At 2:20 a.m. Feb. 4, 1922 – 100 years ago today – Henry Harding Tift, Tifton's founder and greatest philanthropist, died following a stroke.

His death at age 80 came 50 years after he had settled in the area destined to become the City of Tifton and named in his honor. This year, 2022, Tifton is celebrating the sesquicenntenial of its founding.

At 11:30 a.m., today (Friday), city and community officials will place a wreath outside the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce building in Tift's memory. At the time of his death, the building was the Southern Depot where Tift's body had left Tifton for the last time and was loaded on a train en route to burial in his hometown of Mystic, Conn.

Tift's funeral was held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, the day after his death, at Tifton's First Baptist Church before being taken to the train depot.

Known as “Captain” Tift from his early seafaring days, H.H. Tift not only established the village that was to become Tifton, or "Tift's Town," but created its first business, a sawmill located where the twin brick buildings sit next to railroad tracks at the corner of Tift Avenue and Second Street.

By the time of his death, he owned many businesses and much farmland, and was instrumental in getting Tifton chosen as the location of the Second District Agricultural School, which later became Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and the site of what became the Coastal Plain Experiment Station.

In addition to his sawmill operation, Tift established the Bank of Tifton, was president of Tifton Cotton Mills; president of Piedmont Cotton Mills; vice president of Central Grocery Co.; of Tifton Compress Co.; of Bankers Trust Co.; of Willingham-Tift Lumber Co. in Atlanta; director of the Georgia, Florida & Southern Railroad; director of Planters Oil Co.; president of Tift Silica Brick & Stone Co. of Albany; and had organized the Georgia-Florida Saw Mill Co.

In 1896, he extended a logging road to Fitzgerald and established the Tifton & Northern Railroad. He was said to be instrumental in securing the system of free public schools in Tifton, and donated many acres of his property for such endeavors as Fulwood Park, several churches, the agricultural school, and the agricultural experiment station.

In 1885, Tift married Elizabeth ”Bessie” Willingham, a graduate of Monroe Female College in Forsyth. Tift later made large donations to that college, saving it from bankruptcy. Its trustees changed its name to Bessie Tift College in 1907. The Tifts also became frequent financial supporters of Tallulah Falls School in Northeast Georgia.

As a young man, Tift apprenticed as a machinist and worked as a steamship engineer on a shipping line between New York and the Gulf Coast, and served on an Army transport during the Civil War.

After the war, Tift went to Albany and worked at his uncle Nelson Tift's sawmill, eventually becoming general manager of his uncles Nelson and Asa Tift's company, the N.& A.F. Tift Manufacturing Co.

In 1872 he purchased from his uncles a large tract of pine forest in what was then Berrien County, now Tift, and established a sawmill and a village for his workers, which became Tifton.

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Berrien and Cook counties, as well as Tifton-based Plant Telecommunications, are among entities in Georgia receiving government funding to provide communities, households, and businesses access to faster and more reliable broadband Internet service.

Gov. Brian P. Kemp, joined by members of the Broadband Infrastructure Committee and state leaders, this week announced a total of $408 million in awards to aid 70 largely rural counties.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant projects represent an investment of more than $738 million in Georgia when matching funds are contributed.

"These awards are a giant step toward resolving the technological divide between our urban and rural communities," said state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia.

Based on data from the Georgia Broadband Availability Map, 482,374 locations in Georgia are currently unserved as of July 2021. The projects targeted with these awards could serve 183,615 locations, representing both homes and businesses, with faster and more reliable broadband, the governor's office said.

Berrien County will receive $15,253,250; Cook County, $10,919,655; and Plant Telecommunications, $2,229,000.

POSITIVE CASES INCLUDE PCR & RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS

Tift County's positive COVID-19 cases total 853 during the past two weeks, declining by 829 from the previous two-week period, according to data Thursday from the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

The 853 total positive cases represent confirmed and probable results from both PCR and Antigen rapid tests. Tift County’s total positive cases represent 2,089 cases per 100,000 population, the measure used across the country to compare case rates among communities and states.

Confirmed cases were 313; Tift's testing positivity rate for the period remained at 41%, the DPH reported. An additional five related deaths were reported in the past week among Tift County residents.

