It is designed to provide experience on local governance from the perspective of people in their teens. The City of Newnan Youth Activities Commission has formalized plans and is accepting applications for the new Youth City Council. The council will consist of students from each high school and of home-schooled students.

May 1 marks the official start of Smog Season in Georgia. For 54 counties throughout the state, that means the annual ban on open burning will be in effect once again. In the interest of public health, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will be enforcing the ban through September 30, during the hot summer months when ground level ozone and particle pollution are more likely to reach unhealthy levels.

The Optimist Club of Senoia will sponsor a blood drive for the Senoia area on Monday, May 4. The community drive will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Senoia United Methodist Church from 1-6 p.m.

Downtown Sharpsburg was transformed April 18 and 19 into a venue for shoppers, parents and their children and anyone looking for a bargain. The ladies pictured perusing jewelry and other collectibles were just part of the fun at the Sharpsburg Spring Festival. For more photos of the event click here.
Photo/Ben Nelms.

Whether gourmet or down-home, the variety of food was off the chart Apr. 16 at the annual spring edition of Taste of Newnan held at the old courthouse. As usual, the occasion was a time for socializing, listening to music and just having fun. For more photos, click here. Photo/Ben Nelms.

City to offer outdoor water meters to curb sewer bills

The average residential water bill in Senoia will be going up by about 22 percent thanks to a measure adopted Monday by the City Council.

This is the first water rate increase since 1998, City Administrator Richard Ferry said, adding that it will not affect sewer rates.

Coweta County’s preliminary unemployment rate for March fell by one-tenth of a point to 8.9 percent, a mirror image of the slight decrease experienced in the Chattahoochee-Flint region.

Senoia’s long-awaited new library came a step closer to reality Tuesday when Coweta County Library Board of Trustees approved a recommendation for the placement of the structure on property along Pylant Street and across the dirt driveway from Merri Mac Lake. Construction on the $1.7 million project is still likely to be 12-18 months away.

Alcohol package sales currently not allowed

A new company is proposing to open a package liquor store in Senoia at the intersection of Ga. highways 16 and 85.

However, there’s one significant problem. Senoia’s ordinances do not allow package alcohol sales, as pointed out Monday by Mayor Robert Belisle.

Coweta County commissioners at the April 21 meeting heard from Sharpsburg resident Michelle Humphries on the subject of conditions at the shelter and the plight of some of the animals there. Commissioners also heard from animal shelter director, Warden Bill McKenzie on improvements made recently at the facility. Commissioners said they would continue to look at ways to improve conditions at the shelter.

Senoia officials are hoping to convince more residents to recycle.

The city’s garbage company, Dependable Waste, offers recycling for free, City Manager Richard Ferry said at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Smiles, signs and cheers took LaGrange Street in Newnan by storm Wednesday, as a throng of people, perhaps as many as 400, gathered at city hall to attend the Newnan Tea Party. Like countless other events occurring across American April 15, those in Newnan said the statement they were making was about principle not party, and about freedom, not oppression.

Senoia City Council will take a look at increasing water rates by 22 percent at the April 20 meeting. If adopted it will be the first rate increase since 1998. A public hearing on the issue will take place immediately prior the council meeting and follows a discussion held at the April 7 meeting.

It was strikingly similar to a court trial, which is what it may well become before all is said and done. The appeal of the denial of a business license by Kelly Rogers’ Starship Adult Novelties & Gifts in front of Coweta County Tax Rate Review and Appeals Committee April 13 ended as it began, with only questions and no resolution and without the committee forwarding a “Yea” or “Nay” recommendation to county commissioners. Another meeting will be scheduled to continue the matter.

Friends, relatives and Coweta County employees joined county commissioners at Coweta County Prison April 6 to remember Jimmy Scogin, the only known county employee to be killed in the line of duty in nearly 100 years.

The Newnan Fire Department has completed their ‘Courage to be Safe Program.’ Former DeKalb Fire Chief Steve Cough and State Fire Academy trainer Rodney Pickle provided the training for NFD.

Lane closures will be required in Coweta County today and early next week for some boring work to be done in conjunction with planned road improvements. A county contractor will be doing geotechnical work (borings) that will require lane closures on Reese Road, Hammock Road and Ga. Highway 154. 

The Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity (NCHFH) will be relocating its offices and Habitat ReStore beginning Apr. 20 to the old 84Lumber building at 150 Pine Road in Newnan across from the Coweta County Fair grounds.

The move to construct Senoia’s new facility to house the police department and municipal court continued at the April 6 city council meeting with a unanimous vote to proceed with construction drawings for the project. JMA Architectures Interiors Planning representative Marion Repeta gave council members an overview of the construction plans for the $1.3 million project that will be located near the ball fields on Howard Road.

An April 4 chase that began in Senoia ended 30 miles away in Zebulon with the driver arrested and facing multiple charges after he finally pulled over and gave himself up. There were no injuries or accidents resulting from the pursuit.

Like many others in Coweta, county commissioners are intent on seeing an interchange constructed at I-85 and Poplar Road. A discussion at the April 7 commission meeting addressed that eventuality with the approval of funds for preliminary engineering to be paid with impact fees.

Jeff Fisher has been appointed to serve on the Senoia City Council to fill the vacancy left by councilman Keith Harrison who recently resigned the position. The term expires at the end of 2009.

Adesa Auto Auction agreed April 7 to clean-up the required portions of its 60-acre site along I-85 and to comply with all zoning requirements after the company leased the property to auto storage company APLS for the short-term storage of new vehicles. The site lost its grandfathered status when Adesa moved out.

Southeastern Site Development, Inc. was the low bidder for the installation of a proposed traffic light at Ga. Highway 154 and Glenda Trace at a price of $176,203.

Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC) is pleased to announce it is about to break ground for a Spring Beautification Project. A beautiful plant and flower bed arrangement at the corner of 1st Avenue and Long Street has been planned and is scheduled to be completed by April 25th.

The Rotary Club of Coweta-Fayette is proud to announce the induction of its newest member, James I. Pace III. Jimmy represents local development firm Group VI in the Club, and his classification is Commercial Real Estate Development. He was inducted at the Club's regular weekly meeting on Monday, April 6th, at the Peachtree City Tennis Center.

By all accounts there is a recession sweeping the nation. But from the number of business projects currently in various stages of development across Coweta County, the recession locally could be a lot worse. In reality, Coweta is faring better than many of Georgia’s counties.

Barring unforeseen obstacles the widening of the remainder of Ga. Highway 74 South from Cooper Circle to Ga. Highway 85 is expected to be let in July. The nearly $41 million project will cover 3.3 miles and will align Rockaway Road with Holly Grove Road.

The City of Palmetto has been awarded a grant from Fulton County Arts Council for its upcoming cultural arts project, “Our Lives, Our Land, Our Legacy: A Photographic Expression of Life in Palmetto,” to be held May 2-June 13.

Mike and Chris McNeal, owners of McNeal Transit Group located in Newnan, established a non-profit organization in January, 2008 in order to be more strategic with their charitable giving. The McNeal Family Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to serving local families who have been affected by childhood cancer. The foundation was established in honor of their niece, Hannah, who was diagnosed with childhood leukemia at age four. In addition to serving families, the foundation supports several local organizations that fit within the McNeal Family Foundation’s mission and purpose.