Cal Beverly: School system gets an 'F'; keeps secret its attorney's invoices

Cal Beverly's picture

Superintendent John DeCotis, what are you trying to hide?

I promised you an update on my open records request to the Fayette County School System. At this point I give the system a grade of “F - Incomplete.”

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Panasonic cutting 500+ jobs in PTC

Fri, 09/05/2008 - 4:37pm
By: John Munford

Fayette County’s largest private employer plans to close its manufacturing operations by the end of 2009, resulting in the loss of approximately 500 production-related jobs, a company spokesperson confirmed Friday afternoon.

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The night that the lights went out in Tyrone

Fri, 09/05/2008 - 4:31pm
By: John Thompson

Town cutting more costs

Tyrone’s cost-cutting measures continued Thursday night as the town voted to cut off the lights at Triangle Park. Finance Director Mary Sturm told the Town Council that about $3,000 could be saved annually be making the park dark,

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Fayette drops second straight, 31-0 to Houston County

The rebuilding process continues for the Fayette County Tigers.

Houston County forced seven turnovers, converting three into 17 points, in a 31-0 victory Friday over host Fayette.

Friday night football scores

Sandy Creek's Alex Chisum caught the winning touchdown pass with 10 seconds to go to improve the Patriots to 2-0 on the season and give them a 17-16 win over Shaw. Rajion Neal scored the other touchdown and Zach Lopez connected on a field goal in the victory.

PTC exploring takeover of amphitheater

Facility faces projected $236K shortfall this year

Peachtree City government may soon be taking over operations of the city’s amphitheater, which is currently run by the city’s Tourism Association.

PTC hopes to attract private college

ACC wants to move from East Point and expand offerings

The volunteer task force hoping to lure Atlanta Christian College to locate in Peachtree City is finalizing its sales pitch.

PTC approves wetland, stream variances

Allows Sany project to move ahead with 228 acre site

The way has been cleared for the new Sany headquarters and production plant after three variances were approved by the Peachtree City Council Thursday night.

Sewer vote postponed second time

Would extend utility across city limit for shopping center

The Peachtree City Council Thursday again postponed a decision on a proposed sewer easement that would lead to the city’s sewer system being used by a shopping center just outside the city limits.

Student excels despite odds

Student excels despite odds

Starr’s Mill High School graduate Maggie Appel recently received the state’s Award of Excellence for seniors with disabilities who have made extraordinary academic or extracurricular accomplishments.

Police reaccredited by state

Police reaccredited by state

The Peachtree City Police Department was presented with its latest recognition for achieving state accreditation. Police Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark, left, accepted the award from Frank V. Rotondo, executive director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. The accreditation requires the city to follow numerous law enforcement standards, reducing the city’s risk for lawsuits by ensuring proper police procedures are followed. Photo/John Munford.

Fayetteville clothing store burglarized

A burglary early Friday morning at J&R Clothing on Ga. Highway 85 in Fayetteville resulted in the theft of an undetermined amount of merchandise. There were no witnesses to the incident.

PTC passes again on sewer vote

The Peachtree City Council again postponed a decision on a proposed sewer easement that would lead to the city’s sewer system being used by a shopping center just outside the city limits.

Fayette earns second region win of the season, 12-4 over McIntosh

The Fayette County Lady Tigers and McIntosh Lady Chiefs have the same issue to contend with this season — youth and inexperience.

Perfect Powers’

Perfect Powers’

What a beautiful Labor Day weekend it was in west Coweta as countless families dotted the landscape while enjoying live music, tons of food and endless shopping for arts and crafts under the shade of a million trees at the annual Powers’ Crossroads Arts & Music Festival.

Father arrested for shaking baby; 3 cuffed for rape at Harmony Village

A Peachtree City man was arrested Saturday afternoon for shaking a two-month-old child at a residence on Beaver Dam Road, police said.

The man, George A. Bowen, 24, was trying to keep the child from crying, police said. An emergency call was placed from the scene because the infant was having trouble breathing, police said.

Bowen was charged with aggravated battery.

Police also investigated an alleged rape case at the Harmony Village Apartments on south Peachtree Parkway.

Will Coweta residents receive two tax bills?

