Sales taxes down 8 percent; property tax growth minimal

Despite the slowing economy translating to lower sales tax collections, Peachtree City is only short $40,000 in this year’s budget.

To attract younger police officers and firefighters, Peachtree City will explore the use of “cafeteria” benefits.

It was the first retreat for Tyrone’s new mayor and council. The Feb. 23 council retreat saw discussions on issues such as the possibility of a new meeting schedule, local option sales tax revenues, town employee positions and a move toward certification by the police department.

Pool-filling and hand-watering would be OK too

The Fayette County Board of Commissioners will soon determine whether the county will allow new landscaping to be watered every other day for 10 weeks.

National builder will be selected for ‘active adult’ subdivision

Timbering operations are due to begin Monday on the extension of MacDuff Parkway, according to Donna Black of Scarborough Properties, which owns a 403-acre tract the road will partially cut through.

Registration for this year’s Fourth of July parade in Peachtree City will begin Monday, June 2, officials have said.

O’Reilly Auto Parts moved a step closer to constructing a store on Tyrone Road on property adjacent to the BP station on Ga. Highway 74. Tyrone Planning Commission Feb. 28 voted unanimously to recommend approval of the site plan for the project.

Living Proof Church is helping sponsor a 2-Mile Benefit Walk for Jessica McElveen March 8, 2008. Jessica is the 13 year old girl we having been praying for for several weeks, and she is a next neighbor of the Minot’s, and school class mate of several of our teens. Jessica has a very, very type of cancer (there are less than 12 known cases in the U.S.).

It was a different kind of town business at the Tyrone Council retreat Feb. 23. Council member Eric Dial recommended at the town consider adopting an ethics resolution and an accompanying ordinance. After some discussion, the council agreed to look at Dial’s proposal.

The following arrests were made by Tyrone Police between Feb. 21-27. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

It was a case of “doctor shopping” that brought notoriety to a woman who has seen more than her share of it in times past.

For nearly two hours Thursday night, the Fayette County Commission got an earful from a decidedly pro-district voting crowd.

A Coweta county resident who nearly caused the bankruptcy of one Senoia’s leading citizens was sentenced Thursday for transporting hazardous waste material.

Several members of Coweta County Commission may soon find themselves testifying under oath in federal court. Filed Feb. 22 in U.S. District Court, District 4 Commissioner Leigh Schlumper demanded a jury trail in her complaint that Commission Chairman Tim Higgins, Commissioner Tim Lassetter and Coweta County are guilty of gender discrimination, libel and slander.

The first of several hurdles involved in establishing Pathway Communities Twelve Parks mixed-use master planned community in east Coweta County was jumped Feb. 19 as county commissioners approved a request by Coweta Water and Sewer Authority to provide those services to the proposed development near Sharpsburg.

It’s a whole new day in Senoia. The Senoia Downtown Development Authority is pleased to announce the grand opening of the Shoppes on Main Street (formerly Hutchinson's Hardware) March 1 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The shops participating are:

State Senator Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) has recently been appointed by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle to chair the Senate Task Force on Value Government. The Task Force is responsible for identifying specific areas where government services can be delivered more effectively and efficiently to the citizens of Georgia.

A home in north Fayette County was heavily damaged by a fire after 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges previously filed against former Whitewater High School teacher and assistant football coach Harry Heintz.

Heintz was charged in November with one felony count of sexual exploitation of a minor, as sheriff's deputies said he sent inappropriate text messages to a female student.

Thursday afternoon Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard confirmed that the charge has been dropped. He said once prosecutors were able to get the entire content of the text messages between Heintz and the student, the statements in question were deemed to be "taken out of context."

“Free the Fayette Two.” A small but vocal group of protesters led by Universal Negro Improvement Association representative Chief Sundiata Kamara gathered Feb.

“This is a very special proclamation,” says Fayetteville Mayor Ken Steele (R) as he announces Feb.

Capital City Development has secured tenants for two big box stores at the rear of its property, but CCD principal Doug McMurrain declined to reveal them after Monday night’s meeting of the Peachtree City Planning Commission.

It could be an interesting evening tomorrow night at the Fayette County Administrative complex as two groups of citizens converge on the meeting hall to offer their opinions to the Fayette County Commission.

Fayette’s new ‘high-intensity drug trafficking’ label by the feds will bring more money, equipment to fight drugs

It’s a crime that didn’t harm a person, but is sure to cause outrage in the community.

The Fayette County Animal Control staff is seeking the public’s assistance in finding a man who abandoned and ran over a litter of puppies near Ga. Highway 314.

Their numbers were small, but organizers of the “Free the Fayette Two” protest said their message was not. The protest rally held outside Fayette County Justice Center Feb. 22 targeted the recent incarceration of two Fayette County High School students, convicted recently in juvenile court for their role in a gang-related “beat-in” fight in a school restroom in December.

The first two weeks of February have been busy for Fayette County Drug Task Force (DTF) agents in Fayetteville.

A series of arrests came Feb. 22 when three adults and two juveniles were taken into custody at a Butler Road residence in Fayetteville, according to DTF Lt. Jody Thomas.

So far there have been no surprises among the four Fayette residents who have filed elections paperwork declaring their intent to run for sheriff.