Friday, July 31, 2020
Tifton, Georgia
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GrapeNew
NO UGA vs. GA TECH GAME THIS YEAR
SEC PLANS CONFERENCE-ONLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
As with all sports this year, college football just won’t be the same.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) on Thursday announced a 10-game conference-only schedule, which means that for the first time since 1925 , the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech will not be facing off on the gridiron .

The intrastate and interconference rivals usually meet at the final game of the regular season.

“The 10-game SEC schedule provides us the best opportunity to play football as safely as possible in a Covid environment,” said UGA Athletic Director Greg McGarity . “It’s disappointing the schedule model does not make it possible to play Georgia Tech ; however, we look forward to renewing that rivalry in 2021."

The SEC is kicking off its football season on Sept. 26 .

“It was clear in our meeting today that this delay would be beneficial to our student athletes and promote the safe and orderly return to campus for our student body in August," UGA President Jere W. Morehead said Thursday .

"Having some separation between the earlier reopening of our campuses and the later start of the football season should be helpful,” he said.

UGAs fall semester begins Aug. 20 .
GA PAYS OUT $1 BILLION LAST WEEK IN JOBLESS BENEFITS; BUT JUNE
JOBLESS RATE DECLINES
The Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) said Thursday it paid more than $1 billion in unemployment benefits last week, more than the $922 million issued during the past three years combined.

The DOL has paid out more than $11 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits since the middle of March , the department said. The payments include regular state unemployment insurance, federal pandemic compensation and state extended benefits.

Also, the unemployment rate for June dropped from the previous month in both the state and in Tift County , the DOL reported.

“June was the first month to show positive numbers in all major indicators since the pandemic started,” said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

“Although it is nice to see the pendulum move in the right direction, we are not naive to the fact that we may see another tick up in claims over the next few months. We will continue to work unemployment claims, both new and continued, to ensure all Georgians are being taken care of during these unprecedented times.”

The state unemployment rate decreased by 1.8 percentage points in June to reach 7.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.5 percent.

Tift County's jobless rate in June was 5.3 percent, down from 6 percent in May; one year ago it was 3.6 percent.

The highest jobless rate in the Tiftarea during June was in Turner County , which recorded 7.6 percent unemployment, an increase from the previous month's 7.1 percent. Last year the rate was 4 percent.
WFXL-TV photo
Lee Turner in Downtown Tifton exhibiting some of the luminary bags with names and photos of cancer survivors and of those who have succumbed to the disease.
DOWNTOWN TIFTON TO OFFER 'LIGHTS OF HOPE' HONORING
THOSE TOUCHED BY CANCER
Downtown Tifton will join communities across the nation Sept. 12 by honoring lives affected by cancer and raising funds for the American Cancer Society .

Local business owner Lee Turner of Tifton, a two-time cancer survivor, is organizing the Tifton ceremony of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's (ACS CAN) "Lights of Hope Across America.” Turner is the state lead ambassador for ACS CAN Georgia.

Tifton residents are teaming up with Turner to display, along Main Street , up to 400 luminary bags with the names and photos of cancer survivors and of those lost to the disease.

“We could all use some hope and community right now,” Turner said. “Now more than ever, cancer patients and their families need to know we’re here for them through these difficult times and beyond. I’m fortunate I don’t need to travel far to build that support and make sure the voices of cancer patients and survivors are heard.”

More than 25 Tift County students have already volunteered to help put out the bags on Main Street. Business owners are volunteering their storefront windows as an additional space to display the bags.

“Working with Lee Turner is such an honor. He cares passionately about his community and his dedication to ACS CAN shines through in every way,” said Tifton Mayor Julie Smith .

“Tifton is fortunate to have someone of Lee’s caliber leading the efforts and bringing us closer in securing good health and healing for the cancer community. I look forward to the Lights of Hope Across America display here on Main Street .”

Turner’s personal battle with cancer and passion to prevent others from receiving a deadly diagnosis is known throughout the community. He faced a difficult 52 years fighting against the disease after being diagnosed at the age of two . After losing his mother and grandmother to cancer, Turner dedicated his life to being a voice for cancer patients and survivors.

