Newsmakers

Suicide prevention training coming to Fayette County

Data shows young people are particularly susceptible to suicide risk

A local organization aiming to combat suicide among America’s veterans is branching out to help fight suicide in Fayette County, particularly among young people.

Armed Forces Mission of Tyrone will offer a two-day course to train community leaders to use Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) to help those who may be thinking of suicide, according to AFM Executive Director Kenneth Koon, an Army Reserve Chaplain living in Sharpsburg. Read More»

MADD wants designated drivers for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drunk driving fatalities

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Georgia is calling on Georgia residents to make a pledge for safety this St. Patrick’s Day: pledge to be the non-drinking designated driver for your friends and family, or pledge to not drive after drinking.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 38 people in the U.S. were killed in drunk driving crashes on St. Patrick’s Day (and the early morning hours of the next day) in 2011, which represents 34 percent of all highway fatalities for that time period. Read More»

PTC designated nationally as ‘runner friendly’

PTC designated nationally as ‘runner friendly’

Peachtree City has been officially designated as a “Runner Friendly Community” by the Road Runners Club of America. In addition to the 90-plus miles of runner-centric cart paths, the RRCA also cited support from the community and local government for local runners. The city was nominated by the Peachtree City Running Club, which runs several community/regional races each year including the Peachtree City Classic and school-based fundraising races. Photo/Ben Nelms.

McCullough suddenly resigns top Fayette public safety job

Allen McCullough in a 2006 file photo.

Fayette County Public Safety Director Allen McCullough on Friday announced his retirement after more than 30 years of service in Fayette County.

County Administrator Steve Rapson said McCullough contacted him Friday morning saying that after much thought, prayer and discussion with his family he had decided to announce his retirement as of July 1. McCullough cited the pursuit of other opporunities as the reason for the retirement. Read More»

State jobless rate holds in January

The Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) announced March 7 that Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 8.7 percent, unchanged from December. The rate was 9.3 percent in January a year ago.

There was a loss of 47,700 mostly seasonal jobs and an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits over the month, but the increases were not enough to impact the unemployment rate. Read More»

Planes at PTC airport to ‘keep it lower’

FAA expands airspace to make room for bigger jets to/from Hartsfield

Starting Thursday, commuter jets flying in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport will be a little closer to their much smaller brethren flying to and from Atlanta Regional Airport (also known as Falcon Field) in Peachtree City.

The new Class B airspace went into effect Thursday, allowing the bigger jets from Hartsfield to have a lower ceiling of 6,000 feet, down from the previous minimum of 8,000 feet.

By comparison, the smaller aircraft approaching and leaving Falcon Field stay in a pattern around 1,000 feet, said Airport Manager Hope Macaluso. Read More»

PTC fire chief’s sexual harassment cost: $350,000

Extra $50K settlement offered for fire chief’s sexual pressures on female firefighter subordinate

Peachtree City officials have worked out a separate $50,000 settlement to compensate a female firefighter who claimed that former Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth stormed into her hotel room at a conference in November as part of an attempt to have sex with her. Read More»

Stover, Crymes weigh-in on gun issues in election

The Georgia Gun Owners organization recently published the results of a survey of candidates for elected office, noting that District 71 candidate David Stover completed the organization’s survey while Tom Crymes, the other Dist. 71 candidate in the March 5 runoff election, did not respond.

But there may be a bit more to the story as Crymes said he did not receive the survey, adding that he supports 2nd Amendment rights though he is in favor of requiring a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Read More»

PTC Mayor Haddix wants new interchange in Coweta to help traffic at Hwy. 54-74

In addition to a major improvement at Ga. Highway 74 and Interstate 85, Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix wants the Georgia Department of Transportation to add a new interchange in Coweta County at Palmetto-Tyrone Road to provide a way for Coweta commuters to avoid the glut of traffic at Ga. Highways 54 and 74 during drive time.

The problem, according to Fayette County Commission Chairman Steve Brown, is that Coweta County is not interested in pursuing such a project yet, especially considering that the county already has two active interchange projects in the pipeline. Read More»

Legacy Christian Church to hold 2nd Annual Resurrection Run

Legacy Christian Church will hold the 2nd Annual Resurrection Run 5K/Walk to benefit Coweta County Pregnancy Services on March 16. The race starts at 8 a.m. and will take place in Senoia at the intersection of Morgan Street and Pylant Street, near the new public library. Read More»