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Tift County Schools Superintendent Natalie Gore discusses highlights and challenges in the school system during a meeting Wednesday of the Rotary Club of Tifton.

TIFT READING LEVELS NEAR BOTTOM IN AREA

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

The number of Tift County third graders reading at grade level has declined over two years, Tift County School

Superintendent Dr. Natalie Gore told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday.

She said the data came from the Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA).

Only sixty percent of Tift County third graders are reading on or above grade level,” Gore said.

“We are pretty soundly in the bottom half of our comparative systems in RESA.”

Gore said that third graders reading on a third-grade level is a foundational skill.

Statewide, the percentage of third graders reading at grade level has remained constant, RESA reported. Those reading at a third-grade level in the local Coastal Plains RESA have increased, while Tift County third graders reading at grade level declined.

The Georgia school district with the highest percentage of third graders reading at grade level is Decatur City with 88.5%.

Gore reported the literacy data as part of a “State of the Schools” report; she is 220 days into her role at the helm of Tift County Schools.

She shared a Tift literacy summary that showed losses and gains in reading levels over two years. Third graders reading at grade level decreased by 1%. Fourth grade stayed the same, 50.7%. The number of fifth graders reading on grade level made gains, she said, increasing by 10%, to 70.9%, which is the top half of the school districts in Coastal Plain RESA.

Sixth graders increased by 6% to 47.9%. Seventh graders increased by 4% to 60.5%. Eighth graders decreased by 2% to 62.7%.

Less than 50% of Tift County High School students are reading at grade level, she said. “We are significantly behind there,” Gore said. “Our needs are definitely outpacing the state and RESA performance,” she said.

Tift County is in the bottom half of the local Coastal Plains RESA area, which includes the counties of Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, Turner, and Valdosta City.

“It’s pretty somber data,” Gore said.

She detailed an intensive plan to improve reading levels by three primary goals: Leading for improved teaching, leading for improved operational outcomes, and communication to facilitate collaboration.

“This is going to be a multi-year effort to change the trajectory that we are on,” she said.

Leading for improved teaching to increase student outcomes is supported by staff retention, increasing teacher effectiveness, and increasing instructional time. In the area of staff recruitment and retention, competitive compensation is key.

Retention of qualified, highly trained teachers is important.

“If we are pouring into them with professional development, if they leave, then all of that knowledge and teaching we’ve done goes somewhere else, and we’ve got to rebuild it with people that are new,” Gore said. “We don’t want to lose our best and brightest who are making an impression on our students.”

The state gave teachers a $2,500 raise this year, and the Tift Board of Education added $1,000 to bring it to a $3,500 raise for teachers, Gore said. Classified staff will receive a 4.1% raise, paraprofessionals will receive a 10% raise, and the school nutrition staff will receive a 20% raise.

Gore said the school district needs the community to “rally around us to improve our literacy rates.” A local church is already working with 13 students.

“We need more than just 13 kids worked with,” she said. “We need lots of hands to help us." She said a literacy meeting will be held in mid-September to bring the community together to help improve reading levels.

MEMBER OF ANTI-GOVT GROUP GETS 4 YEARS IN PRISON ON GUN CHARGES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A convicted felon and member of an anti-government extremist group who participated in online discussions to kidnap and attack federal officials on Thanksgiving Day 2022 has been sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms during a trip to Fitzgerald.

Joshua Colston, 50, of Corinth, Miss., was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court to serve four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Colston previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI learned that Colston and others participated in discussions on a Zello chat channel titled “NCM Leadership.” Zello is an encrypted push-to-talk application used on cellular phones. “NCM” stands for National Constitutional Militia, an anti-government extremist organization.

Authorities said Colston and other NCM members discussed a plan to kidnap or attack elected federal officials on Thanksgiving Day 2022. Ultimately, the Thanksgiving Day plan was never developed because of the group’s lack of resources and the poor health of some of the members.

FBI agents took Colston into custody in Fitzgerald on Dec. 14, 2022. Colston had come to South Georgia to purchase horses. He told agents that he had planned to travel on horseback across the country for several years, and he was preparing to go “off the grid.”

Colston, who has prior felony convictions, was found to be in illegal possession of five firearms: a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a .40 semiautomatic pistol, a .22 semiautomatic rifle, a semiautomatic shotgun, and a .44 lever-action rifle.

