Tax assessor says nearly 2,800 parcels went up in assessed value over last year

So — did your home increase or decrease in assessed value over the past 12 months of the worst housing deflation since the Great Depression?

Average sale down $40,000 in 1 year

There is a lot of conversation today about home sales and values in Fayette County. Included below is a home-sales comparison for comparable periods of 2007, 2008 and 2009 and a comparison of the total sales for 2007 and 2008.

Perhaps the third time will be the charm.

The Fayette County Commission is expected to vote again Thursday on the latest proposed alignment for the second phase of the West Fayetteville Bypass. The commission punted a decision for a second time at its May 28 meeting, citing incomplete information about one of the homes that must be purchased or condemned under the latest road alignment.

Fayette County schools are on the list of nationally recognized schools again. Published June 8 in Newsweek magazine, Starr’s Mill and McIntosh high schools were recognized as being in the top 1,500 U.S. high schools in terms of graduating seniors taking Advanced Placement and other tests. Starr’s Mill was ranked 978 and McIntosh was ranked 1,329.

The Fayetteville City Council gave its approval last week to a 100 percent federally-funded sidewalk project for the section of Lee Street from Stonewall Avenue to Williamsburg Way.

The Fayetteville Police Department June 2 held the graduation for its third annual Citizens Police Academy. The academy was hosted in an effort to increase the community involvement with the department and offer insight into the services provided.

Over $40,000 in utility costs was saved last year by using a four-day summer workweek. Because of its success, the school system is implementing the four-day schedule again to help save money for what is shaping up to be another tight budget year.

The June 13 meeting of the Fayette NAACP Branch will feature a presentation by psychologist Dr. Susan H. May on “Ways to Improve Operations and Emotional Intelligence.” May is a clinical psychologist and is the founder and director of Journey’s Way Consulting services in Riverdale.

A parked car somehow caught on fire just before 2 p.m. at the Checkers restaurant in downtown Fayetteville.

Superior Court Judge Christopher Edwards, a Fayette resident, has been nominated to fill a looming vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Edwards, with 10 years on the bench and previous time as a prosecutor and in private practice, was nominated by Chief Judge and fellow jurist Paschall A. English Jr.

In a letter to Gov. Sonny Perdue, English lauds Edwards for being “a man of great integrity.”

Hundreds of Fayette County residents with Fairburn and Riverdale ZIP codes will change their ZIP code and mailing address to Fayetteville, Ga., 30214, effective June 20, according to a news release from the United States Postal Service’s Duluth office.

The Fayetteville Police Department would like to remind motorists that the ‘work zone’ speed limit of 35 mph remains in effect during the duration of construction on Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard. Scheduled completion date is September 2009.

Busted for pot, Post 1 commissioner declines to step down; ethics charges may follow.

Editorial column: Horgan violated county ethics code

Letters: readers call for resignation

View arrest report.

When people move from Fayette County, where do they move to?

The answers from the Atlanta Regional Commission might surprise you.

When it comes to the Georgia High School Graduation Test, Fayette County students could hardly do better.

Countywide totals for students on the four individual test components showed a pass rate of 95 to 98 percent.

The graduation ceremony at Fayette County’s Whitewater High School Friday night was viewed by the customary mass of family and friends on hand for the once in a lifetime occasion.

The Fayette County School Board made a change in the school system’s organizational structure Monday night, approving an organizational chart that divides many of the duties of outgoing Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Lyn Wenzel between Deputy Superintendent Fred Oliver and Assistant Superintendent for Operations Sam Sweat. Wenzel’s position at central office will not be filled.

A Fayette County High School student just hours away from graduating Friday was charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds. Though arrested at a location on North Glynn Street, Jarmon Elder told officers the handgun had been in his vehicle while he had been at the school attending graduation practice.

The Fayetteville City Council June 4 will hear the second reading and vote on an annexation and rezoning request involving a 1-acre lot on North 85 Parkway. The property is currently zoned Highway Commercial (C-H) in the county. Applicant Charles Meadors is asking that, if annexed, the property be zoned M-1 (Light Manufacturing).

Off duty cop busts auto thief

A Fayetteville teenager was caught in the act Saturday while trying to make off with loot from an off duty police officer’s vehicle in unincorporated Fayette County, officials said.

County hopes to expand to other areas; decision up to DCA officials

Fayette County is working on a program to provide downpayment assistance to homebuyers purchasing foreclosed homes.

Sixteen "Most Improved Fifth Graders" were honored by the Metro Fayette Kiwanis at a reception held for their families and teachers.

Click the above headline to see all 10 photos, two from each school

Preliminary figures for April released by Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) earlier this week showed Fayette County’s estimated unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, up from the March revised figures of 7.4 percent. Unemployment across the 10-county Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) area rose from 8.8 percent in March to 8.9 percent in April.

Social Studies students at Starr’s Mill High were determined to send more World War II veterans this year on a one-day trip to see their memorial in Washington, D.C.

Public calls for resignation; Horgan apologizes for 'incident': click here to view arrest report.

Fayette County Commissioner Robert Horgan has decided not to resign despite his arrest Saturday for smoking marijuana in his truck, which also had an expired tag.

Horgan, who had not spoken publicly about the incident, broke his silence Thursday night as he briefly addressed citizens attending Thursday night’s commission meeting.

Homeowner in path of road disputes chairman's account of postponement

UPDATED FRIDAY 2:18 p.m.

With no advance warning, the Fayette County Commission again postponed a vote on the proposed alignment of the second phase of the West Fayetteville Bypass Thursday night.

Commission Chairman Jack Smith said the county was unable to get some information for a homeowner whose house would be eliminated as part of the alignment. Also, that homeowner, Randy Blount, was unable to provide some information to the county as well, Smith said.

Three suspects are in custody after they were caught trying to leave a burglarized home south of Fayetteville this afternoon, officials said.

Fayette County Post 1 Commissioner Robert Horgan was arrested Saturday by sheriff’s deputies for misdemeanor marijuana possession and driving with an expired tag.

A deputy pulled over Horgan’s 1999 white Mazda pickup on Stanley Road just after 6 p.m. Saturday for driving with an expired tag, said Fayette County Sheriff Wayne Hannah. That’s just northwest of Fayetteville.

All the years of hard work will pay off Friday night as 1,908 students from Fayette County’s five public high schools will participate in graduation ceremonies at their respective schools. All ceremonies will begin at 7 p.m., the first time that’s happened since the county had only one high school in the early 1980s.