It has been more than two years in the making, but development plans for nearly 20,000 square feet of office and retail space on Fayetteville’s south side won approval Aug. 28 from Planning and Zoning commissioners.

The gateway commercial project on Fayetteville’s west side is on the way, with a notable change.

A previously approved three-story bank and office building on 2.74 acres along Ga. Highway 54 West at the Stonewall/Lanier split was downgraded to two stories Aug. 28 by Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission at the builder’s request.

The following arrests were reported by local law enforcement agencies for the past two weeks. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Peachtree City police are offering a reward, hoping to solve the armed robbery of a man on the city’s cart path system early Saturday morning.

Peachtree City police are looking for the driver of a red sport motorcycle who is believed to have robbed the Tires Plus store, holding an employee at gunpoint early Monday evening.

An Editorial Opinion of The Citizen Newspapers— Until some email correspondence between The Citizen and the Fayette County School System’s public relations department, the system was set to violate public trust by allowing a committee to meet in secret on changes to elementary school boundary lines.

The looks on their faces tell the story. Cochran Mill Nature Center was buzzing with activity Aug.

Rev. Bobby Alford offers words of inspiration Tuesday to law enforcement officers from Clayton County and those from Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and police officers from Tyrone, Fayetteville and Peachtree City at the monthly meeting of Fayette Fellowship of Christian Police Officers.

The run up to the November election should prove interesting in the cities of south Fulton County. The list of candidates for mayor and council races in Chattahoochee Hill Country, Palmetto, Union City and Fairburn were impressive as of press time, with a total of 38 candidates qualifying.

Applause broke out spontaneously in the Fairburn City Council chambers Monday night as the city council did something that most of the 150 in attendance had not expected. The council voted unanimously to deny a request to establish a construction waste and household trash transfer station on the city’s south side. Concern over the proposal was evidenced by the packed house of residents and the nearly endless list of local, state and federal elected officials.

The long arm of the law had quite a reach Wednesday as Tyrone Police and other agencies chased four males in a stolen car into Fulton County following a residential burglary at Southhampton subdivision.

The 2007 SAT scores are in. And Fulton County leads the state in test scores.

Fulton County led the state with a combined 1,595 average score out of a possible 2,400, followed by the City of Decatur and Oconee County. Cherokee and Fayette counties tied for fourth place, averaging scores of 1,548.

What began as a controversy in June ended last week as an amiable parting of the ways. Union City council members Aug. 21 voted to extend the lease for Kreative Kidz youth enrichment program, giving the organization until Nov. 31 to relocate.

A growing number of residents across south Fulton and southwest metro Atlanta are addressing issues of safety and well-being in neighborhoods where their families live. One of those is the Magnolias subdivision in Fairburn.

It’s been a long hot summer, but things may cool down at Sandy Creek High School’s gym by the middle of September.

The meeting began with the commission swearing in new commissioner Kathy Winton and was followed by the approval of a conceptual site plan for Lots 9 and 10, Phase VII of the Shamrock Industrial Park. The lots will share a driveway and previous concerns about lighting were addressed. The lighting on the site will now being shielded and directed downwards.

Tyrone is losing a police chief. Long-time officer-turned-chief Police Chief David Mullis gave his resignation Aug. 27, citing a career as the reason. Mullis’ resignation is effective Sept. 21.

Now we will see what happens. But that will take until the November elections in Tyrone to determine the political landscape.

The first episode of The Citizen Sports Blitz. Mike and Kevin discuss the first football games of the season, look ahead to next week's games, and weigh in on area cross country, volleyball and softball action.

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

9/1/2007 Citizen Sport Blitz launch by Michael Boylan

Sometimes you just have to believe.

Three candidates for Post 1 and four for Post 2 have paid their qualifying fees to run for the Peachtree City Council in the November election.

Parent representatives from schools throughout Fayette County got their first look Thursday at the redistricting process intended to redraw lines to accommodate a new elementary school on Inman Road to open in 2008-2009 and another on Tillman Road to open the following year.

Fayetteville police are asking residents to lock their cars and take their belongings inside, as 16 entering auto incidents were reported in the city during August.

Charged with stealing $9,400 from athletic booster club account

The former president of the Booth Middle School Athletic Booster Club has been arrested for stealing about $9,400 from the organization, police said.

Matt Trebuchon, 40, of Belvedere Lane, Peachtree City was charged with two counts of theft by conversion, police said. Police expect to file additional charges as they look into other activity on the booster club’s account.