Don't Throw Away that Christmas Tree - Recycle it January 9

The City of Peachtree City and Keep Peachtree City Beautiful, along with local volunteers, will mulch the Christmas trees for free. In return, you'll receive a free dogwood seedling (while supplies last). Please remove all lights, ornaments, and tinsel from the trees. Unfortunately, flocked trees cannot be recycled.

January 9, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Locations behind Kedron Shopping Center, Rockaway Road Recycling Center, or Peachtree City Home Depot. Call Keep Peachtree City Beautiful, 770-632-3195, for further information.

DON'T WANT TO WAIT TILL JANUARY 9TH? Bring your tree (without lights, ornaments, or tinsel) to the Rockaway Road Recycling Center for mulching. Your tree will be recycled, but dogwood seedlings will only be distributed during the January 9th event. The Rockaway Road Recycling Center is open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

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Register for Kindergarten January-March

Fayette County parents with children entering kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year can register their students at the Welcome Center January 19-March 19, 2010.

Students must be five years old on or before September 1, 2010 to register for kindergarten. To verify a child’s school of attendance, contact the Welcome Center, 770-460-3990, ext. 450. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. on Fridays. The center closes for lunch on Fridays.

The Welcome Center is located at 205 LaFayette Avenue in Fayetteville. Detailed directions and registration information can be obtained by calling the center or visiting the school system’s website, fcboe.org, and clicking “system departments” on the left-hand side and then the “Welcome Center” link.

Parents must bring the following documentation to registration:
1. Proof of Residency

a. Homeowners: A current residential property tax statement (if there is not a tax bill, then the purchasing/closing information for the residence can be used). The record must include the name of the parent/guardian, a current electric bill and a photo ID.
b. Renters: A current lease or rental agreement consisting of the written evidence that the agreement is valid. The record must include the name of the parent/guardian, a current electric bill and a photo ID.

2. Copy of Birth Certificate
Birth certificates with the biological parents noted can be obtained from the Georgia Department of Human Resources Vital Records at 404-679-4701. Birth certificates for children born in other states can be obtained by contacting the Vital Records Department within that state (hospital certificates are not acceptable).

3. Immunization Certificate

A current and completed Georgia Department of Human Resources Form 3231 is required by state law showing immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B and varicella. This form may be obtained by taking the current immunization record to the Fayette County Health Department or a Georgia physician.

4. Certificate of Ear, Eye and Dental Examination

A current (within one year of school entry) and complete Georgia Department of Human Resources form 3300 (ear, eye and dental exam) is required by state law. This form is available from the Fayette County Health Department or from a private physician.

5. Social Security Card

6. Student Emergency Contact Information

This includes emergency contact names as well as physicians and dentist names and telephone numbers.

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Arrest of Armed Robbery suspect reference Creekside Chevron incident earlier in week

Peachtree City Police announced that they have made an arrest in the Armed Robbery of the Creekside Chevron (2763 Hwy 54, Peachtree City, Ga), which occurred in the early morning hours of December 19th, 2009. This arrest is based on a coordinated effort between Peachtree City Police Department and the Newnan Police Department. The Newnan Police Department contacted the Peachtree City Police Department after investigating a Kidnapping and Armed Carjacking incident over the weekend in the City of Newnan. Information obtained in the Newnan Police Department investigation identified a suspect who matched the description of the suspect in the Armed Robbery at the Creekside Chevron, on Hwy 54 in Peachtree City. The suspect was identified as ORLANDO MARQUEZ PEAVY, 21, of Atlanta, Georgia. MARQUEZ ORLANDO PEAVY is currently being held at the Coweta County Jail under the charges from the Newnan Police Department. Peachtree City Police have warrants on MARQUEZ ORLANDO PEAVY for Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Use of a Sawed Off Shotgun during the Commission of a Crime, and Carrying a Concealed Weapon.

Fayette & Coweta Military Say "Merry Christmas" "Happy Holidays"

Armed robbery at Line Creek Chevron

On 12-19-09 at 0612 a black male entered the Line Creek Chevron, brandished what appeared to be a sawed off shotgun, and robbed the clerk. The subject was wearing black tennis type shoes, blue jeans, a black shirt, and an oversized black jacket with fur around the hood area. The subject also had a stocking hat on under the hood covering his head. The offender appeared to be young (18-25 yrs old), about 6 feet tall, and very thin. The subject also has a very southern accent. Anyone with any information regarding this crime, please call 770-487-8866. If after hours, please call Fayette County E911 at 770-461-4357.

