|
STATE OF EMERGENCY
LOCAL SCHOOLS CLOSED AS 'HERMINE' APPROACHES
Schools and many offices in the
Tiftarea are closed today as
Hurricane Hermine strikes
Florida and
South Georgia.
 |
|
|
Hurricane Hermine seen in a satellite photo Thursday night as it headed to the Florida coast.
|
Gov.
Nathan Deal signed an executive order declaring a
state of emergency for
56 Georgia counties, including
Tift, Irwin, Ben Hill, Turner, Worth, Berrien, Clinch, Cook, Atkinson and Coffee. The state of emergency extends through midnight
Saturday.
"
Georgia is expected to receive
severe weather," Deal said. "We are working to ensure counties in south, central and coastal Georgia have access to the state resources necessary to prepare and respond."
A
tropical storm warning was in effect Thursday for most of
South Georgia.
The Tift County Emergency Manage-ment
Agency advises residents that all non-emergency calls, such as
trees down, water over the road, shelter information, etc. can be called into the Tift County Emergency Operations Center at 229-388-6086. All emergency calls, such as power lines down or life-threatening situations, should be made to 911.
The American Red Cross opened a temporary shelter at the Tift County Recreation Department gym, located at 401 N. Victory Drive, at 9 p.m. Thursday, which will remain open until noon today (Friday) for Tift countians who live in mobile homes.
Tift County Schools are
closed Friday for students and staff. Maintenance staff and principals are asked to report after lunch to check buildings for storm damage that may require weekend repairs.
Tiftarea Academy is also closed.
Other public schools closed include those in
Irwin, Ben Hill, Turner and Worth counties.
The Irwin High football game
with
Macon County has been moved to 4 p.m. Monday in Ocilla. The
Turner High vs. Crisp County football game has been rescheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Ashburn.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and UGA Tifton have cancelled classes today.
The
Tift County Emergency Management
Agency will be posting information on its
Facebook
page,
|
DEADLINE FOR DINNER
DINNER-SHOW TICKETS FOR THE DRIFTERS NEARLY GONE
The Drifters are coming to
Tifton on
Thursday, Sept. 8, and
dinner-show tickets will
not be available after Tuesday morning.
Show-only tickets will be
available up
until showtime.
"There has been a lot of interest in
The Drifters, which is our
annual fundraiser," said
Frank Sayles Jr., president of the
Tifton-Tift County Public Library Foundation. "We are offering a
special sit-down dinner before the concert but must
cut off dinner ticket sales by 9 a.m. Tuesday, if there are any dinner tickets still available by then."
Dinner-show tickets are
$80 per person.
Show-only tickets are
$35. They are
available online at
www.ugatiftonconference.org and at the
public library on
Love Avenue. The
dinner starts at
7 p.m. Thursday, and the
concert begins at
8:15 p.m. in the
ballroom at the
UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.
For
information, the
conference center may be reached at
229-386-3416, or call
229-848-7043.
The Drifters, members of the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, have had such
hits as
"Under the Boardwalk," "Up on the Roof," "On Broadway," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "Spanish Harlem," "This Magic Moment" and
"Stand By Me."
|
Tickets Available at UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center and
at
the Tifton-Tift County Public Library
$80 per person for Dinner & Show; $35 for Show Only
[DINNER TICKET MUST BE
PURCHASED
BY 9 a.m. TUESDAY, SEPT. 6]
For information, call 229-848-7043 or 229-386-3416
|
|
CONTINUING NO. 4's LEGACY
BLUE DEVILS BRING LATE STAR'S NUMBER OUT OF RETIREMENT
|
|
|
COLE PATTERSON
|
|
|
|
|
BERT JONES
|
|
"
Bert Jones had a monster year for
Tift County 25 years ago when he had
40 receptions for
809 yards for
Gene Brodie's playoff team.
"Bert's
number was
retired shortly after his death in an accident the summer after his junior year.
"His
family asked Tift County Head Coach
Ashley Anders to
bring back the
No. 4 this season and give it to a player that would honor what Bert was as a sportsman, athlete and student.
"The
No. 4 was
worn last week for the first time since
1991, when
Cole Patterson suited up for the
Devils.
"
Patterson is an excellent choice to
continue the legacy of the No. 4 as a senior HB/TE.
"Long live the
tradition of Blue Devil football and of
Bert Jones and his
contribution to the
community. Play on!"
~
Kyle Dean
Sports Broadcaster for the Tift County Blue Devils,
Educator,
and Sports Historian
|
|
|
Tifton VA Clinic manager Donna Ammons, left,
cuts
the ribbon on the new facility with help from local veterans.
