Politics

Tea Party takes over Fayette GOP

Some of the new officers of the Fayette County Republican Party stand together after the Saturday convention in Fayetteville. Photo/Ben Nelms.

In a milestone for local politics, Tea Party-affiliated delegates took about two-thirds of the county officers’ slots when the Fayette County Republican Party held its convention Saturday in Fayetteville. Read More»

Public input sought for Plan 2040 meeting Thursday in Tyrone

Local residents will have a chance to speak out Thursday on the regional “Plan 2040” plan which includes a host of proposals for metro-wide transportation initiatives.

A neighborhood forum on the plan will be hosted Thursday at the Wendell Coffee Golf and Events Center at 1963 Ga. Highway 74 North just outside of Tyrone.

Plan 2040 also addresses land use, housing, economics, human services, greenspace and air/water quality under the theory that the Atlanta area is likely to grow by 3 million people over the next 30 years. Read More»

Immigration bill passes Ga. House

Officer alleges it will endanger police by encouraging 'fight or flight' response

A bill aimed at discouraging illegal immigrants from coming to Georgia passed the Georgia House of Representatives Thursday.

Bill sponsor Matt Ramsey, a Republican from Peachtree City, argued to his colleagues that the legislation “removes every single incentive that we possibly can that lures illegal aliens to come to Georgia ... the incentives that our taxpayers are footing the bill for, we can remove those as state policy makers and that’s exactly what House BIll 87 proposes to do.” Read More»

Seabaugh bill on overpayment recovery passes Senate

The Georgia Senate this week passed Senate Bill (SB) 8 authored by Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) that aims to recover overpayments made by state agencies to vendors. Read More»

Fayette Tea Party polls members on transportation, activism

Approximately 60 people attended the Feb. 22 committee meeting of Fayette County Issues Tea Party. The meeting at the Peachtree City Library was geared to update the audience on the ongoing work of the organization’s various committees. Among the issues covered were the regional 1-cent transportation sales tax referendum coming in 2012, the West Fayetteville Bypass and the efforts of House Bill 87, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011. Read More»

County replaces Watts on elections board — for now

Long-serving Fayette County Elections Board member Marilyn Watts was replaced on that board by a 3-2 vote of the Fayette County Commission last week.

The board voted to install Fayetteville resident John Addison Lester III to the seat, despite Watts’ request that she be reappointed to the position.

Commissioner Steve Brown, who was joined by Commissioner Allen McCarty in voting against the motion to select Lester, said the board would be getting rid of a significant amount of experience in Watts at a time when potentially all three members of the board could be rookies. Read More»

Sen. Chance: HOPE, Pre-K to take hits in tight budget

State Senator Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone).

Local families depending on the state’s HOPE scholarship program will have to kick in a little bit more for their college students starting this fall under a proposal to shore up Georgia’s lottery-funded education programs in the midst of declining revenue. Read More»

Fayette County pushes out long-time Elections Board member Watts

Depending on a pending decision from the Fayette County Commission, the county’s Board of Elections may lose its most veteran member.

Marilyn Watts, who has served since 1998, might possibly be replaced as the commission’s representative on the three-member board.

At the Feb. 10 commission meeting, Commissioner Lee Hearn thanked Watts for her service but nominated resident Addison Lester to take her place. Commissioner Steve Brown in turn nominated Watts to be reappointed to the position before the matter was tabled because Brown hadn’t received the background information on Lester. Read More»

Fayette seniors rally at Capitol against possible budget cuts

From left: Anita Terry-McDonald, Lynn Manning, Karen Stephens, John Thompson, and Linda Pirog rallied for older adults at the Be There 4 Seniors event at the state capitol. Photo/Special.

Several members of the Fayette Senior Advocacy Council and other local supporters joined more the 600 senior citizen advocates Jan. 31 for the “Be There 4 Seniors Rally” at the state Capitol. The rally was held to protest possible budget cuts, such as the Meals On Wheels program, that organizers said would negatively impact seniors. Read More»

GAGOP Chairman Everhart to speak to Fayette Republican Women

Sue Everhart, Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, will be guest speaker at the Greater Fayette Republican Women’s Club luncheon meeting on Thursday, Feb. 10.   Read More»