Saturday night, March 1, about 10:30 p.m., a Tyrone police car passed me on Ga. Highway 74 doing about 75 miles per hour. There were no lights or sirens to indicate an emergency. A few miles down the road I observed this patrol car and another officer chit-chatting on the parking lot of a service station. Are public servants exempt from the law?

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The lowering of speed limits to unreasonable slow speeds just to extort money from the motoring public is not law enforcement. It is abuse of authority and could be proven to be illegal if someone was willing to spend the money to fight it in court. The average motorist is just as capable of determining what a safe speed is as the people who happened to be in the decision-making positions. There are several such speed traps in Fayette County and they should not be tolerated by the taxpaying public.

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For all who complain about the police, the tickets, and law enforcement in general, here are some helpful hints to avoid an encounter. 1. Obey the law. This includes no speeding, no running red lights, no running stop signs. 2. Teach your kids that obeying the law is important. If you don’t obey it, they probably won’t either. 3. Take responsibility for your own actions. Failing to accept that you have done something wrong only makes you look ignorant. 4. You can’t claim profiling if you have actually done something wrong — this has never ceased to amaze me. In conclusion, how about a smile, a wave, or even treating your local law enforcement like human beings? We’d appreciate it greatly.

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I knew sooner or later they would come out of the woodwork. Let there be a hint of wrongdoing by a police officer and those that are so inclined will want to condemn all law enforcement personnel. I know many law enforcement individuals and have come to respect them for the job they are doing and wonder why they would want to subject themselves to such abuse from a minority of “always innocent” lawbreakers. The silent majority needs to speak up and back our law enforcement officers against those that would condemn them for doing their job.

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I wish someone would fix the traffic light on the intersection of Gardner Denver and Cooper Lighting with Hwy. 74. It backs up traffic on 74 and nobody is coming from the businesses, and it is a very long light on top of that.

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I’m totally disgusted with the knuckle-headed Fayetteville City Council on the traffic issue. I’ve seen the council spend boxes full of tax dollars on one road study after another about what to do with the traffic on Lanier, Stonewall and Ga. Highway 85. Every time, the answer is always there’s not much we can do because of the historic district. OK, then, if you can’t widen the roads, then why on God’s green earth would you want to build a big retail shopping center in the new Villages off of Ga. Highway 54? This makes absolutely no sense as it makes a very bad situation worse. My business on Hwy. 85 is suffering because customers can’t get in or out of my parking area from the road. There are no breaks in traffic at many times of the day. I used to have loyal customers from Peachtree City, Clayton and Brooks but the bad traffic and several near collisions have scared nearly all of them away. I’m being forced to cut big breaks with coupons just to keep customers in the door. Adding more huge retail centers to the downtown area is a dumb idea that’s going to cause more abandoned storefronts and shopping centers in Fayetteville. The council didn’t learn their lesson years back when everything started going vacant. It’s heartbreaking to watch the council ignore the small business man and woman in favor of the big national chain stores. Shame on the council for killing our downtown area with more traffic and not thinking about the existing businesses and traffic problems.

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Attention, all of you PTC-types whining about your sorry mayor: Were you not the same ones voting for him, or sitting at home on your behinds on election day, in spite of full-page ads in the paper for him that were acknowledged by some of your most notorious developers, past and present, and their puppets and employees or suppliers who held county and city government posts? What did you expect? What were you thinking? Well, at least you’re now speaking out, unlike the Fayetteville-types who just lay down and roll over while their city “movers and shakers” continue to annex land for junk housing that attracts more junk people who will eventually leave that once-proud town just a pile of junk.

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Wow, what great news: Two more big boxes on Hwy. 54, and one’s a grocery store at the Planterra entrance. Can’t wait to fight all that traffic. The fool developer wants the side and backs of the stores to face the highway. Wow, that will look wonderful. It’s too bad Mayor Logsdon didn’t have enough brains to work on how the project will look before he sold our streets and approved it.

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For the record, our Planterra Ridge Community Association leadership NEVER polled the residents to ask their opinion on the new big boxes on Hwy. 54. Now look at what we are getting — a stinking high traffic grocery store near our subdivision entrance. Don’t blame the colossal stupidity of the city council vote on the homeowners in Planterra Ridge because we were never asked it. For those of us who can remember how hard it was to get out of our subdivision several years ago it seems like the clueless mayor and city council want to see those days return.