The semiautomatic rifle was reported stolen in Alcorn County, Miss. In addition to the firearms, Colston had a bulletproof vest and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds, in his vehicle. FBI agents believed that Colston had training in explosives. He has prior state convictions in Texas for felony theft and felony criminal mischief.

It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess firearms.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office.

TIFT JOBLESS RATE IMPROVES IN JULY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County's unemployment rate improved during July from the previous month, according to data released Thursday by the Ga. Department of Labor (GDOL).

Tift County's jobless rate dropped to 3.6% in July, down from 3.8% in June. One year ago in July, Tift recorded a 3.3% unemployment rate, according to the GDOL.

Tift County’s labor force – the number of people who are employed or are unemployed and seeking employment – was at 20,816 during the month, which is a decrease of 196 from the previous month, according to GDOL data.

July's jobless rates in area counties versus the previous month's rates were: Turner, 5.2% vs. 4.4%; Worth, 4.1% vs. 4.3%; Irwin, 5.4% vs. 5.0%; Cook, 3.8% vs. 3.9%; Berrien, 5.5% vs. 4.9%; and Ben Hill, 5.8% vs. 5.3%.

Statewide, the July unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.4% from 3.3% said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson. The national jobless rate for July was at 4.3%.

POLLINATOR COUNT THIS WEEKEND

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is taking place in four states today and Saturday, and YOU can participate!

People are spending 15 minutes on either day in their garden or yard counting the number of insects visiting flowers. The census is designed for residents of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida of all ages to participate. Individuals as well as families, gardeners, and school and community groups are encouraged to participate.

Visit online here to read instructions on how to participate in the census. Download and print the form on which to count the critters you see. You’ll choose a flower or plant to watch for 15 minutes. Photos show what you are looking for with descriptions.

For example, the carpenter bee has a "shiny hiney" vs. the "fuzzy rear" of the bumblebee. The honey bee and smaller bees are shown. Flies, butterflies, moths, and other insects, including spiders and dragonflies, may be counted on the easy-to-use form.

Post photos of your counters having fun, photos of your gardens, or anything that may be of interest on the Southeast Pollinator Census Facebook page.

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia designed for anyone to participate and make a difference in pollinator conservation.

The first statewide Great Georgia Pollinator Census was in August 2019, and more than 4,000 people participated. During 2020, organizers encouraged families to count at home and provided online training through webinars.

In 2021, almost 6,000 participants recorded data. In 2022, South Carolina joined the Census through the efforts of Clemson University, and last year North Carolina joined through North Carolina A&T.

www.stopthehurtga.org

OASIS RECOVERY ORGANIZATION NAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Evan Brown has been named executive director of Oasis Recovery Community Organization.

Brown will oversee the day-to-day operations of Oasis, along with oversight, event planning, and peer-to-peer counseling with individuals.

“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity,” Brown said. “I have a genuine passion to help those who are battling substance abuse, and this gives me a tremendous opportunity to combine something I love with an opportunity to help my community. 

"I am a person in recovery, and I know what those that use our services are battling.”

Oasis, while not a rehabilitation facility, offers a variety of services to anyone with a substance use disorder by helping them locate a suitable rehab if needed, providing peer-to-peer counseling, offering a variety of community meetings, assisting in job searches, providing recreational opportunities in a safe environment, as well as offering free transportation to counseling, doctor’s appointments, work, etc.

“We try to make the transition back into the community as easy as possible for each individual in order to give them a better chance of success and help each one to be a responsible, productive member of our community,” Brown said.

Oasis is located at 902 South Main St. in Tifton, 229-396-5900, email: OASIStifton@gmail.com, and online at www.oasistifton.com

Tiftarea Academy Football Coach Erik Soliday talks about this year's season to members of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

LOCAL COACHES BRIEF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ON FOOTBALL SEASON

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

On the heels of big wins in last week's first regular season games, the head football coaches of Tift County High and Tiftarea Academy both addressed the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

Coach Jeff Littleton's Tift Blue Devils whipped Griffin High, 43-0, and Erik Soliday's Tiftarea Panthers crushed Central Fellowship Academy, 48-0.

Littleton said the Blue Devils did what they were supposed to do, but said that Griffin's team "wasn't very good."

Tonight, the Blue Devils have their first home game -- which is also homecoming -- when they face Gadsden County High of Havana, Fla.

At Tiftarea Academy, the Panthers face Turner County High in Ashburn tonight.

