County health rankings report gives Georgians a county-by-county snapshot of how multiple factors can influence their health

Fayette Rep. Matt Ramsey has authored a bill for Gov. Sonny Perdue that is touted to expand access to health insurance for Georgia residents by allowing them to "go across state lines" to seek coverage.

Office space even worse: Nearly 1 out of every 3 F’ville offices is empty

Fayetteville, the commercial capital of the county, is suffering through a tenant drought, with one in every four commercial properties empty, and nearly one in every three office spaces vacant, the City Council was told last week.

The June 30 retirement of Superintendent John DeCotis leaves financially struggling school system with questions

An Atlanta company is asking Peachtree City to lift its moratorium on multi-family rezoning to make way for a 4.8-acre senior rental complex in the Lexington Circle retail center off Ga. Highway 54 East.

Falling local tax receipts and cuts in state funding may add up to $11 million less total revenue available to spend on Fayette County schools beginning in July, the Fayette County Board of Education has been told.

Fayette County School System Comptroller Laura Brock reported last week that additional proposed cuts by Gov. Sonny Perdue for the remainder of the fiscal year, if approved by the General Assembly, could mean a loss of $2.8 million in areas such as staff wages, transportation and nursing services.

A few school systems around the state are shortening their school year to offset decreases in funding. So far, Fayette wants no part of an abbreviated instructional year.

Fayetteville Police Chief Steve Heaton at the City Council retreat Friday said there is a community perception that overall crime has been increasing in Fayetteville and that the Fayette Pavilion continues to be a major source of criminal activity.

Members of the Fayetteville City Council at Friday’s retreat got a look at city foreclosure totals for 2009. Foreclosures totaled 1.2 percent of city housing units based on the number of actions filed.

Fayetteville Main Street Director Brian Wismer and Main Street Chairman Lane Brown, received recognition from Commissioner Mike Beatty of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for being an active Georgia Main Street city for over 10 years. The Main Street program is a nationwide effort created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980. It was designed to help revitalize historic downtown districts across America. Photo/Special.

Fayette County government officials have received a “clean audit” for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

The audit findings were presented to the Fayette County Commission Thursday night. Patricia Pryor of the Cherry, Bekaert and Holland accounting firm told the commission the audit found no material misstatements, no material weakness or any other problems.

Wife, who claimed physical abuse, cites ‘personal reasons’ for dropping case

A temporary protective order filed against Evander Holyfield at the request of his wife Candi has now been dismissed, also at her request, according to court documents.

The Fayette County Board of Education last week agreed to having the school system’s Facilities Services department relocated to the former East Fayette Elementary School. The measure was approved on a 5-0 vote.

A Fayetteville man has been arrested by sheriff’s deputies for participating in the armed robbery of a north Fayette man Nov. 30.

The following arrests were reported by local law enforcement agencies for the past week. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty:

Peachtree City police arrested two suspects early this afternoon in connection with three entering auto cases.

The suspects were caught thanks to a witness description of the getaway vehicle as it left the Mellow Mushroom restaurant, police said. The suspects were apprehended at the Chick-fil-A in the Kedron Village shopping center, police said.

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Citizens asked to nominate city, county for trial

Peachtree City officials are hoping to attract the attention of technology giant Google, which is seeking test sites for a super high-speed Internet network.

Height variance for cell tower in industrial park also on agenda Thursday night

An Atlanta company is asking Peachtree City to lift its moratorium on multi-family rezoning to make way for a 4.8-acre senior rental complex in the Lexington Circle retail center off Ga. Highway 54 East.

The negative effect of the recessionary economy is a constant topic these days for the Fayette County School Board.

A report last week by Comptroller Laura Brock showed that additional proposed cuts by Gov. Sonny Perdue for the remainder of the fiscal year, if approved by the General Assembly, could mean a loss of $2.8 million in areas such as staff wages, transportation and nursing services.

In terms of public education in Fayette County, the announced resignation by school Superintendent Dr. John DeCotis on Wednesday represents the end of an era. A 31-year veteran of Fayette County schools, DeCotis said his resignation will take effect at the end of his contract term that expires June 30.

The Peachtree City Council is considering adding a $25 fee for all tree removal permits.

Currently there is no charge for the permit, though each one requires an on-site visit by a city employee to evaluate the request, City Planner David Rast told council last week.

School groups who wish to use the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater for performances or fund-raising events will be getting quite a deal.

The most recent publisher of the Fayette County News is facing two felony charges for taking money and property from his previous employer in North Carolina, police said.

Family members were uninjured in a house fire early Friday morning on Ga. Highway 85 South near Senoia that resulted in a total loss of the home.

It was the final hurdle for parents who wanted a charter school in Senoia. That hurdle came Thursday when the Georgia State School Board offered no opposition to the recommendation by the board’s Charter Schools Committee that the petition to start up the Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia be approved.

It is always relevant for a person to think of the plight of others and go into action to lend a hand. Such an action is no less significant when it is born in the minds and hearts of two 4th graders. And that is what happened as Thomas Crossroads Elementary School students Taylor Racht and Riley Scruggs began the “Pennies for the Poor” effort that raised $1,400 for victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

The completion of the new $1.3 million Senoia police department and municipal court building across from the ball fields on Howard Road is being delayed a bit. It is not a matter of budget overruns or contractor delays. The culprit is the rainy weather that has plagued the area for months. At this point the facility is expected to open sometime in May.

By anyone’s standards it was a unique landmark. But all that changed in the early hours of Thursday morning when flames engulfed one of downtown Fairburn’s large historic buildings along U.S. Highway 29, resulting in the loss of several businesses. No injuries were reported in the fire that is under investigation.