BRYCE JOHNSON

MELANIE CROSS

TWO TIFTONITES TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR APPEALS COURT

BRYCE JOHNSON AND MELANIE CROSS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton’s district attorney and a Tifton superior court judge are among 19 candidates to be interviewed to fill a a vacancy on the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Bryce A. Johnson, Tifton Judicial Circuit's district attorney; and Melanie B. Cross, a Tifton Judicial Circuit superior court judge, have been selected by the state Judicial Nominating Commission to be interviewed next Wednesday.

The Nominating Commission chose the 19 candidates from an initial pool of 41. Among other candidates to be interviewed are Ross W. Bergethon, the state's deputy attorney general; and six other current superior court judges.

Following the interviews, the commission will send a short list of recommendations to Gov. Brian P. Kemp, who will appoint the replacement for Appeals Court Judge Clyde L. Reese, who died unexpectedly in December.

Bryce Johnson of Tifton was elected district attorney in 2020. He was first elected as solicitor general of Worth County in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012. 

Johnson previously was the assistant solicitor general of Tift State Court since 2005, served as a special assistant district attorney in Irwin, Turner and Worth counties, and has served as assistant district attorney in the Oconee Judicial Circuit. 

He has taught history and political science at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Melanie Cross of Tifton was first elected as a Tifton Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge in 2008. Later, in 2018, she was on the short list for consideration to be named to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Before joining the court, she was in private practice in Tifton.

ELECTRICAL WORKER DIES IN POLE ACCIDENT

STAFF REPORTS

A lineworker died Wednesday while changing out an electrical pole in Turner County, authorities say.

John Candler Bell, 24, received a fatal injury while changing out an Irwin EMC power pole near Bussey Road outside Ashburn.

Irwin EMC said Bell was a contractor employed with Lamberts Cable Splicing Co., headquartered in Sharpsburg, N.C.

His body has been sent for an autopsy at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Medical Examiner Office in Macon. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be conducting an investigation.

“Our prayers are with his family and coworkers,” Irwin EMC said on social media.

STUDENT INTERNSHIPS CAN BE LIFE CHANGING, ROCK DRUMMER TELLS

AREA BUSINESS LEADERS

SANDY GENNARO WORKED WITH CYNDI LAUPER, MONKEES

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Students get life-changing connections through internships, entrepreneur and rock drummer Sandy Gennaro told more than 40 members of the Tift County business community Thursday at a breakfast sponsored by ABAC’s Stafford School of Business.

The breakfast was a “State of the School Update” for business leaders at the Hilton Garden Inn.

“I implore all of the business leaders to look at the students and give them internships,” Gennaro said, “because not only does it help the student but also it is gratifying, and it helps you knowing that you helped somebody.”

Gennaro, keynote speaker for the Stafford Leadership Summit for business students, was a drummer with television’s the Monkees and worked with musicians Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, and Bo Diddley. 

An inspirational speaker, Gennaro is author of a book entitled “Beat the Odds in Business and Life.” Twelve ABAC Capstone Seminar students accompanied Gennaro to lunch, and he spoke to 60 students at the Stafford Leadership Summit later in the day. 

He said his daughter’s internships with music management companies while a student in Nashville provided connections that led to her now touring with Trevor Noah and Leeann Womack.

Breakfast attendees were told that the Stafford School of Business offers students the only bachelor of science degree in business in Georgia.

“We have graduates in various industries: Manufacturing, retail, packing, marketing, state government, city government, sales, insurance, financial planning, real estate, organizational management, accounting, housing, warehousing,” business school dean Dr. Renata Elad told the group.

She said the business faculty believes in a three-point focus: Student experience, innovative teaching, and community partnership. “We believe in actively engaging our extended partners in activities that have relevance and impact to both our community and our students,” she said.

Elad said the internship program at the Stafford School of Business offers an "experiential learning process that integrates classroom knowledge with real-world learning. This allows students to gain valuable work experience and develop a network of industry contacts.”

Elad recognized business leaders who are invested in the school, beginning with the Stafford family. The School was named in honor of Denean Stafford Jr., who created the Stafford Foundation in 1996 to support Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. 

A project of the Business Advisory Council, the Stafford Leadership Summit is sponsored by Allen Pritchett and Bassett LLP and Stafford Development.

TIFT, FITZGERALD, COOK HIGHS NAMED AP HONOR SCHOOLS

STAFF REPORTS

Tift County High, Fitzgerald High, and Cook High schools are among this year’s Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools named by State School Superintendent, Richard Woods.

There were 273 schools from 97 districts that achieved the honor.

Tift County High and Fitzgerald High both received the designation of an AP Access and Support School: A school with at least 30% of AP exams taken by students who identified as African American and/or Hispanic, and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher. 

