Newsmakers

Northgate girls upset McIntosh; playing for AAAAA title

Northgate girls upset McIntosh; playing for AAAAA title

Vikings to face Whitewater team that knocked off Starr's Mill Tuesday night

The Lady Chiefs of McIntosh High School were less than four minutes away from their third straight state championship appearance, but Northgate High School erased a late deficit to send the Vikings to the state finals for the first time in school history.

The Vikings won 2-1 in overtime in Tuesday's Class AAAAA state semifinals and will play Whitewater High School Saturday for the state championship at 5 p.m. at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. Read More»

Fayette calls out fire departments to combat stinky water

The Fayette County Water System — beset by more than a week of complaints about stinky water — has called in the cavalry, the fire departments of both Peachtree City and Fayette County.

To speed drainage of the stinky water from the hundreds of miles of water pipes from Brooks to Tyrone, firefighters now will be opening up fire hydrants all over the county to purge the system of the odorous water, according to the press release Wednesday from County Commission Chairman Steve Brown. Read More»

Another week of stinky water ahead

Sign on a restaurant door Monday in Peachtree City. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Portions of Peachtree City, Tyrone, the west side of Fayetteville and some unincorporated areas between Fayette’s two largest cities continue to report as late as press time on Tuesday that the foul tasting and smelling drinking water supplied by the Fayette County Water System is still flowing from their taps. Read More»

Fayette officials hope water smell subsides after week of complaints

Fayette County Water System employee Larry Hunter flushes a hydrant at Verdon Hill and Newsons Gait on Fayetteville’s west side on Friday as part of the process of removing what has been reported by residents for the past week as dirty and smelly water. Photo/Ben Nelms.

“This is lingering longer than I thought it would.” — Fayette County Water System Director Tony Parrott

Complaints from north Peachtree City, Tyrone and areas on the west side of Fayetteville over drinking water that looks and smells dirty have diminished but are still being reported after the problems were first reported a week ago. Water from Lake Horton in south Fayette is still being used in place of water from Lake Peachtree where the problem attributed to a reaction between chlorine and a change in water temperature occurred. Read More»

Fayette got up to 4 inches of ‘beneficial’ rain; more coming

Fayette got good soaking over weekend; helpful to recharge water sources

Depending on where you live in Fayette County, the weekend rains brought between 2.5 and 4 inches of precipitation combined with the showers seen Monday night, according to the National Weather Service north Georgia office in Peachtree City.

If you think you’re soggy now, wait until Saturday when the next rainstorm is predicted to hit with another half-inch to one inch of rain, potentially wiping out most outdoor activities.

At least there will be a few days between now and then to dry out, said NWS Hydrologist Kent Frantz. Read More»

NCIS retiree to settle down in Peachtree City

Marvin Reese (seated, left) confers with friend and colleague Brad Steel. Photo/Cynthia Johnson, NCIS Academy staff.

“That’s what friends are for,” Dionne Warwick and her friends Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight sang in their 1985 mega hit. Two friends, who are also colleagues and veterans, are taking that seriously. Until the end of April, they worked side-by-side and then, quietly, but concurrently, retired. Read More»

Chairman Brown gets ethics case costs repaid by taxpayers

The Fayette County Commission Chairman Steve Brown got what he wanted April 25 when commissioners voted 3-0 to reimburse Brown for more than $2,000 in legal expenses he incurred fighting an ethics complaint filed by former Commissioner Robert Horgan.

Voting in favor of the reimbursement were commissioners David Barlow, Randy Ognio and Charles Oddo. Read More»

Supt.’s $190K pay package brings dissenting vote

BoE member Bacallao says pay “too high” compared to Fayette's teachers

Newly hired Fayette School Superintendent Jody Barrow will get a raise over his predecessor. Barrow’s salary and benefits total $190,000. Read More»

Pinewood to Fayette: here we come

Phase One soundstages to be built at the Pinewood-Atlanta site in central Fayette. Rendering/Pinewood Studios.

Now it’s official: Pinewood Studios of London this morning formally announced its film and TV studio venture “coming soon” to rural central Fayette County.

In a press release, the company said construction will begin immediately on the “Pinewood Atlanta” venture with the first phase of five soundstages ready for action in January of next year.

Pinewood Atlanta will provide “a full service film and entertainment studio complex” on the 288-acre site directly across from Rivers Elementary School.
Read More»

Starr's Mill takes region title

Sophomore Adam Goodman held a hot Whitewater team to four hits in a 3-2 victory for Starr’s Mill Wednesday night. The win clinched a region title for the Panthers, who head into the playoffs as a number-one seed. Photo/Horace Holloman.

Panthers lifted by 4-hitter complete game from Goodman against hot Whitewater team

Starr’s Mill sophomore Adam Goodman was not scheduled to start Thursday night's game against Whitewater, but he fired a complete game four-hitter to lock up the Panthers first outright region title since 2006.

Goodman threw 90 pitches and gave up just two earned runs, getting out of a rough jam in the sixth in which the tying run reached third.

“He came through for us. He was pushed into duty and he pitched a great game. I’m proud of him,” said Starr’s Mill Head Coach Brent Moseley. Read More»