TIFTON MAN GETS LIFE SENTENCE AFTER MURDER PLEA

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A Tifton man pleaded guilty on Thursday to felony murder, aggravated assault, and concealing the death of another in connection with the shooting death of his wife, Diana Laura Aguirre, in 2021.

Matthew Vonard Howard, 26, was sentenced to life in prison by Tifton Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Bill Reinhardt. 

Howard was charged in the shooting death of his wife at their home on March 4, 2021, and then attempting to hide her body in their backyard.  

The body of Aguirre, 24, was found shortly after 5 p.m. March 6, 2021, in a shallow grave in her backyard in the 1300 block of Sussex Drive, police said. She had been reported missing the day before when she did not show up for work. Aguirre was last seen around 11 p.m. March 4, 2021, at her residence. 

The case was handled by Tifton Circuit Chief Assistant District Attorney Patrick Warren, investigator Melissa Luke, and victim advocate Latricia Sumner on behalf of the state. The Tifton Police Department was the lead law enforcement agency, and the case was handled by former investigator Chad Wentworth.    

“I commend Investigator Wentworth and the Tifton PD for their work on this case and our team from the D.A’.s office in preparing this case for trial” said Tifton Circuit District Attorney Bryce Johnson.

“Their hard work made today’s resolution possible,”  Johnson said Thursday.

MORE DEVELOPMENT COMING DOWNTOWN, DIRECTOR SAYS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Downtown Tifton’s redevelopment is charging ahead with a major project on Commerce Way and enhancements coming along Main Street and U.S. Highway 82, says Downtown Development Director Abbey McLaren.

In a talk to the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday, McLaren said quality of life improvements planned downtown will not only engage residents but will attract more visitors.

The Commerce Way redevelopment project, a new brick Tifton entrance gateway, repurposed buildings on U.S. Highway 82, piped background music along the street, and more trees will enhance the experience of visiting, shopping, and walking downtown, McLaren said.

The city was able to secure a $955,000 state rural redevelopment grant for Commerce Way improvements, including infrastructure upgrades to the water and sewer, allowing for more uses in the future.

“We’re prepped for development on both sides, Main Street and Commerce Way,” she said.

Currently, Commerce Way has uneven sidewalks and power poles that don’t conform with the rest of downtown. The grant will enable the sidewalks to be redone, power lines to be buried, and brick pedestrian crosswalks created. Electric car charging stations will allow visitors to shop and eat in restaurants while they park and charge their cars.

At the Commerce Way public parking lot, the city will add a large brick gateway. “It will help us tie everything together,” McLaren said. “Imagine coming over the railroad tracks; you’ll have Fifth Street Interiors and the Tifton mural on your right, then you’ve got Commerce Way looking its very best – new sidewalks, new pavement, buried power lines.” 

McLaren said that bids for the Commerce Way project have not yet been accepted.

“Since 2020, we’ve had a lot of economic development on Commerce Way and Fifth Street,” McLaren said. “Revitalizing means re-peopling it,” she said.

The Downtown Development Authority has purchased the two buildings on Fifth Street/U.S. Highway 82 that were formerly Orr TV and the Army Navy Store; an announcement will be made in the next two weeks about their new purpose.

“Something is fermenting in those two buildings,” McLaren said. “It will be the final piece of the development there.”

3 Beards BBQ will be available on site!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

J&J Weight Room – 229-386-1477

Coach Billy King – 229-392-3578

www.tiftwrestling.com

POLICE CHARGE TIFTON

SPA WORKERS WITH SELLING SEX ACTS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Two employees of a Tifton massage spa have been charged with selling sex acts, the City of Tifton says.

Chen Rae Lee, 67, and In Suk Ma, 64, both of Tifton, were taken into custody by the Tifton Police Department and charged with masturbation for hire.

Tifton Police detectives had received citizen complaints that employees of New Lucky Spa, located at 107 South Magnolia Drive in Tifton, were offering sex for money along with massages at the location.

On Wednesday, April 19, a Tifton Police detective conducted an undercover operation at New Lucky Spa, during which an employee offered sexual acts in exchange for money – a violation of state law.

Anyone with information about the matter is asked to contact Tifton Police Detective Michael Gaskins at 229-382-3132. Anonymous tips may be reported by calling 229-391-3991.

