It is a first for southwest metro Atlanta. It is a first for Georgia. The move is underway to establish the state’s first wildlife hospital and clinical research center in the new city of Chattahoochee Hill Country. The non-profit Georgia Rehabilitation of Wildlife Center (GROW) is raising $3.5 million construct the 11,000 square-foot facility on the grounds of Cochran Mill Nature Preserve in Chatt Hills. Land for the new facility is being donated by Minerva Properties, developer of Friendship Village, a Chatt Hills community in the planning stages in south Fulton County that will feature more than 60 percent greenspace.

The Sept. 18 landslide vote that defeated the new city of South Fulton is over and done. But a complaint filed by south Fulton resident Andre Walker to the Georgia Ethics Commission calls into question the actions by Fulton County Commission Vice-Chair Bill Edwards relating to the vote. A hearing on the complaint will be held Nov. 29.

The potential to have a second candidate’s forum in the races for mayor and council seats in District 2, 3, and 5 did not materialize.

At a special Nov. 20 called meeting Fulton County Board of Commissioners named Zachary Williams the new County Manager.

It may be one of Fairburn’s final city council meetings of the year but it will contain plenty of action. A sampling of the Nov. 26 agenda includes work related to the new college campus, a decision on landfills and transfer stations, along with several proposals annexations and a de-annexation.

Creekside High School is daring the South Fulton Community to do what has never been done before, to work together to send 10 high school students in the Sankofa African Studies Club on the trip of a lifetime – a journey to Kenya, East Africa, June 16-28, 2008. Starting November 7th through March 7th, 2008 every business in South Fulton is challenged to pledge a donation of at least $50.00 towards the group’s trip. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $37,500.00 for the Creekside Students to Africa Fund. From this fund we will draw monies needed to cover the cost of airfare, tours, hotels, transfers, vaccinations, passports, visas, and all meals. Do you believe it can be done? We do and that’s why we are challenging you to action. All donations are tax deductible.

It is a close call Wednesday afternoon along U.S. Highway 29 on Fairburn’s west side after a pick-up is clipped by another vehicle and careens off the road, taking out a telephone pole in the process. The single occupant in the truck walked away without a scratch.

It was a wish come true for residents in Fairburn and Fayetteville that fulfilled a greater wish for 12 year-old Pierce City, Florida resident Tim Moore. Battling the effects of a brain tumor, the 12 year-old wanted to meet his heroes, the Tampa Bay Bucs.

The Union City annual Christmas Tree lighting will be held Nov. 29 at 6:30 p.m. downtown at Mayor’s Park. Santa will be on hand and available to photos with the kids along Christmas treats and the Just Praise Chorus.

Palmetto is on the move again. It has been more than a year since property was annexed into the city, but that might be changing. Planning and Zoning commissioners Thursday voted to recommend the annexation of 254.71 acres that would extend the city limits south into Coweta County to I-85.

Astronaut Roger Crouch explains to Bear Creek Middle School students the rigors of preparing food to eat in space.

It was a different kind of setting for a topic that, until recently, has been largely unknown in Georgia. Jurisdictions from around the state converged at Rico Cultural Center Nov. 9 to learn more about Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), in a workshop sponsored by Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy (CHCC).

Fairburn made the move Nov. 13 to select a new police chief, with the hiring of retired Fulton County Police Deputy Chief James “Chip” McCarthy.

Palmetto Police are still searching for two armed robbers that held up DJ’s Grocery II Oct. 25.

Detective John Cooper said Thursday the men entered the store on Main Street with handguns drawn at approximately 11:30 p.m. The men ordered the two clerks to lock the door and surrender the store’s money, Cooper said.

It is quite an event at Palmetto Elementary School Nov. 9 as students, speakers, parents and veterans hold the school’s annual Veteran’s Day observance.

The current high price of copper has made it a lucrative commodity. That is also the case for criminals, with burglaries and thefts of the now-precious metal at epidemic proportions across southwest metro Atlanta, across Georgia and America. And all too often, copper theft is directly linked to the use of methamphetamine. An arrest made by Fairburn Police Nov. 2 is a glowing example of the problem. A Palmetto man who admitted being “messed up” with methamphetamine and alcohol was charged with tearing apart more than $1 million in heavy construction equipment just to get the radiators and other copper parts. The man used a trackhoe to rip the front ends off the heavy equipment to gain access to the radiators.

Tuesday night was nothing if not astounding, as votes tallied across the four cities of southwest Fulton brought a plethora of results in the form of upsets, close calls and runoffs set for Dec. 4. In all, history was made and the Nov. 6 vote was one for the record books.

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case claiming retaliation of a personnel action by the city of Fairburn that resulted in the 2004 termination of police Major Daniel Crawford.

It was virtually a done deal before it ever started. But residents of Oakley Township subdivision persisted and were able to get a number of provisions attached to the residential and commercial developments along Oakley Industrial Boulevard near Ga. Highway 138 approved by the Fulton County Commission Wednesday.

The time for south Fulton residents to make their decisions on who will represent them for the next four years is almost here. And with a total of 40 people qualifying in the four cities, the field of candidates for the Nov. 6 election will include perhaps the largest list of candidates in memorable history.

The second major shopping complex on South Fulton Parkway and the first inside Union City city limits was approved Oct. 29 by Union City Planning Commission. The preliminary plat for South Fulton Crossing shows a 450,000 square-foot commercial center anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

It is a big dream that may well come to fruition. An Oct. 27 conference at Georgia International Conference Center in College Park provided a look at a proposed international trade and tourism venue called the African Village Project, to be located on a handful of sites across unincorporated south Fulton County.

Fairburn’s long-awaited recreation program just got the go-ahead, and with it Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Hood just acquired another role. And what happens next will propel Fairburn into a new direction, a citizen-driven endeavor intended to benefit the city’s younger citizens.

An unidentified Union City man was found laying in the turn lane in front of Union Station Apartments at 4300 Flat Shoals Road Oct. 30, shot four times by an unknown assailant.

The following arrests were made by Fairburn Police between Oct. 24-30. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Please join Bear Creek Middle School as we kick-off our NASA Explorer School Program. Bear Creek was selected as one of 25 schools in the nation to participate in this exciting partnership. During the partnership, Bear Creek will work with NASA personnel and other partners to develop and implement programs in mathematics, science and technology education. Bear Creek Middle School will be recognized at the Fulton County Board of Education October meeting.

Metro Atlanta often experiences a rash of car thefts with running vehicles left unattended in the morning hours. Union City Police advise residents that there is no need to let your vehicle warm-up once the mornings turn cold since today’s vehicles operate efficiently without a warm-up.

The folks at Rico maintain their playful ways Oct. 26 and 27 for a Halloween bash at the Boy Scout hut.

The Landmark Christian School K4 students enjoyed the beautiful fall weather recently as they walked to the Fairburn Fire Dept to highlight their study of Community Helpers. While at the station, firefighters gave the students a tour of the firehouse, showed them the big ladder trucks and how they operate, and allowed them to sit in a fire truck. The students had a wonderful time and learned a great deal about fire safety and how important our Community helpers are. Photo/Special.

Fairburn first candidate’s forum in recent memory was held Oct. 21 at Southside Theater. Sponsored by Fairburn Business Association, the event gave the 50 residents present an overview of what candidates knew about some of the current issues facing the city and what plans they had to address them.