Break out the needle and thread – sewing shops and fabric stores say they have noticed a sizeable increase in the number of people taking classes and purchasing sewing machines and notions. Sewing, once considered a hobby for little old ladies, has joined knitting and quilting as the new pastime for 20 and 30 somethings to Babyboomers. It's a national trend that's sweeping the country. It’s relaxing, fun and it’s considered “cool” to be seen carrying knitting needles and quilting blocks.

Boy Scout Troop 75 recently held an open house at Peachtree City United Methodist Church to give current local Cub Scouts the chance to check out the troop and learn about Scouting at the next level. Meetings always begin and end with the presentation and retirement of the colors as Boys Scouts led their guests in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Legacy Theatre has announced youth company auditions for "The Wizard of Oz."

Auditions will be held on Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the theater, 1175 Senoia Road, Tyrone, Ga. This audition is for ages 5-17 only and will be for the youth company of our professional production and summer camps. All those auditioning will be asked to sing either one chorus or 16 bars from a song of their choice a cappella and learn choreography. There will be a sign-up sheet the day of auditions. Everyone will audition on a first come first serve basis.

The Miss Pride Pageant, which will be held on March 28 and 29, is looking to reunite as many queens from the past 40 years as possible.

New series tickets for the 2008 Villages Amphitheater Summer Concert Series are now on sale at Fayetteville’s Historic Train Depot and Welcome Center.

The Women in the Outdoors program will host a shooting day for ladies on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. at Autrey’s Armory.

Fayette County Jack and Jill Chapter of America celebrated a snow day in Fayette County over the Martin Luther King Day weekend. The club, which gathered to march in the annual MLK Day parade that was cancelled due to weather, made the best of the day. Photo/Special.

According to the Centers for Disease Control’s website (www.cdc.gov), after skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States. Mammograms are the best method for early detection.

The Augustin Clayton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Jonesboro, Ga., held its annual awards tea on Jan. 12 at the National Archives, Southeast Region in Morrow, Ga., and presented the DAR American DAR Good Citizens Awards.

Starr’s Mill High School’s Health Occupations Students of America presents a check to the Fayette County Sheriff's Department for their Christmas Project. Pictured (l-r) are officer Dave McNaughton, HOSA president Colin Mallon, detective Josh Shelton and detective Mitch Howard. The Healthcare Science students worked with the Fayette County Sheriff's Department to help purchase Christmas gifts. Barbara Phillips is the HOSA advisor at Starr's Mill High School. Photo/Special

Terrance Lawrence of Fayette County was among the nine students who recently graduated from the Urban and Structural Pest Management Certificate Program at the University of Georgia Griffin Campus.

Music Alive, a non-audition, mixed choral group, under the direction of Linda Hooper has announced an open call for new members for their upcoming performance season.

Looking for a place to go for a special Valentine’s Day? Look no further than Fayette Senior Services new life enrichment center. On Thursday, Feb. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. romantics of any age can enjoy DJ music, dancing, great appetizers, door prizes and lots of fun. The dance will be held in the center’s spacious multipurpose room, complete with a built-in dance floor, at 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville (across from the new county courthouse).

Dr. Dwight "Ike" Reighard was the guest speaker at the Women's Council of Realtors (WCR) Fayette Chapter's first meeting for 2008.

Asden Wolfe Johnson is known throughout the county as the woman who volunteers. She has volunteered in numerous areas in Fayetteville over the last 25 years.

Fayette County-based Offshoot Productions is selling much of its Peachtree City warehouse contents from risers and flats and other set pieces to lighting equipment, props, extra wood, storage bins, front-of-house items and more.

The Peachtree City Library now helps the experienced antiques dealer and the novice collector to identify, research and price art, antiques and collectibles. Thanks to “Price It! Antiques & Collectibles,” Peachtree City Library patrons have access to a database of over 25 million antiques & collectibles records from which to find and compare pricing of these items.

The Regional Business Coalition has announced that Virginia Gibbs has been selected as a member of its 2008 executive committee. Gibbs has been a board member of the Regional Business Coalition for three years and is the president of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce.

In an effort to increase the community involvement with the Fayetteville Police Department and offer insight into the services the department provides, it will be hosting the second Citizens Police Academy at the Fayetteville Police Department.

At their annual December awards luncheon, Fayette County Master Gardeners received recognition for their volunteer service to the county for 2007 from Sonja Brannon, Agriculture & Natural Resources County Extension Agent.

In an effort to bring together diverse people and organizations in the community, one local organization based in Fayette County is accomplishing what might have seemed impossible to do years ago.

Members from Fayette Senior Services and the Atlanta Knitting Guild kicked off the month-long “Knit One Mail Too” event at the Fayetteville Post Office, to celebrate the release of the 2007 Holiday Knitting Stamp in December.

• Digby named to dean’s list

Sean M. Digby, of Peachtree City, Ga., has been named to the dean’s list at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for the fall 2007 semester. Students who make a 3.2 or higher semester grade point average are awarded this honor.

• American Business Women’s Association, The McIntosh Charter Chapter, Attention Southern Crescent Business Women - take charge of your career by joining the American Business Women’s Association! Let ABWA connect you with a network of businesswomen and provide you with the professional development you need to be successful. The ABWA meets the second Tuesday of each month at Whitewater Creek Country Club, 175 Birkdale Dr, Fayetteville at 6:30 p.m. Visit our Web site at www.abwa.org, or call Michele Hall, President at 770-719-2935 for more information.

Ed McKeogh spent his early years watching cartoons as well as sci-fi and horror B-movies from the 1940s and ’50s on a portable black-and-white television. When he wasn’t soaking up the antics of Dr. Shock, the ghoulish host of a Saturday afternoon horror show based in Philadelphia, McKeogh was perusing the comic book rack at the local drug store.

Fayette County High School will present the annual Mr. and Miss FCHS talent contest on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see various talents such as singing, playing instruments, dancing and much more from local teens.

Alex, Rose and Kathleen Stephens collected items from their school, Fayette Montessori, and donated them to the Fayette County Animal Shelter recently.

Boy Scouts from Troop 279 recently cleaned up the golf cart path across from McIntosh High School as part of the Adopt-a-Path program. Once every month, the various patrols of the Scout troop perform this community service. Pictured here are members of the Cobra patrol (l-r): Beau Franklin, Brad Manning, Logan Austin, Jakob Robinson, David Ian James and Will James. Photo/Special.

Whitewater High School wants to “re-stock” the pantry for the Fayette Samaritans.

The WHS Interact Club has challenged the Fayette County High School Interact Club to a “can off.”

Students in Elisabeth Tiller’s second grade classroom at Peachtree City Elementary School pose for a picture during Polar Express Day festivities. Students in second grade classrooms enjoyed reading Chris Van Allsburg’s classic children’s story about a trip to the North Pole. All students were invited to wear pajamas during the day while participating in different art and reading activities supporting the book. Photo/Special