Why do politicians believe they deserve free stuff that the rest of us don’t get? If they’re really in politics to serve their constituents, why should they take gratuities from special interests that want to influence or buy their vote? I’m waiting for the Republican Party to say they won’t accept speaking fees, tickets, lunches, dinners, alcohol, fishing, hunting, or vacation trips (disguised as fact-finding missions), golf outings, or any other gift that might be considered an enticement. A dozen donuts for the office staff would be OK. Listening to lobbyists that represent special interest like AARP, teachers, Realtors, road builders, doctors, bankers, etc, is also OK. But those meetings should take place in an open session where anyone and everyone could hear their presentation. This policy would go a long way in cleaning up the reputation of our politicians and the smell of politics. I dare the Republican Party to establish it as their ethical standard.
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Walgreens replacing Ruby Tuesdays? Poor choice. I don’t patronize any of the other six drugs stores in town and certainly wouldn’t patronize Walgreens. Why should I? You can go to Walmart and buy what you need for half the price of what these rip-off artists charge.
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I am really saddened to see the quick decline of the beauty of Peachtree City. Our cart paths and green belts and side roads have become a disgrace. Some of the weeds and grass are as tall as 36 to 48 inches. There is no excuse for such neglect. Calling or contacting our councilmen/women doesn’t seem to have any effect. Peachtree City is on the decline; won’t be long and the slumlords will take over.
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Why all the restrictions on where a golf cart can cross the road in Peachtree City? It seems that bicycles have free roam in PTC and can go anywhere they want to and not even have to follow the rules of the road. They hog the road, slow down traffic, and do not obey any stop signs. Myself, I’d feel a lot safer in a golf cart than I would on a 2-wheeled, unprotected bicycle.
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Why can’t all the parks in Fayette County operate like Lake Horton which charges out-of-county cars $10?
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Why does the town of Tyrone not have a code enforcement officer? I moved to Tyrone six years ago and thought the town of Tyrone had a code enforcement officer. Now I understand the town has done away with this job and left it up to staff to enforce the laws of the town. How can staff enforce these laws? I assume when the town had a code enforcement officer before, they had training, and a job description. When and why did the council do away with this job? If there is training, and a job description for code enforcement, how many staff and maybe even police department employees are trained to be a code enforcement officer and how is the job description divided? Every state and municipality I have ever lived has always had a code of ordinances and a code enforcement officer to enforce the codes. They are specifically trained to do this type job. I assume this is done because when and if they have to go to court, the town might win the case. It should not be left up to a staff person to enforce the codes when they get some free time. How does the town council expect the property values in the town to remain steady when you have so many people throwing trash on the street, weeds and grass growing higher than the houses, vehicles parked illegally, buildings falling down, an illegal dump next to a public park, and auto tires laying all over town? Disease just waiting to happen. Where is the pride of ownership with these council people? Who are they protecting? Are they scared of losing a vote? Town council, you have a choice. Do away with all your ordinances and not hire a code enforcement officer or keep your ordinances (laws which you empowered for the betterment of the town) and hire a code enforcement officer. To continue on your track of having ordinances and not hiring a code enforcement officer [means] you are not fulfilling your oath when you took office. I checked with the town staff and reserves are in the $3 million range. The budget is $3 million. So the town has $3 million in reserve and can’t afford a code enforcement officer? Why? Staff needs to do staff’s job. Staff gets paid to do their job description. Nothing more. If the town council has $3 million in reserve and they can’t afford a code enforcement officer, then I say they have over-taxed me and give me a refund of my tax dollars.
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People seem to be dismayed that the American Muslim terrorist Faisal Shahzad, who tried to bomb Times Square, was on a plane out of the country before he was finally discovered. My surprise is that he did not get away clean. I watched in amazement as Homeland Security was thrown together after 9/11 by people that knew little or nothing about national security. Everyone from Janet Napolitano down are uniquely unqualified for their job. Just look at the TSA people at the Atlanta Airport. They run around screaming orders and verbally abusing passengers and they think that makes them look professional. It is clear that they haven’t a clue as to what they are doing. My 10-year-old son knows more about airport security than any one of them just from listening to me. I spent 40 years in the business.
