Vision 2016

Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 1E

2E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

VISION 2016

WELCOME TO COWETA

Parks, festivals, heritage make small town life great

By W. WINSTON SKINNER winston@newnan.com

Small towns offer a slower-paced lifestyle for many Cowetans.

Coweta’s smaller towns – Haralson, Moreland, Sharpsburg and Turin – are each unique.

Moreland is a small town with two museums and a big July 4 celebration. Sharpsburg boasts antique shops and is looking toward the opening of a new park.

Turin celebrated its 125th birthday last year, and is the home of Barbie Beach, a unique Coweta attraction that is the subject of a film that is on the lineup for the Cannes Film Festival in May. The Erskine Caldwell Birthplace and Museu m a nd t he Hometow n Her itage Museum, which includes a tribute to journalist and humorist Lewis Grizzard, face each other on Moreland’s town square. They are operated by the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance.

MCAA also oversees God’s Little Acre, a demonstration garden that shows the agrarian world in which writers Caldwell and Grizzard grew up.

MCAA and the Artisans Heritage Guild have launched a new project that is bringing artisans to town for demonstrations and classes. The first Makers Day was held March 12 with painters, weavers, woodturners and blacksmiths on site.

Coweta County is working with Sharpsburg to build a new park in the town. The existing tennis courts will be demolished, and a new, expanded park will be built with a playground, pavilion, gazebo, and greenspace.

Wendell Staley is Sharpsburg’s mayor.

Council members are James Cole, Polly Gar-

lington, Stan Parten and Keith Rhodes. Donna Camp is the town clerk, and David Winkle is the town’s attorney.

Dick Ford is Moreland’s mayor, and Jeff Burgess is mayor pro-tem. Council members are Allyn Bell, David Lee and Troy Payne. Mark Mitchell is the city attorney.

Turin has some longtime city officials – and some new ones following elections last year.

Alan Starr. Council members are Michael Frank, George Harris, Cindy Purcell and Alan Stapp.

Ted Meeker is the city attorney, and Turin’s town clerk is Tracey Townsend.

Rusty Russell is the city’s water superintendent. Turin’s water systems sells water to residents and businesses in both Turin and nearby Sharpsburg.

Haralson has a new mayor, Audrey Cruzan.

Fred Rudbeck is mayor pro-tem, and members of the council are Scott Beaumont and Belinda Wilson. Paulette Brown is Haralson’s city clerk, and Meeker is the city attorney.

Haralson is mostly in Coweta County but straddles the Coweta-Meriwether line.

On the north end of Coweta, Palmetto is mostly in Fulton County but partly in Coweta.

Palmetto had a population of 4,448 in 2010.

Clark Boddie is the mayor of Palmetto.

Council members Michael Arnold, Tara Miller, Laura Mullis, Larry Parrott, Leon Sumlin and Patricia Willey.

Other city officials include William Shell, city manager; Patrick Stough, city attorney; Cynthia Hanson, city clerk; Anton Allison and Russell Ross, municipal court judges; Henry Argo, fire chief; Frank West, code enforcement officer; and Brian Dailey, electrical superintendent. Palmetto also has a recreation department.

County continues development in 2016

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com

TOP: Michael Fouts CENTER: Crews are busy working on the new leg of the Newnan Bypass, which runs from Turkey Creek Road to Ga. Hwy. 16.

ABOVE: The realignment of Pine Road and Ga. Hwy. 16 is part of the Newnan Bypass project, expected to be complete late this summer.

After years of preparation and planning, 2016 will be the year that construction finally begins on the new Interstate 85 interchange at Poplar Road.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is expected to award a bid for the construction very soon and “we’re hoping for a groundbreaking ceremony sometime in late April,” said Coweta County Administrator Michael Fouts.

Once con st r uc t ion beg i n s , it i s expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Another huge and long-awaited project is the extension of the Newnan Crossing Bypass to Ga. Hwy. 16 and the associated road widening and intersection improvement projects.

In addition to the new Bypass road, which runs from Turkey Creek to Hwy. 16 near the former East Gordon Road, the project includes the realignment of Pine Road and creating a four-point intersection at Pine Road, Ga. Hwy. 16 and U.S. 29, as well as the four-laning of Hwy. 16 from the interstate bridge to U.S. 29, and the four-laning of U.S. 29 from I-85 to Pine Road.

The discovery of a 100-year old cemetery right next to where the new road would go necessitated a few design changes and caused some delay, but the project should be complete and open to traffic by the fourth quarter of 2016, Fouts said.

The county is moving forward with installing traffic signals on both ends of Lora Smith Road, and the Five Points roundabout, a joint project with the city of Newnan, is open to traffic. The roundabout project, which includes realignment of Turkey Creek Road, is substantially complete, but there are a few punch

Providing

Moreland Mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Burgess, foreground, offers greetings from the city at the Blessing of the Crop at God’s Little Acre on March 12. Dentez Orr, center, pastor of Elim Baptist Church, and Carol Chancey, right, of the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance also took part in the event.

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4E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

VISION 2016

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Education and medical industry on the rise

By KANDICE BELL

kandice@newnan.com

The education and medical industries continue to expand in Coweta and show no signs of slowing down.

The addition of the Univer sit y of We st G e or g i a added more opportunity for students in Coweta and surrounding areas.

“The UWG Newnan Project, which resulted in an 85,000 plus square foot rehabilitated structure, not only of fe r s h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n opportunities to current and future students, the project also preserved an historic community landmark that generations will treasure for many years to come,” said city of Newnan Business Development Director Hasco Craver.

Craver was instrumental in assisting UWG with obtaining a campus in Newnan.

“The UWG Richards College of Business anticipates $1.5M - $3.4M in annual economic impact will be realized in Coweta County as a result of the UWG Newnan Project.,” said Craver. “ With an ever increasing enrollment, the UWG Newnan project will bring learners from across our region to enjoy our unique location, full of distinctive retailers, art galleries, elegant cuisine, jewelers and much more.”

Bob Heaberlin, who is the senior director of and chief administrative officer for offcampus programs, said UWG has seen tremendous growth since it began offering classes in Newnan.

“We went from 471 graduate and undergraduate students to 724 undergraduate and graduate students since Fall 2014,” said Heaberlin.

“These are face-to-face students. Our dual enrollment students has also went from 31 to 110.”

Dual enrollment students are high school juniors and seniors that take college level courses at the university.

“In December 2015, we had 48 students graduate from our bachelor of science in nursing program,” said Heaberlin.

UWG was also a 2015 Prosperity Award recipient, which is presented by the NewnanCoweta Chamber of Commerce, in recognition of its outstanding impact on economic growth and development in the county.