Click here for photos: http://local.nixle.com/alert/609879/

PTC United Methodist Church Cantata "The Wonder of Christmas" December 20

The public is invited to come and see the true meaning of Christmas at the Peachtree City United Methodist Church on Sunday, December 20th at 9:30 and 11 am.

The Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present a Christmas Cantata, "The Wonder of Christmas" by David Hamilton.

The PTC United Methodist Church is located at 225 Robinson Rd in Peachtree City. For more information, call 770-487-6499 or www.ptcumc.org.

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National Weather Service Issues Flood Warning for Flint River Saturday, December 19

The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has issued a flood warning for the Flint River near Lovejoy from Saturday morning , December 19, until Sunday morning, December 20. At 4am Saturday the stage was 10.3 feet and rising.

Minor flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 12.0 feet.

The forecast is to rise above flood stage by late this morning and continue to rise to near 13.2 feet by this afternoon. The river will fall below flood stage by after midnight tomorrow.

At 14.0 feet, moderate flooding begins. Some roads begin to flood such as Upper Riverdale Road and Mockingbird.

This crest compares to a previous crest of 12.9 feet on June 21, 1989.

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PTC First Presbyterian Celebrates the Birth of Christ on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always an exciting and meaningful night at First Presbyterian
Church of Peachtree City. Come celebrate Jesus' birth with two traditional candlelight worship services at 6pm and 8pm. Both services will include music presented by the music ministry of First Presbyterian.

There will be one worship service on Sunday, December 27 at 11:15am.

First Presbyterian Youth will be busy the week after Christmas with events including a mini lock-in and a New Year's Eve party.

The church is located across from City Hall at 206 Willowbend Rd. For more information call (770)487-7757 or visit www.firstpresptc.com.

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Fayette County School System and Fayette Holiday Helpers Thank Community for Generosity

CARE coordinator Karen Spangler (far left) and her assistant Diann Ferrante (far right) thank Fayette Holiday Helpers members Helen Rickman, Sandy Hogan, Dale Bettis and Janet Prescott for their assistance with the 2009 Angel Tree project.

Thanks to the generosity of the Fayette County community, assistance from Fayette Holiday Helpers and employees of the Fayette County Public School System, all angels on the CARE (Children at Risk in Education) Angel Tree will have their wishes granted and then some.

Hundreds of angels, representing students and their families who are in need, were part of this year’s Angel Tree project. Counselors at each school identified students who met the special requirements mandatory for inclusion: all adults in the household must be working or legitimately trying to find work, and the family’s combined income is not sufficient to make ends meet.

Angel requests are non-traditional and include basic need items such as clothing, blankets, space heaters, toiletries, and laundry detergent. While priority is given to meeting the basic need requests, donors do not stop there. Generally, they make sure that angels are also given some non-requested, fun items such as toys, bicycles and games.

“We couldn’t do this each year without the generosity of our community and organizations like Fayette Holiday Helpers. Thanks to all of the donations from churches, businesses, civic organizations and individuals, many children and their families will have a merrier holiday season. I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for making these angel wishes come true,” says Karen Spangler, the school system’s CARE coordinator.

Although the Angel Tree project is seasonal, the needs for students and their families are not. The CARE program assists those in need all year long by helping with After School Program tuition scholarships, extra curricular program fees, and various activity dues so that all students can feel a sense of inclusion and take full advantage of their school experiences. To make a donation, contact Spangler at spangler.karen@fcboe.org or call 770-460-3990.

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Whitewater Students’ Warm Hearts Help Others Ward Off Cold

Students Will Drummond and Michael Johnson display the hand-made quilts donated by the school’s eighth grade home economics classes while assistant principal Kim Lhota and school counselors Natalie Grubbs and Eve Hanie look on.

With cold weather now hitting the metro Atlanta area, students at Whitewater Middle wanted to make sure others are staying warm this winter.

The entire school pitched in and collected over 100 blankets and more than 300 hats, scarves and gloves that were donated to the Atlanta Union Mission.

Two special hand-made quilts were also donated to the mission by the school’s eighth grade home economics classes. The students included a patch on each quilt with the date it was made, the school’s name and the signatures of those who worked on it.

Whitewater Middle’s assistant principal Kim Lhota and school counselors Natalie Grubbs and Eve Hanie organized the school-wide drive.

