Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Tifton, Georgia
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WEEKEND EXPECTED TO BE A SCORCHER | |
By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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It's summertime in South Georgia, and that means it's hot. This week, we are expected to see the hottest days of the year so far.
Temperatures are expected to continue rising throughout the week with Saturday and Sunday being the highest before falling back a bit on Monday, the National Weather Service says.
The highs in the Tiftarea this weekend could get near 98 degrees with heat indices near borderline heat advisory conditions. The Weather Service issues heat advisories when the heat index, what the temperature feels like, reaches at least 105 degrees for up to three hours a day, or nighttime lows stay above 80 for two consecutive days.
Counties in North Florida could see temperatures at or above 100 degrees this weekend with heat indices likely ranging from 108-112 the National Weather Service says.
“It is important for residents to take extreme temperatures seriously,” said Dr. William Grow, Georgia's South Health District director.
“When the humidity and temperatures are both high, our bodies aren’t able to cool off properly, which can lead to heat-related illness. Individuals should make sure they know the signs for heat-related illnesses and what to look out for.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are the two main types of heat-related illnesses.
Heat stroke is more serious and occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature. This causes body temperature to rise rapidly, the sweating mechanism to fail, and the body becoming unable to cool down.
Heat stroke can cause permanent disability or death if one does not get emergency treatment in time.
Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. Warning signs include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting.
During excessive heat, authorities recommend drinking more fluids, staying in air-conditioned spaces as much as possible, dressing in loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, and ensuring that children, the elderly, and pets have plenty of water, stay out of the sun, and are not left in closed vehicles.
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TIFTON SRTC GRAD WINS TOP PRIZE IN NATIONAL SkillsUSA COMPETITION | |
Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
Edward Rella of Tifton won the national top prize in technical drafting at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, which ended June 23.
In addition to the gold medal, Rella also earned the SkillsUSA Skill-Point Certificate for technical drafting for reaching or exceeding a threshold score in a national championship contest.
“Competing at nationals was such an honor,” Rella said. “The competition was tough as nails and tested my capabilities in all aspects of technical drafting.” During the recent spring semester at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC), Bella captured the statewide SkillsUSA award in technical drafting.
SkillsUSA is a national non-profit organization of students, teachers, and industry leaders working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
Rella just completed his drafting degree during the spring semester and has now completed two programs at SRTC; he also graduated from the welding program in 2019.
In 2022, Rella returned to complete his associate of applied science degree in drafting technology. He has been a standout student at SRTC since he first enrolled. Bella was an SRTC Foundation scholarship recipient, and repeatedly earned spots on the President’s and Dean’s lists for academic excellence. He was a member of the National Technical Honor Society, was vice president of the Student Government Association, and is now a two-time honor graduate.
“Edward has a deceivingly laid-back personality – quiet but always learning, and curious about how to do something new or interesting with his knowledge and skills," said his drafting instructor Tammy Roberts.
"He's been an amazing mentor for students in both programs," she said. Edward has a passion for SkillsUSA. He has been a hands-on student since day one. He loves helping with career fairs and school visits to promote SRTC's programs. Edward has always been eager to learn. He has a bright future ahead of him. We are very proud of him and his accomplishments.”
In addition to his SRTC drafting coursework, Rella gained practical experience as a draftsman for Atlas Greenhouse in Alapaha, where he focuses on structural design, generating technical manuals, and creating unique drawings to meet customers’ needs.
One of his drawings recently became an educator greenhouse for Fitzgerald High School.
“It is especially inspiring to see the projects that I have worked on becoming real-life buildings,” he said. “Being there and seeing the final product was breathtaking in a way because I remember drawing it for them, solving problems, making it perfect on paper. Then I visited it in person, and it was just like I drew it.”
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Flanked by Hawkinsville Commissioner Shelly Berryhill, left, and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) CEO/Executive Director Larry Hanson, Tifton Mayor Julie B. Smith is inducted into the Georgia Municipal Government Hall of Fame at the GMA’s annual convention in Savannah this past weekend. | |
GA CITIES ASSOCIATION NAMES TIFTON MAYOR JULIE SMITH TO GOVERNMENT HALL OF FAME | |
By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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Tifton Mayor Julie B. Smith was inducted into the Georgia Municipal Government Hall of Fame at the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual convention in Savannah this past weekend.
Smith, a local real estate agent, has participated on local boards, commissions, and on Tifton City Council. In 2016, she become Tifton's first female mayor. She is seeking re-election to the post this November.
In recognizing Smith, the GMA said she has led efforts to revitalize a previously neglected part of town and "worked tirelessly" to bring high-quality housing to the area and improve residents’ access to community activities.
"This focus underscores her belief that the investment cities make in housing, arts and culture, clean water, public safety, and community and economic development have significant and long-lasting effects on people’s lives and the health and prosperity of a community," the GMA said.
Smith just completed a one-year term as GMA president, "where she used her expertise to benefit all 537 cities in Georgia," making regular appearances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., to advocate for the needs of Georgia’s cities, the organization said.
