Construction of the new Senoia Police Department and Municipal Court complex on Howard Road moved one step closer to reality last week when city council members adopted a resolution to work with Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) to complete the project.

Josh Vanderbush is a work in progress. Life for the soccer player and 2001 graduate of Starr’s Mill High School took a dramatic turn in mid-2005 after he sustained an injury that left much of his body paralyzed. Today, the Senoia resident has made significant progress on the road to having full utilization of his body. Now Josh is working with his father Rick and mother Linda to find the funds needed to defray the cost of the therapy he recently discovered, one that has him standing and taking his first steps in years after only a few weeks.

Spring planting is only a few weeks away. But this year in Palmetto, planting a garden is about to take on a whole new meaning. The city on March 8 is set to begin the week-long construction of a large community garden at Wayside Park on U.S. Highway 29. The citizen effort will include assistance from 10 students from University of Vermont’s Alternative Spring Break Program, Palmetto Elementary School Jr. Beta Club, Hill Country Montessori and Serenbe Organic Farms.

There has been a change in the commercial landscape in east Coweta County at Fischer Road and Ga. Highway 34. The northwest corner of the Fischer Crossing development is being sold to Bright-Meyers Peachtree City Associates, LLC. Development plans at this point are uncertain.

Keep Newnan Beautiful is joining national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful (KAB) in the Great American Cleanup as they campaign for a cleaner, greener America. This year Keep Newnan Beautiful has a goal of having as many volunteers as possible.

Things heated up a bit Monday night at Fayette County School Board’s public meeting, with school system employees and parents speaking their minds about potential salary and benefit premium cuts to be voted tonight at Sam’s Auditorium in Fayetteville. The only activity at the meeting were public comments from several of the 150 in attendance.

BoE cuts 157 positions; 2 public hearings this week to decide on pay cuts, benefits cost hikes; $10.65 million unopened Rivers Elem. School to be mothballed

With its Monday night vote to chop more than $8 million in expenses beginning July 1, the Fayette County Board of Education is halfway to its mandated goal of a balanced budget. To reach that, the board will have to accommodate an anticipated shortfall of $14.5 million.

It was supposed to be a report telling Fayette County School Board that the fiscal year ending June 30 would end in the black.

Fayette County animal control officials are researching whether the county should strengthen its ordinances to address dog tethering abuse.

Both Fayette County High School basketball teams celebrated their region championships Saturday night with big smiles and shouts of exuberance. Both final games were hard-fought battles against tough teams and tough odds, making the victories all the sweeter.

Repeat offender takes wind chimes from sheriff’s office

A Fayetteville man just released from jail Wednesday barely made it out of the jail parking lot before committing another crime, sheriff’s officials said.

A proposal to rezone a 37-acre industrial site for an 80-home subdivision and event center faces some significant hurdles based on feedback from the Peachtree City Planning Commission Monday night.

An east Fayette man was arrested Saturday after he kept his girlfriend from leaving their home during a dispute.

Sackda Thepphasone, 21, of Kyle Court, is accused of grabbing the victim’s throat after he became upset with her for going to a mall, police said.

Fayette County residents are invited to participate in a workshop next week so they can provide input on the county’s future transportation needs.

Fayetteville City Council is considering amending the Light Manufacturing (M-1) zoning ordinance to permit sales of vehicles such as recreational vehicles, boats and mobile homes by special exception. The council heard the first reading of the proposed amendment at the Feb. 19 meeting.

Fayetteville Police Department on Feb. 20 arrested a 16 year-old male for the robbery of an employee in the parking lot at Food Depot on Jan. 23.

Peachtree City Police are warning the public about a suspicious person who is falsely claiming to raise funds for Promise Place.

Landscaping, mowing to be handled by contractor

Thursday night the Peachtree City Council voted unanimously to terminate 23 employees, eliminating their landscaping and mowing positions to save an estimated $840,000 next year.

Tyrone Town Council was split 2-2 Thursday night on a decision to endorse Fayette County’s Land Use Study for the Ga. Highway 74 North Corridor. Fayette County Planning & Zoning Director Pete Frisina will return for the March 5 council meeting when all members are expected to be present.

City also kills vacation accrual for part-timers

Peachtree City employees will soon see their monthly insurance premiums double as part of a cost savings plan for the city.

Subdivision would also be near Falcon Field runway, Lake McIntosh

A plan to rezone 37 acres in Peachtree City’s industrial park for an 80-home subdivision and an event center with 12 overnight villas will be reviewed Monday night by the planning commission.

On a 4-1 vote Thursday night the Peachtree City Council approved the exploration of possibly annexing a 48-acre tract off Carriage Lane adjacent to the Peachtree City United Methodist Church.

Proposed laws would crack down on metal recyclers

As instances of dangerous metal theft continue to rise across Georgia, proposed bills in the State Senate and House of Representatives aim to crack down on criminals by strengthening regulations for recyclers.

Suspect caught Wednesday at PTC home

A citizen tip on a surveillance photo helped Peachtree City police identify and locate a local man now accused of attempting to rob the Kedron Kroger grocery store early Monday morning.

Peachtree City will celebrate its 50th anniversary Monday, March 9 at 11 a.m. at the city library as officials rededicate two rooms named after the city’s founding fathers.

PTC cops have got their Kedron Kroger robber, according to Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark II.

“On Feb. 18, 2009, at approximately 5:40 p.m., Peachtree City police officers and the department’s Special Response Team (SRT) converged on 301 Pinemount Drive in Peachtree City to serve an arrest and search warrant at that location. During the incident, David Franklin Alewine, 43, was identified and arrested.” That's off Golfview Drive, near Flat Creek Country Club.

Maguire’s Family & Friends co-owner Wendy Maguire was unanimously approved Feb. 17 by Senoia City Council to serve on the city’s Downtown Development Authority. Maguire was unanimously recommended for the position Feb. 10 by DDA board members to fill the unexpired term of John Barrow. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Like other tax levying entities across the state, Coweta County School Board members are waiting to see what happens with state funding and the local economy as they look to the next school year that begins in July. For the moment, Coweta is $3.3 million to the good on its $176 million general fund budget with $18 million in reserves. But that could change, as economic shocks from the recession could mean up to $9.45 million in lost revenues and increased costs.

It was not the usual winter storm Wednesday, as portions of south Coweta County were struck by a tornado and much larger areas of the county encountered high wind, torrential rain and hail. Two dozen homes suffered significant damage as the tornado moved eastward for approximately four miles in north Meriwether and south Coweta counties.

Senoia City Council conducted public hearings and made a few changes to proposed new ordinances Feb. 16 covering rules and regulations for park use, speed limits and miscellaneous offenses. The ordinances were posted for the first reading at the council that followed. The council postponed the solid waste ordinance until the next meeting so that portions of the ordinance could be reviewed.