Digital Newspaper for Tifton, Ga., and the Greater Tiftarea

MELTON TO RUN AS INDEPENDENT FOR TIFT COMMISSION WITHDRAWS FROM DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Daughtry Melton IV, a member of a longtime political family in Tift County, has withdrawn as a Democratic candidate for the District 2 seat on Tift County Commission, but says he intends to run for the position as an independent in November.

"I am still running, just as an independent; be as it may, I am not in the primary election for the Democratic Party," he told the Tifton Grapevine in a text Thursday night.

Earlier Thursday, the Tift County Board of Elections said Melton "officially withdrew his candidacy for County Commission District 2 on March 28 at Board of Elections qualification hearing. The decision resulted from an issue related to an error in documentation submitted for qualification."

Tift County Election Supervisor Leila E. Dollison said Thursday that Melton's candidacy form for the May 21 Democratic primary election was notarized "with his own stamp."

During a qualification hearing, the Board of Elections found that Melton's father, Daughtry Melton III, "actually notarized it, but he grabbed the wrong stamp," Dollison said, apparently using his son's notary stamp rather than his own.

Dollison released sample ballots Thursday for May's primary election, and Melton's name is not on the ballot for the Democratic nomination for the District 2 seat on Tift County Commission. On that Democratic ballot, incumbent Commissioner Melissa Hughes is opposed by Cal Russell Thomas. The lone Republican candidate for that seat is Priscilla Prince.

It is unclear whether Melton's name will be on the November ballot as an independent or if he will have to mount a write-in campaign. The qualifying period has closed for the election cycle, and the Georgia Secretary of State's Office currently lists Melton as qualifying as a Democratic candidate.

If Melton continues his campaign, in the November general election he would face the GOP candidate Prince and the winner of the Hughes vs. Thomas Democratic primary.

Early voting for the May primary begins April 29 at the Tift County Board of Elections office on Chesnutt Avenue.

Advanced voting will be from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with Saturday voting May 4 and 11 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. On Election Day May 21, voters must cast ballots at their assigned precincts.

Voter registration for the primary election ends April 22.

TIFTON VET LAB GETS $1M FOR UPGRADES

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The University of Georgia’s Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory will receive $1 million in federal money to upgrade equipment and infrastructure, says U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.

The Tifton lab conducts research and testing to prevent animal disease outbreaks and protect Georgia’s agricultural industries. The funding will help upgrade 30-year-old equipment and allow the laboratory to more effectively detect and address animal and human diseases, Ossoff's office said.

“Georgia’s agricultural industry needs world-class science and research capabilities to protect them from deadly outbreaks and diseases,” Ossoff said. “Working alongside Sen. Rev. (Raphael) Warnock and Congressman David Scott, I brought Republicans and Democrats together to strengthen UGA’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Tifton to enhance those efforts."

The $1 million for the project is through this year’s bipartisan federal government funding package.

"The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Tifton lab, as this funding will address critical infrastructure needs, upgrade outdated laboratory equipment, and integrate cutting-edge diagnostic technology. With this support, the Tifton lab is poised to enhance its capacity to serve animal health, agriculture, and public health needs in South Georgia,” said Dr. Jesse Hostetter, executive director of UGA’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories in Tifton and Athens.

The photo at left is the pet pantry before it was destroyed. At right is the vandalism.

LOCAL MAN CHARGED IN DESTRUCTION OF FOOD, PET PANTRIES IN TIFTON

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton Police arrested a Tifton man Wednesday and charged him with the destruction of a food pantry and a pet-food pantry on the corner of U.S. Highway 41 and 20th Street.

Daniel Ethan Dorminey, 30, was arrested and charged with criminal damage to property, second degree, according to Tifton Police.

The free pantries located at Espresso 41 were vandalized Monday night, and video surveillance filmed the destruction. Dorminey was identified from the video sent from Espresso 41, according to police reports.

Camera footage showed a bicyclist go to the food pantry at 1:02 a.m., get off his bike, pull up the hood of his jacket, and push the food pantry over. Then it showed him ride his bike to the pet-food pantry and open the door. Subsequently, the pet food pantry is shown damaged. An adjacent little free library was not touched. 

Police went to Dorminey’s home Wednesday morning to serve an active warrant for criminal damage to property. En route to the Tifton Police Department to be interviewed, Dorminey said, “I don’t know what this is about. All I know is there was something on Facebook about something at Espresso 41 getting damaged.” 

“This was spontaneously uttered with no questioning involved,” the arresting officer said.

After being advised of his rights, Dorminey admitted during questioning that he damaged the two pantries at Espresso 41 “because he got tired of people complaining about other people being greedy,” police said. Dorminey also said he wasn’t having a good day at the time, according to police.

Dorminey told police he was willing to pay the owner $100 every two weeks for the damages.

A third free food pantry in Brookfield was also vandalized Monday night, and Dorminey admitted to police that he visited it that evening, but said he didn't damage it. “He advised he got food out of it and left,” police said.

Jenny and Dustin Hall had just installed their Brookfield food pantry last Friday on U.S. Highway 82 in Brookfield.

