About Fayette County news. (Fayetteville, GA) 2009-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2025)
INSIDE: McIntosh Falls to Northgate, 35-14, Bl INSIDE: Historical Society Honors Prominent Black Community Figures, A3 THE TRUTH SINCE 1886 INSIDE: Panthers, Wildcats Win Region Games, Bl FAYETTE COUNTY 0 NEWS fayette-news.net Vol. 153, No. 40 Wednesday, October 1, 2025 $1.00 Newsline Oct. 1, 2025 Advanced Voting Slated Oct. 14-31 Advanced voting for Nov. 4 municipal elections throughout Fayette County and the special election for Public Service Commis sioner will be held week days and on two Saturdays between Oct. 14-21, ac cording to Fayette County Elections Department. During early voting, ballots may be cast be tween 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, and on Saturdays, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. Early voting locations include the following: Fay ette County Elections Office (ballot drop box location), 175 Johnson Avenue (Suite B), Fayette ville; Tyrone Town Hall, See Voting, A5 'Sweetest Place on Earth' Tyrone Founders Day Slated Oct. 3-4 Town of Tyrone invites the community to celebrate its annual Founders Day Festival Oct. 3-4, with this year’s theme deemed, “Ty rone, the Sweetest Place on Earth.” The festival will take place at Shamrock Park, where its celebration be gins with a classic “Cruise- In” at 5 p.m., followed by the thrilling ACTION Wres tling show at 7 p.m. From 5-9 p.m., various food truck vendors will be pres ent to offer grub. See Founders Day, AS DPH Confirms Three New Measles Cases ATLANTA - Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed three new measles cases in Geor gia in 2025, according to of ficials. The individuals are close contacts of the measles case that was confirmed on Sept. 11. Two of the individuals reportedly are unvacci nated, and the third has an unknown vaccination See Measles, A5 Shoddy’ Construction at Georgia Data Center Killed Worker, Suit Says Allison-Smith Company Blamed for Electrocution of Worker The QTS Data Center under construction in Fayetteville is where a worker was electrocuted in June, his parents say in a lawsuit filed Monday against subcontractor Allison-Smith Company. (Miguel Martinez/AJC). Editor’s Note: the following story was written by Rosie Manins and published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sept. 24: Sloppy electrical work by an Atlanta con tracting firm caused a worker’s electrocution at a massive data center under construction in Fayetteville, his parents allege in a lawsuit. The complaint, filed Monday (Sept. 22) against Allison-Smith Company, blames its negligence for the recent death of 25-year-old Anthony J. Riera Azuaje. He was electrocuted while working at the data center south of At lanta on June 28 and died in a hospital four days later, the suit says. A representative for Allison-Smith did not immediately comment on the incident and as sociated lawsuit. The data center is being developed by Quality Technology Services, known as QTS, which is not a defendant in the case. A QTS spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry Tuesday. Riera Azuaje’s parents, Perpetio Antonio Riera Graterol and Noris Maritza Azuaje See Electrocution, A6 From left are Peachtree City Council Post 3 candidates Joe Cambell and Clint Holland; mayoral candidates Steve Brown and Kim Learnard; and Post 4 candidates Michael Polacek, and James Clifton during the Sept. 23 forum hosted by the rotary club. Nate O'Malley/Fayette News ’- O ul POST3- CITICOUSCLE 1 CANDIDATES’ Category IV Category V Category V 1MacDonald 996-1997 dentTereajie dielitwards Billadosel 19% DwalnaMII I Mary Chapman 20 Rotary Club Hosts Political Forum for Peachtree City Candidates Nate O'Malley Reporter nomalley@fayette-news.net Rotary Club of Peachtree City held a po litical forum on Sept. 23 for constituents to hear from mayoral and city council candi dates in preparation for the Nov. 4 election. The forum asked questions of each can didate about priorities for and problems currently facing citizens in the city. Topics ranged from economic development, fund ¬ ing priorities, and the budget to other topics like city annexation. The first question was directed to city council candidates and asked about prior ities toward economic development and how each candidate would direct the city’s economic development manager. Post 3 candidate Michael Polacek spoke on redevelopment and the future of Peach- tree City. See Peachtree City, A6 Jackson Announces Campaign for Woolsey Town Council Post 3 Jennifer Jackson submitted the follow ing statement to announce her campaign for Woolsey Town Council Post 3: “Hello, my name is Jennifer Jackson, and I am excited to announce my candi dacy for the Woolsey Town Council. I moved back to Woolsey in 2021 after spend ing 18 years in Charlotte, N.C. Returning home has been both a personal journey and a chance to reconnect with the deep roots my family has in this town. “Today, I would like to share a little bit about myself, my background, and why I am seeking the op portunity to serve our community. “My family’s his tory in Woolsey goes back generations. My great-grandparents built their home ac ross the street from Mr. Mason's produce Jennifer Jackson stand, and my great-grandfather opened a See Jackson, A6 The viral image, showing four individuals with faces and bodies painted black during a Whitewater High athletic event, features black circular graphics added by the original poster to hide the identity of the individuals. Submitted WHS Blackface’ Incident Causes Community Uproar FCBOE, NAACP Commit to Collaborate & Correct Luke Haney Editor lhaney@upsonbeacon.com In response to individuals taking a “blackout” theme too far by covering their bodies and faces with black paint during a recent Whitewater High athletic event, Fayette County Public School System condemned the wrongdoing and committed to working alongside Fayette NAACP and other partners to strengthen cultural awareness of employ ees and ensure such actions do not occur again, according to Superintendent Dr. Jona than Patterson. On Sept. 16, a non-White water student and three adults reportedly entered the school’s gymnasium during a volleyball match against La Grange High School wearing See Blackface, A6 BOC Amends Zoning Variance Requirements, Establishes Millage Public Hearing Dates Luke Haney Editor lhaney@upsonbeacon.com On Sept. 25, Fayette County Commissioners unanimously approved a zon ing ordinance amendment to provide criteria for approving variances of existing, unim proved, nonconforming lots and clarify variances allowed for improvements on such lots. Beginning the public hearing, Planning and Zoning Director Debbie Bell ex plained there are some exist ¬ ing, nonconforming lots in the county that do not meet criteria for minimum lot size in their zoning districts but might otherwise support de velopment of a single-family home. The text amendment grants Fayette Zoning Board of Appeals authority to con sider variance requests for single-family residential de velopment of such illegal lots as small as one acre in size (decreasing minimum from 1.5 acres). See BOC, A6 NAACP to Host Fayetteville Municipal Candidates Forum On Oct. 2, Fayette County NAACP will host its Fay etteville Municipal Candidates Forum to provide an opportunity for community members to meet and greet candidates running for local office. Join community discussion as individuals run for Fayetteville City Council Posts 3, 4, and 5. The forum will be held at Fayette County Public Li brary, 1821 Heritage Parkway, Fayetteville, from 6- 8:30 p.m. Fayetteville Candidates: Post 3: Incumbent Scott Stacy and candidate Em- See Fayetteville, AS INSIDE: FAYETTE VIEWS A4 SCHOOL B2 SPORTS BI LEGALS B3 CONTACT US: support@fayette-news.net ■ (770) 461-6317 - fayette-news.net '0 4879 12633 YA SCARY GOOD TIME! MEXICAN BAR = & GRILL 4 Frida’s OPEN 7-DAYS A WEEK • LUNCH & DINNER HAPPY HOURI MONDAY - FRIDAY 2-5 P.M. OP ROAD o FAYGTTTV0LLG
