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THE TRUTH SINCE 1886
FAYETTE COUNTY (1) NEWS
f ay ett e-news, net
Vol. 152, No. 13 Wednesday, March 27, 2024 $1.
Surrounded by family, friends, and city officials, Cpt. Josh Collins and Officer Kenneth Marcucci receive the Veterans of Foreign Wars Public
Safety Employee Award. Dylan Shoemaker/Fayette News
Fayetteville Council Recognizes
Public Safety Officials with VFW Award
Dylan Shoemaker
Staff Writer
dshoemaker@fayette-news.net
On March 21, the Fay
etteville City Council meeting in
cluded recognition of two
county public safety officials
with a Veterans of Foreign Wars
Public Safety Employee Award.
Fire Captain Josh Collins
and police officer Kenneth Mar
cucci received the award.
Following the recognition,
council unanimously denied a
rezoning request for a proposed
development at the intersection
of Highway 54 West and Ginger-
cake Road, requested by Roch
ester and Associates | DCCM,
represented by Den Webb.
Council then heard from
NexxMetro Communities, LLC,
which seeks to construct 254 de
tached rental homes with the
properties designed around a
ring road with two access points.
Consideration of council was
separated into two requests. The
first was an amendment to the
Future Land Use Map, changing
the land use from neighborhood
center to neighborhood residen
tial 2. The second request was to
rezone the property from neigh
borhood commercial to residen
tial multi-family, with purpose
of having a neighborhood com
munity rather than industrial
use.
The price range of these
units is estimated to be around
$250,000, and the 254 units
were suggested by Webb as po
tentially beneficial for local busi
nesses like Piedmont Fayette
Hospital.
“It’s my understanding they
can’t staff that hospital because
the nurses can’t find a place to
live, but that is most certainly
our demographic,” said Webb.
In attendance were five cit
izens in opposition. The main
concerns about the project cen
tered around affordability, in
creased traffic, and
environmental impacts that po
tentially will come with con
struction.
“I don’t want to trap the next
generation in expensive rental
properties that make it impos
sible to build long-term home
equity,” said Fayette resident
Monk Robinson.
Fayette resident Melodie
Goodridge Green spoke in favor
of the development regarding
her own personal struggle of
finding quality housing that is
affordable and available.
“Much like myself, a young
family who has to make a deci
sion between tee ball, working
late, or coming to these types of
meetings to advocate for how
much we need to live closer to
where we work,” said Green. “I
grew up here and want to be
close to my family.”
In other news, the city coun
cil approved a request presented
by planner Nicole Gilbert to re
zone property located on North
85 Parkway by amending the
Future Land Use Map from
business park to industrial and
rezone the property from neigh
borhood commercial to light in
dustrial.
BOE Discusses Upcoming Solar Eclipse
From left are Kim Herron, assistant superintendent of student achieve
ment, and Shane Kuykendall, coordinator of science, health, and phys
ical education programs for Fayette County Public Schools.
Leah Banks
Senior Reporter
leah@fayette-news.net
During the March 11 work ses
sion of the Fayette County Board
of Education, members discussed
student dismissal plans in relation
to an expected solar eclipse on
April 8.
While considering safety
measures and early dismissal,
members discussed purchasing
protective eyewear for students
and staff, as well as distributing
lesson and safety plans to teachers
and administrators.
Assistant Superintendent of
Student Achievement Kim Herron
noted that the last time there was
a total solar eclipse, Fayette
schools dismissed students later
than usual for safety reasons, but
late dismissal altered after-school
activities.
“We didn’t do an early release,
we did a late release because we
felt it was in the students’ best in
terest to stay at school and to have
activities that kept them safe and
also learn and experience the
event,” Herron said.
“It’s really important that
when the students, teachers, and
faculty members receive the pro
tective eyewear, that they use them
in the appropriate way [when ob
serving the eclipse],” Herron
added.
According to staff research, a
partial solar eclipse is expected at
1:45 p.m., reading maximum cov
erage at 3:45 p.m., and the eclipse
is scheduled to end at 4:21 p.m.,
lasting a total of about 2.5 hours.
Board members debated early
student dismissal, but indicated
no change will take place, alleviat
ing distraction risk for students.
“Our intent is to minimize dis
traction to the school day,” Herron
said.
Shane Kuykendall, the school
system’s coordinator of science,
See BOE, A7
PTC Manager
Curnow Resigns
Leah Banks
Senior Reporter
leah@fayette-news.net
Slightly more than one year after accept
ing the position of city manager of Peachtree
City, Robert Curnow submitted his resigna
tion last Friday.
In a statement provided by PTC Mayor
Kim Learnard, she
and the city council
have accepted the res
ignation, which Cur
now submitted 30
days prior to his in
tended departure.
