MANA Nutrition, a Fitzgerald-based nonprofit that produces ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to fight global malnutrition, broke ground Wednesday on a $36 million expansion of its Ben Hill County manufacturing facility.

The 38,000-square-foot addition to the existing facility will allow MANA to produce 300 million pounds annually of its peanut-based nutrition supplement, compared to the 30 million currently. It will also create 10 new jobs, bringing the company’s employment in the county to 80.

"It’s great to see the amazing work done by hardworking Georgians in Ben Hill County," said Gov. Brian P. Kemp. "We are excited to watch MANA Nutrition serve communities in need worldwide with products from our state's No. 1 agriculture industry.”

The "RUTFs" are composed of peanut paste, milk, and a special mix of vitamins and minerals; they are distributed globally to fight malnutrition. MANA recently sent nearly 1 million packages of its nutrition supplement to war-torn Ukraine, said to be one of the largest shipments of humanitarian supply rations in history and the largest ever by a private company in partnership with Samaritans Purse.

Since its creation in 2009, MANA has helped nearly 5.5 million children and is predicted to feed an additional 1 million in 2022 alone.

“At MANA we are proud to harness two of Georgia’s greatest strengths – people and peanuts – to serve and feed the world. We are proud that our small, rural community is one of the world’s largest suppliers of Ready to Use Food for malnourished children,” said Mark Moore, co-founder and chief executive officer of MANA Nutrition. 

“This upgrade to our facility will allow us to feed up to 3 million children a year. Hopefully, our effort is an inspiration to others who might not have much, but can do what they can with what they have to make our world a better place.”

Jason Dunn, director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Development Authority, said that “feeding the world from rural Georgia is not a new concept; the manner in which MANA Nutrition is doing it is. Through the combination of Georgia-grown peanuts and the state-of-the-art production of life-saving therapeutic foods, MANA’s continued investment in Fitzgerald is not only strengthening, but also expanding the reach of Georgia’s ag legacy.”

Georgia leads the nation in the production of peanuts. In 2020, Georgia peanuts were planted on more than 800,000 acres throughout Georgia and accounted for 53% of peanut production in the United States. Seventy-six of Georgia’s 159 counties have peanut farms, with an average yield of more than 4,100 pounds per acre.

Nearly 17 years after Irwin County teacher Tara Grinstead’s disappearance, the man charged with the former Miss Tifton's death goes on trial beginning Monday morning.

On Thursday, the jury was seated, and Chief Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt of Tifton said the trial of Ryan Duke, a former student at Grinstead’s school, will commence. Duke in 2017 was charged in connection with Grinstead’s death.

The popular 30-year-old Irwin County High School history teacher and former beauty queen disappeared from her Ocilla home in 2005, prompting a large-scale search, posters and billboards being posted throughout the area, and national media spotlighting the case.

Duke is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, burglary, and concealing a death. A friend of his, Bo Dukes, was convicted in 2019 of helping conceal Grinstead's death, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Bo Dukes said he had he helped Ryan Duke burn Grinstead's body.

Grinstead was Miss Tifton in 1999 and had competed three times in the Miss Georgia pageant. She later helped other young girls interested in entering pageants.

Tift County's positive COVID-19 cases totaled 18 during the past two weeks, increasing from 10 in the previous period, according to data from the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 were seven within the past week, the DPH reported. There were no additional deaths in Tift County during the past two weeks.

Tift County’s total positive cases represent 44 cases per 100,000 population, the measure used across the country to compare case rates among communities and states.

Tift's testing positivity rate for the period was 6.1%, up from 2.7%, the DPH reported.

Tift has seen a total of 6,292 cases with 164 related deaths, the DPH said.

The state recorded a total of 1,955,230 confirmed cases and 31,627 related deaths, the DPH said; the state has begun reporting COVID-19 data once a week.

Early voting continues for the May 24 primary election, and the poll will also be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. this Saturday, May 7, and next Saturday May 14.

During week days through May 20, registered voters in Tift County may cast early ballots at the county Board of Elections Office at the corner of Fourth Street and Chesnutt Avenue between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.

Among races on the ballot. Gov. Brian P. Kemp faces challengers David A. Perdue, Catherine Davis, Kandiss Taylor, and Tom Williams for the Republican nomination.

In the Republican U.S. Senate race, state Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black and former UGA football player Herschel Junior Walker are joined by Josh Clark, Kelvin King, Jonathan "Jon" McColumn, and Latham Saddler on the ballot.

