All around, 2009 has been a whirlwind year, which began with the inauguration of the country’s first black president. In south Fulton County, there have been several major events that have shaped 2009; from an unexpected September flood that ravished many metro Atlanta countries to the SkyTrain beginning operation to many new faces taking seats after municipal elections — south Fulton County has seen many changes.

Having a long history of overcrowding, a portion of area students started the 2009-2010 school year off in new buildings. This year saw three new schools opening: Hapeville Charter Career Academy, Cliftondale Elementary and Langston Hughes High School. There were also several renovations including a new performing arts center at Tri-Cities High School and renovations at Bethune, Love T. Nolan and Oak Knoll elementary schools.

On the charter school side, the Fulton County Board of Education approved The Main Street Academy and the Math and Science Academy for 2010 openings. And though denied by the county’s school board, The Fulton Leadership Academy was approved as a state charter school.

Just a month after the school year began, the metro Atlanta area experienced the worse flood the area has seen in many years. With a substantial amount of damage the flood managed to hit just about every inch of metro Atlanta, including areas of south Fulton.

November brought in election season for local municipalities and the results ended in some of the longstanding seats within south Fulton County being given to new faces, two of the biggest changes being the mayoral seats in East Point and Fairburn.

After more than 20 years as mayor, Betty Hannah was unseated by sitting Councilman Mario Avery, who will take the seat beginning in January. In East Point, Councilmember Earnestine Pittman garnered more votes than Mayor Joe Macon to obtain his seat for 2010.

“In the past 16 years, I have put the needs of the city well above personal interests,” said Ms. Pittman in an earlier statement.

After three years of construction, the ATL SkyTrain began operation on Dec. 8. It is the people mover system that will transport passengers from the airport, to the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC), to the car rental facility and back.

Hugh Austin, executive director of the GICC, said the SkyTrain “will be a great benefit to us in that we will be able to provide what we think is a major convention center to the world’s busiest airport.”