Cook High was named an AP Challenge School – schools with enrollments of 900 or fewer students and testing in English, math, science, and social studies.

“The number of AP Honor Schools increased by more than 14%, which serves as a testament to our commitment to expand opportunities for Georgia students, including in advanced and accelerated coursework,” Woods said.

The AP Honor Schools are named in eight categories based on the results of 2022 AP courses and exams. AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. 

AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning at the high school level; students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit. The Georgia DOE began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.

Dr. Chad Stone, Tift County High principal, with his wife Kristy and children Mollie, Ellie, and Brody.

TCHS PRINCIPAL STONE

GA’s SECONDARY SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL OF YEAR

Confetti flew at Tift County High on Wednesday when Principal Dr. Chad Stone was surprised with the announcement that he has been selected as the 2023 Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals "Principal of the Year."

Stone had thought the gathering in the TCHS Performing Arts Center was about upcoming spring testing, but soon the stage curtains opened and the high school band started playing the Tift County fight song.

He was then greeted by his family, system administrative staff, and other special guests.

Stone introduced his wife Kristy, their children Ellie, Mollie, and Brody, and his father Dr. Darnell Stone, and thanked each one for the role they played in him receiving this award.

He also thanked Tift Superintendent Adam Hathaway for giving him the opportunity to have “his dream job” as principal at Tift County High.

ALBANY MUSEUM HOSTS NATIONAL DEA EXHIBIT ON IMPACTS OF DRUGS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration traveling exhibit opened for the first time in Georgia at the Thronateeska Heritage Museum in Albany this month and will spend the next eight months there.

The exhibit, “Drugs: Costs and Consequences,” was created in 2002 and has been on a national tour for 20 years, Jackie Entz Shores, the museum’s education director, told the Rotary Club of Tifton on Wednesday.

The 32 interactive stations are free of charge and include a 45-60 minute guided tour for fourth graders and up.

“An estimated $193 billion per year is wrapped up in drug misuse,” Entz Shores said, “whether it’s in prevention, fighting it, or treating it. That’s a huge impact on our communities.” She said the best way to stop the drug trade from coming into the country is through education. 

“This exhibit highlights the dangers of drugs through very realistic dioramas,” she said. The exhibit is open to the public 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. School groups and organizations may schedule visits seven days a week, Entz Shores said.

The Thronateeska Museum is located at 100 Roosevelt Ave. in Albany, just blocks from the Riverquarium. 

Funding is provided to reimburse bus fare to bring school children to the exhibit. 

“Bring me your youths,” said Entz Shores. “I’d like to get as many people through this exhibit as possible. Tell your churches, tell your schools, and tell your principals, your teachers. This has been very impactful for some kids in middle school groups.”

The exhibit provides information on drug abuse and even drug manufacturing. It provides parent tool kits to facilitate conversations between parents and children.

One section, “Cost to the Body,” discusses the effect of drugs on the body and the brain. An MRI scan shows the heart and what it looks like over time when misusing drugs. Another station is the “Cost of Lost Talent,” scrolling through photographs called the “Faces of Fentanyl,” showing people lost to overdoses.

“A huge section is dedicated to the solution, breaking the cycle,” she said. “Every resource known to man is shown.” Local resources for help are discussed. Half of a car destroyed in an accident is actually included. Narco-terrorism shows how what’s happening in China and Brazil affects what’s happening in the Albany area. 

This exhibit will stay in Albany through Sept. 6, then is headed to Houston, Texas.

For information, click here.

IRWIN COUNTY: BALD EAGLE SHOT, DIES; REWARD OFFERED TO FIND VIOLATOR

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

An adult male bald eagle was recently shot in Irwin County, ultimately dying, and authorities are now offering a reward for information leading to an arrest.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service game wardens were dispatched Jan. 9 to Ponderosa Road in Irwin County, where the bald eagle was shot, the Ga. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

The bird was located and rescued by Jessica Lynn Pisciotta of Tifton, a Georgia wildlife rehabilitator.

"His sweet mate flew over several times during this rescue calling for him. Shattered my heart,” Pisciotta said.

The eagle was taken to Quailwood Animal Hospital in Tifton, where it was determined that the bird had been shot with buckshot.



"Unfortunately, the bird had to be euthanized due to overwhelming and devastating damage to the body cavity and wings,” the DNR said.

The DNR Law Enforcement Division and the Fish & Wildlife Service are jointly investigating and are offering a reward for any information leading to an arrest of the individual(s) responsible.

It is illegal to shoot a bald eagle, and violaters face a $100,000 fine and a year in prison for the first offense.