He has already collected 50 luminary bags in preparation for the September event and hopes to have the remaining 350 by Aug. 31 . To dedicate a Lights of Hope bag, contact Turner at 229-848-6123 or at  bulasantiques@yahoo.com
Yesha Patel receives her award for having the h ighest exit exam during the drive-through ceremony on Tuesday.
SRTC HOLDS DRIVE-THRU PINNING CEREMONY FOR NURSING STUDENTS
Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) held its first drive-through pinning ceremony Tuesday during which 24 Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students from the LPN to RN Bridge program received nursing pins.

The ceremony commemorates the students’ successful completion of their nursing coursework and clinical rotations. This class of nursing students is also invited to participate in SRTC’s formal graduation ceremony Dec. 1 , and they will be Registered Nurses (RN's) pending the passage of their board exams.

Students receiving pins were: Nestor Nunez Vazquez of Omega ; Chandler Bearden of Sylvester ; Kalonty Chaney, Maritza Delgado, Queen Rouse, Dixie Turner, and Kristen Coker of Tifton ; Rachel Haynes of Berlin ; Ashley Merritt of Lake Park ; Jennifer Campos-Alvarado, Taylor Cook, Judy Folsom, Shelly Hagin, Lora Holifield, Ruby Martinez, Savannah Morgan, Jessica Newsome, Brandi Nunes, Kristal Sheffield, Lori Sherling, and Qusanna Sharp of Moultrie ; and Elizabeth Brunot, Keosha Jackson, and Yesha Patel of Valdosta

At the ceremony, faculty members recognized several students for exceptional achievement: Yesha Patel earned the Highest Exit Exam Award with a conversion score of 99.31. The Clinical Excellence Award was given to Ruby Martinez . The Colquitt Regional Medical Center Leadership Award was presented to Kristal Sheffield , and the Nightingale Award recognized accomplishments of Taylor Cook .  

SRTC's fall semester begins Aug. 18
EXCHANGE CLUB AWARDS OFFICER OF YEAR
Lt. Kris Stone with the Tift County Sheriff’s Office has received the “Officer Of The Year” award from the Exchange Club of Tifton .

Stone is pictured at left with Sheriff Gene Scarbrough and Exchange Club President Danny Hoover .

"Congratulations, Lt. Stone , on your award and achievements within The Tift County Sheriff’s Office. Thanks to the Exchange Club for their amazing support for law enforcement ," Scarbrough said.
RED CROSS SEEKING PLASMA FROM THOSE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19
The American Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma to help current patients who are seriously ill or at high risk of serious illness.

You may qualify if you:

  • Are at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.
  • Are in good health and feeling well.
  • Have a verified prior diagnosis of COVID-19.
  • Are fully recovered and symptom free for at least 14 days, as determined by your medical provider.

If you meet all the criteria above and are willing to help, you may fill out the donor eligibility form at: www.RedCrossBlood.org/Plasma4COVID
TURNER SHERIFF HESTER NAMED VP
OF GEORGIA SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION
Turner County Sheriff Andy Hester , at right in photo, was sworn in this week as vice president of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association .

"It's a great privilege to serve my community and my fellow sheriffs. I want to thank my community for trusting in me as your sheriff. I will continue to represent Turner County here and throughout the state with great honor," Hester said.

At center is Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed being sworn in as president of the Sheriffs' Association.
RUTH LEE TO CHAIR GEORGIA COUNCIL ON AGING
The Georgia Council on Aging (GCOA) has named Ruth Lehmann Lee of Tifton as chairman of the council.

Lee , a longtime  Tifton resident, has served on the Georgia Council on Aging since being appointed in  2013  by Gov. Nathan Deal . She previously served as council vice chair for four years.

The GCOA coordinates the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE) that has more than 1,100 members across Georgia. 

GCOA also organizes  Senior Week at the Capitol and has been instrumental in obtaining increased funding for home- and community-based services as well as passage of related legislation.

“I look forward to leading the council and further advocating for the needs of older Georgians and increasing the membership for CO-AGE so we can have a louder voice,” said Lee, who retired as oncology services director at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton where she was previously director of Hospice of Tift Area .