“City council
members and I have,
with heavy hearts, ac
cepted the resignation
of our city manager, Bob Curnow, who is
leaving due to personal family reasons. We
are confident in the capabilities of Assistant
City Manager Justin Strickland, who will en-
See Curnow, A8
PTC Hosts 2024
Municipal Summit
Leah Banks
Senior Reporter
leah@fayette-news.net
On March 12, members of Fayette and
Coweta counties’ municipalities gathered to
discuss topics ranging from workforce to
energy and area reports during a 2024 mu
nicipal summit.
The summit was hosted by Peachtree
City, with Mayor Kim
Learnard serving as
emcee for the event.
Attendees include
Fayetteville Mayor
Ed Johnson, Tyrone
Mayor Eric Dial, and
State Rep. Josh
Bonner, who repre
sents District 73 in
the Georgia House.
“I am truly appreciative of the invitation
to be here with you all and hearing the ad
vancements from each of your municipal
ities,” said Bonner.
The event was sponsored by Sister
Ward, the area manager of Georgia Power.
Presentations were held regarding work
force development and demographic
growth from Chris Clark, president of Geor
gia Chamber of Commerce. A second pres-
See Summit, A8
Mayor Kim Learnard
Robert Curnow
Starr’s Mill
Nominated for
Shuler Awards
Screening for Colorectal Cancer is Critical
March is national colorectal
cancer awareness month, and
doctors at Piedmont say they
hope to educate people in the
community about the impor
tance of regular colorectal
cancer screenings, especially
for individuals at high risk.
According to the American
Cancer Society, except for skin
cancers, colorectal cancer is the
third most common cancer dia
gnosed in the U.S. A colon
oscopy is the best screening test
available for colorectal cancer,
and many of these cancers can
be prevented through regular
screenings.
With colorectal cancer now
occurring in people under the
age of 50, colonoscopy screen
ings are recommended for men
and women over the age of 45.
The American College of Gas
troenterology, however, rec
ommends that patients
determined to be at higher risk
start screening for colorectal
cancer before 45.
Risk factors include racial
and ethnic background, a per
sonal or family history of color
ectal polyps or cancer, a history
of inflammatory bowel disease,
type 2 diabetes, obesity, smok
ing, and alcohol use, to name a
few.
The American Cancer Soci
ety states that “American In
dian and Alaska Native people
have the highest rates of color
ectal cancer in the United
States, followed by African
American men and women.”
It is believed that an esti
mated 150,000 new cases of
colon and rectal cancers will be
diagnosed in the United States
for 2024, and about 5,000
cases will be in Georgia. A re
cent report by the American
Cancer Society revealed that
Georgians are behind the na
tional average for getting
screened for these cancers, at
64 percent versus a national
average of 80 percent.
A screening colonoscopy is
the best way to screen for color
ectal cancers and is an easier
procedure than many realize. A
colonoscopy is a procedure that
allows for an examination of in
side the colon, helping doctors
to identify precancerous
polyps, which are abnormal
growths in the colon or rectum.
Any polyps or abnormal tissues
found during a colonoscopy can
be removed and sent to a labo
ratory for testing.
Early stages of colorectal
cancer usually present no
symptoms, which is why
screening is crucial because
when found early, colorectal
cancer is highly treatable. De
pending on risk factors, a pa
tient may be screened using a
stool-based test. Patients are
encouraged to speak with their
primary care doctor to deter
mine which screening option is
the best choice.
For more information on
colon cancer and preventative
screenings, visit piedmont.org.
In an online presentation in partnership
with Georgia Public Broadcasting, Arts-
Bridge Foundation announced Starr’s Mill
High School as a nominee for the “Sweet 16”
16th annual Georgia High School Musical
Theatre Awards for the 2023-24 school year.
GHSMTA categories include direction,
music direction, orchestra, lighting, sound,
technical execution, scenic design, choreog
raphy, ensemble, costumes, overall produc
tion, showstopper and best leading
performers, supporting performer, and a
featured performer.
Since 2021, the competition presented a
Standing Ovation award. And, building on a
new-in-2023 surprise category, ArtsBridge
Foundation is again presenting six Standing
Ovation awards for high school productions
that demonstrated a commitment to inclu
sion, diversity, equity, and access while cre
ating trailblazing opportunities for students.
SMHS’s nominations and honorable
mentions were for its presentation of
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
SMHS earned eight nominations, three
honorable mentions, and three scholarships
in the 2024 GHSMTA. The nomination cat
egories were in overall production, Katie
Williams in best leading actress and chore
ography, Charlie Rosenberger and Emilly
See Starr's Mill, A8
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