Tifton was atwitter one year ago as a feature movie was being filmed here with Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid. While “A Tiger Rising” was expected to be released by this December, there’s still no word about the film’s release during the pandemic.

However, the first "sneak peek" has been released showing some of the film’s scenes – including some that were filmed at Tifton’s Town Terrace “Pink” Motel on 12th Street.

The sneak peek video was put together primarily for educators who are using the book “The Tiger Rising,” upon which the movie is based. Written by best-selling author Kate DiCamillo, the book tells the story of a young boy (played by Christian Convery in the film) who has lost his mother, prompting him and his father to start a new life in rural Florida at the Kentucky Star Motel, (the Town Terrace Motel in the movie).

The boy discovers a Bengal tiger in a cage hidden in the woods and held captive by the ornery motel owner (Dennis Quaid). With the aid of a wise and mysterious maid (Queen Latifah) and a stubborn girl in school (Madalen Mills), the boy faces a dilemma about freeing the tiger and uncaging his own emotional grief.

In the sneak peek video, DiCamillo and Queen Latifah, who is also the film’s executive producer, talk about the upcoming movie.

To view the sneak peek, click on the image below....

The jobless rate improved during October throughout the Tiftarea, according to statistics from the Ga. Department of Labor (DOL).

Tift County’s unemployment rate during October was at 3.7 percent, down from 5 percent in September, the DOL reported. During October 2019, Tift’s jobless rate was 3.1 percent.

Worth County's jobless rate in October was 4.2 percent, down from 5 percent in September; Turner County, 5.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent; Irwin, 3.8 percent, down from 5 percent; Cook, 3.3 percent, down from 4.7 percent; Berrien, 3.4 percent, down from 4.8 percent; and Ben Hill County, 5.4 percent, down from 6.5 percent.

Statewide, Georgia's unemployment rate for October decreased by 1.8 percentage points to reach 4.5 percent. Before the pandemic, Georgia's jobless rate was at an all-time low of 3.1 percent. The state has seen an 8.1 percentage drop in unemployment since April when there was a 12.6 percent rate – Georgia's all-time high.

"The fact that we have so quickly reduced our unemployment rate to almost pre-pandemic levels demonstrates how strong our economy was prior to the crisis and how we are successfully recovering economically," said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

"We still have a lot of work to do in order for growth to continue. ... Our re-employment teams have been working with hundreds of companies across the state to assist in getting Georgians into higher-paying careers."

The DOL has paid nearly $16 billion in state and federal benefits since the beginning of the pandemic in March.

Tift County reported 106 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past week, according to data released Thursday by the Ga. Department of Public Health (DPH).

Tift has a total of 2,235 cases with 67 coronavirus-related deaths, the DPH reported. During the past two weeks, Tift saw 182 additional cases and also had a 13.1 percent positivity rate for tests conducted, the state said.

For the two-week period, Tift County's new cases translate to 446 per 100,000 population.

Statewide, Georgia reported 2,946 new cases on Thursday and 26 additional deaths. Since the pandemic began, Georgia has reported 413,909 total cases and 8,716 deaths, the DPH said.

The COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Report from the Ga. Department of Community Health and reported by the DPH lists the Rehabilitation Center of South Georgia in Tifton as having had 81 positive cases since the pandemic began along with 21 related deaths of residents.

But Rebecca Smith of Crossroads Medical Management, the Tifton facility’s parent company, told the Tifton Grapevine that “those numbers are not accurate."

Smith said that the Tifton facility has seen 18 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began. Among those at the facility who have tested positive, “almost all residents are recovered now,” Smith said.

A state investigation has found that a Nashville man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which occurred during an encounter Sunday with Nashville Police.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that its review of the case shows that Dearius Lamar Reed, 21, who later died from his injuries, had shot himself after being stopped by Nashville Police.

At approximately 3 p.m. Sunday, officers received a 911 call about a domestic dispute in the area of Mell Avenue in Nashville, the GBI said.