Lee was also the executive director of Hospice of Central Georgia in Macon and past president and treasurer of the Georgia Hospice Organization Board of Directors .

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Tift College and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Albany State College .
 
The Georgia Council on Aging advocates on behalf of older Georgians and their families to improve their quality of life. Read more about the council at  www.gcoa.org   
FORMER ABAC TENNIS STAR NAMED
HEAD COACH AT MONTANA STATE
Trey Morris , a former tennis standout at Tifton's Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), was named head tennis coach Thursday at Montana State University .

Morris had led Montana State men's tennis as the program's interim coach during the 2019-20 season. He played at ABAC in 2014 , when his squad finished third in the national junior college ranks.

He went on from ABAC to Appalachian State University , where he earned all-conference doubles (2015) and all-academic (2017) honors as a student-athlete. Morris served as a team captain his senior year and finished his collegiate career with a 44-27 singles record and a 42-23 doubles mark.

Morris has worked as tennis director and associate owner at Baskin-McGill Tennis Academy in Marietta after serving as its tennis pro. He also worked as an assistant tennis pro at Tennis Dynamics in Marietta . Morris' college coaching career began as a volunteer assistant for the Appalachian State University men's and women's tennis programs.

"I appreciate the job Trey did guiding the men's tennis program this season, and I'm happy to remove 'interim' from his title," said Leon Costello , MSU athletics director.

"He led the program with positive energy , and the student-athletes responded to him in competition and in the classroom . I'm excited for the future of the Bobcat men's tennis program with Trey as the head coach."
•••••• LAST CHANCE! ••••••
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S PET OF THE WEEK
Your next pet is ready for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter . The shelter, located at 278 Georgia Highway 125 S., in Tifton, is open to the public for adoptions from  1-6 p.m. Mondays  through  Fridays .

For more information , call 229-382-PETS (7387).
Pets of the Week are sponsored by:
Branch’s Veterinary Clinic
205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055   
CORONAVIRUS CLEARINGHOUSE
Important Phone Numbers & Web Sites
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JULY 23
William "Bill" Clarence Murray, 81, Fitzgerald
Grace Mae Collins, 79, Sylvester
Bradford "Brad" Thomas Melvin, 46, Worth County
Settle Folsom, 81, Adel
Hulin L. Reeves Sr., 89, Fitzgerald
Elden Thomas Mercer, 67, Millwood

JULY 24
Amanda Lynn Dean, 33, Tifton
John Washington Danforth Jr., 69, Tifton
Janie Mae Knight 55, Tifton
Elvira Martinez, 86, Omega
Redona “Maxine” Adamson, 90, Gainesville
Warren “Alton” Hamlin, 72, Quitman

JULY 25
Carolyn Louise Plymale Hiscock, 98, Ty Ty
Susan Beck-Milton, 71, Tifton
Paula Christine Lokey, 45, Chula
Wendell Cecil Gregory, 82, Norman Park
Evelyn Darleen Bazemore Roberson, 79, Sycamore
Melba Lois Barker, 77, Valdosta
Josephine Thomas Harper, 82, Fitzgerald
Fred "Freddie" Meek, 40, Albany

JULY 26
Myrna Sue Erskine Allen, 78, Tifton
Manuel Alfonso “Poncho” Martinez 82, Omega
Tony Tidd, 71, Tifton
Annette Wright, 81, Adel
Lavonia Hodges Kinner, 85, Willacoochee
Raymond Vickers, 84, Hahira

JULY 27
Wanda June Abernathy Cohen, 77, Tifton
Clayton Travis Hurst Jr., 55, Tifton
Sara Margaret Yeomans Kersey, 80, Tifton
Wayne Shirah, 76, Adel
Irvin Hank Raines, 62, Montgomery, Ala.
Sylvia Jean Harper Henderson, 81, Irwin County

JULY 28
Billie Steverson, 75,
Alapaha
Harold Hull, 87, Adel  

JULY 29
Michael "Mike" Lavane Gibbs, 62, Chula
Mary Johnson, 88, Tifton
Billie C. Scott, 57, Tifton
Beverly Ann Pafford, 81,
West Berrien Community

JULY 30
Willie Pearl West, 77, Nashville

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