Drunken cheerleaders at the McIntosh High School football game received a mere slap of the wrist. Why only a 25 percent suspension from the remaining games (what is that, one- or two-game suspension?)? Why were the police and the juvenile court not brought in? Alcohol counseling is optional? If this had been several regular, nobody kids on a golf cart, they would be in juvenile court. Instead, this is the icon of football; yes, we must kneel. And the most distressing aspect is the parents. They are more concerned that these girls might miss a cheer tournament. I am nauseated by the whole thing. For all the unrecognized, hard-working parents with kids that are working hard and trying to avoid peer pressure, I salute you. To these cheerleaders and their parents, please move and take your hero Janet Smola with you.

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Little Peggy Sue loves her Mountain Dew when she’s leading the team in a cheer. She will flip so high like the birds in the sky if you give her an ice cold beer.

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I am writing in response to the eight cheerleaders suspended from McIntosh High School. First off, it is very interesting that two years ago on a school-sponsored trip, several SMHS football players were caught drinking. They received no OSS and weren’t even suspended from any football games, but instead were suspended from their spring sports. Why were football players given less of a punishment if it truly was a county policy? Second, why isn’t the coach and administration at MHS being investigated and punished in this matter? There is no possible way that the coach could not have realized that half of her team was intoxicated. The coach was responsible for the girls during the game, so was she relieved of her position? To add to that, wasn’t an administrator on the field like at all the other high school games? How did they not realize that eight girls had been drinking? I feel that Dr. DeCotis should be investigating this matter, and I hope that The Citizen will continue to report on this issue.

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Why is it okay for Fayette County teachers to promote and voice their opinion regarding the ESPLOST at school gatherings? I thought FCBOE employees weren’t allowed to promote it under any circumstances, as it would be a “conflict of interest” for them. While attending a pre-season demonstration of our marching band, all the parents were subjected to our band director’s speech telling who will lose their jobs at our school if this tax isn’t passed. Also, while attending a recent chorus concert (which I was told the board requested the date be moved up so it would be held before Nov. 4) there was a slide show presented while a student told her reasons why this tax should be passed. I’m not the only one who is really getting fed up because the teachers are pushing ESPLOST down our throats. News flash: it’s backfiring more than you can imagine. The parents sitting in your audiences aren’t stupid and know exactly what you’re doing.

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Braelinn PTO strikes again. I am sick of getting emails from the PTO concerning the ESPLOST. OK, I get that you really, really, really want for me to vote YES. Please stop using all of our email addresses to push the SPLOST on us. I volunteer at Braelinn regularly, and have been bombarded with emails about fund-raisers this year. When I signed up to receive the Sneek Peek of the week from our PTO president, I did not sign up for these SPLOST emails. I suspect there are many others who also did not volunteer their email address so that they could be hounded about the SPLOST. This is the first line of the email I received (I have taken out the sender’s name): “Hi,this is not being passed through the PTO. just [name], Fayette county citizen.” I find this humorous considering the only emails that I have ever received from this person have been PTO-related. That is the only reason that she has my email address in the first place.

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Wow what is happening with the after-school program? First they raised the rates this year; if you go one day or five days, all are the same price — $50. What happened to the parents that work one or two days? Then the snacks are so bad the children do not eat them. The director of the program has one bookkeeper and four secretaries. Yes, folks, not one, but four. Meanwhile, if a school needs a person to work, they send someone from a school on the north side to the south side. How about sending one of her secretaries and leave the other schools alone? This year there was no money allowed to buy crafts or even a glue stick because her office is using up all the funds on payroll. As a parent that put two children through Fayette County After School program, I was very happy with them. Now, this year I must put my other children in another program so they can have fun and do arts and crafts without being told, “We have no glue sticks; sorry, we can’t do arts and crafts today.” I don’t want the coordinator or assistant coordinator paying for everything that goes into the program. Come on now, give the sites some money.

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I am a 9-year-old boy from PTC and I love hockey. I have been playing my whole life. This season my brother and I play in Marietta at the Marietta Ice Center. It takes an hour to get there. I want an ice rink here so I can play hockey with my friends and they can play too. Everyone that plays roller could learn ice also. They all say they want to. It’s fast, you can slide, it’s cooler and you don’t have to drive an hour to get there.

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On the Dar comments, it made me think of the joke about how multiple studies have shown that making up statistics is just as accurate as real statistics. To quote Dar, “with anticipated attendances of 6,000 people per year, which is estimated to bring in gross revenues of over $1.4 million into the local economy ...” Just some easy math says that’s over $200 per person. Or for a family of four, a deal at just $800. Multiple studies show that most ice rinks are going out of business due to an attendance rate of only about 10 percent. Other numerous studies warn never to trust a man that says he’s only doing it to help you. (How many studies show that, you ask? Oh, about 67 of them).

