In February of this year, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department bought a helicopter to replace its aging Bell OH-58 Kiowa, call sign Hawk One. The price tag was $1.7 million.

So how does a department with a yearly budget of $15.87 million funded mostly with local taxes come up with the cash for one purchase that is the equivalent of 11 percent of its yearly budget? Read More»

Peachtree City firefighters deal with the immediate aftermath of a powerful thunderstorm the evening of May 26. This downed tree on Robinson Road near its intersection with Wingate Road likely caused the loss of power to many hundreds of homes in the Glenloch area. Across town, thousands of Georgia Power customers in Windgate, Coventry and Golf View homes spent an air-condition-less night after a tree fell on lines at the intersection of Flat Creek Road and Golf View. Power in some areas was not restored until late Friday. Read More»

UPDATED Friday, 8:35 a.m. — After 14 hours, electrical power finally returned to many hundreds of homes in the central part of Peachtree City Friday morning. Residents in the Golf View and Coventry areas of Aberdeen Village lost power about 6 p.m. Thursday when a severe thunderstorm blew through with little advance warning. Read More»

A south Fayette man died Sunday, shortly after he was rescued from his burning home, county fire officials said.

Wilson Hightower, 67, was in the house when the first fire crew arrived at 165 Weldon Road at 7:18 a.m., said Lt. Donnie Davis of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

At the time, there was heavy smoke and fire showing from the attic and Hightower’s wife, Denise, was in the front yard telling firefighters that her husband was still inside. Read More»