TIFT REGIONAL ADDRESSING

ER WAIT TIMES BECAUSE TRMC OFFERS ADVANCED CARE, MORE CRITICAL PATIENTS ARRIVE FROM OTHER HOSPITALS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Several factors affect wait times in the Emergency Room, such as Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) offering more advanced care than many rural hospitals, says Christopher Dorman, president/CEO of Southwell.

Because TRMC, Southwell’s flagship medical facility, is fortunate to provide more advanced care, “what that means for us is that we have to accept the patients from other hospitals that don’t provide the advanced services,” he told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday.

The critically injured and very ill are being sent to TRMC, and when the lobby in the front seems full and nobody is moving, there may be seven ambulances in the back coming in for more advanced level care, he explained.

“If you need angioplasty or a stent placed, most of the rural hospitals don’t have that ability, but if you need interventional cardiology, we’re your hospital,” Dorman said. “You might go to another hospital that doesn’t provide that service and get in pretty quickly, but we are your hospital for 18 counties.”

Life-threatening emergencies are coming in to TRMC from throughout the region, and that delays care for patients with lower acuity emergency, he said.

Before TRMC's new tower was opened, the emergency department was divided into three emergency rooms. Now it is all together, and a new ICU allows the medical center to take care of more critical patients.

Southwell has been addressing patient wait times in the ER, he said. If people feel they are not seen in a timely basis or if they don’t get a certain pain medicine they want, they will often leave. Dorman said the national average of patients who leave an ER without being seen is around 2%.

“We were 1.9%,” Dorman said. "When the pandemic hit, that number went up close to 10%. It has come back down to under 1%."

Dorman and Dr. Eric Paulk, the hospital’s emergency medicine medical director, discussed the challenges emergency rooms have been facing regionally and nationally since the global pandemic. TRMC opened its new Emergency Center just months before the pandemic.

When the pandemic started, Dorman said, “the biggest problem we saw was staffing and resources that we needed for the new emergency center. Hospitals all over the country began relying  on contract labor because nurses could go and work anywhere they wanted and make a lot of money.

“Many of our nurses went to places like California and New York,” Dorman said. Metro areas had big contracts, so they could staff high numbers of nurses, respiratory therapists, and other support staff members.

“The challenge of running an emergency room in a normal environment is tough, but when you have no staff, that makes it even more tough,” Dorman said. During the pandemic, TRMC personnel had to wear different hats, with administrators, including Dorman, aiding in the emergency department. “This happened all over the world,” he said.

Dr. Paulk, who is is from Ocilla, said that hospitals not always having a bed available for ER admissions is a “national crisis,” according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. “We’re looking at how can we improve flow and fix this for our community,” Paulk said.

TIFTON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SMUGGLING ALIENS FROM MEXICO

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

One of two Tifton residents charged with conspiracy to smuggle humans across the U.S.-Canada border has pleaded guilty in federal court in Fargo, N.D.

Rodolfo Arzola-Carrillo, 39, a Mexican national living in Tifton, pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to transport unauthorized aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota.

He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, one-year supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The U.S. Justice Department said an investigation determined that Arzola-Carrillo "conspired, coordinated, and partially carried out the smuggling of a group of seven undocumented noncitizens from Mexico,” along with two young children. The nine individuals were taken across the U.S.-Canada border into North Dakota en route to Georgia last November.

The plan fell apart when weather conditions worsened, "putting lives at risk,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

According to the Pembina County, N.D., Sheriff’s Office, it received a call for motorist assistance at 3:34 a.m. Nov. 17 from Ernesto Falcon Jr., also of Tifton, who said his vehicle was stuck in the snow north of Cavalier, N.D.

A deputy responded, finding nine people huddled together as the weather deteriorated with wind and snow. Falcon reportedly claimed that he and his family were traveling when their vehicle got stuck, and requested a ride to a hotel.

The deputy, however, suspected a possible smuggling attempt and transported the group to the sheriff’s office in Cavalier, alerting the U.S. Border Patrol. According to an affidavit, the other adults admitted to being in the United States illegally, and two of them claimed they had crossed into the U.S. from Canada with the aid of Falcon and Arzola-Carrillo.

Falcon told authorities that Arzola-Carrillo made all the arrangements and had been after Falcon to join him in the venture for about a year. Falcon said he wasn’t interested initially but got involved because of financial difficulties. 

Falcon claimed that he usually got paid $500 to $1,000 for each person he helped transport across the border, and that he and Arzola-Carrillo had previously picked up four different groups of border-crossers in North Dakota — two in September and two in October.

According to authorities, Falcon and Arzola-Carrillo had left Tifton on Nov. 14 for North Dakota.

Co-defendant Falcon is scheduled for a change-of-plea and sentence hearing on Aug. 21 in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“As this case and others have shown, attempting to smuggle human beings across the Northern border is not just illegal and exploitative, it is also a threat to human life,” said U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider.

Chief Patrol Agent Scott D. Garrett said “human smuggling can be very dangerous, and I’m glad that this came to a successful law enforcement resolution. As a reminder, anyone who puts their lives in the hands of a smuggler is putting their life, and the lives of their family, at risk.”

