Vision 2013

Alex McRae: An Unexpected Civics Lesson

Coweta County Restaurant Inspections

— see page 4A

6 Sections, 60 Pages

All-County Girls Team named — see page 6A

— see page 3A

148th year — Issue 55

Newnan, Georgia

Established 1865

Sunday, March 24, 2013

ISSN. NO. 0883-2536

$1.25 Sunday edition

Coweta’s Local Daily

Coweta Vision 2013: Signs of hope

By W. Winston Skinner winston@newnan.com W hile the impact of the economic downturn continues, local business leaders see signs of improvement during the next 12 months in Coweta County.

The strength of the growing

Coweta consumers more confident — see page 2A medical presence in Coweta and a strong regional retail sector are fueling growth and increasing economic vibrancy.

Business leaders also see the

Local UWG campus a coup

beginnings of a resurgence in the vital housing industry, and some other sectors — including automobile sales and the film industry — are also doing well.

Local ban kers Ashley Schubert and Steve Stripling both see an improving local e c o n o m y. S t e v e M a d e r , owner and general manager

of SouthTowne Motors, and Scott Tigchelaar, president of Raleigh Studios Atlanta in Senoia and co-founder of Senoia Enterprises, also spoke of the positive trends they see — in their own businesses and generally.

“Our local economic outlook for 2013 looks positive and is indicative of growth in sever-

al areas,” Schubert, CowetaFayette president for Charter Bank, said. “There are positive things happening in the county that show we are moving in the right direction.

“The economic drivers in Coweta County are retail, small business, medical and some industrial. All of those affect the tax base in some

Vision 2013

way, but the medical growth we’ve seen and should continue to see also has a positive impact on the housing market,” Schubert said.

“Things are getting better generally. The car business is good. We’re up this year — double digits from last year

See HOPE, page 2A

WGTC project moving forward

By JOHN A. WINTERS john@newnan.com

By W. Winston Skinner winston@newnan.com

Yank out about a quarter of the names in the Newnan phone book and you’d be close to the number who’ve been involved in developing a downtown university campus.

T he nu mber of a g ree ments, sign-offs, funding options, meetings and “whatifs” is, according to city officials, at times overwhelming. Yet the $15 million project to renovate the old Ne w n a n Hospita l on Jackson Street into a new campus for the University of West Georgia’s existing Newnan camBrady pus continues.

This is in the midst of a transfer of leadership for UWG. Dr. Kyle Marrero, currently vice president for University Advancement at the University of West Florida, Pensacola, was off icially named Friday as the seventh president of the University of West Georgia by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Marrero will assume his new post on July 1.

“There are several conditions that have to be agreed to ,” s a i d C i t y M a n a g e r Cleatus Phillips about the planned conversion of the old Newnan Hospital as a new home for UWG’s Newnan

West Georgia Technical College’s Coweta campus will soon be a reality — offering classes in several career areas and a full adult education program.

Two buildings are going up at t he ca mpus located south of Newnan off Turkey Creek Road near Interstate 85. “The state building is a classroom facility. It’s about 36,000 square feet. It’s projected to be completed by the end of the month,” said Dawn Cook, WGTC’s vice president of institutional advancement.

The second building, the Allied Health Building, is being funded by the West Georgia Technical College Foundation. That building will have 47,000 square feet of space. In addition to classrooms outf itted for health professions, there also will be “administrative offices and economic development as well as adult education,” Cook said.

He a lt h pro g r a m s to b e offered at the local campus include the emergency medical technician course, geriatric care, registered nursing and physical therapy assisting.

Other areas include business administration, criminal justice, early childhood development and learning and computer technology.

Cook said core classes in English, psychology and other disciplines will also be offered.

WGTC and its predecessor, West Central Technical College, have been offering classes at Central Educational

Left to right and top to bottom: It is expected developing Newnan Hospital into a UWG Newnan campus will have a one-time economic impact of $21 million during the construction phase and create 176 jobs; Kelley McFarland, instructor Deb Davison and Nechama Hilaire work in the SIM Lab at the UWG Newnan satellite campus; Nneka Mbadiwe and Amabel Miller, UWG nursing students, work in the Newnan SIM Lab documenting patient information on simulation charts; work proceeds on two anchor classroom buildings on West Georgia Technical College’s new campus off Turkey Creek Road near Interstate 85 south of Newnan; at UWG’s graduation last December, the nursing program had the largest graduation group since it began in Newnan with 54 graduates. Six of those were males, notes UWG Newnan campus director Cathy Wright. They are Charles Peterson, Van Hill, James Preston, Chad Sise, Martell Hawkins and Thomas Bohner; Mark Whitlock, Tonya Whitlock and Becky Alexander at Central Educational Center, where the Coweta County School System is piloting its Eighth Grade Academy this year.

More Inside: Vision 2013 — 1-10D, 1B, 4B-6B, 8B

See campus, page 8A

See WGTC, page 2A

Pilot program at CEC among changes for schools

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com In t he ha llway of Centra l Educational Center, A handful of teenagers stand with remotes in hand, Vex robots poised to complete as many specific tasks as possible before time is called. In rooms along the corridor, their classmates are sorting nails and cleaning tools in construction

class and explaining weather patterns in aviation class.

Among more than 50 participants in the Coweta County School System’s Eighth Grade C h a r te r C ol le g e & C a r e e r Academy, the students are completing all their academic courses and exploring career tech classes at CEC this year.

Mark Whitlock, CEO of CEC, said the first-year program —

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which incorporates students from all six of the county’s middle schools — is likely to expand in the future.

“The pilot year for the 8th Grade Academy has helped prepare these eighth-graders to take advantage of CEC opportunities in the 9th-12th grades,” Whitlock said.

CEC program expansion, venturing into the world of virtual

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learning with a pilot program for high-schoolers next year, and taking a conservative approach to facilities and budgeting — delaying construction of a new middle school, for instance, to avoid operational costs — will continue as priorities for the school system.

Implementation of Common Core a nd its mer g i n g w it h Georgia Performance Standards,

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Community Forum......4A Obituaries.....................8A Sports......................... 6A

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selection of a f lexibility plan and compiling data for the new College and Career Readiness Per for m a nce I ndex a s se s s ment — a l l a re pa r t of t he state’s accountability plan after Georgia’s request for a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act was granted in early 2012.

All are well under way — or

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2A — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

LOCAL West Georgia Technical College campus near I-85 will open soon

WGTC

Continued from page 1A Center in Newnan for several years. Currently, WGTC has 971 students enrolled at CEC. “Based on calculations, the number of students attending classes in Coweta County will grow dramatically once the new campus is completed,” Cook said.

Cook said the campus will have a positive econom ic impact for Coweta. More local students will be able to stay in the community, and commuting students from other counties will buy books, food and fuel as they travel to and from classes.

Development Authority, the Newna n- Coweta Cha mber of Commerce and other entities to promote Coweta as a location for industries and businesses.

“Typically, the local technical college is one of the first stops for” prospects, Cook sa id . T he Coweta County Community Room at the campus will showcase products manufactured and produced in the county and will “help with selling Coweta County to investors and business prospects,” she added.

The technical school has sponsored local adult education classes for years, but always in space borrowed from the county school system or some other entity. “The

WGTC w i l l b e lo ok i n g towa rd prov id i ng t ra i ned worker s for t he g row i n g health care industry in Coweta County – the new Piedmont New na n Hospita l, Ca ncer Treatment Centers of America at Sout hea ster n Reg ion a l Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente, among others.

“We’re really excited to be able to train the workforce for Coweta County,” Cook said.

She sa id t hat tra i n i ng i ncludes not just medica l fields, but support personnel in accounting, clerical support, heating/air and maintenance.

Economic development will be a key focus of the new campus. The economic development center on the campus will work with the Coweta County

classes have been shifted and moved around many times,” Cook said.

The new campus will include space designated for adult education. The permanent location will add stability for students, and Cook said a goal also is to help students finishing their general equivalency diploma work to proceed to credit vocational programs on the same campus.

Support for the local campus continues to grow. Early in March, the Coweta County H o s pi t a l A u t h o r i t y g a ve $100,000 to WGTC for its nursing program. The school offers both licensed practical nursing and registered nursing programs.

Business leaders see signs of hope in Coweta County’s economy the community and for future Coweta consumers economic vitality.

HOPE “The alternative to qualContinued from page 1A feeling more confident ity growth is crap growth. We percentage-wise,” Mader said.

He said 2012 also saw doubledigit percentage growth from 2011.

The strength of the auto business locally is following national trends. Dealers are expecting 15.5 million new car sales in 2013, the most in several years. “Everybody agrees it’s going to be a good year,” Mader said.

There is “a lot of pent-up demand” for vehicles, Mader said. He said the average car on the road in the United States is six or seven years old.

Tigchelaar also spoke of the vibrancy of the regional film industry. “It couldn’t be better. It’s just outstanding that ‘Walking Dead’ is as successful as it is. ... They’re spending an enormous amount of money on production.”

A MC television network show “The “Walking Dead” uses Senoia for filming regula rly, a nd other a reas of Coweta have also been used for scenes. The series will be continuing through the end of the year, and Tigchelaar said there is “a high probability” of renewal for 2014.

The new Pinewood Studio planned for Fayette County, along with Raleigh, Screen Gems at t he La kewood Fairgrounds and Tyler Perry’s faci lities nea r Ha rtsf ieldJackson Airport create a node of film production energy on Atlanta’s south side.

“That’s good in terms of high tides floating all boats,” Tigchelaar said. He is hearing from film crew members who are looking for housing in eastern Coweta County and in Peachtree City, since so much work is now centered in this area. “ I t ’s v e r y p r o m i s i n g ,” Tigchelaar said. He said incentives approved by the state are outperforming “in terms of what was anticipated.”

The growth and strength of the movie industry in the area “has spilled over into non-film-related businesses,” Tigchelaar said. He noted Senoia has gone from having six or seven businesses downtown a few years ago to having 49 today.

What has been created is “a whole other layer of business that doesn’t get factored into” number crunching where movie-making is concerned, Ti gc hel a a r sa id . Senoi a’s downtown illustrates “what

By W. Winston Skinner winston@newnan.com “I feel better than I did a year ago,” local banker Steve Stripling says – speaking in economic terms.

Coweta County residents are feeling more confident – and that is a good sign for strengthening the local economy. “Things are better than they were a year ago and better than they were two years ago,” said Stripling, president of United Bank in Newnan.

“Business seems to be ve r y g o o d. Pe o p l e fe e l good,” noted Steve Mader, o w n e r o f S o u t hTo w n e Motors.

Ashley Schubert, CowetaFayette president for Charter Bank, spoke of “the role of confidence in the consumer” that is making the economy grow again. “Consumer confidence plays a huge role.”

“For me, that is the most impor tant thing that can drive the economy – consumer confidence,” Stripling said. In practical terms, that c o nf i d e n c e c o m e s f r o m people feeling they will have work and income, having a sense of financial security

in the future and seeing a lot of political issues that could impact the economy come to a resolution.

Consumer confidence “m e a n s a l ot ” i n te r m s of growing the economy, Mader said. People who do not feel optimistic about the economy “are not going to have confidence about spending money. They’re not going to tie themselves into new loans.”

A Jeep dealership will be opening in the coming months in Coweta County and a Nissan dealership is in the planning stages.

There have been rumors of a third dealership, as well.

The growth in that sector is “a good indicator of local c o n s u m e r c o n f i d e n c e ,” Schubert said.

Lower unemployment rates give people optimism that they will be working in the next year – which makes them more likely to spend money.

Stripling acknowledged the unemployment number is still “not where you want it” and said people who have been out of work for a long time are not feeling the resurging strength in the local economy.

the industry can do for this area,” he said.

Georgia and Coweta County were hard hit when homebuilding ground to a halt a few years ago. The county is “starting to see a bit of recovery in the housing market,” said Stripling, who is president of United Bank in Newnan.

“It’s not a strong recovery – but a recovery.”

“The housing market continues to be a barometer for economic growth, a nd we have certainly seen the residential sector pick up over the past two years,” Schubert said.

There has been “a flushing out of the houses that were on the market,” Stripling said.

“The number of houses on the market has declined. That’s a positive thing.”

“It feels li ke t h i ngs a re breaking free a little bit in the housing market,” Tigchelaar obser ved . He noted some people have not taken jobs that required relocating in recent years because they could not sell their existing home. The previous optimism – where people would move first and sell the house later

Weather

• Record High: 89 (1995) • Record Low: 20 (1885)

• Normal High: 67 • Normal Low: 46

Today’s Forecast: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. High of 64.

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Tuesday: Overcast. High of 45.

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8th-grade program at CEC

program Continued from page 1A

will be, as soon as school officials learn whether state legislators will approve an additional flexibility option.

“We are getting first runs of the CCRPI data,” said Coweta Schools Superintendent Steve Barker of the new assessment tool, which will replace test-based Adequate Yearly Progress and uses a broader range of information to evaluate school performance.

“It is a welcome change, but it lends itself to questions, so we will have to work through a lot of calculations with the state,” Barker said.

Barker and his staff began evaluating flexibility options to prepare for the declaration deadline but focused efforts elsewhere when they learned they had more time to decide.

“We did quite a bit of work in the past year regarding which f lexibility option we would move toward,” Barker said. “They pushed the date

out to 2015, so we put our process on hold. Within the next (few) weeks, we’ll be picking that process back up.”

Whitlock, who also acts as the school system’s director of public policy, has been monitoring legislative activity. Each of Georgia’s 180 school districts must choose to remain status quo – under current educational mandates – or declare by June 30, 2015, their intentions to become charter or Investing in Educational Excellence (IE2) systems.

More than 20 districts in Georgia already have chosen to become charter systems, but Whitlock said state legislators likely will approve a fourth option, Strategic School System, soon.

“Because we knew there would be changes in the law, we were in a good position to restart the process and have sufficient time to adequately prepare,” Whitlock said. “Once we get the legislation in hand, at that point, we can pick up where we left off and go ahead and make a decision the community feels good about.”

Correction In Saturday’s story about Scott’s Bookstore, Earlene Scott’s late husband, Dick, was incorrectly referred to as Ed. We regret the error.

Saturday, March 30 10:00 a.m.

Carl Miller Park Pavilion #3

Grantville Package Store

Newnan’s Local Liquor Store Just Down the Road!

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Temperatures

• Yesterday’s high: • Yesterday’s low:

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Rainfall (in inches)

• Yesterday (as of 7 p.m.): 0.00 • Year-to-date: 14.03 • Normal: 12.36

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Woodbury Baptist Church is planning for the future.

Motorists p a s s i n g through the Meriwether Count y town see this board chronicling progress on funding for the church’s Giant Heart Ministry Center.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

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– disappeared.

In Coweta and Fayette counties, there has been “very little available in terms of new homes,” Tigchelaar said. “Now that’s starting to happen.”

The growth in the housing market “is creating a perfect little storm that’s going to be helpful to the area,” Tigchelaar predicted.

While there is an “upturn” in the housing market locally, “it’s not close to where it needs to be,” Stripling said. He believes the county is at least two years from getting back to a healthy level of housing construction.

Tigchelaar believes there is great potential for housing growth in the area as the economy improves. People can buy more house and/or a larger lot in Coweta or Fayette than in counties north of Atlanta.

Plus, the north side “is just so congested,” he said.

“Here in Coweta County, it’s beautiful. I hope we as a county – and county leadership – recognize the jewel we have here,” Tigchelaar said. He said political leaders need to make sure new projects are good for

have an opportunity still to direct the path of development as the county grows,” he said.

Charter Bank is “actively making construction loans in 14 different subdivisions for builders and their customers,” Schubert said. “We also have our mortgage loan originator that provided approximately 100 loans during 2012.”

Schubert said 45 percent were for refinancing, “which is a good indicator people are buying houses and building new homes.”

Much of t he g rowi ng strength in the local economy comes from the Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Sout hea ster n Reg ion a l Medical Center in Newnan and the new Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Both have created a lot of new jobs.

Two other medical facilities are set to open during 2013, and medical office space is being built and leased.

“Local people are getting jobs,” Mader said.

“We are a preferred retail area. People from Peachtree City like to come to Ashley Park to shop,” Schubert said.

Other retailers in the area draw customers from several nearby counties, as well.

“We’ve got some new small businesses that are occupying previously unoccupied buildings along the Highway 34 bypass,” Schubert said. He specifically mentioned a gun shop in a former sporting goods store location and the Center Field Baseball Academy on Hillwood Circle, just off the bypass.

Schuber t sa id Coweta County could benefit economically from having more jobs in small business and industry within the county. Large numbers of Cowetans commute to Atlanta and bring their paychecks home.

“In order for Newnan to reach its full potential, we’ve got to see more job growth in the industrial and small business sectors,” Schubert said.

Stripling noted large corporations are doing well, and the stock market continues to show gains.

He said small businesses are a main driver of employment and economic growth, however, and those businesses “have struggled the most.” Smaller companies “don’t have the elasticity to get through something like this” to the same degree as large companies, Stripling said.

Woodbury Baptists planning for future

County residents are $124 plus tax for one year, $72 plus tax for six months and $37 plus tax for three months.

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I-85 at Exit 35

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 3A

LOCAL/STATE Restaurant Inspections

Citadel March Muster program participants pictured were: Banks Glover, ‘69, Jack Camp, ‘65, Ray Mayer, ‘74, Todd Rivers, ‘88, Eddie Cole, ‘67, Daryl Greenburg, ‘96, Charlie Teague, ‘93, Marty Potash, ‘78, Mike Swain, ‘73, Doug Powell, ‘72, Mike (Tiny) Menchinger, ‘80, Don Mullen, ‘57, Ed White, ‘66, Jonathan Lester & Newnan bagpiper Michael Scott.

Citadel muster memorial service held Ray Mayer, Citadel Class of ‘74, led Newnan’s March Corps Day Muster Ceremony as other identical memorial muster services were held at the Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel, in Charleston and across the nation.

Founded in 1842, The Citadel is a state-supported, four-year comprehensive college.

For the second consecutive year, it has been named a top public college in the South by U. S. News & World Report.

Corps Day on March 20 celebrated the birthday of the date the first Corps of Cadets reported to the Citadel.

All graduates and members of the Corps were expected to report.

T h r ou g h out t h e world , Citadel Clubs “muster” to honor the memory of members of the Citadel corps of cadets who died the previous year.

Club members in “muster” call the roll, naming each of the deceased, rank and class.

On behalf of each of the deceased, club members in attendance reply, “Present for duty, Sir!” Opening with the Pledge of Allegiance & the Star Spangled Banner, Newnan’s service continued with Michael Scott, bagpiper, playing “Amazing

Grace” and other memorial hymns.

S c o t t w a s fo l l owe d b y Newnan musical trio Carol Glover, Cathy Wright a nd Merry Todd, a Citadel MBA graduate, performing several memorial selections.

The roll call ended with the playing of Taps. Mr. and Mrs. Banks Glover ‘69, board member of the Southside Citadel Club, were hosts for di nner on the grounds following the annual muster memorial service.

For information about joining the club, refer to facebook at www.southsidecitadel.org .

Oakland Cemetery restored AT L A N TA (A P) — T he question never goes away.

When people visit Oakland Cemetery they often look for the carnage, the downed trees and toppled stones. And then they ask: How are you doing after the tornado?

Short answer: Atlanta’s oldest park is doing just fine.

It took nearly two years of intense work to restore the cemetery after a tornado blew through five years ago today.

The tempest battered the burial ground, the final resting place of golfing great Bobby Jones, “Gone With the Wind” aut hor Ma rga ret M itchel l and former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. And that’s just three plots: the cemetery contains about 70,000 graves, marked and unmarked.

Now, with spring imminent, the cemetery on the edge of Grant Park again is a place where the living visit the dead, where visitors take tours to learn about Atlanta’s princes as well as its paupers.

Still, reminders of the tornado linger, said David Moore, d i r e c to r o f t h e H i s to r i c Oakland Foundation, the non-

profit organization that raises funds and oversees the cemetery’s upkeep. A few trees that lost huge limbs still look lopsided. Some stones are scored by dirt and debris raised by immense winds.

“It was unbelievable,” said Moore, who visited the cemetery about 18 hours after the tornado hit the site. “I mean, it was a real mess here.”

T he tornado ca me from the west, blowing out of the da rk about 9:40 p.m . T he storm damaged the Georgia Dome, site of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, forcing the games to relocate to Georgia Tech. It shoved a steeple off a Vine City church. The twister demolished a building on DeKalb Avenue, claiming its only victim: Gregory Lee, a 45-year-old homeless man.

And then it hit Oakland.

It pushed over obelisks, lifted stone angels into the sky, shredded trees. It left the burial ground covered in debris the twister had picked up as it spun across downtown - glass, paper, road signs and more.

There was so much trash that workers and volunteers had to sweep the 48-acre site on

their hands and knees, bagging shards of glass and other debris.

The tornado uprooted nearly 100 oaks, magnolias and other trees — so much downed wood that it filled more than 70 large dump trucks. And it damaged more than 300 stones, the destruction ranging from simple cracks in some markers to a beheaded stone angel.

Originally it was estimated the tempest caused $3 million in damages at the cemetery, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Foundation officials now think the damage totaled about $1 million.

Oakland is not the same as it was five years before, said Kevin Kuharic, who was the cemetery’s director of operations when the tornado hit.

Now, said Kuharic, who works in Colorado, the cemetery still shows some bruises from that 2008 tempest. But that’s OK. “It’s just another piece of history for that place,” he said.

“It shouldn’t be completely erased.”

Have Breakfast On Us!

Thursday, Mar. 28th 8:00 -10 am

Attention Seniors!

Please join us for a pancake breakfast with all the fixings.

T he Coweta Boa rd of Environmental Health inspects all Coweta restaurants, schools and businesses that serve food several times each year.

Food i n spec t ion s c a n be conduc ted du r i n g a ny hours of operation or whenever food is being prepped in the permitted establishment. Inspections are made at varying times to ensure that the food service rules a nd reg ulations a re being fol lowed . Some establishments have hours after 5 p.m., therefore inspections will be conducted when risk factors can be observed for compliance. Inspectors wear hair nets during checks to protect the food, which is also a requirement for those working around open food. Using a 41-category checklist, an environmental health special-

2011. Inspector’s comments: Sliced chicken dated Feb. 22, sausage dated Feb. 22. If food is moved from freezer to cooler must redate for day thawed. Employee coat hung in kitchen area.

■■ McDonald’s, 1721 Newnan Crossi ng Blvd . E a st , wa s inspected March 5. Current score 87-B. Previous scores 91-A on July 10, 2012, and 9 5 -A on O c t . 2 6 , 2 01 1 .

I n sp e c tor ’s com me nt s : Bucket of tomatoes in handwash sink. Shell eggs stored about non PHF. ■■ Pl a ne t Sm o ot h ie , 1 0 9 Newnan Crossing Bypass, was inspected March 5 . C u r r e n t s c o r e 1 0 0 -A .

Previous scores 100 -A on April 29, 2012, and 100-A on Nov. 30, 201 2. Inspector’s comments: Look’s great!

ist checks compliance in safe handling of food, proper disposal of garbage, and other areas.

■■ Golden’s on the Square, 9 East Court Square, Newnan, w a s i n s p e c t e d Fe b . 2 8 .

Current score 94-A. Previous scores 93-A on July 12, 2012, and 95-A on Oct. 4, 2011. Inspector’s comments: Sa n it i z er not work i ng i n one machine.

Gaskets split, broken, hard, storage racks r ust y. Spots on cei ling, damage around walk-in cooler.

■■ Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, 1111 Lower Fayetteville Rd., Newnan, was inspected March 5. Current score 95-A. Previous scores 95-A on July 25, 2012, and 96-A on Nov. 30,

Concord Garden Club

Have year-round color in your landscape C on c ord G a rde n C lu b holds its 15th Annual Lunch and Learn garden lecture series and plant extravaganza on April 18 in historic downtown Concord.

The program will begin at 11 a.m. at the Strickland Building, 100 Main Street.

There is no admission charge. This year’s speaker is Helen Phillips, owner of Garden Solutions, who will share information on how to get “Year Round Color in the Landscape.”

Ph i l lips is a successf u l bu si n e s s wom a n a nd landscaper.

Her nursery is filled with the latest and greatest annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Attendees may either bring a sandwich, order a box lunch from the Concord Cafe 770-884-5566, or get a take out plate from the buffet. The garden club will provide tea/ water and dessert.

Vendors will be back with a variety of spring plants, herbs, veggie transplants, perennials, shrubs, fresh fruit and vegetable produce, baked goods, garden books,

garden hats, gloves, yard art, outdoor furniture… just about any and everything farm/garden related.

Phillips will be bringing some of the latest varieties of

colorful plants from her own nursery.

Doors will open at 11 a.m. for browsi ng t he vendors booths. The speaker is set to begin a little after noon.

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Community Forum

4A — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Editorial Vision 2013: Our community better off than most There are people and businesses in our community still hurting because of the economy. The slow recovery has been painful for many. That said, overall our community economically is better than most.

Today, The Newnan TimesHerald publishes its annual special report — Vision 2013 — a look at the state of our community. You will f ind Vision 2013 stories and photos throughout the A section of the newspaper today, on the Focus in Education pages in the B section and throughout the D section.

Most of these stories have an upbeat tone. That’s because Coweta County, Newnan and the other towns in Coweta have a lot of positive things going on.

You recall the new hospitals and expanded health care facilities that have opened in the community within the past year. Those have been

significant positives for our economy and for the quality of health care in the area.

There are new college campuses being built and planned in the community. There’s a new conference center, new road construction is planned, and other construction has been picking up in the community.

The public sector — county government, city governments, our school system — all are being operated efficiently and are not facing the dire cutbacks that have made t he news i n com mun ities around us.

We encourage our readers to spend some time reading the Vision 2013 special report. The news articles will give you an updated glimpse of what’s happening in our community today and in the months ahead.

As you will read, our community is better off than most.

Sound off Majority rules: A majority of those voting have elected a president. That’s the way democracy works. Quit your bellyaching. .....

I’ve talked like Hitler: So President Obama used words that Adolph Hitler used. Gee, I think I have, too – words like “war,” “economy,” “a,” “and,” “the.” .....

Be proud: Wear your red colors proudly, Bulldogs, as UGA’s School of Journalism acknowledges Al Jazzera’s radical fascist Muslim journalistic superiority. Where else will we get the excellent Jihadist support that Al Jazzera provides? .....

Ohio a mess: I had to go to Ohio on business. Now I understand why so many Buckeyes relocate to Georgia.