“We now have core classes in all core areas in Newnan,” said Heaberlin. “This means students are able to stay in Newnan to complete their core classes. Dual enrollment students will now be able to take classes during the summer semester. Nothing but brighter days are ahead.”

In addition to education, the growth of Cancer Treatment Center of America and Piedmont Newnan Hospital have added more options for healthcare services.

“Coweta County remains a hotbed for the healthcare industry,” Coweta County Development Authority President Greg Wright.

“Cancer Treatment Centers of America is now the second largest employer in Coweta County and completed another expansion project during 2015. Piedmont Newnan Hospital is adding a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to its facility. Last year was the first full year of operations for HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Newnan, which is providing access to comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation services to the area,” Wright said.

CTCA Ch ief Operati ng Officer David Kent was the second employee hired at the Newnan location in April 2011.

“We’ve grown to be the second largest CTCA facility in three and half years,” said Kent. “We are also the newest facility.”

CTCA has four other locations in Philadelphia, Tulsa,

The UWG Newnan Campus was a recipient of Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Prosperity Award. On the back row from left to right are Hasco Craver, Mayor Keith Brady, Tony Ferguson, Rhodes Shell and Dustin Koritko. On the front row from left to right are Cynthia Jenkins, Cathy Wright, Bob Heaberlin and Cleatus Phillips.

PHOTO BY KANDICE BELL

Construction for the expansion of the dining hall is in progress at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Newnan. The project is expected to be complete by the summer.

INDUSTRY, page 5E

WELCOME TO COWETA

DEVELOP Continued from page 2E

list items remaining.

Road projects aren’t the only thing Coweta County is doing.

The new Central Community Center has recently been completed and was used for early voting for the presidential preference primary. Early voting there was “a huge success,” Fouts said. “We received a lot of very positive feedback.”

The new community center has meeting rooms and a kitchen, and will be available for rental, similar to the other community centers.

Most of the county’s community centers are located in the western portion of the county and the new one was needed for that area, Fouts said.

The county is also moving forward with construction of the new Leroy Johnson Park in Senoia. The sports complex is a joint project of

the county and the city of Senoia.

“The stormwater system is in place and they’re working on final grading, so they can work on beginning to build the fields in Phase 1,” Fouts said. “I hope we are playing by fall of 2017.”

Coweta 911 will be getting a new phone system in 2016. The new system will provide some enhanced mapping, and is also browser based, which allows for redundancies. If the E-911 center had to be evacuated, “we could actually transfer the calls over to Carroll County 911 and they could dispatch and see our maps,” Fouts said.

In 2015, the Coweta County Jail got a new bonding area and a “video visitation” system.

This year, there will be some more maintenance projects done at the jail, including replacing some of the shower facilities in the pods and some HVAC work.

“We’re just trying to really bring the building up to current standards,” Fouts said.

The county is in the midst of updating its comprehensive plan, which is designed to

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guide growth through 2036. The plans must be updated every 10 years. The new plan must be approved by October.

Last year, the county hired consultants to do a comprehensive “compensation classification study” for county employees. The study will cover all county employees, including public safety and court employees.

Coweta County has approximately 750 employees, but there are only about 300 individual positions, said Patricia Palmer, director of community and human relations.

The study will compare the compensation of Coweta employees with other similar counties, and there will be updated job descriptions for every position.

The study will help “make sure the job compensation and salary schedules are in line with other local governments,” Fouts said. It has been more than 20 years since the county has done a comprehensive look. “It is important to us to show the employees that we do offer a competitive benefits package.”

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Some of the current job descriptions are very old. “It’s really important to bring those job descriptions up to 2016,” Palmer said.

The study will also determine if employees in different departments are being paid different salaries for doing the same jobs.

Once the overall study is done, the county will do a review of 20 to 25 percent of the positions each year.

Lastly, the county is seeking proposals to update its website, www.coweta.ga.us. The current site design is 10-years-old.

“We’re looking at adding additional functionality,” said Tom Corker, communications manager.

The biggest change will be a website that is more responsive on mobile devices.

Plans are to make the website more userfriendly and easier to navigate, and to possibly provide services such as online facility reservations and e-mail updates. Hopes are to have the new website ready by September.

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VISION 2016

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

INDUSTRY Continued from page 4E

Chicago and Phoenix.

“Our offering in the south has resonated w it h our patients. We’re so close to Hartsfield, which makes it easier for our patients and their family members to get to us.”

CTCA in Newnan treats most adult cancer patients.

Kent said one of the biggest highlights of the past year have been the expansions CTCA has completed. “ We ’ v e a d d e d 6 4 n e w rooms to our hotel,” said Kent.

“The hotel rooms are for our patients and their families to stay while they’re receiving treatment. We’ve also added treatment and physician support as well as clinical conference rooms. The hotel expansion puts us at a total of 120 rooms, which makes us the largest hotel in the county. We would have to search in the metro Atlanta area for rooms for our patients, so there was a need for more rooms. The closer they are, the better.”

Kent said the facility is also expanding the dining area, which is expected to complete this summer.

“We’ve grown in terms of number of patients and we have to have the space to take care of our patients,” said Kent. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of cancer patients in the south. We will continue to treat more patients as necessary and we will plan expansions as necessary to better serve our patients.”

CTCA was also ranked as the number place to work in the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Top Workplaces in Metro Atlanta in 2015. According to Kent, CTCA also generated $1.3 billion under four years, which is exceeds the $500 million CTCA was projected to generate in the first five years.

County offers non-profits to serve needy

By MAGGIE BOWERS Maggie@newnan.com Despite its relatively small size, Coweta County is big on assisting the community.

From food to finances, the county offers several resources to residents by way of non-profit organizations.

The Coweta Community Foundation (CCF) is a publicly-supported nonprofit organization that maintains several charitable donations from the community and distributes those funds to local nonprofits.

The foundation manages funds that directly support community interests such as women’s and children’s needs, public safety, education and arts.

“When we award a grant, the nonprofit is doing everything they are supposed to be doing and are good stewards of the community as well,” said CCF chair Ginger Jackson Queener. “Since we’re going under the hood, so to speak, we can really see who stands out from the best of the best in terms of stewardship and running the organization.”

Recently, the CCF established a partnership with the Foundation Center of Atlanta. The partnership will provide Coweta nonprofits with

resources to aid in growth and funding such as the Foundation Directory Online which includes a database of more than 140,000 grantmakers.

For those uninsured or underinsured throughout the county, Newnan serves as home to the Coweta Samaritan Clinic (CSC), located at 137 Jackson St. CSC offers free primary medical care to residents who have no health insurance and have a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty

LEFT: Tammy Jones prepares to cook at the local chapter of Meals on Wheels.