TOGETHER AGAIN

Former Tift County school teacher Sarah Kate Hendrix reunited with her dog Louie.

Louie, an indoor pet, was missing in Tifton for a week after he was thrown out of Hendrix’ vehicle by a car thief and struck by another vehicle.

The missing little dog captured the attention of the community, and several residents joined in the search.

Jerry and Bonnie Swain found Louie Wednesday afternoon on Outerbridge Road as severe storms approached.

LOUIE'S BACK WITH OWNER ‘FINDING THAT LITTLE GUY BRINGS SMILE TO COMMUNITY'

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Louie is back, and it seems like all of Tifton is rejoicing.

Louie, a five-year-old black shih tzu, was missing for a week after being thrown from a car as it was stolen in front of a home on Murray Avenue. Shortly after the car theft, the little dog was seen running in traffic on 20th Street and was hit by at least one car as people tried to help him.

The incident caught the attention of many in the Greater Tifton community, and a Facebook group, "Looking for Louie," and hashtag #LookforLouie were among social-media efforts to unite people who wanted to help his owner, Sarah Kate Hendrix.

She has been a teacher at G.O. Bailey Elementary School for five years and was in the process of moving to Perry when she returned to Tifton last week to run errands when her vehicle with her dog was stolen.

Hendrix’s car was found two miles from where it was stolen, crashed into a tree near G.O. Bailey Elementary. In the intervening days, several people had reported spotting Louie, wearing a blue bandana, in the Tift Terrace and near The Orchard neighborhoods.

Jerry Swain of Tifton had been following the saga of the missing dog and had not had a chance to join the search until Tuesday. 

Swain, his wife, Bonnie, and their dog Stella “got in the golf cart and went out around Northside Baptist Church and around the (Northeast Middle) school. I was worried because if he passed the church, it’s not as populated, and there wouldn’t be as many sightings,” Swain said.

On Wednesday, Swain saw on social media that there were three sightings of Louie that morning. “I thought, it’s a good time to go and look.”

He, Bonnie, and Stella got in their truck and drove around the Orchard neighborhood, around Northside Baptist, and the school. “We ran into other people looking for him. I thought, ‘Somebody’s bound to find him,’” Swain told the Tifton Grapevine.

Around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, just before a severe thunderstorm warning was announced, the weather was looking bad, and Swain said, “We’ll just make one more pass.”

He had never been on Outerbridge Road before, and as soon as he turned onto it, “We saw the dog on the left. Just a few more yards further north, and he would have gotten into thick underbrush,” and would have been out of sight.

Swain said he kept his eyes on the dog as he called Hendrix, who has already relocated to Perry and was about 45 minutes away when she got the call. 

“I was so excited and shaking, I couldn’t hardly talk on the phone,” Swain said.

The word spread fast, and people who had been searching started showing up and parking two cars deep up and down the road from Swain.

Andre Canty arrived and went into the underbrush; people told Swain it was OK. “They said, ‘The dog knows him.’ Louie took a few steps toward him, and the man got him by the collar and brought him back to his car.

“I was so excited,” Swain said. “I yelled, ‘He’s got him!’ He seemed to be fine.” As soon as Louie was in the passenger side of Canty’s vehicle, “he started rolling on his back and really enjoyed being in that car.”

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Swain said Thursday. “I’m thrilled to death that we were able to help.” 

Swain said Louie was found was on the edge of Interstate 75 near the sound barrier wall.

“If he had gone a little farther, he would have gotten around that barrier to I-75. Or he could have gone farther to the unpopulated area, and there wouldn’t be any more sightings. It was meant to be.

Hendrix said she took Louie to a veterinarian, and the dog has a pelvic fracture on the left side, from where one of the cars bumped him on 20th Street. 

“He limps some,” Hendrix said. “But he is weight bearing. (The vet) said that was good. But other than a few other scratches, he’s good.” 

“I can never repay them,” she said about the Swains finding the little dog that so many in Tifton was looking for. 

“What a glorious day! I am so thankful to have my boy back. God is good,” Hendrix said.  "Thank you to everyone who helped us during this long and hard week. I can never thank you enough.”

More than 800 reactions to the news were posted on social media, including this one from Gina Cox: “Finding that little guy brought a smile to our community’s face.”

STORMS STRIKE AREA;

TIFT SEES DOWNED TREES, SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The severe storms that rumbled through South Georgia during the past few days have spawned possible tornadoes and scattered damage, but Tift County came through relatively unscathed.

“We did have several downed trees and power lines causing power outages. There has only been one report of property damage, and it was minor,” said Joey Fowler, Tift County emergency management director, late Thursday afternoon.

At one point late Wednesday and early Thursday, more than 2,000 customers were without electricity in Tift County, but Georgia Power, Colquitt EMC, and Irwin EMC personnel were busy restoring power throughout the day.

The UGA Coastal Plain Extension weather station in Tifton recorded 1.65 inches of rain on Wednesday and 1.81 inches Thursday. The station in Ty Ty recorded 1.94 inches Wednesday and 1.91 inches on Thursday.

