Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024

Tifton, Georgia

Washington's Birthday, Feb. 22

GrapeNew

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478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

COMMUNITY HAS HIGH HOPES FOR NEW COACH LITTLETON

By FRANK SAYLES JR. and BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County High's new Head Football Coach Jeff Littleton has returned home in a way.


Littleton is a Sylvester native who served as a Tift County assistant coach in 2001 under Blue Devil Coach Tommy Seward.


"I’ve been here; I know the community. This has always been a great town, and it’s close to my original hometown in Sylvester,” Littleton said Friday when he was announced as Tift's coach.


Tift County has had some good years traditionally; just some great coaches have come through here, and I want to get it back on that winning tradition. It’s going to take a lot of change of culture. I think with the support of everybody in the community, and our administration, and our superintendent, and our board, we can all get it done together.”


As head coach at Bainbridge High for the past 11 years, Littleton has won a state championship and five region titles. His teams there also made five quarter-final appearances and three semi-final appearances.


He also has been an assistant coach in Worth and Dooly counties and in Cairo. Littleton played football at Worth County High and was a member of the school's state champion team in 1987.


After Littleton was named Tift County High's coach, the Tift County Community Booster Club and the Tift County Touchdown Club announced that it was merging "back into one, unified football booster club – the Tift County Touchdown Club .... in support of new Tift County Head Football Coach Jeff Littleton and to unify our community."


The Touchdown Club said it believes Littleton "has the experience to bring Tift County Blue Devils football back to the championship level" and "encourages everyone in the Blue Devil Nation to unite together and focus all of our energy in support of our football program under Coach Littleton’s leadership."


Littleton said he is "excited and honored" to be in Tift County.


“As I told our kids in Bainbridge, you got to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I feel like I was comfortable in my shoes in Bainbridge. If I’m going to preach stuff like that, I’ve got to learn how to get out of my comfort zone as well," Littleton said.


"This is a great challenge for me, and a great challenge for everyone here. I’m just a single part of it. I’m glad to be a single part of it.”

REP. PENNY HOUSTON NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

State Rep. Penny Houston, R-Nashville, the dean of Tifton's state legislative delegation and a longtime respected member of the General Assembly, announced Tuesday that she is not seeking re-election this year.


Houston, who represents House District 170, which encompasses Berrien County and parts of Tift and Cook counties, has served in the state Legislature for 26 years.

“Today, I’m sharing the bittersweet news that I’ve decided not to run for re-election this year," Houston said Tuesday. "I feel like it’s the right time to retire, spend more time with family, and find new ways to contribute to my community.


"I am so grateful that the people of South Georgia, who first gave me the opportunity to represent them 26 years ago, have entrusted me with their support ever since."


Rep. Clay Pirkle, R-Ashburn, who also represents part of Tift County, told the Tifton Grapevine that it has been "an absolute honor to serve with Penny Houston. There has been no greater advocate for rural Georgia than Penny. She has dedicated much of her life to making the lives of Georgians better. She is a friend, trusted colleague, and servant leader. My heart is full for having served with her."


First elected in 1997, Houston currently chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development. She has consistently promoted development in South Georgia as well as rural healthcare and legislation to aid children and families across the state.


In 2017, Houston received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Georgia Watch, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, which said she has been a champion for “the little guy” and has shown "steadfast dedication to Georgia consumers."


Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton, who used to serve in the General Assembly alongside Houston, once said that she "puts the needs of the people above partisanship."


In a statement she released Tuesday, Houston said that "so much has changed since 1997 when I was sworn into the statehouse, but the dedication of the men and women working to make Georgia a better place to live has remained constant.


Serving in the House has been an honor, and I am so grateful to the people in rural Georgia for giving me the opportunity to be their voice at the Capitol. The friendships, memories, and experiences I have made in the House are a gift that I will always treasure," Houston said.


"It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of South Georgia, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve you.”

EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Early voting began Monday for Georgia's presidential preference primaries on March 12. Advance voting is available between 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, through March 8 at the Tift County Board of Elections office on the corner of Fourth Street and Chesnutt Avenue.


Saturday voting will be available this Saturday, Feb. 24, and on March 2 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.


On Election Day, March 12, voters must cast ballots at their assigned home precincts.


Voters may cast a ballot for president in either the Democratic or Republican primary. Georgia’s open primary system means that voters may participate in the primary election even if they are not registered member of a political party.


On the Democratic ballot are President Joe Biden; U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn.; and Self-help author Marianne Williamson, who has suspended her campaign.


On the GOP ballot are former President Donald Trump; former South Carolina Gov. Nikki HaleyDavid Stuckenberg, an Air Force Reserve major and Florida businessman; and a long list of other candidates who have since dropped out of the race: Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Doug Burgum, Perry Johnson, and Ryan L. Binkley.

LADY DEVILS ADVANCE

IN STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS


Tift County High School's Lady Devils advanced in the state basketball playoffs Tuesday night defeating Riverwood High 64-22.


The Lady Devils, the Region 1-6A champs, face Glynn Academy at home on Friday in the second round of the playoffs. Tift has a season record of 24-4; Glynn has a 17-11 record.

The Page Brothers Band was among the area musicians performing at the 'For the Love of Revel Music Festival' Saturday upstairs at the Tifton Harley-Davidson.

TIFTON MUSIC FEST RAISES $10,000+

FOR 4-YEAR-OLD BATTLING LEUKEMIA

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Saturday’s “For the Love of Revel Music Festival” raised more than $10,000 for four-year-old Revel Crosby, who is battling leukemia.


The event at the Tifton Harley-Davidson featured area musicians every hour from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. along with a silent auction.


Local businesses, organizations, musicians, and the community came together to help the little girl, the daughter of Tifton native and singer Danielle Hicks Crosby and granddaughter of Tifton real estate agent and musician John Hicks.


Hicks is seen performing Saturday in the photo above with singer Selena Woodall in front of a photo of Revel.


"I am so thankful for my community, my family, and my friends that I can’t put it into words," Hicks said.


Connie Stover, owner of Savor the Flavor and Donatello’s in downtown Tifton, and Lonnie Lewis created the event.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Kunes Real Estate & Appraisals Inc.

1706 Whiddon Mill Road, Tifton

Feb. 20

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

"Misty" is an eight-week-old female kitten who is ready for cuddling. Come visit Misty and see other pets available for adoption between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

LITERARY & SOCIAL CLUB DISCUSSES

ORGANIZING TIFTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

~ FEB. 19, 1905

Tifton's Literary and Social Club met Feb. 19, 1905, at the home of Mrs. E.H. Tift to discuss organizing a public library for Tifton. The public school had agreed to donate its 375-volume library as a nucleus. The club decided to set its membership fee at $1 per month to help "equip and maintain a first-class library." The club later changed its name to the Tifton Twentieth Century Library Club.

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Tifton Grapevine

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Frank Sayles Jr.

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Bonnie Sayles

Managing Editor

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