About Fayette County news. (Fayetteville, GA) 2009-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 2009)
Dan Cathy addreses students, faculty at Clayton State on Tuesday. (Staff Photo by Cindy Morley) Dan Cathy talks more than chicken to students Bicycles Unlimited has organized a group of local cyclists that formed a delegation that rode from Peachtree. City to the Georgia Capitol Tuesday morning. This was the fourth annual “Georgia Rides to the Capitol in hopes of raising support for improved conditions fro cycling, including the development of regional systems of both on-road bicycling facilities and multi-use trails. Over 1,000 cyclists took part in the 35-mile ride through Fayette and Fulton counties. www.fayettedailynews.com *********+++*++ALL FOR ADC jOi Volume 133 • No 27 50 Cents Sports: Lady Tigers WIN ON ANOTHER BUZZER-BEATER See Page IB Views: James Studdard: Wall Street not Color blind j See Page 4A MARCH 5,2009 VSPAPER PROJECT 1 IGA 9 “01 / know Will Hurt Them Check Us Out OHLINI^ Fayette Rides To the Capitol By Cindy Morley cindy@fayettedailynews.com Grand Jury hands down true bill on Michael Ellicott (Staff Photo by Cindy Morley) By Cindy Morley cindy@fayettedailynews.com A Peachtree City man charged in the brutal beating of his wife will face 15 different charges - ranging from aggra vated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, aggravated sodomy and rape. A Fayette County Grand Jury handed down a true bill against William Michael Ellicott early Wednesday. Ellicott, of 209 Portico Place in Peachtree City, was indicted on charges of: six counts aggra vated battery (Family Violence), five counts aggra vated assault (Family Violence), one count false imprisonment, one count rape, and two counts aggravated sodomy, according to the indictment. Most of the charges stem from a Jan. 20 incident at the family’s home, but his wife tes tified last week during a bond hearing that the beatings took place over several days. Ellicott was recently denied bond by Superior Court Judge Paschal English during a hear ing in Superior Court. English also extended a temporary restraining order against Ellicott. The Delta employee is sched uled to go to trial April 13 in Fayette County Superior Court. English said he would re consider the bond request if the trial was delayed beyond the scheduled April 13 date. For almost an hour last week, the Peachtree City woman testi fied about the physical and emotional abuse she received from her husband for more than a year and a half. With both arms in cast, and unable to hold back the tears at times, she talked about the beatings and the day she finally got the chance to run from her home and call 911. “Are you still fearful of (Continued on Page 2A) Transportation will be focus of legislators all week For the first few minutes Tuesday night, Dan Cathy talked cows... “The cows don’t spell very well, we do receive a lot of letters from teachers about the disservice we are doing to literacy. But the cows have been good to us. “So, on behalf of the cows, let me say, ‘Eat more chicken.’” And, suddenly, the conversation turned to chick en, and students and faculty of Clayton State University who packed Spivey Hall heard what they came to hear - Dan Cathy, son of Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, talk about chicken. And not just about chicken, but about the compa ny’s success. And why, when less than one-third of all family- owned businesses make it from Generation One to Generation Two — Chick-fil-A is nearing the tran sition of General Three. In a time of economic crisis, the students wanted to know - How did Chick-fil-A beat the odds. “Simple,” says Cathy. “We operate by two principles. Simply ask God and he will direct you.” The second principle, Cathy says, is one he has heard all his life. “You get bigger by getting better,” said Cathy. “My father drilled that in me from day one. And it works.” According to Cathy, Chick-fil-A - which has never had a year’s sale less than the previous years in 63 years of operation - believes the “customers will vote you into the future as long a you always strive to get better.” “We can’t compete with McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s in their product variety, and how many new things we add to the menu each month,” said Cathy. “If we want to sustain the competitive edge, we will best be facilitated through service - not prod uct differentiation.” With this in mind, Cathy said Chick-fil-A has decided to “change our whole recipe for service in restaurants.” “We are borrowing attributes from fine food restaurants. We want to develop etiquette skills at Chick-fil-A.” (Continued on Page 2A) This week, the House is expected to consider separate proposals on how to raise additional taxes for transportation while the Senate votes on replacing the main transportation agency. At the same time, both the House and Senate begin in earnest on their next phase of budget writing. The House Appropriations Committee begins work on the full budget for the next fis cal year that starts July 1. For example, University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis testified Monday before the Higher Education Subcommittee on his spending needs. The Senate will vote on the mid-year budget adjustment that the House passed last week. Both chambers are rushing to meet an inter nal deadline of March 12 when general bills that have not passed either the House or Senate will die for the year. With the legislature meeting only three days per week, that means just six days in session before the midnight deadline. Adding to the pressure is the leadership's goal of adjourning five days sooner than the 40 days allowed in the Constitution. "We have a lot on our plate. We have a lot to do," said House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island. The transportation bills are as talked about as any this session. While the House is voting on competing funding plans, the Senate will vote on a proposal to transfer how the money is spent from the Department of Transportation to a new agency. \The measure would give con trol of the new State Transportation Authority to a board selected by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. "We expect to have the reorganization of transportation on the floor, and that, of course, will be the major vote next week," said Senate (Continued on Page 8A) Ir i I Student Athlete | of the Week McIntosh US ; Stephen Spink Soccer Mike Fitzpatrick’s Newnan - 770-502-3673 w Student Athlete of the Week NX hi lev att r jj; IIS ■■ORGANNE Grimes Soccer Mike Fitzpatrick’s Newnan • 770-502-3673