In the Democratic primary, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock faces Tamara Johnson-Shealey for the nomination.

For the GOP secretary of state nomination, incumbent Brad Raffensperger faces David C. Belle Isle, Jody Hice, and T.J. Hudson. Republican State School Superintendent Richard Woods of Tifton faces John D. Barge for the GOP nomination.

Locally, state Senate District 13 Sen. Carden H. Summers faces challengers Ed Perry of Nashville and George Woods of Tifton for the GOP nomination.

In Tift County Commission races, District 1 incumbent Donnie Hester faces James Edward Burroughs Jr. and Sharhonda Hunt-Sears. In District 6, incumbent County Commissioner Greg Wood is challenged by Rachael Price.

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GSP GRADUATES 41 NEW TROOPERS; ONE FOR TIFTON

The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) graduated its 111th Trooper School last Friday at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. After 32 weeks of intense training, 41 new troopers will report to one of the 52 patrol posts throughout the state, including in Tifton.

Trooper cadets spend 20 weeks at the academy and 12 weeks in field training. The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council requires that all peace officers receive a minimum of 408 hours of basic mandate training.

At the completion of Trooper School, these newly graduated troopers received more than 1,400 hours of training, including driving, defensive tactics, vehicle stops, Spanish, criminal law and criminal procedure, firearms, accident investigation, and various other training.

Newly commissioned trooper Kyle Duke is reporting to Georgia State Patrol Post 13 in Tifton. The other new troopers have been assigned to other posts around the state.

Synovus Bank on Wednesday announced the appointment of Bryan Williams as market president for Tifton.

Williams joins Synovus from First Commerce Credit Union, previously The Citizens Bank of Nashville, where he served as vice president of business services.  

“We are delighted to welcome Bryan to Synovus as our new Tifton market president,” said Jim Manley, Synovus market executive for Middle and South Central Georgia.

“With more than 30 years of relevant professional and banking experience in South Georgia markets, we feel Bryan is uniquely prepared to lead our talented local team while carrying on the bank’s proud heritage of serving our clients, communities, and stakeholders in the greater Tifton area.”   

Williams joined The Citizens Bank in 2006. He held leadership positions in commercial lending and credit before assuming the role of bank CFO and COO in 2013. He was named First Commerce Credit Union's vice president of business services in 2020, when the credit union acquired The Citizens Bank.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Vanderbilt University. He is an honor graduate of the Georgia Bankers Association's Georgia Banking School.

Williams is an active member on the boards of directors of the Georgia Family Connection Partnership and the BGV Foundation, which manages the endowment fund for the Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta.

Older Americans Month activities in Tift County during the coming week include a corn hole tournament at the Tift County Recreation Department, beginning at 9:30 a.m. today and continuing until a winner is determined.

First Baptist Church is holding a Game Day at 2-4:30 p.m. Monday, followed by a Dutch Treat dinner. 

Then at 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, an Elvis Movie Matinee at the Tift Theatre will be held free of charge for anyone age 55 and over, sponsored by Abide Home Care, Homestead Hospice & Palliative Care, Legacy Village of Tifton, and Coca-Cola United.

For further details and/or to apply, go to https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/246388

TIFT COUNTY HIGH NAMES PROM KING & QUEEN

During Tift County High School's senior prom Saturday, Ethan Jackson and Hollee Dunston were crowned as Prom King and Queen.

The prom was held Saturday evening at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Southwell has redeployed the health system’s mobile clinic. This six-wheeled unit, about the size of a bus, is used to better reach medically underserved areas within the community. 

“The Southwell Mobile Health Clinic was a bit sidelined over the past two years due to COVID-19 and the fact that we had to reallocate resources to other areas during the pandemic,” said Randy Chambers, practice manager for Southwell Medical Community Health Center. 

The mobile clinic has been made possible by the Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation. The unit is wheelchair accessible and includes three exam rooms, a lab area, and restroom. It is staffed by providers with Southwell Medical Community Health Center and offers adult care only. 

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This Sunday, May 8, is Mother's Day, a day to honor all mothers. West Virginia native Anna Jarvis organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration in May 1908. President Woodrow Wilson later established the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in 1914, and Hallmark began selling Mother’s Day cards in the early 1920s.

"Bailey," a happy female pooch, is available for adoption or rescue at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

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

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