Friday, November 7, 2025

Tifton, Georgia

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TIFTON'S DOVE & BAND WIN SONG OF YEAR IN JAZZ/BLUES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The accolades continue to accumulate for Tifton's Southern blues-rock band Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers.

On Sunday, the Tifton band won Song of the Year – Jazz/Blues for “Just Walk Away” at the 11th Annual Josie Music Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

On Oct. 25, Derrick Dove was inducted into the Georgia Country Musić Hall of Fame as a songwriter.

And in August, Dove & The Peacekeepers received the 2025 Entertainer of the Year Award from the International Singer Songwriters Association.

The Josie Music Awards, honoring the best in the independent music industry, is the world's largest independent music award show. The Tifton band's “Just Walk Away,” from its "Burn It Down" album released in January, is a blend of Southern rock and blues.

The song was released as a single in March, getting acclaim on Spotify and Apple Music.

“This win reflects the passion in our music,” Dove said. “We’re thankful to the Josie Music Awards and our fans. ‘Just Walk Away’ reminds us that moving forward can set you free.”

The International Singer Songwriters Association award also recognizes independent musicians.

Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers' self-styled "Southern-fried blues rock" has hit No. 1 on blues charts in nine countries.

The band's recent summer tour of performances encompassed 15 states. Dove, who handles songwriting, lead vocals, and guitar, is joined in the band by Johnathan “JT” Thomas on keyboards, Walt Dunn on bass, and Jamie Richardson on drums.

Dove and his band will resume their national tour in the coming year.

Officials cut the ribbon Tuesday at the new corporate aircraft hangar at Tifton's Henry Tift Myers Airport.

NEW HANGAR AT TIFTON AIRPORT OFFERS SPACE FOR CORPORATE PLANES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Showcasing its latest improvement at the Henry Tift Myers Airport, the Tifton-Tift County Airport Authority on Tuesday unveiled a new 11,800-square-foot corporate aircraft hangar.

The $1 million project was nearly two years in the making. In 2023, the Tifton airport was awarded a $443,241 federal grant for hangar construction.

Dr. Robert G. Anderson, said companies will rent space in the hangar to store their aircraft. Revenue from rentals will be put back into the airport for operations and improvements.

Henry Tift Myers Airport has seen numerous major improvements in recent years, including aerial mapping and GPS approaches on all of the runways, upgrades in the instrument landing system, and improvements to the weather reporting system so that pilots arriving from other states can get real-time weather conditions at the Tifton airport.

Two runway extension projects in the past several years increased the runway in Tifton – first from 4,800 to 5,500 feet, and then another 1,000-foot extension to 6,500 feet, which is just about as long as Albany’s airport.

Early last year the Tifton airport completed a $6 million project to overlay the entire main runway.

Future projects include a 12,000-square-foot hangar and a new taxiway.

OCILLA POLICE CHIEF RESIGNING

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Ashley Jones, Ocilla's police chief since January 2023, is resigning to join the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.

In a statement to the Tifton Grapevine, Jones said that "after much prayer and consideration, I wanted to share that I will be stepping down as chief of police for the City of Ocilla, effective Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, as I have accepted a position with the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. This new opportunity will allow me to continue serving in law enforcement in a new capacity, but stepping away from this community will certainly not be easy."

Jones began his law-enforcement career in 2005 with the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office. He joined the Ocilla Police Department in 2009.

"Over the years, I have had the privilege of working my way through the ranks and ultimately serving as chief of police since January 2023. It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve the citizens of Ocilla and Irwin County alongside such dedicated men and women."

Jones said that in recent years his department has "worked hard to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the community we serve. From safety programs with our schools to collaborative efforts with our churches, civic organizations, and businesses, these partnerships have built trust and made a lasting difference. I’m especially proud of our continued partnership with the Irwin County School System — ensuring that our students, staff, and families have the safest learning environment possible."

He thanked the Ocilla and Irwin County community, saying that the "kindness, encouragement, and support you’ve shown to me and to the men and women of this department will always mean more than I can express. While I’ll be stepping into a new chapter, this will always be home, and I will forever be proud to have served this community."

Ocilla Mayor Melvin D. Harper II could not be reached for comment Thursday.

OMEGA ELECTS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

In Tuesday's election, four City Council seats were decided in Omega. 

Christopher W. Ponder ran unopposed for Post 1 and received 81 votes. In the Post 2 race, incumbent Cecile L. Gilliard won, receiving 49 votes to challenger Rene Christian Martinez’ 34 votes.

Ryan Voris won the Post 3 race with 46 votes to 35 votes for Rodney D. Glaze. Challenger Gwendolyn C. Robinson won the Post 4 seat on Omega City Council, with 56 votes to 29 for incumbent Charles Alvin White.

On the statewide ballot, Democrats unseated incumbent Republicans in a special election for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission. In District 2, Democrat Alicia M. Johnson defeated Republican incumbent Tim Echols, and in District 3 on the PSC, Democratic challenger Peter Hubbard defeated Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson.

In Tift County, more voters supported the Republican candidates for the PSC. For District 2, Echols received 1,517 votes to 1,369 for Alicia Johnson. For District 3, Fitz Johnson received 1,523 votes to 1,363 for Hubbard.

The PSC controls electric rates and statewide energy policies.