Meals will be packaged and served to seniors and disabled residents in Coweta.

RIGHT: Danielle Wahl, office manager of Coweta Pregnancy Services, organizes donations at the local nonprofit.

level (approximately $23,544 and below for an individual living alone in the county).

Established by Dr. Kay Crosby, CSC diagnoses, treats and helps the management of chronic diseases,

acute illnesses and well care with a staff of general and specialist practitioners. The clinic does not treat walk-in patients, but offers care to

NONPROFIT, page 6E

Helpful contacts

By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com Coweta County Animal Control 91 Selt Road, Newnan.

770-254-3735 Emergencies after 5 p.m. 770-254-3728 Coweta County Tag Office 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 770-254-2631 Georgia Department of Driver’s Services (drivers license) 128 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan 770-254-7203

Coweta County Sheriff’s Office non emergency 560 Greison Trail, Newnan 770-253-1502

Senoia City Hall 80 Main Street, Senoia 770-599-3679

Coweta County Recreation Department 39 Hospital Road 770-254-3750

Senoia Police Department (non emergency) 505 Howard Road, Senoia 770-599-3256

Newnan City Hall 25 LaGrange Street, Newnan 770-253-2682

Grantville City Hall 123 LaGrange Street, Grantville 770-583-2280

Newnan Police Department (non emergency) 1 Joseph-Hannah Blvd, Newnan 770-254-2355

Grantville Police Department (non-emergency) 123 LaGrange Street, Grantville 770-583-2266

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6E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

COWETA VISION 2016 COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 2015 CRIMES BY NATURE

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

PUBLIC SAFETY

County school system celebrates growth and achievements

By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com

The Coweta County School System has had an exceptional school year and continues to move forward. “ We b e c o m e s t r o n g e r through our successes and our challenges,” said CCSS Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker.

One of its successes in moving forward is through its recent recommendation for a five-year accreditation with AdvancED. AdvancED is a national private accreditation entity. It provides accreditation services to more than 32,000 institutions, which serve 20 million students throughout the world.

One of AdvancED’s accreditation teams visited CCSS from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, during which they visited 65 classrooms in 17 different CCSS schools. It also reviewed an exhaustive amount of data from all CCSS schools and programs, as well as conducting interviews with 537 school system stakeholders.

It’s a great stamp of accomplishment said Barker.

Lead evaluator Dr. Steve Oborn said CCSS is an example of what he and his team members look for and do.

“It’s time to continue the good work,” Barker said about the re-accreditation. “It continues to set the bar high.”

A major element of t he accreditation was the technology the school system has implemented. “ It help e d va l id ate t he importance of technology as a critical tool,” Barker said. “But where does it take us?”

Five years ago, the accreditation team told the school system it should focus on putting more technology in students’ hands for learning and day-to-day activities. From there, CCSS worked to build the infrastructure to bring that technology to students and

NONPROFITS Continued from page 5E

eligible residents. Contact 770-683-5272 for information on eligibility.

Wit h locat ion s i n bot h Pa l met to a nd i n S enoi a , YourTown Health is a subsidized healthcare clinic, which provides low-income Coweta families with medical services including primary health care, chronic care, dentistry, women and pediatric care and immunizations. Service charges are based on income level. The two nearby facilities also offer pha r macy ser v ices.

Ruth Hill Elementary School fourth grader Sarah Meacham uses Minecraft Edu to create plan, sketch, and invent new worlds. The school purchased the 3D design software for its entire computer lab recently as part of its school wide STEM initiative and focus on providing students access to creative and innovative technology.

take them to a 1-to-1 ratio of technology to students.

As part of its three-year technology plan, CCSS purc h a s e d a nd i mplemente d Google Chromebooks throughout its schools. Currently, the number of Chromebooks is approximately 10 percent of the total student population, and the administrators, teachers, staff, and students have switched to the Google classroom platform.

Barker said the teachers are able to check the Chromebooks out for their students to use for a class and are excited about eventually having that availability every day.

Moving to the 1-to-1 ratio w i ll be pa r t of SPLOST expenditures.

“It has the capability to touch every single child,” he said. “It’s a great expenditure when it can do that.”

YourTown Health clinics can be found at 48 Main St., Suite 3A in Senoia, and 643 Main St. in Palmetto.

Coweta is home to several food pantries and organizations that offer meals and other basic resources to those in need. Many Coweta churches provide the county with food ministries/food pantries, and provide other assistance. Several sponsor clothing giveaways or meals.

Bridging the Gap (BTG) is a local organization that includes a substantial food pantry in addition to a temporary shelter. After receiving a gra nt sponsored by Wal-Mart in 2015, the organ i z a t i o n b e g a n wo r k to expand amenities to accom-

When CCSS went through Another element moving

By CLAY NEELY CCSS forward is its learning the accreditation process five clay@newnan.com Coweta County Sheriff's | 560also Greison Trail, Newnan, GAWhile 30265 | Ph. 770-253-1502 | Fax 770-253-1043 | Email:increased ccsoopenrecords@coweta.ga. years ago,Office it was going service delivery model, which Coweta’s population has steadily allows the school system to through hard times financially. over the last six years, the crime rate per-thousand To be here five years later, a na lyze how it ’s work ing, residents has dropped. where it needs to improve, and having weathered that, and In a recent analysis, Coweta County has actubeing financially stable withother things. ally seen an overall decrease of 18 percent in crimes “We continue to find ways to out hurting the school system against persons and property since 2009. meet the needs of the diverse is quite an accomplishment, In 2009, the crime rate per thousand resident was learners we have,” said Barker. Barker said.

19.29 and was down to 14.77 per-thousand by the end Several key elements of the “Our students, our complete of 2015. model are dual enrollment, AP staff, stakeholders, commuThe report only contains fact and population based on the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office jurisclasses, virtual learning, on- nity, board, and parents, you diction and doesn’t include the areas of Newnan, campus curriculum, Central won’t find it anywhere else,” he Senoia or Grantville in the findings.

Educational Center middle and added. “I’m fortunate.”

According to Sheriff Mike Yeager, the “hot spots” high school classes, alternative CCSS is also focused on are generally located near Interstate I-85 and the education programs, Move on purchasing more buses for Hwy 34 area.

When Ready, and 21st century school transportation, reno“That’s where we’re seeing a lot of stuff happentechnology. vating Northside Elementary ing so that’s where we’re focusing our efforts in the “When I look to the future School, renovating older parts future,” Yeager said. “While we certainly have our this learning service delivery of Newnan High School, renoown homegrown criminals here, the majority of model is a hub to look at all vating Canongate Elementary what we’re seeing is coming from places like Union these areas,” he said. “It should School, building a new transCity, East Point, College Park, and Columbus too. always be a focus for us.” portation facility, school buildI-85 seems to bring a lot in."

