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Three Named 2024 Georgia Scholars,
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THE TRUTH SINCE 1886
FAYETTE COUNTY (1) NEWS
f ay ett e-news, net
Vol. 152, No. 16 Wednesday, April 17, 2024 $1.
Community
Mourns Loss
of Judge
Loyd Black
Judge Loyd Black Submitted
Retired Magistrate
Court Judge Loyd Hall
Black, Jr., 79, died on
March 28 at his home in
Brooks.
Black was the son of the
late Dorothy Redwine Black
and Loyd Hall Black, Sr.
Known as “Buster,” he grew
up in Macon on the family
farm.
After a successful two
See Black, A3
Rob Bell
Bell Named
'24 County
Teacher of
the Year
Victory bells are ringing
for the Panthers.
Starr’s Mill High engi
neering and computer
science teacher Rob Bell was
named the 2024 Fayette
County Teacher of the Year
at the annual awards cere
mony on April 11.
In his acceptance speech,
Bell shared his journey to
the classroom that was filled
with detours and dead-end
majors. He said he struggled
See Bell, A5
Members of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Fayette County Commission, Fayette County Devel
opment Authority, and City of Fayetteville at the groundbreaking ceremony for the incoming Ar
thur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. Courtesy of Fayette County
U.S. Soccer Breaks Ground
on National Training Center
Luke Haney
Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
The U.S. Soccer Feder
ation held a groundbreaking
ceremony on April 8 to cele
brate the incoming national
training center and head
quarters in Fayette County.
Attendees included local
and state officials, including
Gov. Brian Kemp, members
of U.S. Soccer, and more than
too others.
“Georgia is proud to wel
come [U.S. Soccer] as they
build their new home here in
the Peach State,” Gov. Kemp
stated following the cere
mony. “Today’s ground
breaking on the Arthur M.
Blank U.S. Soccer National
Training Center is just the la
test milestone on our path to
being a worldwide sports
hub.”
U.S. Soccer announced
last year that it had selected
Fayette as its new home. The
NTC will cover more than
200 acres.
Fayette County Devel
opment Authority Director
Niki Vanderslice commented,
“I’m thrilled to have wit
nessed history in the making
as the U.S. Soccer Federation
lays down roots in Fayette
County, ushering in a new era
of soccer excellence right here
in our community.”
According to early plans,
the center is expected to be
completed by spring 2025.
FAYETTE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
Officials of the county and local municipalities gather as the ceremonial ribbon is cut at the new
animal shelter. Luke Haney/Fayette News
County Celebrates
New Animal Shelter
Luke Haney
Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
Government officials,
community supporters,
and animal lovers were
among dozens of attend
ees to celebrate the open
ing of the new Fayette
County Animal Shelter
during a ribbon cutting
ceremony on April 11.
Located at 1127 High
way 74 in Peachtree City,
just minutes away from
the former shelter, the
new facility boasts more
than double the previous
capacity, state-of-the-art
equipment, a pet groom
ing room, bonding room
(to get acquainted with
furry friends prior to
adoption), ample office
space, and a large out
door walking area.
“This is an exciting
day for Fayette County,”
said county admin
istrator Steve Rapson.
“This is actually taking
care of kids. Once you get
the perspective that
you’re taking care of ani
mals, you’re talking
about people’s kids, I
think you get the right
mindset for running an
animal shelter. This is a
really big deal for us.”
County commission
chairman Lee Hearn
shared his excitement,
emphasizing the impor
tance of the facility and
thanking everyone in
volved in the process.
“[The shelter staff]
has put a lot of blood
sweat and tears into
this,” added shelter di
rector Regi Jordan. “We
want to continue to kill
our no-kill shelter rate
going up. A lot of
counties are not blessed
to say that, but we are,
and we take pride in
that.”
Following a cere
monial ribbon cutting,
attendees toured the fa
cility and were able to
take home goodie bags,
with options for both dog
and cat owners.