Tift has seen a total of 6,163 cases with 152 related deaths, the DPH said.

On Thursday, the state reported 8,471 new confirmed and probable cases across Georgia with 116 additional deaths and 245 new related hospitalizations. The state has recorded a total of 1,860,616 confirmed cases and 27,865 related deaths, the DPH said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Warwick police officer for selling marijuana while on duty and in uniform.

Leon Mitchell, 32, worked for the police department in Worth County. The GBI’s Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office said undercover agents were able to obtain marijuana from Mitchell in Worth and Lee counties.

On Jan. 28, agents arrested Mitchell at the Warwick Police Department and searched his vehicle, where agents found marijuana, scales, and plastic bags.

Mitchell was arrested on two counts of sale/distribution of marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, three counts of violation of oath of office, and two counts of use of a communication device during the commission of a felony.

Mitchell was booked into the Worth County Jail. The investigation is ongoing and will be turned over to the district attorney’s office when complete.

The Tift County High School Swim Team members are the 2022 region champions for the ninth consecutive year for the girl swimmers and for the eighth consecutive year for the boys.

At last weekend's Region 1-7A swim meet in Douglas, the Lady Devils dominated the competition while the Blue Devil boys edged Camden.

State competition is this weekend at Georgia Tech. Tift County High's state qualifiers are: Brynna Burke, Tucker Dowdy, Cason Johnston, Anna Lupo, Ian Mobley, Hayden Roberts, Kendall Sasser, Alex Shepherd, Ethan Stalnaker, Ainsley Toews, Eden Troxell, Raegin Walker, Raylee Walker, and Ava Wilson.

The Tift Theatre opened in February 1937 showing "Pennies From Heaven," and to help celebrate Tifton’s year-long sesquicentennial celebrations, the Tift Theatre will be showing the film, to commemorate the original showing,

"Pennies From Heaven" is a 1936 American musical comedy directed by

To help celebrate and reserve your tickets, visit www.purplepass.com/pennies

The Tift County Council on Child Abuse is "flamingo flocking" once again in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Every February for more than 20 years, flocks of pink plastic birds have arrived daily on different lawns across the county. Those who find a flock of flamingos inhabiting their yard are asked to pay a small fee to the Child Abuse Council to ensure the flamingos' safe removal.

This week, the flamingos made their first appearance in the yard of Sheriff Gene Scarbrough, and he and his wife, Melba, welcomed them.

“It is a distinct honor for Melba and I to be chosen as the first hosts for the 2022 flamingos to bring awareness and prevention of child abuse, not only in Tift County, but all across America,” Scarbrough said.

The flamingos serve as a reminder of the need to protect and serve local children. In 2020, there were 323 reports of child abuse in Tift County.

The Tift County Council on Child Abuse is a non-profit organization operated by community volunteers with local financial support. For information, call 382-5172 or email tc3y@friendlycity.net

Black History Month activities at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College begin Feb. 6 with a kickoff performance by ABAC musicians and a speech by retired Tift County Judge Larry Mims at 6 p.m. in Driggers Hall.

“The reason I put this program together is to challenge everyone to think about what black history means to them,” said ABAC fine arts major Elijah Alford, who will be playing his saxophone as part of the event. 

Other events during the month include 7 p.m. movie nights in the ABAC Lakeside lobby featuring “Candyman” on Feb. 7, “The Photograph” on Feb. 14, and “Harriett” on Feb. 28.

An essay contest will begin on Feb. 7, and winners will be selected on Feb. 21. There will be a Young Black Professionals Panel at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 in Bowen Hall 100. The New Georgia Project collaborated with Black History Month events to offer voter registration from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 8 and 10 in the Donaldson Dining Hall lobby. 

A presentation of “Birth and Beyond Midwifery,” is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 21, and Jayma Holt, a midwife from St. Petersburg, Fla., will speak. “Culture Shock,” a presentation scheduled 6 p.m. Feb. 23 in Bowen 100 engages participants in open dialogue about personal identity, life experiences, and embracing individuality.

