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FETUS FOUND IN APT. DUMPSTER

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A dead fetus was recovered Thursday from a dumpster at a Tifton apartment complex.

Tifton Police found the fetus after responding to a call at approximately 6 a.m. Thursday about a bleeding unconscious woman at Brookfield Mews Apartments located off Tifton Eldorado Road.

Emergency medical personnel determined that the woman had suffered a miscarriage, police said. She was immediately transported to Tift Regional Medical Center for treatment.

A witness reported that the woman had earlier placed the fetus in a bag and put it in an outside dumpster. Tifton Police recovered the dead fetus and sent the remains for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. 

"At this time, no charges have been filed as the investigation is active and ongoing," police said.

Authorities said they are awaiting autopsy results and conducting further interviews to determine the appropriate course of action. Tifton Police said they will "provide updates as more information becomes available."

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Tifton Police Detective Chris Knight at 229-382-3132. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or by using the TiftonPD Tip411 mobile app. 

TIFT JOBLESS RATE INCREASES SLIGHTLY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The unemployment rate in Tift County increased slightly during January to 3%, according to data released Thursday by the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL).

December's jobless rate in Tift was 2.9%.

Tift County’s labor force – the number of people who are employed or are unemployed and seeking employment – was 20,189 during the month, according to GDOL data.

January's unemployment rates in area counties versus the previous month's rates were: Turner, 4.1% vs. 4.1%; Worth, 3.5% vs. 3.5%; Irwin, 3.1% vs. 3.3%; Cook, 3.3% vs. 4.2%; Berrien, 3.6% vs. 8.9%; and Ben Hill, 4.2% vs. 4.2%.

Georgia's January unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.6%. The national unemployment rate for the month was 4%, according to the GDOL.

Statewide, jobs were down by 28,200 over the month and up by 17,800 over the year to 4,956,100, the GDOL reported.

YMCA's TOUR de TIFTON RETURNS SATURDAY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The 15th Annual Tour de Tifton/Ilse Boyette Memorial Charity Bike Ride rolls back through Tift and surrounding counties this Saturday.

Sponsored by the Tiftarea YMCA, the bike ride is for beginners and experienced cyclists alike. The scenic routes through the countryside include an 11-mile beginner course, 24- and 45-mile intermediate loops, and challenging routes of 48.5, 62, and 100 miles for experienced riders.

The ride begins and ends at the YMCA's Hunt Park campus at 1823 Westover Road in Tifton. Check-in is at 7 a.m. Saturday, and the bike ride begins at 8 a.m.

All participants get snacks/drinks at stops along the course and receive a post-ride meal. Participants completing the "century" 62- and 100-mile courses will receive a special sticker.

All riders are required to wear helmets, and participants under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian rider.

The registration fee on race day is $55.

Proceeds from the event benefit Tiftarea YMCA programs and a book fund for nursing students. The Ilse Boyette Book Scholarship was established by Henry Boyette and family in memory of his late wife, Ilse, who was a beloved nurse at Tift Regional Medical Center for more than 20 years. Ilse's family established two $500 book scholarships.

BANQUET HONORS TIFT'S TOP TEACHERS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence (TCFEE) recognized the 10 Tift County teachers receiving this year’s Excellence in Teaching Award during a banquet Tuesday.

The teachers honored are pictured above: In bottom row from left are Robert Bullington, Len Lastinger Elementary; Johanna Coley, J.T. Reddick Elementary; Kaitlin Spurlin, Annie Belle Clark Elementary; Trisha Bridges, Northeast Middle; and Caitlyn McFarland, Annie Belle Clark Elementary.

In the top row from left are: Amy McClendon, Matt Wilson Elementary; Savannah Harvin, G.O. Bailey Elementary; MeLisa King, Northeast Middle; Leanne Westberry,  Eighth Street Middle; and Randy Meadows, Annie Belle Clark Elementary.

The banquet meal was catered by Hannah Ridgeway and the Tift County High Family, Career & Community Leaders of America FCCLA, Nutrition & Food Science Department and Nutrition Director Lorenzo Simmons, Young Farmers, and FFA.

FCCLA & FFA students also decorated the tables and served the meal.

The Rotary Club of Tifton has helped sponsor the dinner since its inception more than 30 years ago.

Nominations are now open until June 7 for the next class of Excellence in Teaching Award recipients. The nomination form can be found here.

In the photo below is retired Tift County School Superintendent Harold Abbott, who is this year's recipient of the education foundation's Brumby Legacy Award. Pictured from left are Mike and Moppy Brumby, who led TCFEE from its founding to their retirement last year, Abbott, and last year's Legacy Award recipient Betty Newkirk.

GA MOBILE AUDIOLOGY HONORS PENNY HOUSTON, HOLDS FREE HEARING TESTS FOR CHILDREN

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Former state Rep. Penny Houston of Nashville will be presented with the Advocate of the Year Award by Georgia Mobile Audiology on Saturday, March 29, during a free hearing test event for children at Valdosta State University.

Houston, whose House district included part of Tift County, is being recognized for her efforts to improve accessibility, raise awareness, and advance legislation for those affected by hearing loss.

