Senoia Police officers involved in a March 3 incident where two people were shot at a Stallings Road residence have been cleared of any wrongdoing, with Assistant District Attorney Raymond Mayer saying May 22 that the injuries were not the result of excessive force and that the officers actions were lawful.

April preliminary unemployment figures for Coweta County rose to 9.4 percent compared to revised figures for March that placed the rate at 8.8 percent.

West Central Technical College Foundation announced Tuesday that it had received a 38-acre land gift from Orchard Hills Golf Properties, LLC valued at $1.7 million. The property is located off I-85 near the future Poplar Road site of Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Initial funding for the building program could come in next year’s legislative session.

A staple in the towing and accident recovery business in south Fulton County for nearly 20 years has opened a second location in Newnan with flat-rate towing in the city. Southside Wrecker Service opened its new 24-hour location in early May at 679C U.S. Highway 29.

More than 1,250 Coweta High School seniors are expected to participate in graduation ceremonies, held Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the campuses of Coweta County high schools. Newnan High seniors graduated May 28, to be followed by May 29 ceremonies at Northgate and May 30 ceremonies at East Coweta.

Senoia was bursting at the seams for the 4th Annual Memorial Day activities. Crowds enjoyed non-stop family activities that included all kinds of live music, from the 116th Army Bank to the Chris Youman’s Band, and endless variety of food, arts & crafts and, of course, the Memorial Day Parade with more than 70 entries. To view all 92 photos visit the Memorial Day click here.

Canongate Road will be closed from June 1 through early August at Persimmon Creek in northeast Coweta County. A faulty culvert will be replaced where Canongate Road crosses Persimmon Creek, just south of the entrance of Persimmon Creek subdivision.    

On Saturday, May 30, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) will be conducting free kidney health screenings at the Ben Hill United Methodist Church’s Annual Health Fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Members of Coweta County’s Tax Rate Review and Appeals Committee voted 4-1 Wednesday to recommend to county commissioners that Starship Adult Novelties & Gifts be issued a business license to operate its Thomas Crossroads location. Commissioners are expected to take up the issue in June.

Senoia’s downtown streetscape revitalization project is set to begin next week. Once completed later this summer, the $312,500 state Transportation Enhancement sidewalk project will bring a new look to the immediate downtown business area.

Approximately 60 east Coweta residents concerned about a proposed county fueling station to be located next to the fire station on Fischer Road near I-85 met Tuesday at the fire station adjacent to Northgate High School to express their opposition. Group members said they will attend the June 2 commission meeting to continue that opposition.

What a difference a few weeks makes. What had been an issue of unkept property along I-85 by Adesa Auto Auction did a 180-degree turn-around at the May 19 meeting of Coweta County Commission. Board members heard a report from county administrator Theron Gay and Adesa representative Brett Roland that reversed the call for possible citations on county code violations.

It comes but once a year, but for some in the Christian community it holds relevance to local communities and to the nation. More than 70 elected and appointed officials, along with ministers from Fayette and Coweta counties, community members and church members attended the 16th Annual Fayette Community Prayer Breakfast held May 7 at Grace Church as a part of the National Day of Prayer.

Threatening clouds overhead and intermittent rain could not forestall the fun for families May 16 in Palmetto for the annual Founder’s Day Parade and Festival. The parade was photographed by a dozen Palmetto youngsters as part of the city’s Cultural Arts Project. The young photographers and hundreds of other residents continued the celebration in Veterans Park with plenty of food, family activities and music.

Jesse Hill is back again this year with his Shoot the Hoop summer camp. This summer beginning June 1 the academic and sports camp will be held in Fairburn near Landmark Christian School and can serve up to 250 students.

Georgia State Troopers and officers with the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Motor Carrier Compliance Division will be strictly enforcing safety belt laws this coming Memorial Day holiday weekend. Additionally, the law enforcement personnel will be watching for impaired drivers during their holiday patrols. Up to 875 injuries are predicted, along with 18 deaths.

