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THE TRUTH SINCE 1886
FAYETTE COUNTY (1) NEWS
f ay ett e-news, net
Vol. 152, No. 19 Wednesday, May 8, 2024 $1.
Crabapple lane Path Closure Blocks TIP Funding Opportunity
Luke Haney
Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
Fayette County officials
are standing firm on their
position that Peachtree City
must reopen the Crabapple
Lane golf cart path.
Since members of PTC’s
Kedron Hills community
blocked Tyrone residents
from traveling into the city
through the Crabapple Lane
golf cart path in late 2021,
families, individuals, and
government officials have
been fighting for a way to
reopen the access point.
The topic, which last
arose when a cinderblock
wall was erected on the path
earlier this year, is now af
fecting transportation im
provement funding for
Peachtree City.
During a meeting on
April 23, commissioners ap
proved staff requests to sub
mit applications to the
Atlanta Regional Commis
sion for Transportation Im
provement Program proj
ects in partnership with
Clayton County, Tyrone,
Brooks, and Fayetteville.
During the meeting, it
was stated that PTC was not
participating in the joint ap
plication, but at that point,
still had time to make a
change and be included.
Following the meeting,
PTC officials provided the
following statement to Fay
ette County News:
See Crabapple, A5
Courtesy of Fayette County
Steve Rapson, right, showcases his award at
the ACCG Awards & Recognition Program
Steve Rapson Honored
as 2024 ACCG Leadership
Development Advocate
The Association County Commissioners
of Georgia recently honored Fayette County
Administrator Steve Rapson with the 2024
Leadership Development Advocate of the
Year award during the association’s annual
conference in Chatham County.
The Leadership Development Advocate
of the Year award is presented to a county
official who continuously seeks to expand
their knowledge of local government to help
them manage the ever-changing challenges
counties face.
“The ACCG Awards and Recognition
Program annually celebrates Georgia’s
county leaders,” said Executive Director
Dave Wills. “Steve Rapson’s dedication to
fostering a culture of continuous learning
and understanding of county government is
truly inspiring.
“Whether expanding educational oppor
tunities within his county or encouraging
others to participate in ACCG Lifelong
Learning opportunities, Steve's passion for
knowledge and desire to empower others
exemplifies the spirit of leadership,” Wills
continued. “Congratulations to him on this
well-deserved recognition.”
Rapson was recognized for his visionary
See Rapson, A6
Armstrong poses with his trophy. Submitte
Armstrong Posts Second
Career Win at Phoenix BFL Event
MILLEDGEVILLE - On April
29, boater Noah Armstrong of Fay
etteville caught a five-bass limit
weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces, to
win the recent Phoenix Bass Fishing
League event, presented by T-H
Marine on Lake Sinclair.
The tournament was the fourth
event of the season for Major
League Fishing’s BFL Bulldog Divi
sion, and Armstrong earned $3,917
for his victory.
Armstrong said his expectations
were minimal coming into the tour
nament. According to organizers,
“The spawn was over; so was the
shad spawn. Add in some weather
swings, and the fish were clearly in
a funk, as reflected in the weights.
Even in practice, he spent two days
scouting the lake and never caught
a fish over two pounds. He shook
off a few he felt were decent, but
that was it.”
“It was definitely tough, to say
the least,” Armstrong said. “It was a
See Armstrong, A6
PTC Continues to Support Promise
Place, Fayette Senior Services
Leah Banks
Senior Reporter
leah@fayette-news.net
During the May 2 City Council of
Peachtree City meeting, officials for
mally approved annual funding for
Promise Place and Fayette Senior
Services.
Promise Place Executive Director
Ashley S. Williams submitted a fund
ing request of $10,000 for the organ
ization’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, but
not without thanking the PTC govern
ment for its continued support of the
organization.