Upon arriving at the scene, a Nashville police officer talked with an individual who said that the subject involved in the alleged domestic dispute was traveling in a red Jeep. 

As the officer was obtaining the information, the red Jeep passed by, and the officer attempted to stop it on Mell Avenue, authorities said. As the officer approached the Jeep, a shot was fired, and the officer returned fire toward the vehicle, the GBI said.

After clearing the scene, the officer approached the vehicle and found Reed with a gunshot wound inside the Jeep. He was transported to South Georgia Medical Center; the Nashville officer was not injured.

After receiving life-changing news about the health of her father, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College student Katelyn Watson knew her future had to involve the healthcare field. 

With her recent acceptance to the University of Georgia PharmD program, that future will continue to unfold as she transitions from ABAC to UGA in the fall.

Two years ago, the Ashburn native received news that her father, Tim, was diagnosed with cancer. He experienced treatments, radiation and surgery that left Watson’s family nervous and scared. Watson is so thankful her father survived the scare.

She began taking ABAC classes through the dual enrollment program before she graduated as the valedictorian of Turner County High School in 2019. She decided to finish her bachelor’s degree in biology at ABAC.

Dr. Cyndy Hall, a professor in the School of Arts and Sciences and ABAC’s Director of Dual Enrollment, said Watson is a role model for high school dual-enrollment students.

Watson’s love for the healthcare field began when she started the certified nurse aid (CNA) pathway through Southern Regional Technical College in high school. She narrowed her career to pharmacy when her dad’s battle began.

“One day, I want to be there for my patients and radiate positivity in their lives, especially during times of hopelessness and difficulties,” Watson said. “I will forever be grateful for the medical professionals who helped my daddy, and one day, I hope that I can do the same for someone else.”

Eleven individuals will brave the January weather and jump into the Tiftarea YMCA's swimming pool for charity once again.

The YMCA's annual Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 1 is a competition among contestants to raise the most money for their chosen nonprofit organization. The top earner's charity will get 100 percent of the proceeds raised, and the remaining nonprofits receive a 50 percent split with the YMCA – provided that the representative takes the plunge down the pool slide at 11 a.m. New Year's Day.

Those raising funds for nonprofits this year are: Paul Horst, representing Tiftarea Greenways Association; Heather Johnson, Soup Kitchen; Flavia Rossi, CASA; Mac Sims, Tifton Animal Rescue; Todd Garner, H-3 Center; Michelle Gilder, Celebrate Recovery; Andy Marzen, Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence; Keith Rucker, Called to Care; Tony McBrayer, Peanut Butter & Jesus; Wingate Whitley, Patticake House; and Jason Bishoff, Tiftarea YMCA.

The Georgia Peanut Commission is accepting nominations for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award to be presented at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show during January in Tifton.

Nominations will be accepted until Dec. 1 for the award that the Peanut Commission sponsors with BASF.

The award is open to any active peanut farmer up to age 45 as of Jan. 21. Multiple entries from the same county may be submitted. An awards committee will review applications and select one winner, said Joy Crosby, communications director at the Georgia Peanut Commission.

“This award recognizes our future young farmer leaders. On the application, it looks at their overall farm operation; some of their environmental and stewardship practices, as well as their leadership in the community, whether it’s civic duties, church or community service activities,” Crosby said.

The winner will be announced Jan. 21 at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show, which will be held during two days at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

The award application is available at www.gapeanuts.com and by contacting Crosby at 229-386-3690, or at [email protected]

To Subscribe, Click Here!

Your subscription is free because of the support of local advertisers.

Please support the businesses and organizations who make this possible.

To Contact Us, Call 478-227-7126

This dog is currently on stray hold at the Tift County Animal Shelter. If not reclaimed, will be available for adoption or rescue at the Animal Shelter, located at 278 Georgia Highway 125 S. It is open to the public for adoptions from 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

For more information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055  

7 a.m. – 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 

@ 177 Cambridge Court in Tifton. 

[email protected] or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

A Service of Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC, Tifton, Georgia