BoE members Todd and Key worry $185 million budget has left critical questions mostly unanswered

The adoption last week of the $185 million budget by the Fayette County School Board came after a year’s worth of cuts tied to the recession. With its adoption June 29, board members trimmed more than $11 million off the previous year.

Although they are elected and not hired, Fayette County’s five commissioners enjoy access to several benefits offered to county employees beyond their base salary.

The adoption of House Bill 251 this year by the Georgia General Assembly provides for students to transfer within a given school system, and Fayette County School System Safety, Discipline and Athletics Coordinator C. W. Campbell said that there will be a limited number of transfer openings locally.

Food Lion will unveil its first store in Fayetteville, located at 12160 County Line Road, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this Wednesday at 8 a.m.

The July 4 rally hosted by the Peachtree City Tea Party Patriots at the city’s Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater was the launching pad for the announcement that the group is changing its name to the Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots to reflect the inclusion of those in other south metro Atlanta counties that want to be affiliated with the non-profit organization.

Fayette County officials want to remind residents that odd-even watering restrictions are still in place, part of which includes a total ban on outdoor watering for everybody on Fridays.

The second phase of the West Fayetteville Bypass won’t be under construction until around January 2011, according to the latest timeline of the project compiled by county transportation officials.

The Fayette County Commission has agreed to have its staff study potential changes to roof guidelines for commercially zoned lots in the unincorporated county.

The following arrests were reported for the past week. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty:

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office

Fayetteville police are continuing to search an area off Hood Avenue for a man wanted in connection with a hit and run incident shortly after 3 p.m.

A Fayetteville man was arrested over the weekend for assaulting his girlfriend during a party in south Fayette County on May 23, sheriff’s officials said.

Built for 600, school will house programs for 40 specials needs students grades K-12

A just-built elementary school will have at least a few students this fall — about 40 children to populate the $10.65 million project.

Sany Corporation, which manufactures heavy construction equipment, is still working towards construction of its first assembly building in Peachtree City.

“In three months we’ve gotten our membership up over 3,000. We’re absolutely not going away.”

That is the stance of Peachtree City Tea Party Patriots organizer Cindy Fallon who, along with a growing group of Fayette and Coweta residents, will be holding a July 4 event at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City.

The Fayette County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted its 2009-2010 budget last week.

The $78 million budget includes $46.5 million in the general fund, down $2 million from last year’s budget. The budget includes no vehicle replacements this year as one of the concessions to the challenging economic times, as sales tax receipts remain down significantly from last year.

While a former commissioner threatened to initiate proceedings to recall Fayette County Commissioner Robert Horgan, for the first time last week a resident took Horgan’s side during the public comment portion of the commission meeting.

The Fayette County Commission Thursday approved a rezoning last week that will allow a medical clinic to be built on four residential lots bordering Ga. Highway 54 near Old Norton Road.

A question about roof architecture will be discussed by the Fayette County Commission at its workshop meeting this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

A Fayetteville man faced multiple charges early Sunday morning after running a red light at Ga. Highway 85 and Jeff Davis Drive while talking on his cell phone.

Three McIntosh students recently organized a neighborhood garage sale that raised more than $1,000 to help a fellow student who was seriously injured in a golf cart crash in April. Hannah Herndon, Alex Kraft and Racheal Denny put together the event to help Jenna Evans, who has been hospitalized since her accident. Money can also be donated to “The Jenna Evans fund” at any Bank of Georgia branch. Photo/Special.

The Fayette Samaritans is a non-profit organization dedicated to the food and clothing needs of Fayette Countians. Their needs for July are as follows:

Southwest Christian Care announces its 17th Annual Benefit Dinner and Auction Gala to be held Aug. 20 at the Georgia International Convention Center and featuring the comedy of Jeff Foxworthy. 

With the overwhelming success of Impact 2009 in Fayetteville, Impact 2009 in Griffin will begin with a kick-off dinner on July 8 at 6 p.m. at the First Assembly of Griffin. Bands will include Ezekial’s Eye, Majors and Somebody Else.

Fayette residents are asked to be the the alert for a con scheme targeting elderly women in shopping center parking lots and grocery stores.

Fayetteville Police believe a Monday night burglary at Fayette Sporting Goods on North Glynn Street might be linked to some unusual behavior by three customers earlier in the day.

Maryland charity takes back house built for triple amputee as dispute swirls around homes

Flags have waved, crowds have saluted, and the soldier has come home, but controversy still swirls around Sgt. David Battle, his wife Lakesia, and two handicapped-accessible homes in Georgia that the family may, or may not, have intended to live in.

Battle is a 23-year-old triple amputee who, in December 2007, had part of his body blown off as he served his country in Iraq.

As Fayette’s foreclosed properties continue to pile up, some prominent residents are joining the group of unfortunate people caught up in the worst of circumstances: potentially losing their own homes.

Conservative talkshow host plays to F’ville fans

The New Herman Cain Show went on the road June 19, landing this time at the gazebo in downtown Fayetteville where approximately 300 people were happy to endure summer’s excessive heat for a chance to hear Cain’s conservative thoughts on politics.

As in other municipalities across Georgia and America, Fayetteville City Council members are set to continue their dollar-trimming ways. Council members June 18 heard the first reading of the $10.057 million general fund budget for the new fiscal year that begins Aug. 1. The proposed budget represents a 2.67 percent decrease from last year.

State and federal regulators briefly seized all assets and deposits of Fayetteville-headquartered Southern Community Bank last weekend before turning operations over to United Community Bank of Blairsville in a pre-negotiated deal.