“Quiet! Roll camera! Action!” rings out as motorcycles scream by and bodies fall from ramparts during the filming of “Metal Gear Solid: Acquiescence.” The film is produced by Fayetteville resident Wes Eastin, head of Scratched Lens Productions.

Van C. Johnson, center, retired Fulton County Deputy Land Administrator, received a proclamation from Commission Vice Chairman William “Bill” Edwards, second from right, during a recent board meeting.

Noah Schmitz, a second grader at Peeples Elementary, won first place in the 23rd annual Kiwanis Club Talent Showcase and Student Art Contest on March 24. He competed among all participating Fayette County first and second graders in art. He received a Blue Ribbon and a $90 cash prize. The show was held at Starr's Mill High School and was open to the public. Photo/Special.

Five Eagle Scouts from Troop 176 were honored at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on March 20. They are from left, Stewart Felsted, Michael Kyle, Stuart Coburn, Daniel McArthur and Taylor Threlkeld. Troop 176 is chartered by the Fayetteville Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Photo/Special.

Nearly 200 outstanding high school seniors recently attended Georgia Southern University’s second annual Southern Leadership Excellence Academics and Dedication (LEAD) Conference at its main campus in Statesboro, Ga.

• Fayetteville native to head to flight training for duty
U.S. Coast Guard Academy First Class Cadet Joel Kurucar was one of 220 U.S. Coast Guard Academy first class cadets to learn what unit they will be assigned to after graduation at billet night on March 6. Kurucar, who will earn a commission as an ensign in the Coast Guard upon graduation, will report to flight training, in Pensacola Fla. for his first tour of duty. “It’s really exciting to be offered this great opportunity,” said Kurucar.

The former Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Stringham is now the Reverend Glenn Stringham. He spent 22 years in the United States Army and the past 12 years working as the Minister to Senior Adults at the Fayetteville First Baptist Church.

A group of students from Whitewater High School are hosting a children’s field day on May 4 to raise funds to build an orphanage in Uganda. The idea to raise funds for children in Uganda, who have been left homeless due to civil war, the HIV/Aids epidemic and malaria, was born after some students had watched a documentary film in one of their classes about the plight of these children.

The Whitewater High School Wind Ensemble performed at a festival at the Clayton Performing Arts Center last month. Large Group Performance Evaluation is an opportunity for bands to play for a qualified judging panel and receive feedback and a rating. The Whitewater Wind Ensemble received all Superior Ratings in the highest category of music. They also received a Superior Rating for their ability to sight-read music. Photo/Special.

The Fayette County Public Library will host a special evening with critically-acclaimed author Ron Rash on Monday, May 5, beginning at 7 p.m. Rash is the author of the award-winning novels “Saints at the River,” “One Foot in Eden,” “The World Made Straight,” and several books of short fiction, including “Chemistry and Other Stories.” “Chemistry and Other Stories” was a 2008 finalist for the prestigious PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. The event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Fayette County Public Library and the Friends of the Fayette County Public Library.

As part of the 2007-2008 Leadership Fayette Class, the Fayette YMCA was just one of the many projects the class could choice from. The YMCA has over 30,000 visitors annually to the park and was in need of some refurbishment. Pam Young, left, executive director of the YMCA, was presented with a check for $4,500 from team members (left to right) Linda Pirog of Senior Helpers, Kelly Bence of Regions Bank, Jeff Crayton of BB&T Reese Insurance, Sharon Barron of Georgia Power Company, Beth Brooks of ServiceMaster Commercial Services, Arnold Curtis of Georgia Power and not pictured Ted Lombard of Fayette County Board of Education and Pete Meadows of AT&T. Photo/Special.

At the March meeting of Fayette County Post 105, a cake was cut in observance of the founding of the American Legion in 1919. Shown cutting the cake is Mavis Compagno, a Gulf War veteran and one of the newest members of Post 105. She is assisted by Joe Bowers, WWII veteran and the senior member of the post. Fayette County Post 105 was formed in 1927 and meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Fayetteville. Photo/Robert Ladd.

The Fayette Fund of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has appointed Steve Forsyth to its Board of Trustees.

What can be more boring than sitting in a parked vehicle between appointments? Yet, millions of contractors, salesmen and parents waste their time parked at job sites, parking lots and soccer fields.

Earlier this year, Ashley Napier the daughter of Jamie Napier submitted a poem to a contest that was held for young poets. Napier is a junior at Fayette County Alternative School.

The Georgia Southern University chapter of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society recently inducted 344 new members. To become a member of Phi Eta Sigma, a student must earn a GPA of 3.5 or greater during their freshmen year.