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So the cat is out of the bag. Janet Smola and Terri Smith are picking childish fights with school board member Dr. Bob Todd because their pick to replace the yes man, Lee Wright, is another yes man, Charlie Cave. What a show of rudeness and playing the blame game on everyone but themselves. Sounds like the Obama administration. Don’t operate on facts, just throw stuff on the wall and see if it sticks. [As] for Terri Smith to say they (she and Janet) are considering filing ethics violation charges against Dr. Bob Todd, [it] seems like Janet’s husband Mike had the same idea in the last mayoral race in Tyrone and this case went to the state ethics board and her husband Mike lost his cool and the case got thrown out. Do Janet and Terri know the definition of ethics? For Terri Smith to talk of “in a spirit of harmony” is like Obama having a meeting with the Republicans to discuss changes to the healthcare bill. When has she and Janet ever acted civil to Marion Key or Dr. Bob Todd? Janet Smola and Terri Smith need to resign from the board and take Dr. DeCotis with them into never-never land.
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Ah spring! The weather is beautiful, neighbors are outside, dogs are running off leash and underaged kids are driving golf carts. A great time of year to disobey laws and teach our children that only the “big laws” need to be followed.
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Why don’t we change the name of the Fayette Pavilion to the Clayton Pavilion? Surely, I am not the only Fayette resident who notices that only Clayton residents shop there, eat there, see movies there, etc. Maybe we could send the tax revenues back to Clayton to improve that county. Maybe then Fayette won’t be the draw to Clayton residents that the USA is to Mexican nationals. If not, we will need to change the name of this great county to Clayton #2.
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I read the issue regarding our taxpayers paying for out-of-county student’s attending our schools [and] the bookkeeper living in Senoia and her children attending our county school. I thought a Senoia resident was supposed to attend Coweta County schools. Just because it is convenient for a family living right across the street from SMHS doesn’t necessarily qualify them to cross the boundary line and attend our school. What about the residency issue? It makes me wonder how thorough families are being checked out for proper qualifications to attend Fayette County schools. I bet If someone looked at records at the Central Office Residency Office you would find students attending our schools from Coweta, Fulton County, etc. What is also interesting is that a HS bookkeeper’s salary is higher than a principal’s secretary. If you do the math, her salary is still more than the extra $2,000 per student that the state reimburses to educate a student in Fayette County. And what about the furloughed teachers that might still have a job if it wasn’t for these subsidized students? I would like to see the teachers being allowed to teach their student’s reading, writing, math, science, history, etc., instead of teaching them how to take the CRCT test. Unfortunately these teachers are told by our state superintendent that they have to teach their students how to take and pass the test. When are teachers going to be allowed to teach the children to learn the subjects they need rather than how to take a test? So very sad how the priorities are these days.
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We are definitely over-burdening our students by requiring them to read and pronounce names of all nationalities in their schoolwork. Our American students should be given American names to read like: Oatha, Pietrowski, Rozakos, Siliski, Zaporski, Goyzueta, Nguyen, Croteau, Shimshick, Chowdhuri, Braumuller, Hoang, Hoeve, Lunceford, Cannady, Dettmering, Smoak, Fourqurean, Fosnough, Karneboqe, Trinquero, Romine, Giuisti, Menke, Sapienza, Plauche, Cichanski, Cristelli, Fritsche, Pakulski, Depew, Broich, Peruzar, Ruggeri, Saboda, Doyal, Gividen, Tuma, Parlagreco, Chowdhuri, Goelz, Rabold, Tysinger, Ishmael, Munoz, Schade, and Uttley (all of which are currently on the faculty and staff rosters for Fayette County middle schools).
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I think the people that are against the quiet gates for the railroad crossings are incorrectly using the airport argument for living near the tracks. Airplanes make their noise from the engines required to keep the aircraft in flight. The objectionable noise from the trains come from the whistle which can be silenced by installing quiet gates. The people living within a quarter-mile either side of Ga. Highway 74 do not have the ability to have these gates installed. It takes the government to approve the road construction and negotiate with the railroad. Additionally, if the noise is silenced, the property along Hwy. 74 can potentially become more valuable, adding to the tax revenue of the city.
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To whoever took the small tackle box and fishing line and lures in the grocery bag, on the ground, near the bench, at Lake Peachtree park on Battery Way, please return it. Our son caught his first fish and we were so excited that we left it behind. We came back to retrieve it within the hour but it was gone. It was a gift from his uncle. We’ll check back daily for it. Or email us at needmytacklebox@gmail.com. Thank you!
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Be a Starr’s Mill Youth Football Panther now? Unless, of course, your dad is on the SM board, then you play for the Blue Devils.
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It surprises me how many drug dealers and users there are in this town. It frightens me and upsets me that I know my next-door neighbors have been doing it for years but the police haven’t arrested all of them yet. And the woods by Cobblestone apartments should be checked too. Just saying.
