Dollars and Census

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

DOLLARS AND CENSUS

U.S. CENSUS AFFECTS FEDERAL FUNDING

IN TIFT COUNTY, CHAMBER TOLD

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Thad Wright , partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau , told Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce members Thursday how they can help with the 2020 Census by promoting participation.

“ Federal funds in the amount of $50,000 is lost per household that doesn’t respond to the Census ,” Wright said.

The U.S. Census is constitutionally mandated and has been conducted every decade since 1790 . This is the 24th decennial, Wright said. The Census is a social and economic planning tool . For instance, he said, Georgia earned two additional seats in Congress in 2010 , thanks to its increased population , as determined by the U.S. Census .

“It’s a forecasting tool,” he said. “It’s a socioeconomic indicator. Businesses that want to move here will look at Census data to see if there are enough people here to be consumers.” Because of counting its population, Georgia is ranked eighth among the states.

“The Census is completely private ,” Wright said. “Information may not be shared for 72 years.” Anyone who breaks that trust and is found to have shared information gained during the Census will spend five years in prison.

The Census will never ask for Social Security numbers. It consists of 10 questions that will take 10 minutes to answer. Students who are away at college, but live off campus, are counted where they reside on Census Day, April 1 .

“We are six months away from the Census ,” he said. “We send out five mailers. The fourth will be a tear-off sheet that should be mailed in.”

The question, “Are you a U.S. citizen?” will not be on the Census , he said.

The Tift County Complete Count Committee , chaired by Tift County Clerk Marian Jordan , is tasked with helping to communicate the importance of participating in the Census.

For information , visit 2020Census.gov online.

Will Graham, son of Franklin Graham and grandson of Billy Graham, will be in Tifton on Thursday to announce a 'Tiftarea Celebration' to be held in March.

BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOC. TO ANNOUNCE 'TIFTAREA CELEBRATION'

Will Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) on Thursday plan to announce in Tifton the upcoming "Tiftarea Celebration with Will Graham" scheduled for March .

Will is a grandson of Billy Graham and the oldest son of Franklin Graham . He has spoken to more than 1 million people across six continents since beginning his evangelistic ministry .

In Tifton on Thursday , Will Graham will officially accept an invitation from local civic and church leaders to hold a celebration in the city . A cross-section of local leaders are expected to attend to demonstrate their cooperation in the upcoming celebration with Will Graham scheduled for March 20-22 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center .

“ Together they will share their vision for the coming months of planning and preparation , which will culminate with the Tiftarea Celebration with Will Graham in March ,” BGEA officials said in a written statement.

Graham , vice president and associate evangelist with BGEA , is a third-generation evangelist. He graduated from Liberty University in 1997 with a bachelor of science in religion and in 2001 graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a master of divinity degree.

Music, Dancing, Food & More!

Taste original dishes from around the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Venezuela, Italia and the Dominican Republic.

Children's Carnival by BAM / Arts and Crafts / Exhibitors with information on Education, Health and more!

Entertainers: Peruvian Apu Inka music/dancers, Grupo de Danza MexicaAzteca Tonacuauhtli, Dancer’s Pointe Dance Company, ABAC Cultura Latina, Nuestro Folklore & Nuestro Folklore Jr., Mariachi Garibaldi, Tifton County High School Spanish Club, Aposento Alto Band, TCHS Spanish Club, 501 Legion Star Wars group, Platanito the Clown, The International MEGA DJ from Hidalgo, Banda Los Rodriguez de Nuevo Leon, Banda Los Compas de Nuevo Leon

Sponsors: Platinum – The Howard Women’s Health Center // Gold – Tifton Tift Co. Tourism Association; Tift Regional Medical Center, Coca-Cola; Georgia Power // Silver – Southwest Georgia Bank; BB&T Bank // Bronze – Tifton Merchants Association; Synovus; South Georgia Banking Co.; Ameris Bank // Supporters – Colony Bank; O’Reilly Auto Parts; Pappa John’s Pizza; Nashville Monument & Memorial, LLC // Special Thanks – Tifton-Tift County Public Library; City of Tifton; Tifton Police Department; Tifton Fire Department; Tift County Recreation Department; Tifton Gazette; Willis Signs & Graphics; Bob’s Flowers

RECUERDEN FESTIVAL de LA FIESTA DEL PUEBLO, Sabado 28 de Septiembre, En el Parque Central Fullwood de Tifton, De 10 de la manana a 10 de la noche, Carnaval para ninos, Comidas tipicas, Actividades de Arte, salud y educacion, Ademas de, Espectaculo de danza y baile, Entrada Gratis

GDOT RESURFACING ROADS IN IRWIN, WORTH COUNTIES

The Georgia Department of Transportation recently awarded construction contracts to resurface approximately 33 miles of road at a cost of $8.1 million .

The largest contract awarded is to mill and resurface State Route ( SR) 256 from west of U.S. Highway 319/SR 35 in Colquitt County to SR 33 in Worth County . The $4.6 million contract was awarded to Reames and Son Construction Co. Inc. of Valdosta .

Two county roads in Irwin County will also be resurfaced utilizing Transportation Investment Act (TIA) funding . TIA allows regions throughout Georgia to impose a 1 percent sales tax to pay for transportation improvements within the region.

Osierfield Road from SR 32 to the Ben Hill County line and Evergreen Road from SR 32 to the Ben Hill County line will be resurfaced . The $2.4 million contract was awarded to the Scruggs Co. of Hahira .

Another state route to be resurfaced is U.S. Highway H82/SR 50 in Quitman County from the Alabama state line to SR 39 . The $1.1 million contract was awarded to Oxford Construction Co. of Albany .

Start dates have not been established for any of these projects. All are scheduled to be complete by next summer .

IT MUST BE FALL....

The cotton harvest is underway on the University of Georgia Tifton campus . Bags of cotton are being collected and then will be weighed . It's all part of Professor Glen Harris' research .

RELATIVE OF 'DRACULA' CREATOR

TO SPEAK OCT. 8 AT ABAC

A descendant of the creator of the legendary vampire Count Dracula will be on stage in Howard Auditorium at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 for the ABAC Lecture Series “Stoker on Stoker–The Mysteries Behind the Writing of Dracula.”

Dacre Stoker , the great-grandnephew of “Dracula” author Bram Stoker , will weave together the history of the book, which the Irish author released in 1897 . He will provide details of Bram Stoker’s life in Dublin and London with plenty of Stoker family lore .

The lecture will give attendees a look behind the scenes of never-before published historical images and the life of one of the least-known authors and one of the world’s most famous books. The speaker promises to separate facts from popular fiction about Dracula .

Dacre Stoker co-authored “ Dracula the Un-Dead,” the official Stoker family-endorsed sequel to “Dracula,” and many other books about Dracula and Bram Stoker, such as “Dracul: Even Immortals Have Their Beginnings.”

Funded by the Tom M. Cordell Distinguished Lecture Series , the event is open to the public .