Cellphone companies Tuesday night presented their case for the necessity of new cellphone towers to the Peachtree City Council and Planning Commission.

More than three dozen residents attended a budget meeting hosted by newly-elected Councilman Eric Imker Saturday afternoon at City Hall in Peachtree City.

The U.S. gross domestic product grew by 5.7 percent in the last quarter of 2009, but you could not see any improvement locally by the look of Fayette County’s jobless rate. That rate rose again last month and now sits at 8.3 percent.

Patrons of the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater’s summer concert series will soon be receiving their ticket renewal forms in the mail along with an announcement of this year’s acts for the season.

The effects of the recession are still being evidenced in Fayette County and Peachtree City. Fayette’s unemployment for December rose to over 8 percent while Peachtree City’s jobless rate rose to well over 7 percent.

The future of cellphone towers in Peachtree City will be discussed at a workshop meeting of the City Council Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m.

The Peachtree City Council has selected a design option for widening the existing cart path bridge that spans Lake Peachtree along Ga. Highway 54.

Cutting carbon dioxide would add costs to electric bill, other products

A bill in Congress touted as a way to improve the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions will hit Georgia folks in their wallets, according to Michael Whiteside, the former CEO of Fayette-Coweta Electric Membership Corporation.

Residents and business owners are being encouraged to respond to a survey initiated by Peachtree City staff.

Among the questions on the residential survey, the most telling answers might be found on the section about the 2010-2011 budget, which is facing a potential $3 million shortfall.

A space heater is being blamed for causing a fire that destroyed a trailer in downtown Tyrone last week.

The trailer, located adjacent to Tyrone Tire, caught fire Jan. 21 but no one was hurt, fire officials said. The resident had left the space heater on for several dogs while the resident was away, officials said.

Contingent attending trade show to increase corporate traffic

Atlanta Regional Airport Falcon Field in Peachtree City will be participating in National Business Aircraft Association’s (NBAA) 21st Annual Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference that will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center January 27-29 in San Antonio, Texas.

There was no discussion needed last week at the meeting of the Coweta County Commission as board members unanimously approved a conditional use permit and buffer variance for Crossroads Baptist Church to construct a 14-acre recreation complex off Marion Beavers Road.

New figures released Thursday by the Georgia Dept. of Labor (DOL) show Coweta County’s unemployment rate up more than a percentage point in the past month. November’s 9.7 percent unemployment rate rose significantly to a rate of 10.8 percent in December.

Classes are underway and approximately 100 people attended the ribbon cutting Tuesday for Fayette County’s newest college. The first satellite campus of Atlanta Christian College (ACC) is located at 800 Commerce Drive in Peachtree City.

Coweta County commissioners last week approved $5,355 for the purchase of sound equipment for the courtroom and second floor of the historic courthouse in downtown Newnan.

A request by All Souls Church to construct an 8,400 square-foot building on Buddy West Road was denied by Coweta County commissioners last week on a 3-2 vote.

The Coweta County Chamber of Commerce at its 62nd Anniversary event Tuesday recognized four companies and governmental entities for their significant economic contributions to the community. Those receiving an Economic Prosperity Award included the Coweta County School System, the City of Senoia, D & H Distributing and the USDA National Detector Dog Training Center.

It was another episode of homes being evacuated due to flooding for some Tinsley Mill residents Sunday night. Some residents of the 10 Peachtree City homes returned to their residences Sunday night.

PTC Councilman wants ideas to reduce costs, increase efficiency

Peachtree City residents with an eye on trimming the city’s budget are invited to attend a meeting Saturday with new city Councilman Eric Imker.

A meeting on upcoming Congressional legislation that some say will have a greater impact on Americans than healthcare reform will be held Jan. 26 at the Gathering Place in Peachtree City.

A Lithia Springs man was arrested Thursday by Peachtree City police for using a local resident’s stolen credit card 32 times.

Lee Earnest Brown, 57, would use the card for everyday purchases like a meal at McDonald’s and a haircut, said police Lt. Mike Claman. Brown even used one charge to pay off a ticket for an item he had pawned, police said.

Peachtree City staff has been authorized to study a possible increase in the hotel-motel tax rate from 6 to 8 percent.
Along with the increase, the city might be able to spend additional tourism funds on general fund items such as parks and the path system, along with funding the city’s tourism efforts, City Manager Bernie McMullen told council Thursday night.

With little discussion, the Peachtree City Council Thursday night “indefinitely” postponed agenda items that could have led to council members and city staff getting an across the board raise.

A proposal by Fischer Crossings developer Scott Seymour to make what was called a minor change to a portion of the commercial center was denied Jan. 19 by Coweta County commissioners on a 2-3 vote. Commissioners at a subsequent meeting will review this and two previous proposals for the development.

A Jan. 18 fire involving two homes on Carlton Pointe Drive in Palmetto is under investigation after it was determined that the blaze was intentionally set. Both homes were unoccupied at the time.

An overview of upcoming transportation projects presented to Coweta County commissioners last week showed what should be a host of activity spanning the next three years. Some of the projects will be funded by 1-cent Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) dollars, with others funded by the county’s general fund budget and still others by the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT).

A lengthy discussion before Coweta County commissioners Jan. 19 led to a postponement of the decision on the fate of the Belair Estates transitional home in north Coweta. Commissioners will take up the issue next month.

A short presentation by the Senoia Downtown Development Authority at the Jan. 18 City Council meeting revealed a wealth of information of DDA’s current activities and future plans. Among those were plans for a monthly farmer’s market, the new DDA website and a cultural arts reception tonight at the Stone Lodge.

Peachtree City police are working a pickpocketing case from Dec. 26 in which two black men targeted an elderly woman shopping at the city’s Walmart superstore.