“We want to continue to ing maintenance, and secuThe statistics also tout the absence of homicides be good stewards with our rity improvements in front in 2012, 2013 and 2015. finances,” he added. entrance modifications.

In 2014, the sheriff’s office worked a total of four – a 7-year high for the county. However, arrests were made in each incident and 2015 passed without a modate three showers along the needs of Coweta’s youth, homicide in the county. with two new washers and from providing child advo“I think that bodes well, and we hope the trend dryers. BTG offers a free cacy to keepi ng teens i n continues to keep these numbers low,” Yeager said. food giveaway each Satur- school. Coweta Pregnancy “Knock on wood, but we’ve seen the decrease and day, and serves a hot meal Services serves women and we’re pretty happy about it." beginning at 10 a.m. Those men who may be unprepared in need can visit BTG dur- for pregnancy. Other chariing regular hours to shower, ties, such as Backpack Budwash clothes and receive a dies, supply disadvantaged children in Coweta with food hot meal.

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M a ny lo c a l nonprof it s ance Outreach is an alliance of c hu rc he s , com mu n it y are in need of volunteers organizations and businesses t h roughout t he yea r, a nd work i ng toget her to pro- other opportunities to grow vide food and resources to and support Coweta’s chariCoweta residents. The pro- table organizations will also gram offers a thrift store be available. For more inforwith clothing and household mation on the county’s nonitems, as well as the Coweta profit organizations visit the Coweta Community FoundaFood Pantry.

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Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 7E

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8E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

VISION 2016

PUBLIC SAFETY

NFD to annex Wadsworth, add bicycles

By CLAY NEELY clay@newnan.com

When the Newnan Police Department moved into their new of f ices la st yea r, t he upstairs of the Wadsworth had remained relatively dormant.

Recently, the idea to repurpose the upstairs to allow an expansion of Station One has become a reality.

For over 35 years, the Newnan Fire Department has enjoyed their current location adjacent to the auditorium. However, growing pains are becoming apparent but the location can’t be beat, according to Newnan Fire Chief David Whitley.

“The infrastructure and proximity of the station are great,” Whitley said. “We’d like to improve the living conditions for our firemen and make the station ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant."

The project would add 2,024 square feet to the existing 7,550 square feet. The additional square footage would come

by connecting a portion of the second floor of the Municipal Building.

The administrative functions of the fire department would be moved to the new area, allowing expansion of the existing space for bunk area, training rooms, and day room. The project would also include a new public access point and elevator, which the fire department does not currently have.

“It would give everyone a better environment,” Whitley said.

“There would be remodeling at the Wadsworth upstairs as well with new restrooms and facilities as well."

The process would take up to six months, according to Whitley. By tackling the second floor of the auditorium first, the fire personnel could have a place to move out until the renovations of the fire station are complete. The fire engines would remain in the bay during the construction.

Another prospect the fire department is examining would

be the introduction of a bicycle response team. The two bikes would be equipped with a variety of rescue tools. According to Whitley, the idea came to several of his firemen after the Christmas parade held downtown. “ W hen you have severa l medical calls in such a tight and crowded area, it can be difficult to get through traffic to get a medic on scene to stabilize a patient until an ambulance gets there,” Whitley said.

“With these bicycles, we could get to people within a matter of minutes."

T he bicycles a nd equ ip ment are being funded through a grant from the Public Safety Foundation.

“We are thrilled to be able to help make this happen for our community,” said Norma Haynes with the foundation, “Parades, f ireworks, and so many other functions can be better served with the addition of these bicycles. Our first responders are worth every penny.”

Norma Haynes and Firefighter Chris Mitchell show off the new additions to the Newnan Fire Department. The rescue bicycles, funded by the Public Safety Foundation, will be able to maneuver through large crowds and events, allowing first responders to help victims faster and more efficiently.

Law enforcement to introduce Narcan

By CLAY NEELY clay@newnan.com

Keeping an eye on the future is what encompasses a good part of Sheriff Mike Yeager’s job.

Following the trends of technology and statistics, Yeager keeps the ears of his department to the ground and believes a proactive approach is essential to good law enforcement in the community.

In the summer of 2014, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office made Georgia history, becoming the first Sheriff’s Office in the state to utilize body camera technology. It was a

move Yeager believed in, citing their usage as another tool that helps deputies protect themselves and the public.

This year, another tool was added. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a drug that can reverse the effects of an overdose caused by heroin and other opioids. Deputies are now qualified to administer the drug to those experiencing an overdose.

Narcan will also soon be made available to members of the Newnan Police Department, as well.

The rise of heroin across the northeast continues to make headlines, and Coweta is no exception to the trend, Yeager believes. In a

recent task force meeting, tales of heroin’s growing prominence in both urban and suburban communities were shared.

While the sheriff’s office has not had to administer the drug yet, it’s something Yeager wants his deputies to be prepared for.

The emergence of heroin in Coweta is rising, according to Yeager.

“Typically, things like overdoses are handled by EMT’s,” Yeager said. “But quite often, deputies are the first to arrive on the scene and no one is really quick to admit they just did heroin."

As coroner for Coweta County, Richard Hawk attested to the problem he’s seeing with

opiates in the community. In 2015, he saw a total of seven overdoses that involved heroin.

The age demographic of heroin overdose victims generally falls between 25 and 45 years, according to Hawk and there is no socio-economic class that's excluded from his statistics.

Because law enforcement are often first responders to a possible overdose, those extra few minutes before emergency services arrive can be precious.

“Having something like Narcan gives the victim a chance that those few minutes without oxygen can take away,” Hawk said. “It’s a great thing to have in our county."

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Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 9E

VISION 2016

PUBLIC SAFETY

New chief has big vision for county fire department

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com

The Coweta County Fire Department is about to enter its 11th month of operation of Coweta’s EMS system, and the department just got its new chief, Pat Wilson.

The department began operating all Coweta ambulances in May 2015. Previously, EMS service was provided by a contractor.

“Things are going really well. We’ve been impressed with the service so far,” said Coweta County Administrator Michael Fouts.

County staff are now looking at equipment and vehicle replacement needs over the next three to five years “so we can prepare financially.”

One of the biggest unknowns with the new service was how many people would actually pay their bills. So far, billing is “actually going well. I would say slightly better than expected,” Fouts said.

Chief Wilson has been on the job since March 1, and is busy working on future plans for the department.

The department is working on a new strategic initiative plan, which will cover the next two to three years. “It’s what we’re focusing on,” Wilson said.