The Fayette Fund of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta awarded $35,000 as its 2008 competitive grants to eight Fayette nonprofit organizations.

The Greater Fayette Republican Women's Club recently presented Almanac Dictionaries to each of Fayette County's six middle schools. Pictured here are Bennett's Mill Middle School Media Specialist Diana Evans, Project Chairwoman for the GFRWC Judy Todd, Assistant Principal Brian Goode and Assistant Principal Kris Hubbert. The Republican Women's Club raises funds to purchase and donate copies of the Almanac Dictionaries to local schools. Previous donations of these reference books were made to each of the county's third grade classes. The initiative is part of a National Federation of Republican Women's Barbara Bush Literacy Project. Photo/Special.

Jazzercise dance-fitness classes formerly held at the Fayetteville First United Methodist Church have moved to the Fayette Center – 692 N.Glynn Street.

• Ernst completes legal assistance training course
First Lieutenant Elissa Ernst, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Michaels of Fayetteville, has successfully completed the Legal Assistance training course for the Judge Advocate General at Maxwell Air Force Base and is now on her first assignment at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany. Ernst also completed her officers' training at Maxwell AFB. After graduating with honors from Fayette County High School in 2000, Ernst went on to study at Mercer University and Oxford University, England. She graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in German. She continued her education on full scholarship at Mercer Law School, graduating in May of 2007.

Peachtree City resident Russ Breault has been researching and lecturing on the Shroud of Turin for over 25 years.

As the president of the Shroud of Turin Education Project, Inc., Breault has been selected to speak at the next international conference on the Shroud of Turin to be held at Ohio State University August 14-17, 2008. Scientists and researchers from around the world will be in attendance.

It is perhaps too obvious a connection to say that the first recipient of the Clayton State University Retirees Association (CSRA) Scholarship is a rising star among the University’s graduate students.

Corporate executive William F. Flynn, a resident of Peachtree City, Ga., is the first Executive in Residence of the Clayton State University School of Business.

The Fayette Benevolent Society (FBS) recognized Interim County Administrator Jack Krakeel, Interim Director of Public Safety Allen McCullough and Interim Director of Fire Services Tom Bartlett for their service and commitment to public safety. The ceremony occurred at the Historic Train Depot & Welcome Center on March 28 during an informative lunch social.

Bennett’s Mill Middle School eighth grader, LeAndrea “A’lise” Holliday, is making serious inroads into the music industry. Over the last month, Holliday, who performs under her middle name A’lise, has accomplished a lot in the proliferation of her music career beginning with a performance of her first single “Lean All Day,” at the A-Town Day Festival held at Turner Field on March 22. Two days after that event she won the 6-8th grade category of the Fayette County Kiwanis Club’s Talent Showcase singing another original song entitled “You Can Change the World.”

The 40th annual Miss Pride Pageants were held on March 28 and March 29 at Sam’s Auditorium in Fayetteville, Ga. Started as a fund raiser in 1969, the Miss Pride Pageants continue to be a major fund raiser for the Fayette County High School Band Boosters. This year’s winners include Miss Pride – Bethany Edmondson; Jr. Miss Pride – Victoria Murry; Young Miss Pride – Makenna Curry; Little Miss Pride – Ansley Taubert; and Tiny Miss Pride – Mia Joseph. Plans are already underway for the 2009 pageant. The Fayette County Band Boosters have announced that Gay Cera and Gina McKinney will continue as the Pageant Directors for the 2009 pageant. Photography by Aven.

Boy Scout Troop 118 from the Brooks United Methodist Church recently toured the Fayette County Fire station in Brooks, Ga. The tour was part of an eight hour program to teach Boy Scouts skills necessary to attain the Fire Safety Merit Badge. The event was sponsored and facilitated by staff from Buzzly Fire Safety, a non-profit organization that partners with the Fayette County Fire Department to educate residents of the importance of knowing what to do in a fire emergency.

County-wide initiative encourages reading

Fayette County Public Library announces its inaugural “Fayette On The Page: One Book, One Community” initiative, commencing immediately with Mitch Albom’s 1997 bestseller, “Tuesdays With Morrie.” Fayette On The Page is a county-wide reading and discussion event that encourages all Fayette County residents to read the same book at the same time, and then participate in related cultural, educational and recreational activities.

Phenomenal Women's Health teams up with Heritage Volkswagen to help Promise Place. From left are Rebecca Swearingen, Susan Dean, Mary Stargell and Cheryl Burnside. Photo/Special.

Fayette County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold its Spring Sponsor Event April 26 at Big Red Oak Plantation in Gay, Ga.