How long will it take for the schools to do something about the bullying problem? The young man from Whitewater High School is just another example of a school system that turns its eyes from what is happening. This young man had gone to the counselor numerous times in middle school to complain about being bullied. Nothing was done. If the problem had been taken care of, he wouldn’t have to go time and time again to ask for help. There is a state bullying mandate that the schools are supposed to follow. They don’t. If a child bullies someone three times, they are supposed to be sent to an alternative school. How many students in Fayette County have been sent to alternative school for bullying? Very few. There are hundreds of cases of teasing in the high schools everyday. Bullying is teasing, name-calling, threats and ostracizing. The schools know what is going on. They may put a student who bullies in ISS (that is where the child stays after school or before school in a classroom for 20 minutes). This does not deter them. The child who was bullied for years is the one who goes to jail. They are usually very nice children who just can’t take it anymore, because the school system let them down. But the schools won’t admit to any fault. They will cover up their side of it. I know what goes on. I am a teacher in the county. We are the ones who send the bullies to the office, just to see them come back to our room minutes later.

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Mayor Logsdon made out on the campaign trail like he was going to be the little Dutch boy who stuck his finger in the dike to save the town. He’s turned out to be the boy who cried wolf. He’s proven a poor leader that can’t be trusted. I hope the new county commissioners are paying attention and don’t repeat these mistakes.

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Many of us agree with Ralph Trapaga’s letter on Mayor Logsdon and taxes. First, Harold Logsdon promised many of us, to our faces, that he was going to roll the millage rate back. He and his supporters bragged about having the skills to make the tough budget cuts. The mayor told us blatant lies. Logsdon told the seniors that he was going to leave the Gathering Place expansion in the budget. A month or so later, he said that he was eliminating the project totally. I read in last week’s paper he decided to put it back. How can you believe a word he says? The annexation requests are a joke too. What’s the advantage to annexation and adding significant density to development?

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Reading about Mayor Logsdon overseeing the police force got me wondering: Where is our handsomely-paid assistant city manager during all this McMullen drama?

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Yes, Peachtree City is at the crossroads. I have lived here for eight years and was so happy to live in a beautifully maintained and safe community. Now we have crime running rampant on the paths, armed robberies in shopping areas, and all kinds of riffraff and thugs walking around. And many teens from so-called good families think these ghetto thugs are cool. Go eat at Taco Bell and watch the comings and goings, and you will know what I mean. Please don’t tell me there is no correlation between this mess and the overdevelopment and soon-to-be urbanization that is running rampant here. It only took 10 years for Clayton County to become what it is now. As it is, there are probably many who would love to see our city fall flat on its face. Furthermore, the mayor, city council, city planners choose not to respond when you voice your concerns. Either they are in total denial or they are walking around in Fantasyland with blinders on. It will be interesting to see what the results of their survey will be, because I am sure many citizens are as concerned about our future as I am.

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Was Mayor Logsdon’s campaign supporter from Pathway given almost $2 million for the TDK land that is worth much less? Are the mayor and council going to be outlandish enough to annex property owned by Group VI after they ravaged the site so they wouldn’t have to comply with city development ordinances? I’ve been told “yes” on both accounts. This city council is unbelievable. How can the condition of the Peachtree City get much worse?

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I love Free Speech. I and my family lived in Fayetteville for 20 years before recently moving out of Fayette County and I must say that it appears our decision to move was the correct one. So long to the “inner city” crime element brought on by all the dense commercial development everybody wanted because it was just too far to get in their cars and travel any distance, the “strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” rules there brought on by folks who can’t seem to live right unless they have rules to spell out every specific detail of what they can or cannot do and when or when not, etc., and last but not least, the seemingly never-ending traffic that has overtaken the whole place to the point where you cannot even leave your home to run to the grocery store, bank, or anywhere else without having to sit through all the traffic lights every block of the way. Y’all wanted all that “big city stuff” and now you are getting it. So long; it’s the country life for me.

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Once again, the Peachtree City “pretty police” are out on patrol. If you have any grass or weeds that hit 12 inches, watch out. But it’s apparently just fine for the highway medians to have grass and weeds that grows nearly three feet high at times before being mowed. Now the “pretty police” have informed us that if there is a next time there will be no warning, just a citation. I wonder when this happened, because as far as I can tell the municipal code of Peachtree City still states, “The city code enforcement officer shall notify in writing the owner, the tenant, the owner’s agent, or the property manager that the conditions exist and must be abated within 48 hours,” and there has been no notice in writing that this ordinance has been changed.