An open house was
held at the shelter on Sat
urday, April 13 for fam
ilies unable to attend the
April 11 ceremony.
At a 5 p.m. meeting
following the ribbon cut
ting, commissioners
thanked PTC for working
with the county on a land
swap that resulted in the
county building the new
shelter and PTC acquir
ing the property of the
former shelter location
for what will be a new
EMS and/or fire station.
Officials encourage
community members to
donate food and needed
supplies to the shelter.
Visit www.fay-
ettecountyga.gov/ani-
mal_control/ for more
information.
Teen Honored with
Special Day at Truist Park
Joshua and Tyler Matzek
Submitted
Dylan Shoemaker
Staff Writer
dshoemaker@fayette-news.net
The Atlanta Braves part
nered with Make-A-Wish
Georgia to honor Joshua, a
Fayette County teen, with
his own “Joshua Day” at
Truist Park on April 10.
At the ballpark, he was
able to meet his favorite
players and enjoy a VIP ex
perience with his family.
Braves player Tyler Matzek
personally led Joshua on a
tour around the Braves bull
pen for photos and a be
hind-the-scenes look. He
also got to watch the team’s
batting practice alongside
one of the coaches.
Prior, he was surprised
by Fayette County Sheriff
Barry Babb and fellow of
ficers on April 9 to let him
know that his wish was
granted. Joshua was pre
sented a banner with his
picture and details about
“Joshua Day” surrounded
by his supporters and a po
lice vehicle motorcade with
blue lights shining bright in
honor of the teen.
In a video uploaded by
FCSO, Sheriff Babb read a
certificate to Joshua stating,
“This special day is ded
icated to honoring your cou
rage and determination
made possible by the gra
cious support of the Make-
A-Wish Foundation.”
For more information
on Make-A-Wish Georgia,
visit https://wish.org/geor-
gia.
County Amends Water
Restrictions Related to
Drought Management
Cpt. Williams, Patterson Awarded
EMT, 911 Officer of the Year
Luke Haney
Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
County commissioners
unanimously approved an
ordinance to amend water
restrictions to establish
provisions pertaining to
water restriction require
ments on April 11 follow
ing a request from the
Metropolitan North Geor
gia Watershed Planning
District regarding drought
management.
Fayette County Water
System Director Vanessa
Tigert explained to com
missioners that the metro
planning district updated
its plan in 2022 to have
district entities update
drought response and
water waste ordinances to
comply with Georgia Envi
ronmental Management
Department drought man
agement rules.
The ordinance con
tains similar drought re
sponse levels as the
former ordinance, and Ti
gert stated that under
year-round water-use re
strictions, restrictions on
water wasting activities
have been added.
The update allows the
county water system to
submit to EPD emergency
variance requests to in
crease or decrease the
drought response levels
and associated water use
restrictions that are con
sistent with the localities’
drought contingency plan.
With EPD adding a
variance regarding flash
droughts, the county can
declare a drought without
EPD declaring a statewide
drought.
During the flash
drought beginning in
summer of 2019, FCWS
submitted a drought vari
ance request to increase
the county’s drought re
sponse level, which is time
consumptive for staff. Ti
gert said it took three
months to get the vari
ance, by which time the
drought had ended.
Tigert added that the
county uses precipitation
See County, A5
CORRECTION:
In the April 3 edition of Fayette County News, Com
missioner Charles Rousseau was mistakenly rec
ognized as voting against awarding Piedmont
Paving, Inc., a $300,938.14 contract for the 2017
special purpose local option sales tax stormwater
project to replace the Ridge Way culvert. Rousseau
voted in favor of awarding the contract. FCN apol
ogizes for any confusion this may have caused.
INSIDE:
OBITUARIES
FAYETTE VIEWS
A2 SPORTS
A4 LEGALS
Bl SCHOOL
B3 CLASSIFIEDS
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