The annual North Georgia State Fair Beauty Pageant will kick-off opening day activities for the fair at Jim R. Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Rd. in Marietta on September 21. The reigning Miss North Georgia State Fair is Alexandra Stanford, the 18-year-old daughter of David and Cindy Stanford of Peachtree City. “Pick Your Own Fun” is the theme for the 10-day fair which ends Oct. 1.

The Peachtree City School of Dance has recently welcomed a new instructor at the school.

Danila Battiste has joined the faculty at the Peachtree City School of Dance to teach hip-hop classes at the studio. Battiste is one of the most versatile and prolific choreographers in the dance industry. Her client list includes some of the biggest names in the entertainment business including Prince, Whitney Houston, Backstreet Boys, Raven and Paula Abdul. Her choreography credits include NBC’s “Will And Grace,” Dreamwork Productions, and Motown Records.

J.C. Booth Middle School Principal Ted Lombard happily accepts a check for $4,391 from Kedron Kroger store co-manager Carl Thompson as PTO President Angela Newton looks on.

High Noon Toastmasters of Fayetteville members were presented with awards at a recent meeting. High Noon President Andy Waits, Sargeant of Arms Tom Lunsford and vice president of membership Alan Reyes each received a certificate of officer training and Dale Klauss received the Competent Toastmaster award.

On August 22, Southern Charm Bridal Network and Special Event's 2007 Bridal Show committee met for its first time to initiate plans for the Annual Bridal Show to be held at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Peachtree City, Ga.

• Glenn Ivy Martin, a 2000 graduate of FCHS, graduated from the Warnell School of Forest Resources at the University of Georgia in December 2005. He received a bachelor of science degree in forest resources, with a dual emphasis in wildlife management and environmental assessment. While at UGA, Martin was appointed to the dean’s list and the Xi Sigma Pi Forest Resources Honor Society. He has spent the past year employed as an environmental consultant in Greenville, S.C. Currently, Martin resides on Ossabaw Island and conducts sea turtle research and invasive species management for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Twelfth family member wears shirt for first day of school

It’s a simple white linen weave cotton shirt adorned with blue and red diamonds; at a glance, most would say it is nothing special. For the McCabe family, however, it represents four and a half decades of memories.

Since 1958 the shirt has been worn only 12 times and each time by a different member of the McCabe family on their first day of first grade.

Lois McCabe first purchased the shirt for her eldest son Charles P. McCabe III (Chuck) for his first day of school. “I’ll never forget his first day of school,” Lois McCabe said. “He looked so cute in the shirt.”

When Susan Osborne decided to be the chairperson of the 2006 American Cancer Society’s Barons’ Ball, she had no idea that her daughter Carissa would take the cause to heart as well. To demonstrate her care and concern for children with cancer, Carissa Osborne made a very significant donation to the cancer cause by donating 12 inches of her long, blond hair to Locks of Love. 

Ribbons were out during the Reception for the First Annual Photography show at the Fayette Art Center and Gallery last Saturday night.

The Peachtree City Chapter of the Order of DeMolay, sponsored by East Point Lodge #288, F. & A.M., will hold its first installation of officers on Sunday, September 10 at 2 p.m. at the Peachtree City Masonic Center, 201 Whitlock Place, Peachtree City.

The Fayette-Starr's Mill Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, started a monthly bunco group at the retirement home one and a half years ago for veterans and widows of veterans.

Plans are in full swing for the 13th annual Main Street Golf Tournament slated for Wednesday, September 20 at White Water Creek Golf Club in Fayetteville. After the tournament will be a dinner, awards ceremony and silent auction. Proceeds from the golf tournament go toward funding the historical redevelopment of the Fayetteville’s downtown Main Street District.

Added Love Learning Center offered "Summer Fun" for children of all ages.

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to make it as an actor in the entertainment industry?  Directors, producers, and agents look for the educated, the talented and the trained. They look for the actor who will successfully carry out the audition process professionally and with confidence. Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts is taking acting to the next level of professionalism with new drama director Mike Beecham. They are moving beyond community theater by providing the education and training these directors, producers, and agents are looking for, while building confidence in each student actor. It is passion, performance, and professionalism at its finest.