He wants to enhance the “community risk reduction programs.” This includes programs to give out smoke detectors and “anything we can do to reduce fire property loss.”

Wilson also wants the department to focus on preventable injuries, with adults and children. He wants to see the department be heavily involved with local law enforcement and the Newnan Fire Department to do safety programs, give out bike helmets, and “help educate our community to make our community safer. Risk reduction is a big push,” Wilson said.

Another facet is educating business owners about fire codes.

He’d like to see business owners educated not only on what the fire codes are, but why some things – such as long-term use of extension cords – aren’t allowed.

“We want to do a great job in educating our business owners so we have them here for a long time to come.”

Wilson wants to expand community health and wellness programs, which could include blood pressure checks and blood glucose checks, and first aid and CPR training.

“The American Heart Association has the Heart Safe Cities program. I’d really love for us to be involved so we can be a Heart Safe

PHOTO BY SARAH CAMPBELL

New Coweta County Fire Chief Pat Wilson brings 30 years of fire service experience to the job, and is working on the department’s strategic vision.

county,” Wilson said. When people in the community are aware of how to do CPR and use automatic external defibrillators, “that makes a difference,” Wilson said.

“It’s been proven that when we can get early CPR and early AED, when we arrive we have a viable patient.”

Wilson wants to focus on pediatric and geriatric health. “We’re working on programs that can reach out to folks.” That includes things like making sure all elderly Cowetans have a medication list that emergency personnel can access.

He’d also like to see a “community paramedicine” program.

“We want to do some programs that will be cutting edge. It’s stuff that may seem simple but it makes a big difference in how we respond and hopefully reduces the number of sick calls.”

Coweta h a s t he Cer t i f ied Emergenc y Response Teams, and Wilson would like to add

a “CADRE” team. CADRE started in Statesboro.

Members of the community raised money to buy a motorhome, and they respond to any fires in the city.

“They provide initial shelter for a family that may be experiencing the fire.” They have stuffed animals, toys, and coffee, and provide a place where the family can go instead of standing around watching their home burn. It also gives the family members a quiet place to meet with insurance agents and others.

Optimizing incident command is also something that will be a part of the strategic initiative. Incident command is “how we take care of our folks when we’re on the scene.

“We have a great program now,” Wilson said, but he’d like to bring in some speakers to perhaps make it even better. “It only takes a split second for things to get really bad,” Wilson said.

“When you start to really focus on it and make it

better and stronger, that makes us safer.”

Professional development is very important to Wilson and he wants to provide access to additional training. “We have a lot of talented people in this fire department,” Wilson said.

He wants them to have the opportunity to “get some really good training programs.”

He’s also put together a team to look at every fire department policy. “We’re going to look at each piece and evaluate it,” he said. The team is made up of “ground-level” firefighters and some captains. Once the team competes a review, the command staff will go through it and make recommendations for changes.

A more long-term goal is accreditation for the fire and EMS services, through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

“That is probably the three-to-five-year plan. I really want to see our fire department become accredited,” Wilson said.

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10E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

VISION 2016

ARTS & LEISURE

“Flies at the Well” dramatizes 1948 murder

PHOTO BY DREW MACCALLUM

No small town would be complete without music, and Coweta offers several venues featuring both local and popular artists.

The Alamo, located at 19 South Court Square in downtown Newnan draws crowds of all ages with live charity performances, karaoke, and local favorites.

Food, movies and music, oh my

By MAGGIE BOWERS Maggie@newnan.com

Opportunities to connect with and enjoy the community seem endless in Coweta, and the “to do” list will likely continue to expand in 2016. Each city boasts a bit of something for everyone including outdoor exploration, music, arts, food and festivals offered throughout the year and across the county.

Traditional American, Mexican, Thai and Southern “home-cooking” can all be found among the large variety of food venues in Coweta. Several eateries offer live music, evenings of trivia and card games in addition to providing a place for family and friends to gather and dine.

The newly-established RPM Full Service Patio Pub & Grill, located in downtown Newnan, offers karaoke nights in addition to a lively atmosphere which can be enjoyed both indoors and outside. The restaurant is a unique, “upcycled” venue created from the bones of the city’s old downtown service station.

Coweta will enjoy more eatery options in 2016 including Culver’s, a familyfriendly venue known for its American fare including shakes and burgers.

Culver’s will be located at 311 Newnan Crossing Bypass in Newnan, formerly the home of Rock Back Pizza.

Historic Downtown Newnan will welcome Oink Joint BBQ at 9 East Wash-

ington. The restaurant will occupy the venue that once housed The Cellar, now relocated. Finally, the fast-food chain popular in the South, BoJangles, will come to Thomas Crossroads this year.

Performing arts draw large crowds in Coweta with several theaters offering improvisation, plays, poetry and classic storytelling on stages across the county.

In North Coweta, a unique theater is nestled in the community of Serenbe.

Serenbe Playhouse, a professional theatre company formed in 2009, is noted for environmentally-friendly practices including outdoor performances that literally move the audience along with the action, using elements of nature to carve out the “sets.”

Downtown Newnan is home to the Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC), which offers memorable performances, both modern and classic.

The local theater also offers Coweta’s younger residents an educational summer camp.

For those that prefer the big screen to the stage, Coweta County offers no fewer than three movie theaters. All three local venues present the top picks in new releases. Carmike 10, located at 87 Newnan Station Drive, neighbors Newnan’s Junction Lanes, a bowling alley with arcade found just off of Hwy. 34, also known as Bullsboro Drive.

Also in Newnan is Regal Cinemas

Georgian 14, located in the Ashley Park shopping center at 237 Newnan Crossing Bypass. The local theater is slated to replace stadium seating with recliners, an upgrade scheduled for 2016.

In Sharpsburg, shared with nearby Peachtree City at 55 Fischer Crossing Boulevard, is NCG Cinemas, the largest of the local movie theaters and exceedingly popular, in part, because of its large selection and variety of snacks and beverages.

No small town would be complete without music, and Coweta offers several venues featuring both local and popular artists.

The Alamo, located at 19 South Court Square in downtown Newnan draws crowds of all ages with live charity performances, karaoke, and local favorites.

The venue includes a full service bar and an all-access pass to the adjoining Fabiano’s Pizzeria, which serves a variety of handmade pizza, sandwiches and salads.

Just outside of the county is a new concert venue, Sweetland Amphitheater, located in LaGrange. The latest live music venue will include a grand opening event on May 29 featuring Willie Nelson and family, opened by famed country music artist Cam. The amphitheater is expected to announce a summer lineup in the coming weeks and will begin selling season tickets in addition to tickets to individual concerts.

