The beacon of light continues to burn bright at Rising Starr Middle signifying the school’s high performance and academic achievement among Georgia’s middle schools.

The following arrests were reported by law enforcement agencies for the past week. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Initial plans for Friendship Village, the first of three proposed villages in Chattahoochee Hill Country, have been submitted to Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs. Plans call for developing 5,981 residential units, nearly a million square feet of retail and office space and 96,500 square feet of civic and institutional use on 1,997.6 acres.

Twelve- year-old Senoia resident Sara McFall dusts for fingerprints at Union City Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit lab.

History has been made again. For the second consecutive year, a Fayette educator has been named a finalist for 2008 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

In some people’s minds it was only a matter of time. In the minds of others, it will never happen. House Resolution 12 introduced Jan. 9 by Alpharetta Rep. Jan Jones calls for the break-up of Fulton County that could result in the re-creation of Milton County on the north side and, presumably, Campbell County on the south side.

It was a look to the future Thursday as South Fulton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Leslie Hamrick provided a glimpse of the organization’s plans at the Annual Meeting and Luncheon at Georgia International Convention Center.

The price of copper is up and thieves wanting to make an easy buck are cashing in. But police investigating the thefts are making headway with catching those wanting a quick profit on the shiny metal.

State Sen. Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone) has been appointed Chairman of the newly created Senate Government Oversight Committee by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle. The Senate Government Oversight Committee is the newest standing committee in the body, which will be responsible for holding hearings, if necessary, on issues of concern within the state government. He also will continue serving as secretary of the Senate Finance Committee.

In only their second meeting of the new year, the Fayette County Commission voted 3-2 Thursday night for a mutual dismissal of the two legal cases between the County Commission and the Sheriff's Department.

PTC, Fayette County appeal denied

The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority has upheld its requirement to make the bridge for the TDK extension four lanes as part of the 3,000 home McIntosh Village community planned for east Coweta County.

The bridge, which will span Line Creek, was opposed by Peachtree City and Fayette County officials who urged the money would be better spent on widening Ga. Highway 154 in Coweta from two to four lanes so McIntosh Village residents would use that for access to Interstate 85 instead of Ga. Highway 74.

Unnamed regional stores also sought for 74 south

One developer hopes to locate a Lowe’s Home Improvement and a Kohl’s Department Store on the south side of Ga. Highway 54 West between MacDuff Parkway and Planterra Way in Peachtree City.

A delay at the Georgia Department of Transportation is affecting completion of the cart path bridge spanning the CSX railroad tracks parallel to Ga. Highway 54, officials said.

A familiar landmark for many drivers on Ga. Highway 85 south will soon be no more.

The Senoia City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve the first read of an annexation and rezoning for 157 acres on the busy state highway.

The International Thespian Society troupe at McIntosh High School is holding a talent event tonight in the McIntosh auditorium.

Legislature has final approval

Again this year, the Peachtree City Council has voted to ask the Georgia Legislature to shorten the length of terms of the board of directors for the city’s Water and Sewer Authority along with its Airport Authority.

Five Sandy Creek High School students have been arrested for stealing a cash box from the Kedron Aquatic Center Jan. 2, police said.

Finding peace in the eye of the storm is, for some, more than a wish or an exercise of fantasy. For Ronnie Crumpton it was reality. It came as a tornado ripped his new home from its foundation Sunday evening. In Crumpton’s view, it was the hand of God that kept his family safe from harm.

After a two-month discussion, the city of Senoia finally has an approved design for its new library.

Contractors plan to start Wednesday on the demolition and replacement of a bridge on Ga. Highway 85 north of Fayetteville.

A McIntosh High School student was arrested Tuesday after officials found several weapons inside his car while it was parked near the school grounds, police said.

What will likely turn out to be the largest wild boar ever recorded made his way to the pearly gates of Hog Heaven Jan. 3 after being caught red-handed by Bill Coursey while chowing down on front yard delectables on Chappell Road near Brooks.

Coursey hauled the Brooks Beast to the Waste Management transfer station in Fayetteville to get an official weight. The beast tipped the scales at 1,100 pounds. Measurements taken by Coursey and his son Russell later in the day showed the boar to be eight feet long from snout to tail.

Facing a possible prison sentence, Robin Kittrell, 17, chose his answers carefully as he testified on his own behalf Tuesday afternoon in Fayette Superior Court.

Two proposed annexations that would dramatically increase the size of Peachtree City’s West Village received different reactions from the city’s Planning Commission Monday night.

A developer’s plan to put 335 townhomes on an 89-acre tract in the city’s West Village has been derailed by the Peachtree City Council.

An incident that began with erratic driving in a stolen vehicle in Fayette County during the early morning hours Jan. 6 ended in the death of a still-unidentified woman along I-285.

Fayetteville City Council Jan. 4 decided to continue with the Ga. Highway 54 Concept Plan and to extend the city’s participation in the task force charged with shaping the future of 2,060 acres in central Fayette County along Hwy. 54 from Fayetteville to Tyrone Road.

The issue of limiting the number of dogs and cats per household in Fayetteville all but ended Jan. 4 when the City Council agenda item continuing the discussion from December was removed.

As 2007 gets underway, the faces of leadership at the Fayette County Board of Education remain the same.

During Monday’s meeting, Terri Smith was re-elected chairman and Lee Wright retained his position as vice-chairman. The two board members have helped guide the board through contentious times, including last year’s boundary hearings. Later this year, the board is expected to discuss boundaries for the elementary school near Inman that will open in the fall of 2008.

A rezoning request for the proposed Stella’s Place subdivision on Grady Avenue finally won approval from Fayetteville Council members. The Jan. 4 decision came after developers representing Thomas Chandler added increased greenspace and made a change to the street layout.