The food pantry at Espresso 41, installed by Justin and Belle Golden, had been there for more than two years. Three weeks ago, Genia McKee made a pet-food pantry that Golden installed on the other side of the free book library.

The pet-food pantry was destroyed. Golden started a GoFundMe page to fund the restoration of both pantries at his business location, and it has raised more than $1,800.

“We have a population of people who need food and need supplies and food for their pets that may not be able to purchase them,” Golden said. “These boxes are used daily and are a need for our community."

Northeast Middle School Principal Jennifer Johnson was named principal of Tift County High School for the upcoming school year. The Tift Board of Education made the appointment Thursday night.

BOARD OF EDUCATION NAMES NEW TCHS PRINCIPAL

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Tift County Board of Education on Thursday unanimously named Jennifer Johnson as principal of Tift County High School for the 2024-2025 school year.

Johnson is currently principal at Northeast Middle School. She served as an assistant principal at Tift County High from 2017 through 2021. A Tift County native, Johnson is a 2004 TCHS graduate. 

Before becoming an assistant principal, she taught middle school math and was a cheerleading coach in Tift County. Johnson has been employed with the school system since 2008.

 

“I am very excited to join an esteemed faculty and staff in efforts of continuing to pursue a culture of excellence,” Johnson said. “Being able to lead in a place that helped to mold my educational career makes this transition even sweeter.”

Johnson and her husband, Kevious, have three daughters – Kacie, Kyndal, and Klaire. 

Dr. Jerry Baker is currently serving as interim principal at TCHS following the resignation of embattled former principal Dr. Chad Stone.

In February, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had arrested and charged Stone with six felonies relating to his time as principal. Stone is charged with one felony count of theft by taking and five felony counts of unauthorized use of financial transaction card.

He had resigned a week earlier and was placed on suspension in January.

GDOT AWARDS CONTRACT FOR ROAD TECHNOLOGY ON

I-75 IN TIFT, TURNER, COOK

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has awarded a $1.4 million contract to integrate technology that helps improve traffic flow and safety along Interstate 75 through several counties, including Tift, Turner, and Cook.

The Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), an intelligent transportation system (ITS), will be expanded along I-75 from U.S. Highway 41 to Old Coffee Road in Tift, Turner, Cook, Crisp, and Dooly counties, GDOT said.

The ATMS/ITS traffic software helps authorities to monitor roads through real-time traffic data from cameras, speed sensors, etc., helping to facilitate such actions as responding to issues, clearing roads, and routing traffic with the goal of improving traffic flow.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of next February.

'TRASH 2 TREASURE' EXHIBIT ENDS SUNDAY AT THE SYD

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton Council for the Arts is sponsoring an exhibit entitled, “In the Eye of the Beholder: From Trash 2 Treasure," through this weekend at the Syd Blackmarr Arts Center, 255 Love Ave.

The exhibit is open 4-7 p.m. today, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. A closing reception will be held at 2-4 p.m. Sunday with a guest speaker Jane Simpson, former visual arts director of the Arts Center of Moultrie. 

According the Tifton Arts Council, the exhibit's theme is creating art from found objects – recycling, repurposing, or re-using everyday items in a creative way. The exhibit is intended to bring attention to the “throw-away” culture of purchasing and discarding possessions and packaging materials.

Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite pieces of art for “The People’s Choice” award in two categories: Artwork made by children aged 14 and under and artwork made by those aged 15 and above.

People’s Choice Award winners will be announced at Sunday's closing reception.

The "Trash 2 Treasure" exhibition is part of the "Big Read" programming funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, and events are coordinated with the Tifton-Tift County Public Library, Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County, and the Tifton Council for the Arts.

Above: The artwork of Christopher Beals is on display at 305 Latin Cuisine restaurant on S. Main St. through April 30.

Below: The artwork of Kaycee Brown, including the arch at Fulwood Park, will be on display at Colony Bank April 15-30.

NEW SOUTH GEORGIA ARTIST GUILD

PROMOTING ARTS AND ARTISTS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

A new artists’ guild of visual artists in Tifton, the South Georgia Artist Guild, has been established to inform and inspire the community about the arts, says co-founder Jennifer Buckley McCall. 

Members are presenting pop-up shows around town. Members and guests meet at the Syd Blackmarr Center for the Arts at 6 p.m. every second Thursday of each month. 

“We are not a part of the Tifton Council for the Arts, but we are fortunate to be currently meeting at the center,” McCall said. “We encourage artists of all mediums to attend a meeting and see if they are interested in joining the guild.”

Christopher Beals' art is being featured through April 30 at the new Cuban restaurant in Tifton, 305 Latin Cuisine, at 212 S. Main St. 

The art of Kaycee Brown is being featured during a pop-up exhibition at Colony Bank at 104 West Second St. from April 15-30. The show is sponsored by Colony Bank in cooperation with the South Georgia Artists Guild.

Kaycee Brown is an artist based near Milledgeville. She was born and raised in Tifton, is a former Miss Tifton, and her father, Squire Brown, was a two-term Tifton mayor. She is an ABAC graduate and continued at Valdosta State University. She is now rekindling her hometown connection through involvement with the South Georgia Artists Guild, helmed by local artists McCall and Cris Lawson. 