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“Reading is Contagious” Kicks Off at Inman Elementary

Fourth grader Kahlah Andrews, 10th grade mentor Ivori Douglas from Our Lady of Mercy High School and fourth grader Eden Negusse dive into books made of cake at the “Reading is Contagious” kickoff celebration.

Something contagious is going around at Inman Elementary, the love of reading.

Funded by a grant from Target and the Coweta-Fayette Bright Ideas Program, 20 teen mentors, who also happen to be chronic readers, from Whitewater and Our Lady of Mercy high schools are sharing their passion with Inman’s After School Program students through a new initiative called “Reading is Contagious.”

Students participating in the program do so at the request of their parents. Parents must agree to match the one-hour per week reading commitment with their child that mentors make. A journal recording time spent, child-created assessments of comprehension, word games, and drawings are exchanged between mentors and parents throughout the year. The journals mark milestones that are awarded, culminating with an end-of-the-year celebration.

“If we can get children excited about reading, we will have done our job; and if their reading scores improve, we won’t be surprised,” says Kahlilah Pagan, site coordinator for Inman’s After School Program.

The school recently held a “Reading is Contagious” kickoff celebration to inform parents and get students excited about the program. Louis Robinson, the school’s principal, calls the program a total team effort that is student focused.

“The students will be inspired by the attention given to them, the mentors and parents will be proud of their accomplishments, and together we will be reaching out to children with compassion through reading,” he says.

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Fayette Students Brighten Holidays for Sick Children

Students in Fayette County’s After School and REACH (Reaching Educational and Career Heights) programs are helping make the holidays a little merrier for some very special children.

Students in the two programs have been busy decorating and stuffing VIP (Very Important Patient) bags for children admitted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Hospital. This is the second consecutive year the students have worked on the VIP bags, which are part of the annual Santa’s Workshop Project coordinated by Janis Kraft of Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty in Peachtree City/Fayette.

After School Program students decorated white lunch bags with cheerful pictures and encouraging words. REACH students lent a hand helping stuff the bags with toys, crayons and activity sheets. Their goal was to complete 1,500 bags.

“I feel very proud that I can help others,” says Alyssa Ginn, a third grader in the After School Program at Kedron Elementary.

Local restaurants donated toys and crayons to the project. Students also contributed by donating their unused fast food toys.

The project has helped students in both programs understand the importance of helping others. They also learned that small actions go a long way in making a positive difference in people’s lives.

“This project provided students with a wonderful opportunity to exercise empathy. It demonstrates how their actions can help others,” says Christine Clark, the After School Program site coordinator at Kedron Elementary.

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Fayetteville Intermediate Elementary Civic Club Donates to Angel Tree Program

Members of the K-Kids Club at Fayetteville Intermediate presented a $150 donation check to help provide presents to children on the CARE Angel Tree. (L-R) (seated) Cameron McDaniel, Andrew Rhone; (second row) Kayla Lott, Olivia Bailey, Morgan Lewis, Melanie Mikoy, Arianna Samuels; (back row) Monica McDaniel, club advisor, Sherese Floyd, club advisor, Maria Sherrod, school counselor, and Karen Spangler, CARE coordinator.

K-Kids Club members at Fayetteville Intermediate Elementary School are reaching out to help other kids in need throughout the Fayette County Public School System.

Through their community outreach efforts, the club earmarked $150 to benefit the CARE (Children at Risk in Education) program’s Angel Tree that provides nontraditional gifts such as clothing, After School Program scholarships and extracurricular program fees for students in need. All adults in the household must be employed in order for students to qualify for the program.

Club members held mini-fundraisers throughout the year to collect money to help improve their community at large as well as their own school environment. In addition to the donation made to the CARE program, the club gave money to UNICEF and Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless program. A portion was also donated to Fayetteville Intermediate to help purchase items that will benefit children at the school.

K-Kids Club is service organization for elementary students sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. K-Kids is a student-led community-based organization that operates under school regulations and draws its members from the student body. The 40-member club at Fayetteville Intermediate is made up of third, fourth and fifth graders. The club’s mission is to build a better local and global community by giving of time, money and efforts to help others.

"K-Kids is important because we help our community by fighting hunger and getting needed materials to those who don't have much," says fourth grader Melanie Mikoy.

The K-Kids advisors are Maria Sherrod, school counselor; Sherese Floyd, fourth grade teacher; and Monica McDaniel, fourth grade teacher.

“Our K-Kid members are an awesome bunch of kids who want to make a difference in their community and that is what they did when they donated money to CARE of Fayette County,” says school counselor Maria Sherrod.

