf will also speak. Both coaches have a long and successful history at Auburn.

Pictured is the “Earth, Wind and Veils” Dance Troupe, taught by Rachel Ferguson through the Peachtree City Recreation Department.

If you enjoy plants and community service, you may want to consider becoming a Master Gardener. South Metro Master Gardener classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-4:30 p.m. beginning January 7, 2008 through March 19, 2008.

Open to the community, faculty, staff and students, the Gordon College Community Band is a diverse mix of musical talents that needs a few more members.

• Green graduates from basic military training

Air Force Airman 1st Class Brittiany C. Green has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations. In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Green is the daughter of Wilhelmenia Green of Fayetteville, Ga. and a 2005 graduate of Lovejoy High School, Jonesboro, Ga.

Over the course of 30 years, Peachtree City resident Roland Haas worked under cover for the Central Intelligence Agency on an as-needed basis. Haas worked as a trigger man for 18 assassinations and aided the agency in other non-lethal missions. Now Haas has opened up about his experiences, both personally and professionally, in his new book “Enter the Past Tense: My Secret Life as a CIA Assassin.” Part one of this two-part series was published in The Citizen on August 15 and can be viewed online at www.TheCitizen.com along with video excerpts from the interview with Haas.

Roland Haas’ life work finally took a toll on him in an undeniable way. Haas began to drink in increasing frequency and volume and began the spiral into a lifestyle of a functioning alcoholic. In 1994 Haas and his family moved to Atlanta where he started a job as the U.S. Army Reserve Command Information Security Specialist. By 2002 Haas was a chronic alcoholic who was unable to stop himself from drinking. He was able to hide the signs of his alcoholism behind his diagnosis as a diabetic, a tactic which worked on the job and at home until February of 2004.

More than 600 people joined three Georgia Boy Scouts who were selected to receive the rarely bestowed national Boy Scout Honor Medal with Crossed Palms award during a July 28 medal ceremony that acknowledged the Scouts' heroic acts to save another teenager swallowed up in an undertow caused by flooding resulting from Hurricane Cindy in 2005.

McIntosh High School senior Brian Huefner, 18, was one of 98 high school student representatives throughout the United States chosen to attend The American Legion Boys Nation held July 20-28 in Washington, D.C. He is one of two delegates selected from Georgia based on leadership skills, academic record and activity at American Legion Boys State.

The Peachtree City – Falcon Field Composite Squadron of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol recently promoted three cadets to the rank of Cadet Captain. Cadet Captain is the fourth highest rank possible as a CAP cadet. The young men have worked diligently to meet the rigorous aerospace education, leadership, and physical fitness requirements for this promotion. All three cadets have served in key leadership positions in the squadron and are well deserving of their promotion.

Boy Scout Troop 181 honored its four newest Eagle Scouts on Sunday, July 15, with a court of honor at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church.

On Sunday July 22, Peter D. Conley became the Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Port Security Unit 301 in Cape Cod, Mass.

The American Cancer Society’s 2007 Cattle Barons’ Ball is looking for some creative local artists willing to donate their time and talent to help with one of the ball’s most unique fund raisers.

A Fayetteville man is celebrating a quarter-million dollar win. Yongsang Yi, 44, matched the first five out of six winning numbers in the July 31 Mega Millions drawing and won $250,000.

He bought his winning ticket at Super H Mart, 6335 Highway 85 in Riverdale, Ga. Winning numbers from the July 31 Mega Millions drawing were: 5-18-37-39-43 and the Mega Ball was 42.

Pictured above are Kathryn and Jessica Wurst (age 12) with the bags they hand made and sold to make a difference in their community. The proceeds were donated to the Real Life Center to help families going through a difficult time in Fayette County. For more information call 770-631-9334. Photo/Special.

Coach Nick Bellantoni looks over the new cookbook put together by the McIntosh High School Football/Competition Cheerleaders and their Booster Club. Looking on are Claire Manning and Jennifer McCloskey along with Varsity Cheerleaders Jessica Yelton and Katelyn Vermeyen. The cookbook contains more than 600 recipes contributed by faculty, students, parents and friends of McIntosh. They are available for $15 each and can be purchased by calling Denise Pierce at 770-487-6098.

Cayleigh Weekly, 10, gave 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love this summer. Weekly is a student at Peeple’s Elementary School. Photo/Special.

The office of undergraduate admissions at the University of Georgia has awarded One UGA Scholarships to 73 incoming freshmen for the 2007-2008 academic year, and two of the recipients are local residents.

Although less than two years old, the Peachtree City Chapter Order of DeMolay came away from the annual state conclave of the Associated DeMolay Chapters of Georgia with more accolades than any other chapter. In addition to winning the award for Most Improved Chapter, they received the highest Gold level award for Program Planning and Execution and the Silver level award overall as a Chapter of Excellence. The chapter received an award for having the highest percentage of members in attendance and their Parent's Club won first place in the competition for the best scrapbook of the preceding year's activities.

Peachtree City's 18th annual Kidz Fest will be held on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The family event is free and open to the public.

Fayette County resident, Mamie Shepherd, has been named to “Seventeen” magazine's "Best Dressed Girls in America" list. Shepherd was one of 17 girls across the nation chosen for the list out of 10,000 who competed. Her picture appears in the August issue of the magazine. In addition to a photo in the publication, Shepherd won a $250 shopping spree at Aeropostale. Photo/Special.

HGTV’s “My First Place” is looking for fun, high-energy people who are just starting the home-buying process for their first place. Back for its third season, the series will follow homebuyers through all the trials and tribulations of looking for, bidding on and buying their first place.

• Glaeser receives national honor

Starr’s Mill student Anna L. Glaeser from Peachtree City, Ga. has been selected for membership by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). The society recognizes the top scholars in the nation and invites only those students who have achieved superior academic excellence. The announcement was made by NSHSS founder and chairman Claes Nobel, a senior member of the Swedish Nobel family. Formed in 2002, The National Society of High School Scholars recognizes academic excellence at the high school level and encourages members of the organization to apply their unique talents, vision, and potential for the betterment of themselves and the world. Currently, there are more than 15,000 high schools in nearly 20 countries. NSHSS advocates for scholarship opportunities for deserving young people and has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships since its inception just four years ago. For more information about NSHSS, visit www.nshss.org.

Video excerpts from a recent interview with Roland Haas, author of "Enter the Past Tense: My Secret Life as a CIA Assassin" and local Peachtree City resident. To read the first part of the two part article, click HERE.

Video excerpts from a recent interview with Roland Haas, author of "Enter the Past Tense: My Secret Life as a CIA Assassin" and local Peachtree City resident. To read the first part of the two part article, click HERE.

Local resident speaks out in new book

In 1971, Roland Haas was just like any other college student on the Purdue University campus, or so it seemed. That was the year Haas’ life changed, and in his own words, it was the year the Roland Haas of the previous 18 years ceased to exist. In a moment, Haas went from a diligent but introverted student to an undercover operative for one of the most notorious and mysterious government organizations in the United States: the Central Intelligence Agency.

Now, 36 years later, Haas is currently a resident of Peachtree City with his wife and two children. He is coming clean to his friends, family and community about the double life he lived during the 30 years of service in which his life was not his own. His new book, “Enter the Past Tense: My Secret Life as a CIA Assassin,” hit shelves last month to positive reviews.