Christine Jones is not your average person with a 9-5 outlook on work. Her paying job finds her at a local trucking company, but after hours, the Sharpsburg resident puts in nearly the equivalent of another full day’s work at home in front of her computer trying to help people across America find their missing relatives or those who have been found dead but remain unidentified. For Jones, her mission is a matter of Lighting the Way Home for families to locate their loved ones.

Recession. What recession? What began as an empty lot on the northwest corner of Main and Seavy in Senoia has become the three-story “48 Main Street” office/retail building that continues the city’s march into the future by capitalizing on the historic look of the past.

More than a dozen Palmetto youngsters May 9 got their first look at digital cameras they will use as part of the 2009 Palmetto Cultural Arts Project, a two-year effort that will combine photography with training they will receive to catalogue many of the oral histories provided by local residents. Funding for the project, entitled “Our Lives, Our Land, Our Legacy” came from a grant from Fulton County Arts Council (FCAC) and its partnership with the city of Palmetto.

Most one-man shows are monologues espousing the author’s core beliefs. However, this is not what Newnan Community Theatre Company’s first one man show is. What it is is a hilarious comedy written by Becky Mode. On May 15 and 16, Trey Stephens will star in “Fully Committed.”

Thousands filled the Coweta County Fairgrounds May 1 for the 2009 Coweta County Relay for Life. A total of 66 local teams with 1,191 participants were joined by countless others for the 12-hour event. It was a time of celebration for loved ones that survived cancer and a time to remember those whose lives have been taken. To view all 77 photos click here. Photo/Ben Nelms.

The number of cases of H1N1 influenza present across a number of states and nations appears to be waning and has produced many fewer serious complications and deaths than originally considered possible. That notwithstanding, a group of officials from local and regional health agencies, government, school and business met in Newnan May 5 to discuss the current status of H1N1 and the type of response that might be indicated if the strain made its way to Coweta County. The discussion also had applications for any type of public emergency that might occur in the future.

Coweta County School System is poised to use its $6.5 million in upcoming stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to preserve 42 teaching positions that might have otherwise been reduced.

Coweta County commissioners gave unanimous approval to the 2009-2010 budget submitted by District Attorney Pete Skandalakis, who was acknowledged for holding the line on his upcoming expenditures.

Pursuit ran from Senoia to Fayetteville; charges filed

A Jefferson man was arrested Saturday night after he led Senoia police officers on a chase into Fayetteville, police said.

Adesa Auto Auction at the May 5 county commission meeting was given 7-10 days to show progress on a required clean-up of portions of its 60-acre property along I-85 in northeast Coweta or face possible citations. The company agreed April 7 to clean-up the required portions of its property and to comply with all zoning requirements after the company leased the property to auto storage firm APLS for the short-term storage of new vehicles. Adesa representative Brett Roland cited obstacles in having the work done but said it would be completed in a timely manner.

Senoia's 4th annual Memorial Day Celebration and Festival begins at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25th in historic downtown Senoia. Make plans to bring your family for a fun day of patriotic celebration. Space is currently available for antique, handmade arts and crafts vendors (no resale items, please) as well as parade participants. Entry forms for vendors and parade participants are available at www.senoia.com.   

The six major Coweta County humane societies have entered into discussions to form a coalition to explore the benefits of working together while allowing each group to maintain its individuality and area of focus in animal welfare. Attendees at this landmark meeting were Michele Decker of For Paws Rescue; Barbara Grosse from Georgia Heartland Humane Society; Michelle Humphries of Georgia Humane Society; Luvana Dennis of Shelter Rescue; Kaye Phillips of Paws 911; and Jeanne West of The Good Shepherd Humane Society. Due to a scheduling conflict, LouAnn Jones of Newnan Coweta Humane Society was unable to attend.

Coweta Youth Named to Congressional Academy for American History & Civics.
Jon Landon of Senoia, a student at East Coweta High School, has been accepted to attend the 2009 Congressional Academy for American History & Civics.

Plans are moving forward for the establishment of a charter school in Senoia. Charter Schools USA representatives held their second meeting with the parents of potential students last week at the Freeman Sasser Building, laying out their plans and updating the more than 40 in attendance. A petition to establish the school will be sent to Coweta County School Board in May.