Friday, April 24, 2020
Tifton, Georgia
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Some of the damage in Adel on Thursday after storms roared through town.
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Suspected tornadoes
roared through
South Georgia
on
Thursday
, causing
extensive
damage
in
Adel, Moultrie
and in several other
area communities
.
Buildings
had
roofs stripped
,
trees
were
shredded
and
utility lines
were
down
throughout the area during the
afternoon storms
, which struck midday.
Thousands
of homes and businesses were
without electricity
.
There were
no immediate reports
of any
injuries
.
Witnesses
also told authorities that
several possible tornadoes
were spotted on the ground in
Colquitt County
, including one near
Hamilton Elementary School
on
Highway 111
. Several
structures
were
heavily damaged
in
Moultrie
as a possible tornado tore through the city.
While it was under a
tornado watch
,
Tift County
was
spared
from the severe storms.
Tifton
recorded
2.23 inches
of
rain Thursday
and had
maximum winds
of
29.2 mph
, according to the
University of Georgia's weather station
at the
Coastal Plain Experiment Station.
The
National Weather Service's Tallahassee, Fla., office
is
compiling data
about the
South Georgia storms
and will
make determinations
on
tornado designations
.
Storms
tore through several
Southern states Thursday
, causing
major damage
in
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia
and
Florida
. At least
seven
people were
killed
in the
Southern storms
and
dozens
were
injured
, authorities said.
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Storms pummeled Moultrie on Thursday. At left, Dr. Matthew Carter's dental office at Longleaf Office Park was ripped open. In the photo above by Stephanie Wyatt, an apparent tornado is spotted from the Holiday Inn in Moultrie.
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SOME TIFTON BUSINESSES POISED TO REOPEN TODAY
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By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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Several
Tifton businesses
plan to
reopen today
following Gov.
Brian P. Kemp's
controversial
decision
to allow
specified
types of
businesses
to
open
if they
follow
safety requirements
during the current
pandemic
.
Kemp
is
allowing
businesses such as
gyms
,
hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors,
massage therapists
and
bowling alleys
to
reopen
Friday
. The governor said that
theaters
and
dine-in restaurants
will be
allowed
to
reopen
on
Monday, April 27
, if they follow the guidelines.
Reopened businesses must adhere to specified
social-distancing requirements
and other
safety standards
, such as screening workers for fever and respiratory illness.
Among
local gyms
planning to
open
their doors
today
are
J&J Weight Room
and
Destiny Fitness
in
Tifton
.
"Though we are returning, we must
continue
to practice
social distancing
by staying
six feet
from any other staff or members. Our staff has been working diligently to keep our gyms both
clean and sanitized
and will continue as we open our doors again,"
Destiny Fitness
said on social media.
"Please also help us in this matter by
wiping down
all
equipment
after use, use a
mask
or cover for protection, and by
staying home
if you are
sick
or have any
symptoms
such as coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath or fever. We will be
assessing
member’s
temperatures
as they enter to also assist in the prevention of spreading COVID-19,"
Destiny Fitness
said.
The
Tiftarea YMCA
sent a note to members
Thursday
saying the
YMCA
will remain
closed
through at least
April 30
. The Y said it is working on a
phased reopening
plan and that "our
decisions
are
guided
and assisted by our local
health care system
,
resources
from around the
state
of Georgia and a strong
Board of Directors
."
Several
Tifton hair and nail salons
also plan to
reopen today
, including
Transitions Hair & Color Salon
and
Posh Salon
. They say they're
taking
the
safety requirements
seriously
and will handle scheduled appointments.
Among
local restaurants
planning to
reopen
for
dine-in customers
is
41 & Main
on Tifton's Main Street.
B.J. Smith
said she plans to
reopen
the restaurant on
May 1
with a
limited lunch menu
,
restricting capacity
to no more than
50
people and
following
all
social distancing
and
safety
requirements.
While some people have
criticized
Gov.
Kemp
for allowing some businesses to reopen,
others
say
these
businesses
have been
especially hurt
by
closures
to contain the
coronavirus
and are in a situation where they
could permanently fail
if not allowed to reopen.