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In response to the person who blamed Wynnmeade and Wal-Mart for all of the troubles in Peachtree City in the Aug. 2 edition of ‘Free Speech’, I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for furthering why I intend to never live in Peachtree City, if I can help it. The pompous attitudes, such as yours, are one of the major reasons. Do you really believe that all of PTC’s ills come from Wynnmeade and Wal-Mart? Is every “real” PTC resident this pompous? Have a look through The Citizen’s online edition, and you have a myriad of illegal activities committed by, God forbid, “the normal PTC teen.” One student, a band member and straight-A student, brings four firearms and 150 rounds of ammo to school, and you have another who is a senior on the Starr’s Mill football team who is arrested and charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery and battery on a cart path. A 19-year-old is found in his bathroom unconscious from using heroin. Two teens arrested on carts for possession of alcohol by a minor. None of these kids lived in Wynnmeade, although perhaps they have shopped at Wal-Mart before, so maybe that’s the cause. The fact here is that kids do stupid things, from the mischievous, such as stealing golf carts for joyrides, to stealing beer from a garage refrigerator of someone that isn’t smart enough to close the garage in the first place, all the way up to and including bringing guns to school, and trying to rob people on cart paths. It doesn’t matter if they’re from PTC, Wynnmeade, or Anytown USA. I graduated from Newnan High School in 1991, and when I was in high school, it was very widely known that while most teens at NHS were experimenting with marijuana, many teens at McIntosh were dabbling with heroin and freebasing cocaine. Even before that, when I was about 15, I had a good friend in PTC, who lived right on one of the golf courses, and whose dad was a pilot at Delta. He and his friends used to get a kick out of — guess what? — stealing carts for joyrides and taking beer from garage refrigerators. That was about 1987 or 1988. Me, being brought up in East Tennessee and then Newnan by parents who made sure that they knew what I was up to, was pretty shocked by this, and wanted nothing of it, for the simple fear of getting my hide tanned by my parents should they find out. What about the teen suicides in the past few months? What about the drug dealer busted selling on the cart paths recently? What about the PTC city manager pleading guilty to DUI? What about the two parents cited for failing to send their kids to school? It may seem strange to you, but none of these people I have mentioned thus far lives in Wynnmeade. Does Wynnmeade have it’s share of problems? Certainly, but it also has good upstanding people, some of whom I work with here in Peachtree City. The bottom line is that no neighborhood or city is immune to bad things, from the mundane to the serious, and for you to assume that all problems emanate from one neighborhood is ludicrous. Perhaps your denial that any “real” PTC youths could do such things, and refusal to accept that fact, is a contributing factor in why it happens in the first place. Wake up.

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I am currently 18, and I have lived in Peachtree City for the past three years. Now with that said, I hope to give a better insight to all these problems that seem to have just appeared. Without speaking too much of my own past, I can safely say I know what’s been happening in this city. All these problems people are just now complaining about have only grown exponentially worse because nobody cared to speak up before. I’ll break this down, and address the issues somewhat separately. 1. The majority of vandalism, petty thefts, golf cart joy-riding (sorry to break your hearts) is done by white high schoolers. To blame those problems exclusively on certain subdivisions or areas of the city is ridiculous. In reality most of the black teens in the city don’t do anything of the vandalism or garage raiding sort because they know they’ll be profiled for it. (For the record, I am white.) 2. Peachtree City as a town, is imploding. The foundations that this city was built upon (being a planned golf cart community) don’t mean anything, if the people within the city think that a name or reputation will keep the bad out. What I’m trying to say is, you really shouldn’t whine and complain saying that you’ve lived here 20 some-odd years and blah, blah, crime, blah, drugs, etc., are taking over. If you’ve lived here 20 some-odd years, you should have been able to spot the trend and spoke up a lot sooner. If you can’t accept the fact that it’s been happening right under your nose, then please stop complaining and just go do something about it (besides complain more, of course). 3. With all due respect, I will now criticize the police officers of Peachtree City. I’m pretty sure that writing 30 misdemeanor marijuana tickets a month will get you your (taxpayers’ paid) check, but I’m not sure it’ll really do much for the crime in the town. Now, of course Peachtree City has had its fair share of drug/crime related arrests, but none of any consequence. Unless something falls into your laps, it doesn’t seem that you have any real interest in pursuing it. The other day, on the lower half of Peachtree Parkway around the hours of 10-11 p.m., you had someone pulled over. There were six cars and four officers in the (two-door) truck searching it. I figured that something must have been found, something big, something worth using that many on-duty officers for. But, naturally, as I find out, the only thing in the car was a “roach” and that was found before the search. I don’t understand why the force doesn’t seem to put in effort until they already found something. Busting people for personal marijuana possession isn’t gonna stop any drugs in this city, or even frighten anyone. If anything, it gives teens more reason to rebel. (However, I do admire the force’s work to crack down on pedophiles online.) 4. I’m now gonna address what the real PTC is: Spoiled suburban kids who are bored and have no respect for others (wow, that one was easy). 5. Despite what your 70s and 80s drug education films might have taught you, most kids don’t get seduced or tricked into trying them by Jimmy Crack Dealer. It’s a business just like any other; and it’s supply and demand. If there’s a demand, then here comes the supply. And for once, just admit to yourselves that maybe your precious 15-year-old doesn’t just come home with bloodshot eyes because he’s tired. It’s always a lot closer to home than you think (obviously). Complaining is not a solution; take time to cut these problems off before they get out of hand.