Fayette-Coweta Family Theatre, Inc. will begin offering weekly acting classes in many theatrical areas this fall at the FCFT Warehouse at 177 Fulton Court in Peachtree City. Classes are taught by FCFT professional staff and are designed to teach the basics and more advanced techniques of stage acting and vocal performance.

Offshoot Productions is teaming up once again with the Tyrone Recreation Department at the Roger Spencer Community Center to offer the highest quality theatre education. Offshoot artistic director Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D. teaches three classes, along with experienced instructors from Offshoot’s professional cast and staff.

Clayton State University music major Will Melton recently received the 2006 SCADemy Best Original Score Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for music he composed for the short film, "An Abstraction on the Chronology of Will."

PublishAmerica has recently published “Poems from an Average Joe” by local author Joe Parke.

“Poems from an Average Joe” was designed to be simple rhymes of easily understandable themes over a wide range of topics. Some are based on actual events in the author's life or the lives of family and friends. Others are conceptual in design to the author's imagination. Fond of nature and the beach, the author adeptly gives much to consider on his free ride to relaxation through his nature visualization. A strong spiritual sentiment can be noted in the center section, followed by many thoughts to consider regarding love poems, or a fire hydrant, being a talk show host, or being about to end time on death row.

Members of Fayette Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, went on a mission trip to Leon and Matagalpa, Nicaragua, the week of July 29-August 5 in support of El Ayudante (www.nicamissions.com).

• Air Force Airman Jason S. Ali-Talha has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Six Frenchman celebrated their bicentennial here

In 1976 Fayette County celebrated the country’s bicentennial by hosting a wagon train traveling from Stone Mountain, Georgia, to York, Pennsylvania. York was the site of the British surrender.

While unfair taxation was one of the root causes of both revolutions, and a king was involved in each one, the overthrow of being ruled by a king in the United States was successful from a democratic point of view.

Torey and Jessica Weatherford and Grace and Jacob Wilson spent their free time this summer selling lemonade to raise money for the Fayette County Animal Shelter.

Look out local business owners, the Barons’ Ball cowboys and cowgirls are on their way to round up some auction items for the 2006 American Cancer Society’s Barons’ Ball. The cowboys and cowgirls, also known as loyal volunteers for the American Cancer Society, will paint the town red on Saturday, August 26.

For her Gold Award Project for Girl Scouts, Diane Wilfong started a running club at Kedron Elementary School in Peachtree City this year. Wilfong met with an average of 50 students and taught them proper technique, stretching and hopefully a lifelong love of physical fitness and most of all, running.

Peachtree National Bank has signed on to sponsor Bluegrass on the Green, the 2006 fall benefit for the Southern Conservation Trust, a community land trust based in Fayette County. Bank President Richard Spink presented the check to Abby Jordan, executive director, and Julian Campbell, trust board chair. Peachtree National has locations in Fayette, Clayton and Henry counties, three fast growing communities in the Trust’s conservation focus area.

On August 2, Scott Ballard presented a $1,200 check to the United Mitochondrial Foundation. Accepting the check was Chris Swinn, president of the Atlanta Chapter of UMDF. The money was raised from the proceeds of the circuit’s annual charity golf tournament, held this year on June 8 at The Pines Golf Club in Williamson. UMDF was chosen as this year’s charity because one of the Assistant District Attorneys in the Fayette County office, Warren Sellers, has a son, Joshua, with the disease.

The State 4-H Congress Competition, held July 18-21 in Atlanta, decided the best in the state in 4-H, and Fayette County joined that circle of winners this year.

Creative Recycling Systems, Inc. of Palmetto offers a solution to the dilemma of getting rid of obsolete electronics in a responsible way.

The Augustin Clayton Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has been honored by the Georgia State Society DAR.

Roy Vreeland, CIC, of Reese Insurance Associates, Inc., in partnership with Westfield Insurance, recently awarded a Westfield Agents Association Trustee Scholarship to Lauren Escalante of Fayetteville.