Tift Countians Vote Early

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

TIFT COUNTIANS COME OUT EARLY TO VOTE IN ELECTION

GEORGIA SEES HEAVY EARLY VOTING STATEWIDE

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The first day of in-person early voting Monday brought long lines of voters across Georgia, including in Tifton.

"We did have long lines most of the day, and our voting system (ENet) was slow throughout the state," Leila E. Dollison, election supervisor at the Tift County Board of Elections. told the Tifton Grapevine on Tuesday.

A total of 596 Tift countians voted Monday among the 110,000 across the state who voted in person for the November general election. Some polling places in the Atlanta area were overwhelmed with early voters, some of whom waited in line for more than 10 hours.

As of Monday, 1.6 million voters have requested an absentee ballot, and a fourth of them have been returned, state officials said.

This year, Tift countians have two places to physically return absentee ballots if they do not wish to mail them. A new ballot box has been installed and is available 24 hours a day in front of the Charles Kent County Administration Building at 225 Tift Ave. N. As in the past, there is also a ballot box for absentee ballots, available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, in the lobby of the Tift County Elections Board office at 222 Chesnutt Ave., Building B, where early in-person voting is also being conducted.

Regarding mailed-in ballots, Dollison noted that "some people have put two postage stamps (on them), however they have come in with just one."

Tift County now has 26,036 registered voters, Dollison said, which is a 1,856 increase – or 7.7 percent – from this past June's election. Statewide, there is a record 7,587,625 registered voters.

Advance voting in Tift County will be available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until Oct. 30 at the county elections office. There will be one Saturday voting day on Oct. 24 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

On election day, Nov. 3, polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and voters will cast ballots in their assigned precincts.

For questions about voting, contact the Tift County Board of Elections at 229-386-7915 or email [email protected]

ARREST IN GIRL'S HOMICIDE LEAVES MANY QUESTIONS STILL UNANSWERED

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

There are more questions than answers surrounding the stabbing death of a 9-year-old Tifton girl after a suspect was arrested this past weekend.

Authorities say the case is still active and declined to comment on specifics.

“I know everyone still has questions they would like answered, but since this is an ongoing investigation we will not take any questions about the specifics of this case,” Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman said at a press conference Sunday.

This is what has been confirmed thus far:

Semaj Antonio Moss, 18, of Tifton was arrested Saturday at a family member's home in Lowndes County and charged with malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of Alazia “Ally” Johnson, 9, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Ally, a student at Len Lastinger Elementary School, had been found stabbed to death at the Tifton Housing Authority's Nichols Peterson Apartments on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Tifton Police received a call about the death at approximately 7:20 a.m. that morning. Ally's mother, Tegina Brown, a single mother, said she discovered her daughter’s body.

“I have to work to support my kids. I had to go to work that night, and I just came home and found my baby,” she said.

Ally’s body was taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Decatur where autopsy results are pending, according to the GBI.

The crime stunned the community. A $3,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible, which was subsequently raised to $8,000 by local anonymous donors.

Among questions still unanswered are whether there was anyone at Ally's home babysitting her when the mother was at work overnight; was she at home alone or with other children; how many stab wounds did she receive and where were they on her body; what connection is there, if any, between the suspect Moss and Ally's family; is anyone else suspected of being involved in the crime.

“While there are a lot of questions, many of the answers can’t be given today,” Marko Jones, GBI assistant agent in charge for Region 15, said at Sunday's press conference. “Even though an arrest has been made, we are still working this case and pursuing leads to ensure Ally receives the justice she deserves."

Social media has lit up with all kinds of speculation about the homicide. Within hours of Ally's death, some on social media were already pointing fingers at Moss and accusing him of the crime. Moss apparently has several social media accounts, and on one of them he posted “#JusticeForAlly" on Oct. 7, which ignited blistering criticism online.

Also, some folks posted photos, allegedly from a store camera, that are claimed to be Moss at a local convenience store at about 5 a.m. on the morning that Ally's body was found. The Tifton Grapevine has not been able to verify the veracity of the photos.

“Social media has done some help but has also hurt the case too,” Chief Hyman said. “There are some things that don’t need to be out there."

NEW COVID-19 CASES DECLINING IN TIFT COUNTY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

There is some good news regarding COVID-19 in Tift County: The number of new positive cases has been steadily declining during the past two weeks, according to state health data.

For the past two weeks, the percentage of positive results from viral lab tests in Tift have declined to 8.5 percent; the percentage was 12.5 during the two-week period before that, according to data compiled by Emory University.

There have been 90 new cases of the coronavirus in Tift during the past two weeks, according to the Ga. Department of Public Health. During the period, Tift County cases went from 367 per 100,000 population to 220, the DPH reported.