At the signing Tuesday of agriculture-related bills at ABAC’s Bainbridge campus are, from left, Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, Gov. Brian Kemp, ABAC President Tracy Brundage, and state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper of Ocilla.

GOV SIGNS AG BILLS AT ABAC’S BAINBRIDGE CAMPUS

Gov. Brian P. Kemp signed two bills that strengthen Georgia's No. 1 industry – agriculture – at a ceremony Tuesday on ABAC's Bainbridge campus.

HB 545 creates the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits, and SB 220 creates the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund.

"I am proud to sign these bills that will boost our state's citrus production and farmland conservation efforts,” Kemp said.

"By establishing this commission, we are ensuring that our citrus growers have the resources and representation they need to succeed in the global market. We are also investing in our rural communities by creating a fund that will provide matching grants to protect the land of farming families from development and preserve our state's No. 1 industry."

HB 545 authorizes the creation of an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits, which will be composed of five members appointed by the agriculture commissioner from a list of nominees submitted by citrus producers. The commission will have the ability to fund research, education, promotion, and marketing programs to benefit the industry.

SB 220 creates the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund, which will be administered by the state Department of Agriculture and will provide matching grants to certain holders or prospective holders of agricultural conservation easements.

As Georgia's No. 1 industry, agriculture and related fields provide an annual economic impact of more than $73 billion and sustain roughly 341,000 jobs in the state.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GEORGE WRIGHT

SENIOR CITIZEN AWARD

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

May is Older American Month, and the Tift County OAM Committee is seeking nominations for the annual presentation of the George A. Wright Award.

In honor of the late George Wright's contributions to Tift County, this perpetual memorial recognizes individuals age 60 and older who exemplify qualities that Wright exhibited.

Nominations must be made by Friday, May 5. Award recipients will be recognized at the Older American Finale on May 31, according to Fran Kinchen-Moss, director of Leroy Rogers Senior Center and co-chair of the Older Americans Month Committee .

Nominations should be mailed to Fran Kinchen-Moss, 315 2nd St. W., Tifton, GA 31794, or emailed to fkinchen@tifton.net or faxed to 229-391-3979.

The nomination must contain the name of the nominee, their address, telephone number, date of birth, organizational memberships, offices held (whether elected or appointed, and whether local, state, or national). The application should describe the individual’s contributions in five areas: Community service, church service, patriotism, family, and career. 

Finally, it should list the name, phone number, address, and signature of the person making the nomination. Two letters of support by endorsers should be included.

The example set by George Wright included his contribution as a community servant and civic leader, his Christian witness as a church man, his service as a dedicated patriotic American, his loving devotion to his family, and his career as a successful businessman.

“His positive influence on Tiftareans and many others and how he reached out and touched the lives of so many people always made them feel glad that George had come their way,” Kinchen-Moss said in a letter calling for nominations.

“All of these qualities led the people of Tift County to honor George A. Wright posthumously with the Outstanding Senior Citizen of the Year award in 1981.”

Medical Technologist I

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Tifton, GA 

40 hour per week position. Primary job responsibilities include performing basic testing for chemistry, hematology, parasitology, and urinalysis.

Process and analyze specimens received; calibration and operation of various instrumentation; and maintain instrumentation. Requires technical knowledge in the field acquired through an apprenticeship, a 2-year degree or higher, or professional certificate.

Salary is commensurate with experience. 

For detailed description and to apply online go to:

https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/297435

prior to April 28, 2023. 

The University of Georgia is an 

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.

An Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution

Speaking at center left is Kim Bruce, assistant director of special education for Tift County Schools, along with members of the school system's Transition Task Force at the Chamber of Commerce meeting Thursday.

SCHOOL TASK FORCE HELPS LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS TRANSITION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

At Thursday’s monthly Tifton-Tift County Chamber membership meeting, Kim Bruce, the assistant director of special education for Tift County Schools, discussed a new task force to help special education and learning disabled students transition into adulthood after high school graduation.

The Tift County Schools Transition Task Force was formed after the Emory Autism Center in Atlanta asked to work with the local school system in a research project three years ago. 

The first year, the Emory team worked to support the school system’s special education teachers. The second year, the emphasis was on getting parents involved, Bruce said, educating them in what resources are available. Parent trainings were held at the middle and high schools. 

