Local residents have a role in crime prevention, Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman and Tift County Sheriff Gene Scarbrough told the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

"We believe the community is our partner in fighting crime," Hyman said.

"If you see something, say something; that’s the best way y’all can help us," Scarbrough said.

Hyman told Chamber members that folks can help reduce crime by removing valuables from their vehicles, by keeping their doors and windows locked, and by securing items around their property rather than leaving items where they can be easily stolen.

"We’ve got to ‘harden' the target, make it harder to steal," Hyman said. "Most of our criminals are lazy; if they weren’t lazy, they wouldn’t be out stealing."

During the six-month period between September and February, the City of Tifton had two murders, 12 robberies, 64 burglaries and 292 reported thefts, the police chief said. "A lot of guns being stolen out of cars are being used in a lot of violent things in our community," he noted.

Since the city increased starting pay for police officers and added other incentives, Hyman said the force, as of today, is fully staffed with 48 full-time officers and 10 civilians. That translates to about 2.6 officers per 1,000 citizens in the city, Hyman said.

He added that he does not hesitate to ask other law enforcement entities for aid when needed: "I'm not afraid of using all the alphabet – the GBI, the FBI....”

Hyman said the city police and the county sheriff’s office work well together. Sheriff Scarbrough agreed and said one of the biggest problems in law enforcement across the country is various departments not working together as well as they could.

When solving crime, Scarbrough said, "I don’t give a damn who gets credit for it."

The Tift County Sheriff's Office has 53 positions and is currently down 13 officers, Scarbrough said. There are six to seven deputies on each 12-hour shift.

Because of some of the events around the nation in the past year, there have been a decline in people wanting to work in law enforcement, the sheriff said: “Law enforcement has brought some of it on itself. Here locally, we don’t have a problem; I don’t put up with any foolishness.”

Scarbrough ticked off statistics from the sheriff's office from 2021, including: 931 arrests, 1,248 warrants, 1,314 incident reports, 341 domestic reports, and 6,864

checks on businesses. The sheriff said they booked 3,505 people into the Tift County Jail last year, with 300 inmates still in the jail this past January.

While the statewide unemployment rate fell in January, every county in the Tiftarea experienced higher joblessness during the month, according to data released Thursday by the Ga. Department of Labor.

Tift County's jobless rate rose to 2.8% in January, up from 2.4% the previous month. Tift's labor force, the number of people eligible to work in the county, rose month-to-month by 115 people for a total of 21,494.

The unemployment rates during January in other Tiftarea counties, followed by the previous month's rate, include: Turner County, 4.8% from 4.2%; Worth, 3.4%, 3%; Irwin, 4.2%, 3.5%; Cook, 3.1%, 2.6%; Berrien, 3.2%, 2.8%; and Ben Hill County, 4.5% from 3.9%.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the statewide unemployment rate fell for the 21st consecutive month to 3.2% from December’s 3.3%.

"I am not surprised that our unemployment rate dropped again in January after a record number of Georgians were employed and participating in the labor force," Butler said.

"However, with the number of jobs at an all-time high, we must be careful to not lose focus on supporting our workforce and getting qualified workers into the right careers."

The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains in Georgia included professional, scientific, and technical services, 4,700; accommodation and food services, 2,800; health care and social assistance, 2,500; finance and insurance, 2,200; and administrative and support services,1,700.

Tift County's positive COVID-19 cases have declined again, totaling 20 during the past two weeks, according to data Thursday from the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

The total positive cases represent confirmed and probable results from both PCR and Antigen rapid tests. Tift County’s total positive cases represent 49 cases per 100,000 population, the measure used across the country to compare case rates among communities and states.

Confirmed cases were eight, and Tift's testing positivity rate for the period was 4.4%, the DPH reported. An additional five confirmed cases and no related deaths were reported in the past week among Tift County residents.

Tift has seen a total of 6,271 cases with 163 related deaths, the DPH said.

On Thursday, the state reported 1,177 new confirmed and probable cases across Georgia with 74 additional deaths and 113 new related hospitalizations. The state has recorded a total of 1,921,472 confirmed cases and 30,630 related deaths, the DPH said.

The student Geography Decathlon was held again Tuesday evening in Lewis Hall at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Co-sponsored by the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence and the Tifton Optimist Club and held since 2011, the Geography Decathlon tests students' knowledge of world geography in a quiz-bowl format.

First place went to Gabriel Langston of Tift County High School, who was awarded a $500 scholarship. Jake Henderson of Tiftarea Academy placed second, receiving a $250 scholarship. Placing third was Reid Phillips of Tiftarea Academy, who received a $125 scholarship.

Keri Jones handled the emcee duties.

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Charleigh Harper, a sophomore rural community development major from Nashville, was selected as Ms. ABAC 2022 at the 52nd annual event held recently at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

She received a $500 ABAC scholarship as winner of the contest.