Kemp
and
state health officials
say
new cases
of the virus in
Georgia
are
declining
, though they
still remain high
in
some areas
, such as
Albany
and
Dougherty County
.
President Trump
said late
Wednesday
that he
opposes Kemp’s decision
to
reopen
some businesses now, adding that it is
"just too soon."
Trump
said
reopening
now in
Georgia
is "in
violation
of the
phase one guidelines
" that he has outlined.
The
White House's Phase One
guidelines
suggest
that
documented COVID-19 cases
and the
percentage
of new
positive tests
show a
decline
for
at least 14 days
before restrictions are lifted.
Georgia
does
not yet meet
that
test
.
Kemp
does have some elected officials in his corner. State Sen.
Carden Summers
, R-Cordele, who
represents Tift County
, said
Thursday
that the
governor's decision
is "a s
tep in the right direction
to
returning
back to
normal
."
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A Message from Todd Tillman,
our Local Business Development Manager:
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A video camera captured the image of the bank robber running across the street from the Tifton bank through the parking lot of Badcock Home Furniture on Second Street.
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TIFTON BANK ROBBER PLEADS GUILTY,
FACES 20 YEARS IN PRISON
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A
man
who
robbed
a
Tifton bank
after
threatening
to
blow it up
has
pleaded guilty
to the crime, says
Charlie Peeler
, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Randy Angelo Hill
, 34, of
Tifton
, pleaded guilty
Tuesday
to
one count
of
bank robbery
during a video teleconference hearing before U.S. District Judge
Louis Sands
. Hill is facing a
maximum 20 years
in prison. He remains in custody pending his sentencing.
Hill
admitted
under oath that he
robbed South Georgia Banking Co.
at
725 West Second St.
on
Oct. 2, 2018
. Undisguised,
Hill
dropped a plastic bag over the teller counter and told an employee, “This is a
robbery
. I
have a bomb
. Put money in the bag. I will
blow everybody up
here.”
Hill
fled on foot
with
stolen cash
and was
apprehended
by
Tifton Police
that day.
“The
defendant
is facing
serious consequences
for
striking terror
into the bank’s hard-working employees and customers.
Violent criminal acts
will
not
be
tolerated
in the Middle District of Georgia,” said
Peeler
. “I want to
commend
the
Tifton Police Department
and the
Tift County Sheriff’s Office
for
quickly apprehending
the defendant and working alongside the
FBI
investigating this crime.”
“This is
good news
for our
community
and
South Georgia Bank
, and we certainly hope this
sends a message
to others that have considered doing robberies that it doesn't pay, nor will it be tolerated in our community," said Tifton Police Chief
Steve Hyman.
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ABAC'S VIRTUAL GRADUATION
SET MAY 7 ONLINE
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Graduates
of
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
will hear their
names called
on their cell phones, iPads, and computers on
May 7
when
ABAC
presents its first
virtual commencement
ceremony.
“Thanks to the hard work of our media team, we have put together a program that will
recognize
all
graduates individually
, calling their names, and allowing their friends and family to celebrate their achievements at ABAC,” said President
David Bridges
.
“We would love to be able to celebrate with our graduates
in person,
but that’s
not possible
this year.”
As one of the
26
colleges and universities in the
University System of Georgia
, ABAC is not having its spring ceremony this year because of the
pandemic
. All university system students are
completing
spring semester
course work online
.
ABAC's
virtual ceremony
will air at
10 a.m. May 7
on
Watch.ABAC.edu
, on ABAC’s
Facebook
page, and on ABAC’s
YouTube
page. A total of
429
graduates will be recognized.
“We hope you will enjoy it,”
Bridges
said. “We are proud of the
accomplishments
of these
graduates
and wish them well as they go out and make their mark in the world.”
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FOUNDATION AWARDS LOCAL GRANTS FROM COVID-19 RELIEF FUND
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Some
local nonprofit
organizations are receiving
grants
from the
COVID-19 Relief Fund
of the
Community Foundation of South Georgia
.
The
Tiftarea YMCA,
Peanut Butter & Jesus of Tifton
, and the
Cook County Family Connection
are among
40
groups across
South Georgia
receiving
grants
totaling
$200,000
.