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Like cockroaches, gangsters come out at night to terrorize communities with violence and crime and to spray their loser-language on fences and walls.

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Judi Rutherford is either a paper tiger or a bad actor with an agenda. For the second time in a row, Rutherford chided an applicant for annexation related to poor planning. Also, for the second time, she approved the request and forwarded it to city staff. Her actions and words are in dire conflict. This is like watching a real bad play, except this play eats away at our schools, roads and other public services. Peachtree City is dying from a lack of leadership.

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It would be nice if the unincorporated area around Peachtree City became its own little city like Sandy Springs. It seems that incorporating the land into PTC is not what the citizens want. The west side of town is being held hostage by the developers; since they are developing the land before they put in a second access road to Ga. Highway 74. If a disaster happens, how would the authorities quickly evacuate all of the residents with just one exit road? The planning and zoning department should have insisted upon the road being built before approving their plans or any construction taking place. It would be beneficial to the developers to put in the road now because it would help them to make the property safer and more marketable. The fire department insurance rating would go up and everyone would be happy with the outcome.

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I have lived in this beautiful city for 17 years. When I purchased my home I did all my research and was aware of what was to be built, especially in the Kedron community where I live. I was aware of the Super Kroger and the possibility of a Target-type store, and unlike most, I was happy with the development. I knew it was coming. Now, every week I read in our paper of proposals for continued annexation. When will this stop? I travel like most residents on Hwy. 74 to Interstate 85 to work downtown and have watched 74 go from one red light to seven, adding 15 minutes to my commute each way. Our city is built out but yet we continue to allow annexation and continued development. The latest that seems to be a reality is the Wieland plan. Oh, yes, did you see the beautiful ad in this week’s paper? Come on, do you really think they are doing this development for the city’s benefit? Profit was not mentioned once in this advertisement. Not to mention the heat Wieland must be getting from those folks who purchased homes in the Centennial community who obviously did no research to discover they were landlocked. Why should everyone else be punished with increased traffic and more development. Wieland also mentioned donating ground for a new school. Well, think about it: 300-400 homes equals 600 to 800 new school children. The development itself will need its own school. How does that benefit the residents of current Peachtree City? I don’t think I am alone with these opinions. Let’s hold our politicians accountable, who at one time before office were also against annexation. And as far as the needed road for the railroad crossing, Wieland should pay for that with their profits they made from Centennial Village.

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Peachtree City is no longer such a great place to live. The time it takes to get to Atlanta for work gets longer and longer. We are starting to see more serious crime and I worry about my children. Adding more houses through annexations will only make matters worse. It’s time to start making some changes. Even though everyone seems to be disgusted with the Group VI annexation request, it will eventually pass. Councilman Stuart Kourajian and Mayor Harold Logsdon are firmly planted in the Group VI camp. It’s a tragedy when a sneaky developer can totally get around the city’s ordinances and planning commission critiques by executing the project prior to asking for annexation. If this one passes, anything can go. The city council has very low standards.

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Ten years ago, the Olympics left its mark on Atlanta. Unfortunately for us, the Olympics were to have such a negative impact on Peachtree City that many parents won’t let their kids use the cart paths. For those who don’t know, one of Atlanta’s notoriously dangerous, crime-riddled housing projects, Techwood Homes, was leveled to make room for Olympic Village. The residents needed to be relocated. At the same time, a new apartment complex on Peachtree Parkway south of Crosstown was nearing completion. The developers of the project got the bright idea to take advantage of government money by offering subsidized housing. So guess where many of Techwood’s finest ended up? Right here in the middle of suburbia, bringing their friends with them. Peachtree City leaders at the time claimed they were lied to. But one thing is for sure, the result, Harmony Village, is the arguably the worst thing that has happened to peaceful Peachtree City since its inception. When Village Park was being developed behind Harmony Village, many of us thought the folks who bought in there, most of them retired, obviously did not know what lurked in their own backyard. Police Chief Murray once said that the police were averaging 60 calls a month in Harmony Village. There were much-publicized problems at the schools as well. The negative publicity was so bad back then, that the developers had to change the name of the place to its current name. These are not “insensitive” comments; these are facts. What was once one of PTC’s most well-traveled cart paths, linking thousands of residents in the Braelinn neighborhoods to restaurants, stores, and even our amphitheater, is now seldom used by kids and adults as well. The Village Park folks are struggling with vandalism and threats, and now an out-of-state kid on a golf cart has been assaulted behind Harmony Village. What a surprise. It’s time for Peachtree City leaders to get their heads together to do something about a problem that for years everyone has been hoping would go away. People can talk about traffic, railroad tracks, etc., all they want. This is our town’s most menacing problem. This latest, well-publicized incident could have a devastating impact on our town. At the very least, why not force the owners of Harmony Village to provide 24-hour security? Can you imagine the uproar today if a developer wanted to build a subsidized housing project in the middle of a new neighborhood, then move low-income families from the inner city to fill it up? To those who were running the city back in the mid-90s, the ones that were supposed to be on watch when this situation was unfolding before their very eyes, thanks for nothing. You should be lined up and whipped, or worse, be forced to live in Harmony Village.