Toledo, Cleveland and Akron are disaster areas. I thought I was back in Afghanistan. What a mess, but without the bombs and shellings. This is what Democrats bring to cities. .....

S a fe r w i t h P r e s i d e n t Obama? Get real. He has not shown strength to the rest of the world, only a weaker country. .....

Lincoln’s parties: Lincoln the Whig joined the Republican Party because it was the only game in town.

The Whig Party had disintegrated in 1854. During the war he pursued Whig ­— not purely Republican — initiatives. He ran for reelection as the head of the Union Party, and his views regarding slavery remained unchanged. .....

GOP house in order: The Republican conservative right would be better served by thoroughly checking out their candidates before blindly criticizing the other side. Our conservative house is in order. All our candidates have birth certificates and their passport and education records are available

The Newnan Times-Herald solicits Letters to the Editor for publication on this Community Forum page.

Readers are encouraged to write their opinions and mail them to: Letter to the Editor, The Newnan Times-Herald, P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, GA 30264. Letters can be faxed to (770) 253-2538 or sent by e-mail at editor@newnan.com.

All letters must be signed. Also include your address and telephone number for verification of letter.

We will only print letters that are signed. Your name and hometown will be printed with the letter. We will not print your street address or telephone number.

Due to space limitations, letters should be no longer than 300 words.

All letters will be subject to editing.

Do you want to ‘Sound Off’?

“Sound Off” gives readers an opportunity to have their say on topics without signing their names.

“Sound Off” items should be 50 words or less. All “Sound Off” items are subject to editing.

To “Sound Off,” email items to editor@newnan.com, fax to 770253-2538 or mail to Sound Off, The Newnan Times-Herald, P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, GA 30264.

for public viewing. .....

Tiger and the president: Tiger Woods and President Oba m a played gol f. T he media repor ted Oba ma barred them. Think about it. It could have been that Tiger didn’t want them there for PR reasons. .....

Blame Super Committee: A “Super Committee” of 12 senators and representatives from both political parties caused sequestration to occur because they failed to agree on $1.2 trillion in spending cuts. President Obama was not involved in this failure to act. Please do some homework before spouting vitriol about our president. .....

Republicans have been had: All their positioning and compromising looks like pandering for votes, which the state media readily propagates. Republicans need to learn to stand firm on conservative principles and to educate the public on their benefits because, in the end, truth prevails. .....

Political workloads: Yes, Congress might take time off, but unlike President Obama, the taxpayers don’t pay for their vacations. When was the last time we paid millions for a senator’s vacation? .....

The soul: According to the Bible, circa New Testament, the sentiment about a fetus having a soul is wrong. A soul is given with the first breath. .....

Slow down parents: Why bother having school zones in Coweta County? The worst speeding offenders are parents turning into the schools dropping their kids off. Slow down. .....

Keep it up: John Winters’ stories are fun to read. Keep up the witty reporting.

Move over: I will make this plain and simple for you left-lane hogs: If there are people behind you who want to go faster than you are and you don’t pull over, you’re breaking the law.

An unexpected civics lesson So fa r, t he Dreaded Sequester that was supposed to End the World as we know it has been more whimper than bang. It happens. Especially in D.C., where self-serving politicians have perfected the art of crying “Wolf.”

On t he brig ht side, t he Dreaded Sequester has produced a civics lesson many Americans had either failed to learn, forgotten or were happy to ignore. That lesson was taught recently by a group of students.

As the Dreaded Sequester approached, President Obama said failing to increase spending as much as he wanted (which is all the sequester did) would result in the layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters, and the closing of national parks, an airport tower in Florida and a VD clinic in Seattle.

But no one guessed that tours of the W hite House would be canceled for lack of funds.

The news was especially bad for a group of sixth-graders from St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Waverly, Iowa. Last year, the kids booked a March 2013 White House tour and spent months raising funds to pay their expenses.

To their credit, when their tour was canceled, the students didn’t roll over. They fought back and became an overnight sensation when they appeared on YouTube

Alex McRae

pleading for their tour to be reinstated.

Viewers especially loved the students’ sign that said: “The White House is our House.”

Yes, kids, it is. And thanks to all of you for reminding us The White House is OUR house. And We the People should decide when our nation’s swankiest rental property is open for inspection by its taxpaying landlords — or their sixth-grade children.

The people who pay the bills and keep the lights and air-conditioning on at public buildings should have the last word on whether federal facilities that normally host citizen tours stay open or close down.

In their YouTube video, the Iowa students also displayed another sign. Unfortunately, it said, “Please let us visit.”

Saying “Please?” To a politician? In America?

The students were trying to be polite and that’s a credit to their parents and teachers, but the sign should have said, “Open the door or we’ll break it down.” The

A swishing way to save a marriage I am ever indebted to readers of what I try to write. As a teenager, I started covering high school sports events for The Macon Telegraph and News.

My very first story was scheduled to be published in next morning’s paper.

I could hardly wait for day to dawn.

I rushed out in my pajamas, opened the paper to the sports page, saw my byline, and my feathers fell: The linotype machine must have gone haywire, printing the lead paragraph with the same words over again three times, spoiling any sense the story might otherwise have made.

Some 70 years later, I am still attempting to write and grateful for those who not only read the column, but suggest a good idea, like this: A woman, concerned about her husband’s high temper, goes to the doctor.

“What’s the trouble?” the physician asks.

The wife replies: “I don’t know what to do. Every day my husband loses his temper for no reason. It scares me.”

kids could have gotten plenty of help with that chore.

I n A merica , we don’t b e g p ol it i c i a n s fo r p e r mission. Or we didn’t. In h is Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln reminded us that ours is a “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

The second sentence of our Declaration of Independence s t ate s t h at g ove r n m e nt s der ive t hei r ju st powers from “The consent of the governed.”

It’s never a bad time to remind our elected officials that the citizens have the last word on how they exercise the powers granted to them by voters.

To highlight the monetary hypocrisy, the same week W h ite House tou rs were canceled for lack of funds, “researchers” were still wasting $1.5 million tax dollars studying obesity problems in lesbians.

B et ter yet , it wa s a l so revea led t h at t he U. S .

Senate barber shop has run a $350,000 annual deficit for over 15 years. Have you heard Senators call for funding cuts to their private clip joint?

Don’t hold your breath.

Kids can’t tour the White House, but Senators get subsidized hair cuts.

Only in Washington.

The Iowa school kids went to Washington, but on March 16, instead of touring the

White House, they were standing outside the gates posing for pictures.

T he photo s s u m me d up what’s happening in America today: politicians live like royalty while citizens are stuck on the outside looking in. Once upon a time, our elected officials would have been scared to death to even consider such a thing.

Maybe it’s time to make them anxious again. (send your email comments to: alex@newnan.com)

QuickVote Are you in favor of Coweta's decision to add two School Resource Officers to assist with security for the area's elementary schools?

Yes: 291 Not sure: 34 No: 51 No opinion: 10 Total votes: 396 *to participate in QuickVote, go to times-herald.com

President William W. Thomasson | Vice President Marianne C. Thomasson News Editor Ellen L. Corker | Controller Diana Shellabarger Sales and Marketing Director Colleen D. Mitchell Circulation Director Naomi Jackson Asst. News Editor Winston Skinner | Close-up Editor Angela McRae

Jim Griffith

Sports Editor Chris Goltermann | Asst. Sports Editor Doug Gorman Digital Editor/Sales Joey Howard | Graphics Manager Debby Dye Production Manager Allen Dubberly | IT Coordinator Jonathan Melville News Staff Sarah Campbell, Rebecca Leftwich, Alex McRae, John Winters

The doctor says: “I have a cure for that. When your husband is getting angry, take a glass of water and start swishing it in your mouth. Swish and swish, but don’t swallow it until he either leaves the room or goes to bed and is asleep.”

Two weeks later, the woman comes back to the doctor’s off ice look ing li ke a new person.

She says, “Doctor that was a brilliant idea. Every time my husband started losing it, I swished with water. I swished and swished and he calmed down. How does a glass of water do that?”

The doctor answered: “The water itself does nothing. It’s keeping your mouth shut that does the trick.”

Paginator Will Blair Photographer Jeff Leo Multimedia Sales Specialists Doug Cantrell, Kevin Dickinson, Mandy Inman, Candy Johnson, Norma Kelley Classified Advertising Specialist Rhonda Spooner Legal Advertising Clerk Christy Hill Office Staff Lisa Garrett, Stacie Kittle Graphic Designers Sandy Hiser, Sonya Studt Production Staff Aubrey Carter, Tina Foster, Rhonda Guy, Anthony Hodo, Allen Holland, Jesiah Huckstep Circulation Staff David Supperer, Beverly Thomas Published daily by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. 16 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, Georgia 30264 ISSN NO. 0883-2536 | Periodicals Postage Paid At Newnan, Georgia Official Organ, Coweta County, City of Newnan, State of Georgia POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Newnan Times-Herald, P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, GA 30264

BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 5A

“W ” t a e M here G o T e m o C reat People

D L O G E H T NE W R O F NA N GO ES

They are recognized by their gold hats, but they are known by their leadership. Recently, in response to the complex processes set into motion to meet the needs of the new strategic partner, Newnan production leads became the go-to employees. In fact, this new “Gold Hat” squad may well become the Best Practice for Cargill. “These key employees play a vital role in daily leadership as we pursue a safe, incident-free work environment, a top quality product and customer service relationship,” explains Shannon Norris, Operations Superintendent. “We are also building and maintaining a highly engaged workforce,” he adds.

New equipment start-up, processes, products, and employees have demanded a fresh evaluation of the lead role on the production floor. This unique emphasis accommodates the new customer relationship, a necessary component for success of our business. In accepting the responsibility, the “Gold Hat” squad demonstrates every day the heart of the Cargill leadership model – integrity, conviction, and courage. “We are proud to have these great employees lead our team and we look forward to the continued improvement they will provide,” states Brad Down, Complex Manger. Thanks to each of you for your special effort to make our team special and successful.

Shane Cook • Veronica Dorsey • Zacarias Torres • Jesus Zavala • Emmaniel Ajak • Jose Mosquera

James Rabun • Eric Woodruff • Hermon Hill • Joseph Barrows • Matthew Suggs • Servando Gonzalez Samuel Deanda • Cesar Sevilla • Charles Huckeba • Samantha Yanez • Gloria Carter • Kelvin Britt Jason Sprandlin • Denise Palmore • Eric Anderson

“MORE THAN” JUST A JOB! | ¡“MÁS QUE” SÓLO UN TRABAJO! MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS Preferred Qualifications • • • •

Certification in Industrial Maintenance Strong Nh3 Refrigeration experience PLC Maintenance and Troubleshooting Master Electrical or Journeyman Certificate

Cargill is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.

Anyone interested in applying for a position is encouraged to stop by at 33 Dart Road, Newnan.

&

Ground Beef Healthy Eating Why does ground beef have fat?

Fat helps give ground beef a wonderful, buttery beef flavor. Generally, the higher the fat content in ground beef, the more juice it will deliver and flavor it will preserve. So understanding what lean points are best for various applications can help you enjoy ground beef to the fullest without sacrificing your healthy diet.

Lean Point: 73/27 – 81/19

Lean Point: 83/17 – 89/11

Lean Point: 90/10 – 92/8

Lean Point: 93/7 – 96/4

Attributes: Exceptional flavor and juiciness.

Helps bind meat together for patties or meatballs.

Attributes: Delicious flavor and great texture.

Ideal for use when beef is the king of the plate.

Attributes: Great for use as an ingredient when cooking. Ideal for making your favorite meals leaner.

Best in: Burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, Salisbury steak.

Best in: Meatballs, leaner burgers, pizza topping, meatloaf, chili

Best in: Lasagna, chili, enchiladas, burritos, spaghetti, casseroles, tacos, sloppy joes.

Attributes: Leanest grinds available. Given Heart-Check mark as a hearthealthy food. Primarily used in lean, healthy foods.

Best in: Asian lettuce wraps, cabbage rolls, tacos, stuffed peppers, tostadas.

More information: www.cargillgroundbeef.com/nutrition-leanpointedu.aspx

Serene Coppage ..................14 years Tamara Smith .....................14 years Charles Huckeba .................14 years Timothy Stapp .....................14 years Isabel Delcid Amaya ............14 years

W omen’s H istory

Ancelmo Mazariegos...........14 years John Brewer ........................14 years Bernadeta Kochanowska.....11 years James Lawson .....................11 years Sherold Mitcham.................11 years Green Hanson .....................10 years Chandrea Brown .................10 years Antonios Doffe ..................... 8 years Kary Parks ........................... 8 years

Meaza W-Hawiriat ................ 8 years Amaresh Yohala ................... 8 years Aberash Kebede ................... 8 years Carolina Molina ................... 8 years Abel Melgarejo ..................... 5 years Henry Waite ......................... 5 years Juan Aboytes ........................ 3 years Chanto Heng ........................ 3 years

Manuela Luna De Aparicio ... 3 years Lucy Boateng ........................ 3 years Cecilia Saldate de Torres...... 3 years Mercy Agyemang .................. 2 years Johnathan Glass ................... 2 years Ralph Ponder ....................... 2 years Andrea Katie Rice ................ 2 years Trungo Yora ......................... 2 years Silvia Edmondson ................ 1 years

Did You Know?

Month

2013

To coincide with Women's History Month 2011, the White House issued a 50-year progress report on the status of women in the United States. It found that younger women are now more likely than their male counterparts to hold a college degree and that the number of men and women in the labor force has nearly equalized.

33 Dart Road • Newnan • www.cargill.com Paid Advertisement

For up to the minute sports scores and results, check out our website at www.times-herald.com

6A — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Sports

How to Reach us The Times-Herald encourages all high school coaches to report scores to the newspaper on a daily basis either by phone at 770-683-1791 or by e-mail at sports@newnan.com.

sports@newnan.com

Newnan Times-Herald All-County Girls Basketball Team

Seniors dominate All-County girls basketball team

BY DOUG GORMAN dgorman@newnan.com

Both senior Chase Parker of The Heritage School, at right, and Trinity Christian senior Sara Bryan were honored on this year’s All-County girls basketball team after earning All-Region honors.

The 2013 Newnan Times Herald All-County girls basketball team is led by four seniors and one sophomore.

This year’s team also features one player from East Coweta, Northgate, Newnan, The Heritage School and Trinity Christian.

Earning a spot on the team from East Coweta is Ciarra Davison.

The Lady Indians’ senior forward f inished her high school career averaging 10 points per contest.

She also was selected to the AllRegion 3-AAAAAA team.

Despite finishing with a 6-21 record, Davison helped retiring head coach Paula Jones earn one last trip to the state tournament.

Davison a nd Jones’ ca reers ended with a loss to Alcovy in the first round of the Class AAAAAA playoffs.

Her last season in East Coweta uniform included th ree wins against rival Newnan.

In the final game of the regular season, Davison helped East Coweta rally to beat Newnan with a nine-point effort.

Among her accomplishments in that game included hitting an oldfashioned three-point play after driving the lane, getting fouled and hitting the free throw.

Newnan’s Lakil Derring closed out her high school career finish-

ing most games in double figures.

T he Lady Couga rs for wa rd averaged 11 points per game and joined Davison as an All Region 3-AAAAAA selection.

Derring earned a spot on the All-County team even though her team only won two games this season.

Both of the squad’s victories came against Tri-Cities.

Despite often coming up on the short end of the scoreboard, Derring left it on the floor.

In the season-f inale against Newna n, she f inished with a game-high 13 points, including hitting two baskets in the second quarter to twice give her team a brief three-point lead.

With Ebonee Echols running the point guard spot, the future should be bright for the Northgate Lady Vikings.

Echols just completed her sophomore year, as the team captain finished with 7.5 points per game, two rebounds and two assists in the season’s 5-18 record.

The Lady Vikings sophomore is turning into one of the school’s top athletes.

Earlier this season, Echols also earned a spot on the Newnan Times-Herald Coweta County softball team.

The outfielder batted .343 with four home r uns for the Lady Vikings.

East Coweta senior Ciara Davison, whose mother played for Lady Indians head coach Paula Jones, was part of her coach’s final team at the school in 2012-13 while being named to this year’s All-County Girls Basketball Team.

See ALL-COUNTY, page 6A

2013 Newnan Times Herald All-County Girls Basketball Team Name School Position Year Ciarra Davison East Coweta Forward Sr. Accolades: Turned in an All-Region 3-AAAAA performance after averaging 10 points per game

Ebonee Echols Northgate Guard So.

Accolades: The Lady VIkings co-Captain averaged 7.5 points per game, two rebounds, two assist.

Lakil Derring

Newnan

Forward

Sr.

Chase Parker

Heritage School

Guard

Sr

Accolades: Averaged 11 points per game for the Lady Cougars and was selected to the All-Region 3-AAAAAA team.

Accolades: Averaged 14.5 points per game, with 8 rebounds and five steals.

Sara Bryan

Trinity Christian

Forward

Sr

Accolades: Led Trinity with a double double, including 12.5 points and 10 rebounds per game

Newnan senior point guard Lakil Derring averaged 11 points for the Lady Cougars and was an All-Region 3-AAAAAA selection following the 2012-13 season.

Honorable Mention: East Coweta — Bre Tiggs, Forward, Sr; Eboni Williams, point guard, Fr.; Lexy Zelczak, Forward, Sr; Newnan — Tiara Calloway, Center, Sr; Northgate — Katie Mitchell, guard, So.; Heritage School —Elizabeth Massenburg, Forward, Sr; Trinity Christian —Ashley Caldwell, Forward, Sr.

Northgate sophomore Ebonee Echols helped lead a young Lady Vikings lineup in 2012-13 while earning All-County honors. She averaged 7.5 points and two rebounds a game.

Lady Indians gear up for county meet with 2nd-place finish High School Track & Field

FROM STAFF REPORTS Sports@Newnan.com East Coweta’s girls track and field team turned in a solid performance at the Friday Night Lights meet at Starr’s Mill’s Panther Stadium.

The Lady Indians finished secondwith 87 points. The Newnan girls were 13th with a score of 17 points.

T h e c o u nt y ’s t h re e p u bl ic school programs now prepare for Thursday’s annual Coweta County Championships, to be hosted by Newnan at Drake Stadium.

The Lady Indians were paced by freshman sprinter Aliah Whisby’s

first-place performance in the 200meter dash (26.56). She also added a second-place showing in the 100 meters (12.87).

She also took first place in the high jump with a leap of five feet, five inches.

Candice Bass was third (27.58).

Newnan’s Metryes Geter finished fifth (27.62) in the 200.

East Coweta’s Alona Glenn was sixth in the 400 (1:03.47).

The Lady Indians Ayanna Reid was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (16.22).

Heritage School teams battle in region play FROM Staff Reports sports@newnan.com The Heritage School boys tennis team defeated Weber 4-1 on Thursday.

I n si ng les act ion , Joe Sterrey defeated Cole Frieder (8-1), Hamza K han defeated Jonathon Shuster (8- 0).

The Hawks also picked up two doubles wins against Weber with Grayson Parker and Will Farr (8-3) and Phillip Turner and Lawson Harris (8-6) winning.

The Heritage girls lost to Loganville 3-2 and Weber 4-1.

Against Loganville, Tate C r y m e s (8 - 3), M a d i s o n Cr y me s (8 -1) won t hei r matches.

Tate Crymes also won her match (8-5) against Loganville.

Both teams also won match-

Prep Tennis es against 5-0 against Mills Springs.

In boys action, Sterrey (100), Hamza Khan (10-0) and Chris Truong (10-0) won in singles.

The doubles team of Gray Parker and Will Farr (10 - 0) and Jack Cranford and Lawson Harris won by default.

T he Lady Hawks Tate Crymes (10-0), Madison C r y m e s ( 1 0 - 0) , L i n d s e y Sherrod (10-0) won singles matches against Mill Springs, a nd t he double s te a m of Lauren Wheat and Melinda Hatch (10-1) won their match.

Natalie Bunch and Clara Haugen won by default.

The Lady Indians and the Lady Cougars each turned solid finishes in the 400-relay.

Paced by Ca ndice Bass, Reid, Cierra Swindle and Whisby (51.17), the Lady Indians finished third.

Newnan’s Kianna Brewster, Ronae Ferguson, Metreyes Geter and Ashley Houston (52.35) finished fourth.

The Lady Indians 800 relay team of Bass, Glenn, Swindle, and Whisby (1:49.91) finished second.

East Coweta relay team of Bass, Glenn, Pugh, Reid (4:19.18) was second in the 1,600 relay.

They were also second in the 3,200 relay team as Sylenna Brown, Matarica King, Darian Pugh and Anna Weatherly led the the Lady Indians to a second-place effort (10:35.58).

Lady Indian Mary Kleihauer was second in the discus (90-09).

Glenn was sixth in the long jump (15-10) and Reid took fifth in the triple jump (32-07).

Newnan’s Arden Jobe was sixth in the discus (84-10).

In boys action, East Coweta was 11th with 21 points and Newnan 12th with 14 points.

Newnan’s Joshua Hill (6-6) was first in the high jump.

East Coweta’s Davion Jackson was ninth (23.43) in the 200 meters, and Kevin Lashley fifth in the 300 hurdles (42.00).

The Indians 800 relay team of Nigel Gay, Davion Jackson, Lashley and Weylin Orr (1:35.05) was fifth.

East Coweta also had a strong showing in the 3,200 relay (8:51.87) as Nickolus Bridges, Josh Bruce, Zachary Delgado, Satchel Horton. finished fourth, Newnan’s Terrence Geter (11.38) was eighth in the 100.

East Coweta has two placers in the boys discus with Dartavyous Walker fifth (118-06), and Noah Rutherford eighth (110-05).

College Signings —East Coweta Football

Dayton signs with Dordt College East Coweta senior Michael Dayton recently signed a national letter of intent to play football at Dordt College in Sioux City, Iowa. With him were: Front: Parents Charles and Stacey Dayton; Back row, from left, are: East Coweta head football coach Clint Wade, Indians offensive coordinator Tom Gochenour and special teams coach Todd Beldon.

Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 7A

SPORTS

Area Sports Schedule

Lee girls, ECMS boys lead Grovenstein Relays

Monday

■■ High School Baseball 4:00 p.m. Griffin Christian at Heritage School 5:30 p.m. Northgate at Creekside ■■ High School Soccer (Girls first, boys to follow) 4:00 p.m. Lafayette Christian at Trinity Christian 5:00 p.m. Boys: Loganville Christian at The Heritage School 5:30 p.m. Coweta Cup: Newnan at East Coweta ■■ JV Lacrosse 6:00 p.m. Boys: Newnan at Starr’s Mill

Tuesday

■■ High School Baseball 4:00 p.m. Covenant at Heritage School 5:30 p.m. Langston Hughes at East Coweta 5:30 p.m. Newnan at Douglas County ■■ High School Golf 3:30 p.m. Northgate, Starr’s Mill at Braelin ■■ High School Lacrosse 5:30 p.m. East Coweta girls at Campbell ■■ High School Soccer 4:00 p.m. Girls; The Heritage School vs. Atlanta Girls

at Silverback Stadium ■■ High School Tennis 4:00 p.m. Whitewater at Northgate 4:00 p.m. Langston Hughes at East Coweta 4:00 p.m. Westlake at Newnan ■■ High School Track & Field 4:30 p.m. Lithia Springs at Northgate

Bryan, Parker earn honors ALL-COUNTY Continued from page 6A

Two sen ior G I SA A l lRegion players also earned their spot on Newnan Times Hera ld A ll- County basketball team with Heritage School’s Chase Parker and Sa ra Br ya nt m a k i ng t he squad Parker had an easy transition for the Lady Hawks as they moved from Class AA to Class AAA, the GISA largest division.

She finished the year tossing in 14.5 points per game, and pulling down 8 rebounds and finishing with 5 steals.

The Lady Hawks’ senior helped lead the team to the region title.

1/2) while Quinita Mitchell was third in the shot.

Evans’ girls were second with 85 points, paced by Lee Middle School’s track Stinson’s efforts. In addition teams combined for 172 points to relay efforts, Adams was to win Thursday’s Chuck second in the 200 (28.48) and Grovenstein Relays held at East fourth in the 100 hurdles.

Coweta Middle.

Lady Cougar Lesley Davis The meet, named after swept victories in the weights Evans’ track coach coach, saw by winning the shot (28-8) and Kameron Stinson of Evans earn discus (83-9). Chelzey Smith the girls high-points award and was fifth in the discus.

Madras’ Ton Evans earn highTamara Baker led Evans’ girls points for boys. in the 100 hurdles, placing third.

Lee’s girls led all teams with Other Lady Cougar scores 98 points while its boys were included Katrice Jackson in second behind East Coweta. the long jump (3rd) and Hallie Evans finished second among Goolsby in the 1,600 (5th). combined scores with 151.2 and Smokey Road’s girls were Smokey Road was third with third (66.20) led by a victory 131.7. East Coweta (119), Arnall in the 400 relay by Shi-Mia (89.20) and Madras (80.5) Dorsey, Jakale Payton, Lamirra rounded out the top six.

Henderson and Ayanna Harris Stinson paced Evans by in 53.55. The Lady Wildcats also sweeping sprint events with placed third and fourth in the wins in the 100 (13.37 seconds) 1,600. Dorsey and Harris ran and 200 yard dashes (28.19). with Angel Harris and Tyrika She added a second-place finStegall on the “A” lineup while ish in the high jump at 4-6 a “B” team of Amaya Towns, behind Smokey Road’s Lamirra Aliah Beasley, Maxy Gates and Henderson while also among a Henderson were fourth. second-place 400-relay in 54.18.

Individually, Henderson Stinson was joined by Christy added victories in the 100 hurHoward, Cierra Adams and dles in 18.25 and the high jump Danyele Sims on Evans relay. while sixth in the 400.

GIRLS Payton and Harris were third Lee’s girls had scoring relays and fourth in the 100 while in both the 400 and 1,600. An Harris placed second in the ‘A’ team comprised of Lauren long jump and fifth in the 200.

Anders, Trinesha Talley, Towns and Markia Talley finLindsay Warren and Jameshia ished fourth and sixth, respecWeaver was third in the 400 tively in the 800. and Warren joined Quintina Other scorers included Mitchell, Nicole Goncerzevicz Amberella Neely in both the and Maxine Antwi for a second- shot and discus (6th) and Maxy place effort in the 1,600.

Gates in the hurdles (5th).

