The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) has recognized the achievements of the Fayette County School System’s public relations office with three Merit Awards.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, more than 4,000 children ages 14 and under are treated in U.S. emergency rooms for injuries involving fireworks each year. Most of these injuries occur in the few weeks before and after July 4. Children ages 5 to 9 have the highest rate of injury from fireworks.

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

Two Peachtree City teens have been arrested for breaking into six businesses at the Wilshire Pavilion shopping center early Thursday morning, police said.

A late-night fire Saturday damaged a home in Peachtree City, also killing three family pets, fire officials said.

The fire at 223 Cedar Drive started in the garage area, but firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading throughout the home, said Assistant Fire Marshal David Williamson. When firefighters first arrived, flames were visible from the garage, Williamson said.

Three juveniles were arrested after they assaulted a woman in the parking lot of a Fayetteville grocery store early Sunday morning, police said.

In a surprise to some in the unincorporated areas of South Fulton County, commissioners Wednesday announced the addition of a previously unaccounted for $34 million in property tax revenues. That increase led to an adjustment that reduced an anticipated three mill tax hike for unincorporated property owners into a one mill increase. The move has positive implications for next year’s vote to form the cities of South Fulton and Chattahoochee Hills.

With July 4 rapidly approaching, adults and children alike can learn some basic prevention tips to avoid tragedies with fireworks, drownings/near-drownings and alcohol related accidents.

Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy has received national recognition for wetlands conservation thanks to a grant from one of the world’s leading environmentally conscious wine brands, Banrock Station Wines, in cooperation with The Conservation Fund, America’s top-rated environmental charity. The partnership announced grants to 10 environmental and conservation groups committed to saving wetlands and waterways across the nation.

The jug of laundry detergent may not have been heavy duty, but the blow to the burglar certainly was. A June 18 burglary at a residence on Valleybrook Drive in Fairburn ended with the homeowner coming out on top, literally. The homeowner is a regular guy, and a hero in his own home.

A decision by Community and Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) on the proposed 264-unit Ashton Park Apartments at South Fulton Parkway and Ga. Highway 92 and the 80 percent low-to-moderate residents that would call the complex home has been temporarily put on hold. A June 7 public meeting on the proposal was met with resounding opposition by area residents.

Union City officials moved forward with the annexation of unincorporated islands June 20, holding 28 public hearings to consider the rezoning and annexation of a portion of those islands. There was only minor opposition to the moves that had been requested earlier in the year by Fulton County.

The construction date is not yet set but nearly all the hurdles are cleared for Score Indoor Sports soccer facility on Oakley Industrial Boulevard. Fairburn City Council June 19 approved the revised site plan for the 48,000 square-foot facility.

Out of the Box (OOTB), a youth based program designed to create and promote financial literacy among metropolitan Atlanta teens is accepting applications for its 2006 program, set to begin August 12.

Learning about renewable energy and its impact on the environment can produce a significant “yawn factor” for many students, but Sun Power for Schools, a new initiative of Green Power EMC and Coweta-Fayette EMC, has made lessons more interesting.

The Fayette County Board of Education is edging closer to let Tyrone take care of the system’s sewerage needs.

On Monday night, the board agreed to earmark $750,000 towards connecting to Tyrone’s system and getting out of the sewer business. The system currently spends $150,000 in maintenance costs for the Sandy Creek facility, and costs are continuing to escalate as the system ages.

Peachtree City police are offering a $5,000 reward for information about a bizarre burglary that occurred early Thursday morning at the Wilshire Pavilion shopping center.

Party host charged in connection with shooting

A Sharpsburg teen accused of murdering his friend at a party in Peachtree City Tuesday remains in jail, and the Peachtree City teen who hosted the party has been charged with several misdemeanors, police said.

Victim, suspect tell of alcohol, drug use

For many teens, the web site MySpace.com acts as a means for communicating with friends and sharing their thoughts with the world.

In Wednesday’s edition, an article in The Citizen misidentified the shooter in a murder that occurred at the Hoshizaki plant in Peachtree City in March 1996.

The tragic shooting death that claimed the life of Peachtree City teen Dallas Crenshaw has sparked a fury of comments in the online community at www.TheCitizen.com. Crenshaw’s aunt responds to some of the criticism in the following letter to the editor:

Police urge parents to talk with kids

Parents of children who attend Abundant Life Worship Center in Tyrone are being asked to talk to their children in light of the arrest of the church’s youth pastor in the ongoing undercover Internet sting conducted by Peachtree CIty police.

The attorney for the Fayette County School Board has determined that board member Greg Powers can keep his position, even if he had moved out of the geographical district he initially qualified for office in.

Washing your car or watering your lawn? You’d better be a bit more careful about when you do it, now that the state has enacted tougher outdoor watering restrictions and declared a drought.

141 homes on 157 acres on Hwy. 85 near tavern

Senoia officials will consider a 157-acre annexation along Ga. Highway 85 near the County Line Tavern, on the town’s eastern border.

A Peachtree City man who collared a burglar he spotted in his garage several weeks ago was honored by the Peachtree City Police Department Thursday night.

Parties still in talks over golf holes, price

Negotiations to acquire additional land for the extension of TDK Boulevard into Coweta County are still ongoing, officials said.

The town of Senoia is going to figure out another way to expand its sewer capacity.

The town’s wish to pump 500,000 gallons a day for treatment into Peachtree City was turned down two weeks ago by the Peachtree City Council. But the town voted Monday night to instruct its engineer to proceed with exploring three other expansion options.

PTC OK’s 9 speed bumps to slow Planterra traffic

In less than four weeks, anyone using the Planterra Ridge subdivision as a shortcut will get a bit of a jolt.

All 54 lanes to be open by July 31 in Fayette/Coweta