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Peachtree City Discount Tire Grants Parent’s Wish

The Discount Tire team who helped grant a parent’s wish for new tires are (L-R) store manager Lawrence Lopez, Jared Blackstone, Chris Ducasse and Kegan Walley. Karen Spangler (right), CARE coordinator, and Helen Rickman of Holiday Helpers thank the store’s team for helping fulfill the Angel Tree request.

Tires are not the typical gift on most people’s Christmas lists, but it was at the top for a parent on the Fayette County School system’s Angel Tree.

Job cutbacks and losses due to the economy have hit many Fayette families hard this year. With her tires balding and loosing tread, this parent knew she had a safety issue but unfortunately did not have the money to purchase replacements. She had borrowed two tires from a friend but the tread had worn away on them as well. When she and her family were selected as angels for the CARE (Children at in Education) Angel Tree, new tires was the gift she wanted most.

Thanks to the generosity of Discount Tire on Georgia Highway 54 in Peachtree City, the parent’s wishes were granted. Not only did the store provide her with four new tires, the store manager also gave her a brand new spare.

“Her tires were in terrible shape. We replaced them and did an alignment. I happened to see the spare she had and noticed that the tread was gone on it. We replaced it as well,” says store manager Lawrence Lopez.

Lopez says he did not have to think twice or ask permission from the company to make the donation; it is part of the company’s philosophy. Discount Tire’s vision and values states “help those in need, always do what is right, work hard and be responsible.”

“Helping this mother was the right thing to do. She was so grateful to know that her vehicle is safer now for her family and we were happy to be able to give her that peace of mind,” says Lopez.

The Angel Tree program provides nontraditional gifts such as clothing, After School Program scholarships and extracurricular program fees for students and their families who are in need. All adults in the household must be employed in order for a family to qualify for the program.

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Payless Shoes and Holiday Helpers Grant Wishes of Angels in Fayette County

Helen Rickman of Fayette Holiday Helpers (left) and Karen Spangler with the school system’s CARE program accepted the donation of 150 gift coupons at the Payless Shoe Source in Fayetteville from store manager Vincent Clayton.

Thanks to Payless Shoe Source and Helen Rickman of Fayette Holiday Helpers, 150 students in need of shoes on the CARE (Children at Risk in Education) Angel Tree will have their requests granted.

The 2009 Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program is a grass roots campaign to deliver $1.2 million in free shoes to children of families in need. Over 2,900 nonprofits nationwide and in Canada applied to the program this year. Fayette Holiday Helpers was one out of 700 nonprofits selected to receive gift coupons redeemable for children’s shoes; each gift coupon is worth $15. Fayette Holiday Helpers, which assists with the CARE Angel Tree project each year, donated all 150 of the gift coupons they received to help fulfill the wishes of Fayette County’s public school students.

“We are so grateful to Payless Shoes Source and Holiday Helpers for this donation. We have a large number of requests for shoes this year so this gift is very meaningful to us,” says Karen Spangler, the school system’s CARE coordinator.

The CARE Angel Tree project is designed to help working families struggling to make ends meet provide basic needs for their children. The tree fulfills nontraditional needs such as clothing, after school program scholarships, eyeglasses and dental work. All adults in the household must be employed in order for students to qualify for the program.

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Fugee Founder Encourages Students to Respect Differences, Follow Dreams

A local celebrity, whose story has just been published in a book and purchased by a movie production company, talked to Rising Starr Middle students last week about respecting individual differences and finding life’s true purpose.

Soccer coach Luma Mufleh, founder of the Fugees (short for refugees) soccer team in Clarkston, Georgia, spent an hour telling students about her childhood in Amman, Jordan and her journey to find her life’s true purpose. Along the way she was forced her into bankruptcy and disowned by her parents, but in the end found happiness and fulfillment.

Mufleh left Jordan after graduating high school to attend Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. After college she worked in several different states and eventually settled in Clarkston. One day on her way home, she saw refugee boys playing soccer in the street. Mufleh, a soccer coach and former player, decided to start a soccer program just for refugee boys. She also made a commitment to help their families assimilate into their new lives in America.

Not happy with her decision to stay in the United States and start a refugee soccer program, her wealthy parents disowned her, leaving Mufleh to struggle to make ends meet, just like the families she pledged to help.

“I was never truly happy and I didn’t have a purpose until I decided to form the team. This is my purpose. My challenge to you is to look inside yourself and find your true meaning. It might not be the road that has been mapped out for you,” she told the students.

