October Zen
BB&T has promoted Garnet Reynolds to market president. Reynolds brings more than 15 years of experience in the banking industry to his new role. The Newnan, Ga. native earned a bachelor’s of business administration from The University of Mississippi with a double major in banking and finance, and real estate. Reynolds also completed a graduate degree of banking at Louisiana State’s University School of Banking.
True courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to proceed in spite of it.
CMIT Solutions of Fayette/Coweta, which manage IT systems for businesses, was named the 2017 Small business of the Year. The annual event is put on by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Southtowne Motors and UBS Financial Services.
Renee Horton American Family Insurance was the winner for the Entrepreneur Category (one to five employees), Stirling Promotions was the winner for the Growth Category (six to 19 employees), and Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts was the winner for the Employer Category (20 to 99 employees). CMIT was in the Growth Category.
Attention college football fanatics. The Heisman Foundation will have the Heisman Trophy display at Nissan of Newnan from Oct. 19-22. Come by and check it out.
Mr. Personality has come out with the perfect Christmas/Birthday gift. His 2018 calendar complete with photos of him in various downtown locations – is now available at all hip locations. The cost is $20 and proceeds go to benefit the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society and Angel’s House.
The NTH has a new publisher, or rather make that two. Clay and Beth Neely were recently named co-publishers. Beth is the daughter of Billy and Marianne Thomason, who are the president and vice president, respectively, of the NTH, and is the fifth generation of the family to oversee the newspaper. Clay has covered public safety, business and local government since joining the paper in 2013. We wish them well.
Success will be within your reach only when you start reaching for it. Stephen Richards
The local chapter of The Salvation Army is celebrating 21 years of service for our community. It’s a wonderful organization that has helped countless lives over the years.
Built in Newnan, Yamaha Motor Corp., USA introduced an all-new four-passenger side-by-side vehicle. According to a press release, the 2018 Wolverine X4 delivers superior handling, especially on tight, technical trails, combined with Real World Tough Yamaha durability and reliability. Smooth, quiet power comes from an all-new 847-cc twin cylinder engine while a compact, nimble chassis cradles the most versatile cab in its class with industry-exclusive stow-away full-size rear seats for expanded cargo capacity on demand. So there you go.
Our favorite headlines and first sentences from Hurricane Irma; The NTH (Sept. 8) – “Irma no big threat to Coweta. There’s no need to panic – in Coweta, that is. The NTH (Sept. 10) – Coweta schools, UWG, WGTC closed Monday – All Coweta County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12, due to expected severe weather from Hurricane Irma.” The AJC: Sheriff says don’t shoot at Hurricane Irma.
When the first Star Wars came out, France was still executing people by guillotine
Parking is becoming a “thing” at the Coweta County Justice Center so they are expanding the parking lot. Roughly 90 new spots – all for the public – will be added on property primarily behind the existing structure.
Matthew P. Sapp is the new pastor of Central Baptist Church. Previously, he was senior pastor at Heritage Fellowship in Canton. He is a graduate of Mercer University and the McAfee School of Theology.
Cleopatra lived closer to the building of the first Pizza Hut than to the construction of the Great Pyramids of Giza
The new Boyd Gallery has opened in the McKoy-Boyd Building at Washington and Perry streets. The gallery included David Boyd Jr.’s paintings, and political cartoons from his father, David Boyd.
Newnan Mayor Pro Tem Cynthia E. Jenkins was recently named the new CEO of Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity. The group is locally run and operated and is an affiliate for Habitat for Humanity. Southern Crescent builds homes in South Metro Atlanta counties.
Betty White is six years older than sliced bread.
The owners of Knight Printers, located on the courthouse square in downtown Newnan, have retired. For years, area residents and businesses relied on Knight for all types of stationery from letterhead to business cards. We wish them well in their retirement.
State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) was recently re-elected to serve as Chair of the Energy & Environment Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) during SLC’s 71st annual meeting. Rep. Smith is the first and only woman to serve as chair of this committee and also serves as an ex-officio member of SLC’s Executive Committee. “I am honored to serve a second term as chair of this important committee,” said Rep. Smith. “I will continue to use this role to highlight Georgia’s diverse energy portfolio and successful stewardship of natural resources, while also providing a platform for the exchange of innovative policy practices among Southern lawmakers.”
“Jouska:” The hypothetical conversation that you play out with yourself in your head.
Two recent Coweta County School System graduates have been recognized by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) as nominees for the 2017 National Student Production Awards. Nominations for the student awards, which were announced on September 17, are the highest NATAS recognition of student-produced television work. The students nominated for their work by NATAS include Skylar Nicholson, a 2017 graduate of Newnan High School, and Katarina Sibley, a 2017 graduate of East Coweta High School.
Local filmmakers Jonathan and Maggie Hickman just unveiled their latest film. Titled “Artists Are Welcomed Here,” the film looks at the importance and need for art in a community. The debut was held at the Charles Wadsworth Auditorium.
The four-year graduation rate for Coweta County School System high school students rose to 85.5 percent in 2017. The Coweta County School System’s on-time graduation rate was approximately five percent higher than the state of Georgia’s average, which rose to 80.5 percent in 2017 according to a gradation report released by the Georgia Department of Education on Wednesday. The state’s graduation rate was 79.2 percent in 2016. Coweta’s Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate – also called the “on-time” graduation rate, measuring the percentage of seniors who graduate four years after entering the ninth grade – rose nearly 1 point from the 2016 rate of 84.6 percent.
Hogansville resident Faye Hendrix-Ware has pledged $500,000 to Piedmont Newnan Hospital to establish the Faye Hendrix-Ware Breast Cancer Fund. “The $500,000 is just the initial commitment for this breast health center, but we plan to stay with it through completion,” said Hendrix-Ware. The fund will increase access to genetic counseling services and implement a High Risk Breast Clinic for patients in Coweta County and surrounding communities.
Coweta County School Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker has been selected as a finalist for 2018 Georgia Superintendent of the Year. Barker is among four finalists selected for the honor by the Georgia State Superintendent’s Association (GSSA). The other three finalists include Samantha Fuhrey of Newton County Schools, Dr. Michael Duncan of Pike County Schools, and Wes Taylor of Lowndes County Schools. The finalists were “singled out for their leadership abilities and their excellent skills in working with their boards, staff and local communities,” said GSSA Executive Director John Zauner.
Chris Stephens, CEO of Coweta-Fayette EMC testified before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry September 28 on the importance of fully funding the 2018 Farm Bill. “While our priority is delivering safe, reliable, clean, affordable electricity to our members, we have a calling to be more than just poles, wires, and electrons companies,” Stephens, told the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Our broader purpose is to provide the services and support that empower our communities to thrive.” Stephens, testifying on behalf of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, outlined the biggest challenges for electric co-ops going forward—adapting to changes in consumer demand, accommodating an evolving generation mix, and protecting against cyber threats—and how the Farm Bill “contains essential tools co-ops use to modernize and meet those needs.”