About last week's Panthers' win, Coach Soliday noted that winning the first game doesn't mean you will win them all, but by winning the first one, "you can't lose them all."

TIFT ELECTIONS OFFICIAL RECOGNIZED FOR TWO DECADES OF SERVICE

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The Tift County Board of Elections and Tift County Board of Commissioners honored Amos Kimbrough on Monday for his service of more than 20 years on the Board of Elections.

"We proudly recognize Mr. Amos Kimbrough for his unwavering dedication and remarkable leadership," Election Supervisor Leila Dollison said.

"His selfless service to our community over the past 20-plus years is a shining example of what it means to be a true public servant. Thank you, Mr. Amos, for being an inspiration to us all."

In the photo, Kimbrough is seated, with members of the Board of Elections and staff, from left: Thad Paulk, Perry Taylor, Pat Robinson, Shekia Holley, Leila Dollison, Kimbrough's son Curt Kimbrough, and Stephanie McKee.

Christina Reneau, SRTC institutional advancement director, from left; Jim Glass, SRTC president; Pamela Earp, Five Star market director; and Mike Bridges, Five Star vice president of marketing and communications.

FIVE STAR CREDIT UNION DONATES $25,000 FOR SRTC SCHOLARSHIPS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Five Star Credit Union Foundation recently donated $25,000 to establish the Five Star Credit Union Scholarship for students at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC).

The permanent endowment will maintain its principal value while generating distributable earnings. Once matured, the endowment will provide student scholarships every semester.



The Five Star Credit Union Foundation was formed in 2020 to provide opportunities for students to further their education. In three years, the Five Star Credit Union Foundation has provided $140,000 in scholarships to help more than 40 students go to college tuition-free free their freshman year.

"Removing barriers for college is important to the foundation," said Robert A. Steensma, president of the Five Star Credit Union Foundation. "It sets students on a path of increasing their ceiling in their chosen profession. It helps them start college debt-free. We want to brighten the financial future of the communities we serve. This will help our communities prosper and the students to gain the skills they need to be successful."

The SRTC Foundation's first priority is to provide support that enhances student learning. said Christina Reneau, SRTC institutional advancement director.

"Thank you, Five Star Credit Union, for making a meaningful difference in our students' lives and for your commitment to education and overcoming financial barriers. We look forward to a continued partnership," Reneau said.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

RIBBON CUTTING

Lighting Connections

908 Belleview Ave., Unit 2, Tifton

Aug. 20

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Statewide influenza data released from the 

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of week ending Aug. 10:

Since Seasonal Tracking Beginning Oct. 23, 2023:

TOTAL INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS: 200 ............................................... LATEST WEEK: 0

TOTAL METRO AREA HOSPITALIZATIONS: 4,454 ..............................LATEST WEEK: 2

TOTAL INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED DEATHS: 59 ................................. LATEST WEEK: 0

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

Saturday, Aug. 24, is National Waffle Day. Pass the syrup! Today's style of waffles hail from France and Belgium. Earlier versions, made of grain flour and water, date back to Ancient Greece. The Belgian Waffle made its way to America during the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, but it wasn’t popular until the 1964-65 World’s Fair in Queens, N.Y. It’s known for its crispy exterior, and light, airy, and fluffy interior. It is usually served with whipped cream and sliced strawberries or blueberries.

FRIDAY, AUG. 23

• Sylvester Swine Festival Concert at the Depot with The Tams, 7-10 p.m., Downtown Sylvester
• Tift County High Blue Devils football (Homecoming) vs. Gadsden County High Jaguars, 7:30 p.m., Brodie Field, Tifton
• Tiftarea Academy Panthers football @ Turner County High Titans, 7:30 p.m., Ashburn
• Irwin County High Indians football vs. Worth County Rams, 7:30 p.m., Ocilla

SATURDAY, AUG. 24

• Sylvester Swine Festival, BBQ Cook-Off -- 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Music -- 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Front Street, Sylvester
• "Beer For My Horses: Toby Keith Tribute," 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton
• NPC Night of the Gladiators, 8 p.m., UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton

ADVERTISE YOUR

YARD SALE HERE!

To Advertise Your Yard Sale, Contact:

IHeardIt@tiftongrapevine.com 

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Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

"Tater Tot" is a sweet and affectionate girl waiting patiently for her forever home. Come meet Tater Tot 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).