She has served as a member of the Municipal Training Board, the association's Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors. Additionally, she has chaired GMA's Legislative Policy Council, Federal Policy Council, and the Member Services Advisory Council.
The Hall of Fame recognizes city officials who have made extraordinary contributions to the city they serve and have exhibited strong support for the Georgia Municipal Association. Also inducted to the Hall of Fame this year are Michael Brown, former city manager of Savannah; and Eric Clarkson, former mayor of Chamblee.
During the weekend conference, Fitzgerald City Councilman Tommy Roberts was elected a GMA district officer, and Fitzgerald Mayor Jason Holt was named a director-at large.
Perry Mayor Randall Walker was elected GMA president, succeeding Tifton's Smith, who remains on the GMA board.
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TWO MEN SUSPECTS IN 14
ARMED ROBBERIES ACROSS GA, INCLUDING TIFT, GBI SAYS
| Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports |
Two Midville men, charged in connection with armed robberies, are suspects in at least 14 robberies around the state, including Tift County, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says.
Cordell John Henry Cobb, 22, of Midville, is charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in connection with a robbery June 14 at the Gibson Mini Mart in Gibson, the GBI said.
On June 16, a search warrant was served at a location in Midville and Cobb, along with James R. Davis, 27, of Midville, were taken into custody by Burke County deputies and GBI agents.
Cobb is being held on charges relating to the Gibson Mini-Mart robbery. Davis is being held in connection with an armed robbery in Waycross, the GBI said.
The GBI said Cobb and Davis are suspects in at least 14 robberies that have occurred across the state in recent months, including robberies in Bulloch, Chatham, Emmanuel, Jenkins, Tift, Ware, and Washington counties.
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GREAT RACE ROLLS INTO TIFTON | |
Story and photos by Frank Sayles Jr. | |
On Saturday, Tifton welcomed the first stop of the "Great Race" – the vintage vehicle rally that tests a driver's ability to follow precise course instructions on a cross-country competitive drive.
Approximately 120 classic vehicles began the day in St. Augustine, Fla., stopping in Tifton for the night on the way to Alabama and ultimately, to Colorado Springs by 1 p.m. July 2. The classic cars filled Main and Third streets in Downtown Tifton as the annual "Rock the Block" summer celebration got underway.
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Drivers came from all over the country and told the Tifton Grapevine that they appreciate Tifton's Southern hospitality and great Southern food. A special buffet meal was set up for them inside Tifton City Hall, with chicken, all the trimmings, local vegetables, along with tomato pie, peach cobbler and, of course, Coca-Cola, and Tifton peanuts. The Friendly City was the race's only stop in Georgia.
Local youngsters even got to sit in the driver's seat of some of the classic cars, try out the horns, and pretend they were tooling along a quiet country road.
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GA URGENT CARE CHAIN PAYS $1.6M TO RESOLVE ALLEGATIONS OF FALSE MEDICAL CLAIMS
AMONG 60+ CLINICS, CHAIN HAS A TIFTON LOCATION
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Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports | |
A statewide chain of urgent care clinics with a location in Tifton has agreed to pay $1.6 million to resolve allegations of false medical claims to Medicare during the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
CRH Healthcare LLC and Peachtree Immediate Care FP, LLC agreed to the settlement without admitting any wrongdoing.
Peachtree Immediate Care lists Tifton Urgent Care Clinic on U.S. Highway 82 as one of its locations in its Georgia network.
The civil settlement resolves lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court by former employees under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under that Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The whistleblowers will share in $320,000 from this settlement, the Justice Department said.
The whistleblowers alleged that CRH Healthcare/Peachtree "upcoded" evaluation and management claims to Medicare for the testing and treatment of patients with suspected exposure to COVID-19.
During the pandemic, patients who just wanted a COVID test were often seen and swabbed by nurse practitioners or medical assistants. But the lawsuit alleged that Peachtree Immediate Care billed for more expensive doctor visits, using billing codes that indicated the patient was actually seen by a doctor.
“Health care professionals provided an invaluable service to the public during the coronavirus pandemic. But medical practices that seek to misrepresent the services they provide to patients, and to improperly profit from such practices, must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.
“The FBI is thankful for the honesty of the whistleblowers who stepped forward to identify this alleged fraud,” said Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue reports of medical facilities filing false or misleading claims, choices that ultimately rob our citizens.”
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK | |
“Domino” is among the cute kitties available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter. To adopt him and to see other pets available, visit the shelter between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387). | |
Pets of the Week are sponsored by:
Branch's Veterinary Clinic
205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055
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TIFT BOE ADVANCES CONSOLIDATION OF TIFT COUNTY HIGH, OMEGA HIGH SCHOOL
~ JUNE 27, 1963
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The Tifton-Tift County Board of Education announced on June 27, 1963, that it was making "immediate plans" to consolidate Omega High School with Tift County
High School.
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REACH THOUSANDS OF FOLKS IN THE TIFTAREA ~
ADVERTISE IN THE TIFTON GRAPEVINE!
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Tifton Grapevine
e-published every Tuesday and Friday
Frank Sayles Jr.
Editor & Publisher
Bonnie Sayles
Managing Editor
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A Service of Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC, Tifton, Georgia
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