In the middle is U.S. Rep. Austin Scott next to Commissioner Mike Roby of the Ga. Department of Veterans Service.
|
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
TIFTON VA CLINIC NOW SERVING VETERANS
Following years of effort, a Veterans Affairs Clinic formally
opened Wednesday in Tifton at the corner of Ridge Avenue and 20th Street.
More than 300 veterans, local residents and state and local officials toured the facility during its grand opening.
Local businessman
Jack Stone was recognized for his work on behalf of all veterans in the
Tiftarea.
"This center would not be here today without
your tireless effort," Congressman
Austin Scott, R-Tifton, told
Stone, who was also
instrumental in creating
Downtown Tifton's Veterans Memorial Park.
Jack Stone, at center in photo, meets folks at the clinic's grand opening.
|
|
DOWNTOWN TIFTON'S UNIQUE ADDRESS!
HISTORIC
UNION DEPOT APARTMENTS
Unique 1 Bedroom/
1 Bath Apartment @ $875
& 2 Bedroom/2 Bath
Loft Apartment
@ $950
Now Available!
Both with
Marble Countertops;
Custom-made
Cabinets;
Walk-in Closets;
Hardwood Floors;
All Appliances,
including Washer & Dryer;
Secure Entry; Ample Parking
121 N. Central Ave.
Downtown Tifton
Call
229-382-0959
|
PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA
OPEN EVERY DAY STARTING MONDAY
Do your Labor Day plans include throwing out some
fishing line for your favorite catch? The state is making it easier beginning on
Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.
For the first time in five years,
Georgia Public Fishing Areas (PFAs) are scheduled to also be
open every Monday and Tuesday, beginning
Labor Day, says the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division.
This means that
PFAs are
now open seven days a week, including
Paradise Public Fishing Area in Berrien County (Click Here!), not far from Tifton.
"We are thrilled that we have reached a point where we can make PFAs accessible seven days a week," says John Biagi, chief of the Wildlife Resources Division fisheries management. "And while fishing is the main attraction for most visitors, Georgia PFAs also offer other family-friendly activities such as hiking, bird watching, picnicking and camping."
Waters on PFAs vary from lakes several hundred acres in size to ponds less than one acre, with some designated as kids-only fishing ponds. Anglers may fish from a boat, along the shoreline or from a pier at most locations. Many areas have picnic tables, nature and wildlife observation trails, fish-cleaning stations and restroom facilities. Some offer primitive campsites for those wishing to stay overnight on the area, and many facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Other PFAs in Georgia include:
- Rocky Mountain PFA (Floyd County)
- McDuffie County PFA (McDuffie County)
- Big Lazer Creek PFA (Talbot County)
- Marben Farms PFA (Jasper/Newton counties)
- Dodge County PFA (Dodge County)
- Evans County PFA (Evans County)
- Flat Creek PFA (Houston County)
- Hugh M. Gillis PFA (Laurens County)
- Ocmulgee PFA (Bleckley County) which is closed for renovation but is reopening soon.
|
"Best-Selling Truck for 39 Straight Years"
511 West 7th Street
(229) 382-1300
|
|
ABAC STUDENT SPENDS SUMMER
AS CONGRESSIONAL INTERN
Bethany Langston
planted a political seed this summer when she interned in the office of local Congressman
Austin Scott in Washington, D.C., as a part of her rural studies major at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
"My father always told me that if you have a voice, then you need to use it," Langston said. "I wanted to see what goes on behind closed doors, and I needed to see who the instrumental players are within our government."
|
|
|
Tifton native Bethany Langston spent her summer interning for U.S. Rep. Austin Scott at the U.S. Capitol.
|
Langston first worked with Scott, a Republican from Tifton, in 2015, interning in his Tifton office.
Langston, daughter of Chris and Tammy Langston, has always been interested in politics. She plans to receive her ABAC bachelor's degree in rural studies with an emphasis in politics and modern culture in May. She got real-world experience this summer when her intern duties included assisting in receptions, organizing the calendar, attending briefings and doing research.
"When someone would come in for a meeting with Congressman Scott, it was also my job to give them Georgia-specific products," Langston said. "So anyone who came in received peanuts and a Coke."
The Tift County High graduate said
ABAC's
"affordability, along with the fact that my family is here and I was already employed in
Tifton
, made ABAC the
right choice
for me. The faculty and staff are so impressive; they band together to help students every day. There is a deeper community involvement at ABAC."
Upon graduation, Langston plans to travel to Europe with a friend before moving to the Washington, D.C., area.
"I have made a lot of connections in D.C. and have had offers for paid internships after graduation," Langston said. "My main goal starting out in D.C. is to work on political campaigns.