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By PAUL SLOBODZIAN news@newnan.com The “Murder in Coweta County” story unfolded in 1948, and the movie from 1983 featured two of the biggest names in television in Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash.

Now, 68 years later, Jeff Bishop with the NewnanCoweta Historical Society is bringing his self-written play, “Flies at the Well,” to the stage this April 1-3 at the Wadsworth Auditorium.

J o h n Wa l l a c e w a s a wealthy landowner in Meriwether County. After killing a sharecropper tenant by the name of William Turner over two stolen cows, Wallace was arrested and faced execution . A lt houg h he was a very powerful man at the time of his arrest and expected a pardon from the governor, he was ultimately sentenced to death on the testimony of two AfricanAmerican field hands, an unheard of scenario at that point in time in the Deep South.

Having grown up with t he g ra ndson of A lber t Brooks, the man who testified against Wallace at his trial, Bishop has gained extensive knowledge on the way “Murder in Coweta County” transpired and has developed his own unique way to relay the story to the general public.

“By the time the opportunity for this play came around,” Bishop said, “I had my own ideas about how to frame the story. My main thought at the beginning was, ‘So a field hand died way back in 1948 – why do we care?’ I had to answer that question for myself.

People die every day. The sheriff has investigated so many murders since then.

Why is this one so special?

Why is this story important? That’s what this new work tries to address.”

John Wallace’s trial ush-

Jeff Bishop

ered in a new age of justice in the South, and Bishop understands the signif icance and relevance it still holds to this day.

“Wallace just couldn’t believe that he could die for something like this,” Bishop explained. “In his mind, he was just defending himself and his property, and this is what he testified to during the trial. Certain people mattered, and other people didn’t. But on that day in a Coweta County courtroom in 1948, everyone mattered.

It was a step toward the kind of South we know and live in today. And it happened right here in Newnan.”

While a lot of people in Newnan are familiar with “Murder in Coweta County,” whether it is the movie, the book by Margaret Anne Barnes or word-of-mouth, the African-American testimonies at Wallace’s trial are de-emphasized, and Sheriff Lamar Potts is portrayed as a legend. Bishop wanted to shed more light on the story. “ To me, it wa s about something else, something fa r more f unda menta l,” Bishop expressed. “Who are we as a society? Who do we

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Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 11E

VISION 2016

CITY BY CITY

ARTS & LEISURE

Brady continues as mayor after 23 years

By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com

Twenty-three years ago, Keith Brady ran for mayor of Newnan, and today he’s still going strong.

“I thought I could do a better job than the person who was mayor,” Brady said of why he ran. “I saw on the horizon cities need to grow to be a place people could come back to, and I didn’t see it heading in that direction. I never thought I’d be mayor for 23 years and counting.”

His desire to run also came out of his realization that some people don’t have a home town.

Brady was elected mayor in 1993 and began serving in the role in 1994. When he was campaigning, he said the city of Newnan was small enough that he could knock on every citizen’s door.

“I’d get home from work, and Katie and I would go door to door… every night from qualifying to the election,” he said. “It was an eye opening learning experience. It was great, and I’d do it again, but I don’t think I could knock on every door.”

Before becoming mayor, Brady worked in downtown Newnan with his father-in-law before starting his realty company.

Brady said one reason downtown Newnan has continued to be strong is because the historical district surrounds the downtown area and supports it. Another reason is sustainability and a decision 20 years ago when the downtown churches decided to stay rather than leave.

“They could have chosen to go somewhere else,” Brady said.

“The city worked with all of them to expand as needed, so they could stay there.”

City hall was also faced with the same decision when they needed to move out of the Wadsworth Auditorium.

“Were we going to stay downtown and take the easy step and move out?” he said. “We decided we were going to stay downtown. We tore down that hotel and built city hall there … When the county came to us and wanted to build the justice center, we said we’re on board if you build it downtown … Those actions solidified the downtown and surrounding areas because it kept people coming downtown.”

Another major element of Newnan’s growth is the quality of life it provides its residents, which is also the most meaningful part of being mayor to Brady.

“Everything surrounds that,” he said. “If you don’t have the ability to attract by events, standard of living, amenities, and housing, it’s critically important … We’re 33 minutes from the

The John Wallace murder case was big news when events unfolded in 1948. Since then, the story has inspired books, a movie – and now a play.

FLIES Continued from page 10E

In November of 1993, Keith Brady, right begins his more than 20 year tenure as Newnan’s mayor and celebrates his election with his mom, Carolyn Brady of Marietta, left, and his wife, Katie, of Newnan.

busiest airport in the world. We have a great a school system …

It all comes back to liveability and our community. That’s what sustains us.”

Brady is quick to point out the good work the city’s staff also does.

“Cleatus (city manager) and his staff do a fabulous job,” he said. “When you get up in the morning, and they run the city, you feel pretty good about that.”

In terms of how much longer he’ll be mayor of Newnan, Brady said that’s up to the voters and not up to him. But he does plan to run again next year.

You’ve Got a Friend in Newnan.

want to be? Who counts? Who doesn’t? So in ‘Flies at the Well,’ the notes we hit are different, even though the story is much the same.”

Music was another important part of the life and culture back in the mid-20th century, and Bishop wants the music featured in “Flies at the Well” to resonate with the audience.

“It’s all what I like to call ‘indigenous’ music, and by that I don’t mean Native American,” Bishop stated. “It’s music that is of this place, music that you would have heard in our churches, and fields, on our front porches and roadsides, in our woods and riverbottoms.

Black church music and gospel music and hymns are also a big part of this. And, again, we wanted it to be indigenous.”

Bishop, with the help of people from the Newnan Theatre Company and his dramaturgs and music collaborators, has put in countless hours of work to complete this undertaking. For more information on “Flies at the Well,” visit www.fliesatthewell.org or look it up on Facebook.

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12E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

VISION 2016

CITY BY CITY

Grantville leaders optimistic about the future

By KANDICE BELL

kandice@newnan.com

The city of Grantville is looking to expand and add more industry to the city in the near future.

The city has been working on improving the conditions of city streets and also adding activities to enhance the quality of life in Grantville. The city is currently working on getting approval from the council to begin construction on a Skate Park.

City Manager Al Grieshaber, who has been with the city since July 2015, immediately began focusing on city employee morale.

“One of the main problems solved in 2015 was putting a management team of employees in place dedicated to responsive customer service for all residents,” said Grieshaber.

Grieshaber also suggested implementing a four-day work week, Monday through Thursday, for city employees to compensate for expen-

Grantville City Hall is located on Lagrange Street.

sive health insurance costs and limited retirement or pension options.

The four-day work week is still in the trial phase, which will be complete in April, which is when a final decision regarding the four-day work week will be made.