Warren scored in both of her Arnall’s girls placed fourth individual events, finishing sec- (66) while receiving victories ond in the 400 (1:05.6) and sixth in the 400 relay as well as a in the long jump (14-1 1/2). pair from Elise Glorvigen in the Lee teammate Destiny 800 and the 1,600.

Gilbert scored in three events Olivia Davis, Anadia Fuller, — the 800 (2nd, 2:45.94), 400 Brielle Horton and Troi (5th, 1:08.01) and the high jump, Underwood ran a winning relay where she finished third at 4-6. time of 4:35.88.

Weaver also scored in her Arnall has two scoring relays three individual events —the in the 1,600 led by a ‘B’ team 100 (2nd, 13.49), 200 (3rd, 28.62) of Jra’ Parson, Felicia Hendrix, and long jump (5th).

Olivia Davis and Horton in Lee also had runners place fourth. Fuller, Underwood, second and third in the 800 Chasidhe Godfrey and Brittany and 1,600 with Caroline Nelson Dunnavant were fifth. third in the 800 and second in Dunnavant also scored for the mile. Ellie Korner was right the Lady Knights while fourth behind Nelson in third. in the 100 and sixth in the Payton Bell placed second in 200. Underwood and Davis the shot (27-0) and discus (80-7 were third and fourth in the

FROM STAFF REPORTS sports@newnan.com

She turned in a season high 22 points against Flint River, 18 in the second half Trinity’s Sara Bryan averaged a double-double to close out her high school career with the Lady Lions.

He r l a st ye a r of h i g h school basketball included 12.5 points per game average. She also pulled down 10 rebounds and three assists per game on her way to AllRegion honors.

One of her best ga mes this season came against rival Heritage School in a 47-44 victory right before Christmas.

Bryant helped her team c atc h f i re ea rly a ga i n st the Lady Hawks when she drilled a second-qua rter 3-point shot to give the Lady Hawks a 16-6 lead as part of a 24-point effort.

400 while each placed fourth in the high jump and long jump.

East Coweta’s girls placed fifth (38) behind multiple scorers Summer Madison and Sydney Meadows. Madison won the long jump at 15-1 and was also fourth in the 200 and sixth in the 100. X Griffin and Angel Hyde placed third and fourth in the discus.

Madras’ girls were led by Juliana Fugate’s win in the 400.

BOYS Host East Coweta led boys teams with 81 points while picking up victories from Logan Dockery in the discus (124-2) and Antonio Pollock in the high jump (5-6), along with a winning time in the 1,600 relay.

Dockery added a secondplace effort in the shot of 39-5 behind only a massive heave of 53-2 by Lee standout Carlos Ford. Pollock also had a fifthplace effort in the long jump .

The Indians showcased depth with multiple scorers in the 800, 1,600, high jump and discus, where Stephen Gardner joined Dockery to place fourth.

Nathan Cook was fourth behind Pollock in the high jump.

Mathew Owens and Cody Philips were second and third in the 800 and Psathas Bailey and Frias Santi placed fifth and sixth in the 1,600. Owens was fourth in the 400.

Lee’s boys were second with 74 points. In addition to his mighty toss in the shot, Ford placed second in the discus at 105-09. Teammate Tristan Marchman was third behind Ford in the shot at 39-4,.

Jun Kwan raced to a win in the 100 hurdles in 17.56 while Reggie Jones was fourth.

The Timberwolves also had two scorers in the 400, 800 and 1,600 led by Ryan Aten’s victory in the 800 in 2:17.17.

Gerald Green was fourth in the 800 and third in the mile in 5:30.52 while finishing two seconds ahead of Bobby Martin.

Dalton Crosby and Josh Martin placed third and sixth in the 400. Crosby, Jones, Alex White and Josh Martin were fourth in the 1,600 relay.

Evans’ boys (66.20 points) held off Madras by less than a point in a three-team battle for third place.

The Cougars were dominant

in sprints and field events led

by Josh Thomas’ two wins.

Thomas’ won the 200 in 24.67 and Geoffery Hart was fifth. Thomas added a win in the 400 while finishing in 56.65.

A 400 relay of Thomas, Hart, Deonte Smith and Jacob O’Neal finished second in a tight 1-2 finish with Madras.

A lineup of Thomas, Smith, Kadarius Satterwhite and Zeke MacPherson finished third in the 1,600 relay.

Hart captured the long jump in 18-6 and Satterwhite was third to go with a second-place effort of 5-4 in the high jump.

Klynell Johnson was fifth in the high jump and the hurdles.

Madras’ boys (66 points) were led by Evans’ win in the 100 of 12.22 to go with second and third-place efforts by Evans and Omar Bringas in the 200.

Evans also placed third in the high jump at 5-4 while Bringas was second in the long jump.

The duo also joined CJ Render and Terrance Carter to post a victory in the 400 relay.

Colin Gwin placed second in the 1,600 in 5:26.75 and Jackson Smis was fourth in the shot put with a toss of 38-2.

Smokey Road’s boys (61.2 points) were led by secondplace efforts from both A.J. Robinson in the 100 (12.48) and Jay Jones in the 400 (58.5).

Robinson was also fourth in the 200 while both runners joined Kentez Henderson and Nick Parks to finish third in the 400 relay.

The Wildcats also had two relays score in the 1,600 relay.

Jayland Florence led efforts in the field with a third-place throw of 99-3 1/2 in the discus.

Arnall’s boys (23.20 points) received a win in the 1,600 from Lamar Weeden in 5:23.16.

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© 2013 Piedmont Healthcare 03016-0313

8A — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW WEEKLY DOW JONES

Dow Jones industrials

LOCAL

-62.05

3.76

55.91

-90.24

90.54

MON

TUES

WED

THUR

FRI

Close: 14,512.03 1-week change: -2.08 (-0.0%)

15,000

14,000 13,500 13,000 12,500

S

O

N

D

J

F

STOCK MARKET INDEXES

52-Week High Low

Name

14,546.82 12,035.09 6,291.65 4,795.28 499.82 435.57 9,128.89 7,222.88 2,509.57 2,164.87 3,260.62 2,726.68 1,563.62 1,266.74 16,529.74 13,248.92 954.00 729.75 4,486.66 3,656.42

Wk Chg

Last

Dow Jones Industrials Dow Jones Transportation Dow Jones Utilities NYSE Composite NYSE MKT Composite Nasdaq Composite S&P 500 Wilshire 5000 Russell 2000 Lipper Growth Index

14,512.03 6,179.26 497.36 9,065.78 2,404.93 3,245.00 1,556.89 16,461.52 946.27 4,453.91

M

Wk YTD %Chg %Chg

12-mo %Chg

-2.08 -.01 +10.74 +10.94 -93.41 -1.49 +16.44 +18.43 +2.18 +.44 +9.77 +9.85 -50.89 -.56 +7.37 +10.83 +.72 +.03 +2.09 -.09 -4.07 -.13 +7.47 +5.77 -3.81 -.24 +9.16 +11.44 -37.16 -.23 +9.78 +11.92 -6.21 -.65 +11.41 +14.00 -14.50 -.32 +8.77 +9.42

STOCK EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS NYSE 9,065.78

-50.89

GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)

Name

Entravisn BiP GCrb ParagSh rs NordicAm NQ Mobile SouFun Danaos DianaShip ChinZenix FlowrsFds

Last

Chg %Chg

3.16 6.01 5.05 11.15 9.59 26.18 3.77 10.09 3.43 32.56

+.66 +1.11 +.81 +1.72 +1.37 +3.28 +.46 +1.21 +.40 +3.69

+26.4 +22.6 +19.1 +18.2 +16.7 +14.3 +13.9 +13.6 +13.2 +12.8

LOSERS ($2 OR MORE)

Name

HarvNRes GMX Rs pfB ECA MTrI ECAMTrI wi HomexDev WalterInv ChesGranW QksilvRes Aeroflex GolLinhas

Last

Chg %Chg

3.71 3.45 11.27 11.29 9.11 32.49 13.74 2.27 7.13 6.30

-1.95 -1.75 -4.51 -4.38 -2.76 -9.57 -3.60 -.50 -1.50 -1.05

-34.5 -33.7 -28.6 -28.0 -23.3 -22.8 -20.8 -18.1 -17.4 -14.3

MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE)

Name

BkofAm S&P500ETF BariPVix rs iShEMkts SPDR Fncl SprintNex NokiaCp PrUVxST rs GenElec HewlettP

Advanced Declined New Highs New Lows Total issues Unchanged

Vol (00) Last Chg

8833378 5871240 3340665 2863643 2641580 2454438 2158444 1847786 1754694 1720329

12.56 155.60 20.95 41.96 18.18 6.14 3.33 8.24 23.37 23.04

DIARY

Volume

-.01 -.23 +.44 -.81 -.27 +.33 -.10 +.31 -.07 +.86

1,669 1,495 573 67 3,220 56

16,022,634,787

NYSE MKT

u

2,404.93

d

+.72

GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)

Name

Last

TravelCtrs CoreMold GldFld Ever-Glory Lannett ComstkMn AdmRsc RELM IncOpR PMC CT

9.55 8.95 5.18 2.06 10.38 2.18 49.53 2.16 3.47 7.52

Name

+26.2 +24.3 +12.6 +12.0 +11.9 +9.5 +8.6 +8.0 +7.8 +7.4

Last

Acquity n GenMoly OrionEngy BioTime TelInstEl GoldenMin EmrldO rs Rentech ImpacMtg TriangPet

-1.66 -.50 -.29 -.51 -.43 -.32 -.70 -.24 -.82 -.53

-20.6 -17.1 -11.9 -11.6 -11.6 -11.1 -9.6 -9.2 -7.8 -7.6

Advanced Declined New Highs New Lows Total issues Unchanged

Volume

Chg %Chg

2.90 2.12 9.39 5.79 2.94 5.17 2.13 2.44 2.54 2.88

-2.21 -.90 -3.21 -1.55 -.76 -1.32 -.54 -.59 -.57 -.62

-43.2 -29.7 -25.5 -21.1 -20.5 -20.3 -20.1 -19.5 -18.3 -17.7

MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE)

Name

202619 2.36 -.24 178824 25.79 +.81 123668 2.55 -.12 78393 9.50 +.09 75554 3.95 -.05 71142 21.89 +.07 65843 9.55 +1.98 65083 1.61 +.25 61715 1.44 -.01 58399 2.90 -.08

DIARY

+7.43 +289.1 +2.17 +55.5 +3.65 +49.3 +1.01 +35.3 +4.89 +32.8 +1.84 +32.6 +1.74 +32.2 +.50 +30.5 +.53 +27.6 +1.36 +24.5

Last

MER Tele LiveDeal Spherix rs MaxwllT UnivBus h WSI Inds UTStar rs Ambient lf MEMSIC Kingtne rs

Vol (00) Last Chg

Rentech CheniereEn NavideaBio NwGold g NovaGld g VirnetX TravelCtrs Gastar grs NA Pall g Vringo

Chg %Chg

10.00 6.08 11.05 3.87 19.80 7.49 7.15 2.14 2.45 6.90

Name

MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE)

Name

-4.07

LOSERS ($2 OR MORE)

Chg %Chg

6.39 2.43 2.15 3.90 3.29 2.57 6.59 2.36 9.70 6.47

Last

Crumbs un AnacorPh AtossaG n EagleBu rs ObagiMed ReadgIntB AmIndep ClevBioL h Ultrapetr h Halozyme

LOSERS ($2 OR MORE)

Name

3,245.00

GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)

Chg %Chg

+1.98 +1.75 +.58 +.22 +1.10 +.19 +3.93 +.16 +.25 +.52

NASDAQ

Vol (00) Last Chg

RschMotn 3277535 Oracle 2732472 SiriusXM 2315658 MicronT 2220085 Microsoft 1928844 Cisco 1816395 Intel 1666937 PwShs QQQ 1517143 Facebook n 1373447 Zynga 1068431

243 220 26 26 482 19

DIARY

Advanced Declined New Highs New Lows Total issues Unchanged

341,415,404

14.91 -.08 31.98 -4.36 3.11 -.01 10.04 +.67 28.25 +.22 20.75 -1.18 21.33 -.05 68.59 +.08 25.73 -.92 3.42 -.20

Volume

1,209 1,380 338 52 2,641 52

8,171,577,416

STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST Name

campus Continued from page 1A

14,500

d

Local University of West Georgia campus a coup for community

Ex

Div

Wk Wk YTD Chg %Chg Chg

Last

AFLAC NY 1.40 51.85 +.77 +1.5 -2.4 AGCO NY .40 50.77 -4.07 -7.4 +3.4 AT&T Inc NY 1.80 36.43 ... ... +8.1 AbtLab s NY .56 33.69 -.45 -1.3 +7.5 AMD NY ...

2.54 -.06 -2.3 +5.8 Affymax Nasd ...

1.41 -1.62 -53.5 -92.6 Albemarle NY .96 61.17 -2.04 -3.2 -1.5 AlcatelLuc NY ...

1.40 -.10 -6.7 +.7 Alcoa NY .12 8.45 -.18 -2.1 -2.6 Altria NY 1.76 33.91 +.23 +0.7 +7.9 AMovilL NY .30 20.25 +1.63 +8.8 -12.5 AmIntlGrp NY ... 37.79 -1.18 -3.0 +7.1 Apple Inc Nasd 10.60 461.91 +18.25 +4.1 -13.2 ApldMatl Nasd .40 13.26 -.05 -0.3 +15.9 BB&T Cp NY .92 30.80 -.18 -0.6 +6.5 BkofAm NY .04 12.56 -.01 -0.1 +8.2 BariPVix rs NY ... 20.95 +.44 +2.1 -34.1 Baxter NY 1.80 70.94 +1.53 +2.2 +6.4 BestBuy NY .68 22.78 +1.50 +7.0 +92.2 BostonSci NY ...

7.40 +.01 +0.1 +29.1 BrMySq NY 1.40 40.39 +1.43 +3.7 +25.3 CampSp NY 1.16 43.35 +1.74 +4.2 +24.2 Cemex NY .32 12.21 -.20 -1.6 +23.7 ChesEng NY .35 20.39 -2.07 -9.2 +22.7 Cisco Nasd .56 20.75 -1.18 -5.4 +5.6 Citigroup NY .04 45.23 -2.03 -4.3 +14.3 CliffsNRs NY .60 20.76 -1.33 -6.0 -46.2 CocaCola s NY 1.12 40.04 +1.21 +3.1 +10.5 CocaCE NY .80 37.18 +1.02 +2.8 +17.2 Comcast Nasd .78 41.22 +.51 +1.3 +10.3 Corning NY .36 13.05 +.13 +1.0 +3.4 CSVelIVSt NY ... 22.55 -.67 -2.9 +35.9 CSVS2xVx rsNY ...

3.77 -.15 -3.8 -59.6 Dell Inc Nasd .32 14.14 -.17 -1.2 +39.4 DeltaAir NY ... 16.71 +.71 +4.4 +40.8 DineEquity NY .75 69.49 -1.48 -2.1 +3.7 DirSCBear NY ...

9.39 +.13 +1.4 -30.4 Disney NY .75 56.78 -.80 -1.4 +14.0 eBay Nasd ... 53.27 +2.86 +5.7 +4.5 EMC Cp NY ... 24.15 -1.20 -4.7 -4.5 ErthLink Nasd .20 5.66 +.13 +2.4 -12.4 Equifax NY .88 56.41 -.02 ... +4.2 ExxonMbl NY 2.28 89.29 -.08 -0.1 +3.2 Facebook n Nasd ... 25.73 -.92 -3.4 -3.3 FordM NY .40 13.26 -.19 -1.4 +2.4 FMCG NY 1.25 33.00 -.80 -2.4 -3.5 GenElec NY .76 23.37 -.07 -0.3 +11.3 GenMotors NY ... 28.22 +.01 ... -2.1 Hallibrtn NY .50 39.16 -2.74 -6.5 +12.9 HewlettP NY .58 23.04 +.86 +3.9 +61.7 HomeDp NY 1.56 69.56 +.51 +0.7 +12.5 iShBraz NY 1.57 53.70 -2.03 -3.6 -4.0 iShJapn NY .19 10.77 +.13 +1.2 +10.5

Name

Ex

iShChina25 NY iShEMkts NY iS Eafe NY iShR2K NY Intel Nasd IBM NY JPMorgCh NY JohnJn NY Kroger NY LeggPlat NY Lowes NY MGIC NY MatrixSv Nasd McDnlds NY Merck NY MicronT Nasd Microsoft Nasd Mondelez Nasd MorgStan NY NCR Corp NY NewsCpA Nasd NokiaCp NY Oracle Nasd Penney NY Petrobras NY Pfizer NY PhilipMor NY PostPrp NY PwShs QQQ Nasd PrUVxST rs NY ProctGam NY RegionsFn NY RschMotn Nasd S&P500ETF NY SearsHldgs Nasd SiriusXM Nasd SouthnCo NY SprintNex NY SPDR Fncl NY Starbucks Nasd Suntech NY SunTrst NY Synovus NY TotalSys NY Tredgar NY TwoHrbInv NY Vale SA NY VangEmg NY VerizonCm NY WalMart NY WellsFargo NY Yahoo Nasd Zynga Nasd

MONEY RATES Prime Rate Discount Rate Federal Funds Rate Treasuries 3-month 6-month 5-year 10-year 30-year

Last Pvs Week 3.25 3.25 0.75 0.75 .00-.25 .00-.25 0.08 0.11 0.80 1.93 3.15

0.09 0.12 0.83 1.99 3.21

Div

Wk Wk YTD Chg %Chg Chg

Last

.94 36.94 -.50 -1.3 -8.7 .74 41.96 -.81 -1.9 -5.4 1.76 59.36 -.51 -0.9 +4.4 1.69 94.16 -.59 -0.6 +11.7 .90 21.33 -.05 -0.2 +3.4 3.40 212.08 -2.84 -1.3 +10.7 1.20 48.78 -1.24 -2.5 +11.7 2.44 79.74 +.55 +0.7 +13.8 .60 32.40 +.78 +2.5 +24.5 1.16 32.84 +.62 +1.9 +20.6 .64 37.83 -.98 -2.5 +6.5 ...

4.52 -.39 -7.9 +69.9 ... 15.15 -.59 -3.7 +31.7 3.08 99.27 -.40 -0.4 +12.5 1.72 43.90 -.19 -0.4 +7.2 ... 10.04 +.67 +7.2 +58.4 .92 28.25 +.22 +0.8 +5.8 .52 29.73 +1.32 +4.6 +16.8 .20 22.18 -1.41 -6.0 +16.0 ... 26.91 -.36 -1.3 +5.6 .17 30.29 -.07 -0.2 +18.7 ...

3.33 -.10 -2.9 -15.7 .24 31.98 -4.36 -12.0 -4.0 ... 15.43 -.05 -0.3 -21.7 .46 16.85 -.96 -5.4 -13.5 .96 28.38 +.36 +1.3 +13.2 3.40 91.62 +.25 +0.3 +9.5 1.00 47.60 -1.24 -2.5 -4.7 .86 68.59 +.08 +0.1 +5.3 ...

8.24 +.31 +3.9 -60.6 2.25 77.27 +.93 +1.2 +13.8 .04 8.21 -.15 -1.8 +15.1 ... 14.91 -.08 -0.5 +25.6 3.18 155.60 -.23 -0.1 +9.3 ... 52.05 +.23 +0.4 +25.8 .05 3.11 -.01 -0.2 +7.4 1.96 45.66 +.14 +0.3 +6.7 ...

6.14 +.33 +5.7 +8.3 .27 18.18 -.27 -1.5 +10.9 .84 57.38 -.28 -0.5 +7.0 ... .42 -.28 -39.6 -72.4 .20 28.23 -.83 -2.9 -.4 .04 2.82 -.01 -0.4 +15.1 .40 24.37 +.18 +0.7 +13.8 .28 29.12 +.73 +2.6 +42.6 1.63 13.81 -.03 -0.2 +24.6 .78 17.16 -.39 -2.2 -18.1 1.05 42.33 -.82 -1.9 -4.9 2.06 49.02 +1.00 +2.1 +13.3 1.88 74.28 +1.78 +2.5 +8.9 1.00 37.20 -1.00 -2.6 +8.8 ... 23.26 +1.19 +5.4 +16.9 ...

3.42 -.20 -5.5 +44.9

CURRENCIES Last

Australia Britain Canada Euro Japan Mexico Switzerlnd

.9572 1.5228 1.0227 .7702 94.45 12.3778 .9411

.9569 1.5179 1.0239 .7739 94.92 12.4027 .9460

British pound expressed in U.S. dollars. All others show dollar in foreign currency.

MUTUAL FUNDS

Name

Total Assets Obj ($Mlns) NAV

Total Return/Rank Pct 4-wk 12-mo 5-year Load

PIMCO TotRetIs Vanguard TotStIdx Vanguard InstIdxI Vanguard TotStIAdm Vanguard 500Adml Fidelity Contra American Funds IncAmerA m American Funds CapIncBuA m American Funds GrthAmA m Vanguard InstPlus American Funds CpWldGrIA m American Funds InvCoAmA m FrankTemp-Franklin Income A m Vanguard TotStIIns

CI LB LB LB LB LG MA IH LG LB WS LB CA LB

+0.5 +3.0 +2.9 +3.0 +2.9 +3.0 +2.3 +1.6 +2.1 +2.9 +1.7 +2.6 +2.3 +3.0

178,500 86,229 72,475 65,095 64,082 61,507 60,003 59,807 58,253 54,415 48,072 46,350 44,354 43,226

Pvs Day

11.23 39.06 143.17 39.07 143.42 83.14 18.98 54.77 36.82 143.18 39.15 32.45 2.32 39.07

+8.2/A +14.6/B +14.3/B +14.7/B +14.3/B +10.6/B +13.3/A +11.9/A +14.0/A +14.3/B +14.0/B +13.4/C +13.8/A +14.8/B

... +.25 +1.02 +.25 +1.02 +.71 +.09 +.25 +.25 +1.02 +.24 +.25 +.01 +.24

Min Init Invt

NL 1,000,000 NL 3,000 NL 5,000,000 NL 10,000 NL 10,000 NL 2,500 5.75 250 5.75 250 5.75 250 NL200,000,000 5.75 250 5.75 250 4.25 1,000 NL 5,000,000

CA -Conservative Allocation, CI -Intermediate-Term Bond, ES -Europe Stock, FB -Foreign Large Blend, FG -Foreign LargeGrowth, FV -Foreign Large Value, IH -World Allocation, LB -Large Blend, LG -Large Growth, LV -Large Value, MA -Moderate Allocation, MB -Mid-Cap Blend, MV - Mid-Cap Value, SH -Specialty-heath, WS -World Stock, Total Return: Chng in NAV with dividends reinvested. Rank: How fund performed vs. others with same objective: A is in top 20%, E in bottom 20%. Min Init Invt: Minimum $ needed to invest in fund. Source: Morningstar.

Stock Footnotes: g = Dividends and earnings in Canadian dollars. h = Does not meet continued-listing standards. lf = Late filing with SEC. n = New in past 52 weeks. pf = Preferred. rs = Stock has undergone a reverse stock split of at least 50 percent within the past year. rt = Right to buy security at a specified price. s = Stock has split by at least 20 percent within the last year. un = Units. vj = In bankruptcy or receivership. wd = When distributed. wi = When issued. wt = Warrants. Mutual Fund Footnotes: b = Fee covering market costs is paid from fund assets. d = Deferred sales charge, or redemption fee. f = front load (sales charges). m = Multiple fees are charged. NA = not available. p = previous day’s net asset value. s = fund split shares during the week. x = fund paid a distribution during the week. Gainers and Losers must be worth at least $2 to be listed in tables at left.

Most Actives must be worth at least $1. Volume in hundreds of shares. Source: The Associated Press. Sales figures are unofficial.

Center. “And we are in the process of going through all those conditions.”

The city is so serious about the project succeeding, it will be issuing bonds — basically going into long-term debt — to cover the costs. It will be the first time in more than 10 years the city has taken on or guaranteed debt. The last time was in 2002, when the city created a hospital authority and guaranteed Newnan Hospital’s purchase of the old Coweta General Hospital facilities on Hospital Road.

“This is one of the most exciting projects we’ve ever undertaken,” said Mayor Keith Brady. “It will have a huge impact on the economy.”

“We have not had long-term debt in a long time,” he added.

“We believe this project is worthy of finally having some debt… it’s an important obligation to our citizens.”

The project will bring a massive economic boost through job creation and construction purchases, provide new higher education opportunities, and create an atmosphere to bring in supporting businesses.

It is expected to have a one-time economic impact of $21 million during the construction phase and create 176 jobs, according to a West Georgia study. Over the long term, operational and student expenditures in the community are estimated to be between $1.4 million and $3.4 million.

“Outside of the direct economic impact, the Newnan H o s p i t a l R e d e ve l o p m e n t Project is a catalytic project that will undoubtedly improve the overall business climate of

Obituaries Mr. Charles Ray Banks Sr.

Charles Ray Banks Sr., 81, of Newnan, passed away on March 23, 2013.

He was born on June 24, 1931, in Coweta County to the late Howard Smith Banks and Thelma Brown Banks. He was a veteran of the Korean War and served in the United States Army. Mr. Banks is survived by his wife, Barbara Brown Banks; his children and two grandchildren. He also has two brothers and one sister.

The funeral ser vice will be held Monday, March 25, 2013, at the graveside at The Faith Creek United Methodist Church Cemetery in the Madras Community. Mr. G.D. Hendrix will officiate.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.mckoon. com.

McKoon Fune ral Home 770-253-4580

Mrs. Dorothy Coker Martin Mrs. Dorothy Coker Mar tin, 86, of Luther sville, d i e d S a tu r d ay, M a r c h 23, 2013, at Avalon Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Mrs. Mar tin was born S e p t e m b e r 14 , 19 2 6 , i n Brookhaven, daughter of the late George Wilbur Coker and Annie Merle Hill Coker. A former resident of Atlanta, she had lived in Luthersville since 1964, was a member of Luthersville Baptist Church, and was the wife of the late Harvey L. Martin.

Survivors include her sons and daughter in-law, Dennis and Leatha Martin, and Douglas Martin, all of Luthersville; and a grandson, Justin Martin of Statesboro.

Graveside services will be 2 p.m., Monday, March 25 in the Luthersville Cemetery, with the Reverend Byrom Mar tin officiating.

The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, March 24 at Claude A . McKibben and Sons Funeral Home in Hogansville.