The recent announcement by Gov. Sonny Perdue to withhold the state’s annual rebate from the Homestead Tax Relief Grant credits as a way of combatting the state’s shrinking revenues made its way to the Coweta County Commission agenda Sept. 2. Commissioners decided to mail tax bills as usual in the hopes that legislators can successfully address the issue in January. If the credit is withheld, the county will have to send an additional bill to property owners in 2009 on behalf of the county and school board to recoup approximately $6 million that would normally be rebated by the state.

ARC move looks less likely

It looks like Coweta County will retain its membership in the Chattahoochee-Flint Regional Development Center (RDC) instead of joining Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). Commissioners discussed the potential move again Sept. 2, but the brief discussion ended without a vote. It was an outcome that, for all appearances, left the idea of joining ARC dead in the water. Yet a transition is likely to occur regardless, with Chatt-Flint expected to eventually merge with McIntosh RDC to become a 10-county Regional Center (RC).

County approves $1 million for pension plan

It was essentially an annual housekeeping chore Sept. 2 when the Coweta County Commissioners approved nearly a million dollar payment to the county’s employee Defined Benefit Group Pension Plan. The plan is being supplanted by a defined contribution plan said to give employees more flexibility and cost taxpayers less money.

Car show to remain in downtown Senoia

Senoia’s annual car show will remain on Main Street.

The car show was set to move to the parking lot behind the Redneck Gourmet building for this year’s edition after a group of downtown merchants said it would adversely affect their business.

The Citizen Sports Blitz returns

Sports editor Michael Boylan and staff writer Kevin Wandra have moved their award-winning program to Fayetteville's Chick-fil-A Dwarf House. In the first episode of the new school year, the pair talk about the latest results of all the fall sports, sit down for an interview with FCHS head football coach Tommy Webb and preview this Friday's football games.

Click here to watch this week's episode.

PTC may take over amphitheater

City may hire manager to run venue, take control from Tourism Association

Tourism board asks city to manage venue so it can focus on tourism goals

After hearing more than a dozen comments from amphitheater patrons, the Peachtree City Council directed staff to work towards resuming control of the city's amphitheater, currently operated by the city's tourism association.

RBC Centura bank robbed at gunpoint in Fayetteville

RBC Centura bank robbery_9-02-2008

The RBC Centura bank on Ga. Highway 314 north across from the Fayette Pavilion in Fayetteville was robbed at gunpoint around 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2 according to reports on police radio.

The suspect was initially described as a black male wearing a long white sleeve shirt, blue jeans, braided hair and with a fake beard that appeared to be drawn on with some type of makeup. It was speculated that the hair possibly could have been a wig.

McIntosh QB passes for a win

McIntosh QB passes for a win

McIntosh’s varsity football team won their second straight season opener last Friday behind a tremendous effort from sophomore quarterback Cam Porter. Porter was 12 of 20 passing for 249 yards and three touchdowns. The Chiefs defeated Forsyth Central 28-7. For more on McIntosh’s win and the other games played last Friday night, see the story on Page C8. Photo/Joseph Wilson.

Juvenile, 16, pulls trigger on F’ville cop, lives to tell about it

Sometimes a cop is fortunate just to be able to go home at the end of the work day. Fayetteville Police Officer Todd Chitwood is living proof of that after a 16-year-old male took aim at him and pulled the trigger of a 9mm Glock handgun as Chitwood gave chase in an Aug. 30 incident that began behind Tinseltown Theater at Fayette Pavilion.

PTC to extend sewer to county?

Council considers precedent-setting hook-up for large shopping center on southern border; Sany wants variance

Officials back from China junket

PTC city manager, mayor get China tour, courtesy of Sany Corp., new tenant in city’s industrial park

File’s write-in candidacy born of concern over school tax hike, proposed SPLOST

Nicole File

Most people would not mount an organized write-in campaign for elected office. But that is what Peachtree City resident Nicole File is doing.

File on Aug. 29 announced her intention to run against incumbent Janet Smola Nov. 4 for Fayette County Board of Education Post 1.

F’ville approves vote on Sunday liquor sales

Come Thursday night it should be official, at least in terms of being on the Nov. 4 ballot. The Fayetteville City Council Sept. 4 is expected to call for a referendum to place the Sunday sale of alcohol by the drink squarely in the hands of voters.

Watts attends GOP gathering

For Fayette County’s Lane Watts, the opening day of the Republican National Convention typified what the party represents.