“On behalf of Fayette County
Council on Domestic Violence, Inc.,
dba Promise Place, I would like to take
this opportunity to thank Peachtree
City for its ongoing support of the mis
sion to help prevent and address do
mestic violence through awareness,
education, and providing safety for
the victims and their families, utilizing
See Support, A6
Peachtree City Council
Holds First General
Discussion Period
Sanctuary City Topic Put to Rest
Leah Banks
Senior Reporter
leah@fayette-news.net
The City Council of
Peachtree City has been
striving to increase trans
parency during council
meetings, and during the
May 2 meeting, Mayor Kim
Learnard and members of
council held their first “gen
eral discussion period.”
The purpose of the gen
eral discussion period is to
discuss topics previously
mentioned during the coun
cil/staff topics period from
previous meetings that have
been added to the agenda by
a joint consensus.
The move to be more
concise was suggested by
Councilwoman Laura
Johnson during the April 4
meeting in an effort to allow
members of the city time to
provide the public with re
searched opinions and facts
prior to making a motion to
vote on agenda items.
The two items on the
docket for discussion
among council were the ad-
See PTC Council, A6
County Planning Commission
Approves Minor Final
Plats, Rezoning Requests
Dylan Shoemaker
Staff Writer
dshoemaker@fayette-news.net
On May 2, Fayette
County Planning Commis
sion approved five minor
final plats for properties
along Highway 54 West,
Banks Town Road, Vet
erans Parkway, and Lee’s
Mill Road in addition to
considering rezoning of
multiple county parcels.
Randy Boyd repre
sented David Asa Lamb and
LDO Fayette, LLC in the
discussion of rezoning three
parcels fronting Ellison
Road, requesting to rezone
parcels from agricultural-
residential to single-family
residential. The request
stated that each property
would be between one and
1.5 acres with 2,loo-square-
foot units.
The applicant requested
to amend a condition asso
ciated with the timeframe
to handle matters from 90
days to 180 days to fall in
compliance with ordi
nances, and to alleviate any
foreseen discrepancies from
a tenant still living on the
land. Boyd suggested this
scenario might complicate
the duration in which the
applicant can meet the re
quirements by potentially
enacting an eviction process
with the tenant, if unco
operative.
“I don’t know the [ten
ant]. I’ve never spoken to
him, but that is something
that could hold this up,”
said Boyd, “anywhere from
15 to 75 days for that pro
cess to get into the court
system and get that person
evicted.”
Boyd emphasized the
need for amending the con
dition for contingency.
Commission member
Thomas Boris then ques-
See Planning, A6
Spicer Celebrates 105 Years of Life
Dylan Shoemaker
Staff Writer
dshoemaker@fayette-news.net
Happy belated birthday to Fay
ette’s Eliza Spicer, who turned 105
years young on May 1.
On May 2, Spicer celebrated her
birthday at the Fayette Senior Center
while community members and
friends gathered to cut cake and
commemorate this fantastic feat.
Prior to the start of the party,
Spicer was noticed attending an
aerobics class, showcasing her com
mitment to remain active. She walks
with no assistance of a cane or
walker, and often encourages her
younger classmates to “keep going.”
“It’s inspiring because of how ac
tive she still is for her age,” said fit
ness instructor Miriam Jones.
Spicer has participated with
Jones in physical exercises since she
was 93 years old. “She is so witty and
has such a good sense of humor,”
Jones added.
“The Father gave me the strength
to keep moving and to stay off the
couch,” said Spicer, giving advice to
those younger with hopes to poten
tially reach the same threshold.
When asked about her favorite
birthday of her life, she stated that
she enjoyed every single one of them
and “it feels good” to reach the age of
105. She expressed how important
doing the things one might enjoy can
be in contributing to one’s longevity.
A community resident since
2019, Spicer came from New York
City, where she lived since 1943.
Originally from Yemassee, S.C., she
moved to NYC where she says she
enjoyed the freedom of buses and
trains.
“Only thing I miss is public trans
portation,” commented Spicer, add
ing to her notion of keeping things
moving.
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Eliza Spicer prepares to cut her birthday cake. Dylan Shoemaker/Fayette News
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