Condolences may be expressed at www.mckibbenfuneralhome.com

Death Notice David William Howland, 70, of Ha mpton , Georgia , passed away on March 21, 2013. Funeral services will be at Mowell Funeral Home in Fayetteville on Tuesday, Ma rch 26 , 201 3, at 4 p.m .

Burial will be at Westminster Memorial Garden in Peachtree City.

Vanessa Einswerth and Michelle Smith, UWG nursing students, work in the Newnan SIM Lab documenting patient information on simulation charts.

the downtown district,” said Hasco Craver IV, business development director for the city. “Retail, restaurant, service and professional as well as financial institutions and all other providers of goods and services within the local trade area will benefit from the project. “ I n a dd it io n , t h e pr oj ect will provide individuals with the opportunity to obtain a university education here in New na n ,” he added. “Providing our current and future businesses with a well-trained workforce is of paramount importance, and this project simply adds to our current complement of post-secondary educational opportunities.”

Brady likened it to a “generational effect” where area students could remain here.

“People will not have to leave home to get an education or to continue one,” he said.

Craver added that “providing our current and future

businesses with a well-trained workforce is of paramount importance and this project simply adds to our current complement of post-secondary educational opportunities.”

Several of the conditions mentioned by Phillips already have come to pass to move the existing UWG campus from its current location at Shenandoah Industrial Park to the Hospital property on Jackson Street.

T he Un ive r sit y Sy ste m Board of Regents has agreed to purchase the renovated property from the city for $5 million. A project manager, Comprehensive Program Services, is on board.

T he boa rd of New na n Hospital Inc. will donate the land and buildings, and prov id e a b o ut $ 4 . 2 m i l l io n .

Coweta County has agreed to kick in $535,000 spread out over the next 10 years.

A traffic study showed there would be no adverse impacts from moving the ca mpus.

An engineering study, which found asbestos as expected, is currently being reviewed.

The question remains what to do with the asbestos, and officials on all sides are discussing that issue. The end result could be removing some or all of it, or simply placing carpet and other protective materials where the asbestos is concentrated. Most of the asbestos was in floor and ceiling tiles, and pipe insulation.

“We are continuing to discuss that issue,” Craver said.

Construction and renovation is expected to begin later this year and the city hopes to turn over the keys in January 2015.

Changes include creating about 51,000 square feet of usable space and nearly 32,000 square feet of “warm shell”

expansion space, plus a new lecture hall.

The university will move from its current location, where it has been for 22 years, a nd look towa rd ex pa ndi ng hea lt h-related deg ree programs.

“This will include additional nursing laboratories, patient simulators and classrooms because the Newnan/ Coweta area is fast becoming a respected health care focal point and a pool of highly educated, well-prepared nurses is a vital component to the community’s continued growth in this critical-need field,” university officials said in a statement. “In addition, the new facility will provide space for a large lecture hall, a library, a food court, a bookstore and additional administrative and faculty offices. It will also allow UWG to expand dualenrollment opportunities for local high school students, particularly in the science, math and technology disciplines.”

According to the university, “In addition to core curriculum classes and joint enrollment for high school students, UWG-Newnan offers two full undergraduate degree programs (Early Childhood Education and Nursing) and f ive graduate degree pro g ra m s (M a ster ’s i n E a rly Childhood, Special Ed, and Secondary Education; Master’s in Business Administration; and Specialist in E duc at ion a l L e ader s h ip).

Forty percent of the Newnan C e n te r ’s s t u d e n t s r e s id e in Coweta County, and underg r a du a te e n r ol l m e nt h a s quadrupled over the past 10 years.”

2 arrested in Gainesville pet store dog attack GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Gainesville Police say two men have been arrested for allegedly threatening customers at a pet store after one of their pit bulls bit a child.

Police say a dog belonging to Craig Wooke bit a 6-year-old boy in his face at the pet store

last weekend. Authorities say Wooke and Darin Dyer f led the scene, and Dyer pointed a gun at a customer who tried intervening in the parking lot. Officials say both men were arrested without incident Friday. It is unclear if they have attorneys.

Ga i ne sv i l le Pol ice Cpl .

Kevin Holbrook said Wooke has been charged with being a party to a crime and Dyer has been charged with aggravated assault.

The boy’s mother says doctors have removed nine stitches from the child’s face.

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 9A

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10A — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 3B

Family

Coweta County Remembered These two images are the two sections of a wide photo of a reunion of the Camp family about 1921. The large photo came into the possession of Coweta County genealogy buff Helen Camp. The only person in the group she knows is her husband’s relative, Jasper Luna “Lunnie” Camp, the fifth person and first male on the back row from left in the top photo. She is hoping others may be able to help her identify people in the picture. Note the fashions of the day worn by the Camp family members, probably from the Coweta, Campbell, Fulton, Clayton and Douglas areas. The large family, she said, descends from Thomas Camp, from North Carolina, who had 24 sons and three daughters, including a set of twins. Camp may be reached at 770-253-9530.

Newnan-Coweta Historical Society works with The Newnan Times-Herald to produce Coweta County Remembered, which appears each Sunday. To submit a photo or item, call Herb Bridges of Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, 770-253-4934, or contact him by mail in care of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, P.O. Box 1001, Newnan, GA 30264. Or contact News Editor Ellen Corker at The Newnan Times-Herald office, 770-253-1576, ext. 727; fax 770-253-2538; or email at ellen@newnan.com . Photos may also be brought to The Newnan Times-Herald office, 16 Jefferson St., P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, GA 30264; or to historical society volunteers at the Male Academy Museum, Temple Avenue and College Street, 770-251-0207. Please include a name and telephone number.

Child’s swearing may be sign of something more troubling Q: How can I stop my child from swearing? I’ve confronted him about this several times.

But the problem only gets worse. What can I do?

Jim: Assuming you don’t swear at home yourself, there are many places where he could have picked up this bad habit. The most likely culprits are the media and school.

Although you can’t shield him from every negative influence, it’s important that you regulate his media habits and oversee his social interactions.

Also, our counseling team recommends that you consider his motivations. Why is he using these words, especially in your presence? Is it a symptom of rebellion? An expression of anger? A reaction to feelings of rejection?

In that case, it might be wise to ignore the language for a moment and deal with the deeper emotions. Ask him some strategic questions about school, his social life and how he feels about his relationship with you.

Eventually you’ll want to make the point that profane language is inappropriate in polite society. (This can be a tough case to make -- sadly, many U.S. presidents have been caug ht usi ng swea r words.) Make it clear that he’s expected to clean up his language as long as he’s in your home. If he refuses to cooperate, apply appropriate consequences -- for example, the loss of television, computer or video game privileges for a period of time.

Q : My w i fe a n d I h a ve wronged each other in many ways over the years. Affairs, lies, you name it. We’ve forgiven each other and committed to rebuilding our marriage. But how can we restore trust?

Dr. Greg Smalley, executive director of Marriage and Family Formation: First, congratulations on your determination to fight for your marriage. That’s an encouraging sign!

When it comes to rebuilding trust, be wary of cliches and pat answers that promise quick solutions. It’s taken many years to build the wall of suspicion that now stands at the heart of your relationsh ip. You ca n’t expect to

Births Arce

Jim Daly

tear it down in a single day.

Restoring trust takes time.

T h i s i s especi a l ly t r ue when the offenses in question were unusually hurtful or if they’ve been repeated numerous times. When a person has been wounded, it’s difficult to trust again unless they can see tangible evidence that things are going to be different in the future. Here are some things that you and your wife need to look for as you seek to rebuild trust: 1) Take personal responsibility for the damage done without shifting blame or adopting evasive tactics.

2) Focus on empathy. Trust is hard to rebuild until your spouse knows that you really “get it” -- that you deeply understand the hurt and pain you’ve caused . Sy mpat hy is when you feel bad “for” your spouse, but empathy is when you feel bad “with” your spouse. Invite your wife to share how your behavior made her feel, and vice versa. Empathy says, “I accept responsibility for my actions, but more importantly, I care that I hurt you.”

3) Come up with a precise and definitive plan designed to prevent further offenses.

4) Commit to seeking counseling. This would include an active resolve to sort through all problematic issues and to make all the necessary changes.

5) Demonstrate patience and forbearance in allowing both of you the time necessary to heal from the hurts yo u ’ ve e n d u r e d w i t h o u t undue pressure.

When it comes to point No. 4, I hope you’ll call Focus for a free consultation with one of our counselors, who can also refer you to a qualified marriage counselor in your area.

May God bless you as you seek to restore your marriage.

Hardry Arce and Alejandra Maria Ramirez announce the birth of a daughter, Katherine Elizabeth A rce, on Ma rch 1, 2013 at Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Maternal grandparents are Rosana Ramirez and Marco Ramirez of Miami, Fla. Paternal grandparents are Marlene Arce and Pedro Arce of Newnan.

Time to show our doctors a little love.

D’Emilio James Alexander D’Emilio and Teresa Lynn D’Emilio announce the birth of a son, James William D’Emilio, on March 4, 2013 at Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Maternal grandparents are Chris and William Dean of Cedartown.

Paternal grandparents are Barbara and James D’Emilio of Marietta.

Dennis Dr. and Mrs. Adam Dennis of Aug usta a n nou nce t he birth of a son, Theo Atlas Dennis, on March 2, 201 3, at Un iversit y Hospita l i n Augusta. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Dennis III and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Exner. Great-grandparents are Mrs. Novelle Dennis, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Exner, and Mr. John Ritch, all of Newnan. Theo is welcomed also by big sister Novelle Eden Dennis.

Every day, doctors help us feel our best, from giving routine preventive care to providing

Jessup

major second chances. For one day, it’s our chance to return the favor.

Josh a nd Fa r ra h Je ssup announce the birth of a daughter, Elizabeth Jessup, on March 5, 2013 at Piedmont Newnan Hospital.

On March 30, we celebrate Doctors’ Day – showing our thanks to the talented men and

National Doctors’ Day – March 30, 2013

women who help us achieve and maintain better health. Nothing means more to doctors than hearing from you first-hand. Log on to our site and show your appreciation.

Potts Tony Gerell Potts and April Talethia Potts announce the birth of a daughter, Asia Tiana Potts, on March 1, 201 3 at Piedmont Newnan Hospital.

Maternal grandparents are Raymond Ward and Kathy Ward of Newnan. Paternal g r a n d p a r e n t s a r e To n y Derring and Gloria Potts of Newnan.

Send a digital thank you note and donate today at piedmont.org/doctorsday © 2013 Piedmont Healthcare 00103-0113

Focus on Education Vision 2013

4B — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Ed

tes

tion No a c u

East Coweta High, Evans to undergo major renovation, expansion projects

Board delays new MS, cites ‘conservative approach to facilities, budget’ Scholarship offered at Barron Montessori School Enrollment is open for the Carolyn Barron Montessori School, and a new Montessori Initiative Scholarship Program now exists to provide financial assistance to families of current and prospective students.

CBMS, located at 195 Jackson Street in Newnan, serves children from 18 months to middle school in its communities.

Summer camps are also available during June and July.

MISP will be available to students during the upcoming school year. Current students and newly enrolled students will be eligible for MISP consideration once enrollment applications have been completed.

The school was founded in honor and memory of the late Carolyn Barron, a well-known Newnan resident. Her family knew of her love of children and her desire to provide an excellent learning experience for children, based on Maria Montessori’s developmentally appropriate practices, according to school officials.

Upon Barron’s sudden death, the Barron family established a fund that was used to establish preschool classrooms that later became known as the Carolyn Barron Montessori School.

The school is in its 20th year of operation, and Barron’s legacy is evident in the school’s mission statement: “We are committed to a prepared, stimulating environment nurturing a lifetime love of learning.”

For more information, visit www. cbms.net or contact Head of School Sherri Holzman at 770-253-2135.

Cook inducted into national collegiate honor society Thomas Edward Cook of Newnan was recently inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

NSCS is the nation’s only interdisciplinary honors organization for first and second year college students.

Membership is by invitation only, based on grade point average and class standing.

NSCS has nearly one million lifetime members and 300 chapters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com Large-scale renovation, modification and expansion projects are in the works for East Coweta High School and Evans Middle School.

After taking an $8.3 million hit for Fiscal Year 2013, the Coweta system has had to make some tough decisions across the board so that instructional days, programs and positions can remain intact.

Concern over operational costs led the Coweta County Board of Education in October 2012 to scrap plans for construction of the proposed Corinth Road Middle School.

Instead, the school system will redirect funds from the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and state entitlement money – awarded to districts based on enrollment numbers – to fund additions, renovations and modifications to existing schools.

While Coweta Schools Superintendent Steve Barker said too many economic unknowns exist for Coweta County to confidently move forward with the new middle school’s construction, the

See facilities, page 5B

Photo by Rebecca Leftwich

Superintendent Steve Barker says the Coweta County School System is “trying hard to make responsible decisions” in utilizing existing facilities.

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

ECHS student Ciarra Davison gets lunch in the cafeteria, which will be part of an extensive renovation and expansion project beginning later this year.

Times-Herald file

New Faces

Virtual learning added at HS level

Mercer information session planned March 25

Coweta expanding educational options

Mercer University will hold a drop-in information session Monday, March 25 from 3:30-6 p.m. at the Coweta County Board of Education building, 167 Werz Industrial Drive in Newnan.

Information will be presented on accelerated programs for undergraduate and graduate degrees from Mercer’s Tift College of Education.

Further questions should be directed to Lou Robinson, 770-683-6115 or robinson_l@mercer.edu (undergraduate) or Evelene Johnson, 678-547-6528 or johnson_eh@mercer.edu (graduate).

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com

Enrollment open for free virtual public charter school Georgia Connections Academy, a fully accredited virtual K-12 school, has opened enrollment for grades K-12.

Enrollment is limited by the State Board of Education to 3,000 students at Georgia Connections Academy for the 2013-2014 academic year, according to Principal Heather J. Robinson. For more information, visit www.connectionsacademy.com .

Four UWG Students finalists in Peachtree Road Race contest Four of the five finalists in the 2013 AJC Peachtree Road Race T-shirt Design Contest are from the University of West Georgia.

The public is asked to vote for their favorite design at www.ajc.com/ peachtree from now until 11:59 p.m. on April 30. Each person can vote once per day until April 30. The winner will be announced when the first runner crosses the finish line and receives their official t-shirt on July 4, 2013.

This is the fifth consecutive year that UWG students have been selected for the contest. As in previous years, the students are in a “professional practices in design” class taught by Clint Samples, an associate professor in art.

The four students are Katie Pettus, a senior majoring in photography; Justin Dunbar, a senior majoring in art education; Hannah Sanders, a senior majoring in art education; and Kayla Marston, a junior majoring in graphic design.

The original 1970s-era O.P. Evans Junior High School building, which the school system plans to demolish and rebuild as as modern two-story structure to better serve students at Evans Middle School.

Photo by Rebecca Leftwich

New Coweta County Board of Education chairman Winston Dowdell, left, presents an inscribed gavel to outgoing chair Sue Brown as BOE clerk Connie Hanson looks on.

Dowdell installed as board chair; 2 principals headed to central office

By REBECCA LEFTWICH

rebecca@newnan.com

Veteran Coweta educator Winston Dowdell – for whom the county’s alternative high school is named – was elected chairman of the Coweta County Board of Education in January.

Dowdell was part of a slate of nominations that included Harry Mullins, wh o wa s e le c te d v ic e c h a i r m a n a nd G rayl i n Ward, who was elected treasurer.

Dowdell said the board will be focused on student services and achievement, supporting the school system and the community.

He urged board members to continue to act professionally and follow the law.

A retired Coweta Cou nt y School System associate superintendent, Dowdell began his career in the Coweta schools at Grantville Brown School i n 1 9 6 8 . He t a u g ht a t Moreland Elementary and moved into administration in 1974, when he became an assistant principal at Newnan High School, and eventually served as principal at both Fairmount and Eastside elementary schools.

He joi ned the school

See faces, page 5B

Guidelines have been finalized, principals and counselors have prepared informational material for career planning guides and Coweta County high schools are prepared to offer students a chance to participate in a virtual learning pilot program for the 2013-14 school year. “ T h e p i l o t i s r e a d y, ” Superintendent Steve Barker said. “When students start registering, we’re ready to start talking to them one-on-one.”

Current trends in college, university and workplace education necessitate the Coweta County School System’s foray into virtual learning, Barker said.

“The fact is that [virtual learning] is a component at our colleges and universities, and I am hearing from our workforce that it needs to be a work component as well,” Barker said. “We need to have the ability to provide an education to students that isn’t

See virtual, page 6B

Photo courtesy Coweta County Schools

Northgate Principal Therese Reddekopp, left, and Newnan High School Principal Doug Moore, right, will move to the central office at the end of the school year.

Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 5B

Education

Photo by Bob Fraley

Enrollment at East Coweta High is projected to reach nearly 3,000 – maxing out the school’s capacity – in 2014. Coweta Schools Superintendent Steve Barker recommended to the Board of Education addition of 15 instructional units “through repurposing and expansion” as part of the renovation and modification project. A new high school would cost an estimated $4.3 million to operate.

East Coweta High School, Evans Middle to undergo extensive renovation and modification projects

facilities Continued from page 4B project at East Coweta High School that will include a major overhaul and the addition of 15 classrooms.

“We are trying hard to make responsible decisions,” Barker said. “These times call for a conservative approach to facilities and budgeting.”

A similar project at Newnan High School was completed in 2012.

East Coweta is the county’s most populated high school with more than 2,800 students currently on roll.

Expected to take three years, the ECHS project already was scheduled for later in 2013 when the school board voted at a called meeting in February to alter plans to include additional classroom space.

“We’re not looking at class size or teacher-pupil ratio,” Barker said. “We’re looking at student movement patterns and the number of students trying to exist during the school day in that space.”

Insurance increases, austerity reductions and lack of state funding as well as unknown factors could further negatively impact the school system’s already strained budget, Barker said, and as the board plans for future growth it must carefully consider costs.

“As we talk about facilities and renovation, we can’t forget where we are in our operational budget,” Barker said. “The budget situation has constant-

ly got to be at the front of our thoughts.”

Enrollment at East Coweta is projected to reach nearly 3,000 – ma xing out the school’s capacity – in 2014. Barker recommended the board approve the addition of 15 instructional units “through repurposing and expansion” as part of the renovation and modification project. A new high school would cost an estimated $4.3 million to operate.

“We just don’t have the luxury to add facilities out of pure desire to add them,” Barker said. “We have to maximize our current facilities. We are using business and industry logic on this kind of project, keeping the fixed cost low, using and maximizing existing facilities and expanding our service delivery model.”

However, more classroom space will require more staff, Barker said.

“We will absolutely have to spend some money on personnel,” he said. “But even if we spent $1 million on personnel, it’s still a $3.3 million savings over new school costs.”

By adding classroom space and expanding off-campus learning opportunities such as dual enrollment, early graduation, offerings at the school system’s Central Educational Center i n New na n , vi rtual and work-based learning, Barker said the school system can effectively alleviate overcrowding at ECHS. “We want to focus on getting all the mileage we can out of our facilities,” Barker said.

“We are committed to conservatively approaching this from a budget standpoint in order to guarantee we are making the best decision. We have to ensure we offer the same level of service but not overreach and find ourselves financially unable to operate effectively.”

I n c r e a s i n g l y, s t u d e n t s from Coweta’s t h ree base high schools – East Coweta, Newnan and Northgate – are taking some or all of their classes at CEC. Those students remain on high school rolls but are not physically present for at least part of the day, and managing their open seats can help alleviate overcrowding.

“Enrollment numbers are not taking anybody out for offcampus learning,” Barker said.

“Projections are for people on roll, but they’re lower in terms of actual bodies on campus moving through.”

The school board also voted to demolish the original O.P. Eva ns Junior High School bui ldi ng at Eva ns M idd le School – a 1970s structure designed with open plan architecture based on the one-room schoolhouse educational concept – and build a modern twostory structure on the site. “[The main building] served us well for many years, but it is in serious need of repair and renovation,” Barker said. “It is more cost effective for us to tear it down and rebuild on that site.”

The project will not begin i m m e d i a t e l y, b u t b o a r d approval was necessary to

add Evans to a five-year facility plan to be submitted to the state this spring.

Planning for the new facility will take place during the 2013-14 school year.

Demolition will begin in May 2014, and the new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2015. Barker said students will attend classes on the Evans campus for the duration of the project, utilizing mobile classrooms and three existing buildings.

With construction of a new school off the table for now,

Barker said the school board w i l l “ beg i n i m med iately ” looking at addition models at Madras and Lee, the two county middle schools with the highest enrollment.

“Both a re facilities t hat by desig n ca n h ave add itions, so we will first look at that,” he said, adding that the school board intends to monitor enrollment projections throughout the school year to determine the best plan for adding instructional units.

Barker said the school system could begin the applica-

tion process for state funds for expansion at the middle schools as early as next summer. Meanwhile, completion of a Corinth Road Middle School could be years – and a substantial upswing in both economy and student population – away. “ We m ay be bu i ld i n g a middle school, if we see that degree of need,” said Barker.

“At that point, the need would l i ke ly b e com bi ne d w it h enrollment numbers which would increase funding for operational costs.”

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Dowdell takes BOE helm; 2 principals promoted

faces Continued from page 4B

system’s central office staff in 1989 as assistant superintendent in 1989 and retired from his associate superintendent position in 1994.

“I’m honored to be here,” Dowdell said in taking over as school board chairman.

“That said, it’s not about me, it’s about the board working together to meet our goals.”

H i s f i rst ac t ion wa s to express his appreciation to outgoing chair Sue Brown for her service.

“Thank you, Ms. Brown, for your leadership for the past two years,” said Dowdell.

Mullins also praised Brown, who was the f irst woma n to serve as board chair in Coweta’s history.

“I just want to personally tell Ms. Brown thank you for serving as board chairman for the past two years,” Mullins said.

“We had a new superintendent and new board members, and while we were working through that transition, you brought a calming atmosphere this board really needed.

“I’ll always be proud to say I served with the first female chairperson of the Coweta County Board of Education,”

Mullins added.

Brown has been nominated for a seat on the executive panel of the Georgia School Boards Association.

Some new faces already have become familiar to students with the immediate f illing of vacancies left by 13 classroom teachers who retired in November.

The midyear retirements of four longtime school system administrators and the planned retirements of others, however, gave Coweta schools an opportunity to redistribute and consolidate some administrative duties – a cost-cutting measure for the budget-conscious Coweta district – before recruiting replacements.

As a result, Newnan High School Principal Doug Moore has been named as the school system’s director of Operations and School Safety, a n d No r t h g a te P r i n c ip a l Therese Reddekopp the director of Instructional Services.

Both will begin their new duties at the end of the current school year.

Moore, a Coweta County native a nd a n a lum nus of Newnan High, is a 32-year educator. He began with the school system as a music teacher in 1981, teaching at Arnco-Sargent, Moreland and Grantville Public elementary schools and Evans, Central

a nd Smokey Road m idd le schools as well as Newnan High.

Moore moved into administration in 2003 as assistant principal at Canongate Elementary School, and in 2004 he headed for Newnan High, where he served until assuming the school’s principalship in 2008.

Reddekopp has served as the principal of Northgate High school for 10 years.

A native of New Orleans, she is a 33-year educator. She bega n her ca reer in 1980, teaching Spanish, French and English in three Louisiana high schools. n t he Ca r rol lton , Texa s school system, Reddekopp was a classroom teacher before moving into administration as an assistant middle school principal.

She moved to Coweta County School in 1998, teaching French at Evans Middle before ta king an assistant principalship at Newnan High in 1999.

During her ca reer, Reddekopp has also served a s a n adju nct professor at the University of West Georgia, Brookhaven College in Farmer’s Branch Texas, and Southeastern Louisiana u n ive r s it y i n H a m m o n d , Louisiana.

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6B — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Education

Yates looms large in long-term school budget

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com Shutdow ns at Georg ia Power’s Plant Yates in western Coweta could cause more long-term budget concerns for the Coweta County Board of Education as the Georgia Legislature prepares to release its Fiscal Year 2014 budget and board members start talking education dollars.

After taking an $8.3 million hit – $4.2 to state equalization shortfalls, $2.3 to local tax digest declines and $1.8 million to an increase in employer costs for classified employees’ health insurance – the Coweta County School System was budgeted more than $10 million into its reserves for Fiscal Year 2013.

Instr uctiona l days, pro grams and positions remained intact despite the staggering loss.

And because the school system has consistently come in under monthly budget so far this year, new projections indicate the Coweta system is on track to use less than half of the reserve funds originally budgeted.

“At this point, we are hoping between being under on expenditures and receiving additional monies, we will not go into our reserves more than $4.7 million,” said Assistant Superintendent of Finance Keith Chapman.

State austerity cuts – which began in 2003 – will have cost the Coweta County School System $85.7 million by the end of FY 2013, according to Chapman.

B ut lo om i n g i ndu st r i a l changes will affect the tax digest and force more tough economic decisions for the school board, which last year slightly increased some class sizes and retained three furlough days to cut costs.

Georgia Power will shut down five of seven generating units at Plant Yates by spring of 2015, when federal Mercury and Air Toxics rulings go into effect that make the aging plant economically unfeasible to operate.

The remaining two units

Keith Chapman

will be converted from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas generators to prevent a complete shutdown, but the company’s plans will hit Coweta Cou nty squa re i n t he ta x digest.

That’s something the Board of Education must take into consideration as members begin the budget planning process.

“It will affect our digest in a negative manner,” Coweta Schools Superintendent Steve Barker said. “How quickly and to what degree, we don’t know.

In terms of a two- to threeyear budget projection plan, it greatly affects [schools] as well.”

Barker pointed out that the tax digest has been in decline since 2009.

“With Yates being a huge, huge portion of our digest, if we should see any turn toward the positive, [the shutdowns] could cause a slide right back down,” he said. “We know we’ve got to find a way to plan for that.”

Coweta schools property tax millage rates have not increased since 2004, remainTimes-Herald file ing at 18.59 mills for mainte- Georgia Power will shut down five of seven generating units at Plant Yates by spring of 2015, when federal Mercury and Air Toxics rulnance and operation of the ings go into effect that make the aging plant economically unfeasible to operate. The change could affect the Coweta County School school system.

System’s tax revenues.

Pictorial

History Books of Coweta County

T

Photo by Rebecca Leftwich

Qianna Gonzalez works with a flight simulator in aviation class at Central Educational Center.

Gonzalez is part of the charter class of the Eighth Grade Academy, one of a number of ways the Coweta County School System has explored expanding its student services.