“The moment I was crowned Ms. ABAC will be a moment I will never forget,” Harper said. “I wanted to represent my happy place of ABAC in every way I possibly could. I am so incredibly excited to see what this upcoming year has in store.”   

Other finalists included Jazzmyn Armstrong, a pre-professional biology major from Reidsville, first runner-up; Abigail Zerwig, an agricultural education major from Metter, second runner-up; Lauren Brenneman, a rural community development major from Tifton, third runner-up; and Emma Jagus, an agribusiness major from McDonough, fourth runner-up.

Molly McKettrick from Arcadia Fla., received the Essay Award, and Armstrong received the Ms. Congeniality Award. Zerwig received the Interview Award, which included a $500 scholarship courtesy of Kenny, Kristen, and Karter Jane Smith. Kristen Card Smith was Ms. ABAC 2014.

Delaney Garcia, a writing and communication major from Albany, received the People’s Choice Award. Proceeds from the fundraising portion of that award will benefit the Peanut Butter & Jesus ministry of Tifton and the Ms. ABAC scholarship. Proceeds from the pageant will benefit the ABAC Agripreneurs Club and the NAMA Student Marketing Team.

The Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the Business Expo on March 31 from 4-7 p.m. at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. 

The Chamber hasn’t had a business expo in 12 years, said Melody Cowart, Chamber president/CEO.

The Business Expo will bring together local businesses to network and to market themselves, allowing residents to see a representation of what businesses offer in the community.

“Tifton has really grown, and we have so many amazing businesses that have opened up since the last time we had the expo; we are excited to bring this event back to Tifton. We want you to come out and see it for yourself,” Cowart said.

She said that there is no charge to attend. 

“It’s important to get to know your other local businesses and what they offer, to form networks and partnerships in this community,” Cowart said. “We have so many businesses here, and we want to educate our community about all the different services available.”

There are still a few spaces available for businesses interested in participating. For information, call 229-382-6200 or email ebrechbiel@tiftonchamber.org

A new magazine, “Raised Southern,” will highlight Tifton in its first edition April 1, said Jamie Parrish, a Ty Ty native who has lived in Atlanta for nearly 30 years.

Parrish gave a preview of the magazine and how it came about to the Rotary Club of Tifton on Wednesday. 

“I looked back at how I grew up and wanted to get back here,” he said. “I wanted to try to spread to other kids and families some of the things I was brought up with, like my love for farm. I did love smelling peanuts outside the window, ... and grandma’s cooking.”

One of the organizations featured in the first issue is Tift Animal Rescue and how it has helped animals at the Tift County Animal Shelter find more homes. There are also features about a man who has worked at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville his entire life, and a story about a man who has been clam farming on Sapelo Island off Georgia's coast. “He’s working with UGA to bring oyster farming to Georgia," Parrish said.

“Homemade goods is what we want to focus on,” he said, “also helping smaller companies reach their potential.”

"An ABAC Fairy Tail" homecoming March 29-April 2 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College celebrates a campus "where dreams come true” while the fairy “tail" also relates to the Golden Stallion mascot.

Homecoming festivities include the Gee Haw Whoa Back Rodeo, Alumni Cookout, Alumni vs. Students Softball Game, ABAC Athletics Hall of Fame dinner, Alumni Association Awards luncheon, Green and G.O.L.D (Graduates of the Last Decade) Social, Golden and Silver Alumni reunions, Rodeo Team and Club Reunion, Remembrance Service, Alumni Social, Folk Life Festival, a community plant sale, and more.

“The Student Alumni Council is excited to have homecoming back in full swing this year,” said Student Alumni President Bryce Roland. “We are looking forward to hosting alumni and students here on our beautiful campus.” 

Among events, alumni and students will face off in a friendly softball competition at 6 p.m. March 29. The public is invited to come and cheer the teams. And flowers and shrubs will be available at ABAC's J.G. Woodroof Farm during the Community Plant Sale from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 31 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 1.

The Alumni Awards luncheon will be at 12:30 p.m. April 1 in Gressette Gym. The ABAC Athletics Hall of Fame dinner begins at 6 p.m. in Gressette Gym.

The annual Gee Haw Whoa Back Rodeo will be held at 7 p.m. April 1-2 at the ABAC Rodeo Arena. Events include saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, breakaway roping, and barrel racing.

ABAC's Folk Life Festival runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 2 at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture with interactive activities for children and adults. The American Legacy Quilt Show will take place at the site as well as the season opening of the Wiregrass Farmers Market.

For information on homecoming activities, visit www.abac.edu/homecoming or call 229-391-4900.

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Saturday, March 19, is National Corn Dog Day, an American original. Although its origin is murky, "korn dogs" – hot dogs covered in cornmeal – were advertised in the early 1920s. By the 1940s, the corn dog was available on a stick and became a staple at county fairs.

This dog is on stray hold and if unclaimed, will be available for rescue or adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For more information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

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

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