She served in the state House of Representatives for 27 years, and has been a tireless advocate for individuals with hearing loss.

The free hearing screening event will feature interactive workshops, informative sessions, fun activities, and free backpack giveaways for children. Valdosta State hosts the event from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 29.

The free screening will focus on children's hearing testing to promote early detection and intervention for hearing loss. The event is designed to allow parents and caregivers to have their children's hearing screened by qualified professionals free of charge. Open to children up to age five, the event encourages online registration and walk-ins on event day.

It is being held in partnership with Georgia Mobile Audiology, whose mobile audiology van, known as Sunny, will be present. Sunny is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for sound booth testing, a crucial part of the hearing screening process. 

If left undetected or untreated, hearing loss can significantly affect a child’s language and literacy development, authorities say. By detecting and addressing hearing loss early, children can receive the necessary support and resources to reach their full potential.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to have their children’s hearing tested periodically.

To register online for the free screening, Click Here!

FLINT RIVERKEEPER UPDATES ROTARY CLUB ON WATER ISSUES

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Gordon Rogers, the Flint riverkeeper, offered an update on flow restoration in the river from Atlanta to the Florida Aquifer during a talk Wednesday to the Tifton Rotary Club.

Flow restoration efforts are underway in the Flint River, particularly in the upper Flint River basin, with initiatives such as “Finding the Flint” aiming to reconnect communities to the river's headwaters and improve water quality. 

Flint riverkeepers are actively involved in protecting and restoring the Flint River, its tributaries, and the aquifer system. The mission includes restoring flows and protecting water quality for the benefit of current and future generations and dependent wildlife.

“We work on pollution issues, we work on water availability issues, and we work on access to public resource issues,” Rogers said.

He works with farmers, water experts, regulators, river advocates, and scientists on flow issues throughout Southwest Georgia. Rogers is involved in such projects as restoring flow to Radium Springs, one of Georgia's natural wonders.

He said that one of the best ways to enjoy the Flint River is to canoe or kayak on it with a river guide on the Saturday after Mother’s Day, May 17.

“Ten to 15 days either side of Mother’s Day, you should do yourself a favor,” Rogers said, “and hire a river guide because this is a difficult area to get to near Thomaston to see these lilies,” a bountiful display of shoal lilies. He said it is about 60 miles south of Atlanta.

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER HELPS BUSINESSES SUCCEED, CHAMBER TOLD

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Susan McBrayer, a consultant with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Albany, told the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that her office's goal is to enhance the economic well-being of Georgians by providing a wide range of educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

With 18 locations across the state, SBDC provides tools, training, and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed. Every county is served in Georgia. McBrayer works out of the Albany location, which covers 28 counties. McBrayer herself serves nine counties, “so truly, in this area we have someone who can help you,” she said.

Small businesses are the backbone of the state economy and national economy, she said. The consultants are required to submit their success stories, and two of hers were able to increase their business by more than 100%.

One of her success stories, Cole’s Cakery of Tifton, had been named the Small Rural Business of the Year. 

“We are funded by the University of Georgia and supplemented by the Small Business Administration,” McBrayer said. “Our services aren’t free; think of them as being prepaid,” she said.

“We have to show impact,” she said. In 2024, “we consulted with almost 5,000 clients, and we conducted training programs attended by 3,544 Georgians.”

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YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER TIFTAREA

Saturday, March 22, is World Water Day – a day dedicated to drawing attention to the water-related issues that humans face in almost every country. An estimated 780 million people live without clean, accessible drinking water. Drinking contaminated water can lead to a host of life-threatening diseases. This may seem like a third-world problem, but Flint, Mich., showed us that water problems even plague the United States.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

• Community Appreciation Performance (From The Love of Revel), for supporters of “For Love of Revel Music Fest,” the family holds a free concert featuring John Hicks, Danielle Hicks, and family, 6-9 p.m., Donatello's, Downtown Tifton.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

• Tour de Tifton, Ilse Boyette Memorial Bike Ride, 8 a.m., Tiftarea YMCA Stafford Aquatic Center, Westover Road, Tifton

• Bass Fishing Tournament, 8 a.m., Rutland Farms, Tifton

• Community Health and Safety Day, free CPR training, infant & child safety education, health screenings, mental health and wellness information, healthy eating workshop, kids zone – sponsored by Frank and Solomon Nixon Funeral Home, 8-11 a.m., Tift County Neighborhood Service Center, 2737 S. Central Ave, Tifton

• Fire Ant Festival Golf Scramble, 8 a.m., Wanee Lake Golf & RV Park, Sycamore

• Harmons Invitational Track & Field Meet, 9:30 a.m., Cook County High School, Adel

• Karaoke Fest, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton

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Meet "Pookie." This brown and white pup is as sweet as his name. He is looking for a forever home where he can snuggle, play, and be the loving companion he was meant to be. Come visit Pookie and see other pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, open between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

Tifton Grapevine

e-published every Tuesday and Friday

Frank Sayles Jr.

Editor & Publisher

Bonnie Sayles

Managing Editor