Virtual learning offered for Coweta high-schoolers

virtual

Continued from page 4B

always within the four walls of a classroom on a school campus.”

Virtual learning provides students a rigorous, on-line, teacher-led virtual classroom environment, Barker said.

Coweta high schools will pilot such courses to eligible students via the Georgia V i r t u a l S c ho ol , wh ic h i s a progra m of the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Technology Services.

Virtual learning is the newest addition to the Coweta County School System’s service model for high school students, who are being offered an increasing number of ways to receive educational services – ranging from traditional classroom instruction to workbased learning and online courses – as they move toward graduation.

While traditional classroom instruction still makes up the largest share of students’ high school experience, the growth

of non-traditional learning service delivery models is expected to continue to grow in coming years, and should be considered as the school system works to maximize current school facilities, Barker said.

Other school learning service delivery models available to Coweta County students include: n Tr ad it ion a l on - c a m pus classroom instruction at East Coweta, Newnan and Northgate, the county’s base high schools. n Traditional or specialized high-school courses taken at Central Educational Center charter school in Newnan. n Dual-enrollment courses – classes that earn students credit toward a high school diplom a a nd postsecondary credits – at West Georgia Technical College, the University of West Georgia or other partnering highereducation institutions. These courses have the added benefit of being able to save parents thousands of dollars in future tuition costs. n Work-based leaning and

apprenticeship courses with businesses that earn students credit towards graduation and career-field experience. n The Performance Learning Center and other special programs which allow students to take credit classes at their own pace. n Early graduation opportunities whereby eligible students complete graduation requirements after the fall semester of their senior year.

That array of options is allowing for greater flexibility during a student’s high school experience, and is altering the demands on space at the three base Coweta County high schools during the day.

High school enrollment is expected to grow by about 550 students across the county over the next three years, based on current trends.

East Coweta High is expected to grow from 2,805 students currently to 3,066 in 2015.

Newnan High is expected to grow from 2,237 students currently to 2,444 in 2015.

Northgate High is expected to grow from 1,805 students to 1,890 in 2015.

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 7B

CA L E N DA R Sunday — March 24 n Masterworks Chorale cel-

ebrates Music in Our Schools Month with a program March 24, at 3 p.m., at the Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts. Features the Masterworks Chorale, four local school choirs, and Masterworks Scholarship Winner Myles Hicks, with a variety of choral pieces: sacred, spiritual, folk, and modern.

Participating choirs are the Smokey Road Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Combined Choirs, Lee Middle School 6th Grade Choir, Northside Elementary School Choir, and Western Elementary School Choir. Concert tickets are $15 adults, $12 seniors, and $5 for students with ID. n Godspell Jr. plays at Legacy Theatre through March 24.

Performed by Legacy Studios students. Shows: Wed.-Sat. 7:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 3 p.m. Tickets: $15 adults/seniors and $10 children 12 and under. Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew, and featuring a sparkling score, Godspell Jr. boasts a string of well-loved songs, led by the international hit “Day By Day.” Drawing from various theatrical traditions, such as closing, pantomime, charades, acrobatics and vaudeville, Godspell Jr. is a unique reflection on the life of Jesus, with a message of kindness, tolerance and love. Legacy Theatre, 1175 Senoia Rd., Tyrone; 404-895-1473. n Carroll County Community Theatre presents the Cole Porter musical “Kiss Me Kate,” Carrollton Cultural Arts Center’s Danny Mabry Theatre with last show Sun., March 24 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10, call 770-838-1083.

Monday — March 25 n Tommy Thompson Senior Center, 29 Hospital Rd., Newnan, has activities weekdays, Mon.- Fri. Lunch for a small fee.

Director Ida Johnson. Details: 770-683-8600 or 683-8602.

Morning and afternoon activities, daily Koffee-Klatch, exercise, Wii games, crafts/classes, card games, pool games, line dancing, excursions. This week: Mon., March 25, American Red Cross 10 a.m., Disaster Preparedness & Exercises; Tues., March 26, Bible study - Stephanie and CCHD Nutrition; Wed., March 27, Embracing Hospice blood pressure; Thurs., March 28, Angels of Hope, Bingo; Fri., March 29, Good Friday - Birthday party with Affinis. n Goodwill Career Center is offering free tax assistance. Visit Newnan Goodwill Career Center 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, for

information on how to file your taxes for free. The career center is locat- ed at 228 Bullsboro Dr. in Newnan. An IRS-certified volunteer income tax preparer will be on hand to help those who make less than $50,000. n Lap Time for toddlers 2-5 years at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan, Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:15 & 11:15 a.m.

Registration required. Thirtyminute program meets once a week for about 8-12 weeks.

Designed for a 2-year- old and an adult working together. n Baby Time for babies 0-24 is Mondays, 10:30 a.m. at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan.

Designed for one-on-one sharing of books, songs, and rhymes between babies and caregivers. n Grantville Senior Center is at 123 LaGrange St. in Grantville city hall building. Meets Monday through Friday. Details on daily activities or special events at Grantville, 770-583-2706. n Business Networking Group meets Mondays at 5:30 p.m. in Dunkin Donuts. Free. Call to confirm: 678-461-4580. n Coweta-Fayette Rotary Club meets at Senoia Coffee & Café at 1 Main Street in downtown Senoia.

Mondays 6:30 p.m. Details: www.cowetafayetteruatary.org. n Chair Yoga is offered Mondays, 10 to 11 a.m. as part of the Piedmont Newnan Hospital Cancer Wellness classes. Enjoy the healthy benefits of yoga practice with extra stability and support. Stretch, twist, bend and breathe while seated in a chair.

This is also great to use at your office desk to relieve tension and stress. Most classes held at The Summit Healthplex, 1755 Highway 34 E., Suite 1400, Newnan. Call 770-719-5860 to register. n McIntosh Lodge 735 meets 7 p.m. 2nd and 4th Mondays. On East Washington Street, Newnan.

Includes dinner. Details: Curtis Grice, 770-304-3249. (March 25). n Masonic Lodge 429 of Sargent meets 7 p.m. 2nd and 4th

Submit calendar items to: calendar@newnan.com .

Masterworks Chorale

celebrates Music in Our Schools Month with a program Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m., at the Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts. The concert features the Masterworks Chorale, four local school choirs, and Masterworks Scholarship Winner Myles Hicks, with a vari- Masterworks Chorale members in rehearsal. ety of choral pieces: sacred, spiritual, folk, and modern. Participating choirs are the Smokey Road Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Combined Choirs, Lee Middle School 6th Grade Choir, Northside Elementary School Choir, and Western Elementary School Choir. Concert tickets are $15 adults, $12 seniors, and $5 for students with ID. The Centre is on Lower Fayetteville Road.

Mondays. Details: James Jones, 770-253-5790. (March 25)

n South Metro Rose Society will meet March 25 at 7 p.m.

at the Heritage Bank at 440 N. Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville.

All rose growers from novice to expert are invited to attend free of charge. This month’s program features Mark Windham, professor and distinguished chief of ornamental pathology at the University of Tennessee, who will speak on Rose Rosette Virus.

Master and Consulting Rosarians will be available to answer questions on any rose topic. Details: 678-545-1990. n 3D Journeys at LaGrange College offers free lectures to enrich and inspire. Focused on Brazil, each session features a member of the faculty: • March 25 - “Diversity and Ecology of the Amazon,” Dr. Mark Yates, Biology.

• April 22 - “Brazilian Inspired Music,” President Dan McAlexander.

Beginning at 10 a.m. (and ending at 11:15), lectures will be in the Dickson Assembly Room of Turner Hall. Park in the lots adjacent to the pedestrian bridge on Vernon Road; shuttle provided. A Dutch-treat lunch will be available in the Pitts Dining Hall.

Details: http://www.lagrange.edu/ events/3djourneys/index.html .

Reservations suggested: 706880-8244 or email 3DJourneys@ lagrange.edu.

Tuesday — March 26 n One Hour Drummer class is Tues., March 26, 10:30 to 11:30

a.m. Part of Piedmont Newnan Hospital Cancer Wellness Classes.

Join in the fun playing drums and other rhythm instruments.

The interactive and energetic ensemble allows you to experience decreased stress, boost your immune system, feel a part of a caring community and enjoy an overall sense of well-being. No prior musical experience necessary. Most classes held at The Summit Healthplex, 1755 Highway 34 E., Suite 1400, Newnan. Call 770-719-5860 to register. n Story Time, Stay & Play at Central Library, Literary Lane in east Coweta, Tuesdays, 11 a.m.

Books, songs, rhymes, and activities appropriate to the ability of children through age 2. Parents, caregivers and children invited to stay and get acquainted during unstructured social time using interactive developmental toys. n Newnan Kiwanis Club meets noon Tuesdays at Newnan Country Club, U.S. Hwy. 29 N. n Family Story Time at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan is Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. Open to all family members. Features stories, songs and crafts. n Educational seminar — Healthcare Reform: Preparing Your Business for 2014 — is offered by Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce Tues., March 26, noon - 2 p.m. at the Chamber on Bullsboro Drive at Farmer Street in Newnan. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. Speaking is David C. Smith, vice president, Health & Welfare Benefits from Ebenconcepts Company. An additional Healthcare Reform Seminar will be offered on Friday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to noon. Details: Newnan-Coweta Chamber, 23 Bullsboro Dr., 770253-2270, newnancowetachamber. org . n Computer Basics (18 and up) is offered at Senoia Library.

Registration required. Want to learn how to surf the internet, establish an email account, learn Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, get an introduction to social networking and finally find out what is the “mouse”…and how you can tame it? Meets second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 11 a.m. Remaining topics: —Social Networking March 26 —Microsoft Excel I April 9 —Microsoft Excel II April 23. n Cancer Support Group of East Coweta meets 2 p.m. fourth Tuesdays. Sponsored by Senoia United Methodist Church, corner of Seavy and Bridge Streets.

(March 26) Coordinated by Ivie Bowman, a retired school nurse

and parish nurse, who along with her pastor, recognized the need for a support group ministry for cancer patients and their families.

Details: Bowman, church office, 770-599-3245 and senoiaunitedmeth@bellsouth.net.

n Coweta Lodge 60 Free & Accepted Masons meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. Supper 6:30 p.m.; lodge Sewell Road, Newnan, opens 7:30 p.m. Next: March 26. n Women with Depression — Group offers open discussion, prayer, and continued support through difficult days for women with depression issues. Meets 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Crossroads Church, 2564 Hwy. 154, southeast of Newnan. Details: http:// crossroadsnewnan.org/index. php?option=com_content&view=a rticle&id=65&Itemid=53

Wednesday — March 27 n MamaBees & Read Book Club

is offered at Central Library, Literary Lane, east Coweta, fourth Wednesday of the month, 11 a.m.: March 27, April 24. A book club designed for moms who love to read, discuss and debate topics of “mommyhood.” Includes nonfiction and fiction titles. n Life Stories program for ages 18 and up offered at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan. Meets last Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.: March 27, April 24. Learn how to turn your own life stories into a keepsake for generations to come.

Class is ongoing. n Free tax return help — Coweta County Public Library System and volunteers from AARP foundation have partnered to prepare federal and state tax returns for free.

Tax preparation and free electronic filing is scheduled every Wednesday through April 10 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the A. Mitchell Powell Jr. Public Library, 25 Hospital Road in Newnan. For directions call the library at 770253-3625. Free help also offered Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Central Library, 85 Literary Lane in east Coweta. Call Central Library at 770-683-2052 for information. It is not necessary to be an AARP member, and all ages are welcome, said volunteer Jimmy Taylor. n E-Learning classes offered at Central Library, Literary Lane in east Coweta. Registration required. Designed for beginning computer user. Each class builds upon the last. Meets Wednesdays, 11 a.m.—1 p.m. Remaining dates:

Volunteer Coordinator Janet Gubbins, jgubbins@westga.edu or 678-839-0630.

Thursday — March 28 n AARP Safe Driving Class is March 28 at the meeting room

at Toyota of Newnan, 2 Herring Rd., Newnan. Meets 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Register with instructor Roger Echols, 770-927-1693. Do not call Toyota of Newnan.

n Prosperity Growth Book Study is Thursdays at Newnan-

Coweta Chamber of Commerce, 23 Bullsboro Dr., 7:30 a.m.

Support group of entrepreneurs studying different books to gain insight and knowledge to help them in their business and personal growth. Back by popular demand “The Compound Effect”

by Darren Hardy. Each participant is responsible for purchasing their own book in whatever format they prefer - traditional book, Kindle, Nook, etc. Details: Gwen Garrison at 678-364-9677 or gwen@lifeplanfin.com.

n Kiwanis Club of White Oak Golden K meets at Sprayberry’s, on Bullsboro Drive, 9 a.m.

Thursdays. Members gather for breakfast coffee, about 8:30.

Membership: Mel Hayden at 770304-0305; www.whiteoakgoldenk. org or email webmaster@whiteoakgoldenk.org . n Kiwanis Club of Coweta County meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays 10 a.m. at Newnan Country Club U.S. Hwy. 29 N. Details: Pres. Louise Davis, 770253-7147. Next: March 28. n Teen Club Meeting at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan, is Thursdays, 4 p.m. Games, crafts and other fun activities for all teens. Meets in the teen space. n Crafty Chixs program for ages 18 and up offered at Grantville Library. Registration required.

Meets 11 a.m. Thursdays March 28, April 25. Adults love crafts too! Series aimed to inspire adults to use their creativity, imagination and basic techniques to create beautiful crafts. n Life Enrichment Book Club for ages 18 and up meets at Central Library, Literary Lane, east Coweta, fourth Thursdays, 11 a.m.: March 28, April 25. Do you enjoy books that encourage self-reflection and offer ways to improve your life? Are you ready to enrich both your reading experience and your daily life? Come discuss vital topics and learn from others. n Sweet Tea Book Club meets at Powell Library, Hospital Road, Newnan, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays March 28 and April 25. Join the group for good reading, great tea, and hot scones! n Civil Air Patrol PTC-Falcon Field Composite Squadron meets Thursdays 7-9 p.m., PTC United Methodist Church, 225 Robinson Rd., Peachtree City. For ages 12 adult interested in aviation, radio communications, search and rescue, and drill team. Details: Lt. Col. Ed Guilbert, 770-487-9526; website www.capga116.com. n Bible-based 12-step substance abuse program for addicts meets at Newnan Church of Christ. Headed by Ron Tomme.

Meets Thursdays 7 p.m. at 2675 Hwy. 34 E. Details: 770-253-3684 or 770-881-0454.

—Intro to MS Word 2, March 27.

—Intro to PowerPoint, April 17.

—Intro to Publisher, April 10. n Gentle Yoga is offered through the Cancer Wellness classes of Piedmont Newnan Hospital Wed., March 27 from 10 to 11 a.m. In a gentle, non-competitive environment, participants are guided through soothing breathwork, simple mindful yoga postures, and deep relaxation. Yoga calms mind, body and emotions so even first-time participants enjoy an improved sense of well-being.

Most classes held at The Summit Healthplex, 1755 Highway 34 E., Suite 1400, Newnan. Call 770-7195860 to register. n Mindfulness Training 101/ Practice is Wed., March 27 from 11 a.m. to noon through the Cancer Wellness classes of Piedmont Newnan Hospital.

Learn to meditate and move through the world in a more peaceful way. Numerous benefits including enhanced immune system, reduced inflammation, less anxiety and depression symptoms. Each participant receives a CD for daily practice.

Most classes held at The Summit Healthplex, 1755 Highway 34 E., Suite 1400, Newnan. Call 770-7195860 to register. n Rethinking Dyslexia — Georgia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association has two showings of director James Redford’s acclaimed 2012 HBO film, “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia.” Q&A following free showings. Repeats March 27, 6:30 p.m. at UWG Education Building, Room 4, Carrollton.

Reservations: www.idaga.org and click on “Events.” Or email info@idaga.org or contact Area

Friday — March 29 n Job Seekers of Peachtree City meets Fridays, First Baptist

Church, Peachtree City. Meetings 7:30- 10 a.m. (March 29) n Make & Take Craft is offered at Grantville Library. Registration required. Held 4:30 p.m. Fridays March 29 and April 19. Join in as the programs celebrate various holidays throughout the spring season through crafting.

Down The Road n Web Tools of the Month

classes offered at Senoia Library.

Registration required. Meets 11 a.m. Saturdays March 30, April 27 (10:30 a.m.) Each month a different free web tool is highlighted whether it be to help you prepare for the SAT/ACT (February), find a job or advance your career (March), or trim your waistlinePart 1 (April).

n Georgia Heartland Humane Society pet adoptions are noon- 4 p.m. Saturdays at Newnan PetSmart and Sundays at Fayetteville PetSmart 1 -5 p.m.

Check www.gaheartland.com.

Coweta Pet Savers www.pleaserescueme.com - volunteers post pictures of adoptable animals.

Large lost & found database. n Soup Kitchen — Perpetual Community Resource Centre at 12 Savannah St., south of downtown Newnan is serving free dinners at its soup kitchen every Saturday, beginning in February from 4-6 p.m. or until all the food is gone.

n Annual Easter Egg Roll and Egg Hunt at Roosevelt’s Little

White House is March 31, from 1 - 3 p.m. Historic site admission is $8-$12. Bring your Easter basket and camera for a fun, family day set on the Little White House lawn. Friends of Roosevelt’s Little White House will sponsor the second annual Easter Egg Roll similar to that held on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C. Before that, there will be three egg hunts for children ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11 beginning at 1 p.m.

Prize Egg for each group will feature any single item from the Gift Shop the child picks. Details: 770-655-5870 or www.georgiastateparks.org

April 2013 n Newnan Optimist Club meets first and third Mondays 6 p.m. at Country Inn and Suites, Newnan Crossing Boulevard. Details: Tom Little, wlittle@coweta.ga.us or Donna Rainey, 770-251-4974.

Next: April 1. n Bigham Masonic Lodge F&AM in Moreland meets first and third Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. (April 2) n Newnan-Coweta Lions Club meets noon first Tuesdays at Golden Corral, Bullsboro Drive.

Details: Sec. Peter Burns, 770-2526935 or 678-850-0738. April 2. n Preparing for College and Career Changes is offered at Senoia Library. Registration is required. Tuesday, April 2, 1 p.m.

A representative from Southern Crescent Technical College in Griffin, GA will discuss the vocational education and certification opportunities they offer on their local campus that might be interesting to new high school graduates or career changing adults.

They will also highlight financial aid options for funding higher education. n Old Raymond School — Efforts continue to restore historic Mary Ray Memorial School in Raymond as a community center. Membership $25 individual or household. Checks to: Mary Ray Memorial Schoolhouse, 771 Raymond-Shedden Ave., Newnan, GA 30265. Meets first Tuesdays (April 2), 6:30 p.m. at school.

Details: Anita Keith, 706-616-5656, anitak7@peoplepc.com . n Down To Earth - Organic Association meets 7 p.m. first Tuesdays (Next: April 2) Andy’s Nursery, 915 Highway 16E, Newnan; 770-252-3030. Members at all stages of gardening from beginners to veterans. n Senoia Optimist Club, civic organization with focus on youth and community projects.

Meets 6 p.m. first Thursdays at Matt’s Smalltown Pizza and third Thursdays at Maguire’s Irish Pub. Details: Tony Bell 770-599-3981 or 770-632-9052 or www.senoiaoptimistclub.org . Next: April 4. n American Legion Post 57, Ladies Auxiliary, S.A.L. meets first Thursdays, Coweta Veterans Club, U.S. Hwy. 29 North, one mile north of 34 Bypass (across from A&W Nursery). Social 6:30, meetings 7:30. All veterans and relatives of veterans (spouses, children, etc.) invited. (April 4). n Book Bowl is offered at Central Library, Literary Lane, eastern Coweta. Registration is required.

Thurs., April 4, 11 a.m. For students in grades third through fifth. Pick up a reading list from the children’s reference desk or download it from the website then meet at the Book Bowl to pit your knowledge of the books against others. n Grantville Kiwanis Club meets 6 p.m. first and third Thursdays at Sewell Mortuary, 220 Charlie Patterson Rd., Grantville. Details about membership: Willie Boyd at 770-251-7658. Next: April 4. n Girl Talk Book Club at Central Library. Registration required.

First Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.: April 4. Girls can join their friends to share great books and fun activities. Books change monthly. Ages 5-11. n Beta Sigma Phi is looking for Beta Sigma Phi women who would like to be active again.

Laureate Chapter for CowetaFayette area. Details: Debbie 678364-0134 or Addie 678-364-8526.

Welcomes women of all ages, interests, and educational and economic backgrounds. Meets first Thursdays (April 4) 7 p.m., with socials, luncheons, scrapbook, service projects, events.

Details: www.betasigmaphi.org . n History Book Club meets quarterly at Powell Library, Hospital Road in Newnan. Meetings are on the first Thursday, 7 p.m.

(Next April 4). April selection for discussion is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly. n Movie Time is offered at Coweta Public Library System’s Central Library 4 p.m. Friday, April 5.

Movies include children’s feature films recently released. All movies are shown in the Meeting Room using a large projection screen. Snacks are not permitted.

8B — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Education

Board to re-establish Communities in Schools

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com Communities In Schools has helped prevent thousands of students nationwide from dropping out, meeting needs that can have little to do with academics.

A group of local volunteers is working to re-establish the program – which went dormant after the 2010 death of executive director Bonnie Ga rrison – in the Coweta County School System .

Largely through the efforts of Central Educational Center CEO Ma rk W h it lock , CIS has maintained all necessary paperwork as well as its 501(c)3 status in Coweta County, leaving open the door for re-implementation of student services.

“We deserve to have this bac k i n t he com mu n it y,” said Kristy Lilly of Southern Company, who along with Lisa Smith of Georgia Power, Arthur “Skin” Edge of GeorgiaLink and Carole Ann Fields of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce are serving on a newly formed board of directors.

L i l ly a nd Sm it h joi ne d Georgia Communities In Schools Community Development Specialist Nancy Stone at the March meeting of the Coweta County Board of

Steve Barker

Education. The trio outlined plans to recruit 11 additional community leaders to serve on the board, identify funding and begin the process of hiring an executive director and a site coordinator.

Communities In Schools advocates have spent nine months studying the feasibility of re-establishing the program, Lilly said, and laying groundwork which will allow CIS to begin serving Coweta students at some point during the 2013-14 school year.

A comprehensive resource assessment of Coweta County also is being conducted by Leadership Coweta’s Education Team, which includes Brad Binion of Newnan Utilities, Anna Ivory of Piedmont-Newnan Hospital, Wanda Norris of Coweta Water & Sewerage and

Garnet Reynolds of BB&T. Coweta Schools Superintendent Steve Barker has expressed his full support for the project.

“Communities In Schools is truly one of the purest forms of community partnership,” Barker said. “It will be a great addition to our school system.”

CIS helps counter challenges and risk factors which can be barriers to student success, Stone said.

“A lot of kids walk into a school building with issues that have nothing to do with education,” she said. “We are able to wrap all partners and community resources around and support that child.”

Dropout rates and behaviora l refer ra ls decrea se while attendance and academics improve for students whose risk factors are identified and addressed through CIS, according to Stone, who emphasized the importance of appointing a strong board with resource development as its main directive.

Barker said he is working to identify an appropriate school setting for the Communities In Schools site coordinator.

“We have a lot of interested principals,” he said.

“This is a great resource and Photo by Rebecca Leftwich a very committed group, and A group of local volunteers is working to re-implement the Coweta Communities In Schools program we’re looking forward to this for county students. “We deserve to have this back in the community,” said Kristy Lilly, who along partnership.” with Lisa Smith and Nancy Stone updated the Coweta school board earlier in March.

A-B-C, 1-2-3 ... history Unity Elementary School student perform a tribute to music legend Berry Gordy as part of their Black History program for fellow students on March 1. The students also presented the program on the evening of Feb. 28 for attendees at the Luthersville school’s annual CRCT Night. The “ABC, 123” hit by the Jackson Five was recreated on the school’s stage.

Todd new head of Governor’s Office of Student Achievement From STAFF REPORTS education@newnan.com Meriwether County resid e n t M a r t h a A n n To d d h a s been n a med d i rec tor of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement by Gov. Nathan Deal.

To d d , w h o l i v e s i n Greenville, was named to the post – along with several other appointments – on Ma rch 8. Prior to joining GOSA, Todd was the associate superintendent of teacher and leader effectiveness at the Georgia Department of Education.

In 2011, Todd visited Coweta County when she gave a presentation at West Georgia RESA in Grantville.

She has more than 30 years of experience in education, in both public and private schools, serving kindergarten through 12th grade.

Her teaching experiences range from instructing a kindergarten class to teaching high school algebra.

Todd has also served in a wide range of leadership roles throughout her career at the school, district and state lev-

els. In Meriwether County, she served as assistant superintendent for school improvement.

Todd holds a bachelor’s in elementary education from Emory University, a master’s in educational leadership from Columbus State University and a specialist in education degree in educational leadership from Georgia College and State University.

She lives in Greenville with her husband, Robert Lee Todd IV. She is the mother of two grown children and has two grandchildren.

A l so on M a rc h 8 , D e a l appointed Tracy A. Ireland as interim president of the G e or g i a St udent Fi n a nce Commission. The governor also nominated Christopher Tomlinson to serve as director of the State Road and Tollway Authority and Diana Pope as director of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission.

The appointments of Pope a n d To m l i n s o n r e q u i r e approval by their respective boards.

Newnan

I-85 at Bullsboro Drive 770-253-3995

Close-Up John Winters

Sunday, March 24, 2013 — 1B

Vision 2013

Sequester this When the federal government st a r t s u si n g word s you’ve never heard of, watch out.

I refer to words like “ethnic cleansing.” This is the polite way of saying one group is killing another. Not that there’s a polite way to talk about the mass execution of another, but why can’t we just call it what it is?

Now we are playing with “f iscal cliff ” and “sequestration .” T hese a re terms used by the Certain people in Congress and the Other People in Congress who blame each other for not fixing whatever. And the Certain People and the Other People also point fingers at Those People in the White House. It’s everyone’s fault but theirs.

We somehow avoided the fiscal cliff, which involved the nation falling off the mountain of debt; at least that’s the image that works for me. We did that by simply saying we could borrow more money.

There’s a concept we should try at home. We spend too much, so just borrow more to pay for the stuff we can’t afford anyway and add to our debt.

Those must be the kind of jokes bankers share with each other.

