As the calendar turns to a new year, a number of city residents’ thoughts are turning to the city’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Peachtree City staffers are proposing a few changes relating to the appointment of volunteers to its various commissions and authorities.

The United States is clearly in a recession. The economy has tanked nearly everywhere, but not in Senoia. That reality came through loud and clear in a conversation Tuesday with City Administrator Richard Ferry. During 2008 available commercial space essentially doubled with much more on the way in 2009.

Coweta County Commission Dec. 16 approved a report on the proposed 40.7-acre Madras recreation site located in northeast Coweta that calls for both active and passive recreation amenities. The Madras Recreation Needs Assessment will become a component of an upcoming master recreation plan. The county-owned site is located along Hal Jones Road just south of Frank Cook Road.

The Board of Directors of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce has elected seven new Officers for 2009.

Board members elected to officer positions are: Jan Alligood, Chair, Georgia Power Company; Steve Mader, Chair Elect, SouthTowne Motors of Newnan; Vicki Kaiser, Treasurer, Piedmont Healthcare; Mark Fritz, Vice Chair-Membership & Marketing, Bank of Coweta; Grant Grimes, Vice Chair-Organizational Performance, Forestar Real Estate Group; Randy Cardoza, Vice Chair-Economic Prosperity, AGL Resources; and Phil Aaron, Past Chair, State Farm Insurance.

Motorists traveling along I-85 in Coweta County should expect delays during part of the first week of the new year. Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) said Monday that one southbound lane will be closed near the Ga. Highway 14/U.S. Highway 29 intersection Jan. 5-7.

The Georgia DOT has completed improvements to the intersection of State Route (SR) 54 at Stewart and Reese Roads. A new traffic signal has been installed and will be operational on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Ready to make a resolution and stick to it? If so then the Piedmont Newnan Hospital Wellness Center is the place to help start 2009 off on a healthier and happier note. Throughout the month of January, the  Piedmont Newnan Hospital Wellness Center is waiving the $75 initiation fee for new members.

If giving to others is near the top of your New Year's resolutions, look no further.

The American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive Friday at the Gathering Place recreation center in Peachtree City from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In Newnan they're hosting a blood drive Friday at Newnan Hospital from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Development of worldwide customer service HQ at the PTC plant will add 610 new jobs to local economy

New housing starts in Peachtree City — Fayette County’s largest city — have tumbled 50 percent in one year, according to figures from the city.

No word yet on effect to PTC location

Gardner Denver Inc., which has a manufacturing facility in Peachtree City among its worldwide holdings, has announced it will cut 9 percent of its global salaried workforce and enact a hiring freeze in light of “deteriorating global economic decisions” and as it integrates its acquisition of CompAir Holdings Limited.

Two out-of-towners picked a poor time to try and boost a golf cart in Peachtree City last Tuesday afternoon.

They happened to be getting away just as the cart owner exited the Crosstown Kroger store and neared the cart, police said. The suspects and the golf cart were found minutes later on the cart path near Oak Grove elementary school off Crosstown, said Capt. Michael Claman.

Hauler withdraws free service, offers to continue at cost

Plastic recycling is going the way of the dinosaur in Peachtree City.

Would save $45K but be less convenient for residents

In an effort to save money, the Peachtree City Library and the city’s Kedron Aquatic Center and Fieldhouse will soon be shortening their operating hours.

Spurred by a citizen’s request, the Peachtree City Council has divested its ordinances of an onerous rule that technically made lawbreakers out of some rather docile citizens.

Peachtree City officials are planning to close the little-used Clover Reach pool for good this year.

But another victim of the Peachtree City budget crunch may be one of the city’s three remaining public pools.

The Peachtree City-Falcon Field Composite Squadron has been named the nation’s premier Civil Air Patrol (CAP) squadron.

The Coweta County Commission Dec. 16 approved a report on the proposed 40.7-acre Madras recreation site located in northeast Coweta that calls for both active and passive recreation amenities.

FieldTurf Tarkett locating its world HQ here

A road in Peachtree City has been renamed at the request of a company that has relocated its world headquarters from Montreal.

The Peachtree City Fire Department and members of the Bank of North Georgia Peachtree City branch wish to extend their “thanks and appreciation to the entire community” for participating in the annual Toys for Tots drive.

Some homeowners were not pleased recently as Coweta County commissioners voted unanimously to grant a rezoning request that will expand the quarry operations of Vulcan Materials Company. The 67.56-acre site is located north of Elzie Johnson Road between I-85 and U.S. Highway 29.

The Greentop Road Bridge over the CSX railroad was closed Dec. 23 and will remain closed until further notice due to needed repairs.

What began last year is rapidly becoming another tradition for downtown Newnan. Crowds last weekend made their way to the courthouse square area for Main Street Newnan’s 2nd Annual Festival of Lights held Dec. 19 and 20.

A man recently paroled from prison who robbed a woman of her car at knifepoint outside Partner’s Pizza in Peachtree City Monday night was apprehended last night in Houston County, Ala., police said.

Olivia Crew, 9, of Peachtree City takes a few minutes out from shopping Sunday to chat with the real Santa, who had stopped in at the Kedron Kroger on Ga. Highway 74 to help Peachtree City Fire Department collect Toys for Tots, food and other donations as part of the department’s annual Santa Run. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Tab to ‘speed up’ cart bridge: $200K; undone bridge may be fixed with SPLOST funds

The long-uncompleted cart path bridge over the CSX railroad bridge at Ga. Highway 54 may stay that way a little longer.

Police looking for recently paroled felon; woman unhurt in knifepoint robbery

Peachtree City police searched Tuesday for a recently paroled felon who robbed a woman at knifepoint Monday night in the parking lot of the Aberdeen Village Shopping Center.

John Wieland Homes is asking Peachtree City to re-approve an annexation that was approved last year for 475 homes on a 379-acre parcel north of the Centennial subdivision off MacDuff Parkway.

A development agreement for a new shopping center on Ga. Highway 54 West spells it out clearly: Peachtree City agrees not to oppose the application for a traffic light at Hwy. 54 and Line Creek Drive that would serve the development.