The
grants
were directed to
organizations
working on the
frontlines
of the
relief effort
in local communities who are serving those
most at-risk
, such as
seniors
,
children
, and
low-income
or
food-insecure
individuals.
Nearly
$500,000
has been raised so far, and the
Community Foundation
plans
another round
of
grants
with distribution by
mid-May
.
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ALUMNI GROUP NAMES 'MASTER FARMER'
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James Alex Hardy
from
Hawkinsville
has been selected as the 2020
Master Farmer Award
recipient by the
Alumni Association
at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
.
The
Master Farmer Award
is presented in recognition of
alumni
who have
distinguished
themselves as
outstanding farmers
.
Hardy
graduated from
ABAC
in
1969
with his degree in
agriculture
. The
Hardy family
has been
growing peanuts
in the heartland of
Georgia
for more than
70
years.
Hardy Farms
is a leading
producer
of fresh
green
and
boiled peanuts
with an annual output of more than
6 million
pounds sold all over the
United States
.
Hardy
is a former director of the
Dodge County Farm Bureau
, a former director and chairman of the board of the
Heart of Georgia Peanut & Gin Corp.
, and a director and former chair of the
Agriculture Committee
of the
Hawkinsville-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce.
A
District High Yield Award
winner for peanut production several times,
Hardy
has been a
District Soil and Conservation Award
winner, and
Hardy Farms
was named the
Business of the Year
.
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S PET OF THE WEEK
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A HAPPY 'TAIL'
One year ago,
"Billy"
had captured the
hearts
of
Tift County
dog
rescuers
, but
hope
began to
fade
for
finding him
a
home
. Then, a
young woman
from
Alabama
reached out,
adoption
papers were signed, transport was arranged, and Billy became a
free dog.
His owner,
Kaitlin Higginbotham
, recently
shared
an
update
:
Billy
"has
grown
into
confidence
that he’s
very loved
and
safe
. He
knows we’re his
people
and is
glued to our sides
. He’s the
sweetest buddy
, and we
feel so lucky
that he’s ours. He’s
our 'death-row dog,'
and
we couldn’t love him more
."
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Pets of the Week are sponsored by:
Branch’s Veterinary Clinic
205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055
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CORONAVIRUS CLEARINGHOUSE
Important Phone Numbers & Web Sites
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APRIL 16
Ida Mae Stephens Kilcrease, 95,
Sylvester
The Rev. Wilbur Dale Bullock, 86,
Nashville
Bernice Branch Smith, 75,
Tifton
APRIL 17
The Rev. Loyd “Clinton” Moore, 68,
Tifton
Mack Stewart Sr., 67,
Tifton
Dorothy Gibbs Chapman, 91,
Irwin County
John E. Paulk, 74,
Fitzgerald
APRIL 18
Edith Sandifer Adcock, 91,
Tifton
Edward “Buddy” Martin Dixon, 92,
Omega
Harriett J Kitchen, 72,
Douglas
APRIL 19
Charles
“Chuck”
Jackson Henderson, 54,
Waterloo
Rayford Theodore Suggs, 81,
Tifton
William Shelly Whitten, 67,
Sylvester
William David “Billy” Zorn, Sr., 79,
Irwin County
Bobby Lee Rhodes, 69,
Ashburn
APRIL 20
Esther Jean Knoch Elliott, 71,
Tifton
Briggs Van Graves, infant,
Tifton
Sarah Katherine Hendley, 86,
Nashville
Elder Jimmy Chapman, 77,
Irwin County
Johnny Buck Davis, 78,
Ashburn
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APRIL 21
Wanda Faye Tucker Smith, 71,
Tifton
Rose Sharon McDaniel Rooks, 85,
Tifton
Elder Cleston M. Brooks, 79,
Sylvester
APRIL 22
Benjamin Harmon Crum, 63,
Enigma
Barbara Roberts, 82,
Norman Park
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Tifton Grapevine
e-published every Tuesday and Friday
Frank Sayles Jr.
Editor & Publisher
Bonnie Sayles
Managing Editor
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A Service of
Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC
,
Tifton, Georgia
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