Now sequestration was, intentionally, the absolutely worse idea the Certain and Other people could come up.

Make a law soooooo bad that everyone would work together to ensure it would never happen. Basically, automatic cuts kick in if the Certain and Other types can’t agree to fix the budget. And that would never happen. But it did.

And it’s not like the department heads get to choose where those cuts come from, they are pretty much across the board. And yes, there are some exempted budget items - and very expensive ones, mind you. And all that means is the non-exempted ones get hit harder.

Put it this way. You have two non-exempted departments.

Program X buys rifle ammunition. Program Y is working on turning peanuts into rifle ammo. Under sequestration, you can’t be logical and kill the peanuts for ammo idea.

No, each program gets cut, meaning we have less rif le ammo and still can’t make peanuts into ammo.

Or, White House tours are canceled, but somehow we can still have a politically-fueled St. Paddy’s Day White House affair. Or our military continues to get paid (exempted), but their tuition assistance and TRICARE (non-exempt) are getting cut.

The FBI will be cut by $480 million, but we just gave Egypt $250 million. I have no idea.

Sorry. Our military planes will continue to fly, with less fuel; the Air Force Academy Band will not be playing in Newnan.

I will be the first to admit it is easy to sit here and criticize the Certains and Others and Thoses (yes, I know that’s not a word).

So let’s come up with a solution. And I have one. It’s called “Doing The Sistine.”

Round up all the budget committees, stick them in a room, and make them sit on uncomfortable chairs.

Lock the doors. And most importantly, take away all their electronic toys. No television, no radio, no newspapers. Politicians with no outside contact - the whole cruel a nd u nu su a l pu n i sh ment thing.

And they can’t leave until they come up with a plan.

We are not being Draconian here. They get potty breaks and can sleep at night on hard cots. And they’ll get water and bread.

Impossible isn’t it?

See winters, page 2B

State Senator Mike Crane spoke at the March 5 meeting of ASPIRES Inc. Pictured with Senator Crane are Nicole Smith and friend Gabriel Belmonte, who both have autism. ASPIRES is an advocacy group that works with family of special needs children.

“The senator was gracious and attentive to the needs of the community to improve post-secondary education and training for our young adults with developmental disabilities in our community,” said Sandy Smith of the group.

Photo by Nichole Golden

The Hollis-McRitchie Museum on Jackson Street in Newnan will open in April and will be the focus of the year for the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society. An interactive World War II museum will open there in August.

April opening set for McRitchie-Hollis Museum

By NICHOLE GOLDEN nichole@newnan.com In April, the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society will open the McRitchie-Hollis Museum, which will eventually house an interactive exhibit on Newnan during the World War II years.

“This year is all about the McRitchie House,” says Joanna Arrieta, executive director of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society.

T he Pen i ston-T hom a sson home at 74 Jackson St. in Newnan is home to the McRitchie-Hollis museum. A bequest from Newnan native Edgar B. Hollis, including some $2 million in funds and a collection of antique furniture, makes the museum possible.

Although originally from Newnan, Hollis spent most of his professional career in Washington, D.C., working for the National Security Agency’s Inter-Library Loan Division.

Initially, visitors will enjoy the beautiful furnishings with the date for the public open house to be announced. The interactive exhibits will be completed in stages.

“We don’t want to rush through it,” said Arrieta.

The World War II ex hibit, opening in August, will feature photographs, and Newnan newspaper headlines and stories from the war years, and even the closets will become interactive exhibit spaces for patrons ages “7 to 70” to enjoy,” said Arrieta.

“It’s really focused on the home front,” she said.

A Victory Garden will be planted in the museum’s courtyard adjacent to the old Newnan Hospital building.

The historical society eventually hopes to hold cooking demonstrations using produce from the garden, says Arrieta.

The goal, said Arrieta, is to make the museum something that Newnanites can be proud of while having something that tourists will also want to visit. The exhibit will likely change seasonally in its focus.

In August, the historical society also plans to open a visitor’s center in a brick building on Clark Street, near the museum. Tickets for admission to both the McRitchie-Hollis

State Senator Mike Crane met with parents of special needs children at a recent meeting of ASPIRES. Pictured with Crane are group officers, from left, Cathy Degen, Sandy Smith and Diane Cormier. At its March meeting, the group discussed the need for more local businesses to open their doors for vocational and life skills training programs. A group goal is to secure funding to develop post-secondary training opportunities for young adults with developmental disabilities.

Crane visits with ASPIRES members

By NICHOLE GOLDEN nichole@newnan.com

Hollis Museum front door

Museum and the Male Academy Museum at the nearby city park will be sold there.

A temporary exhibit for children to enjoy will also be housed at the visitor’s center, until a permanent location for the planned Children’s Interactive Museum is determined.

Arrieta said a children’s museum committee has been formed, headed by Pamela Prange, and among other issues will select a permanent site.

In 2014, the Male Academy Museum on Temple Avenue will likely be closed for a time for a “re-do” focusing on the Civil War with a “top of the line” exhibit.

The historical society also owns and operates the Depot History Center on East Broad Street. An expansion of the train depot, which served as Newnan’s freight depot, may be considered by the society’s board.

For m ore i n for m a t ion o n up c o m ing events such as the historical society’s Spring Tour of Homes and Sesquicentennial Commemoration (May 4), and Preservation Picnic (June 1), or for details on becoming a member of the society, go to www.newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com.

Fashion show at Wesley Woods

At left, Gerri McCoomb, wearing a bright floral print jacket, stops to chat with those attending the spring fashion show held March 14 at Wesley Woods of Newnan.

McCoomb and other members of Kiwanis of Coweta modeled clothes from the boutique at Wesley Woods, which held a sale this week to benefit special activities and new furnishings at the retirement community.

At right, this unique handbag adds color to the classic black and white springtime outfit worn

by Brenda Rich at the recent spring fashion show at Wesley Woods of Newnan. Rich is president of the Kiwanis of Coweta and she and other models showed fellow club members the latest in spring styles at the event.

Photos by Nichole Golden

The group ASPIRES Inc. met March 5 with Georgia State Senator Mike Crane in attendance.

ASPIR ES works to sup port the family members of those with developmental disabilities.

Crane listened to the parents’ concerns at this meeting about grown children with disabilities and the lack of services for them.

“We need the support from the community to help us give our children, who are graduating from high school and who have graduated, to work, volunteer and receive training that will help them become more independent and live a quality life,” said Sandy Smith, an ASPIRES officer.

“A life skills training center would be a great beginning in Coweta. Hopefully, a building could be donated with funding to support the program.”

S m i t h ’s ow n d a u g h t e r, Nikki, has autism and attends the Rutledge Center three

days a week. Although she has several work skills, a speech impairment affects how others perceive her ability to follow tasks.

Nikki is starting to volunteer at the One Roof Ecumenical Thrift Store and Food Pantry in Newnan.

“She loves to sing. She can play the piano by ear and read notes,” said Smith. “There are many skills that she has and given a chance, she can prosper with the support of the community.”

According to Smith, Senator Crane was very “gracious” and “attentive” to the group member’s concerns and issues raised.

Sm it h c u r rent ly ser ve s on the Region 6 Planning Board with the Deparment of Behaviora l Hea lt h a nd Developmental Disabilities and consults with families seeking resources for their family members.

For more information on A SP I R E S , c ont a c t C a t hy Degen at 770 253-3514 or Sandy Smith, 770 252-2117.

2B — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Local

Mr. and Mrs. Bryant Daniel Malaski

Miss Bjornas marries Mr. Malaski on Jan. 20 Michelle Marie Bjornas, d aug hter of R ic h a rd a nd Joan Bjornas of Sharpsburg, became the bride of Bryant Daniel Malaski, of Mooresville, N.C., on Jan. 20, 2013. The Reverend Jonathan S c h ro e der of f ic i ate d t he ceremony.

Prisca Villa of Lawrenceville was the bride’s matron of honor. The bride’s attendants were Samantha Kryston of Largo, Fla., Rebecca Askew of Camp Point, Ill., Morgan Stegall of Monroe, N.C., and Alyssa Massaro of Cheshire, Conn.

T h e b r id e s m a id s wo r e marine blue dresses, and carried bouquets of white hydrangeas with blue wildflowers.

Jeremiah DeBenedetto of Dacula served as the best man. The groomsmen were Matthew Malaski, brother of the groom, of Charlotte, N.C ., Jacob Blackstock of Pasadena, Calif., Mike Hill of Centreville, Va. , and the

usher was Andrew Bjornas, brother of the bride.

Not able to attend the wedding was brother of the bride, Mathew Bjornas, who is currently serving in the United States Air Force.

The bride entered with her father, Richard Bjornas. She chose a strapless white tulle ball gown with lace-up back and side swags. She carried a bouquet of blue hydrangeas, with white stephanotis.

Following the ceremony, a reception was given by the bride’s parents, Richard and Joan Bjornas, at Whitewater Creek Countr y Club in Fayetteville.

Following the wedding, the couple honeymooned on a Caribbean cruise. The couple will reside in Roswell.

The rehearsal dinner was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Malaski, parents of the groom, at McGuire’s in Senoia.

Bridal page policy The Newnan Times-Herald publishes free announcements of engagements, weddings and anniversaries in the Sunday Close-Up section.

Engagement announcements should be submitted at least three weeks prior to the ceremony to guarantee publication before your special day.

Wedding announcements may be submitted free of charge within 60 days of the ceremony. After the 60-day time period, a $35 fee applies for publication of the announcement.

To download an engagement or wedding form, go to www.times-herald.com and click on “Social News Forms” at the bottom of the home page.

Forms are also available at the front desk of the Newnan Times-Herald, 16 Jefferson St. in Newnan.

High resolution digital, or print photographs of good quality, may be submitted with the form. Photos may be either color, or black and white.

For more information about bridal or anniversary news, contact Close-Up Editor Nichole Golden at 770-253-1576 or by email to: closeup@newnan.com.

Military Notes A r my P v t . K aba n i A .

Monroe has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. D u r i n g t he n i ne we ek s of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill

and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Monroe is the daughter of Kimberly and Ronald Monroe of Newnan.

She is a 2012 graduate of East Coweta High School.

Winters: Sequester this

winters Continued from page 1B

at least for the first rounds, requires a two-thirds majority.

Other than sending a letter to North Korea about how “seriously serious” we are this time and are “really, really unhappy” with their nuke program, I doubt the Certains and the Others could come up with a two-thirds majority on anything.

And probably not even that letter, because they would argue over how many times they should say “really.”

T hat would be li ke getting 115 people together from all over the world - Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Asia - and doing the same thing.

Except they are only trying to determine the next spiritual leader for about 1.2 billion people. And their decision lasts, literally, a lifetime.

John A. Winters is a staff Sure, there is some political posturing to get one’s pre- writer for The Newnan Timesferred candidate elected. But Herald. You can follow the the selection of the new pope, adventure at justf lipthedog.

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher E. Robinson

Ashley Blythe Benfield and Joel Tyler Baxter

Mr. Baxter, Miss Benfield to marry on April 20 Mr. and Mrs. David Benfield of To c c o a a n n o u n c e t h e engagement of their daughter, Ashley Blythe, to Joel Tyler Baxter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Baxter of Sharpsburg.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of M r. a nd M rs.

Melvin Shearin of Eastanollee, and Mrs. Elizabeth Benfield of Toccoa and the late Mr. Quinton Benfield.

Miss Benfield is a 2010 cum laude graduate of Piedmont College, where she received a bachelor of arts in accounting.

She is employed in Atlanta as an accountant.

The prospective bridegroom is the grandson of Mrs. Allie Jo Banks of Grantville and Mr. Donald Manning of Franklin.

His great-grandfather is Henry Shaw of Forest Park.

Mr. Baxter attended West Georgia College and Georgia State College. He is employed in Atlanta by IHG as a system engineer.

The wedding is planned for April 20, 2013, at 6 p.m. in Atlanta.

Miss Battles marries Mr. Robinson March 23 A my M i c h e l l e B a t t l e s , daughter of Harley Battles of Haralson, became the bride of Christopher E. Robinson, son of Robyn McCready-Robinson of Sharpsburg, on Saturday, March 23, 2013, at Haralson United Methodist Church with M. Noles officiating.

Sabrina Luke of Newnan was the bride’s maid of honor.

T he ot her br ide ’s at ten dants were Betty Rogholt of Grantville and Connie Bryant of Newnan. They wore dresses of Malibu blue and carried bouquets of calla lilies.

Brandon Johnson of New n a n ser ved a s best man. The other groom’s atten-

dants were Forest McCready of Pa l metto, a nd Bla ke Rainwater of Senoia.

The bride entered with her father, Harley Battles. She chose a pearl and diamond silhouette dress made by Winnie Couture. Her bouquet consisted of calla lilies, peacock feathers and photo charms of deceased grandparents.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the Fellowship Hall at Haralson United Methodist Church.

Following a wedding trip to t he Ba h a m a s , M r. a nd Mrs. Robinson will reside in Newnan.

PTC author wins award for first book in Doc Holliday series Peachtree City author Victoria Wilcox has been honored by the Great Southeast Book Festival for her novel “Inheritance.”

T he nove l wa s n a m e d one of the best new books of the season by the festival. The awards ceremony will be held Saturday in New Orleans.

“Inheritance” is the first book in the historical fiction trilogy “Southern Son: The Saga of Doc Holliday” and is scheduled for official release on May 8 by Knox Robinson Publishing of London and New York.

Wi lcox wa s fou nd i ng di rector of Fayettevi lle’s Holliday-Dorsey-Fife House Museum, where she discovered the story that led to “Southern Son.” Although the name Doc Holliday conjures images of the Wild West and the shootout at the OK Corral, before he was a Western legend he was a Southern son, born in Griffin in the last days of the Old South with family links to Fayette County and the author of “Gone With the Wind.”

Wilcox’s telling of the saga begins with “Inheritance,” set du ri ng t he t u rbu lent t i m e s of C iv i l Wa r a nd Reconstruction, as young John Henry Holliday faces first love and family tragedy, honor and betrayal – and a violent encounter that changes his life forever.

D o c H o l l i d a y ’s u n c l e , Robert Kennedy Holliday, married Mary Anne Fitzgera ld, a cousi n of GW T W aut hor Ma rga ret Mitchell. Mitchell was close to a mutual relative, Martha Anne “Mattie” Holliday – who became a nun and was known as Sister Melanie.

S ome b el ieve M itc hel l based her saintly character of Mela n ie Ha m i lton Wilkes on the nun. Mitchell did research for “Gone With the Wind” in Senoia and had family ties to Coweta’s pioneer Banks family. Her first husband’s mother was from Newnan.

Mattie Holliday knew her gunslinging cousin well. By some accounts, they were in love before he traveled west.

Coweta genealogist Dianne Webb wrote in a 2012 column that she believes Sarah Holiday Quick, who married Franklin Pierce Stubbs and moved to Coweta County by 1900, “was more than likely related to that famous gunslinger, Doc Holliday.”

Loca l a nd state tourism voices have remarked on the attraction Doc Holliday has.

In 2010, Carol Chancey of the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance said t h at stories about Holliday and writer M itc hel l a re keys to drawi ng tou rists to Griff in, Fayetteville, Jonesboro and Morrow.

J.H. “Doc” State tou rHolliday ism leader Br uce Green broached the topic at a seminar on historic cemeteries in Augusta in 2007. Green spoke of cemeteries in Griffin and Valdosta, where there are graves connected with Holliday.

“It’s about these stones and marketing what these stones are,” Green said. “Historic cemeteries are irreplaceable.”

Wilcox, a member of the Western Writers of America, spent 18 years researching and writing the “Southern Son” trilogy. In the process, s h e b e c a m e a n a t io n a l ly known expert on the life of Doc Holliday.

Her book tour for “Inheritance” began with an appearance in Tombstone,

The writing skills of Victoria Wilcox of Peachtree City have been recognized by the Great Southeast Book Festival .

Ariz. and will take her across the country to all the places Holliday knew in his adventurous life.

The international release o f “ I n h e r it a n c e ” w i l l b e celebrated w it h a pr ivate book premiere party at the Holliday-Dorsey-Fife House “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”

II Thessalonians 2: 1-3 God Is Good All The Time!

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Museum, followed by a public book launch at the Margaret Mitchell House Museum in Atlanta on June 1 at 2 p.m.

Omega Books in Peachtree City will be the site for the Fayette County book signing on June 15 from 1-3 p.m.

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Vision 2013

Sunday, March 24, 2013 — 1D

Numbers looking good for Coweta

Statistics highlight our leading status among Georgia communities

By ALEX McRAE alex@newnan.com A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it takes more than a picture to truly understand the place we call home. To look beneath the surface and see what makes Coweta County tick, you need to look at the numbers.

Statistics aren’t sexy, but they are a reliable way of s e e i n g j u s t h ow C owe t a County stacks up relative to the rest of Georgia, how the county has changed over the years and where it appears to be headed.

A s pa r t of today ’s spe cial “Vision” edition of The Newnan Times-Herald we’re looking at “Coweta by the Numbers.” From basic population figures to business, industry, education, health care and recreation, numbers help explain the current condition of the 440.89 square-mile piece of Georgia that we call home.

Many of the numbers are derived from U. S. Census data. Others were published or made available by state, regional, county and municipal authorities. The data presented here are the most accurate and current we could find.

Some of the numbers — like increased population and traffic woes to match — will not surprise a soul. But some other statistics — like the average time Cowetans spend just getting to work — might raise some eyebrows.

The good news is, no matter how you analyze the numbers, Coweta is in great shape compared to most of its metro neighbors and poised for an even brighter future.

Let’s start by looking at just how many of us there are, what we look like and where

Photo by Bob Fraley

In 2012, Piedmont Newnan Hospital opened a new 136-bed acute care facility on Poplar Road featuring the latest in equipment, services, amenities and medical technology. The adjacent Piedmont Medical Plaza and other medical offices being opened and built nearby are necessary for the new physicians opening practices in Coweta or expanding their operations to the area.

we live and work.

According to U.S. Census data released in 2011, Coweta’s population stood at 127,317, a staggering increase from the 1980s, when Coweta’s population hovered near 50,000. Of the total, just under 33 percent of the population is under age 18 and almost 11 percent of the population is over age 65.

T h i s me a n s t h at wh i le Coweta is as good a place as any to kick back and retire, more than half the county’s residents are between ages 18 and 64, in the prime of their working and child-raising lives. Slightly more than 51 percent of the population is female, exactly in line with state and federal numbers.

Ethnic and racial data show that Coweta’s population is 78.2 percent white, 15 percent higher than the state total of 63.2 percent. The second largest population grouping in

Coweta is African-American, at 19.9 percent, considerably lower than the state’s 31 percent total.

Ot her racia l a nd et h n ic groups, in population order are: Hispanic or Latino - 7 percent, persons of two or more races - 1.8 percent, Asians 1.6 percent, American Indian or native Alaskan - .4 percent and native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander - .1 percent.

A growing community is a stable community and that trend is reflected in housing numbers.

In 2011, Coweta had a home ownership rate of 75.2 percent, well above the statewide rate of 66.8 percent. Slightly more than 88 percent of those housing units were single-family homes with a 2011 median value of $178,500. An average of 2.74 people occupy each of Coweta’s 45,227 households.

Incomes are also strong and

rising.

Coweta’s median household income in 2011 was $61,015, considerably above the median state income of $49,738.

T hose he a lt hy i ncome s are reflected in the county’s educational numbers. As of 2011, more than 87 percent of Cowetans had high school diplomas and 26.2 percent of residents over age 25 had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

On the downside, not all those degrees are being utili zed i n Coweta , where a majority still commute out of the county to work. This helps account for an average mean travel time to work of 30. 3 minutes, higher than the state average of 27.0 minutes.

Luckily, those long trips do not include a drive to a first rate hospital or state-of-the-art health care facility.

In 2012, Piedmont Newnan Hospital opened a new 136-bed

acute care facility on Poplar Road featuring the latest in equipment, services, amenities and medical technology. The adjacent Piedmont Medical Plaza and other medical offices being opened and built nearby are necessary for the new physicians opening practices in Coweta or expanding their operations to the area.

Also in 2012, Cancer Treatment Centers of America opened its f irst southeaster n faci lity i n New na n .

CTCA Southeastern Regional Medical Center, a 50-bed facility featuring cutting-edge treatment for cancer patients is — along with Piedmont Newnan Hospital — expected to have a huge economic impact on Coweta County, which is now firmly established as a growing health care hub.

“Coweta County is a healthca re destination , offering a wide range of integrated medical care in state-of-theart treatment facilities,” said Greg Wright, president of the Coweta County Development Authority. “Just last year, we saw the opening of Piedmont Newnan Hospital and Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and we continue to support Birmingham-based HealthSouth’s proposed comprehensive 50-bed inpatient reh abi l itat ion hospita l i n Newnan.”

Modern health care facilities are available for those with insurance or considered “indigent,” but Coweta has also taken the lead in providing health care for citizens who cannot get health care, even though many are employed.

Now offering services is Coweta Sa ma rita n Clinic, which opened in October 2011.

This free clinic provides medical care to Coweta residents who have no health insurance

and did not qualify for other programs like Medicaid.

Coweta County’s variety of recreational programs, including those operated by the Coweta County Recreation Department, have made sure that the growing population has plenty of recreational opportunities for residents of all ages and interests.

Neighboring school systems have experienced a loss in students, closure of schools, or both, but the Coweta County School System remains sound, with a steady student population and sound fiscal policies that have helped the system cope with a string of state budget cuts in recent years.

As of January 2013 there were 22,718 students enrolled in Coweta public schools, according to schools spokesman Dean Jackson.

“We have been steady and a re actua lly experiencing some growth,” Jackson said.

“It’s a sign things are doing well.”

Even transportation, which has a bad reputation statewide, remains mostly a minor aggravation in Coweta. To be sure, traffic congestion can be a problem, but generally only at certain times of the day. The recent completion of an additional lane of traffic through Coweta on I-85 has kept vehicles f lowing smoothly, and when the planned new I-85 interchange is built at Poplar Road, access to hospitals, major retail centers and public safety facilities, including the Georgia State Patrol Post and the Coweta County Fire Depa rtment Headqua rters Station One, will be even better.

Coweta’s existing public safety facilities are first-rate and are expanding to meet the

See numbers, page 8D

Project planning still the norm for county

New era of leadership expected for Coweta as long-time employees retire

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com Coweta County is coming off a year of many projects, with plenty more projects to come. The county is also slowly moving toward a new era as long-time employees retire.

T here were some major milestones reached in 2012, including the renegotiation of the distribution of the property-tax relief Local Option Sales Tax, which has to be done every 10 years; renewal of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, used for projects; and the approval of new county commission districts by the Georgia General Assembly.

Major additions and renovations were done at the Coweta County Sheriff ’s Office and Coweta Animal Control.

The work at the sheriff ’s office has made things much better for the employees and the public. “It makes for much better use of the space,” said Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay. The new intake facility at animal control provides more, and better, space for animals and is designed to reduce the spread of illness.

Work is currently under way to outfit a surgical suite at the animal intake facility.

Having a surgical suite on site means that spay and neuter surgeries, and minor medical procedures, can be done

at the shelter. Currently, animals have to be transported to a veterinarian’s office for their surgeries. The $250,000 facility was funded by a $125,000 grant from the Holland M. Ware Foundation and county funding.

Funding for the surgical suite is coming from an anonymous donor, said Assistant County Administrator Michael Fouts.

The county has been working on upgrades to the Andrew Bailey Road recreational fields for the past few years, and the work is finally done. In fall of 2011, the new parking lot and second exit were completed.

Last spring, lighting for the fields was installed.

A nd t h is spring season, players will get to enjoy three new fields and a new concession stand.

T he cou nt y i s cont i nuing to improve and expand t h e C e n t r a l P a rk s o c c e r fields, located on the county’s complex near Ga. Hwy. 154 and Lower Fayetteville Road. Workers are f inishing the grading and grassing of additional soccer fields that can be used for practice, said Assistant County Administrator Kelly Mickle, and they’re finishing up the parking lot. The Central Park facility now has an additional exit, on Ebenezer Church Road. The county purchased property for the new exit, and that property included a small

Photo by Sarah Campbell

In the past few years, Coweta County’s administration has been working on succession planning. Many of the leading county officials are nearing retirement age. County Administrator Theron Gay, center, has been working for Coweta County 40 years, and has been county administrator for just over 20. Michael Fouts, left, was named assistant county administrator in July, joining Assistant County Administrator Kelly Mickle, at right.

house. After some renovations, the home could be used for offices for the sports leagues and storage space, said Mickle.

In a future phase, there will be a “comfort station” built with restrooms.

The county complex also houses the Central Library, Coweta Fire Station 12, and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office east side precinct.

“We’ve talked about, at some point in the future, a community center” on the site, Gay said. There’s no funding available currently for the community center. “That is way in the future,” he said.

A t t h e C owe t a C o u nt y

Justice Center, the third superior court courtroom will be finished. The justice center was built with three courtrooms, but only two were “built out” when the facility opened in 2006.

There’s still some money left from the 2002 SPLOST that was dedicated to the justice center, and it will be used to fund the build-out. “We’ve been keeping those [funds] because we knew there would come a time” that the additional courtroom would be needed. With the increased caseloads the new courtroom has “been something the judges have wanted,” Gay said. “I

think the timing is right and we have the funding. We really need to close out the” SPLOST funds, as well, he said.

The justice center will get some parking upgrades. In late 2010, the county purchased a two-acre tract adjacent to the facility for a parking expansion. And there will be some security upgrades and a new software application for judicial information exchange.

T he new superior court courtroom on the third floor of the justice center should be finished by the end of the summer.

Other projects that are nearing completion are the new Fire Station 6 on U.S. Highway 29 north of Newnan and a new fire department maintenance facility being built at the headquarters station on Turkey Creek Road.

The new Station 6 is located next to The Heritage School, a bit north of the existing station, which sits in a small triangle between U.S. 29 and Greentop Road. The new location will put some neighborhoods closer to a fire station, and will also allow for a larger station that can accommodate male and female f iref ighters as well as the larger fire engines.

The new maintenance facility is also designed to accommodate the larger fire apparatuses, and will allow all maintenance work to be done under a roof. Currently, the

Coweta County Vision 2013 — Inside Long-awaited upgrades due at Coweta County’s airport

City of Newnan looks ahead to building projects

Bypass, Interstate-85 exit at Poplar transportation priorities

Senoia goes from sleepy town to bustling downtown

— see page 3D

— see page 4D

— see page 6D

— see page 7D

old Station 12 on Hwy. 154 is being used as the maintenance facility, and much of the work on the larger apparatuses has to be done outside.

