News

Coweta students win big in regional fair

Eight of the 29 entries in the recent West Georgia Science and Engineering Fair submitted from Coweta County schools came away winners and will be competing in the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair in the spring. In all, three high school students and five middle school students took home first place ribbons in their respective categories.

“This is another outstanding finish for the school system at the regional level,” said Coweta Science Curriculum Specialist Donald White. 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»

Creek girls lose heartbreaker

The Lady Patriots battled tough the whole game but fell just short in the final seconds as Columbia hit a winning shot with seconds left to steal the AAAA title. Photo/John Munford.

Sandy Creek's girls basketball team was poised to steal the AAAA championship game against Columbia tonight, but it was Columbia who stole the game in the final seconds with a 38-37 final.

Creek was down nearly the entire game but poured it on in the final quarter against Columbia to take the lead, sending their fans over the edge as the nail-biting end ensued. Full details to come later.

PTC-filmed ‘Drop Dead Diva’ comes back to life

The Lifetime television network has renewed the Peachtree City-filmed “Drop Dead Diva” for a fifth season.

The show was rescued after Lifetime first indicated last month that it would not be renewing the show.

Preproduction is slated to begin around spring break and shooting is expected to begin in early April, according to Matt Forshee of the Fayette County Development Authority. Read More»

Deputies nab man, 21, for attempt on girl, 14

A north Fayette County man has been arrested on charges of attempted child molestation in relation to a Feb. 1 incident involving Facebook and a 14-year-old Fayette County girl.

Julio Lugo. Jr., 21, of Club Drive off Milam Road in north Fayette County, was charged with attempted child molestation and electronic pornography and child exploitation, according to Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb. Read More»

Chief: F’ville remains one of safest cities in Georgia

A recent presentation by Fayetteville Police Chief Steve Heaton on the city’s 2012 crime statistics showed the community continues to maintain a lower crime rate in both violent crimes and property crimes than most Georgia cities of comparable size.

In his presentation to the City Council in late February, Heaton said the more serious crimes decreased by 1.35 percent over 2011 while less serious crimes decreased by nearly 20 percent in the past two years. Read More»

Left-lane laggards, new law coming up on your rear

A bill in the Georgia House of Representatives would give law enforcement officers more power to ticket drivers who travel in the left lane, obstructing the flow of faster vehicles approaching from behind. Read More»

Fayette County arrests — Feb. 19 – 25

The following arrests were reported by local law enforcement agencies for the period indicated. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty. Rather than the age of those arrested, only the year of birth will be indicated below due to law enforcement procedural changes.

Tuesday, Feb. 19 - Monday, Feb. 25

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office

Mariah L. Algarin, born in 1995, of Devilla Court, Fayetteville, for affray.

Cornelius O. Bogan, born in 1978, of Deering Drive, Douglasville, for DUI alcohol and passing in no passing zone. 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»