Mufleh’s presentation was part of the school’s eighth grade Survivor Program, which is wrapping up its second nine weeks with a focus on understanding of and respect for individual differences.
Mufleh receives many invitations to speak but only agrees to do four engagements a year.

“I am a soccer coach, not a speaker. But I love working with children so I was happy to accept this opportunity to talk to the students at Rising Starr,” she said.

The Fugee players come from 18 war-torn countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Congo, Somalia and Sudan. Many of them have endured unimaginable hardships before coming to America: squalor in refugee campus, separation from parents and siblings and witnessing killings of family members.

Several years after the Fugees formed in 2004, the soccer league now has four traveling teams and has become highly recognized by soccer enthusiasts. In conjunction with the team, Mufleh has also formed the Fugees Family, a nonprofit organization devoted to working with survivors of war and helping them transition to life in America. The organization also provides tutoring, assistance with housing, and health and educational programming.

Mufleh was recently selected as one of the 2009 Common Ground award recipients and was featured on NBC and MSNBC. The award is presented to individuals who have made outstanding accomplishments in conflict resolution, negotiation, community building, and peace building.

Additionally, a book has just been released titled, “Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, An American Town,” and Universal Pictures struck a $3 million deal to make movie about the Fugee’s story.

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More Students “Exceed” on Writing Test

The fall 2009 administration of the Georgia High School Writing Test shows more students scoring in the “exceeds” category compared to a year ago.

The latest results show 4 percent less students meeting the standard while 3 percent more are exceeding the standard. The 2009 performance summary breakdown shows 78 percent meeting standards, 18 percent exceeding and 4 percent not meeting standards.

Fayette County's total pass rate is 96 percent. In comparison, the state’s pass rate is 91 percent.

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FDIC Orders Online Bank Auction of Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment from Southern Community Bank

/PRNewswire/ -- Penny Worley Auctioneers (www.worleyauctioneers.com) announces the online auction of furniture, fixtures and equipment from FDIC Receivership for Southern Community Bank in Fayetteville, Ga., according to Jerry Jenkins.

Items in this online bank auction include: computers, executive office furniture, IT equipment, copier/printers, office equipment, Oriental rugs, framed art, storage and shelving, work tables, phone systems, cubical systems, 50-inch flat panel televisions, kitchen appliances, as well as bank equipment like intercom speaker system with microphone, locking under counter teller cabinets, check scanners, jogger, electric paper cutter, coin counter, currency counters, a check making machine, encoders, validators, and security cameras.

"This is a great opportunity to purchase computer and IT equipment along with high-end office furniture," said Jenkins. "All of these items will sell to the highest bidders."

Jenkins said the items were ordered sold by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receivership for Southern Community Bank. In 2008, Penny Worley Auctioneers was named an official auctioneer for the FDIC.

The online auction is open to the public. Bidding starts closing December 13. Bidders must register prior to bidding. For more information, visit www.WorleyAuctioneers.com, or call Jerry Jenkins at (513) 313-9178.

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Fayette County Students Finish Strong in Foreign Language Competition

Foreign language students brought home 52 awards last month from the 37th annual Declamation Contest held at Clemson University.

A total of 71 students from all of Fayette County's five high schools competed in the following languages: French, German, Latin and Spanish. Contestants were required to recite two poems from memory using their chosen language. Judges rated each recitation on pronunciation, interpretation of text, smoothness of delivery and textural accuracy.

Fayette’s results were strong with 73 percent of the students earning first, second and third place prizes. All totaled, the students won 19 first place awards, 17 second and 16 third.

The following students placed first in their foreign language category:
(Fayette County High) Marina Lopes, Spanish 3; Samira Issa-Boube, French 2; Zahra Manji, French 3; (McIntosh High) Kathleen Newman, French 1; Molly Cook, French 4; Shelby Coffey, French 4; Nathan Pearson, Latin 2; Natalia Cuestas, Latin 3; Scott Lauderdale, Spanish 4; (Sandy Creek High) Courtney Henfield, German 3 native; Lyssa Beck, German 4 native; Broderick Sims, German 1 native; (Starr’s Mill High) Anika Noorali, French2; Michelle Perez, French 3; Katherine DelleDonne, French 4; Travis Richardson, German 4; Leslie A. Perez, Spanish 2; and (Whitewater High) Ayana Graham, Spanish 3; Cameron Green, Spanish 4.

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