When sheriff’s candidate Dave Simmons kept hearing concerns from a number of citizens, he decided to embark on some private research.

For the first time in at least two decades, there is no Mrs. Winner’s in Fayetteville.

It was a total loss with no injuries Sunday night as the Mrs. Winner’s restaurant on Ga. Highway 85 in Fayetteville burned to the ground. Three employees on duty were the only ones inside the building.

What started as a trickle with the Fayetteville store’s closing has now grown into a full-grown river as Goody’s Family Clothing filed for bankruptcy this week.

Boxer Evander Holyfield is currently off the hook on the foreclosure of his $10 million estate in north Fayette. But problems still linger with a $1.1 million promissory note reportedly owed to Branch Banking and Trust (BB&T) and $6,000 for past due child support.

On July 1, 2008, the Fayette Animal Shelter will begin offering new services and will be implementing a new fee schedule. Throughout the past 4 years, the shelter has revamped many of its shelter and field services and increased standards to attempt to raise the rate of pet adoption.

It was a total loss Sunday night as the Mrs. Winner’s restaurant on Ga. Highway 85 in Fayetteville burned. Three employees on duty were the only ones inside the building. All escaped uninjured.

Back to back burglaries in Fayetteville in the early morning hours Wednesday, Thursday and Friday netted thieves few items for their effort. Police cannot confirm a connection but are investigating the three.

School taxes may see increase to fund $197.13 million budget with 2.5% pay raises

The Fayette County Board of Education gave tentative approval Monday to the 2008-2009 budget that represents a 2.58 percent increase, or $4.97 million.

For 508 Fayette children, school is still in session. Depending on their successful studies is promotion to the next higher grade.

Preliminary results of the eighth-grade CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests) math test required for promotion to ninth grade showed that 80 percent of Fayette students met the standard for promotion, but that left the remaining 20 percent, or 338 students, needing to re-take the test with a passing score before the school year begins in August.

A few years ago, the thought of obtaining authentic Jamaican or Thai food in Fayette County was unthinkable. But the increase of ethnic restaurants confirms what a regional snapshot from the Atlanta Regional Commission confirmed last week: Fayette’s population is becoming far more diverse.

Locals slam Clayton office supervising Fayette, ‘imposing Clayton standards’ on Fayette children

Fayette County’s Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) Board of Directors is still questioning intake screening procedures involving Fayette County children.

“That’s what friends do.”

That statement sums up the what happened when a 6-year-old boy saved his friend’s life last weekend at a graduation swimming party at a residence in south Fayette County.

The Peachtree City Council will decide Thursday night whether to allow a proposed shopping center to exceed the city’s size guidelines by 25,000 square feet.

Fayetteville police are investigating the armed robbery of the T.J. Maxx store at the Fayette Pavilion late Saturday night.

Tyrone attorney Rudjard Hayes, running against incumbent Scott Ballard for the position of district attorney in the Griffin Judicial Circuit, is criticizing Ballard for being soft on defendants accused of child molestation.

The Fayette County Commission will begin discussion tomorrow on an ambitious upgrade of the county’s recreation facilities.

Fayetteville police are investigating the armed robbery of the T.J. Maxx store at the Fayette Pavilion late Saturday night.

Shot fired in air during Fayetteville dispute

Fayetteville Police put the nab on a DeKalb County man Wednesday, charging him with selling counterfeit movies and CDs out of his vehicle.

Many Fayette County students will be taking classes this summer to get promoted to a higher grade after a less-than-stellar showing on state-mandated tests.

A Fayetteville woman who was attacked by a rabid fox last week said she was very thankful for the later intervention by police and the county’s animal control department. Two elementary schools are near the attack site.

Two of Fayette County’s largest law enforcement agencies stepped squarely into the middle of the race to succeed retiring Sheriff Randall Johnson.

The Fayette County Commission wants you to be able to turn your lawn sprinkler systems on again.

The commission agreed May 22 to file an application with Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to request that current Level 4 drought restrictions be downgraded to Level 2 status. Level 2 allows for outside water use three days per week.

A Fayette resident has filed a complaint with the Georgia Secretary of State’s office claiming that a man running for district attorney of the Griffin Judicial Circuit may not live in Fayette County.

A Fulton County man visiting Weatherly Walk apartments in Fayetteville May 24 was later admitted to Piedmont Fayette Hospital after being attacked by the two men who had brought him to the residence. Warrants are being issued for the apartment resident and another woman for withholding facts in the altercation.

Opinions differed May 22 as Fayette County commissioners debated a request to amend the Estate Residential District (EST) to decrease the minimum square footage from 3,000 down to 2,500. In the end they voted 3-2 in favor of the proposal previously recommended by the Planning Commission.

Left, Local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts lead the Pledge of Allegiance for a large crowd at Peachtree City’s annual Memorial Day event Monday morning. Story on Page A#. Photo/John Munford. Right, the tradition of Memorial Day lives on in Fayette County Monday as Boy Scout Troop 309 from Peachtree City begins the ceremonies at Fayetteville Cemetery. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Three of Fayette County’s five public high schools have received national recognition in Newsweek magazine’s listing of the top high schools in America. The honors went to Starr’s Mill, McIntosh and Sandy Creek.

Beating out a student from a state magnet school for agriscience, Jared Koenig of Fayette County High won first place in the Georgia Future Farmers of America (FFA) Proficiency in Diversified Horticulture.