Since the pandemic started, Tift has had a total of 1,881 cases and 59 coronavirus-related deaths.

Statewide, 1,021 new cases were reported during the past 24 hours for a total of 333,304 cases. There were 27 additional deaths reported in Georgia for a total of 7,454, the DPH said. Georgia had 106 new coronavirus-related hospitalizations reported Tuesday for a total of 29,762 since the beginning of the pandemic.

TIFTAREA CELEBRATION WITH

WILL GRAHAM RESET FOR FEBRUARY

The Tiftarea Celebration with Will Graham has now been rescheduled for Feb. 5-7 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Originally set for this past March, the free, evangelical outreach was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to move forward in February was reached jointly by celebration organizers and the venue.

“Over the past several months, as we’ve looked at postponements in Tifton and in other cities, I’ve returned many times to Proverbs 19:21: ‘Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand,’” said, Graham, son of pastor Franklin Graham and grandson of evangelist Billy Graham.

“God’s timing is perfect, and the coronavirus didn’t take Him by surprise. We had our own plans, but they are nothing compared to His purpose. With so many people now searching for hope, peace, and comfort, we believe God has something big in store for the Tiftarea — something beyond what we could ask or imagine.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine, Graham has shared his Gospel message digitally through online celebrations, including a live outreach last week. The livestreams, which have featured award-winning musical artists such as Crowder, The Afters and Aaron Shust, have been viewed more than 820,000 times in more than 75 countries.

More than 2,500 people have indicated making a decision for Jesus during the online messages. The Tiftarea Celebration will be Graham’s first post-coronavirus in-person evangelistic outreach.

“We are cautiously excited about the opportunity to move forward with the Tiftarea Celebration,” said Bob Hickling, who is directing the local celebration on behalf of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

“Together with UGA Tifton, we have been monitoring the coronavirus situation both locally and nationally, and feel that Feb. 5-7 offers a prime opportunity to meet. In uncertain days, we need the hope of Jesus as much as ever.”

CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC A SUCCESS

The Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce's 27th Annual Golf Classic on Oct. 5 at the Spring Hill Country Club had great weather and great fellowship, the Chamber says.

Winning teams were:

First Place – Tifton Quality Peanuts, represented by Bill Park, Jason Shivers, Jon Moore, and Jed Brench.

Second Place – HBT, represented by Chris Hammond, Jim Curington, Pete Boggs, and Butch Davis.

Third Place – The Howard Center, represented by Jerry Simmons, Tyler Brock, Charlie Clark, and Billy Haines.

Fourth Place – American Textile Co., represented by Rick Johnson, Ron Ferrari, Todd Brey, and Chris Bedore.

STATE RECOGNIZES CITY OF TIFTON

FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING

The City of Tifton has received statewide distinction once again from the Ga. Department of Community Affairs PlanFirst program for 2021-2022.

The program recognizes excellence in community planning and rewards communities that demonstrate an established pattern of successfully implementing their Local Comprehensive Plan.

Such communities are eligible for technical assistance and additional funding.

“We are proud to achieve such a designation, and we are prepared to utilize such tools to make the City of Tifton even better for tomorrow. I would like to commend City Clerk Jessica White and our staff for making it possible,” City Manager Pete Pyrzenski said.

'GO LIGHT UP YOUR WORLD' ON OCT. 21

The Tift County Commission on Children and Youth's annual Go Light Up Your World is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21.

The event promotes local organizations, clubs, faith-based organizations, businesses, agencies and individuals coming together to provide safe and productive activities for local youth by displaying luminaries.

For information or to register to participate, contact Lillie McEntyre at 229-388-1000 or [email protected]

A Proud New Member of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce

TIFTON WOMAN'S CLUB RECEIVES

STATE AWARD FOR SUPPORTING

GIRL SCOUT PROJECTS

Genie McCook, left, current president of the Tifton Woman’s Club, and Shirene Daniell, immediate past president, show off the State President’s Special Project Award, a pitcher, presented to the Tifton club for its yearlong support of and activities with Girl Scouts in 2019.

Other awards Daniell announced Tuesday at the club’s first meeting since the Covid-19 lockdown included the statewide Community Service award, a leadership award, the State Poetry Award won by McCook, and a membership award in celebration of the club’s 115 years of existence in the Tifton community.

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

This kitty is among several pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter and just waiting for their new home. Visit the Animal Shelter from 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

CITY NAMES MISS TIFTON

– OCT. 13, 1922

Ethel Hall has been named Miss Tifton and will represent the city at the big “Style Show on Oct. 30 at the Albany South Georgia Fair. She is requested to take part with a decorated car in the gala parade. Her sister, Catherine Hall, and Estell Young are to be her maids of honor.