Because incumbent city councilmen in Tifton and Ty Ty were unopposed, their names were removed from the ballot. 

In Tifton, District 1 Councilman Josh Reynolds and District 3 Councilman Lester Cromer Jr. were elected to their second terms on City Council.

In the City of Ty Ty, longtime Ty Ty Mayor J. Keith Beasley, who first was elected to Ty Ty City Council in 1989, was unopposed as were Ty Ty Council members Tony C. Randall (Post 2), Kasey Luke (Post 3), and Linda Drawdy (Post 4).

A little over 11% of Tift County’s 25,948 registered voters came to the polls or mailed in ballots to select candidates. The number of ballots cast was 2,912.

TIFTON MARKS VETERANS DAY WITH CEREMONY TUESDAY

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton will observe Veterans Day at 11 a.m. Tuesday with a ceremony at Jack Stone Veterans Park and Amphitheater on First Street East, adjacent to the Cato Knight Parking Lot. 

Master of Ceremony Tyron Spearman will open the event, followed by a welcome from Tifton Mayor Julie B. Smith. The Tifton Fire Department Honor Guard will present the colors, and Brenda Shaw will sing the National Anthem, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 

The Rev. Chip Grantham will offer the invocation. The keynote speaker will be Jonathan Mayberry. 

“Today, we pause to honor the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment of our veterans – those who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces with pride and purpose," said the event's planners.

“We also recognize the families who serve alongside you — those who wait, worry, and welcome you home with open arms. On this Veterans Day, may we not only remember your sacrifices but also strive to live in a way that honors them. May we be worthy of the freedoms you’ve defended. With deepest gratitude, thank you for your service.”

Brenda Shaw will sing "God Bless the USA," and Megan Dubose will play "Taps."

Veterans Day was first created to recognize the end of World War I, when fighting between the Allied nations and Germany ceased on the

11th hour of the 11h day of the 11th month – Nov. 11, 1918. 

Veterans Day continues to be observed on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls.

KEEP TIFT BEAUTIFUL NAMES BEAUTY SPOTS OF MONTH

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Keep Tift Beautiful (KTB), a citizens advisory board, has named the residential and commercial "Beauty Spots" for November.

The native plant landscape of Mary Alice Applegate on Ridge Avenue, pictured above, is this month's residential Beauty Spot. 

The Georgia Peanut Commission on Fulwood Boulevard, pictured below, is November's commercial Beauty Spot.

Keep Tift Beautiful promotes recycling, community gardening, litter abatement, and outdoor beautification.

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YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER

TIFTAREA

Saturday is National Cappuccino Day. Cappuccinos are made from espresso, hot milk, and lots of foam. There’s an unverified legend that a 17th century monk named Marco d’Aviano first created the cappuccino after the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Many historians conclude that cappuccinos do originate with a subset of the Catholic Church’s friars, the Capuchin monks, around that same time. But coffee being the global drink that it is, has always found a place in Vienna. By 1805, an early version of the cappuccino, also known as the “kapuziner,” starts to appear in Viennese coffee houses. These drinks were “coffee with cream and sugar.” But the name "cappuccino" is descriptive. It refers to the deep, brown color of the hooded frocks or “cappuccini,” worn by 17th century Capuchin monks in Italy.

Born on NOV. 7: James Cook, English navigator, 1728-1779; Marie Curie, chemist, physicist, & Nobel Prize laureate, 1867-1934; Leon Trotsky, Russian politician, 1879- 1940; Albert Camus, French novelist, 1913-1960; Billy Graham, minister, 1918-2018; Al Hirt, trumpet player & bandleader, 1922- 1999; Johnny Rivers, singer-songwriter, 1942- ; Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriter, 1943- ; Joe Niekro, baseball player, 1945- 2006; Lawrence O'Donnell, TV talk show host, 1951- ; Lorde, singer-songwriter, 1996- .

FRIDAY, NOV. 7

• Homeschool Hangout: Learn About Elections, 11 a.m., Tifton-Tift County Public Library, Tifton

• Homeschool Hangout: Nature Tree Puzzle Art, 11 a.m., Victoria Evans Memorial Library, 605 North St., Ashburn

• Veteran Appreciation Spaghetti Dinner & Bingo, hosted by American Legion Post 98, 5 p.m., Turner County Elementary School cafeteria, Ashburn

• Encore at the Park, Fulwood Park stage dedication, live concert by The Page Brothers and The Velcro Pygmies, food & drinks available, 6-10 p.m., Fulwood Park, Tifton

• Tiftarea Academy Panthers football @ Westfield School Hornets, GIAA playoff, 7:30 p.m., Perry

SATURDAY, NOV. 8

• Tifton Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-Noon, Tifton Gardens, Downtown Tifton

• Fun Run Barrel Race, Event by ABAC Horsemen's Association, 10 a.m., ABAC Rodeo Arena, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton

• Alapaha Station Celebration, parade, live entertainment, arts & crafts, 10 a.m., Alapaha

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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S DOG OF THE WEEK

Zuzu is a sweet one-year-old boy who has spent half his life at the animal shelter. He came in as a stray and has been nothing but gentle, friendly, and full of love ever since. He gets along great with other dogs and adores all people. Zuzu is the kind of pup who would fit perfectly into any home — he’s easygoing, affectionate, and just wants a chance to belong. Visit Zuzu 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).

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