Peachtree City Tatoo shop

by George Dienhart

I have mixed feelings on this. I have one tattoo, which I had applied – when I was in the Marines. Tattoos are a part of military tradition- it’s just one of the seedier parts. Given a do over, I probably would not have got it done- but I live with my decision.

2 weeks ago, I was coming out of the McDonalds parking lot, and noticed a tattoo parlor had moved into the shopping center. Every fiber of my being knew that this was the wrong business for Peachtree City. It’s not a military town, and most parents (myself included) do not want our sons and daughters pierced and tattooed. I am sure that city hall heard a lot about this new business, and they reacted, I believe, appropriately. They have answered the town’s questions about health and cleanliness of such a business. This was done through enacting several statutes that will ensure that a doctor is present for direct supervision. This most likely means that the shop will need to move.

Again, I may be a hypocrite for supporting the city in this decision, but children are supposed to learn from the benefit of parent’s mistakes. I have a tattoo, and even I do not think that this business belongs in an area frequented by so many children.

High speed police chase- in Peachtree City?

By George Dienhart

Things are usually pretty quiet down here, but yesterday a Fairburn youth allegedly (have to protect myself, here) stole a car from the Wynnmeade subdivision and ran like the wind. The PTC Police did an excellent job in apprehending him, with an assist going to county sheriff. According to the Atlanta’s Fox affiliate, the suspect was armed. The youth wrecked the car and was apprehended a short distance from Peachtree Elementary School.

More important than a billion dollar shortfall?

by George Dienhart

As I made my 90 minute commute from Peachtree City to work, my head started to hurt. Though the sudden headache was a little different from my normal commuter’s pain, it was connected to commute nonetheless. As the state falls a billion dollars short of making my everyday commute shorter, attention was focused firmly on the Department of Transportation. Was the media holding the board accountable for the billion-dollar gaffe? No, the media is outraged over Transportation Commissioner Gena Abraham’s choice in a boyfriend.

In all fairness, people should not date their subordinates. I am also quite sure that Ms. Abraham’s did not accept the Chairwoman’s position with the intent of landing a potential husband. She is guilty of falling in love with former Transportation Board Chairman Mike Evans, but when confronted with what could have been a potential conflict of interest, Chairman Evans resigned. Problem solved right? Not quite.

Seems that our erstwhile chairwoman was not a unanimous choice for her position- others were looking out for their friends. While Gov. Perdue selected her, others in the GOP were not happy with the choice, most notably House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram), favored a fellow State Rep, Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain). This infighting is one part of the problem, but as Oxy Powered Billy Mays is so fond of saying- there’s more.

Gov. Perdue brought in Ms. Abraham to minimize the bad choices and ridiculous expectations that previous Transportation Commissioners have made. She has spent the last four months trying to get a handle on her predecessor’s books. Previously the state had started road construction projects with state dollars, while applying the federal money to finish various initiatives. This is legal, and helps stave off inflationary pressure. The problem is not in the practice of this policy, but in the frequency of its use. The state of Georgia is now 4.2 billion in arrears on these projects. This is unacceptable.

With billion dollar shortfalls and other projects under funded by 4.2 billion dollars, awaiting federal funds that may never come, shouldn’t the transportation board attend to more important matters to than Ms. Abraham’s choice of boyfriend? Not according to Dana Lemon, who said she called attention to this situation because "there were some things that were on my heart that I know we needed to talk about, some outstanding issues that needed to be addressed for the betterment of the staff and the department." Wouldn’t getting a handle on the multibillion-dollar mess address the “betterment of the staff and the department” Ms. Leon apparently didn't think so…