How about a little help for local businesses during the holidays? That was the intention Thursday when Fayetteville City Council adopted a resolution allowing a holiday exemption for business banners.

Two Fayette schools and one Coweta school were named as Georgia Schools of Excellence this morning.

Ironically, Huddleston Elementary and McIntosh High schools tied for top honors for being at the tops of the 3rd congressional district.

The Peachtree City Council voted unanimously to allow a previously approved annexation to be reconsidered even though the landowner is not proposing any changes to the approved plans.

Senoia Planning Commission Nov. 18 upheld the concerns of many residents present in recommending denial of a possible annexation and rezoning of 4 acres on Rockaway Road for use as the headquarters for Bogee Development, LLC. Most every seat in the council chambers was taken as residents of adjacent subdivisions came to hear the proceedings. The issue will go to the city council in December.

Housing crunch, drought affect city budget

Like just about everyone else, the City of Senoia has felt the pinch of the declining economy.

Habitat, Housing Authority join forces for grant effort

The Newnan Housing Authority and Newnan Coweta Habitat for Humanity are joining forces to apply for federal funding to purchase foreclosed homes which would in turn be sold to families at the discounted prices the homes were purchased for.

Requirement added by EPD

Senoia will have to pay an unexpected $57,344 on the new well and water tower system being installed to improve the city’s water production capacity.

The Senoia area will host its first blood drive on Friday, November 28, 2008. The Senoia Optimist Club will be the sponsor and the location of the drive is the Senoia Methodist Church in historic Senoia. The drive hours are from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

A 15 year-old Newnan girl who ran away last week was found safe in Tennessee and has been reunited with her family.

The parents of Elizabeth Marie Campbell found an instant message on her computer indicating she was running away. The computer message said the girl would try to hitch a ride to Walland, Tennessee or Maryville, Tennessee to meet a 17 year-old male, according to Newnan Police Chief Douglas Meadows.

It was a day that was less than a year in the making. But in that year, the city of Fairburn approved and built the first phase of a college campus and Georgia Military College (GMC)signed a 10-year lease as the first institution of higher learning to be located there.

Dillard’s at Ashley Park is hosting a three day Christmas shopping experience on Dec. 5-7 in collaboration with Community Welcome House the safe-haven in our community that serves women and children victims of domestic violence.

The Rotary Club of Newnan has given the Souns for literacy program to the Senoia Public Library for the library’s new, weekly, infant / toddler classes. An introductory class will be Monday, Dec. 1, at 10:30 a.m. The classes will be scheduled weekly beginning in January, 2009, and are for parents and their infants / toddlers up to 24 months of age.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital is pleased to announce the appointment of Edward M. Racht, M.D., as vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer.  Dr. Racht will be responsible for providing leadership in all areas of clinical service; directing system-wide quality; facilitating clinical performance improvement; directing patient safety initiatives; developing best practices in managed care; assisting in improving the performance of employed physician practices; and furthering medical collaboration and innovation to provide the community with enhanced medical care. 

Improvements to the railroad crossing on Dividend Drive near Aviation Way will result in the road being closed to all traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Peachtree City police are alerting the public about a suspicious person who may have been "casing" a local business for a future crime.

A Chase Drive woman arrived at her Fayetteville home Tuesday to find that personally identifying items had been stolen. A neighbor reported seeing a van and a woman similar in description to one that had visited the home a few days earlier to pick up a furniture donation.

She has boundless energy, hand slicing bright yellow squash, chopping onions, and prepping all of the fresh ingredients for the days offerings. From scratch, she bakes cornbread and all of the desserts of the day, including a signature Tres Leches cake. Her name is Rosa.

This column has long been a space to trumpet the savory delicacies of Fayette County’s finest dining establishments, but even this gourmand has a (very) soft spot for dishes that aren’t served on the finest china or under glass. This month, I would like to examine the burger, both cooked at franchises of some of the more popular fast food eateries, and at some of the area’s sit down restaurants.

Change would allow tougher local goals, school-specific governing boards

You’ve heard of charter schools, but how about a charter school system?

The Citizen’s online news website — pioneered in 1996 — now has a companion local sports site: www.TheCitizenSports.com.

More victims feared as deputies seek leads

A 70-year-old north Fayette man who posed as a CIA agent and an Army general was arrested last week on multiple counts of child molestation, sheriff’s deputies said.

John William Harvey of 345 Greenview Circle, in the Landmark Village mobile home park, remained in jail Tuesday after he was denied bond on the case, officials said.

It was a day that was less than a year in the making. But in that year, the city of Fairburn approved and built the first phase of a college campus and Georgia Military College (GMC) signed a 10-year lease as the first institution of higher learning to be located there.

This past Saturday afternoon 240 persons who have been a part of Randall Johnson’s life at one time or another were on hand to send him into retirement.

Less than two weeks after local voters narrowly approved a one-cent education sales tax, the Fayette County Board of Education voted to spend some of that future money for more than 1,100 new computers.

Peachtree City officials may soon have a solution for finishing a cart path bridge over Flat Creek near Crosstown Road that will link homes on the southside to the city’s industrial park.

Commission proceeds with bid award on phase 1 storm drain

A dozen residents voiced their displeasure with the path of the West Fayetteville bypass at Thursday night’s meeting of the Fayette County Commission.

Residents argue it will hurt county and employees

A dozen residents lobbied the Fayette County Commission Thursday night to abandon a proposed defined benefits pension plan for county employees.

County officials are working towards using SPLOST funds to erect four traffic lights on state highways in Fayette.

At last week’s meeting the Fayette County Commission approved a $925,000 bid for the work from R.J. Haynie&Associates, which was the low bidder on the project.

Owner wanted to open site up for retail use; cited antique store for Old Mill property

A petition to lift commercial rezoning restrictions from the former Old Mill Steakhouse site was denied unanimously by the Fayette County Commission Nov. 13.

A overnight burglary at Moe’s Mexican restaurant in Fayetteville left the business with a stolen safe and phone lines cut.