The longstanding question about the closure of the railroad crossing at Valleywood Road in Tyrone continued Thursday night. Representatives from Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) were on hand to review the project again and solicit community input. Residents were there, at least most of them, to voice their opposition to the closure. The Town Council is expected to make a final decision on the matter in the next 30-60 days.

There is still no resolution to the Fischer Crossings commercial development along Ga. Highway 54 just east of Fischer Road. Coweta County commissioners Feb. 2 voted 2-2 on changes to the conceptual site plan pertaining to an aquatic center on the north side of the property and questions about the access road situated behind the aquatic center and the theaters. Commissioners asked developer Scott Seymour to return Feb. 16 with additional information.  

A large group of Senoia residents at a public forum last year said they wanted to see another restaurant in the city that would serve breakfast. Enter the Fried Green Tomatoes Cafe. The Senoia City Council Monday unanimously approved a variance request for the restaurant destined for Main Street across from the post office.

It may seem like a small matter in terms of a change in procedure, but for those wanting to have input on decisions at meetings of the Coweta County Commission that small change can make the difference in having your say prior to the vote.

Charter Schools USA will hold a public forum Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Freeman Sasser Building in Senoia. School representatives will provide an update on the efforts of Charter Schools USA to establish a K-8 school in Senoia.

The City of Senoia was one of four recipients recognized last week by the Coweta Chamber of Commerce for their significant economic contribution to the Coweta community. The large group of business leaders and elected and appointed officials pictured outside city hall Wednesday include (from left) Ed Tigchelaar, Paul Lombardi, Scott Tigchelaar, Ellis Crook, John Barrow, Larry Owens, Bobby Graham, Jeff Fisher, Frank Hollberg, Robert Belisle, Greg Crook, Suzanne Helfman and Maurice Glover.

Cutting carbon dioxide would add costs to electric bill, other products

A bill in Congress touted as a way to improve the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions will hit Georgia folks in their wallets, according to Michael Whiteside, the former CEO of Fayette-Coweta Electric Membership Corporation.

A space heater is being blamed for causing a fire that destroyed a trailer in downtown Tyrone last week.

The trailer, located adjacent to Tyrone Tire, caught fire Jan. 21 but no one was hurt, fire officials said. The resident had left the space heater on for several dogs while the resident was away, officials said.

There was no discussion needed last week at the meeting of the Coweta County Commission as board members unanimously approved a conditional use permit and buffer variance for Crossroads Baptist Church to construct a 14-acre recreation complex off Marion Beavers Road.

New figures released Thursday by the Georgia Dept. of Labor (DOL) show Coweta County’s unemployment rate up more than a percentage point in the past month. November’s 9.7 percent unemployment rate rose significantly to a rate of 10.8 percent in December.

Coweta County commissioners last week approved $5,355 for the purchase of sound equipment for the courtroom and second floor of the historic courthouse in downtown Newnan.

A request by All Souls Church to construct an 8,400 square-foot building on Buddy West Road was denied by Coweta County commissioners last week on a 3-2 vote.

The Coweta County Chamber of Commerce at its 62nd Anniversary event Tuesday recognized four companies and governmental entities for their significant economic contributions to the community. Those receiving an Economic Prosperity Award included the Coweta County School System, the City of Senoia, D & H Distributing and the USDA National Detector Dog Training Center.

A meeting on upcoming Congressional legislation that some say will have a greater impact on Americans than healthcare reform will be held Jan. 26 at the Gathering Place in Peachtree City.

A proposal by Fischer Crossings developer Scott Seymour to make what was called a minor change to a portion of the commercial center was denied Jan. 19 by Coweta County commissioners on a 2-3 vote. Commissioners at a subsequent meeting will review this and two previous proposals for the development.

A Jan. 18 fire involving two homes on Carlton Pointe Drive in Palmetto is under investigation after it was determined that the blaze was intentionally set. Both homes were unoccupied at the time.

An overview of upcoming transportation projects presented to Coweta County commissioners last week showed what should be a host of activity spanning the next three years. Some of the projects will be funded by 1-cent Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) dollars, with others funded by the county’s general fund budget and still others by the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT).

A lengthy discussion before Coweta County commissioners Jan. 19 led to a postponement of the decision on the fate of the Belair Estates transitional home in north Coweta. Commissioners will take up the issue next month.

A short presentation by the Senoia Downtown Development Authority at the Jan. 18 City Council meeting revealed a wealth of information of DDA’s current activities and future plans. Among those were plans for a monthly farmer’s market, the new DDA website and a cultural arts reception tonight at the Stone Lodge.

Photo Courtesy of The American Red Cross

UPDATED (Saturday evening) with March of Dimes information

As locals begin efforts to help Haiti residents recover from the recent earthquake, The Citizen wants to publicize as many of these works as possible as a free service to the community.

If your church, civic group, business or organization is embarking on such an endeavor, please send us an email at editor@TheCitizen.com. Please include details about the mission, including how/where/when others can help.

Newnan resident Juan Campos-Reyes was sentenced in federal court Jan. 11 to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges relating to his part in a multi-state cocaine trafficking organization based in Mexico. A Riverdale man and another from Lawrenceville were also sentenced.

Palmetto Fire Chief Henry Argo began his efforts as fire chief in Palmetto in early 2007 after 30 years of experience. This week it was announced by Mayor John Miller that Argo has been re-designated as Chief Fire Officer by the international Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC). Argo is one of only 663 designated chief fire officers worldwide.

State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) is introducing a bill in the 2010 General Assembly that he says will clarify and simplify current weapons law and uphold the right to bear arms. The Georgia Common Sense Lawful Carry Act is meant to amend current Georgia law.

Last night and all day today, Coweta County road crews have worked to address the remaining black ice and slick spots on Coweta roads.

January 5, 2010 6:00 p.m.
January 14, 2010 6:00 p.m. Work Session
January 19, 2010 6:00 p.m.

February 2, 2010 6:00 p.m.

The City of Newnan Fire Department honors its firefighters with their Annual Life Saver Award for 2009. The recipients of this award have saved a life while on duty in 2009. There were nine firefighters this year who accomplished this goal with three lives saved.

Triad Construction, Inc. has been awarded the contract to construct the new Coweta County Health Department building on Hospital Road. Coweta County commissioners approved the $1.7 million low bid at the Jan. 5 meeting.

Georgia is seeking input on the services provided to disabled people by the Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living programs operated by the Georgia Department of Labor.

Seventeen year-old Brooks resident Jeremy Ryan Richardson has been arrested on felony charges for aggravated cruelty to animals in the arrow attack on a horse at a Bankstown Road farm discovered Sunday morning.

It was a measure adopted to bolster home-based food preparation businesses. The Coweta County Commission Jan. 5 voted unanimously to amend a portion of the Zoning & Development Ordinance to allow at-home food preparation for retail distribution or catering as a home occupation.