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It works for illegals, so hows about other scoff-laws play the same game? Local cops have no authority to arrest bank robbers because bank robbery is a federal crime.

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Chris Clark was excellent during his tenure at the county development authority. Clark’s successor, Brian Cardoza, on the other hand, got the job on his daddy’s, Randy Cardoza’s (former commissioner of state industry and trade), name. Going back to the city for more cash incentives a second time showed you didn’t do it right the first time. And, yes, Brian, a $225,000 error is a whopping miscalculation. We like Cooper Wiring, but thank God that Dunn, Wells and Cardoza are gone.

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Brian Cardoza’s fait accompli on the Cooper incentives was further weakened by the fact he never sought the $20,000 from the city council himself. Wonder why he never came for the funds over the past two years? Cardoza’s letter seemed to confirm what Steve Brown said earlier. Unfortunately, Cardoza’s poor, very green replacement – someone who knew nothing of the actual trail of events – was dragged into doing it. Brown wrote that it was foolhardy of the city council to shell out $20,000 without knowing the history of prior payments and I agree with him.

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Brian Cardoza’s letter to the editor was a joke. Cardoza, former head of the county development authority, questioned PTC’s former mayor’s views regarding incentives to Cooper Wiring Devices. However, his letter seemed to agree with what Brown had to say. First, Cardoza said that Brown didn’t want to uphold the $20,000 commitment, yet in his previous sentence Cardoza said the mayor was good for $28,750. Cardoza agreed that he came to the city asking for more money and that the total eventually reached $300,000. At least the whining Cardoza had enough gumption to admit, “I’ll be the first to admit that I could have done some things better.” Yeah, Mr. Cardoza, that’s the understatement of the year.

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Your headline on the letter from Mr. Cardoza was misleading. It read that Mr. Cardoza had a different recollection of the Cooper incentives. The truth be told, he agreed with Steve Brown on almost every point: project presented as a $6 million investment, city asked for $20,000 incentive, city later was asked for more funds, authority made errors, Cooper infrastructure ended up costing “hundreds of thousands of dollars.” But Mr. Cardoza never mentioned anything about a “secret deal.” Mr. Brown’s letter on the on incentives was copied to the entire city council so where’s the secret? How much money did Peachtree City finally spend on behalf of Cooper Wiring altogether?

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And we will survive Eric Maxwell, too. But our millage rate will increase, and the population density will grow as the special interests call in their markers.

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Greg Dunn’s letter to the U. S. Attorney General is a desperate act of a vicious and vindictive man. He will fight for the last drop of blood he can get before his term expires in December. Like a crazed wild animal on the protected species list that is trapped in a corner, leave him alone, and hopefully he will go away. For the majority of Fayette County citizens who voted him out of office, it will not be soon enough. Could he be locked up for four months on a DWI (Driving While Infuriated)? How about Commissioner Rage And Pomposity?

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Fayette County... Remember when you could go to bed at night with your windows up and sleep soundly knowing you were safe? Remember when our schools were rated number one and our kids were safe? Remember when you could go shopping in our community, at any time, and didn’t fear for your safety? Remember when you could drive down the road without being cut off or ran off the road? Remember when you could own a business in Fayette County and didn’t feel like you had to take a gun to work with you for protection? Remember when you use to be able to drive down the road in Fayette County and could hear your music instead of the person’s next to you? Remember when you could take a walk around you neighborhood when you got home from work without fear? Remember when you could drive your golf carts anywhere and not get robbed on them? Remember when ... Remember when ...?

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What were the voters of Fayette County thinking? I can’t believe people would prefer to have Sun City South rather than Adams Farm.

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If red means high-security alert, what color should we use for our shamefully open borders?

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Is it economic warfare when one nation dumps millions of its citizens into another nation through massive illegal “migration”? You bet it is.