Now in its third year, the Emory group has created formal transition plans and a comprehensive assessment for a couple of special education students. “We hired a transition coordinator,” Bruce said. The goal is to make sure the graduates are employable." 

The high school created adaptive work sites with a coffee shop and breakfast delivery. The goal of the Transition Task Force is to get special education graduates to be active members of the community, said Erica Ehlers, special education teacher at Tift County High School.

Tift County schools have about 900 students with disabilities aged 3 to 22. About 230 are at Tift County High. TCHS had a 75% graduation rate among these students in 2017-2018. In 2021-2022, the graduation rate among students with disabilities was 91%. 

Fifty-one of these students graduated in 2022. Thirteen enrolled in higher education, and 17 remained unemployed, Bruce said. National labor force participation rates show that only 39% of graduates with disabilities are employed, compared with 77% of those without disabilities.

“This is disheartening,” Bruce said. “It’s a big problem to solve.”

She encouraged Chamber of Commerce members to sponsor internships and to offer workplace tours to students with disabilities.

BLOOD DONATION APPOINTMENTS NEEDED, RED CROSS SAYS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The American Red Cross is reminding potential blood donors that it’s vital to make and keep donation appointments to ensure shelves are fully stocked with blood products all season long.

With blood transfusions remaining one of the most critical treatments for patients − such as those facing pregnancy and childbirth complications, and those with chronic illnesses − donors can connect patients to lifesaving care.

To make an appointment, download the Red Cross blood donor app, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Blood donation opportunities will be in Tifton from 2-6 p.m. April 25 at the Tifton Mall, and in Adel from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 28 at Cook County High School.

TRMC GETS ‘BABY FRIENDLY 5-STAR AWARD'

The Obstetrics Department at Tift Regional Medical Center recently earned the Baby Friendly Hospital 5-Star Award. 

Presented by the Georgia Department of Public Health and Georgia SHAPE (a childhood obesity initiative), the award recognizes TRMC for demonstrating excellence in breastfeeding awareness and support.

Pictured from left are Obstetrics Nurse Educator Erika Griffis, Lactation Educator Katelyn Allen, Obstetrics Assistant Nurse Manager Kimberly Ward, and Chief Nursing Officer Tonia Garrett.

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COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of April 19:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,911 ..................................... TOTAL TIFT DEATHS: 176

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 7 ................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

TIFT POSITIVITY RATE - 2 weeks: 2.6% ........ CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 20

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 49

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,359,279.....................................TOTAL GA DEATHS: 35,319

GA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 2,304

GA DEATHS - 1 week: 28................................... ......GA HOSPITALIZATIONS - 1 week: 142

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Saturday, April 22 is Earth Day. Begun in 1970, Earth Day started as a call to protect and clean our environment and is credited to have been the impetus to establish the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

• “Mama Mia!” by the TCHS Blue Devil Players, 6 p.m., Tift County High Performing Arts Center, Tifton

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

• Cook High’s Spring Fling Car Show, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Cook High School, Adel
• Earth Day Citywide Clean-Up, 9 a.m.-Noon, Cato Knight Parking Lot, Downtown Tifton
• Wild Chicken 100 bike ride, 9 a.m., 116 N. Johnston St., Fitzgerald
• Spring Pop-Up Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Downtown Adel
• “Mama Mia!” by the TCHS Blue Devil Players, 6 p.m., Tift County High Performing Arts Center, Tifton
• Mic Night, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton
• TRMC Foundation’s Hearts & Diamonds Gala, 7 p.m., UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

• “Mama Mia!” by the TCHS Blue Devil Players, 3 p.m., Tift County High Performing Arts Center, Tifton

THIS WEEKEND’S YARD SALE

NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE

Deer Run Subdivision

Carpenter Road (Behind Lowe’s)

Saturday, April 22

7 a.m. to 12 noon

Dining and other tables, chairs, organ, dish ware, figurines, TV, toys, clothing/shoes (adult, teens, toddler, baby), bikes, home decorations (pillows, pictures, plants, bed comforters, rugs), yard & garden tools, fresh eggs, and much more.

________________________________________________________

TO ADVERTISE YOUR

RESIDENTIAL YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Skyler,” this sweet girl, is 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).