Newnan city projects

By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com

“Once we get the audits in place, I think we can make accomplishments much quicker,” said Jewell.

“We will eligible for more grants to improve the city and will be able to do more things for the city.”

Grieshaber said he is optimistic about the future of Grantville and believes the city is on the right track.

“Future plans includes implementation of the ideas brought up at the Community Visioning/Strategic Planning session that was held on Feb. 11,” said Grieshaber. “The session’s priority goals were to bring more events to attract people to the city, to make downtown the heart of our community, to add a multipurpose building and improve economic development by bringing more industry to the city.”

“With the support of our mayor and council members along with our residents, the city of Grantville has a very bright future,” said Grieshaber.

“Life is grand in Grantville.”

ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS

Community policing is city priority

Jenkins hopes the task force can keep residents abreast of what’s going on with the task force.

“We don’t want people to simply fill out a form, speak their peace and then never be heard from again,” she said. “We’re currently figuring out the next series of public forums so we can follow up with them and let them know what we’re doing so far."

forms. Currently, a strategy is currently being developed based upon the results collected.

"Right now, we’ve got a good working group,” Jenkins said. "We have representatives from three neighborhoods involved in the process and a larger group.

We don’t want to lose part ic ip a t ion j u s t b e c a u s e t hey ’re not on t he t a sk force."

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police when something bad is happening, it shapes your view of them."

Jenkins says that many residents a re wondering where O f f icer Fr iend ly went – t he beat of f icer who gets out of his car and knows the residents in a non-emergency setting.

“They want to see that kind of return to knowing our officers in that way,” Jenkins said. “We’re starting to see officers engaging citizens in ways that are really productive – talking to kids, shooting hoops, and just being there."

In a country where antagonism seems to brew hotter each day, the best way to combat that tension is through getting to know one another.

“Unless you know citizens outside of conflict, you don’t really know them,” Jenkins said.

L a st ye a r, t he c it y of Newnan hired Performance Vistas, a nonprofit organization that helps state and local agencies by providing statistical analysis.

T hrough collaborating w it h residents from t he Westgate, Chalk Level and Rocky Hill neighborhoods, the strategy was to determine the who, what, when, where and how of the areas inside the city affected by crime.

A survey was conducted along with staff members of the crime reduction task force usi ng sur veys a nd

C SX

By CLAY NEELY clay@newnan.com T he New na n Police Department is looking back to their roots in their vision for the future. A nationw ide trend to revita lize community policing is happening and Newnan is no exception.

For Chief D.L. “Buster” Me a dow s , a n e m ph a s i s on meeting and getting to k now t he residents who officers patrol is a key foundation in re-establishing a connection between residents and the police. This means less time in the car and more time on the feet. “ T h i s i s t h e or i g i n a l policing,” Meadows said.

“In the earliest days, police used horses and walking.

This is about getting out of the "iron horse” and getting to know people. When you establish a relationship, they know that if something is going on, they can call someone directly and talk.

This creates a better sense of security for everybody."

A f ter a ser ies of fata l shootings rocked the city s e ve r a l ye a r s a g o , t h e Crime Reduction Taskforce was born. Cynthia Jenkins, Newnan Councilmember a nd mayor pro-tem, is a member and sees the direction as a positive move.

“We need kids to have a good vision of the police o f f i c e r,” J e n k i n s s a i d .

“When you get to be ten years old and only see the

RN HE UT SO

The city of Newnan is in the midst of several projects which help enhance and grow the city.

• The McIntosh Parkway Project T h is project wa s orig inally titled the East Washington Street Extension and will provide an east-west parkway parallel to and south of Bullsboro Drive. The estimated total cost of the project is $6.9 million. Newnan previously earmarked $5.2 million from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds and transportation impact fees. The remaining balance is covered by a $1.75 million grant from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank.

“It will also create a direct connection between downtown Newnan and Ashley Park and thus an opportunity for both to benefit from each other,” said Newnan’s City Manager Cleatus Phillips.

This connectivity will also help traffic.

“As an additional east/west route, it will obviously reduce traffic along Lower Fayetteville Road and Bullsboro Drive but exact numbers are difficult to project,” Phillips added.

“The completion of McIntosh Parkway will mean the addition of an additional avenue from downtown to Ashley Park,” said Newnan Mayor Keith Brady. “As we continue to grow, this thoroughfare will relieve the flow of traffic on Bullsboro and Lower Fayetteville. As a result the traveler in Newnan will see a shorter commute; it seems as though everyone is always in a hurry.”

T he McI ntosh Pa rk way Project is currently in the right of way acquisition phase and construction is supposed to

start sometime this summer.

• Howard Warner complex project The city of Newnan is converting the historic Howard Warner school into a recreation and community center.

The hope is to provide the area with a safe place for people to go.

T he project i ncludes: demolishing one of the existing buildings, renovating the other original building, building a new 8,000-square-foot gymnasium, and creating new parking spots. The entire facility will also be bricked.

The budget for the project is approximately $4 million.

The city has allocated $1.7 million for it and approved taking the deficit from its unallocated funds.

• Improvements to the old municipal building and Wadsworth Auditorium These renovations will have two phases, neither of which has entered the design phase.

The concept plan for phase one includes interior renovations and limited exterior stabilization. The estimated cost for it is approximately $1.6 million.

The concept plan for the second phase includes stage access i mprovements a nd new bathrooms. Its total estimated cost is approximately $700,000.

The funds for these renovations will also be taken from the city’s unallocated funds.

Other city projects include: Fire Station #1 remodel, Exit 47 gateway project, Lower Fayetteville Road corridor study, comprehensive plan update, zoning ordinance re-write, and signal improvement proposals for the interchanges at East Broad Street and Pinson Street and LaGrange Street and Boone Street.

In addition to improving employee morale and customer service, Grieshaber was also faced with other challenges.

“Getting the city up to date with audits and preparing the fiscal 20152016 budget was another challenge,”

said Grieshaber. “But it was also an accomplishment because audits were complete, and the 2015-2016 budget was adopted. I think other notable accomplishments are that we had a well attended, large Trunk and Treat Halloween celebration for the residents and we also had the largest Christmas parade ever for the residents.”

Mayor Doug Jewell was in agreement with Grieshaber about the difficulty and importance of getting the financial audits complete.

“The past year was not as good as I wanted it to be, but is was much better than we started,” said Jewell. “My main goal since coming into office was catching up the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 audits and getting a genuine budget. The past budgets didn’t match or add up. Last year is running pretty close to being balanced.”

Jewell said he hopes the balanced budget and updated audits will provide more opportunity for the city.