T hose t wo projects a re the last of the major Coweta County Fire Department projects — at least for a while. But smaller upgrades to older stations are still in the works.

One day, the county will have to look at building a new training center. The CCFD currently uses the public safety training center owned by the city of Newnan. “That may be a few years off,” Gay said.

Also, the county is working on a system of advance weather warning weather sirens to be placed near public gathering locations, mostly parks.

Coweta Cou nt y a l located SPLOST funds for the sirens and has also been awarded two grants, which will allow for more sirens.

Exactly how many sirens the county will be able to afford hasn’t been determined.

“We’re going to put in as many as we can fund,” said Gay. “Then, of course, the system is expandable. As other dollars become available” in the future, more sirens can be added.

The county put out a request for proposals for the sirens in late February, said Fouts.

The turnaround will be fairly quick, and plans are to have

See era, page 8D

2D — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Coweta Vision 2013

Brown’s Mill Battlefield site should open by summer; Chattahoochee Bend State Park ramping up activities

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com Construction at the Brown’s Mill Battlefield historic site south of Newnan is in full swing, and the project should be complete and open to the public this summer.

On the west end of Coweta County, there are new faces running Chattahoochee Bend State Park, and they have big plans for new events and activities. And dedicated volunteers continue to expand the park’s offerings, with plans in the works for more hiking trails, equestrian facilities and mountain bike trails.

Coweta County purchased 105 acres of the battlef ield site in 2001. The county was awarded a $300,000 “transportation enhancement activity” grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation in 2007 for development of the “westside amenity area” at the battlefield site.

I n A u g u s t 2 0 0 9, t h e Cowet a Cou nt y B oa rd of Commissioners voted to postpone hiring a f irm for the design work because of the economy. The county was required to contribute a 20 percent “match.”

The project began to move forward again in spring of 2010, with the hiring of a consultant to design the amenity area.

The battlefield amenity area will include a parking lot, large gazebo/ observation point, the “parade grounds,” and nearly three-quarters of a mile of walking trails.

Much of the trail is designed to be enjoyed by all, even those in wheelchairs. The trail is 10 feet wide and has a surface of crushed slate, said Sandra Parker, Coweta County’s comprehensive planner and a driving force behind the battlefield development. The crushed slate is an acceptable material under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The original grant is pay-

Photo by Sarah Campbell

Much of the new trail at the under-development Brown’s Mill Battlefield site south of Newnan is designed to be enjoyed by all, even those in wheelchairs. The trail is 10 feet wide and has a surface of crushed slate, said Sandra Parker, left, Coweta County’s comprehensive planner and a driving force behind the battlefield development. At right is fellow battlefield park volunteer Carolyn Turner.

ing for 2,000 feet of walking trail, much of which follows the old Ricketyback Road that was used during the Civil War battle. That’s the road federal troops traveled on when they were ambushed by Confederate calvary. The old roadbed can still be made out quite clearly, as the land rises on either side of it.

The county also received a recreational trails grant that will pay for an additional 2,500 feet of trail, as well as a bridge over a wet weather creek.

A major portion of the trail has a 5 percent grade or less, making it ideal for those who are mobility-challenged. To the west, however, “the land gets quite rugged,” said Parker.

“There is really no feasible way we can make that totally ADA accessible,” Parker said.

T here w i l l be i nter pre tive signage a ll a long the trail, and each sign will also have a “QR” code that can be scanned by smart phones.

That code will take visitors to Battleof brownsmill.org website where links will “take them to all kinds of additional info,” Parker said. There will also be benches along the trail.

Boy Scout Elija h Caldwell plans to build eight benches as his Eagle Scout project.

The parade ground can be used for passive recreation, and hopes are also to use it for living history displays and possibly even Civil War reenactments.

The gazebo will give visitors a place to get out of the elements, and it’s also well-suited to give visitors an opportunity to see a good bit of the battlefield site. Carolyn Turner, president of the Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association (formerly the Friends of Brown’s M i l l), sa id t hey ’ve ta l ked about putting some informational plaques at the gazebo.

There are diaries and letters describing portions of the battle, including the ravines and underbrush — features that can be seen from the gazebo.

The Battle of Brown’s Mill was fought July 30, 1864, and was a rare Confederate victory that late in the war. Hopes are to have the grand opening for the battlefield site this July.

“There is a lot more work to be done to get the whole facility open to the public,” Parker said.

Chattahoochee Bend State Park, located on the Chattahoochee River in northwest Coweta, officially opened in July 2011. Last October, the park got a new manager, Tim Banks. He has decades of experience working with Georgia State Parks, and has big plans for programs and classes at the park. He’ll be teaching various outdoor-related classes, and there will be at least one special event every month.

Banks was recently joined

by Interpretive Ranger Melissa Swindell. They are currently working on the “annual interpretive plan” for the park.

In addition to regular activities, there are also plans for “junior ranger” day camps this summer.

T h e p a rk fe a t u r e s t wo developed ca mpg rou nds for RVs and tents, and “platform” camping on the river.

The lower platform sites are walk-in sites, and there are restrooms and hot showers located at the parking lot. The upper platform sites are hike or paddle in with a pit toilet.

There is also the Adirondack group camping area.

There is a large boat ramp at the main amenity area, on the downstream end of the park. Paddlers can put in at Riverside Park at the Ga. Hwy. 16 bridge north of the park or at McIntosh Reserve Park across the river in Carroll County. Chattahoochee Bend h a s “ Nuca noe” boats a nd accessories available for rentals, and there is also a local outfitter who organizes canoe trips along the river.

All trails at Chattahoochee Bend have been built by volunteers with the Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park. State botanists should be out soon to approve the newest trail — which will be the first one to traverse the “flat rock” granite outcrops for which the area is known.

Volunteers are also eager to build equestrian and mountain bike trails. Initial trails have

Photo by Martha A. Woodham

Cutting and hauling brush in the March 9 clearing effort for an equestrian trails area at Chattahoochee Bend State Park are Dawn Andrel of Taylorsville and Cindy Collar of Rockmart, two of the volunteers who came from across Georgia for the annual workday.

been marked but are still waiting on state approval. What has been approved is the location of the future equestrian amenity area, and a work day was recently held to help clear the site of future trailer parking.

For more information about

Brown’s Mill, visit friendsofbrownsmillbattlefield.webs. com or battleof brownsmill. org.

For more information about Chattahoochee Bend State Park, visit www.gastateparks. org, www.bendfriend.com, or call 770-254-7271.

Coweta’s employment picture remains bright

By ALEX McRAE alex@newnan.com Coweta’s local employment picture remains bright, with a private non-farm employment at 25,959 in 2010, working at more than 10,000 businesses.

Slightly more than 30 percent of those Coweta businesses were classified as “womenowned” in census data.

“While a lot of activity has been generated by the health c a re i ndu st r y i n Cowet a County, we can’t lose sight of how important manufacturing is to our local economy,” said Coweta County Development Aut hority P resident Greg Wright. “Recent expansion announcements at companies like Winpak Films, Cargill and Bonnell show that manufacturing is on the rise.”

“The new year has started off as one of the busiest for the Development Authority in terms of requests for information and actual site visit,” he said. “We are hopeful this activity level will continue throughout the year and lead to many more location and expansion announcements.”

Coweta’s largest employers i nclude t he Coweta County Board of Education, Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation and Piedmont Newnan Hospital. The newly-announced expansion of aluminum extrusion product lines will help keep Newnan’s William L Bonnell Company a m o n g t h e c o u n t y ’s to p employers.

Hasco Craver IV, Business Development director for the City of Newnan, noted that more than 1,700 businesses now call the city of Newnan home. They include healthcare facilities, retailers and fa m i ly- ow n e d s h op s a nd restaurants.

“Newnan is the ideal location for companies on the forefront of the modern economy,” Craver said. “From large to small, from entrepreneur to established global corporation, enterprises of every shape and size are discovering the City of Newnan.

“Our bustling historic downtown, executive and historic neighborhoods invite, our cor-

Hasco Craver IV, Business Development director for the City of Newnan.

porate centers and rich amenities electrify, and the City of Newnan is ready to help businesses realize their potential.”

Craver said, “Recently, the City of Newnan has been catapulted into the national spotlight by the location of two state-of-the-art health care facilities.”

“In addition, Bonnell Aluminum, a long-time local manufacturer, announced an exciting expansion project,” Craver said. “And the city, through a partnership with the University System of Georgia, t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f We s t Georgia, Newnan Hospital and Coweta County, is actively at work to redevelop the old Newnan Hospital along Jackson Street in the historic downtown for use as a local campus for the University of West Georgia.”

“The City of Newnan’s distinctive personality is evident in its award-winning, admired and attractive historic downtown. Offering everything from elegant cuisine and fine art galleries to unique apparel retailers, jewelers, and myriad specialty shopping locations, downtown Newnan is the perfect place for residents and visitors alike,” he said.

Coweta exports and imports ref lect the strength of the local economy. According to information provided by the Georgia Ports Authority, $55,800,732 worth of goods were shipped out of Coweta through the ports at Savannah

and Brunswick.

T he import picture was even brighter, with $85,18,652 worth of goods imported to Coweta through state ports.

The top five importers of goods to Coweta County were Yamaha Motors ($60,521,240), EGO North America ($8, 250, 578), Arke ($4, 598, 643), Wicket National ($3, 356,644) and Kason Industries ($1,462,341).

Things are also picking up at the Newnan-Coweta AirportWhitlock Field, where 109 aircraft are officially based. That number is expected to grow as the economy picks up and airport officials have plans in hand to keep facilities upgraded to suit the needs of an expanding number of business and personal aircraft.

Grow t h a nd housi ng go hand in hand, and Coweta’s real estate picture has brighte n e d m a rk e d ly ove r t h e past year. Since Coweta was already a regional real estate leader in one of the worst markets in memory, this made the news even better.

According to data from Ga. MLS (multiple listing service), Coweta experienced a 40 percent increase in closed sales from January 2012 to January 2013. Pending sales rose 15 percent for the same period. During that period 1,462 transactions were closed, for a monthly average of 121.8 closings, far higher than seen in recent years.

Coweta currently holds only a five-months supply of unsold inventory in the market. That number is trending dow n steadily and soon could lead to an increase in new home construction just to meet existing demand.

“Now is the time to buy or sell,” said Cindy Taylor, 2013 president of the Newna nCoweta Board of Realtors.

“The market is rebounding.

We are seeing an increase in new home builds, and are ex per ienci ng a sh r i n k i ng available home inventory, often resulting in multiple offers. Interest rates are still low, but are expected to rise by year end; so if you have been on the fence — now is the time to make your move.”

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 3D

Coweta Vision 2013

Long-awaited upgrades due at Coweta’s airport

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com Long-awaited and needed upgrades to Newnan-Coweta Airport-Whitlock Field are in the near future, and the changes will likely make the airport more popular with business and industry types.

The biggest change will be the installation of a “glide slope” instrument landing system.

T h e s y s te m w i l l a l low planes to land at the airport in just about all weather conditions. Right now, planes can only land in clear weather.

There are two parts to an instrument landing system, said Airport Manager Calvin Walker. “We already have the localizer, which gives you a partial signal.” The localizer provides lateral guidance to pilots while the glide slope gives vertical guidance.

“Think of it like an X when you’re coming into a visual on a runway,” Walker said.

“When you’ve got those two lined up, you know exactly where you are going.”

At a l a r ge a i r p or t l i ke Hartsfield-Jackson, for exam-

ple, the instrument landing system (ILS) “takes them to the exact same position on the runway, and they are looking at the instrument panel. They know exactly where they are going to land, every time,” Walker said. “When we get fog or rain, it’s added safety. This will allow you to get in about 90 percent of the time.”

The ILS has been in the works for years, but things are about to get started in earnest. “We’re probably looking at February” for the system to be up and running, Walker said. “A lot of that will depend on the FAA doing the approaches.” “ We ’ ve b e e n t r y i n g to get it forever,” said County Administrator Theron Gay. “It allows you to come in on all weather days. With some of the medical facilities we have here now, we thinking that is very important.”

The installation of the system will require the realignment of a portion of Alex Stephens Road. A ravine will also have to be filled.

A flat surface is required for the signal to bounce off of, said Michael Fouts, Coweta assistant administrator. Work on

when people are looking at locating,” Walker said.

The other project, which shou ld be completed t h is sum mer, is a replacement of the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS).

The system broadcasts weather information to pilots.

The airport’s old system has been out of commission for about six months. “Basically the old one has outlived its life,” Walker said. The company that manufactured it quit supporting it, he said. Because the system isn’t functioning, automated weather conditions at the airport also aren’t broadcast to television channels and other weather infor-

mation and forecasting sites.

The system is more important than it may seem in these days when you can get weather forecasts just about anywhere.

“Just because it is clear 30 miles out doesn’t mean we don’t have fog or something that could obscure their landing,” Walker said. “Pilots want to know before they get here.”

A few weeks ago, there were some foggy conditions at the airport. “We had a guy who attempted to come in here, in a Citation jet, and they had to divert because they couldn’t get in,” Walker said.

The coming improvements will “just keep businesses coming into Coweta County.

And that is why we’re here.”

Small community airports likely conjure up images of hobby pilots just having fun in their tiny planes, and while there are some of those, a good bit of business-related travel comes through the NewnanCoweta airport.

Many large companies “have a centralized management team, and they will fly to each location and do what they’ve got to do and then go home,” Walker said. Examples of that locally include PetSmart, Belk,

Everyone knows the adage that there is no limit to what can be accomplished if no one worries about who gets the credit. The mission was how to get everyone to come together, agree on a community-wide strategy and further agree to fund such an effort. The Chamber took the lead in bringing together government, business and education leaders to suggest those tactics. A plan-of-action in the Spring 2011 resulted in the Chamber retaining Great Southern Publishers, a well respected public relations and marketing consulting firm, to create a plan of action for a community-wide marketing and branding campaign.

Mea nwhile, the Economic Prosperity Council updated the action plans and timeline and the Chamber began hosting 11

global visioning focus groups.

Following that, the Chamber’s “Discover Coweta” program folded itself into “Prosperity’s Front Door,” making the campaign much broader and owned by the entire community. The result was the beginning of a branding and marketing campaign like few others.

Then the “Prosperity’s Front Door” advertising, marketing and logo-consistency campaign began. Final plans were authorized and a funding campaign launched. Coweta County’s leadership ca me together, resulting in a truly unique broad-based com munity effort. The Chamber unveiled “Prosperity’s Front Door” campaign in 2012.

In March 2012, key community stakeholders – the Development Authority, the

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

Having a full instrument landing system is important when it comes to attracting additional users of Newnan-Coweta Airport.

that part of the project will begin in April.

The impact on the property owners on Alex Stephens Road should be minimal, Gay said.

That part of the project is being paid for with funding from the Georgia Department of Tra nspor tation’s L oca l Maintenance Improvement Grants, with the county providing labor and equipment a nd t he Ne w n a n - Cowe t a Airport Authority kicking in additional funding.

Having a full instrument landing system is important when it comes to attracting additional users of the airport.

Peachtree City’s Falcon Field already has an ILS, so “it kind of puts you at a disadvantage

Target and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Belk’s airplane is particularly busy around Christmas.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America is based in Chicago with hospitals all over the c o u n t r y, n o w i n c l u d i n g Newnan, and “they’ll fly their team in,” Walker said.

A lot of companies use their own planes instead of having executives f ly commercially so they don’t have to deal with the delays at major airports.

Once the AWOS and ILS systems are up and running, the next big project will be a new parallel taxiway. Having that additional area will improve the flow and reduce traffic.

“The busier the airport gets, the more important” that project will become, said Gay. Right now, there is no funding for the project.

“We hope we will get a lot of federal and state dollars to do that,” Gay said. A contract for the preliminary engineering on the project was recently signed.

Hopes are to have the taxiway project under way “in the next year or two,” Walker said.

Coweta’s ‘Prosperity’s Front Door’ marketing campaign drives future opportunities

By CANDACE BOOTHBY President, Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce

For the last 20 years, through good economic times and bad, Coweta County has been one of Georgia’s fastest-growing counties, but the challenge is how to continue to grow in ways that are sustainable and adhere to high standards so that Coweta can continue to be one of the most desirable counties in the state.

Coweta’s leaders took the position the best way to keep a good thing going is to proactively plan for the future and then collaborate on ways to work together to make it happen. The result — a five-year community marketing and branding campaign announcing Coweta as “Prosperity’s Front Door,”

quarterbacked by the NewnanCoweta Chamber of Commerce.

A s o n e Chamber leader saw it, “The stars were perfectly aligned for t he sucBoothby cess of this initiative.”

In Fall 2010, the Chamber hosted four business roundtables from the health care, retail, education and manufacturing sectors. The result was the identification of the need to undertake a community marketing and branding campaign to help citizens and others better understand what a great community Coweta is to live, work and play. Initial planning

to launch “Discover Coweta” began in November 2010.

About the same time, the Coweta County Development Authority commissioned a totally independent community assessment study by the Herron Consulting Group, paid for by Georgia Power Company.

In early 2011, the Development Authority shared the results of the Herron study with the community.

The Chamber then requested Herron to amplify the results with the Chamber’s membership, the Enhanced Investors and the Economic Prosperity Council (EPC). The EPC then reviewed the study findings and divided them into three areas: Marketing, labor force soft skills and Development Authority responsibilities.

Then came the tricky part.

Chamber, the county, local municipalities, local utilities, developers and the Board of Realtors - agreed to support a multi-year campaign.

With companies like Porsche recently locating its U.S. headqua r ters nea r Ha r tsf ieldJackson International Airport, such prime international companies will be looking more at Coweta as a viable location.

“Prosperity’s Front Door” could not have occurred at a more fortuitous time.

Very few communities can boast of the cooperation, talent and hard work of its business, government, education and health care industry segments working together. We expect “Prosperity’s Front Door” to produce measurable results for Coweta County.

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4D — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Coweta Vision 2013

Bypass, I-85 exit are road priorities

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com As work winds down on the widening of the Hwy. 34 Bypass across the north side of Newnan, one of Coweta’s most needed and long-anticipated projects, eyes are now turning toward two other much needed and highly-anticipated projects — the new Interstate 85 interchange at Poplar Road, and extension of the Newnan Bypass from its current ending point at Turkey Creek Road to Ga. Hwy. 16 East/U.S. 29 South.

The newly four-laned 34 Bypass, from Bullsboro Drive to Hwy. 16 West, opened to traffic in October 2012. The project had begun in August 2009 and stretched well past its scheduled completion date, plagued by various delays.

Though it’s been open for months now, the project is still not officially complete, as there are various close-out items that need to be done and a signal upgrade is still needed at the Bypass and Bullsboro in order to allow the additional right-turn lane to be used. Crews from the contractor, Sunbelt Structures, were on site in March working on drainage structures.

Right-of-way acquisition for the next leg of the Bypass on the south side of Newnan is set to begin sometime this spring, and the new road is scheduled to open to traffic in 2016.

That’s about the same time construction will begin in earnest on the new Poplar Road interchange off I-85.

Coweta County staff and officials have been doing their best over the past few years to speed up the interchange project.

“We have really advanced that project,” said Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay. Even t houg h motorists won’t see progress on the ground yet, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes.

The intercha nge project is currently in the “preliminary engineering” phase. In September, consultants took samples for soil and pavement analysis.

Engineering is moving right along. Once the engineering is completed, the plans will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation a nd t he Federa l H ig hway Adm i n istration . Once t he plans are approved, “we can

County sewer system expanding

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

Traffic flows along I-85 near the Collinsworth Road exit in north Coweta. Work is proceeding on creating a new exit south of Newnan near Piedmont Newnan Hospital.

start acquiring right-of-way,” Gay said. Right-of-way acquisition probably won’t begin in earnest until 2014.

As for the south Bypass extension, the project will encompass more than just the new road. It will also include the four-laning of Hwy. 16 East from the Bypass to U.S. 29, the closing of a portion of East Gordon Road, an intersection improvement at U.S. 29, Hwy. 16 and Pine Road, and four-laning of U.S. 29 South from I-85 to just north of the Pine Road intersection, which will get a traffic signal.

Everything will be let under one contract.

T hose a re t he cou nty ’s major transportation projects, but county crews and contractors are always kept busy on resurfacing and maintenance projects. There will also be some intersection improvement and bridge replacement projects done in the next few years.

Coweta County recently purchased a milling machine, also called a “cold planer,” wh ich w i l l a l low cou nt y crews to do some road work that previously had to be contracted.

Milling machines are used for the “full depth reclamation” resurfacing process, but are also used for more minor road rehabilitation and repaving projects.

The county’s plan is to try to “stay in front of the maintenance” and get to roads before they need a full depth reclamation project. The milling machine can be used for large patching jobs as well as resurfacing.

A large amount of money in the 2013 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is set aside for road maintenance, said Assistant County Administrator Kelly Mickle.

“We’re hoping we can really ramp that up,” Mickle said of the road improvements. “It will cost us less if we stay in front of the maintenance.”

C o u n t y c r e w s r e c e n tly have been trying out the

new milling machine, using it to grind up portions of the course where generations of Cowetans earned their driver’s license. The former Georgia State Patrol post on Hospital Road in Newnan was recently demolished, and the driving course was perfect for milling machine practice.

Wit h t he cold a nd wet weather, “it’s not a good time to do the work, but it’s a good time to practice,” Gay said. “As soon as we can we’re going to get it out” on the roads, but “in the meantime, we’re learning to use the equipment.”

Of course, there is more to transportation in Coweta County than roads.

The county’s transit system, partially funded through the federal Section 5311 program, continues to be successful.

New “route match” software implemented last year has greatly improved the efficiency of the routing for the system and is allowing it to serve more people.

Coweta Transit is a “dial-aride” system.

Riders have to call, at least 24 hours in advance, to schedule their trip.

Coweta has recently been approved for two replacement buses. The old buses will be sold at auction and the county is considering buying them back.

For more information on Coweta’s transit system, visit www.coweta.ga.us and click on “services” then “transportation.” Or call 770-683-RIDE (7433). The system operates Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority is extending its sewer system to serve customers along the proposed Newnan Bypass extension and Hwy. 16 East near I-85.

T he under- constr uction sewer line will run close to the right-of-way of the proposed Bypass road, and will terminate where the Bypass comes into Hwy. 16, near East Gordon Road. At present, the authority won’t be running it all the way to U.S. 29 South but that extension would be fairly simple and property owners could also put in their own lines to connect to the sewer main.

T he project got sta rted in April 2012. Work has proceeded slowly over the winter because of rain, but it’s still years ahead of the Bypass construction itself.

T he new l i ne con nec ts to lines that terminate at S h e n a n d o a h Wa s te w a t e r Treatment Plant on Poplar Road. The project cost was estimated at $600,000, with much of the work being done in house by authority crews.

T he extension requi res approximately 10,000 feet of sewer main and one lift station.

Getting sewer service on Coweta’s south side has been discussed for a while.

When the project was originally announced in early 2012, letters were sent to property owners in the area, and “we had a good bit of interest,” said then-General Manager Ellis Cadenhead, who has since retired. “We’ve got a couple of property owners chomping at the bit.”

All right-of-way and easements were donated.

Extension of the line to U.S. 29 would likely have to wait on intersection improvements at Pine Road, U.S. 29 and Ga. Hwy. 16. The intersection improvements, and the fourlaning of U.S. 29 from the interstate to Pine Road, are part of the Bypass extension project.

The authority may run the sewer line to serve the proposed school site on Corinth Road near Bohannon Road.

In 2012, the authority discussed a memorandum of understa nding wit h t he Coweta County School System

for the project, which the school system would pay for.

However, the new middle school has been put on hold.

That project would have cost just over $1 million, and would have included six to eight miles of “force main” and two lift stations. Planning was preliminary at the time the school system decided to delay the project.

The new sewer line for the Bypass comes on the heels of

the sewering of the Thomas Crossroads area over the past few years.

The authority will also be busy in 2013 with another sewer-related project, albeit a very different one.

The authority has received a Community Development Block Grant to upgrade and repair the aging sewer system in the East Newnan community. Engineering work is getting started on that project.

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6D — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Coweta Vision 2013

Newnan looks ahead to building projects

By JOHN A. WINTERS john@newnan.com Newnan city officials and staff probably would prefer not to see another year like 2012.

That’s not a negative, but rather several major projects, far-reaching financial negotiations and tax votes, and even voting changes added up to a massive workload.

The fruit of all that work is starting to be seen in 2013, and will continue for the next few years as Newnan’s landscape will see multi-million dollar building projects.

“I think we are very stable from a financial standpoint,” said City Manager Cleatus Phillips. “Signs point to a good year and we ended in the black again.”

T he city gave 2 percent raises to all staff, the first in a couple of years, and actually added eight staff members, although it did eliminate a few part-time positions.

“In 2013, we are going to be finalizing a lot of things that got started in 2012,” Phillips

added. “There were a lot of things that don’t happen that often.”

Those would include Local Option Sales Tax negotiations, which, along with a proposed city council redistricting, only happen every 10 years. There’s also a new publ ic sa fet y complex under w a y, w h i c h probably only happens about every 40 or 50 years.

On the revenue side, t he city a nd Phillips Coweta County successfully negotiated a new LOST percentage share that gives increasingly higher percentages to the city from the property tax-relief 1-percent sales tax. That’s due to the increase in the city’s population. LOST is a one cent on the dollar sales tax that goes to local governments.

And voters approved a new

county-wide Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum that continues for five years an additional one-cent sales tax. A big portion of that money will go toward a new public safety building and a new fire station for Newnan.

On the $8. 5 million public safety complex, the city already has selected an architect and general contractor.

Council a lso has selected a proposed site, which is expected to be announced shortly. However, city officials said the new fire station will not be located alongside the public safety building. The Newnan Police Department and the city’s municipal court will be housed in the new facility.

Plans call for construction to begin in late summer, with completion toward the end of 2014.

A not her major project expected to open this summer is the $5.2 million Newnan Centre, a multi-use meeting complex being constructed on Lower Fayetteville Road

next to the Coweta County School System’s Centre for Performing and Visual Arts.

The meeting facility is operated by the city’s Convention Center Authority.

The opening of the Newnan Centre was delayed about a year because the original contractor went out of business.

“We believe it will be utilized beyond our expectations,” Phillips said. “It will be a great addition to the city.”