While Gov. Brian P. Kemp visited the Ocilla Community House on Jan. 27, he shared a laugh with Melba Paulk-Veazey and presented her with a commendation for her community service and being named a lifetime honorary member of the Ocilla-Irwin Chamber of Commerce.

Paulk-Veazey, who served as an Irwin County clerk of court for decades, was a founding member of the Ocilla-Irwin Chamber in 1964 and was the organization's recording secretary for 40 years.

She also was the local Humanitarian of the Year in 2004 and the Volunteer of the Year in 2017.

Ashburn's 26th Annual Fire Ant Festival is scheduled for March 25-26.

This year's theme is "Dolly Part-ANT."

"Known for its wacky and off-the-wall activities, the festival offers family-oriented fun for all ages," organizers said. "Come fill up on your favorite fried treats, buy from a local artisan, or just enjoy the many different events."

Fire Ant Bingo is scheduled Feb. 10, with more than 100 prizes. A county-wide "Find the Fire Ant" contest offers a $650 prize starting March 1.

The festival will include a Pet Parade in the Park, a fire ant calling contest, a 5K and one-mile fun run, live entertainment, food, arts & crafts, and fireworks.

Information is available at www.fireantfestival.com

Dr. Russell Pryor will speak on the contentious issues of crime and punishment in Georgia at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 in Howard Auditorium as a part of the Jess Usher Lecture Series at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. 

“I hope that the audience will walk away from the lecture with a better understanding of Georgia’s history and the place of the prison in it,” Pryor said.

His presentation will open with a view of Georgia when it was established as a penal colony in 1732. The lecture will then focus on the period after World War II at the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, which was once dubbed, “Alcatraz of the Piney Woods.” The evening will conclude with a look at the life of inmates and interactions within the criminal justice system.

The 2022 Run for Hope to benefit the Tiftarea House of Hope begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at Northside Baptist Church in Tifton.

The 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run is hosted by the Bridge of Tiftarea and the Sunbelt Runners.

Registration is available by Clicking Here!

For additional information, visit the Tiftarea House of Hope website or call 229-396-5990.

The Frozen Open, a disc golf tournament, will be held Saturday, Feb. 26, in Fulwood Park.

Disc golf is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Tifton has its own team, the Fulwood Legends.

The PDGA-sanctioned tournament (Professional Disc Golf Association) will be hosted by the Valdosta Disc Golf Association.

Details are available by Clicking Here!

The air-conditioning technology program at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recently received a $5,000 grant from the national Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

“We are getting requests for liquefied petroleum (LP) gas technicians on a regular basis. Students who graduate with hands-on training in propane will have access to more career opportunities, said Mike Clements, SRTC’s air conditioning technology program chair.

"While a propane curriculum was a part of our existing training model, we have not had access to state-of-the-art LP gas training equipment until now. Thanks to this grant, we now have a full set-up of LP gas tank, lines, and connections in our classroom lab.”

Dan Richardson of Tifton, president/CEO of Conger LP Gas, serves on SRTC’s Air Conditioning Technology Advisory Board, and is a PERC Council member. He said that “companies are facing an increasing shortage of skilled service technicians, and that includes the propane industry. As our industry continues to grow, the demand for a trained workforce will also climb. This grant program is designed to help prepare more graduates for vital, rewarding careers in our industry.”

The Tiftarea YMCA's 20th Annual Father-Daughter Dance has been rescheduled to Friday, March 4, at the First Baptist Church Ministry Center on Love Avenue.

Tickets are on sale at the YMCA's main office on Carpenter Road. Until March 1, tickets are $40 per father-daughter couple for YMCA members, and $50 a couple for non-members. On March 1, the price per couple rises by $10. 

There is a $15 charge for each additional daughter attending. Tickets are limited.

A staggered event schedule is set for age groups: Third grade and younger daughters may attend from 5-6:30 p.m., or from 7-8:30 p.m. Those daughters in the fourth grade or older attend from 9-10:30 p.m.

For information, call 229-391-9622.

The film is an action thriller film directed by Edward John Drake and

Downtown Tifton on the big screen, Click Here!

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Today, Friday, Feb. 4, is World Cancer Day, a day to raise awareness about prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

"Daisy" is available for adoption or rescue. This girl is ready for her new home. She is available for 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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