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Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 13E

VISION 2016

CITY BY CITY

Small city draws big crowds

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com

The small city of Senoia draws visitors from around t he cou nt r y – a nd e ven around the world – who want to see where the phenomena lly popula r television series “The Walking Dead” is filmed.

“Walker Stalkers” come to visit on a regular basis, taking tours, taking pictures, and hoping to catch a glimpse of cast members.

And the show, as well as other film productions, has brought great changes to the town – new buildings, new development, fresh money.

A new project downtown is currently underway, developed by Senoia Enterprises, which is owned by the president of R a leig h St ud ios Atlanta in Senoia. The new development downtown will bring new shops, loft apartments, and a walkway to a restaurant on Barnes Street, greatly increasing the amount of c om m e rc i a l s p a c e i n downtown.

But there’s more to Senoia than the film industry. The town is growing, and thriving. And in 2016, Senoia celebrates its 150th year. Several events are planned throughout the year to celebrate.

With Senoia’s growth have come some growing pains.

The city now has to meet new requirements for stormwater management. A new stormwater system must be in place by the end of 2017.

To pay for the extensive new stor mwater system , which will transfer stormwa-

ter from downtown streets to the “frog pond” at Marimac Lakes Park, the city is implementing a “stormwater utility” – the first one in Coweta.

S t a r t i n g t h i s s u m m e r, all property owners will be charged a small monthly fee, based on their amount of impervious surface. The fee for single-family homes will be $5 per month.

The city is also in the early stages of planning an expansion of the sewer system. The current sewer system, which uses land application spray fields, has a capacity of just under 500,000 gallons per day. If all the residential and commercial growth currently proposed in the city were completed, the system would be close to capacity.

The city has an allocation for a discharge of one million gallons per day into Line Creek. Senoia is now in the process of seeking a permit for the discharge. Wastewater that is discharged into streams must be treated to a higher level than wastewater sprayed onto land. The current sewer plant may be able to be upgraded, or a new plant may need to be built.

On the recreation front, the city is working on extensive upgrades to the Seavy Street Park. There will be new parking, restrooms, and new playground equipment. The park is currently closed for construction and is expected to open by late summer.

And the city and county are working on the new Leroy Johnson Park. The ballfields at the park should be open in

fall of 2017. The new park will be built in two phases. Once the second phase is completed, the old Leroy Johnson Park on Howard Road will be closed, and will likely become industrial property.

Speaking of Howard Road, the county is working on a project to soften the curve near the intersection with Cu mberla nd Tra i l . Howard Road will be closed for approximately one month, beginning in early April. The second phase of the project will improve the intersection of Howard Road and Ga. Hwy. 16.

The intersection improvement project at Pylant Street and Hwy. 16 was held up for about a year because of environmental issues. Construction should begin in 2017, said Mayor Larry Owens.

PHOTO BY SARAH CAMPBELL

Senoia Enterprises is in the midst of new construction in downtown Senoia. The new development will feature shops with loft apartments facing a central courtyard, and additional construction on Barnes Street.

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14E — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 27, 2016

Newnan-Coweta Board of REALTORS ®

Silver Phoenix

Crystal Phoenix

Members

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 25 years.]

Frank H. Barron Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Phoenix Members

Thomas W. (Chip) Barron Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Bud Freeburg Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Members

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 20 years.]

Bob Barfield Barfield Realty

Myra Jernigan

Lynn Kelley

Richard Kelley

Linda Scott

Keller Williams Realty Keller Williams Realty Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners Atlanta Partners Atlanta Partners

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

THANK YOU to our

EVENT SPONSORS

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 10 years.]

“Welcome to the Winner’s Circle” TRIPLE CROWN

Joy Barnes

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Tom Barron

Cynthia Brooks Re/Max Results

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Linda Byrd

Bush Real Estate

Jacqueline Campbell

Re/Max Results

Cam Carden Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Amanda Collins Southern Brokers

Scott Cosby

KENTUCKY DERBY The Crisp Team

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

BELMONT STAKES

PREAKNESS

Laura Crockarell

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Vicki Dell

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Hugh Farmer Southern Classic Realtors

Christie Hayes

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Bill Howard

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Julie Hunt

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Craig Jackson

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Terri Martinez

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices

Georgia Properties

Newnan Office

NuWay Realty

No Photo Available Victoria Massassi Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

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Verkina Parrish Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Connie Peacock Southern Classic Realtors

Bobby Spradllin Re/Max Results

Kristina Stephens Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Luke Thompson

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Vincent Troung

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Alisha Anderson

"Delivering more than our customers expect!"

RENEE HORTON AGENCY

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership 3 consecutive years, or any 5 random years.]

SPECIAL THANKS to our

MILLION DOLLAR CLUB COMMITTEE Tonia Barnfield

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Robert Hinely Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Linda Oesterle

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Jess Barron

Clay Apple

Daniel Campbell

Jacqui Robertson Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Josey, Young & Brady Realty

Russell Berry

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Eunjun Cho

Dawn Cochran

Karen Kurtz Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

John P. Thrasher Josey, Young & Brady Realty

Jim Chancellor

Sharon Cogburn

Janice C. Crisp

Elena Dickerson

Jeannie Doole

Lindsey Marketing Group

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Lindsey Marketing Group

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Darryl Jackson

Lisa Ann Jackson

Sheila Jenkins

Kelley Kesterson

Cindy Manning

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Jo Shepherd

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Cynthia Taylor NuWay Realty

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Katherine Todd

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Re/Max Results

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Noelle Masonheimer

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Sandi Vollrath

Susie Walker

Katherine Wible

Lindsey Marketing Group Better Homes & Gardens Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers Metro Brokers

Sally McEntire

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Debra Wolleat

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

[ Members who have been elected for the year immediately following his/her qualifying year.]

Edward Ball

Tabatha King

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Randa Herring Reese

F.L.I. Properties

Kerri Thompson

Carol Holden

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Re/Max Results

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

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Active Members

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Riese Carden

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Riese Carden – Chair Cam Carden Jim Chancellor Janice Crisp

NuWay Realty

Leslie Binion

Adriane Bomar

Charles Davis

Kevin Dickinson

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

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Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Bridget Bowman F.L.I. Properties

Brian Boykin

Bush Real Estate

Wesley Bush

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Lynda Hawkins

Janice Kay

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

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David Guillory Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

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Lori Stephens

Pamela Foughty

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Virtual Properties Realty

Southern Classics Realtors

Michelle Troiola

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Mary Wilson

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

NuWay Realty

Josey, Young & Brady Realty

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Bush Real Estate

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Bush Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Michelle Payton-Holl

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Ellen Bush

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Donna McCondiche Mike McCormack Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

NuWay Realty

Tim Stout

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners