Fayette County

PTC briefs: bridge, tunnel project updates

Due to rainy and cold weather the completion date has been adjusted for construction of the path connections leading to the bridge over the CSX railroad tracks along Ga. Highway 54.

The deadline, which was supposed to be Feb. 2, has been extended to March 16 though the contractor thinks it can be finished earlier, city officials said this week.

The bridge and the tunnels to which it will connect have been complete for more than three years but they have been unusable because of the delay in getting the path connections. Read More»

Konos Academy presents Disney’s Beauty And The Beast

Members of Konos Academy in Fayetteville have been memorizing lines, learning songs, and perfecting choreography as they prepare to perform “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.”

Konos Academy is a homeschool program with students who meet once a week in Fayetteville. Students attend from six south metro counties.

Every year all Konos high school students take three weeks of intensive rehearsals to learn, stage, and perform a major dramatic production. Read More»

Miss Starr’s Mill Pageant a successful event once again

From left, Ashley Berry, 4th, Triana Brown, 2nd, Miss Starr’s Mill, Katie Iampietro, Shelly Evans, 1st, Jessie Lambing, 3rd.

The Starr’s Mill High School Drama Department recently awarded over $7,000 in scholarships at the Miss Starr’s Mill High School Scholarship Pageant. Katie Iampietro, a senior, was crowned Miss Starr’s Mill after two nights of preliminaries and a final night of competition. The Starr’s Mill High School Drama Department recently awarded over $7,000 in scholarships at the Miss Starr’s Mill High School Scholarship Pageant. Katie Iampietro, a senior, was crowned Miss Starr’s Mill after two nights of preliminaries and a final night of competition. Read More»

Scouting for Food set for this month

Local Boy Scouts are carrying on the tradition that started 25 years ago as a Scout service project. Scouting for Food is considered America ’s largest One-Day Food Drive. In the United States, an estimated 13 million people go to bed hungry each night. With the current state unemployment rates reaching over 10 percent, the local community needs help this year more than ever to meet basic needs. Read More»

Extended hours for Kindergarten registration

The Welcome Center of the Fayette County Public School System is extending hours for kindergarten registration on the third Thursdays and first Saturdays of February and March.

Extended hours for Thursdays, February 18 and March 18, will be 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Extended hours for Saturdays, February 6 and March 6, will be 9 a.m.-noon.

These extended hours are for kindergarten registration only and do not apply to other grade level enrollments. Kindergarten registration is going on now through March 19.

The Welcome Center is located at 205 LaFayette Avenue in Fayetteville. Read More»

Budget woes: Bad to worse

Fayette braces for property tax crash

Fayette County officials are preparing for the bleak economy to catch up to home values this year.

County financial staff said last week they are preparing for a “worst case” scenario of a 7 percent decline in the tax digest thanks to home foreclosures and a new Georgia law.

Such a decline would reduce the county’s portion of property tax revenue by $2.5 million. The final fallout won’t be known until March when the tax digest data is finalized, officials said. Read More»

Councilman: PTC has too many workers

More than three dozen residents attended a budget meeting hosted by newly-elected Councilman Eric Imker Saturday afternoon at City Hall in Peachtree City.

Imker, citing a $3.3 million shortfall for the approaching 2010-2011 budget year, insists council needs to adopt mid-year budget cuts this year, and soon.

Outlining his budget review Saturday, Imker said the city can easily trim that shortfall and avoid a tax increase. Read More»

School budget in 2011 may be cut $10.3M

The Fayette County Board of Education heard last week its funding next fiscal year could be more than $10.3 million less than what it currently gets, bad news for a system already reeling from $12.65 million in cuts so far this year.

Comptroller Laura Brock at the Jan. 26 meeting gave the board a look at several factors that could influence budget calculations on next year’s budget cycle that begins in July.

Austerity cuts by the state, said Brock, have totaled $39.46 million in the past eight school years, with the largest cuts coming this year and, to date, totaling $12.65 million. Read More»

BoE hopes for 4% cushion in 2010 budget

So far, so good, for the Fayette County School System, at least in terms of the projected fund balance for the year ending June 30. Barring any funding changes the school system might show a balance of $7.88 million in the general fund by the middle of this calendar year, about 4 percent of the total budget.

While the $7.88 million figure looked good on paper, Comptroller Laura Brock at the board meeting last week was quick to note that the idea of predicting year-ending figures in June consists of significant uncertainties with the economy at both the state and local levels. Read More»

F’ville to lose Barnes & Noble; Goodwill store to anchor

Bye-bye, Barnes & Noble; hello, Goodwill store.

It will have been nearly 10 years to the day from the time that Barnes & Noble opened its doors across from the Fayette Pavilion until the time it closes those doors. The bookseller will discontinue operations at its Fayetteville store on Ga. Highway 85 at the end of May. Read More»

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