Other areas around the region got significantly more rain. Albany, for example, saw 3.56 inches on Wednesday alone, flooding downtown streets. Another 2.55 inches were recorded in Albany on Thursday.

LOCAL JUNETEENTH EVENTS INCLUDE PARADE, FESTIVALS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Juneteenth is being observed this weekend with several events. 

For the ninth year, the Dee and Doc Melton Sr. Cultural Visions Inc. is sponsoring its annual Juneteenth celebration in Tifton. It includes the Juneteenth Ball tonight (Friday) honoring community volunteers, a parade on Saturday from Community Mortuary to the Tift County Courthouse, and a free Block Party immediately after the parade.

The keynote speaker for Friday’s ball is April Collins-Slade, a Tifton native and Florida educator. She will also speak at the courthouse after the parade. She is the middle school region assistant principal for Duval County Public Schools supporting turnaround schools.

The black-tie Juneteenth Ball is at 5 p.m. Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn, and the parade will line up at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Community Mortuary on the corner of Central Avenue and 12 1/2 Street. The parade begins at 10 a.m.

The Block Party will be held at 1006 Doc Melton Sr. Drive. The theme of the events is “Unity in the Community,” said Rue’Nette Melton. The party will include free food, drinks, and music with a $50 prize to the best barbecue smoker.

Another Juneteenth Food and Music Festival in Tifton, sponsored by the nonprofit Jakes Hand, will be held at Fulwood Park from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. Music, dance, food vendors, a car show, and craft vendors will be featured. Tanisha Johnson will be the speaker at 11:15 a.m.

The Flawless Divas Dance Company performs at 2 p.m., and motivational speaker Seneca Clark will speak at 4:15 p.m. 

South Georgia Juneteenth will be observed 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Reed Bingham State Park in Adel with kayaking, swimming, food, and family fun. It is sponsored by the Suwannee Riverkeeper of WWALS Watershed Coalition, the Jenard S. Asthma Foundation, and the Macedonia Community Foundation.

Both Tifton city and Tift County offices will be closed Monday for the holiday.

ABAC NAMES WOMEN’S SOFTBALL COACH

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Mike Reed has been named head coach of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College women’s softball team.

Reed, a Valdosta native, has been an assistant coach for the ABAC Fillies for seven seasons. “I love it,” he said. “I’m in this to help shape lives.”

Reed has coached for more than 30 years at the high school and college levels, and has coached travel ball.

“I have three priorities with our players,” he said. “First, whatever degree they’re here to try and achieve, my No. 1 responsibility is to help them achieve it. Second, is to try to make them better young ladies that are ready for this world, and third, is to win ball games. I’ve found that if I take care of one and two, three takes care of itself.”

“Coach Reed is one of the more respected softball coaches in the state,” said Athletics Director Charles Wimberly. “He knows almost every coach in the state from middle and high school ranks to the college ranks. ABAC is truly blessed to have Coach Reed leading our softball program.”

To Subscribe, Click Here!

Your free subscription allows you to receive our MidWeek and Weekender editions in your in-box, along with occasional Sponsored Editions.

Your subscription is free because of the support of local advertisers.

Please support the businesses and organizations who make this possible.

To Contact Us, Call 478-227-7126

COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of June 14:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,946 ..................................... TOTAL TIFT DEATHS: 177

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 9 ....................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 19

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 47

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,366,089.

GEORGIA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 1,380

TOTAL GA DEATHS: 35,444 ....................................................... GA DEATHS - 1 week: 18

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Sunday, June 18, is Father’s Day, whose origins go back to medieval Europe when Catholics dedicated a day to honor fatherhood. In the U.S., the first Father’s Day celebration was in 1910. In 1966, President Johnson signed a proclamation calling for Father's Day to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June, and President Nixon in 1972 signed into law a permanent recognition of Father's Day.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

• Juneteenth Ball, 5 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Tifton
• “Camelot” performance, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton

SATURDAY, JUNE 17

• Wiregrass Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-noon, Ga. Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
• Juneteenth Parade & Block Party: Free Food & Music (sponsored by Dee & Doc Melton Sr. Cultural Visions & South Tifton Learning Center), 10 a.m., 1006 Doc Melton Sr. Drive, Tifton
• Juneteenth Food & Music Festival, 10:30 a.m., Fulwood Park, Tifton
• Juneteenth at Reed Bingham State Park, 11 a.m., Adel
• Forged: Tools & Objects exhibit opening reception, 5-7 p.m., Plough Gallery, Tifton
• “Camelot” performance, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton

SUNDAY, JUNE 18 – Father’s Day

• “Camelot” performance, 2 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton

ADVERTISE

YOUR

YARD SALE HERE!

TO ADVERTISE YOUR

RESIDENTIAL YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Luca,” a happy-go-lucky guy, is ready for his new home. To adopt Luca and to see other pets available for adoption, visit the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, open between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

JUNE 13

Virginia Williford Wilkerson, 94, Rebecca

Got Questions?

We've Got Answers...

For All Your Real Estate Needs ~ Contact Us Today!