"I am so excited about this group, its support network, and community outreach," Brown said.

Mainly working in acrylics and occasionally in charcoal, pastel, and graphite pencil, Brown offers original works on her website and also works on commissioned pieces.

She especially enjoyed collaborating with her nephew Austin Brown of the a capella vocal band Home Free and his wife Amberly on the cover art for his popular country song “She Loves Me.” That work, along with others that highlight Brown’s connection to Tifton, will be featured in the exhibition. A light reception will be held at 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday, April 15, at Colony Bank to kick off the exhibit.

BLUE DEVIL PLAYERS TO PRESENT 'LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS'

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tift County High School's Blue Devil Players performed pieces from their upcoming show "Little Shop of Horrors" for the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday.

Alayka Farley sang "Somewhere That's Green," and Caden Bowyer sang "Grow for Me." Caleb Harrington is the stage manager, and Bowyer is the set designer.

Pictured from left are Alayka Farley, Patty Gail Passmore, Caleb Harrington, and seated, Caden Bowyer, holding "Audrey II."

“Little Shop of Horrors“ is PG-13 and not for young children, said drama teacher Jake Alley. The show at Tift County High School will be at 6 p.m. April 18-20, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21. Ticket prices are $10 adults and $5 students.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Rankin Technologies

302 Main St., Tifton

April 9

Click Video Above

DR. BILL BRANCH OF UGA TIFTON

NAMED TO GA AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Dr. William D. "Bill" Branch, a pioneer in peanut breeding whose work is said to have helped save the industry, has been inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame.

His research led to the development of disease-resistant varieties that continue to benefit farmers and consumers today. Branch developed Georgia Green and subsequent peanut varieties that are resistant to tomato spotted wilt virus, which had severely threatened the peanut industry.

Branch is a Georgia seed development professor in peanut breeding and genetics at the University of Georgia's Tifton campus.

TRMC NURSE RECEIVES DAISY TEAM AWARD: Lesley Day Taylor, a registered nurse at Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) was recently honored with The DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the efforts nurses perform every day.  

Taylor works in the progressive care unit at TRMC. She was nominated for the award by the family of a patient who received end-of-life care: “She made a not-so-great situation that no one ever wants to be in a lot more bearable, and our family is forever grateful.”

MAIN STREET MANAGER A 'RISING STAR:

Tifton Main Street Manager Hillery Culpepper has received the 2024 Miles A. Drummond Rising Star Award from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The award is presented annually to alumni, 29 years old or younger, who have distinguished themselves through professional achievement, community service, and service to the college early in their careers.

Culpepper previously was assistant director of development for the Georgia FFA Foundation in

Sylvester.

CORRECTION / CLARIFICATION

According to Tift County Elections Supervisor Leila Dollison, changing one’s name or address on a driver’s license with the Department of Driver Services WILL change the corresponding information on their voter registration. Changing the address with the Post Office does NOT change the address with voter registration. The best way to change it is to go to the website "My Voter Page Georgia" or https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/mvp-landing-page 

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Statewide influenza data released from the 

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of week ending March 30:

Since Seasonal Tracking Beginning Oct. 23, 2023:

TOTAL INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS: 151 ............................................... LATEST WEEK: 0

TOTAL AREA HOSPITALIZATIONS: 4,238 ..........................................LATEST WEEK: 12

TOTAL INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED DEATHS: 57 ................................. LATEST WEEK: 1

In Georgia, influenza is not a reportable condition, with the exception of influenza-associated deaths and outbreaks.

YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER TIFTAREA

This Sunday, April 14, is National Pecan Day, celebrating a uniquely American nut whose fans have included George Washington, who planted his first pecan tree at Mount Vernon in 1775. America produces 75% of the world’s total pecan production, and Georgia is the top producer, with Southwest Georgia leading the state. Georgia has more than 215,000 acres planted, producing an estimated 100 million pounds of pecans annually.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

• “In the Eye of the Beholder: From Trash 2 Treasure" exhibit, 4-7 p.m., Syd Blackmarr Arts Center, Tifton
• Clint Black in concert, 7 p.m., UGA Campus Conference Center, Tifton

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

• Wiregrass Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-noon, Ga. Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
• Tifton's Second Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Downtown Tifton
• “In the Eye of the Beholder: From Trash 2 Treasure" exhibit, 11 a.m. -4 p.m., Syd Blackmarr Arts Center, Tifton
• Mic Night, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

• “In the Eye of the Beholder: From Trash 2 Treasure" exhibit, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Syd Blackmarr Arts Center, Tifton

THIS WEEKEND'S

YARD SALE

Yard Sale:

Synovus Bank, Love Avenue

Saturday April 13 

from 8 a.m. till noon

______________________________________________

TO ADVERTISE YOUR RESIDENTIAL

YARD SALE, CONTACT US at 

IHeardIt@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

Great Scott! "Marty McFly" is ready to rev up your life with some serious fun and adventure. He is full of energy, sweetness, and a whole lot of charm. Come visit him and other pets available for adoption at 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).