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Why is there so much cancer in Fayette County? I know three people with brain cancer alone. This does not include breast and other cancers. The one thing we have in common is our water. Is Fayette County a dumping ground? I will not name the name of closed businesses, but one that comes to mind in PTC near Ga. Highway 74. Why are these numbers so high? Will someone please explain this to us? We people in Fayette County try and stay healthy. I hope The Citizen will do a report on this or one of our local physicians can come up with an answer. With the Cattle Barons Ball coming up, I hope this gets noticed.

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To the male biker who on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 10:45 a.m. decided to [relieve himself] on Robinson Road close to Ebenezer Road, I want to remind you that this is Peachtree City and not Europe, where men relieve themselves very freely. First of all, you could have gone behind the bushes, but you stood in front of them. You must have been in dire straits when you didn’t care that drivers passing the area would have no problem seeing you. As a woman, I wasn’t impressed with what I saw. Next time you are out on a ride, don’t forget to wear Depends.

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Please obey the speed limit on Ebenezer Road. This is not an interstate; this is a county road with a speed limit of 45 mph, and in some places, 35 mph. And please don’t litter.

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To the “gentleman” who drove up my cul-de-sac (with only 10 houses), turned around the cul-de-sac to face outward, then pulled up in front of my house (on the opposite side of the street): Was letting your dog out of your back door, unleashed while you watched to relieve itself on my yard, a random act? Or do you not care for my Obama/Biden sign? Your dog jumped back in and you drove away like a coward.

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To the person whining about the fire trucks in the fire lane in front of a store: Grow up. My husband is a fireman (not in Fayette County). These guys work 24-hour shifts. Most have to work two or three jobs because they don’t get paid enough to survive only on the fire department salary. While on the job, if they sit down to a meal that they have bought or prepared and you call because you have a gas pain or maybe they get a real emergency call, they must leave their meal and jump in the fire truck or ambulance and go. Imagine eating, taking a shower or using the restroom and having to stop immediately to go on calls. They face crazy drivers not paying attention to sirens blaring and sometimes almost lose their own life while working to save others. While on duty, they must be prepared at any moment to respond to the calls of the citizens they serve. So what if they park at the front of a store? They could have just responded to a call at that store or, heaven help, maybe they were buying lunch or dinner. Give ’em a break. They serve the people of their county and they do a great job. And most importantly, they would risk their own life to save yours. Remember 9/11?

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The 4-way stop at Peachtree Parkway and Crosstown Drive causes a lot of problems for some drivers. More than half of the drivers don’t understand how a 4-way stops work. Some stop and then go, whether it’s their turn or not; others sit there and look confused; some barely stop (kinda like a California roll). Wouldn’t it be much simpler if there was a light there? That new complex will generate lots more traffic. I try to avoid that intersection as much as possible at rush hour because I get so irritated by drivers’ stupidity. A 4-way stop is very impractical on a four-lane street. Maybe the traffic signal would be an eyesore in PTC. Which is best: practicality or beauty?

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I want to publicly thank a good citizen named Chad in Peachtree City who answered my call for help when I goofed and got our golf cart stuck on a steep decline on the golf cart path. I was on the cart with my father, who is disabled, and three toddlers. I made a bad turn and got the axle stuck, and a tire became suspended in the air. My husband also arrived and the two men lifted the cart (with me on it, to steer) to put us back on the right track. Chad stopped his exercise to help a cart full of strangers and do some seriously heavy work. He even refused my offer to treat him to lunch. He was unselfish and kind. I appreciate what he did for us. I pray blessings fall upon him and his family a thousand-fold.

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If you are for the free market and against the bailout, then there’s a place for you. Bob Barr and the Libertarian ticket is the fiscally conservative party. A vote for Bob Barr and Allen Buckley sends a strong message to our government that we want lower taxes, fair and or flat tax, and no more bailouts of Wall Street.

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I would like to commend our new mayor for cleaning up PTC. I see much less litter these days in PTC and I see no more armies of volunteers running around doing the city’s job picking up litter. PTC is now being cleaned up on a regular basis by the city’s ground crews, who are doing an excellent job. Great job, Harold. Your predecessor clearly had no interest in cleaning up PTC. He was too busy cleaning up the tennis center and amphitheater. We have an old saying in the South: “The proof is in the pudding.“ Also, PTC recently made a great decision to bring in Nancy Price, who has proven herself in Fayetteville year in and year out. We are very excited to have her take over The Fred. No chance of bringing back Virgil Christian, as he now holds the third highest position in the USTA nationally. I guess they never got a copy of his rap sheet. Clearly a fluke.