Ultimately, I would love to work in the public policy arena or the communication sector. My dream is to serve as speaker of the House."
|
|
|
MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY DAY SET FOR SEPT. 10
Eighth District Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton, will host Military Service Academy Day on Saturday, Sept. 10, in Warner Robins.
Doors open at 9 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m. at the
Museum of Aviation's Eagle Building  on
Highway 247 at the Richard B. Russell Parkway.
Academy Day provides students in eighth through 12th grades, their parents and school counselors with a chance to learn about and speak with representatives from the five U.S. military academies.
Academy representatives from each military service branch, the Georgia Military College and the University of North Georgia will be present to provide information and answer questions about the application and admissions process.
Members of Scott's district office and representatives from U.S. Senate offices will be available to assist with nomination applications.
For information, call Alice Johnson in the Tifton District Office, 229-396-5175.
|
|
|
TIFTAREA ACADEMY STUDENTS
EARN SUMMER READING POINTS
Tiftarea Academy once again had strong student
participation in the Summer Accelerated Reader (AR) program that the Tift
County
Foundation for Educational Excellence hosted for six weeks at the United Way of South Central Georgia.
A total of
119 Tiftarea Academy readers earned
3,667 AR points by reading and passing tests on
1,774 books. Reward money goes
to the school's media center to buy more books.
Pictured from left is the school's h
eadmaster, Stacey Bell, school liaison Heidi Massey, Foundation Director Mike Brumby, school Media Specialist
Dona Sumner and longtime patron Dallas Hunt.
|
|
Honor those who are fighting cancer and remember those whose battle was lost by donating to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network with your purchase of a Lights of Hope luminary bag.
Your donation of $10 or more per bag will help the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network urge lawmakers to make the fight against cancer a national priority.
Lee Turner of Tifton will take the local luminary bags to Washington, D.C.
|
|
AND THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE....
Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton, on Wednesday gets some tips from kindergartners at Tifton's Len Lastinger Primary School about how to build a better bird's nest. The students in teacher Tracy Ingram's class were using math and science skills during this hands-on activity when the congressman stopped by for a visit.
|
|
Tifton's Locally Owned Electronic Newspaper!
It's Free!
e-published every Tuesday & Friday / to advertise, call 478-227-7126
|
YOUR WEEKEND
...at a Glance
- All local schools closed because of weather. Be safe!
- Community-Wide Yard Sale, 8 a.m.-Noon, Downtown Tifton, Ocilla, Fitzgerald
- Downtown Tifton Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Old Train Depot Platform, Tifton
- National Forestry Pageant, 4 p.m. & 6:30 p.m., Tift County High Performing Arts Center, Tifton
|
AUG. 25
Albert Alexander Sumner, 87, Eldorado
Phillip Wright Crosby, Tifton
Teresa M. Gosney, 71, Fitzgerald
James E. "Skeeter" Harrell, 56, Sumner
Hung Mai, 49, Douglas
AUG. 27
Bobby Neil Usry Sr., 79,
Tifton
Jessica Leanne Williams, 32, Nashville
Fannie E. "Betty" Mixon, 99, Ocilla
Ilene Hair Fletcher, 82, Irwin County
Berney Jordan, 47, Sparks
AUG. 28
Robert Earl "Bob" Stoufer, 90,
Tifton
Lana Boone Griffin, 63, Lenox
Doris Callahan, 93, Nashville
Daniel Sanford "Danny" Hillhouse, 65, Nashville
Russell Buchan Harper, 92, Fitzgerald
Charles Adamson, Fitzgerald
AUG. 29
David Warren, 86,
Tifton
Lillie Mae Mitson, 95, Bartow, Fla.
Marilyn Hurst, 71, Nashville
Russell Buchan Harper, 92, Fitzgerald
Rebecca Elizebeth "Becca" Hall, 15, Valdosta
AUG. 30
Mildred Elaine Anderson Meeks, 71, Chula
Jeannie Farmer Carey, 62, Tifton
Katie Mae Holt, Sylvester
SEPT. 1
Don F. Green, 80, Irwin County
|
|
SERVING YOU WITH PROFESSIONALISM
BEFORE, DURING & AFTER THE SALE
3004 North Park Ave., Tifton GA
MLS #: 125382
This custom-built home with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 3,151 square feet is also available
for lease.
 |
|
Dwana Coleman
|
Call Us Today!
229-386-4222
It's a Great Time to Sell Your House.
Call Us for Details!
Blue Skies & Sunshine Through Each & Every
Real Estate Transaction!
|
|
|
|
|