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After many years of deteriorating quality of show lineups, dwindling attendance, and increasing ticket prices, The Fred has finally hit rock bottom for 2008. First they sent an email advising season ticket holders that the first concert featuring Huey Lewis would be scheduled for Saturday and Sunday nights instead of the usual Friday/Saturday dates. Due to the change in days of the week, they advised that ”Series ticket holders will have the first opportunity to pick their night and seat to this particular concert when they renew their season tickets.” What a bonus! One of the few perks to having season tickets is the knowledge that your concert days and seats are assured. Not so with the change to the first concert. They should have offered this as an extra bonus concert outside of the five concert series, but they obviously were fearful of not attracting enough patrons on that basis. Then to add insult to injury, The Fred sent out an impersonal email on Feb. 15 simply advising recipients to check The Fred website for the additional four shows in their woeful lineup. After enduring increasing ticket prices for years accompanied by various weak and “repeat” performer concerts, The Fred really stuck it to their few remaining loyal season ticket holders and rewarded them with a 37 percent price increase to subsidize it for the declining attendance and expected season ticket holder dropouts. They can count this long time season ticket holder among their latest casualties. Good luck and good riddance to The Fred!

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Thank you, Peachtree City, for the new Keep PTC Beautiful campaign. It is so nice to give all of those who have quietly picked up trash in their neighborhoods for years this compliment. We live by example and this is a huge thank you for us. We are so happy that you will help teach the others learn to how become the wonderful neighbors we are. Thank you!

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My family’s golf cart was recently stolen. Whoever took it smashed all the headlights, ripped the rain shield off, and to top it all off, pushed it into a nearby pond. When we picked up our golf cart from impound, the worker said that this happens all the time. Actually, they had pulled three others from ponds that same weekend. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else, so I just want to warn you that there are a lot of people out there who don’t think before they act and sometimes just do dumb things for entertainment. We live in a really good neighborhood, and all of our neighbors watch out for each other. We didn’t think there would be any crime in our area, but we were all wrong. We thought our cart was safe. I would make sure yours really is.

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To the person who took the “Clinton 2008” yard sign from my front lawn in Morallion Hills: There is a video surveillance system installed in my home, a good one. We don’t really need it in this neighborhood, but I thought it was neat, so I bought it. Anyway, I’m pretty sure who you are. Return the sign, or get me a new one since I think you destroyed the one that was there, by next weekend. If I don’t find a new sign on my front doorstep by Sunday, I will get the police involved and I will press charges. P.S.: No question I’m in the minority with my political views, but Metro Atlanta and PTC become more diverse every day. Get used to it, pal.

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D.A. Ballard better tighten his chin strap and get ready to do more than talk big about stopping the hordes headed for our Fayette County schools. We never saw any let-up of the cars with Fulton, Clayton and DeKalb County tags unloading kids here since your last loud pronouncement, Mr. Ballard, so why don’t you and the high sheriff get out there now and at last set some examples of stopping the fraud before the flood across the county line turns really disastrous? Maybe you should start by trying to stiffen the backbones of our own school superintendent and his band of student-counting merrymakers on the School Board, who have to know what’s been happening and did just little enough to say they took some action. But, given the debacle with the Mexican invasion, I guess fraud is just an accepted fact of life anymore and not worthy of law enforcement’s valuable drug-money-chasing time.

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Here’s a little campaign tip for Rudjard Hayes. If you are going to run for district attorney, maybe you should have been inside the Community Awareness Meeting at Sams Auditorium listening to the concerns of our citizens, instead of prowling the parking lot littering my windshield with your propaganda. Kudos to Scott Ballard for being present and speaking at the meeting, as well as playing an active role in keeping Fayette the way we like it. Hayes, keep your flyers; we’re keeping Ballard.

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OK, I am 15 and on Monday of this week I was at the gas station on Petrol Point off of Hwy. 54. In my golf cart I keep a stash of loose change in the dash and I was digging through it trying to get enough to buy a drink. Then a lady in a black SUV pulls in next to me and asks, “Excuse me, are you stealing from that golf-cart?” I told her, “No, this is my golf cart. I’m getting change for a drink. I have the keys right here, see!” Her response was, “Well, you just can’t trust teenagers anymore.” It just irritates me that this woman had the nerve to ask this, and that she just randomly assumes because I am a teenager I am “stealing.” It would be different if it were in the middle of the night, but at 5, and me being just your average teenager getting a dollar-twenty-five in coins to buy a drink, she had no reason to make this assumption. So I would like to say next time think before you judge and realize not every teenager is a juvenile delinquent, just like every middle-aged adult is not as rude and quick to judge as this lady.

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If and when the tattoo parlor comes to Peachtree City, I would pay for Harold Logsdon to be their first customer. A very large “L” on his forehead would be very appropriate.

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Peachtree City restaurant managers need to take their servers on a field trip to Ace Hardware. It would be a great opportunity for them to see how to effectively promote customer service since the [restaurants] obviously haven’t a clue.

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A Walgreens in the place of Ruby Tuesday? I don’t shop at Rite Aid, CVS, and I sure will not shop at Walgreens when I can go up the road and shop for about a third of the price. Another white elephant for Peachtree City.