The other major project, and the costliest, is a $15 million renovation of the old Newnan Hospital on Jackson Street at the north end of downtown into a new campus for the University of West Georgia.

The city will oversee the project, and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents has agreed to buy the completed facility from the city for $5 million. Coweta County will kick in about $535,000, with the land, buildings and about $4.2 million com i ng from t he New na n Hospital’s board.

“There are several conditions that still have to be agreed to and we are going through all those,” Phillips said. “But, right now, we don’t see any showstoppers.”

Other projects under consideration include a second ent ra nce for t he meet i n g facility, which could end up being a round-about on Lower Fayetteville Road.

T h e p ol ic e de pa r t m e nt also will be moving to a digital radio system, which provides much clearer signals and enables it to communicate better with county public safety authorities.

And the city has a new sanitation contract in place, and has resumed pickup of bulk and yard waste.

The other key change residents will see is a council redistricting plan currently awaiting approval by the federal Department of Justice.

Dramatic population shifts over the last 10 years led to the new proposal, which revamps the city’s current city council districts.

The new plan calls for the city to be split into three large districts, with one including predominantly minority voters.

Two council members will be elected from each district, and candidates will run for one of two seats in each district. The mayor will continue to be elected citywide.

“We are pretty confident in our plan,” Phillips said. “We think it’s pretty sound.”

Other items include renovations at Ray Park on the city’s west side and installation of a new walking/nature trail around the perimeter of the Newnan Centre meeting facility.

“We put sta ff th rough a lot last year and I am really proud of them,” the city manager said.

Mayor Keith Brady agreed.

“We could not do what we have done without our dedicated staff and the more than 100 volunteers who serve on various boards and committees,” the mayor said.

Newnan Centre moving forward

By JOHN A. WINTERS john@newnan.com Parks Avery is ready to get his hair back.

One could attribute that s t re s s to de a l i n g w it h a piece of property off Lower Fayetteville Road that, hopefully, will open early this summer. If all goes according to plan, it will become Newnan’s premier multi-use meeting place for everything from weddings to health fairs to employee training to business receptions.

The Newnan Centre almost never was, squeaking by in a split vote from the Newnan City Council.

Over the past few years, Avery and his fellow Newnan Convention Center Authority members started making plans and watched ground break in August 2011. But in the early months of 2012, the contractor ended up having cash flow problems. The planned opening in April 2012 started getting pushed.

Within another couple of months, contractor D.Dean and Associates was fired and worked stopped. The city then started negotiations with the insurance company that bonded D.Dean to recoup funds and get a new contractor. Then Headley Construction out of Newnan was named the new contractor. And then all kinds of latent defects from the previous contractor were found.

And then the rain came … and came.

“I’ve been working on this for four or five years,” Avery said. “I used to have hair.”

“But this is going to be a proud moment for Newnan,” he added. “When we finally put up that plaque with all the names of the government and committee members who helped see this through, then I am going to get the keys and breathe a huge sigh of relief.”

The meeting center, located on Lower Fayetteville Road next to the Coweta County School System’s Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, is now slated to open in midMay, more than a year than originally planned.

But Avery said the wait will be worth it.

“Our vision is to see how much fun we can have with this facility,” said Avery, who chairs the facility’s oversight committee. “The community desperately needs this type of space… there is nothing around here like it.”

“We will have state-of-theart electronic systems,” he added. “We will be the most wired facility in the state of Georgia.”

Just how the complex will be used remains to be seen, in the sense that no one really knows other than the obvious receptions and such.

“The reason for this facility is to promote business, tourism and the community for the city,” the chairman said. “But what will really be interesting is to see what types of uses we will see.”

Avery envisions weddings and receptions, charity fundraisers, corporate training,

SPLOST to fund Newnan public safety complex on Jefferson Street, which also houses the Wadsworth Auditorium.

It will be Newnan’s biggest T hanks to pas sage of single construction project, a special one cent sales at $8.5 million. The other big tax extension, the city of project, renovating the old Newnan will be getting a Newnan Hospital for a new new public safety complex.

University of West Georgia Voters approved the new Newnan satellite campus, is county-wide one-percent estimated to cost about $15 tax, known as the Special million, but the city’s share is Purpose Local Option Sales under $6 million.

Tax, last year. Without it, The cit y is “advanced the city’s police depar t- funding” the project, meanment and municipal court ing it will borrow against would have remained at the aging Municipal Building See complex, page 7D

By JOHN A. WINTERS john@newnan.com

car shows, art festivals with the performing arts center and related functions.

“For corporate training, it’s all plug-and-play,” Avery said.

“They can hook up online and be in real time with anyone in the world. Our Internet speeds will be through the roof. It’s a perfect place for corporations to sign up employees for health benefits.”

Overa ll, t he complex includes a main building, a tiered outside amphitheater that can seat about 1,200, and a 1,000-square-foot pavilion.

Covered walkways lead from the main building to the pavilion, which is heated but not air-conditioned, and also to the Centre.

The main building houses a business center and boardroom, which could be used as a bridal room for weddings.

It also will have a full kitchen, various sized tables, different seating arrangements, risers for stages and a dance floor. The main room can be divided into four different sizes to accommodate various functions.

Times-Herald file

With a new contractor on board, hopes are that the city’s Newnan Centre meeting facility will be open by early summer. It is being built on Lower Fayetteville Road next to the Coweta School System’s Centre for Performing and Visual Arts.

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Overa l l , t he complex is expected to cost about $5.2 million.

And already Avery said the biggest concern is that it’s not big enough.

“We had to work with the funding we had,” he said. “But everyone is pretty much in agreement we eventually will need to grow.”

Looking far into the future, the authority envisions a topline hotel and adding space to the existing facility that would include enclosed thoroughfares between the hotel and complex.

“If we want to start bringing in conferences, we are going to have to have a hotel on site,” Avery said.

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 7D

Coweta Vision 2013

Senoia goes from sleepy town to bustling downtown

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com Senoia just might be the ultimate small town success story.

In the 21st century, the eastern Coweta County location has gone from sleepy little town to a verif iable tourist destination bustling with shops and restaurants.

In an economic downturn, Senoia continues to grow.

A big reason for t hat is G e o r g i a’s t a x i n c e n t ive s for the f ilm and television industry. When film productions began to roll into the state, Senoia, already home to a movie studio, was ready.

More than two years before t he i ncent ive s went i nto effect, Scott Tigchelaar and Paul Lombardi of Riverwood St ud ios — now R a leig h Studios Atlanta — began buying vacant lots and buildings i n dow ntow n Senoia , a nd began “The Historic Senoia P roject ” to redevelop t he town, and designed the new facilities to help the city function as a “living backlot” for film productions.

Fast forward to 2013, and Main Street is buzzing, filled with new buildings that don’t look new, and plenty of interesting shops and eateries.

T h e tow n i s a l s o b u s t l i n g w it h tou r i st s , most of whom are coming to see where scenes from the popular AMC television network series “The Walking Dead” are filmed.

Others visit the town to see either the 2010 or 2012 Southern Living Idea Houses, and some want to drop in at country singing star Zac Brown’s restaurant and performance space.

Downtown has been spruced up with a “streetscapes” project, benches, and landscaping — though someti mes t hat la ndscap ing has to be left to run wild when “The Walking Dead” is filming.

The city government has spruced up itself, as well.

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

The 2012 Southern Living Idea House has been among the driving forces bringing tourists to Senoia, along with country star Zac Brown’s business interests and the continued filming of AMC television’s “The Walking Dead.”

“ T he Wa lk ing D e ad” st a r Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) and three zombie “walkers” stand outside the gates of the walled city of Woodbury (actually, downtown Senoia) on the cover of the 2013 Georgia Travel Guide.

City Hall has gotten an extensive facelift both inside and out, and the city’s old police stat ion is now t he welcome center a nd a ret a i l space the Senoia Downtown Development Aut hority leases.

The Senoia Police Department and city court moved severa l ye a r s a go to the new municipal court

The second cover of the 2013 Georgia Travel Guide shows country music star Zac Brown sitting down to a meal at the Southern Ground Social Club, his restaurant, store and performance venue in downtown Senoia.

facility on Howard Road. The library moved in 2012 to the long-awaited new location on Pylant Street, and the former library building is now a barbecue restaurant.

B ec au se cou r t a nd cit y council meetings no longer had to be held at city hall, the city was able to make changes to the building.

“What we did was create

a very welcoming and warm public space in the lobby that we feel the citizens of Senoia deserve,” said City Manager Richard Ferry.

“That public space is very nice looking,” Ferry said. And the work space “is much more practical.”

The offices are bigger and there are now two conference rooms.

There are also public restrooms. Previously, there were two unisex restrooms in city hall — one off the conference room and one in the mayor’s off ice. T hey weren’t ver y practical for members of the public. Now there is both a men’s and women’s restroom, a nd they ca n be accessed from the side door of city hall — meaning they can be open during events downtown. “ So now dow ntow n h a s public bathrooms that are op en ,” Fer r y s a id . “ T h at works out very well.”

“We’ve gotten quite a few comments in favor of not only the lobby but also the restrooms,” Ferry said.

Senoia’s time in the spotlight shows no sign of ending. “ We’re look i ng for wa rd to another summer of ‘The Walking Dead,’” Ferry said.

It’s already been confirmed that portions of season four w i l l be f i l med i n Senoia ; whether f ilming will be as intense as it was last year isn’t clear yet. Senoia stands in for the walled and zombie-free town of Woodbury, which is prominently featured in season three.

B ecause of t he way t he town’s new development was desig ned , bu si nesses c a n still operate during the filming, for the most part. Shop windows are boarded up in Woodbury, and customers can use the back entrances to the buildings to come and go without bothering film crews.

The film industry — especially “The Walking Dead,” has brought economic development to Senoia, but it also has created challenges.

“That comes with problems that have to be resolved,”

Ferry said. “ We h ave to now m a ke decisions about adding parking in downtown.”

Tigchelaar has created two small parking lots in downtown for the use of filming crews, and members of the public use them sometimes, but that’s not enough.

Ferry said he remembers, several years ago, they were talking about parking during a planning commission meeting.

“One of the council members asked, ‘Wouldn’t that be a great problem to have?’”

And now they do.

This past Thanksgiving, city employees enjoyed a long four-day weekend.

“We never really had to worry too much about that day, a lot of shops weren’t open , people just weren’t coming to town,” Ferry said.

But on the following Black F r id ay, t h e we a t h e r w a s warm and people poured into Senoia.

“We had so many people in town that our trash cans overf lowed and we weren’t prepared for emptying them” over the holiday weekend, Ferry said.

Right now, the city is beginning the planning process for the new parking options.

“We want to see what can be the logical choice when we look at where the development is going to occur.”

Tigchelaar and Lombardi’s Historic Development Ve n t u r e s ( n o w S e n o i a Enter prises) bui lt a la rge parking lot off Seavy Street several years ago.

It’s built with permeable pavers that grass can grow through, and is almost parklike in appearance.

“We think, no matter what, we’re going to have to make” the city’s new parking lot look like the Seavy Street lot, Ferry said.

“If we throw down asphalt and a detention pond, I think a lot of people will be upset.”

New park, intersection improvements planned

By Sarah Fay Campbell

sarah@newnan.com

This year, much of Senoia c i t y of f i c i a l s’ at te nti o n will be focused far from downtown.

Instead, there will be work on a new recreation facility on the west side of town on Hwy. 16, and preliminar y engineering will begin on the long-awaited and much-needed intersection improvements at Hwy. 16 and Pylant Street.

Pylant comes into Hwy. 16 at a sharp angle near the top of a hill, and improving the safety at that intersection has been a major city priority for years — there just hasn’t been any funding for the project.

With the opening of the new Senoia Brach Library at Marimac Lakes on Pylant Street, the intersection is getting more and more use and is getting “more and more dangerous,” Ferr y said.

I n N ove m b e r, S e n o i a was approved for $1.6 million in federal safety funds to improve the intersection.

Senoia’s required match will be $400,000.

The city’s hope is to do more than just make the intersection safer.

“Our goal is to make that into kind of the gateway into town,” Ferry said. “We want to really do it up.” The city will also be able to replace the Pylant Street bridge as part of the project.

Cit y of ficials want to design the project to make it look the way they eventually want Hwy. 16 going into town to look. “ Why not create that sense of place along State

See senoia, page 8D

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Coweta voters approved the new county-wide one-percent SPLOST last year. Without it, Newnan’s police department and municipal court would have remained at the aging Municipal Building on Jefferson Street, which also houses the Wadsworth Auditorium.

SPLOST to fund Newnan public safety complex

complex Continued from page 6D

future SPLOST funds to pay for construction.

T h e c i t y i s ex p e c te d to announce the location of the new public safet y complex shortly. There were hopes the city’s new fire station could be located next to the public safety complex to save money, but the fire station needs to be located farther north.

“This is a cash project and we will not take on any debt,” said Mayor Keith Brady. “It is a much needed project for our police and municipal court… and we appreciate the citizens voting for it.”

“I was ready to be in there yesterday,” joked city Police Chief Buster Meadows. “Right now we are spread out among four buildings, including rental property. Getting us back under one roof makes us a lot more efficient.”

“And with the buildings we have now, we have no room for growth,” he added. “Our courtroom is really bad. Attorneys have to meet outside in the hallways with their clients and family members aren’t allowed in because there is no room.”

“I just really want to thank the citizens for approving the sales tax for this much-needed project,” he said.

Clark Pat ter son Lee was named as the design architect for a fee of $399,797.

T h e c o n s tr u c ti o n m a n a g e r will be Conyers-based Potts Construction, which will be paid $409,879.

“We’re getting the architects to meet with the police department and start working on a rough floor plan,” said City Manager Cleatus Phillips.

Construction is expected to start later this summer with an anticipated opening at the end of 2014.

Once the police and courts move, some decision will have to be made about the existing Municipal Building.

The city and its Cultural Arts Commission have already solicited public comments about the best redevelopment uses for the building.

“It is envisioned that this redesigned facility could become a cultural arts destination and support the efforts to promote tourism and economic development in historic downtown Newnan,” city officials said recently.

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8D — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

Coweta Vision 2013 Numbers show how we stack up

Improvements in Senoia

numbers

senoia

Continued from page 1D

needs of a growing community. Part of that need is keeping citizens safe from lawbreakers. The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office has just completed an extensive renovation of its offices that will make for a more-efficient and well-run operation.

A larger jail will be needed one day and plans are already in place for that project.

Coweta County courts have also kept pace with an increasing caseload in recent years. In 2012, two new Superior Court judges, Emory Palmer and Bill Hamrick, joined sitting judges Dennis Blackmon, John Simpson, Jack Kirby and Chief Judge Quillian Baldwin on the Superior Court bench.

T he Coweta District Attorney’s Off ice, operating as part of the Coweta Judicial Circuit under District Attorney Pete Skandalakis, has also added staff to handle an increasing volume of criminal and civil cases.

Coweta’s Drug Court, which offers rehabilitation programs rather than additional incarceration for drug offenders seeking a fresh start, is seen as a model for this relatively new approach to the judicial process.

And while communities are

often judged by the size and state of their economies, the best ones can also brag about the size of their hearts. Here, Coweta County takes back seat to no one.

The local Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity organization is strong and has built dozens of homes for lowincome residents. More than 1,200 tons of donated goods have been used, re-purposed, and recycled through the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore facility on Pine Road.

The Coweta Community Food Pantry served about 18,000 people in 2012, assuring that locals in f inancial trouble did not go hungry.

The food pantry is housed on Temple Avenue at the location of the One Roof Ecumenical Alliance, which also operates a thrift store as well as providing information about other social service agencies in the area.

Bridging the Gap Com mun ity Outreach is another non-profit organization that distributes food to those in need. Launched in September 2009, Bridging the Gap is currently feeding up to 800 people a week, which amounts to approximately 3,500 pounds of food per week.

The Newnan chapter of the Salvation Army remains active and the American Red Cross provides emergency services. Recently, Coweta County establ ished a Com mu n it y

Continued from page 7D

In 2012, Cancer Treatment Centers of America opened its southeastern facility in Newnan.

Photo by Alex McRae

Administering the oath of office in January 2013 to new Coweta Circuit Superior Court Judge Emory Palmer is Judge Allen Keeble, whose resignation created the judicial vacancy now filled

by Palmer. In the courtroom of the historic 1904 Coweta County Courthouse Jan. 2 are Palmer, his wife, Jennifer, and Keeble.

Emergency Response Team, or CE RT, prog ra m wh ich trains volunteers to assist first responders in the event of a disaster by providing emergency first aid and helping with tasks including moving trees blocking roads, turning off gas lines and performing triage to assist medical workers.

No place is perfect, but anyone taking a hard look at Coweta by the numbers would have to admit that as a place to live, work, play and raise a family, Coweta County ranks near the top in all categories.

Add the numbers up and you’ve got a place that anyone would love to call home.

Coweta moving into a new era; projects continue to be the norm

era

Continued from page 1D t he si ren system i n place before the end of tornado season.

The sirens will be for people who are outdoors when storms threaten. “People don’t need to think they can sit in the house and hear it everywhere,” Gay said.

In the past few years, the county has been working on succession planning. Many of the leading county off i-

cials are nearing retirement age. In 2012, Wayne Kennedy, the county’s director of development a nd en g i ne er i n g , and Personnel Director Rick Watson both retired.

Gay has been working for Coweta County 40 years, and has been county administrator for just over 20, and he’s been working on succession planning for his office, as well.

Michael Fouts was named assistant county administrator in July, joining Assistant County Administrator Kelly Mickle. In January, following Watson’s retirement, the public affairs and personnel

department have been combined into the Community and Human Resources Department. Former Public A f fa i r s D i re c tor Pat r ic i a Palmer is now head of that department.

“In this room here is a lot of that succession planning,” said Gay during an interview along with Fouts, Mickle and Palmer.

Gay said that in the “not too distant future I’m going to be deciding what I want to do” with the next stage of his life. “I want to be sure, and the board [of commissioners] be sure, too, that Coweta County

is left in good hands.”

“We do succession planning in every department,” Gay said.

Long before Ken nedy retired, his assistant, and now Director of Development and Engineering Todd Hadley, began taking on more responsibility. “We had a successful plan in place, it was a smooth transition,” Gay said.

“You’ll be seeing more of that in the next few months.

You will see some more kinds of reorganizations and some ideas to help better plan for the future,” Gay said.

Route 16 that exists downtown?” Ferry said.

“As you drive through on 16, it could be anywhere. What is going to be unique so people can say ‘now we’re in Senoia’?

Other than the Welcome to Senoia sign,” Ferry said.

Right-of-way needs will be minimal as the city already owns the triangular piece of land between Pylant and Hwy. 16.

Hopes are to make the new intersection and associated improvements almost park-like.

There will be sidewalks, and maybe even an arching bridge.

The design phase is set to begin in June.

The Georgia Department of Transportation project will take a while.

“It’s a DOT project and it’s federal money,” said Ferr y, and, as such, there are a lot of requirements. He’s estimating completion in 2017.

In 2012, the city completed its parks and recreation master plan. “That was a big step,” said Ferry. A major need identified was for more sports fields.

The city is in the process of purchasing a 62-acre tract along Hwy. 16 East for the new fields.

Senoia has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Coweta County for development of the park.

The cit y and count y will work together to come up with a master plan for the park’s development. Coweta County will do most of the work, and the property will be deeded to the county. When complete, it will be named Leroy Johnson Park.

The cit y’s current athletic fields facility is also named Leroy Johnson Park. The future of that facilit y hasn’t been determined.

That park needs upgrades, and as the city looked at those needs, it was found the drainage and other improvements would have been extensive.

“We didn’t see that we were

able to find a level of service that actually was beneficial, cost-wise,” he said.

Basically, “we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to meet our needs by improving the existing park … we didn’t want to overspend on improving that park and yet not getting extra capacity out of it. It didn’t make economic sense,” Ferry said.

It will cost a bit more to build a new park from scratch, but they won’t have to deal with the existing problems, and will add capacity.

The existing fields may be used for practice once the new park opens.

The new park is locate d almost directly across from Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia, Ferry said. The property was formerly owned by Tom Reece and was proposed for a large mixed-use development.

When the city decided to look into buying it, officials found that it was already under contract to another developer, the Docker y Group. So the city began talking with Docker y about sports fields. The property is zoned for a conservation subdivision, and that requires 40 percent open space. So the city entered into an agreement with Dockery that the city could buy the front tract and it would count toward the development’s required open space.

Across the street, construction is ongoing for the expansion of the charter school. As par t of that expansion, the school is paying to run a city sewer line to the facility.

Also, Senoia is working on an expansion of the city cemetery.

Last year, the city purchased two-and-a-half acres adjacent to the cemetery. Right now, the city is working on getting grass established and determining the best type of grass to plant, as sprinkler systems are not practical in a cemetery.

The expansion was badly needed, as the cemetery is getting “very close to full,” said Ferry.

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Sunday, March 24, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 9D

Coweta Vision 2013

Small towns gearing up for growth, making improvements

By W. WINSTON SKINNER winston@newnan.com

Photo by Rebecca Leftwich

At a recent Grantville City Council meeting are City Attorney Mark Mitchell, City Manager Johnny Williams, who has been with Grantville now for a year, and Grantville Mayor Jim Sells.

Grantville ‘heading in the right direction’

By REBECCA LEFTWICH rebecca@newnan.com New businesses have opened in downtown Grantville, and Mayor Jim Sells said things are picking up economically for the struggling town, especially after the AMC cable television series “The Walking Dead” filmed there in September.

Su nday sa les of a lcohol and liquor-by-the-drink ordina nces were approved by residents in July, which Sells has said can encourage new restaurants as well. Station 22 Grill, one recently established restaurant, has hosted several special events including a viewing party March 2 for “The Walking Dead” episode featuring scenes shot in Grantville.

R o c h e l l e Ja b a l e y, a Grantville business owner who ser ves on the town’s cou nc i l , op ene d Z o op er s Grocery store last summer.

Grantville also has welcomed One Eyed Jack’s Pizza Parlor and Shabby Chic Boutique and Main Attraction Zumba Studio, as wel l as McKee Heating and Air, with other businesses planning to open soon.

“Things are moving in the right direction,” Sells said during a recent meeting of the Grantville City Council.

Residents may have t he opportunity to cool off in a new way this summer as council prepares for a final vote March 25 on a proposed splash park.

Months of bickering among council members resulted in the tabling of the project – initially proposed last spring by Jabaley – until this year. A citizen committee was convened at council’s request by City Manager Johnny Williams, who has been with Grantville for a year, and members have put in place a detailed proposal to bring before council.

“This park would become a gathering place for families and they would not need to burn expensive gas to get there,” Sells wrote in a mass email. “The money is there… it is time to spend it in our community.”

Sel ls sa id t he proposed splash park – proposed to be built at Post Street Park downtown – will attract more business, creating jobs, providing services and increasing revenue for the city.

Coweta County’s smaller towns have been busy in 2012 and are making big plans for the future.

Haralson, Moreland, Sharpsburg and Turin are all towns with minimal staff and small budgets. The four towns, however, are good places to live and are looking to improve life for their citizens.

Sharpsburg, particularly, is planning to grow. The town has annexed “enough property to more than double the size of the town in the last year,” Mayor Wendell Staley said.

“One of the parcels was more than 100 acres,” he said.

That property – along Georgia Highway 16 East – is designed for commercial development with a grocery store and shopping center. “There will be a housing development behind it,” Staley said.

Another 100 acres “will stay like it is” for the present, the mayor said.

The town also owns a parcel at the north end of town that is for sale. City officials hope to see it developed as commercial.

Staley said a street that was paved in the city – a project that drew some controversy because of its cost – is something he sees as a real accomplishment. “It had to be done.

Somebody had to bite the bullet,” he stated.

“We have completed our recreation center and city hall renovation – and the addition.

We have added a large parking area in the back,” Staley said.

There will be room to park about 50 cars.

The land next to the A&O Bridges Center is slated to become a park. There will be a pavilion that will seat 125 people. The park will have a gazebo stage on one side and a second stage on the other end.

The tennis courts will be removed to create the park.

While the courts “were great in their time,” Staley said they are seeing little use now that tennis courts are available at the nearby county Hunter Complex.

The park will have a lot of green space and will include land that has belonged to the city for years as well as another piece of property purchased with a donation “from a very generous citizen,” Staley said.

The park should be completed by mid-summer.

Haralson got its park – next to the town offices – completed during the past year. “We’ve got the pavilion that can be used for family reunions and parties,” Mayor Ted Bateman noted. The park includes a onethird mile walking trail and playground equipment.

“We’re working on getting an early warning weather system in conjunction with what the county’s doing,” Bateman said, adding that a sidewalk expansion project is in the early planning stages.

In Moreland, preparation work has been done for restoration of the two-story section of the Moreland Mill, which houses town offices, a meeting area and museum space. Plans to streamline their budgeting process are also under way.

Moreland Mayor Josh Evans has a goal of seeing that ideas from the Blueprints project, done for the town by the Georgia Conservancy, turn into reality. He said the study – which brought graduate students from the Georgia Institute of Technology to town to look at options for improvements – was “the biggest thing” in the town during the past year.

The Georgia Tech students “all had different expertise” and shared insights on city planning, transportation and other topics, Evans said. “Some of the things were things we knew we needed to work on,” while others were fresh ideas.

Evans is particularly interested in seeing the Blueprints

concepts of “doing different things to improve the greenspace” on the town square implemented.

“We’re going to put together a Blueprints task force. I’m in the process of doing that,” he said. Evans also hopes the town will join the West Georgia Textile Trail and capitalize on the current interest in Georgia’s textile and textile mill heritage.

D u r i n g 2 01 3 , Morel a nd will move forward with its Transportation Enhancement Act grant, which will connect Moreland Elementary School with the town square and add historic light poles and benches to the downtown area.

“That money’s already allocated,” Evans said. “It’s moving as fast as the DOT and engineers can move it.”

Turin continues to be a great place to live. The historic Walter B. Hill School, which is now the town hall, has been the site of several meetings during the past year, and the annual tractor pull in August drew yet another large crowd.

Turin has also joined other towns and the county in part icipat i n g i n co operat ive efforts ranging from a day for mayors to deliver Meals on Wheels to the first ever Joint Comprehensive Transportation Plan for the county.

Turin’s list of projects to be funded with the current county-wide Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax include projects related to water, roads, public safety, stormwater/ wastewater management, sidewalks and paths and parks and recreation.

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10D — The Newnan Times-Herald — Sunday, March 24, 2013

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