Anyone with information about the incident, is asked to call the Ga. DNR Game Warden Hotline at 800-241-4113 or the Southeast Regional Office of the Fish & Wildlife Service at 404-679-4000.

UGA EXTENSION, LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OFFER PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES

The Tift County UGA Extension and Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County are combining forces to present a five-part series, “Prioritizing your Mental Health for a Better 2023,” to be held on Tuesdays in the Adult Classroom at the city’s Bateman Youth Center, 511 W. 17th St., across from Matt Wilson School. 

The first program, entitled “Stress Less,” will be held Tuesday, Feb 28, at 10-11 a.m. and again at 3:30-4:30 p.m. Child care will be provided for the morning session.

“Research shows that chronic stress has a powerful negative impact on our mental and physical health,” said Roxie Price, UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent.

At this session, attendees will learn tips and tricks to incorporate into daily routines to reduce stress. Light refreshments will be provided. The class will be offered in English and Spanish. 

Subsequent sessions will be “Using Your Money to Accomplish Your Goals” on March 7; “How to Eat the Rainbow” on March 14; “Powerful Parenting,” March 21; and a GED information session on March 28.

For information, call Literacy Volunteers, 229-391-2527, and leave a message. 

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TIFT COUNTY MAKES OFFER TO

PURCHASE GAZETTE BUILDING

The Tift County Commission is offering $499,000 for the former Tifton Gazette building at the corner of Tift Avenue and Second Street. Built in 1952, the former newspaper building is next to the County Administration Building and across from the courthouse. The county hopes to use the building for county offices.

TIFTON COMPANY SELLS ORLANDO AREA SHOPPING CENTER

Tifton-based Lockwood Associates of Georgia, a subsidiary of the Stafford Co., recently sold the 58,000-square-foot Lockwood Village shopping center in Oviedo, Fla., for $6.44 million. West Palm Beach-based FPC Lockwood LLC, a subsidiary of FrostPoint Capital, purchased the 7.7-acre property that includes a Winn-Dixie grocery built in 1995.

TIFTON NATIVE COMPETES FOR PITCHER SPOT IN

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS’ BULLPEN

Connor Thomas, 24, a former Tift County High Blue Devil and Georgia Tech pitcher, is competing for a relief spot in the St. Louis Cardinals’ bullpen during spring training in Jupiter, Fla. Drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft, Thomas spent last season with the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds and struck out 34 batters during the recent fall league.

U.S. PEANUT DEMAND DOWN, BUT PRICES REMAIN HIGH

U.S. peanut demand is expected to decline by 4% this marketing year, primarily because of a 7% forecasted decrease in exports – but peanut prices are expected to remain high amid the projected lowered peanut stocks, according to Auburn University. Peanut production decreased in 2022, driven by fewer acres harvested and lower yields. However, the expected price for the 2022-2023 marketing year is at $540 per ton – the highest in a decade.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Boot Store

1642 S. Carpenter Rd., Tifton

Feb. 21

Weekly COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Feb. 22:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,876 ...................................... TOTAL DEATHS: 174

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 21 ................................... DEATHS - Past week: 1

TIFT POSITIVITY RATE - 2 weeks: 7.5% ........ CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 66

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 162

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,345,054......................................TOTAL GA DEATHS: 35,000

GA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 12,799

GA DEATHS - 1 week: 67................................... ......GA HOSPITALIZATIONS - 1 week: 419

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Today, Friday, Feb. 24, is National Tortilla Chip Day in celebration of the popular chip, which was initially a simple snack made with leftover tortillas that became a nationwide sensation. It’s also the official snack of the state of Texas.

FRIDAY, FEB. 24

• City of Tifton Arbor Day Observance, 11 a.m., Central Avenue between Second and Fourth streets, Tifton
• Tift County High Lady Devils basketball playoffs @ Marist School War Eagles, 6 p.m., Atlanta
• Tiftarea Academy Lady Panthers basketball playoffs vs. Terrell Academy Eagles, 7:30 p.m., Tattnall Square Academy, Macon

SATURDAY, FEB. 25

• Darby Dash 5K/1 mile, 9:30 a.m., Tiftarea Academy, Chula
• Murder & Mimosas, 11 a.m., Tifton-Tift County Public Library, Tifton
• An Evening for ABAC, 7 p.m., UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton

SUNDAY, FEB. 26

• Tiftarea Academy Open House, 2-4 p.m., Chula
• California Guitar Trio, 3 p.m., Howard Auditorium, ABAC, Tifton

ADVERTISE YOUR

YARD SALE HERE

TO ADVERTISE YOUR

RESIDENTIAL YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Beau” is hoping to get out of the cage and into a good home. Beau is among the pets available for adoption today at the Tift County Animal Shelter. Visit the Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).