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I could not believe what I was reading: Our county, Fayette, is one of the “high intensity drug trafficking areas”! What has all of our abundance and tolerance brought us to? So many do not make their kids accountable for any of their actions, then they become criminals and grow up to groom more and have more. So many think their child could not possibly do anything that they won’t punish them to save them. Please, please, parents, wise up, even if your children are “good,” make them account for every minute of their time. You must be their parent first, not their friend. Your monitoring keeps them on the right path or gets them back on it.

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Fayette County golden parachutist Chris Venice, now Tyrone town manager, shockingly recommended that Tyrone takes bids for a new auditing firm. Why not just let OverBill McNally handpick yet another of his buddies for the job?

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Mayor Don Rehwaldt’s email address is “Cecil Thyme.” Cecil Thyme is a dried up California fruit from the ‘70’s. Is there a message here?

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After watching Chris Venice, Tyrone’s new manager, in action, I sure hope [Councilwoman] Grace [Caldwell] included a money-back guarantee in her contract.

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When Grace Caldwell was a county commissioner she was always trying to let the county taxpayers know how much was being spent on legal fees with Bill McNally’s firm. Now I wonder how anxious she is to let the Tyrone taxpayers know how much money the town is spending on legal fees with Bill McNally’s firm. Bet she doesn’t bring it up. (Can you say tax increase?)

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Everyone writing into Free Speech complains. I’m tried of hearing people complain about rising taxes, over development, schools; I could go on forever. We have wonderful schools; that is why we live here in the first place. We have so many community parks, lakes and green spaces that are perfectly maintained. A friendly path system that is convenient to everything and comparable to no other city. Yes, we paid more to buy our home in Peachtree City; yes, taxes go up every year like they do in every city, BUT here we see the money go back into the amenities we use everyday but sometimes take for granted. Remember to watch the sunset at the park at Lake Kedron or Lake Peachtree each evening, always wave to others on the golf cart, walk Line Creek Nature area and see the stream that the blue heron lives in. Thank you, Peachtree City, for making this my home.

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Michelle Obama let slip what we all know already. She has no respect for this country and never did. Now that it looks like she might get to live in the White House, she suddenly states that for the first time in her life, she is proud of this country. In fact, she has made that statement twice. Bull! To my regret I must say that for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of my country.

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Barack Obama needs to apologize for his plagiarism. Not saying anything sends the wrong message. As a student, I know that plagiarism is a serious offense that can lead to the grade of “F” and even expulsion from school for multiple offenses. He needs to do the right thing and apologize. His attitude about this situation lets me know that he would do or say anything to get elected. A good leader admits when they are wrong.

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Barack Obama’s wife recently said for the first time in her adult life she was proud of the U.S. I wonder if that means she doesn’t fly the American flag even on national holidays. Maybe her lack of pride in this country is why she claims to be only part American. If she becomes our first lady, I hope she will one day come to love America and realize how fortunate she is to be a citizen of this great country.

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The news media is suddenly predicting that grocery prices are going to go up sharply. Just where have they been for the last two years while grocery prices doubled, tripled and quadrupled?

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I predicted that we would be paying $5 per gallon for gasoline if Bush and Cheney were allowed to stay in the White House for a second term. Today the news media said gasoline would hit $4 by spring. That means they have been prompted by Washington to condition the public to accept it. My prediction is right on track. Watch inflation continue to spiral out of control and more and more people will lose their homes and more bankruptcies will be filed. This country has a terminal case of greed.

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Was anyone else offended by the coach’s speech at the SMHS boy’s basketball banquet?

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I never really knew what the Patriot Guard did or what they stood for. After attending a wonderful funeral service for my friend Mike Bland at the Performing Arts Center in Newnan, I now know what an awesome group of people this is, as was he. I’ll miss you on the court, Mike.

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To the citizens of Peachtree City: A couple of developments outside our city limits (namely Timberlake and Highgrove) have cart paths which were put in place by the developers to entice homebuyers to purchase a home in those neighborhoods with the advantage (advertised by the home builders) of being “part of Peachtree City” without living in the city limits and thus having to pay city taxes. I am not certain as to whether or not the builders negotiated with the city to tie in to the cart paths of PTC, but they do pay extra to have access. Apparently, there is an issue of personal liability because these paths are on their respective properties. If this is the case, then we should petition the City Council to not allow any access to the cart paths by outside communities since access is limited and is one way. It is unfortunate liability concerns — which I believe is code for “gated community” — that result in locking gates that pass through their neighborhood. If this is truly their concern, then outside communities should not have cart paths connected to the city paths. But given the fact they are connected, this issue of liability should be set aside. No one has sued someone in PTC because they were hurt on the cart path that ran by their home. Just drop your elitist attitude and just leave your gates open; life would be so much better for all.

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I agree with most of what our ex-mayor writes about our current administration. However, one of the themes of his complaints is the fact that the city now has the highest tax rate in its history. I believe this to be true and am very disappointed that our current mayor has not fulfilled his promised lower taxes on our citizenry. Since Stevie has been so vocal on this topic, I decided to review his record on taxes while in office and see what his administration did to reduce our burden. What I discovered was quite astonishing. Stevie never cut taxes, either. In fact, when he took office the millage rate was 4.315 and when he left office the rate was 5.283, a 22.4 percent increase. Could it be this is one of the reasons he was pretty well trounced in his reelection bid? I am fed up with politicians who criticize others’ records but basically acted in the same manner while they were in office. Stevie, you need to shut up about higher taxes; you had your chance.

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To the Timberlake families disappointed in the Board of Education’s ruling: I know you are unhappy about the way it was handled, the way your neighborhood never had any idea you were up for discussion, the way your request to be grandfathered in was ignored, and how you know the 36 kids you have leaving Peeples and going to Braelinn does not help the crowding much. But, let me mention a few things to think about. You will not be in a school that feels like a corporation; you will be at a school that feels like a family, the way an elementary school should be. You will love being the few of 500 and not 840. Your children will not have to go to class in a trailer, your kids will not eat lunch at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Your kids will not be in a fifth grade class of 26. If you decide to drive in your kids, your car pool line will not go around the whole parking lot and out on Panther Path. Your kids will be able to see all the guest performers/speakers that come to the school. I wish my neighborhood could have gone to Braelinn. enjoy it, Timberlake.

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I am saddened by the arrogant and belligerent attitudes exhibited by some of our Fayette County citizens, but, activist organizations such as the NAACP do tend to incite inappropriate attitudes in some people. Now, to the persons who said that their neighbors better just “keep their mouths shut” and that if others in the county do not like the changes occurring in their precious Fayette, they can “just head on out Highway 85,” I say you are disgusting. To the people who are trying desperately for district voting in Fayette in order to gain power, I say now we all know that democratic principles are not part of your agenda. To the people who are methodically attacking law enforcement in Fayette, I say you are subversive. And to those persons who wear the t-shirts indicating that you have “taken over Clayton County and now you are taking over Fayette County,” I suggest you take a good hard look at what you have achieved. Remember, Clayton County schools are in danger of losing their accreditation; crimes from murder to prostitution, from drug peddling to robberies and home invasions are rampant. No one wants to live in Clayton County, not even those persons who have “taken it over.” You arrogant and belligerent few in Fayette, learn to live with the rest of us before you are stuck living in a county you have turned into a deep, dark sewer system.

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Some citizens feel the recent sentences given to two of the gang members were too harsh. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” “Individuals may see the light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture, but ... groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.” The two convicted gang members willingly participated in a planned, illegal group activity with the intent to harm others. They deliberately chose to do this in a public school, such decision showing little or no respect for the rights of students and employees to learn and work in a free from fear environment. It is illegal in Georgia to be a gang member (three or more members is a gang) and commit criminal gang activity, so, in my opinion, the sentences were not too harsh.

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It was with stunned disbelief that I read today’s article about the protest against the district attorney by the Universal Negro Improvement Association. According to that organization, two gang members were unfairly jailed for gang-related fighting at Fayette County High School. I cannot believe that they have such a chip on their shoulders that they have totally turned a blind eye to the truth. The most appalling and delusional belief of theirs is that the gangs are just harmless youth organizations. It was unfair to criticize the DA for upholding justice and doing his part to wipe out gang violence. Racism had nothing to do with the arrest and conviction; the violent act was the impetus. I say, keep up the good work, to all local police officers and the district attorney’s office.

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It’s a shame Fayetteville does not still have a train rail, because I seriously think this “Chief” Sundiata Kamara of the Universal Negro Improvement Association needs to be put on it and ushered out of town. I guess all it takes to start another Negro Improvement Association is some flake to get a permit so he can protest gang members being sentenced to jail terms. It don’t matter what color they were, they could be purple spotted, does he not understand they broke the law? How dare he have the nerve to come to Fayetteville and call Scott Ballard a “devil” and “bastard”? Thank God, we have someone like Scott Ballard to do his job, not because they’re black, but because they broke the law and they’re criminals and deserve to be in jail. I’ve heard all my life, “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” That applies to white, Spanish, blacks, and any other color or race that exists on the earth today. Quit trying to use the race card every time a black gets arrested for breaking the law. We’re sick and tired of it. If he wants blacks to stop being arrested, then go out and preach to the blacks to stop breaking the laws of this state.

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